Shortform Books

Attributes of a Great Leader: Would You Make the Cut?

What makes a great leader? What qualities would you ascribe to a leader you’d be willing to follow? Since the mid-1980s, Barry Posner and James Kouzes, the authors of The Leadership Challenge, have been conducting studies asking people in both business and government what qualities they value in a leader. They’ve found that consistently people want the same qualities in a leader whose leadership they would be willing to follow. Here are the four attributes of a great leader, according to Posner and Kouzes.

How to Stop Being a Nice Guy: The Ultimate Guide

Do you want to know how to stop being a Nice Guy? What effective tips can help you overcome Nice Guy Syndrome? In the face of struggle, dissatisfied men use the tactic they know best: Be nice. However, according to Dr. Robert Glover, “being nice” rarely yields the desired outcome, and Nice Guys’ insecurities frequently emerge as passive-aggressive or dishonest behavior. In No More Mr. Nice Guy, he offers a step-by-step plan that tells you how to stop being a Nice Guy in your personal life, career, and relationships. Find out how to stop being a Nice Guy below.

How Listening Improves Your Leadership Skills

Why is listening an important leadership skill? What question should you ask to get your team members to open up and dig deep? Listening is good leadership. Not only do your team members feel more cared about and supported, you learn vital information that helps you lead even better. Keep reading to learn one simple question to ask when you practice listening in leadership.

Key Takeaways From the Book Designing Your Life

How can the book Designing Your Life move you forward in life? What insights can you apply? In the book Designing Your Life, Stanford professors Bill Burnett and Dave Evans share the content of their popular courses and workshops on life design. Using concrete principles and examples, they teach readers how to design a meaningful life in which they can truly thrive. Keep reading to learn the basics of the book Designing Your Life.

How to Play With Philosophical Thought Experiments

Have you ever conducted philosophical thought experiments? How can they help you reach your goals? Philosophers aren’t the only ones who use thought experiments. Anyone who has a big task to undertake or a huge goal to reach can play with thought experiments. Think of them as a form of unstructured play that can unleash your curiosity and creativity, pushing you toward new ways of thinking and doing things. Keep reading to learn how to use philosophical thought experiments.

7 Strategies for Overcoming the Hard Sell

How do you overcome the hard sell? What causes a hard sell? You overcome the hard sell by recalling your initial conviction about a product and by persistently asking for the sale until you convince the customer. A hard sell happens when you start to feel uncomfortable about a sale due to a customer’s objections or your own lack of conviction. Read more about how to overcome the hard sell.

How to Get out of the 90-Day Sales Slump

What causes a sales slump? How do you beat a sales slump? A sales slump can happen when you let negative feedback from some customers diminish your conviction in your product. This negative feedback discourages you from actively selling the product. You get out of a sales slump by pinpointing what’s causing your lack of conviction and reinvigorating the enthusiastic spirit with which you were first selling the product. Read on to learn more about how to get out of a sales slump.

Why Happy Employees Are More Productive at Work

Do you want to know why happy employees are more productive? What can you do to increase happiness in the workplace? Being happy has many benefits, including improved creativity, stronger relationships, and better health—but it can also have incredible benefits for your career. Happy employees are more productive, and there are a few reasons why this is the case. Here’s why happy employees are more productive.

The Red Hat: Thinking With Your Emotions

What is red hat thinking from Six Thinking Hats? What type of thinking does the ret hard represent? In Edward de Bono’s book Six Thinking Hats, the red hat is the emotional hat. The wearer of this hat must share their raw, unjustified emotions about a situation without analyzing why they feel the way they do. Keep reading to learn when and why the red hat should be worn.

Shock and Awe: Iraq War Economics

What is Shock and Awe? What was the reason the United States invaded Iraq in 2003? The term “Shock and Awe” is typically used to refer to the 2003 United States invasion of Iraq under George Bush’s administration. Bush sold the project to Americans with a simple promise that they were bringing freedom to a troubled area. Many mistook this for a promise of free and fair democracy. However, the real objective was to create the freedom for private companies to harvest as much of the country’s wealth and resources as possible. In this article, we’ll discuss the real motives