The World's Best Book Summaries
What is a good manager? What is Julie Zhuo’s definition of management? In The Making of a Manager, Julie Zhuo says great managers focus on achieving the ultimate goal of all managers. This goal is to facilitate desirable outcomes by inspiring and coordinating the efforts of others. Read more to learn what makes a manager great.
Does kindness have a place in the office? How can you be kind without being taken advantage of? Conventional advice regarding success contradicts itself in its recommendations surrounding kindness. Some people argue that being nice is for chumps, while others argue that being nice will get you far. So who’s right? According to peak performance expert Eric Barker, they all are. You can be both kind and successful—but you have to be smart about it. Here’s how to practice kindness in the workplace while keeping people from walking all over you.
Do you feel like you’re always doing something but barely getting anything done? In other words, are you busy but not productive? It’s easy to fall into the trap of always being too busy with a never-ending to-do list, both at work and at home. Though you’re constantly multi-tasking and running to catch up with all of your chores and obligations, you never feel like you’re getting done enough. This is because being busy doesn’t mean you’re being productive. If you want to level up your productivity game, we’ve got you covered with the best productivity resources to follow.
What team motivation ideas work the best? How do you foster long-lasting motivation in a team? Find Your Why author Simon Sinek says your energy and commitment to your purpose are contagious, so having clarity on it helps you pitch your ideas in a way that’s more authentic and enticing to others. By holding a purpose discussion to find your team’s common purpose, you can achieve long-term team motivation, according to Sinek. Read on to learn Sinek’s team motivation idea for creating long-term motivation through purpose discussions.
Is your organization rife with ladder-climbing sharks? Are people working together or against each other? According to Tribal Leadership, Stage 3 is the most common work culture, and it’s where most professionals spend much of their careers. Stage 3 features shark-like competition, office politics, and high-powered professionals striving to dominate their workplaces. Authors Dave Logan, Halee Fischer-Wright, and John King explain how to determine whether your organization is in Stage 3 and how to progress to Stage 4. Keep reading to understand unhealthy competition in the workplace and to learn how to move your organization beyond it.
What is the importance of trust in the workplace? How do high- or low-trust relationships affect your work? In The Speed of Trust, author Stephen Covey examines all the ways trust impacts your life, from personal to professional relationships. Covey believes trust is your most valuable asset, and losing or gaining trust in the workplace has a real impact on your career. Read on to learn the true importance of trust in the workplace, according to Covey.
What are the qualities of a good manager? Do all managers share the same traits? In The Making of a Manager, Julie Zhuo explains that great managers motivate people to work toward a shared goal. They do this by upholding an inspiring vision, establishing trust, and communicating clear expectations. Learn the qualities that good managers exhibit.
What is the best method for finding fulfilling work? How does understanding your life’s purpose lead to fulfilling work? According to motivational speaker and author Simon Sinek, taking the time to examine your life’s purpose will lead to finding fulfilling work. Sinek provides a proven method for discovering your Why, or purpose, and shows how purpose-driven people lead happier lives. Keep reading to find out Sinek’s steps for finding fulfilling work through living a purposeful life.
What’s Stage 4 culture? What do cohesive teams have in common? How do you create one? According to Tribal Leadership, any organization succeeds or fails on the culture of its tribes—groups of individuals that share ways of thinking, interacting, and working—and we can improve our organizations by upgrading the cultures of those tribes, progressing from one stage to the next. Stage 4 culture involves a cohesive team. Tribal Leadership outlines three characteristics of cohesive teams and three strategies for building one. Keep reading to learn these characteristics and strategies for how to build a cohesive team in your organization.
What is the meaning of a handshake deal? Are handshake deals a realistic way to conduct business, or are they too risky? Author and former CEO Stephen Covey wrote The Speed of Trust to illustrate the importance of building high-trust relationships in business and in your personal life. Covey’s great depth of experience lends credibility to his argument for trusting and using handshake deals in business. Read on to learn why Covey says handshake deals can be less risky than convoluted contracts.