Elizabeth Whitworth, Author at Shortform Books

3 Benefits of Listening in Relationships: How Minds Sync Up

Do you experience loneliness? Would you like to be able to trust more—and get others to put more trust in you? In You’re Not Listening, Kate Murphy explains that effective listening creates empathic connections between people. She explores three core benefits of these empathic connections, whether they’re in the context of friendships, romantic relationships, or parenting. Keep reading to learn the three benefits of listening in relationships.

A Brief History of Energy Use: From Fire to Fossil Fuels

When did we become dependent on fossil fuels? What did we use before that? Vaclav Smil explains that, for millennia, the only energy sources humans relied on (besides their own labor) were fire and animals. It wasn’t until the 1900s that we began using large amounts of coal and the mid-20th century when we began relying heavily on other fossil fuels. Continue reading for a brief history of energy use.

How to Use Feedback to Improve Performance: Tips to Excel

What would you like to get better at? Do you regularly ask for feedback? What types of feedback do you find most helpful? Workplace performance psychologist Ron Friedman wants you to find creative success. In his book Decoding Greatness, he shows how good feedback is part of the equation. He discusses what makes feedback good, how you should ask for it, and how to be receptive to it. Read on to learn how to use feedback to improve performance.

Energy Pros and Cons: Weighing Crude Oil, Electricity, & Nuclear

Why can’t we just substitute any form of energy for another? What’s the best kind of energy for transportation? What’s the downside of electricity? Vaclav Smil says that understanding energy is essential to understanding modern societies and economic systems. We rely on energy to power our world, yet it can’t be produced from scratch. In How the World Really Works, he weighs the advantages and disadvantages of three forms of energy. Keep reading to learn about several energy pros and cons that will help you understand why the world works the way it does.

How to Build Career Relationships That Support Your Goals

What kind of people can help you elevate your career? Do you deliberately develop relationships that help you reach your goals? Behavioral science expert Grace Lordan explains how you can change your life by identifying who you want to become and then making a plan to turn your ideal future self into a reality. One step is to find people who can support your career goals and actively foster relationships with them. Keep reading to learn how to build career relationships that are mutually beneficial.

Why Is It Important to Listen? 3 Benefits of Effective Listening

Do you listen as well as you think you do? Why is it important to listen? What might you be missing out on? Listening is far more than just hearing what people say. Effective listening creates meaningful connections between you and others, fosters learning and growth, and enables cooperation. In other words, listening well simply makes life better. Keep reading to learn why it is important to listen.

The 1-2-3 Magic Method for Disciplining Your Children

How should you help kids redirect their behavior? How should children’s chores change as they get older? What are the benefits of sympathetic listening? The 1-2-3 Magic Method distills discipline into two tasks—stopping unwanted behavior and initiating productive behavior. This gives you more time and energy to cultivate a warm and loving relationship with your child. Read on to learn how Thomas W. Phelan’s 1-2-3 Magic Method might work for your family.

How to Learn From Experts: Cautions & Tips for Getting Guidance

Investing For The Future: 3 Things Millionaires Do

Why are the greats often not so great at teaching others what they know? What’s the best way to learn from them? In Decoding Greatness, Ron Friedman says that doing great work requires learning from the greats in your field. But, you’ll find that many of them make poor teachers and coaches. Friedman explains why this is and shares strategies for getting the most out of your interactions with them. Keep reading for Friedman’s guidance on how to learn from experts.

How to Respond to Feedback—Despite Your Cognitive Biases

Whom should you ask for feedback? What should you refuse to receive feedback about? Should you take negative feedback to heart? Grace Lordan says that cognitive biases—the mental shortcuts that all humans take—can hinder you from achieving your goals. One way they do that is by preventing you from soliciting and responding well to feedback. But, if you want to reach your goals, you need wise insights from others around you. Keep reading to learn how to respond to feedback without interference from your cognitive biases.

How the World Really Works by Vaclav Smil: Book Overview

How does energy work? What about food production? Manufacturing? If you’re like most people, you don’t know the answers to these questions. How the World Really Works by Vaclav Smil explores these matters that are central to our lives but not well understood. The bottom line he wants to communicate is that the world works because of fossil fuels. Keep reading for an overview of this book that seeks to educate us about how the world functions every day.