The World's Best Book Summaries
Why did Jeff Bezos ban PowerPoint presentations at Amazon? Was that a good idea? Jeff Bezos famously booted PowerPoint out of the presentation room at Amazon. In The Bezos Blueprint, Carmine Gallo explains why. Keep reading to learn about Jeff Bezos, PowerPoint, and the beauty of stories in communication.
How do sick days work in the U.S.? Why doesn’t the U.S. have paid sick leave? The U.S. is the only nation among 22 top-wealth countries that doesn’t require employers to provide workers paid sick leave. Experts agree on the benefits of paid sick days but disagree about who should fund them. Read on to learn more about the current state of the U.S. sick leave policy.
Should you edit your own writing before someone else does? What’s the difference between developmental and line editing? After you’ve gotten your ideas down on paper in your first draft, it’s time to move on to the editing stage. Ann Handley, in her book Everybody Writes, explains how to use developmental editing and line editing to move your draft from rough to decent. Continue reading to learn how to edit your own writing.
How do you feel at the end of your typical day? Do you feel proud of what you’ve achieved or disappointed, thinking you could’ve done more? Do you wish you could be more productive? As the day begins drawing to a close, many people feel guilty for not having made the most of it. They can’t help getting distracted, postponing important tasks, and spending excessive amounts of time on unproductive activities such as chatting with co-workers or scrolling through social media. If you’re serious about getting a grip on the way you spend your time and want to learn how
What is bossware? What are the pros and cons of remote employee monitoring software? Is it ethical—or even legal? The term “bossware” describes the employee monitoring software used by some employers charged with managing remote workforces. Some companies using bossware say it makes things fairer and more productive, but others claim it decreases morale and the productivity benefits are overstated. Keep reading to learn more about what bossware is, how it’s being used, and its pros and cons.
What makes a productive workplace? What can you, as a leader, do to increase the productive output of your team? While some aspects of productivity are specific to the industry a business operates in, there are also productivity principles that are common to all modern workplaces. Below, you’ll learn about the key ingredients of a productive workplace and some practices you can implement to boost the productivity of your organization or team.
What are the impacts of technology on agriculture and conservation? What are the roles of big data and robotics? New technology in big data management and robotics is giving nature a hand, on the farm and in the wild. Reducing human labor and protecting vulnerable animals are just a couple of the positive impacts of modern technology on agriculture and conservation. Keep reading to learn about the four primary impacts of technology on agriculture and conservation.
Why do companies do mass layoffs? How do they harm companies and employees, even those who aren’t laid off? From tech to banking to consumer goods, industry giants like Amazon and Coca-Cola are laying off thousands of workers—even while profits are strong. Mass layoffs are a deceptively damaging tactic that hurt company profits, productivity, and culture. Read on to learn more about the damaging effects of mass layoffs, including possible alternatives.
What are some unexpected problems with remote work? What are the biggest problems, according to research? Remote work has many proven benefits—like reducing commuting headaches or allowing employees to work wherever they want—but it has created some drawbacks, too. If you’re considering working remotely, it’s important to know about some of the emerging problems with remote work. Read on to discover the four unexpected problems with remote work faced by remote employees.
Do you want to become conversationally intelligent? How do you have good conversations in the workplace? Fostering trusting dialogue is important for any workplace. In Conversational Intelligence, Judith Glaser covers seven techniques to help you do this. If you want to learn how to have good conversations, keep reading.