The World's Best Book Summaries
Does your team get stuck when it encounters a problem that’s beyond its expertise? What if your organization had a team designed to come in and save the day? In Team Topologies, Matthew Skelton and Manuel Pais recommend dividing your workforce into four types of teams. One type is what they call “complicated-subsystem teams,” which are basically problem-solving teams. Read more to understand how and when such specialized teams should be deployed.
What’s an enabling team? What type of team handles an organization’s infrastructure? What’s the most important team type? Team Topologies is a manual for restructuring your organization’s approach to software design. Matthew Skelton and Manuel Pais argue that, by dividing your workforce into four types of teams, you’ll set your organization up for success. Keep reading for an overview of the four Team Topologies team types, plus a discussion on when it’s time to reassign teams.
What is the key to success? What are some professional development books that will help you find your passion? If your career is an important part of your life, you should take measures to always develop new skills and take on new challenges. Several professional development books introduce new ways to improve your work relationships, get promotions, and find happiness at your job. Let’s take a look at several books that will benefit your career.
Do you think about your job while at home? Do you want a better work-life balance? With demanding schedules and more people working from home these days, it’s hard to separate work from personal life. The stress of work can cause unproductivity at home, a decline in mental and physical health, and can damage relationships. We’ve rounded up the best work-life balance books to help you put a wall between your job and home life.
How does attention work? How does your brain know what to focus on? Can you pay attention to more than one thing at a time? Neuroscientist Daniel J. Levitin explains the two modes of attention and how the brain chooses between them. He also argues that multitasking is impossible. Continue reading to learn how attention works.
What are noncompete clauses in contracts? Why has the U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC) proposed a ban on noncompete clauses? The FTC recently proposed banning noncompete clauses, which restrict former employees and contractors from launching or working with rival companies. The clauses aim to protect businesses’ sensitive information. Keep reading to learn why the FTC wants to ban noncompete clauses in contracts and if they’ll succeed.
Do thoughts pop into your head and distract you? Did you just remember that you need to buy bananas? Neuroscientist Daniel J. Levitin explains how to stop getting distracted by thoughts by using a practical notecard system. This works because it sorts and stores information outside of your brain. Keep reading to learn how to use this system to deal with distracting thoughts and stay focused on the task at hand.
What’s causing the shortage of skilled labor in the U.S.? What are some possible solutions? As the overall labor shortage begins to ease in the U.S., there’s still a chronic shortage of skilled labor. In the long term, efforts to resolve the shortage focus on educating young people about the trades to clear up misconceptions and increase interest. Keep reading to learn what’s causing the shortage of skilled labor and some proposed solutions.
Are you a business owner? Is your business failing to make money? One of the hardest parts about being a business owner is seeing your company struggle. There are many reasons why a business might fail, but there are ways to come back from these pitfalls. Let’s look at how to save a failing business and turn things around for the better.
What’s open awareness? What is it good for? Does it have a downside? When your brain isn’t using selective attention—choosing where you direct your attention—it’s using open awareness. This is a passive, rather than deliberate, state of attention. Continue reading to learn more about open awareness, including its benefits and drawbacks.