Netflix’s Approach to Organizational Transparency

Netflix’s Approach to Organizational Transparency

Is it a good idea for company executives to share sensitive information with all employees, including finances and employee profiles? What practices does Netflix use to ensure organizational transparency? According to Reed Hastings, the CEO of Netflix, there are many benefits of transparency in the workplace. That’s why at Netflix, they are transparent about financial data, job security, mistakes, and even firings. Let’s look at four specific ways that Netflix practices organizational transparency and the positive outcomes that come from this practice.

Living a Virtuous Life in an Unvirtuous World

Living a Virtuous Life in an Unvirtuous World

What is virtuous life? What exactly does it mean to live virtuously? According to Ryan Holiday, the author of The Obstacle Is the Way, we have a moral obligation to live a virtuous life. A virtuous person, by Holiday’s definition, is someone who honestly works to improve their lives and the lives of others as much as possible. Here’s what it means to live virtuously, according to Holiday.

ACT: Translating Values Into Goals

ACT: Translating Values Into Goals

How do you set goals for ACT? How do goals relate to values? Goals are the actionable components of values in Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT). Knowing your values isn’t sufficient for you to live a fulfilled life—you also have to take effective action, or action aligned with your values. In order to take effective action, you have to translate your values into achievable goals.  In this article, you’ll learn how to translate your values into action via goal-setting and action plans.

Dietrich Bonhoeffer: What Is the Cost of Discipleship?

Dietrich Bonhoeffer: What Is the Cost of Discipleship?

What is the cost of discipleship? What does it mean to follow Christ? In the classic The Cost of Discipleship, Dietrich Bonhoeffer emphasizes that discipleship is a matter of personal, dynamic obedience to Christ, not to a program of rituals. However, he does draw a blueprint for the general lifestyle of a disciple, based on what Christ taught his original 12 disciples. Four key aspects of a disciple’s life that he discusses are humility, self-denial, suffering, and pacifism. Read more to learn about Bonhoeffer’s view of discipleship.

Blue Ocean Innovation: Better Value at Low Cost

Blue Ocean Innovation: Better Value at Low Cost

What is value innovation? How do Kim and Mauborgne define “value innovation” in the context of blue ocean strategy? Value innovation is the cornerstone of Kim and Mauborgne’s blue ocean strategy. The authors clarify that blue ocean innovation is not a matter of merely raising or lowering value in order to raise or lower your costs. Instead, Kim and Mauborgne assert that you need a breakthrough that allows you to offer better value at a lower cost.  Keep reading to learn about the concept of blue ocean innovation (or “value innovation”) and how it creates blue oceans through new ideas

How to Schedule Your Time in the Most Optimal Way

How to Schedule Your Time in the Most Optimal Way

How should you optimally spend your working hours every day? What tasks should you complete first?  Your optimal scheduling depends on your goals and priorities. In their book Algorithms to Live By, Christian and Griffiths make a case of using computer algorithms to schedule your day in the most optimal way. Here is how to schedule your time using Christian and Griffiths’s scheduling algorithms.

How Advertisers Exploit Your Purchasing Habits

How Advertisers Exploit Your Purchasing Habits

How do advertisers manipulate customers into buying their products? How do they use cues to trigger purchasing habits in your subconscious? In his book The Power of Habit, Charles Duhigg explains how advertisers influence customers to buy their products by learning about and manipulating their purchasing habits. They achieve this through sales promotions, rearranging shelves, or tracking your habits online. Continue reading to learn how advertisers use the psychology of habit to sell more products.

Algorithms to Live By: Review and Critical Reception

Algorithms to Live By: Review and Critical Reception

Is Brian Christian and Tom Griffiths’ Algorithms to Live By worth reading? What is the key message to take away from the book? In their book Algorithms to Live By, Brian Christian and Tom Griffiths make the case that computer science, a field that’s typically seen as highly specialized, actually contains a wealth of practical knowledge we can use to improve our lives. The authors argue that by utilizing the same strategies as computers, we can process tasks with blinding efficiency and quickly come up with creative solutions to complex problems. Here is our review of Algorithms to Live By:

Committed Action: Putting ACT Into Practice

Committed Action: Putting ACT Into Practice

What is committed action in ACT? What does it mean to act with commitment? Committed action is the final principle in Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT). Committed action happens when we consistently take actions that align with our values—even when we fail. This final principle will give you all the tools you need to achieve psychological flexibility, enabling you to adapt to difficult situations and take effective action to build a rich and meaningful life.  Keep reading to learn about the two components of committed action: fortitude and commitment.