The World's Best Book Summaries
As your organization grows, how can you maintain your culture? How should your teams be organized, and what should they prioritize? The Voltage Effect by John A. List is an economics text designed to help you understand the characteristics of scalable ideas. He argues that you should focus on building a sustainable culture while you scale your ideas. Read more to learn how to scale culture by embracing collaboration and diversity.
Why are you so busy? Why does it feel like you’re out of sync when you try to slow down? In The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry, pastor and author John Mark Comer explores culture’s obsession with rushing. He explains how this obsession infiltrates and impacts your life and offers an antidote. Read more to learn why you and everyone else are always in a rush.
How common is shame? How do we unwittingly give our shame more power? Since it’s not always possible to resist shame, what can be done about it? Shame is the focus of much of Brené Brown’s work, from her research to her books and to her speeches. Her work on shame helps countless people deal with this common experience. Continue reading for several Brené Brown shame quotes that capture the essence of her message.
How did Lada Gaga respond to the criticism she received for her album ARTPOP? What can it teach you about failure and success? Many of the people whom Alex Banayan interviewed for his book The Third Door overcame difficult challenges in their lives and their careers. He found that, for Lady Gaga, failure is an opportunity to bounce back and avoid derailing progress. Read more to learn how Lady Gaga has dealt with criticism and failure.
How does Warren Buffett invest? What’s the best way to adopt his approach? In The Warren Buffett Way, investment professional Robert G. Hagstrom outlines Warren Buffett’s investment strategies. Hagstrom explains why Buffett believes that focus investing is better than modern portfolio theory, and he shares some pitfalls to avoid as a focus investor. Read on to learn how to manage your portfolio like Buffett and to find an exercise that will help you examine your investing habits.
Should you apologize to your team when you mess up? Is it possible to apologize too much? As difficult as it can be, it seems obvious that leaders should admit their mistakes. However, it’s not so cut and dry when and how they should apologize. In The Voltage Effect, John A. List discusses what accountability in business should look like. Keep reading for List’s advice that can help you be a better leader and teammate.
Are you busy in a way that’s fulfilling or in a way that just feels hectic? Do you prioritize your well-being as much as you should? In The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry, pastor and author John Mark Comer makes a distinction between busyness that’s beneficial and busyness that’s detrimental. He warns against the type of busy lifestyle that leads to weak relationships, disconnection from God, poor health, and a lack of purpose. Read on to learn about the dangers of a busy lifestyle that tends to run you ragged.
Is courage a trait or a skill? Should a leader ever say, “I don’t know”? What’s a sure sign that you’re not reaching your potential as a leader? Brené Brown—a popular public speaker, bestselling author, and professional social worker—longs to see people lead wholeheartedly. She discusses how leaders can practice courage, build trust, and model vulnerability. Continue reading for several Brené Brown leadership quotes that capture the essence of her message.
Do you enjoy people for the sake of enjoying people? Do you have genuine friendships—or just glorified networking experiences? In her book How to Do Nothing, Jenny Odell argues that doing nothing is meant to solve the problems created by the attention economy—the mindset of placing a monetary value on time and attention. One of these problems is social atomization. Continue reading to understand this phenomenon and how it affects us all.
Are you trying to establish credibility in your field? How did Bill Gates do it when he was starting out? Alex Banayan interviewed successful people from a wide range of fields to discover what insights, tricks, and motivations helped them find success. He chose interviewees who started out as unknowns and, thus, lacked credibility. One of these is Bill Gates, who shared how he got people to invest in him. Continue reading to learn what Bill Gates has to say about the importance of knowledge in business, especially as you seek to build credibility.