Shortform Books

How Myside Bias Fuels Irrationality & an “Us vs. Them” Mentality

Which do you value more—the truth or fitting in? Do you allow your group’s beliefs to trump your better judgment? Most people agree on the importance of rational thinking and behavior. Still, irrationality is rampant. Steven Pinker explores why people hold irrational beliefs such as paranormal phenomena or conspiracy theories in his book Rationality. He identifies myside bias as one of the culprits. Read more to learn about this all-too-common tendency that impacts individuals and society as a whole.

Carolyn Elliott’s Existential Kink: Book Overview & Takeaways

What are your deepest desires? Are you even in touch with them? How can you take control of your life by taking control of your desires? We all have negative patterns we see playing out again and again in our lives. In Existential Kink, writer and teacher Carolyn Elliott argues that the negative patterns in our lives are manifestations of what we unconsciously desire. Read below for a brief Existential Kink book overview.

The 3 Essential Leadership Skills for Managers

What’s the difference between a leader and a manager? Should managers bother to develop leadership skills? If so, which ones? Employee experience expert Russ Laraway laments the widespread problem of bad management. But, he has good news. He believes anyone can become a better manager by learning and practicing basic leadership skills: setting and reaching goals, coaching, and helping employees with career development. Continue reading to learn what Laraway thinks are essential leadership skills for managers.

The 5 Steps to Creating Your Bigger Leaner Stronger Meal Plan

Are you looking to burn fat and build muscle? What nutrients will help you do that? Are supplements recommended? In Bigger Leaner Stronger, personal trainer Michael Matthews promotes flexible dieting—a method of eating that helps you trim fat and build muscle without sacrificing the foods you love. He shares five steps to creating a Bigger Leaner Stronger meal plan that works for you. Read more to get the details on determining your goal, calculating your calorie target, calculating your calories-per-macro target, planning your meal schedule, and creating your meals.

How to Be a Successful Woman in Life and Your Career

Are you tired of wasting your potential? Do you want to be a successful woman in life? Many women feel like they have to work hard to prove themselves and their worth. What you might not realize is that you determine your own success—you just have to stop making excuses, be unapologetic, and start living the life you deserve. Here’s some advice from some inspirational and powerful women about how to be a successful woman in life.

How Collateralized Mortgage Obligations Exposed Shady Banks

What are Collateralized Mortgage Obligations (CMOs)? How did CMOs defuse the mortgage bond market? During the height of the mortgage bond market, Lewis Ranieri started convincing banks to trade their bonds more frequently, allowing himself and Salomon Brothers to skim profits off every transaction. That was until CMOs came along. Discover more about the fall of the mortgage bond market.

Rational Compassion: Paul Bloom’s Alternative to Empathy

What should be the basis for how you behave? Why isn’t empathy the best guide? If we want to be kind and moral people, it seems obvious that we should practice empathy. But, psychologist Paul Bloom suggests that we should cultivate a rational form of compassion instead and use this more measured and distanced approach to make decisions that are better for everyone involved. Continue reading to learn about Bloom’s concept of rational compassion.

How to Reach Leadership Potential by Doing Work You Love

How can you reach your full leadership potential? Do you love the work you do? In order to reach your full leadership potential, you must do work that you enjoy. The next parts of the journey include overcoming any fears of success and encouraging those around you to achieve their own goals. Continue reading to learn how to reach your full potential as a leader.

How Work in the Industrial Revolution Shaped Today’s Lifestyle

How did the Industrial Revolution change the way people work? In what ways are we still feeling the effects? In today’s fast-paced world, our lives increasingly revolve around productivity, efficiency, and work. In her book Do Nothing, Celeste Headlee writes that our culture of overworking can be traced back to the Industrial Revolution. Continue reading to learn how the nature of work in the Industrial Revolution shaped the modern lifestyle.

What Are Objectives and Key Results? Your Second-Tier Goals

What are Objectives and Key Results (OKRs)? How do they contribute to an organization’s mission? Employee experience expert Russ Laraway says that the first area of focus for an effective manager is setting clear goals for employees: Your workers should know exactly what’s expected of them and when. He lays out four tiers of goals that managers can set for their employees. The second tier is OKRs. Read more to learn what OKRs are and how they fit into the overall goals of an organization.