Hannah Aster, Author at Shortform Books

The Rise of Nationalism Amongst Linguistic Minorities

How did the new celebration of cultural identities and linguistic minorities affect the growth of nationalism? How did linguistic-based nationalism change the way many countries were run? According to Benedict Anderson, the author of Imagined Communities, the rise in linguistic nationalism has led to changes in how countries are run—primarily, many nations declared an official national language. Thanks to this change, many old dynasties lost their power. Here is how the rise of nationalism among linguistic minorities shaped how nations are run.

John Kotter’s Step 5: Remove Obstacles to Change

What are the most common obstacles to change in an organization? How can you overcome those obstacles? Whenever you try to make big changes, especially in an organization, roadblocks are inevitable. The biggest roadblock is usually the resistance to change among the junior and middle managers. Learn how to overcome these obstacles below.

Connecting With Your Kids: 3 Strategies for Bonding

Why is connecting with your kids a part of the No-Drama Discipline process? What three strategies can you use to make a connection? In their book No-Drama Discipline, Siegel and Bryson explain that the second step in their No-Drama Discipline method is to make a connection with your child. You can do that through touch (such as hugging), affirming their emotions, and listening while your child talks. Continue below to learn why making a connection with your child is important to the discipline process.

The Fine Line Between Nationalism and Racism

What is the difference between nationalism and racism? In what ways are the two concepts linked? In his book Imagined Communities, Benedict Anderson claims that nationalism and racism are two completely different concepts, although they are often discussed together. However, since the book was written, some critics claim that nationalism and racism are inherently connected. Keep reading to learn more about the relationship between nationalism and racism.

The 4 Tendencies and How They Pair Up

What happens when you put members of the 4 tendencies together? Which pairs do well and which shouldn’t be in the same room? According to The Four Tendencies author Gretchen Rubin, some tendencies tend to get along better while some tend to butt heads when they’re together. While tendencies aren’t by any means an all-encompassing personality trait, you can generally tell if you’ll get along with a person based on their tendency. Here is how the 4 tendencies work together.

John Kotter: Drive Progress With Short-Term Wins

5 Steps to Practicing Empathy in the Workplace

Why is it important to celebrate short-term wins when leading change in an organization? How does reaching short-term benchmarks help employee morale? In his book Leading Change, John Kotter says that short-term wins are important because they allow employees to feel accomplished and give them something to celebrate—even if the project is far from being over. If you only set long-term goals, employees may become discouraged. Here is John Kotter’s advice for generating short-term wins.

How to Discipline Kids: The First Step to Success

What is the first step in the No-Drama Discipline process? Why should you pause and approach discipline with mindfulness rather than reacting automatically? If you want to discipline your kids effectively, the first step is to prepare to discipline. It’s important to prepare first because, if you react on instinct, you’ll often resort to autopilot responses or ineffective methods such as time-out and spanking. Keep reading to learn how to discipline kids without the drama.

B. Anderson: The Origins of National Consciousness

How did nationalism develop? What was it like to live in the pre-nationalist age? Political scientist and historian Benedict Anderson says that the ideology of “nationalism” is a fairly recent social construct. Before nationalism, people would identify themselves with their occupation, or village, and political communities were ruled by dynastic sovereigns rather than governments. Keep reading to learn about the origins of national consciousness, according to Benedict Anderson.

John Kotter: Sustain Acceleration to Cement Change

What does Kotter mean by “sustain acceleration”? Why don’t changes tend to sustain themselves? Step 7 of John Kotter’s 8-step change model is to sustain acceleration. Kotter says that you must continue to build upon your changes, otherwise, employees will fall into their old ways of doing things. In his book Leading Change, Kotter provides some actionables and tips on how to do this. Continue below for an explanation of step 7 of the change model.

The Upholder, Obliger, Questioner, & Rebel: Explained

What are the four tendencies from Gretchen Ruben’s book? What are the personality traits, strengths, and weaknesses associated with each tendency? The four tendencies are the Upholder, Obliger, Questioner, and Rebel. Knowing what type of tendency you are can help you find a better job fit, discover your strengths, and understand those around you better. Here is an overview of each of the four tendencies.