Darya Sinusoid, Author at Shortform Books

Doris Kearns Goodwin on Teddy Roosevelt’s Presidency

What is Theodore Roosevelt known for? What was the key turning point in Roosevelt’s leadership? According to Doris Kearns Goodwin, Teddy Roosevelt’s greatest achievements as a president would not have happened if it wasn’t for his family tragedy. He was stricken with immense grief, which made him dive deeply into his work, setting a chain of events that were instrumental in Roosevelt developing qualities that were essential to how he handled the 1902 coal strike. Here’s how Roosevelt’s crisis taught him bias to action.

How to Improve Your Oral Communication Skills

Do you want to level up your communication skills? What are some things you should keep in mind when it comes to oral communication? Effective oral communication is one of the most important skills you could develop. One rule of thumb to keep in mind is to use the same techniques whether you’re talking with one person or a roomful of people—maintain the same level of confidence, attention, and engagement. Here’s how to improve your oral communication skills, according to author Jay Sullivan.

On War by Carl von Clausewitz: Book Overview

How is it possible that defenders are responsible for most wars? Why is it a logical contradiction for military concerns to influence political policy? And why shouldn’t soldiers sleep in tents? Carl von Clausewitz answers all these questions and more in his treatise On War. While it was originally published in 1832, Clausewitz’s philosophical underpinnings of war are arguably still relevant in the modern day. Below is a brief overview of the key themes and takeaways from On War by Carl von Clausewitz.

What’s an Open Economic System?

Is the economy an open or a closed system? Why does traditional economics treat the economy as a closed system? According to Kate Raworth, traditional economics has a closed-system model for the economy, which operates simply as a series of “inflows” and “outflows” of money, closed off from everything else. This model puts the economy in isolation and treats it as a machine, governed by a simple and predictable set of inputs and outputs. In an open economic system, on the other hand, the economy is embedded within the environment and the planet itself. Here’s why the economy is an

Theodore Roosevelt’s Leadership: Bias Towards Action

What was the greatest accomplishment of Theodore Roosevelt? How did a family tragedy help Theodore Roosevelt end a coal strike that threatened the lives of thousands? Teddy Roosevelt, who led the country from 1901 to 1909, was instrumental during the coal strike of 1902, when coal miners and mine owners faced off in a months-long strike that threatened to plunge the nation into crisis. According to historian Doris Kearns Goodwin, Roosevelt’s decision to intervene during this strike is evidence of courage and a bias towards action—both of which he developed after experiencing his own personal crisis. Here’s how a personal

The Assumption of Rational Behavior in Economics

What is rational behavior in economics? How accurate is this assumption that humans are inherently rational agents seeking to maximize their economic utility at the expense of everything else? In economics, human beings are seen as largely rational agents. The rational economic man cares only about increasing his material wealth and will always follow incentives to do so. According to Kate Raworth, this portrait of humankind is grossly inaccurate. In her book Doughnut Economics, she calls into question the power of extrinsic incentives in driving human behavior. Here’s why the assumption of rational behavior is ultimately flawed.

Written Business Communication: 3 Rules of Thumb

Do you write a lot for business or work? What are some things you should keep in mind when writing any kind of business documentation or correspondence? Writing is a necessary part of any professional field. When it comes to written business communication, you should write in a manner that’s concise, clear, and to-the-point. Nobody likes to waste their time reading long emails that beat around the bush. Here are some tips on how to write documents and emails that people will actually read.

Carl von Clausewitz’s Strategy of War

Is Clausewitz still relevant in the 21st century? What is Carl von Clausewitz’s strategy of war? Carl von Clausewitz was a Prussian general who fought in the Napoleonic wars in the early 1800s, and he wrote extensively about military philosophy, strategy, and tactics. In his book On War, Clausewitz explains the principles that underpin his philosophy of war and discusses the rationale behind his military tactics and strategies. In this article, we’ll describe the chronology of a hypothetical war and examine Carl von Clausewitz’s strategy as it would apply to that situation.

Lyndon B. Johnson and the 1964 Civil Rights Act

What did LBJ do as a president? What was the main purpose of Lyndon B. Johnson’s Civil Rights Act? President Lyndon B. Johnson is most known for passing Kennedy’s civil rights bill. This both honored the late President’s memory and held the promise of a new America in which everybody had equal rights. The bill was designed to desegregate public spaces and enforce the integration of schools. Here’s how Johnson managed to pass the long-awaited bill.

Kate Raworth: The Doughnut Model Explained

What is the doughnut model in economics? How has economic growth pushed us outside the doughnut? According to Kate Raworth, the author of Doughnut Economics, the goal of economic policy should be to stay within the inner ring of the metaphorical doughnut. This entails designing an economy that is productive enough to ensure that everyone on the planet has their basic material needs met, but that does not grow so fast as to deplete our natural resources and degrade the environment. Here’s what we can do to stay within the doughnut, according to Raworth.