What's the best way to achieve long-term results in tiny increments? In "Atomic Habits: An Easy & Proven Way to Build Good Habits & Break Bad Ones," author and entrepreneur James Clear details how focusing on small changes can transform your life. Sure, luck, randomness and uncertainty play a role in our fortunes, but habits matter because you control the outcomes. In "The Next Chapter" by American Express Business Class, author Clear and host Cardiff Garcia discuss techniques for habit formation and how it can have a meaningful impact in business and the workplace.

The role of a manager is to lead with purpose, streamline processes and motivate teams. But what does success look like for those new to the role? Asking questions, being curious and listening to your team is one place to start. In  “The Making of a Manager: What to Do When Everyone Looks to You,” Julie Zhuo identifies the next moves in a playbook for first-timers growing into the position. In this episode of the podcast “The Next Chapter” by American Express Business Class, Zhuo and host Cardiff Garcia discuss which tools can help new managers to lead confidently and thrive.

Every workplace needs a troublemaker. If that sounds odd, then check out “Professional Troublemaker: The Fear-Fighter Manual” by Luvvie Ajayi Jones. Ajayi Jones, a best-selling author and speaker, known for her honesty and wit, offers advice to readers on how to command the room at work and leave their fears at the door. She also chronicles her own rise as a self-described troublemaker. Earlier this year, Ajayi Jones adapted the work for young adults ready to make their mark in a new edition entitled, “Rising Troublemaker: A Fear-Fighter Manual for Teens”.

Negotiations are an essential part of everyday life. We negotiate with our family members, our colleagues and people we’ve met for the first time. So why do so many business books claim that great negotiators should be uncompromising and cold? In “Bring Yourself: How to Harness the Power of Connection to Negotiate Fearlessly,” Mori Taheripour makes the case that the best negotiators are curious, empathetic and, oftentimes, the best listeners in the room. Taheripour is a master negotiator whose techniques have been implemented by all types of leaders, from sports executives to Fortune 500 C.E.O.s – but her book offers advice that anyone can draw from to be more confident as they navigate their everyday lives.

How far can a person get on talent alone? Angela Duckworth is a researcher, teacher, MacArthur fellow and best-selling author who has dedicated her career to finding out what factors can lead a person to be successful. In her book “Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance,” Duckworth draws from a mixture of firsthand experiences, interviews with high performers and academic research to make the case that a person’s ability to overcome setbacks may actually be their most valuable trait. Duckworth and host Cardiff Garcia discuss her personal relationship with the idea of genius, the benefits of mentorship and how life has changed since the publication of “Grit.”

The Next Chapter is a new podcast from American Express Business Class, hosted by Cardiff Garcia. In each episode we’ll hear from a best-selling author from the world of business offering insights and inspiration for anyone looking to expand their company or elevate their career. 

Ever notice that extroverts get more shine than introverts? In her book, "Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can’t Stop Talking," Susan Cain gives introverts center stage by showing how much they lose each time we undervalue them. Through research and interviews with extraordinary people, "Quiet" changes the narrative around introverts and, more importantly, transforms how they see themselves. In this episode of the podcast "The Next Chapter" by American Express Business Class, Cain and host Cardiff Garcia discuss how introverts thrive in the workplace and excel in surprising ways.

Are some people predisposed to being a generalist versus a specialist? In his book, "Range: Why Generalists Triumph in a Specialized World," author David Epstein discovers that early specialization is an exception, not the rule. Epstein, a former science and investigative reporter, argues that to succeed in any field, one must develop an array of interests. In interviews with renowned athletes, inventors and scientists, he explores the power of diverse experiences in a world that requires hyperspecialization. In this episode of the podcast "The Next Chapter" by American Express Business Class, Epstein and host Cardiff Garcia discuss the virtues of being a generalist on a trajectory to success.

What’s the recipe behind some of the world’s most-successful partnerships? Why do some flourish while others fail disastrously? In their dual memoir, “Black, White and The Grey: The Story of an Unexpected Friendship and a Beloved Restaurant,” co-owners Mashama Bailey and John O. Morisano detail how a Black chef from Queens and a white media entrepreneur from Staten Island built an award-winning restaurant in Savannah, Ga., called The Grey. Theirs is a masterclass on building a company while bridging biases on race, class, gender and culture in the heart of the Deep South. In this episode of the podcast "The Next Chapter" by American Express Business Class, Bailey, Morisano and host Cardiff Garcia explore the coveted ingredients needed to forge a powerful alliance.

Can a game help us explore life's answers? Or teach us about our own existence? Poker, neither a game of chance nor of mathematical precision, may hold clues. In her book "The Biggest Bluff: How I Learned to Pay Attention, Master Myself and Win," the psychologist and best-selling author Maria Konnikova enters the world of high-stakes poker as a novice and transforms into an expert. Along the way, she investigates the role that luck plays in our lives and why we can't control everything. In this episode of the podcast “The Next Chapter” by American Express Business Class, Konnikova and host Cardiff Garcia discuss what poker can teach us about better decision making.

The Next Chapter by American Express Business Class is back for a second season. In each episode, Cardiff Garcia will speak to a best-selling author from the world of business. Our guests this season will be Maria Konnikova, Mashama Bailey and John O. Morisano, David Epstein, Susan Cain, Julie Zhuo and James Clear.

In the final episode of the season, Cardiff Garcia is joined by Malcolm Gladwell to discuss his work as co-founder and president of the audio production company Pushkin Industries, and host of “Revisionist History,” the successful podcast in which he reconsiders overlooked or misunderstood events of the past. The conversation took place in Pushkin’s recording studio in Hudson, N.Y., with topics spanning from what it means to challenge conventional wisdom to the delicate science of “hiring nihilism.”

How can the principles of conflict resolution apply to your next gathering? Priya Parker, a facilitator, strategic adviser and best-selling author of the book “The Art of Gathering: How We Meet and Why It Matters,” makes the case that coming together involves more than the proper etiquette – it’s the connection between the people. In this episode, Parker instructs listeners on how to plan more meaningful gatherings, from the birthday party to the boardroom meeting.

Adam Grant is an organizational psychologist, best-selling author and the top-rated professor at one of the world’s most prestigious business schools for seven years running. Grant’s influential book “Originals: How Non-Conformists Move the World” makes the case for an outsider approach to problem solving, drawn from years of his own academic research, the groundwork of others and interviews with famous freethinkers. In this episode, Cardiff Garcia sits down with Grant to examine how organizations can encourage a culture of originality, and how his thoughts have shifted since the book’s publication in 2016.