The World's Best Book Summaries
How do you show someone you’re attracted to them? How does eye contact communicate attraction? If you’re attracted to someone, instead of playing coy, hold their gaze for as long as possible. That doesn’t mean staring though. If you want to show attraction, eye contact should be intermittent—let your eyes bounce between your recipient and back. Here’s how prolonged eye contact encourages attraction.
What is a “circle of safety” in Sinek’s conceptualization? How do you develop a circle of safety in your organization? According to Simon Sinek, a “circle of safety” is a company culture where employees’ needs are prioritized above the company’s profits. By putting your employees’ needs first, you create an environment where they feel safe to collaborate and innovate. Here’s how prioritizing your subordinates’ needs drives collaboration and innovation, according to Sinek.
How does the Thor software work? What was it originally created for? After discovering how high-frequency trading (HFT) was impacting Wall Street and the overall financial market, Canadian trader Brad Katsuyama developed the Thor software, which slows down a broker’s order so an HF trader can’t manipulate its latency time. Keep reading for a background on the Thor software and how it’s used against high-frequency trading.
Have you ever heard of Investors Exchange, better known as IEX? What does the IEX company do to make stock trading fair? IEX is a stock exchange based in the United States and was founded by Canadian stock trader Brad Katsuyama. Michael Lewis details the creation of IEX and what the company does in his book, Flash Boys. Keep reading to learn about what the IEX company does to improve the stock market’s standards in just five solutions.
Who is Brad Katsuyama? What part did Katsuyama play in exposing Wall Street for using high-frequency trading? In Flash Boys, author Michael Lewis writes about how Brad Katsuyama, a Canadian trader with the Royal Bank of Canada (RBC), led an investigation into the unethical practices of high-frequency trading (HFT). Katsuyama further found that Wall Street’s firms and banks were using HFT to exploit regular investors. Continue reading to learn more about Brad Katsuyama’s investigation and his solution to fighting against HFT.
Who is Navinder Singh Sarao? Did he really cause the 2010 Wall Street flash crash? Navinder Singh Sarao is a self-taught financial trader who was accused of triggering a major 2010 flash crash. The event saw U.S. markets briefly plummet in value, but Michael Lewis, the author of Flash Boys, doesn’t think Sarao is largely to blame for the event. Read more for Lewis’s take on why the flash crash happened and why U.S. courts believed it was because of Navinder Singh Sarao.
Do you struggle with mindfulness? Why is it so difficult to stop the never-ending stream of consciousness and simply be mindful of what is happening in the present moment? Being present in the moment is the key to relieving dissatisfaction and anxiety, but our thinking mind prevents us from being present. We have this compulsion to always be consumed in thought—worrying, ruminating, and mind-wandering. According to Eckhart Tolle, mindfulness is difficult because we are caught up in the cycle of wanting. It’s hard to stay mindful in the present moment when you want things to be different than they currently
What does it mean when someone fidgets a lot during an interaction? How does fidgeting influence people’s impressions of you? When it comes to body language, fidgeting is one of the things you should avoid. Your fidgeting may have nothing to do with your intentions, but people interpret it as insincerity. To make a positive impression, remove physical barriers and maintain an open stance when you are talking to someone. Here’s why you should avoid fidgeting in your body language.
Is there still more you can do to become a better person? Do you want to learn how to keep improving yourself? In Relentless, Tim Grover highlights the importance of self-improvement as a stepping stone to achieving your goals. He provides three methods to constantly push yourself to improve: don’t define what’s impossible, never settle for “good enough,” and surround yourself with relentlessness. Below we’ll go into more detail on these three methods and how they can benefit you in the present and future.
What are the signs of toxic workplace culture? How does toxic work culture affect your employee’s performance and willingness to collaborate? Toxic workplace culture is a breeding ground for the stress hormone cortisol. Cortisol stifles the release of oxytocin, the neurochemical which fosters empathy and trust. When employees lack empathy and trust toward one another, they’re much less likely to collaborate, seeing each other as competitors and threats to their own success. Here’s how a lack of empathy creates a toxic workplace culture.