The World's Best Book Summaries
Are you comfortable being yourself, even around people you lead? Do you stand up for others even when it costs you? According to Stephen M. R. Covey, an inspirational leader makes a commitment to be an upstanding person that others look up to. This requires you to be strong, be true to yourself, and understand others well. Continue reading to dig deep into each of these character qualities of a leader who inspires others.
What’s steward leadership? What do you have to do to embrace this leadership style? Stephen M. R. Covey advocates for a steward leadership style in his book Trust and Inspire. He explains that trusting and inspirational leaders put their stewardship into practice through three primary commitments. Continue reading to learn what these commitments entail and why they’re important.
What are the benefits of behavior-based interviews? How do you get to know a candidate more in an interview? A behavior-based interview lets you identify a candidate’s behavioral tendencies. Understanding how a candidate has behaved in the past helps you predict how they may behave in the future at your company. Let’s look at how to conduct this type of interview to get all the information you need.
Are you clear about your expectations for your employees? Do you “declare your intent” to those you lead? What’s the difference between a good leader and a great one? In Trust and Inspire, Stephen M. R. Covey asserts that the shift from industrial-era to modern-day work necessitates a leadership evolution. He explains how and why you should step up from traditional to inspirational leadership to succeed in all areas of your organization and life. Read on for a few Trust and Inspire quotes to get a sense of the book.
Have you been told that you’re average? How useful is it to use averages as a measure? What harm does it do? We’re so accustomed to using averages that we neglect to question whether they’re actually useful. The End of Average by Todd Rose argues that, when we use averages to judge people, we typically arrive at inaccurate and harmful conclusions. Continue reading for an overview of this book that will have you looking at yourself and everyone else in a new way.
What’s wrong with current hiring practices? Why are many qualified people getting rejected? Todd Rose wades into the experience vs. education debate in his book The End of Average. He argues that skills outweigh degrees, and he advocates for an emphasis on credentials rather than diplomas in today’s workplace. Continue reading to understand Rose’s argument, and consider how it stacks up to your own experience and observation.
How much direction should managers give employees? Why is autonomy in the workplace important? At work, your manager might judge your performance with benchmarks calibrated to the average worker. Psychologist Todd Rose argues in The End of Average that individuality among employees is ultimately better for a company’s bottom line. Autonomy is a key that unlocks this door. Read more to understand why autonomy is important in the workplace.
Do you leverage the unique aspects of your employees, or do you expect them to conform to the norm? Do you value degrees over skills? In The End of Average, Todd Rose says that judging people in comparison to the average does significant damage to society when people abuse averages in the workplace. He asserts that, if employees can use their individual strengths at work, they’ll be more productive and fulfilled. Keep reading to learn the merits of individualism in the workplace.
Are some of your coworkers jerks? At what point should you address their behavior? The first step to confronting toxic behavior in the workplace is determining the full context of the situation. Sometimes, it’s not worth it or necessary to take any action. But, sometimes it’s critical. If the situation meets certain characteristics, you need to address the behavior. Continue reading for tips from organizational psychologist Robert I. Sutton.
What should you consider when creating a business model? How should you evaluate and test a new model? A business model defines how a company creates, delivers, and captures economic value. Drawing from concepts in the books Business Model Generation and Running Lean, we’ve created six exercises containing several business model questions that will help you devise a model that fits your vision. Continue reading for these exercises you can do with your team.