Shortform Books

Team Topologies: Platform Teams Support the Organization

Does your organization have a team that’s dedicated to infrastructure services? Could your organizational resources be handled more efficiently? In Team Topologies, platform teams are one of the four team types recommended by software engineers Matthew Skelton and Manuel Pais. These teams handle underlying organizational functions such as cloud storage and internal security. Keep reading to learn about the purpose and design of platform teams and how they intersect with all aspects of the organization.

5 Roland Barthes Quotes From Mythologies to Think About

What images, objects, and stories have you seen or heard today? What’s the real message of each meme, advertisement, and headline? In Mythologies, 20th-century French philosopher Roland Barthes says that all of these contain subtle messages that subconsciously shape the way you view the world. He calls these messages myths. Keep reading for a few Roland Barthes quotes from his essays in Mythologies, along with some context and explanation.

Manifesting Positive Energy: The Key Is How You Interpret Reality

Which version of reality are you feeding with your energy? What if you just chose to be positive? Multiple realities exist, and you materialize the one you feed with your energy—positive or negative. That’s the view of Vadim Zeland, who argues that you can choose to consistently interpret experiences in a positive way and, thus, move toward your ideal reality. Keep reading for Zeland’s advice on manifesting positive energy, along with six tips from The Happiness Equation.

How the 5 Second Rule Challenges Brain Patterns

How does your brain detect patterns? What’s the science behind the 5 Second Rule? In The 5 Second Rule, Mel Robbins discusses the science behind her 5 Second Rule. She answers why it has such a powerful effect on the brain, and it all has to do with how the brain recognizes patterns. Continue reading to learn how brain patterns affect your ability to fight procrastination, hesitation, and harmful impulses.

What’s the New Space Race & Who Is It Between?

What is the new space race? Who is the race between? What does the future hold for space exploration? Space exploration largely faded into the background after the end of the Cold War, but it’s coming back with a vengeance. Participants in the new space race are vying for the advantages of establishing a space presence that could set them up for future success. Read on to learn more about what’s happening with the new space race and who’s involved.

Feedback Loops: The Psychology of Thinking

What are feedback loops in psychology? How do thinking-feeling loops keep you trapped in a bad mood? According to Joe Dispenza, the author of Breaking the Habit of Being Yourself, your thoughts and feelings together create a loop that shapes your reality—what he refers to as a “state of being.” Positive thoughts feed into further positive thoughts and feelings, and negative thoughts perpetuate further negativity. Here’s how feedback loops shape your reality.

How to Improve Work Ethic: Advice for Leaders

Do you feel like your employees are lacking a sense of work ethic? Are you looking for tips on how to improve work ethic in your organization? Work ethic is, to a large extent, down to individual employees: Some people have a greater work ethic than others due to their personality or life experiences. That being said, there are things you can, as a leader, do to improve work ethic among your subordinates. With this in mind, here’s how to improve work ethic in your organization.

The Psychology of Prejudice and Discrimination

What is the psychology behind prejudice? Why do people stereotype others? Being discriminatory toward others is a horrible thing, but some people try to excuse it. In Mistakes Were Made (But Not by Me), Carol Tavris and Elliot Aronson explain why some people’s brains stereotype others. Read more to learn the psychology of prejudice and why some people discriminate against others.

The 2 Types of Business Networks Essential for Startups

Do you run a small business? What types of business networks can help you gain support? Small businesses are hard to keep going if they don’t have enough support. Peter Diamandis and Steven Kotler’s book Bold explains how up-and-coming entrepreneurs can attract more people to their businesses by networking. Keep reading to learn how to attract support for small businesses with closed and open networks.

Compound Interest in the Stock Market: How It Works

What exactly is compound interest? Do index funds benefit from compounding? Compound interest is the interest earned on reinvested gains. Because interest compounds over time, your money grows exponentially instead of linearly. However, your losses also compound, which means that your actual return on investment might not match the market’s average return. Here’s what you should know about the effect of compound interest.