Carrie Cabral, Author at Shortform Books

My Year in a Women’s Prison: Piper Kerman’s Lessons

What is Orange Is the New Black: My Year in a Women’s Prison about? What does Piper Kerman learn from her experiences in prison? In Orange Is the New Black: My Year in a Women’s Prison Piper Kerman describes the friends she makes and the humiliation she faces while she is incarcerated. By the time of her release, Piper learned valuable lessons about justice, inequality, and more. Read more about Orange Is the New Black: My Year in a Women’s Prison.

Dinitia Hewitt: The Glass Castle Bully Turned Friend

Who is Dinitia Hewitt in The Glass Castle? How does Jeannette know Dinitia, and what is their relationship? Dinitia Hewitt in The Glass Castle is initially a bully that Jeannette meets when she moves to Welch, West Virginia. When Dinitia sees Jeannette helping a boy who is being chased by a dog, the two become friends. Read more about Dinitia Hewitt in The Glass Castle and her friendship with Jeannette.

System Thinking Theory: How Does it Work?

What is the system thinking theory? Why should you incorporate system thinking into your management tools? System thinking theory is the ability to consider major management structures as systems. Thinking of companies, governments, and more as systems can help them run more efficiently. Read more about the system thinking theory and how it works.

Changing Systems: All About Finding Leverage Points

How does changing systems work? Is it possible to change systems that are already established? Changing systems can be difficult, but is certainly possible with the right leverage points. Especially if a system isn’t working in some way, changing systems is a useful skill. Read more about changing systems below.

Being Institutionalized: Bureaucracy Prevails

What is being institutionalized like? How does Piper Kerman describe this experience in Orange is the New Black? In her memoir, Piper Kerman discusses details of being institutionalized, including her intake process and dealing with her homophobic counselor. Read more about Piper Kerman’s experience being institutionalized and how she maintained her humanity.

What is The Glass Castle About? One Family’s Story

What is The Glass Castle about? How does Jeannette Walls portray her family and her life? The Glass Castle is about the childhood of Jeannette Walls. Jeannette and her siblings suffered through a childhood filled with neglect, but formed close relationships with each other and their parents. So what is The Glass Castle about? Keep reading to find out.

Systems in Society: Systems Are All Around Us

What are systems in society? How do these systems work and why do we need them? There are many different systems in society. When societal systems work well, they help us function and be successful. When systems fail, they create more difficult living conditions and dangers. Read more about systems in society and how they work.

Stocks and Flows: The Foundation of a System

What are stocks and flows and what is their role in systems? How do stock and flows work? Stocks are the tangible elements of a system, and flows are the means by which the stocks change. Understanding stocks and flows can help you understand the inputs and outputs of a system, and therefore better understand the system itself. Read more about stocks and flows and check out the stocks and flows diagram.

Guide To Donella Meadows’ 12 Leverage Points

What are Donella Meadows’ leverage points? How can these leverage points help you develop top-knotch systems in the systems thinking model? Donella Meadows’ leverage points in a system are places where you can intervene in a system. Leverage points are important for when you have to change your system. Read more about Donella Meadows’ leverage points in systems thinking and how they work.

The Systems Thinking Model: Why You Need It

What is the systems thinking model? What is a system and how can the systems thinking model build systems that work? The systems thinking model encourages you to think about all structures—business, social, government—as systems that can be organized to work properly an efficiently. Keep reading to found out more about the systems thinking model.