Shortform Books

Ego Traps: Blinded by Your Own Success

What are ego traps? How can ego trap you in the same place and prevent you from progressing further in your quest for success? Ego traps are beliefs and attitudes that cause us to behave in an impulsive, short-sighted, and self-aggrandizing way. People tend to develop these beliefs when they achieve some important milestone of success such as being granted a promotion, winning a competition, or receiving a reward. Read about the three most common ego traps and how to avoid them.

Alpha Dog: Meaning and Concept Interpretation

What is the meaning of alpha dog? What qualities are associated with the alpha personality and leadership style? The alpha dog is a concept derived from the wolf community, where alphas are the highest members of the pack. The concept is often used figuratively to refer to the head of a group who leads through brute force and intimidation. However, this is a distortion of the true meaning of alpha dog. Keep reading to understand the true meaning of the alpha dog concept.

Examples of Empathy in the Workplace: Show You Care

Are you looking for examples of empathy in the workplace? How can you show you care without being unprofessional? In Trillion Dollar Coach, empathy is critical to being a good manager and colleague. Examples of empathy in the workplace impacted the culture at companies including Google, Intuit, and Twitter. Read on for some real-life examples of empathy in the workplace.

Culture of Character: A Relic From the Past

What is a culture of character? How does it differ from a culture of personality and which does society currently default to? A culture of character is the idea that people in society are judged on their ethics, values, and reliability. In contrast, a culture of personality relies on things like charisma and likeability. Read more about how American society has shifted from a culture of character to a culture of personality, and what that means for introverts.

The 4 Disciplines of Execution Discussion Questions

Are you looking for The 4 Disciplines of Execution discussion questions? Do you want help reflecting on and apply the book’s lessons? The 4 Disciplines of Execution discussion questions focus on the key lessons of the book. These exercises help you think about the best way to apply them to your own life and workplace. Read on for a list of The 4 Disciplines of Execution discussion questions.

Improving Team Performance: Shift the Curve

What is the key to improving team performance? How does team performance differ from individual performance? Improving team performance is about shifting the entire curve of performance rates for your whole team. To make a meaningful difference, everyone has to start performing better. Keep reading for strategies for improving team performance.

Introvert to Extrovert: Is It Possible to Change?

Is it possible to go from an introvert to an extrovert? How fixed is anyone’s personality or temperament? You can go from being an introvert to an extrovert, but that change wouldn’t be permanent. Realistically, what happens is that some people are good at acting like the other personality type based on the demands of a given situation. Read on to see how to go from introvert to extrovert temporarily.

Class vs Caste: What’s the Difference?

What is the difference between class vs caste? Can a subordinate caste member rise above their hereditary caste by climbing the class ladder? Class vs caste comes down to a difference in social mobility. While both are distinctions of group status, they are not synonymous. Class is a socioeconomic distinction, whereas caste is usually a fixed hereditary group. Read more to learn about the differences in class vs caste and how it manifests in the American society.

Extrovert Bias: Society Prefers Outgoing People

Does society prefer extroverts or introverts? How do society and America in particular show an extrovert bias? An extrovert bias is a societal preference for people with extroverted personalities. It is particularly common in American society, where outgoing leaders, students, and community members are given more opportunities than those that are reserved. Keep reading to understand what the extrovert bias is and what it looks like in American society.

The Effects of Controls on Staff, Workflow and Success

What are controls at work and what do they do? What are the effects of controls? Controls are used to set rules for acceptable actions and fixed parameters for behavior. The effects of controls vary based on the workplace culture, but they can impede workflow and restrict capable staff necessarily. Read on for more about the effects of controls and why Netflix removed controls.