Shortform Books

Unproductive at Work? Here’s a Lesson From The Unicorn Project

Why are so many employees unproductive at work? How does poor management cause an inefficient work environment? The Unicorn Project by Gene Kim follows the narrative of Maxine Chambers, a lead developer in Parts Unlimited’s software development department within IT. Through Maxine’s eyes, Kim illustrates the characteristics of both unproductive and healthy workplace cultures, with an emphasis on how the former can be turned into the latter. Let’s look at the story of Chambers to inspire you to be more productive at work.

The Dictionary of Body Language: A Field Guide to Human Behavior

Do you want to better understand nonverbal communication? Do you wish you could read people’s emotions using their body language? In The Dictionary of Body Language: A Field Guide to Human Behavior, retired FBI Special Agent Joe Navarro offers a reference guide that explains a wide breadth of body language cues. The guide is intended to create a foundation you can use to study and interpret nonverbal communication. Continue reading for an overview of this book that provides a broad introduction to body language.

Anchoring in Negotiation: Should You Make the First Offer?

What’s the anchoring effect in negotiation? Should you make the first offer? If so, what should it be? According to Deepak Malhotra and Max H. Bazerman’s book Negotiation Genius, the anchoring effect refers to the first piece of information offered in a negotiation. This point determines how the rest of the negotiation will go. Learn more about anchoring in negotiation below.

How to Talk About Your Problems: 4 Steps for Opening Up

How to Be Persuasive and Always Get What You Want

Do you have an issue that needs to be resolved? How should you prepare to talk about problems? Whether the problem is with yourself or others, preparing for the discussion is a great way to get organized. No matter who you’re talking to, Fierce Conversations by Susan Scott says you should clarify all the important details so you can contextualize and clearly explain the topic to others. Here are easy steps for talking about problems.

Dr. Becky: Separation Anxiety & Bedtime Struggles Are Solvable

Is your child afraid to be away from you, even when just going to bed? What’s the anxiety really about? According to Dr. Becky, separation anxiety results from your child’s natural wiring. Children need to feel safe, and their sense of security comes largely from their parents’ presence. Dr. Becky shares several tools you can use to soothe separation anxiety, especially at bedtime. Continue reading to discover how to put these strategies into practice in your family.

An Introduction to Body Language: 2 Tips to Understand Its Context

How confident are you that you can read body language accurately? Do you know how to read cues collectively or just individually? You can use many body language cues to reliably and consistently assess someone’s emotional state. But, retired FBI Special Agent Joe Navarro says that there are some contextual factors to consider before forming conclusions based on your observations. Read more to get an introduction to body language from Navarro by exploring two of his tips for assessing the context of cues.

How to Stay Creative: 4 Ways to Maintain Your Inspiration

Do you make time for unstructured creativity? Do you tend toward perfectionism? How often do you unplug from technology? According to many creative professionals and productivity experts, creativity is the result of consistent work habits coupled with a creative mindset. You can foster such a mindset by prioritizing unstructured creativity, rejecting perfectionism, leaning into challenges, and taking opportunities to unplug. Keep reading to learn how to stay creative by following this recipe.

How to Regain Employee Autonomy in the Workplace

Is there a lack of autonomy in your workplace? Do you want to change the culture at the company where you work? A company with little autonomy is a company that is likely going to fail. In The Unicorn Project, Gene Kim demonstrates how a lack of employee autonomy in the workplace almost destroyed a department, until employees started taking matters into their own hands. Keep reading to learn how to take back autonomy at work.

Wired for Story by Lisa Cron: Book Overview & Takeaways

Why is it hard to explain what makes a story good? How does that impact our ability to write good stories? What can we do to overcome that difficulty and craft interesting narratives? In Wired for Story, Lisa Cron argues that our brains evolved to absorb information through stories. So, writers who want to create compelling narratives should write in a way that satisfies our brains’ expectations of story. Continue reading for an overview of this book that takes a fresh approach to story writing.

Feel-Good Brain Chemicals: Activities to Stimulate Them

Have you been feeling down in the dumps lately? What are activities that activate your feel-good brain chemicals? Recovering from a relationship with a narcissist can bring up all sorts of negative feelings that just won’t go away. With the help of Power by Shahida Arabi, you can find enjoyable hobbies and activities that pinpoint brain chemicals that make you happy. Let’s take a look at what you can do to stimulate certain brain chemicals.