Shortform Books

How to Instill a Sense of Purpose in Your Employees

Why is having a sense of purpose so important in the workplace? What can you do to foster purpose in your team? In their book Who Not How, authors Sullivan and Hardy explain that your personnel will give their best work when they have a purpose in what they’re doing. There are a few things you can do to instill purpose including encouraging collaboration, trusting your team, and avoiding micromanagement. Here’s how to instill a sense of purpose in your team.

Ostrich Effect Bias: Why People Avoid Negativity

The 25 Cognitive Biases: Ostrich Effect Bias

What is the ostrich effect bias? How dangerous is denial syndrome? The ostrich effect bias is the tendency to avoid negative information and refuse to accept that objective truth exists because it causes pain. This bias is dangerous because it can lull you into believing that a situation is better than it really is, which causes things to deteriorate further. Read on to learn more about the ostrich effect bias.

The Five Dysfunctions of a Team: Quotes by P. Lencioni

Are you looking for The Five Dysfunctions of a Team quotes by Patrick Lencioni? What are some of the most noteworthy passages worth revisiting? The Five Dysfunctions of a Team by Patrick Lencioni explores the five most common obstacles (“dysfunctions”) to successful teamwork. Lencioni presents the five dysfunctions like a pyramid—each one builds on the next. And to solve all the dysfunctions, you need to start at the bottom and most fundamental dysfunction. Below is a selection of quotes with explanations.

Verne Harnish: How to Increase Labor Productivity

What are some ways to increase labor productivity? What difference does labor productivity make to your bottom line? Once your business is up and running, you should look for ways to keep growing. Increasing labor productivity is one difference you can make. Continue reading to learn ways to increase labor productivity.

How to Access Your Subconscious Mind: Relax & Drift

Is it possible to access the contents of your subconscious mind? How does your conscious mind interfere with your ability to access the subconscious? Your subconscious mind is more accessible when you’re relaxed or asleep because your conscious mind is not interfering. When you’re awake and alert, you can’t help but think about and judge everything around you, blocking your access to the subconscious. In this article, you’ll learn how to access your subconscious mind through relaxation.

Caste in Indian Society vs. the United States

What are the similarities between the Indian and the American caste systems? What is the origin of the caste system in India? In her book Caste, Isabel Wilkerson compares the caste in Indian society to the American caste system. Both countries created laws to maintain social order, both were conquered by British colonialists, and both had their indigenous people out. Here’s how the caste system in India is similar to the American caste system.

What Does “Virtue Signaling” Mean?

What does “virtue signaling” mean? Do you think it’s immoral to publicize your virtue? The term “virtue signaling” has slowly been creeping its way into everyday vernacular and media dialogue. Virtue signaling is the act of publicly behaving in a way that makes you look as noble as possible. Here is why true virtue is done in secret.

Why Soft Sciences Are Flawed and Available Solutions

Why Soft Sciences Are Flawed and Good Solutions

What are soft sciences? What is the problem with social sciences? Soft sciences are academic disciplines that seek to interpret human and societal behavior using qualitative analysis for which strictly measurable criteria may be impossible to establish. The problem with soft sciences is that the desire to achieve the level of precision in hard science has led to excessive complexity and the overuse of statistical models that ignore real elements of human behavior such as biases and vices. Read on to learn more about the problems with soft sciences and how they can be fixed.

Elizabeth Gilbert: Creativity Is Magic

Is creativity an inborn quality? How do creatives develop novel ideas? According to Elizabeth Gilbert, creativity can come to anyone who gets in touch with what she calls “Big Magic.” This force is bigger than us and cannot be explained scientifically or proven empirically. It is an eternal cosmic entity that creatives must have faith in. In this article, we’ll explore Gilbert’s conception of creativity and two key ways Big Magic might come to you: via ideas and your genius.

Understanding the 3 Stages of a Hero’s Journey

What are the 3 stages of a hero’s journey? How does the legend of Moses illustrate the hero’s rite of passage? The 3 stages of a hero’s journey include separation, initiation, and return. The cycle involves the hero separating from the world he has always known, gaining spiritual power in seclusion, and coming back to share the power with humanity. This is well illustrated in the legend of Moses, where he secluded himself to Mount Sinai, received the tablets of law from God, and returned to share the word of God with the people of Israel. Read on to learn