The World's Best Book Summaries
What’s so great about reading kids’ books as an adult? What’s a must-read for nature lovers? Libby can tell you. Based near Manchester, England, she manages Shortform’s social media. We interviewed her recently to learn a bit about her relationship with books.
Did you know that happy workers are more productive? How can you create a work environment that increases happiness and encouragement? According to Tony Hsieh, the former CEO of online clothing retailer Zappos, happy workers lead to happy customers, which maximizes profits for your business. There are three reasons why employee satisfaction leads to harder work: friendship, empowerment, and financial security. Continue reading to learn more about these three reasons so you can create a happy, healthy environment for your workers.
Have you ever been in a situation where you knew the right thing to do but couldn’t explain why or how you arrived at that knowledge? How does intuition work? Intuition is a concept that seems obscure and mysterious because we don’t understand the mechanics behind it. But just because we can’t pinpoint the exact chain of reasoning behind an intuitive judgment or decision does not mean intuition is a fluke. Keep reading to learn how intuition works.
What is the purpose of marketing? What does it accomplish? Whom does it serve? According to John Berger, the author of Ways of Seeing, the purpose of marketing is to keep the machines of capitalism moving: to keep the rich rich and the poor poor. It is accomplished by evoking envy and giving a promise of a better life. Continue reading to learn more about Berger’s view.
Do you know how to start a difficult conversation? Where do you begin? How do you make the conversation go smoothly? According to the authors of Crucial Accountability, establishing mutual respect and a shared purpose are the keys to learning how to start a difficult conversation. There are three steps you should take to avoid overwhelming the other person. Read more to learn how to start a difficult conversation.
Do you have trouble setting standards for happiness in your company? How can you use Maslow’s hierarchy of needs for your business? Surprisingly, Maslow’s hierarchy of needs doesn’t just apply to the behavior and motivation of humans. It can also imply three layers of happiness that business owners should keep in mind when thinking about employees and customers. Keep reading to learn how former CEO of Zappos Tony Hsieh transformed the hierarchy of needs into business standards.
Is it possible to predict divorce? What are the most telling signs the relationship won’t last? The signs of an impending divorce are often evident from casual interactions of partners, even at the beginning of a relationship. Psychologist John Gottman has identified these signs by conducting observations of interactions of couples, predicting divorce with impressive accuracy. Here’s what he found.
Are you beating yourself up over a business mistake that you made? Did you learn anything from this miscalculation? Part of having a career is taking creative risks. Tony Hsieh, the former CEO of Zappos, emphasizes the importance of his own risks and mistakes when building Zappos as a successful company. He further claims that business mistakes should not be seen as a personal failure, but as a step to success. Keep reading to learn more about how business mistakes are natural and should be acceptable in the workplace.
How accurate are snap judgments? What are the dangers inherent in making snap judgments—sizing up a situation based on superficial information, without much conscious deliberation? Snap judgments can go wrong for a few reasons: First, we can be overly superficial when making a judgment. Second, we can fail to recognize when our conscious and unconscious attitudes don’t match, which leads us to make decisions that are inconsistent with our conscious beliefs. And third, we’re far more susceptible to the effects of priming than we think. Learn about the psychology of snap judgments and how they can go wrong.
What makes art an effective form of social commentary? How has art been used to assert social status? Sometimes art reflects the views of the artist and those who buy the art. That can make art a rather powerful medium. According to John Berger, the author of Ways of Seeing, the way we see art has historically been manipulated by a privileged minority to preserve their social and economic dominance. Keep reading to learn Berger’s view on how art has been co-opted for social purposes.