Shortform Books

Why Breakthrough Innovation Is Needed for Long-Term Success

What separates breakthrough innovation from core innovation? What difference does it make for your business? The authors of Lead From the Future say you must change your focus from short-term concerns and time horizons to the future you want to see at least five or 10 years out. Adopting such a visionary approach for your organization requires you to shift how you think about and execute innovation. Keep reading to learn why breakthrough innovation must be part of the equation.

The Importance of Being Open-Minded About Your Career & Ability

Do you believe you can reinvent yourself at this point in your career? Do you think it’s too late to make a career change? Barbara Oakley believes you’re capable of having a mindshift. This opens up career opportunities for you that you didn’t have before. But, before you can open up opportunities, you must open up your mind to possibilities. Read on to learn about the importance of being open-minded in the context of your career and ability.

The Confidence Game: Book Overview (Maria Konnikova)

What is the book The Confidence Game by Maria Konnikova about? How do con artists get away with manipulating their victims? How can you see past their games? Psychologist Maria Konnikova claims that con artists have existed for as long as human communities have. Con artists are people with an uncanny ability to gain someone’s trust, swindle them, and disappear before the victim even grasps what’s happened—a ruse known as a confidence game, or “con.” Read below for our The Confidence Game book overview to get the main ideas.

David Robson’s The Expectation Effect: Book Overview

What is David Robson’s The Expectation Effect about? Do your expectations always become your reality? Science writer David Robson argues in The Expectation Effect that your brain’s predictions about your body, your health, your intellect, and your emotions are so powerful that they create your reality. By changing what your brain predicts, you can change the reality your brain creates for you and the limits it sets for you. Read below for a brief overview of The Expectation Effect.

The Importance of Liberalism: It Just Might Save Society

Does it seem like society is falling apart? What’s the answer to the cultural decay all around us? Social justice scholarship and activism changed from a force for good to a dangerous movement with totalitarian tendencies. That’s the view of Helen Pluckrose and James Lindsay, who say that the tenets of liberalism—namely freedom of speech and belief in science—matter more today than they ever did. Read more to learn about the importance of liberalism in society, especially now when so much is at risk.

Behaviorism Experiments That Pushed Psychology Forward

Who began behaviorism experiments? What animals were commonly used in these experiments? Behaviorism is the study of why people and animals behave the way they do and how they learn. Psychologists often used dogs, cats, and rats to examine behavior because it yielded better results than a philosophical approach. Keep reading to learn more about certain behaviorism experiments that changed the face of psychology.

Identify the Growth Target & Growth Gap for Your Business’s Future

In which directions might you pursue growth for your business? How does knowing your growth gap help you plan? Once you have a vision for your business, you must convert it into a strategy that will bring your vision to life. According to the authors of Lead From the Future, your strategy must contain a long-term financial picture of your business. This requires you to determine your growth target and growth gap. Read more to learn how to develop your business’s long-range financial outlook.

How to Be More Open-Minded: 3 Steps Toward New Possibilities

Are you willing to go back to being a beginner if that means that you’re learning something new? What career path would you go down if you had the required skills? In her book Mindshift, Barbara Oakley provides encouragement to those who feel stuck in their career. She says that you’re capable of learning new information and skills. It just requires being open-minded about your own abilities. Keep reading to learn how to be more open-minded and discover new opportunities as a result.

8 Secondary Trauma Symptoms Caregivers Experience

Do you care for trauma patients? What are the signs of secondary trauma? According to Laura van Dernoot Lipsky’s book Trauma Stewardship, people have different responses to trauma exposure. If you work with trauma patients, you must understand how secondary trauma affects you so you can better care for others. Let’s look at eight secondary trauma symptoms that you may be experiencing.

Closing Phase in Project Management: Who You’ll Need

A group of workers planning how to streamline business processes

What are the essential skills needed for the closing phase in project management? Why is it important to be supportive during the final stage? The final phase of project management involves seeing the project to completion. The team members best suited to this stage are the ones who pay close attention to detail and see things through. Let’s look at the two type of people that are necessary for this crucial stage.