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Smart Thinking: How to live, think and work even better
A clear and practical review of the 50 most common thinking challenges everyone faces from day to day, with a full guide to the most accessible and practical solutions.
Many of us find ourselves facing difficult work situations, day after day - often as a result of existing patterns of behaviour - or at the mercy of negative and intrusive thoughts. But such cycles can be broken, allowing you to approach problems and challenges in a more robust and sustainable way. Smart Thinking focuses on common thinking challenges we all face from time to time, both rational (such as problem-solving) and emotional (mental health issues, for example), while also offering an array of practical and realistic solutions. It explains the problems and highlights the best options to resolve them, while encouraging you to look differently at the circumstances around you, and then to develop new, and permanent, ways of tackling any challenges.
From getting the best out of others, to thinking more creatively about financial problems (even without maths skills), Jo Owen tackles 50 of the most common 'thinking' challenges that can derail the best-laid plans and intentions. Be more decisive in the face of uncertainty, make better decisions for you and your colleagues, and tackle any of the unexpected problems that our busy work lives can throw at us, with Smart Thinking.
Many of us find ourselves facing difficult work situations, day after day - often as a result of existing patterns of behaviour - or at the mercy of negative and intrusive thoughts. But such cycles can be broken, allowing you to approach problems and challenges in a more robust and sustainable way. Smart Thinking focuses on common thinking challenges we all face from time to time, both rational (such as problem-solving) and emotional (mental health issues, for example), while also offering an array of practical and realistic solutions. It explains the problems and highlights the best options to resolve them, while encouraging you to look differently at the circumstances around you, and then to develop new, and permanent, ways of tackling any challenges.
From getting the best out of others, to thinking more creatively about financial problems (even without maths skills), Jo Owen tackles 50 of the most common 'thinking' challenges that can derail the best-laid plans and intentions. Be more decisive in the face of uncertainty, make better decisions for you and your colleagues, and tackle any of the unexpected problems that our busy work lives can throw at us, with Smart Thinking.
- GenresAudiobookNonfiction
208 pages, Paperback
Published January 21, 2025
7 people are currently reading
36 people want to read
About the author
Jo Owen
93 books41 followersJo is the first person to be awarded the CMI gold medal three times, for Mindset of Success; How to Manage and Leadership Skills Handbook.
He practices what he preaches as a leader: he has started seven NGOs with a collective turnover above $100million annually. He was a partner at Accenture; he started a bank, was sued for $12 billion and was the best nappy (diaper) salesman in Birmingham.
His research on leadership has taken him to the ends of the earth and resulted in Tribal Business School: what modern business can learn from traditional societies. He has worked with over 100 of the best , and a few of the worst, organisations on our planet and has interviewed everyone from spies to sportspeople as well as leaders around the world to find the essence of leadership.
His latest work is on Global Teams, which is the first book to look at the plumbing of globalisation: how global teams do and do not work.
He practices what he preaches as a leader: he has started seven NGOs with a collective turnover above $100million annually. He was a partner at Accenture; he started a bank, was sued for $12 billion and was the best nappy (diaper) salesman in Birmingham.
His research on leadership has taken him to the ends of the earth and resulted in Tribal Business School: what modern business can learn from traditional societies. He has worked with over 100 of the best , and a few of the worst, organisations on our planet and has interviewed everyone from spies to sportspeople as well as leaders around the world to find the essence of leadership.
His latest work is on Global Teams, which is the first book to look at the plumbing of globalisation: how global teams do and do not work.
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
August 14, 2025
A good overview of a lot of general common sense ideas, sometimes easier to state than to practice. I enjoyed the practical applications, but it did get quite repetitive by the end. Yet to some, repetition is key to learning so possibly tactful.
January 27, 2025
Thank you Libro.fm for the ALC; it worked well for driving to / from a visit with my partner. It was just ok (2.5) for me as it all felt rehashed / I'd heard or read most of it before.
November 26, 2024
Book 219 of 300 ~ 2024
🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
I had the honour and privilege to be invited by author #joowen and @bloomsburypublishing to review the manuscript and write a little something.
Jo and I go way back. I remember seeing and, yes, reading his books. I remember them being released one after another, with each title being so informative and yet not a dull minute when learning. This was at my first job at @definitelybooks
#pansing when I was managing the marketing department.
In my second life, I recall receiving his books for review and reaching out to one of my favourite business and management writers to do a column that he so readily agreed to.
In my third chapter, I now get to pen my thoughts on his work.
Absolutely brilliant, informative, and witty read. As I had said in my blurb: An introspective book that helps readers to reconfigure their lives either due to lifechanging events or they desire to live their best lives.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
#book219of300 #amreading #instareads #readstagram #reading #bookreview #bookreviewer #booklover #booksAreLife #booksForTheWin #thisbookfairyisreading #bookstagram #bookstagrammer #bookstagramfeature #bookshelf #booksofinstagram #bookish #bookworm #goodreads #booklovers #theSGbookfairyReads #theSGtrekkiereads #bookaholic #bookaddict #bookchallenge2024 #reviews #lovebooks #booknerds
🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
I had the honour and privilege to be invited by author #joowen and @bloomsburypublishing to review the manuscript and write a little something.
Jo and I go way back. I remember seeing and, yes, reading his books. I remember them being released one after another, with each title being so informative and yet not a dull minute when learning. This was at my first job at @definitelybooks
#pansing when I was managing the marketing department.
In my second life, I recall receiving his books for review and reaching out to one of my favourite business and management writers to do a column that he so readily agreed to.
In my third chapter, I now get to pen my thoughts on his work.
Absolutely brilliant, informative, and witty read. As I had said in my blurb: An introspective book that helps readers to reconfigure their lives either due to lifechanging events or they desire to live their best lives.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
#book219of300 #amreading #instareads #readstagram #reading #bookreview #bookreviewer #booklover #booksAreLife #booksForTheWin #thisbookfairyisreading #bookstagram #bookstagrammer #bookstagramfeature #bookshelf #booksofinstagram #bookish #bookworm #goodreads #booklovers #theSGbookfairyReads #theSGtrekkiereads #bookaholic #bookaddict #bookchallenge2024 #reviews #lovebooks #booknerds
December 30, 2024
Rating: g - no profanity, sex, or violence.
Recommend : jh and up, leadership minded readers, good lessons for any curious.
Summer book club with librarians? Might be good for us to read together and discuss .
Practical, thoughtful advice. Presented in an accessible manner, it did not drag. Enough personal stories to keep things moving.
(Timely as I’m in the middle of library / parent drama.)
Recommend : jh and up, leadership minded readers, good lessons for any curious.
Summer book club with librarians? Might be good for us to read together and discuss .
Practical, thoughtful advice. Presented in an accessible manner, it did not drag. Enough personal stories to keep things moving.
(Timely as I’m in the middle of library / parent drama.)
February 13, 2025
Thanks to libro fm for the free audiobook. I’m so glad I’m finished with it because it was boring. Nothing innovative that felt novel. Author frequented writing lists of lists or bragging about her other ventures.
March 20, 2025
Some really good takeaways for improving our lives
July 6, 2025
read it like a guide. very simple and insightful
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews