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Business Unusual
Book

Business Unusual

Values, Uncertainty and the Psychology of Brand Resilience

Kogan Page, 2021 more...

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Editorial Rating

8

Qualities

  • Well Structured
  • Engaging
  • Inspiring

Recommendation

Behavioral science consultant Nathalie Nahai offers expert wisdom to help organizations thrive in today’s tumultuous world. Nahai draws on psychological research, interviews with subject-matter experts and business leaders, and her own tech savvy, and presents her findings in accessible, engaging prose. Her book has won accolades from the likes of psychologist Scott Barry Kaufman, futurist Brian Solis, McKinsey senior advisor Caroline Webb and Ogilvy & Mather Group vice chair Rory Sutherland.

Summary

Individuals, brands and organizations gain resilience from aligning with their higher values.

When an unexpected challenge interrupts your life – such as the COVID-19 pandemic – your resilience will determine how well you weather the crisis. Resilience comes from developing psychological tools to respond to adversity. Among the most valuable of those tools: choosing to live by your values. Actively affirming your values wards off many of the biological and psychological effects of stress, decreasing levels of the stress hormone cortisol and reducing the tendency to ruminate on a failure. And people who endure crisis gain profound benefits from the experience, such as deeper relationships, wisdom and inner strength.

Resilient organizations can withstand disruptions to their structure, business strategy or supply chain; resilience allows brands to weather attacks. For any organization, staying committed to its values – that is, integrity – underpins resilience. Integrity also means maintaining congruence between words and actions, being consistent across time and situations, and holding to principles and beliefs rather than taking a pragmatic approach.

Even apart...

About the Author

Nathalie Nahai is an international speaker and consultant advising clients on the ethical use of behavioral science to boost their online presence, product design, customer experience and content marketing. She hosts The Hive Podcast.


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