Darya Sinusoid, Author at Shortform Books

How the Health of an Economy Is Measured

What reflects the health of an economy? What markers do economists use to measure the strength of a country’s economy? Sometimes, an economy functions well: It grows at a healthy rate that allows many people to earn a good living. But sometimes, it suffers a period of stagnation or contraction, when people find it harder to survive or to thrive within the market. There are several markers of economic health including GDP (gross domestic product), unemployment rates, Gini coefficient, etc. In this article, we’ll explore how economists measure the health of an economy, what causes an economy to fall into

Organizational Strategic Planning: Think Analytically

What is organizational strategic planning? What factors should you consider when devising a big-picture strategy for an enterprise? Organizational strategic planning is an organizational process of setting objectives and devising a plan for attaining them. According to Richard P. Rumelt, the author of Good Strategy, Bad Strategy, there are three general principles you should adopt when devising a big-picture strategy for your organization: 1) think like a scientist, 2) think like an analyst, and 3) avoid common faulty biases. Keep reading to learn about these guidelines and demonstrate them with real-world examples.

Sex After Children: Rekindling Sexual Intimacy

Does having a baby kill your sex life? Why do you think that is? More importantly, how can we prevent parenthood from impinging on sexual intimacy? For many couples, once they have a child, almost everything about their lives changes: their relationships with themselves and the people they know, their bodies, roles, and amount of resources (finances, time, energy, and so on). Many of these changes affect the erotic life as well, usually in a suppressive way. In this article, we’ll discuss why parenthood often kills sexual intimacy and ways to rekindle your desire to have sex after children.

Level Five Leadership: Legacy-Based Leadership

What is Level five leadership? What do you think a leader should do once they’ve reached the pinnacle of the leadership ladder? In John Maxwell’s hierarchy, level five leadership is called the pinnacle leadership or the legacy-based leadership. At this level, people follow you because you have a reputation for developing strong leaders and strong organizations. Pinnacle leadership is about legacy—developing Level 4 leaders so that your organization continues to thrive even after you’re gone. In this article, we’ll discuss Maxwell’s level five leadership, its upsides and downsides, and what to do to thrive at this level.

New Sales Simplified by Mike Weinberg: Book Overview

What is New Sales Simplified about? What solution does the author Mike Weinberg offer to stifled sales progress? New Sales Simplified by Mike Weinberg demystifies sales prospecting for both veterans and inexperienced salespeople. At the core of his sales advice is the three-stage model he calls the “New Sales Driver.” The stages of the model are 1) targeting, 2) developing sales weapons, and 3) planning and executing. Below is a brief overview of Mike Weinberg’s New Sales Simplified: The Essential Handbook for Prospecting and New Business Development.

What Is the Role of Government in an Economy?

What is the role of government in an economy? Would economies function better if left to their own devices? A government makes a capitalist market possible. Though people, including many politicians, sometimes speculate about how much better the market could operate if there were little or no government around, the truth is, countries without strong governments have almost non-existent markets in which it’s difficult to conduct even simple transactions. In this article, we’ll explore the different ways a government can facilitate a functioning market economy. We’ll also explore the ways it can destroy one: Government intervention in the economy isn’t

Cognitive Bias in Negotiation: Use It Strategically

What role does cognitive bias play in negotiation? What biases have the greatest impact on your and your counterpart’s decision-making? In negotiation, cognitive bias plays a crucial role in how we receive information and determine our best interests. And as a skilled negotiator, you can take advantage of universal human cognitive biases to frame your position in a way that makes it optimally attractive to your counterpart. In this article, we’ll discuss how to use two cognitive biases (the framing effect and the loss aversion bias) to steer a negotiation in your desired direction.

John Maxwell: The Five Levels of Leadership—Review

Is The 5 Levels of Leadership worth reading? What are the five stages/levels of leadership, according to its author John C. Maxwell? In The 5 Levels of Leadership, author John C. Maxwell gives a shape and form to something seemingly indefinable. He culls his knowledge and experience to come up with the Five Levels of Leadership, a roadmap to help you reach your full leadership potential: 1) positional leadership, 2) permissional leadership, 3) production leadership, 4) empowerement-based leadership, and 5) pinnacle leadership. This The 5 Levels of Leadership review takes a look at the book’s context, background, and discusses its

Richard Rumelt: Good Strategy, Bad Strategy Overview

What is Richard Rumelt’s Good Strategy, Bad Strategy about? What makes a good organizational strategy according to the author? In Good Strategy Bad Strategy, Richard Rumelt lays out the essential components of good organizational strategy and the faulty thinking behind a bad strategy. He also describes specific and measurable techniques for designing a focused strategy that gives your organization the best chance of success. Below is a brief overview of Good Strategy, Bad Strategy by Richard Rumelt.

Committed Sex: It Doesn’t Have to Be Boring

Are commitment and desire mutually exclusive? Do you think it’s possible to maintain sexual desire in a lifelong relationship? Many couples therapists think that it’s normal for desire to fade and that lust is immature or based on fear of commitment. But according to psychotherapist Esther Perel, you can have both commitment and desire in the same relationship, they just may not always take place at the same time. Here is what Esther Perel has to say about committed sex.