The World's Best Book Summaries
What can small business leaders learn from the E-Myth book? How can it give a business a better chance to succeed? In The E-Myth Revisited, Michael E. Gerber explains how focusing solely on the product—and just trying to work harder—undermines new businesses. The right approach is to view your business like a franchise—to systematize operations so that it no longer relies on you. Read more to learn the primary principles from the E-Myth book.
What was the truth regarding missile defense during the Cold War? How did doubt-mongering impact the debate? In Merchants of Doubt, historians Naomi Oreskes and Erik Conway look at doubt-mongering in several contexts, including strategic missile defense. They discuss the science and how certain merchants of doubt entered the arena and affected public awareness and policy. Read more to learn how merchants of doubt impacted the missile defense narrative.
What is a business format franchise? How did Ray Kroc innovate franchising to create huge success? In The E-Myth Revisited, Michael E. Gerber discusses Ray Kroc’s business format franchise, a template that’s been widely adopted by other companies. He shares the key to McDonald’s success, and he offers insights into how you might succeed by doing what they do. Read more to learn about the business format franchise template.
What is the truth about the dangers of secondhand smoke? Why has it taken so long for people to understand them? In Merchants of Doubt, Naomi Oreskes and Erik Conway look at the history of doubt-mongering surrounding the dangers of secondhand smoke. The merchants of doubt attacked the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for doing “bad science.” This had crucial implications for public awareness and policy. Read more to learn about the truth and doubt surrounding the dangers of secondhand smoke.
What is the entrepreneurial model for business? Do you have the mindset of an entrepreneur? In The E-Myth Revisited, Michael E. Gerber asserts that a successful business owner embraces an entrepreneurial model—a business model with measurable steps, a guiding vision, a defined structure, and functional systems. Another key to success is an entrepreneurial perspective, which keeps the focus on the business rather than the work. Read more to learn about an entrepreneurial model and mindset.
What is the history of science and the tobacco industry? Why did it take so long for most people to believe that smoking is harmful? In Merchants of Doubt, historians Naomi Oreskes and Erik Conway look at doubt-mongering around the science of tobacco use. Their doubt-mongering was so successful that it took over 50 years for the majority of the public to believe that smoking is dangerous to health. Read on to learn about the history of science and doubt in regard to the tobacco industry.
Do you have a personnel plan for your business? Do your employees find satisfaction and success in the work they do for your organization? In The E-Myth Revisited, Michael E. Gerber explains what an effective personnel plan looks like. He shows how to see your work environment and rules as a game, which helps set people up for success and satisfaction in their work. He also provides tips for an effective hiring process. Read more to discover what comprises an effective personnel plan.
Are you skilled in evaluating science? How do you know what’s true and what’s false? In the book Merchants of Doubt, Naomi Oreskes and Erik Conway take on people and organizations who create the impression that scientific findings that threaten their agenda or ideology are unsettled—or flat-out wrong. The authors look at some of the issues that merchants of doubt are tackling today and share keys to evaluating science so that you can protect yourself from being taken in. Read on to start developing the skill of evaluating science.
Are you facing a business crisis? Do you feel like you’re losing control? In The E-Myth Revisited, Michael E. Gerber shares three actions you should avoid in a business crisis. Then he offers a solution: get out of your comfort zone and take on new identities by developing new skills. As your business grows, you need to grow. Read more to learn what to do (and what not to do) in a business crisis.
How do people deliberately cultivate unhealthy, scientific skepticism? How do they create debate when an issue is already settled? In Merchants of Doubt, historians Naomi Oreskes and Erik Conway look at some of the techniques that are used to stir up scientific skepticism. These doubt-mongering tactics have been deployed in several important “debates” such as tobacco use, nuclear disarmament, acid rain, the ozone layer, climate change, and the pesticide DDT. Read on to learn how merchants of doubt sow seeds of detrimental scientific skepticism.