The World's Best Book Summaries
What do you do when faced with a difficult choice in life? Do you ever just make decisions at random? Sometimes, the best way to make a difficult choice in life is to appeal to chance. By making a few random, intentionally suboptimal decisions, you can discover opportunities you couldn’t see before and get unstuck. Here is why random decision-making is sometimes the best way to go.
Are 360-degree reviews effective at Netflix? Would you give criticism to a coworker if your name was attached to it? Reed Hastings, Netflix’s co-founder and CEO, wrote about his 360-degree assessment process in his book No Rules Rules. At first, Hastings believed that written, anonymous feedback would be given to each employee. But later, he decided that live feedback given from an employee’s coworkers was more effective. Continue reading to learn about the evolution of Netflix’s 360-degree assessment process.
Can practice override talent? What does science have to say on the practice vs. talent conundrum? According to David Epstein, the author of The Sports Gene, there is a disproportionate emphasis on practice as the defining variable in success. However, findings from research studies support a more well-rounded view of the power of practice. For some, practice provides the medium for innate (genetic) ability to flourish. Given the same amount of practice, others may have a more difficult time learning a particular skill. Let’s look at evidence that Epstein has collected from sports and beyond that suggests each of us
Are you looking for The Happiness Trap quotes by Russ Harris? What are some of the most noteworthy passages worth revisiting? In The Happiness Trap, therapist and life coach Russ Harris argues that the human pursuit of happiness makes us miserable today, leading to widespread anxiety, stress, and depression. Harris contends the real answer to escape the “happiness trap” is through the techniques of ACT, or Acceptance and Commitment Therapy. Here is a selection of passages with explanations to help you put them into context.
What is the problem with avoiding negative emotions? How do negative emotions—paradoxically enough—contribute to happiness? Modern culture pressures us to reject negative emotions and replace them with positivity. However, even experiences that we deem positive carry with them a negative element. Therefore, we cannot really experience happiness without also experiencing potentially negative emotions. Here is why happiness requires that you embrace negative emotions.
What are your customers thinking? How do you measure KPI for customer experience? There are many different approaches to measuring customer experience. In their book Blue Ocean Strategy, Renée Mauborgne and W. Chan Kim advise that you use what they call a “buyer utility map,” which is essentially a customer experience scorecard for analyzing how your customer responds to your product at every stage. A blank example of a customer experience scorecard is shown below.
How do you practice Stoic acceptance? How does cultivating total acceptance of the things that are beyond your control help you move forward in life? Acceptance is one of the key tenets of Stoic philosophy. Once you’ve learned to face life with stoic acceptance and peacefully accept whatever is beyond your control, you can channel all your energy into achieving your goals—instead of ruminating about your powerlessness. Keep reading to learn about the art of Stoic acceptance and how to put it into practice.
What is economic shock therapy? What unintended side-effects can economic shock therapy cause? Economic shock therapy is when a country removes its protectionist measures in hopes that new entrepreneurs will emerge. The goal is to take a government-controlled economy and turn it into a free-market economy. However, real-life examples proved that this method doesn’t work. Continue below for economist William Easterly’s take on economic shock therapy.
What is cheap grace? How does it put you at risk? According to Dietrich Bonhoeffer, cheap grace isn’t true grace (or salvation) at all. It’s dangerous because the illusion of cheap grace can lull you into a false sense of security, causing you to be sure of your salvation when it isn’t sure at all. Read more to learn about cheap grace.
What are the traits of a Blue-dominant person? For what reasons would you seek out a Blue personality? In Thomas Erikson’s book Surrounded by Idiots, Blue personalities are described as meticulous, knowledgeable, and cautious. You would seek out a Blue-dominant person at work if you needed to make sure something is organized and done right the first time. Continue below to learn all about the Blue personality type.