Amanda Penn, Author at Shortform Books

Prepare for Change: Tips From Who Moved My Cheese

We all experience change in our lives. It can be distressing or rewarding, depending on our approach. Who Moved My Cheese is a parable that demonstrates in practical terms how to handle change better and avoid pitfalls, by practicing a few key principles: anticipate and prepare for change, overcome fears, envision success, and enjoy change. By depicting simple, memorable characters and scenarios, the parable gives you a framework for responding to change successfully. Learning to prepare for change comes at the beginning of the process of dealing with change, but it’s one of the most important steps. The better you

Nadja Salerno-Sonnenberg’s Mindset Nearly Ruined Her Career

Who is Nadja Salerno-Sonnenberg? How did the violinist discover that her talent alone was not going to lead her to a successful career in music? Nadja Salerno-Sonnenberg is a highly accomplished violinist and music teacher. But she almost ruined her future as a violinist with her fixed mindset. We’ll cover the dangers of a fixed mindset (Carol Dweck, Mindset) and how Nadja Salerno-Sonnenberg turned her early violin career around.

Jack Welch of GE: His 3 Powerful Lessons on Great Leadership

How did Jack Welch of GE become one of the most successful CEOs in the world? What can we learn from Jack Welch’s growth mindset? Jack Welch was the chairman and CEO of General Electric from 1981 to 2001. His growth mindset helped increase the value of GE by 4,000%. We’ll cover the three lessons about leadership we can learn from Jack Welch of General Electric, and how these lessons are all tied to having a growth mindset.

5 Bad Boss Characteristics: Is YOUR Boss Guilty?

What are the most common “bad boss” characteristics? Why are they so common? What do they have to do with having a fixed mindset? And are you guilty of any of these bad boss characteristics? We’ll cover the five most common bad boss characteristics to help you learn from the mistakes of other leaders (and perhaps feel better about the foibles of your own boss).

Anticipate Change: Why It’s a Key Step in Coping with It

Why is it so important to anticipate change? Anticipating change can help you better prepare for it, and change is a part of life. We’ll cover why anticipating change is essential in work, life, and relationships, using the powerful strategies set out by the parable Who Moved My Cheese. Learn to anticipate change so you can better cope with it.

Student Attitude and Academic Performance—Why They’re Linked

Is there a correlation between student attitude and academic performance? Can a fixed mindset keep students from reaching their academic potential? We’ll cover how student attitude and academic performance are related and why a fixed mindset is one of the most detrimental attitudes a student can have. We’ll also cover tips for developing a growth mindset in yourself or your students.

Helping Employees Deal with Change in the Workplace

Helping employees deal with change in the workplace can be a tough challenge. It’s a truism that no one likes change, and people tend to panic. How do you help employees cope with change? An important role of managers is to lead employees who are uncertain about or fearful of change by painting a picture of success they can get excited about. (In other words, “Picture the new cheese,” from the parable Who Moved My Cheese.) We’ll cover the advice of the parable of change, Who Moved My Cheese, and look at how to more easily help employees deal with

The 3 Causes of Groupthink + How It Hurts Your Business

What are the causes of groupthink? How is groupthink related to having a fixed mindset? Is there any way to avoid or prevent groupthink? Groupthink is a term popularized in the 1970s for situations where everyone thinks alike. No one disagrees, raises issues, or criticizes. A drawback of a fixed mindset in CEOs and organizations is groupthink. It can lead to disastrous decisions. Learn why, and if there’s any way to avoid groupthink.

Growth Mindset in Schools: How to Foster It in Your Students

The Importance of Studying Mythology and Folklore

What is Carol Dweck’s growth mindset? How can you better incorporate the concept of the growth mindset in schools? We’ll cover why student achievement starts with fostering a growth mindset in schools, and how to ensure all students develop a growth mindset.

Dealing with Change at Work in 5 Simple Steps

A common change in many people’s lives involves their jobs. Jobs and careers aren’t static. If your job is redefined or eliminated, applying the principles in Who Moved My Cheese can help you with dealing with change at work successfully. We’ll cover the seven steps of successfully dealing with change in the workplace, including examples of each of the steps. Learning how to deal with change at work can be hard, but it’s an essential skill to develop, and these strategies from Who Moved My Cheese are the secret.