Hannah Aster, Author at Shortform Books

The Compensation, Complaint, and Promotion Process

How can having a process for compensation, complaints, and promotions save you a lot of headache? What should those processes look like? Once a company grows, it should start to develop processes around three situations: compensation, promotions, and complaints. Having processes around these subjects will help reduce company politics and set expectations. Continue reading to learn how to learn how to develop a compensation, complaint, and promotion process.

What Heaven Will Be Like: Colton Burpo’s Experience

What will Heaven be like according to Colton Burpo? Is it how the Bible describes it? If you’ve ever wondered what Heaven will be like, Colton Burpo describes it in detail in Heaven Is for Real. Colton’s father, Pastor Todd Burpo, said that three-year-old Colton somehow knew details about Heaven from the Bible that he had never told him about. Keep reading for the answer to “what will Heaven be like?” as told by Colton Burpo.

If You Want Fulfilling Work, Focus on Deep Work

Why is deep work fulfilling work? What value can deep work add to your life? Sometimes deep work can feel undirected and aimless because the results aren’t often concrete. However, deep work moves you towards happiness and fulfilment. That is because deep work is satisfying, it has a productive psychological effect, and it provides value. Keep reading to learn why deep work is so fulfilling.

The Auschwitz Crematorium: Lale’s Harsh Reality

In The Tattooist of Auschwitz, what horrible job is Lale given in the Auschwitz crematorium? How does Lale abuse his power as a member of Auschwitz’s political department? How does he use it for good? The Tattooist of Auschwitz is a historical fiction novel based on a true story. In the book, Lale is faced with the horrors of the Auschwitz crematoriums. In his “privileged” position, he gets a harsh reminder of what the other prisoners are facing every day. Read on to learn more about Lale’s eye-opening experience in the Auschwitz crematorium.

What Happened to Lale and Gita After Auschwitz?

In The Tattooist of Auschwitz, what happened to Lale and Gita after Auschwitz fell? How did they manage to find each other? After Auschwitz fell, Gita made it back to her hometown of Bratislava and Lale went back to his sister in Krompachy. Lale’s sister told him not to come back until he had Gita with him. So he set out again to find the love of his life. Keep reading to find out what happened to Lale and Gita after Auschwitz fell.

Purposeful Practice Is More Than Just Repetition

What is purposeful practice? How can it help you break through your natural limits? Why is the phrase, “practice makes perfect” incorrect? Purposeful practice has four distinct components that distinguish it from merely repetitive practice: it has well-defined, specific goals, it demands complete focus, it involves feedback, and it requires you to push beyond your comfort zone. Continue on to learn more about purposeful practice and how you can improve how you practice.

Death by Meeting: The Problematic Employee Meeting

How bad were Casey’s employee meetings in Death by Meeting? How did Will try to salvage Casey’s meeting format? Was it good enough to impress J.T.? In Death by Meeting, Yip Software’s CEO Casey is notoriously bad at running employee meetings. His new assistant Will sits in to assess the situation and is shocked by what he sees. If they don’t improve their meetings, Casey could lose his job. Keep reading to find out why Casey’s employee meetings are so bad and what Will had to say about them.

How to Be a CEO During the Bad Times: The Struggle

When your company isn’t doing well, how can you be a good CEO? How do you get through the hard times without giving up? What is The Struggle? In his book The Hard Thing About Hard Things, Ben Horowitz talks about the hard parts of starting a business and being a CEO. He discuses The Struggle that almost every CEO will go through and gives advice on how to get through it. Keep reading for advice on how to be a good CEO and get through The Struggle.

What Colton Told Pastor Todd Burpo About Angels

What does Colton tell his father, Pastor Todd Burpo, about his trip to Heaven? Who did Colton meet while in Heaven? Why doesn’t Pastor Todd think his son is making it all up? In Heaven Is for Real, young Colton tells his father, Pastor Todd Burpo, about his experiences in Heaven. Colton claims to have met his grandfather, “Pop” and his unborn sister who had passed away in the womb. Todd hadn’t told Colton about either of these relatives. Continue on to learn what Colton told Pastor Todd Burpo about his meetings in Heaven.

Deep Work vs. Shallow Work: Reduce Shallow Work

What is deep work vs. shallow work? How can you reduce shallow work time from your schedule? “Deep work” is focused, uninterrupted, undistracted work on a task that pushes your cognitive abilities to their limit. In contrast, “shallow work” describes tasks that aren’t cognitively demanding – like answering email, filling out paperwork, and attending unproductive meetings. Keep reading to learn how you can take steps to reduce your time spent on shallow work.