Our Best Work

How can we fix what we can't see? The norms crushing innovationâ"and our joyâ"are finally made visible. All 24 of them. In Our Best Work, Nilofer Merchant names the 24 invisible normsâ"born of hierarchy, control, and a worn-out model of capitalismâ"that limit us all. Along the way, she dismantles some of managementâs most beloved ideas:Servant LeadershipPersonal BrandingSpeaking UpPerformance ReviewsMove Fast and Break ThingsThese arenât just ideas that fall shortâ"they are daily routines that trap us in the past. Merchant exposes how and why they fail us. But itâs not enough to know the problem, we must also know how to move forward. She lights the path to the future by providing the 24 leading indicators that bring out the best of us and the best of us. Each chapter closes with a concrete practice, so teams can turn insight into action. Ranked among the worldâs most influential management thinkers by Thinkers50, Merchant brings an unmatched range of experience: from her start as an administrative assistant to shaping strategy at Apple and early-stage startups to serving on corporate boards. She has experienced the realities of power from every seat at the table, across industries, and around the globe. Her ideas have already reshaped companiesâ"and their futures. With this incisive take, Merchant offers a clear and collective path to do our best work, including:Unlocking the essential source of innovation: new and novel ideasReplacing competition with trustCreating the solutions of tomorrow, not just todayâs profitsIf youâve tired of self-help fixes or the latest fads, Our Best Work offers another way: by changing the rules of work itself.