The World's Best Book Summaries
Why did the Taliban shoot Malala Yousafzai? Why did they consider her such a threat? Surrounded by the Taliban’s increasing violence and attacks on women and girls in Pakistan, Malala Yousafzai did what she believed was right. She continued going to school despite the Taliban’s ban, and—encouraged by her father—she spoke out in support of girls’ education. Read more to learn why the Taliban shot Malala.
Are you prepared to die? What should you do if you hope to experience a “good death” one day? Regardless of your age, death is in your future. That’s not something to dread, but it’s something you can and should prepare for. That’s the view of spiritual teacher Sadhguru, who discusses dying well in his book Death: An Inside Story. Continue reading for Sadhguru’s insights on how to prepare for death.
How do your beliefs shape your leadership style? What do you believe to be true about yourself and the people you lead? In Trust and Inspire, Stephen M. R. Covey says that as a modern leader, you must inspire employees to maximize their work quality by trusting and encouraging them to achieve their full potential. He contends that the foundation of this type of leadership is a set of beliefs. Keep reading to learn the five fundamental beliefs of Trust and Inspire leadership.
How do some people unwittingly invite death? Where is the only safe place on the planet? Why should you postpone your meals by 10 minutes? Someday, you’re going to die. This is an obvious, unavoidable fact of life—yet almost everyone in modern society has implicitly agreed to ignore it. According to spiritual teacher Sadhguru, this reluctance to acknowledge death leads to enormous and unnecessary suffering. Read on for several Death: An Inside Story quotes that will give you a good sense of the book’s ideas.
Do you believe in the people you lead? How do you prove it? What difference does your trust make in them and your mission? Stephen M. R. Covey says that inspirational leaders extend faith to people. Extending faith means not only seeing that everyone has a higher potential but also believing that they can achieve it. Extending faith also requires leaders to give employees autonomy rather than micromanaging. Read more to get Covey’s insights on leading with trust.
When do we grasp the significance of our voices? What weapons are more powerful than guns and bombs? What did Malala Yousafzai ask God for? In I Am Malala, Nobel Peace Prize winner and girls’ education activist Malala Yousafzai answers these questions by recounting her life story. She covers her origins in poverty, her campaign for girls’ education in Pakistan, and her eventual shooting at the hands of the Taliban. Continue reading for several I Am Malala quotes from Malala Yousafzai along with some context and explanation to help you understand her ideas.
What’s one step beyond empathy? Do your employees trust that you care about them? How well are your team members connected to each other? In Trust and Inspire, Stephen M. R. Covey asserts that trusting and inspiring leaders connect with employees by practicing empathy and kindness. They also work to connect employees with each other and a greater purpose. Keep reading to learn how to foster these crucial connections.
Do you think about death, or do you pretend it’s not an inevitability? Is embracing the reality of death a better approach than ignoring it? If you avoid thinking about death, you’re in the majority. Most people today ignore death because it’s not fun to think about. But, Sadhguru argues that this avoidance leads to suffering. Read more to learn why you should accept death, acknowledging its inevitability in a measured way.
Are you comfortable being yourself, even around people you lead? Do you stand up for others even when it costs you? According to Stephen M. R. Covey, an inspirational leader makes a commitment to be an upstanding person that others look up to. This requires you to be strong, be true to yourself, and understand others well. Continue reading to dig deep into each of these character qualities of a leader who inspires others.
What’s steward leadership? What do you have to do to embrace this leadership style? Stephen M. R. Covey advocates for a steward leadership style in his book Trust and Inspire. He explains that trusting and inspirational leaders put their stewardship into practice through three primary commitments. Continue reading to learn what these commitments entail and why they’re important.