Innovation projects depend on more than ideas and funding. They also depend on people’s energy. In Surrounded by Vampires, Thomas Erikson looks at everyday behaviors that quietly drain time and focus at work. The book offers simple tools to recognize these situations, set clearer boundaries, and protect energy without conflict. It is a practical read for anyone working under pressure or coordinating complex projects.

The Art of War endures because it reveals not just how to compete, but how to understand people, adapt to change, and act with clarity. In today’s fast-paced world of AI and digital transformation, Sun Tzu’s insights remind us that true victory comes from preparation, agility, and knowing ourselves and our teams before entering any battlefield.

One hundred years after Khalil Gibran’s The Prophet, its gentle voice still guides leaders. Almustafa’s claim that “work is love made visible” reframes targets as acts of care and purpose. His call to “fill each other’s cup but drink not from one cup” celebrates diversity as creative fuel. And his reminder that true giving is giving of self underpins empathetic, human-centred leadership. Progress, then, is built on purpose, difference and compassion.