Darya Sinusoid, Author at Shortform Books

Body Language in Presentations: Tips for Speakers

Should you stand or sit when delivering a presentation? Is it better to move or stand still? What about eye contact? Most communication is nonverbal, which also applies to public speaking. Your body language and your facial expressions communicate your confidence, your level of comfort, and your engagement. One rule of thumb to follow is to display openness and confidence with your body and make occasional eye contact with members of the audience. Here are some presentation body language tips to keep in mind.

Franklin D. Roosevelt: Ending the Great Depression

What is Franklin Delano Roosevelt (FDR) known for? What was FDR’s greatest accomplishment as a president? FDR, who was president from 1933 to 1945, was instrumental to American workers’ well-being; He was tasked with getting the nation through the Great Depression. Franklin D. Roosevelt successfully turned the nation’s economy around in spite of the major challenges. Historian Doris Kearns Goodwin attributes this accomplishment to his ability to empathize with others. Here’s how empathy helped Franklin Delano Roosevelt lead the nation through an economic catastrophe.

Simply Said: Book Overview (Jay Sullivan)

What is Jay Sullivan’s Simply Said about? What is the key message to take away from the book? In his book Simply Said, communication expert Jay Sullivan provides a blueprint for effective business communication. Top-notch communication skills are essential to success in any professional field—after all, you can only get clients, colleagues, and audiences to buy into your ideas if you’re able to communicate them clearly. Here’s a brief overview of Jay Sullivan’s book Simply Said: Communicating Better at Work and Beyond.

Carl von Clausewitz: On War Quotes

Are you looking for On War quotes by Carl von Clausewitz? What are some of the most noteworthy passages worth revisiting? On War by Carl von Clausewitz is arguably the most influential Western treatise on the subject of war. The book consists of a large collection of essays. The author expressed an intent to develop them into a comprehensive textbook for military officers, politicians, and others who needed to understand the subject of war. However, he died before finishing this project, so his writings were published in their original form. Below is a selection of Carl von Clausewitz’s On War

Doris Kearns Goodwin on Teddy Roosevelt’s Presidency

What is Theodore Roosevelt known for? What was the key turning point in Roosevelt’s leadership? According to Doris Kearns Goodwin, Teddy Roosevelt’s greatest achievements as a president would not have happened if it wasn’t for his family tragedy. He was stricken with immense grief, which made him dive deeply into his work, setting a chain of events that were instrumental in Roosevelt developing qualities that were essential to how he handled the 1902 coal strike. Here’s how Roosevelt’s crisis taught him bias to action.

How to Improve Your Oral Communication Skills

Do you want to level up your communication skills? What are some things you should keep in mind when it comes to oral communication? Effective oral communication is one of the most important skills you could develop. One rule of thumb to keep in mind is to use the same techniques whether you’re talking with one person or a roomful of people—maintain the same level of confidence, attention, and engagement. Here’s how to improve your oral communication skills, according to author Jay Sullivan.

On War by Carl von Clausewitz: Book Overview

How is it possible that defenders are responsible for most wars? Why is it a logical contradiction for military concerns to influence political policy? And why shouldn’t soldiers sleep in tents? Carl von Clausewitz answers all these questions and more in his treatise On War. While it was originally published in 1832, Clausewitz’s philosophical underpinnings of war are arguably still relevant in the modern day. Below is a brief overview of the key themes and takeaways from On War by Carl von Clausewitz.

What’s an Open Economic System?

Is the economy an open or a closed system? Why does traditional economics treat the economy as a closed system? According to Kate Raworth, traditional economics has a closed-system model for the economy, which operates simply as a series of “inflows” and “outflows” of money, closed off from everything else. This model puts the economy in isolation and treats it as a machine, governed by a simple and predictable set of inputs and outputs. In an open economic system, on the other hand, the economy is embedded within the environment and the planet itself. Here’s why the economy is an

Theodore Roosevelt’s Leadership: Bias Towards Action

What was the greatest accomplishment of Theodore Roosevelt? How did a family tragedy help Theodore Roosevelt end a coal strike that threatened the lives of thousands? Teddy Roosevelt, who led the country from 1901 to 1909, was instrumental during the coal strike of 1902, when coal miners and mine owners faced off in a months-long strike that threatened to plunge the nation into crisis. According to historian Doris Kearns Goodwin, Roosevelt’s decision to intervene during this strike is evidence of courage and a bias towards action—both of which he developed after experiencing his own personal crisis. Here’s how a personal

The Assumption of Rational Behavior in Economics

What is rational behavior in economics? How accurate is this assumption that humans are inherently rational agents seeking to maximize their economic utility at the expense of everything else? In economics, human beings are seen as largely rational agents. The rational economic man cares only about increasing his material wealth and will always follow incentives to do so. According to Kate Raworth, this portrait of humankind is grossly inaccurate. In her book Doughnut Economics, she calls into question the power of extrinsic incentives in driving human behavior. Here’s why the assumption of rational behavior is ultimately flawed.