The World's Best Book Summaries
What is a culture of fear like at work? What are the problems with leading with fear? In The Fearless Organization, Amy C. Edmondson says that, despite the clear benefits of psychologically safe workplaces, many companies don’t install them. Instead, they continue to take a fear-based tactic that comes with two key problems. Continue reading to learn the problems with a culture of fear in the workplace.
What is Amy C. Edmondson’s definition of psychological safety? What are the benefits of psychological safety? According to Amy C. Edmondson, psychological safety in the workplace means workers feel encouraged to speak up and make mistakes without fear of reprisal. Her book The Fearless Organization explains how a psychologically safe work culture is superior to a fear-driven one. Let’s look at what psychological safety is at work.
Is your business emotionally toxic? How do you create psychological safety in the workplace? If workers are in bad moods or afraid to speak their truth at work, you might have a psychologically unsafe environment. Luckily, Amy C. Edmondson’s book The Fearless Organization says you can turn this around quickly. Learn how to create psychological safety in the workplace in no time.
Why is important for leaders to pay attention to themselves? How does systems awareness help a leader? According to Daniel Goleman, leadership is one of those major life areas where our deployment of attention is particularly impactful. He discusses three directions of attention—inner, other, and outer—in the context of leadership. Continue reading to understand where leaders should direct their attention and why.
Do your employees just nod and listen? How can you get employees to speak up? The Fearless Organization by Amy C. Edmondson says that leaders must create a safe space for employees to ask questions, engage in debate, and learn from one another. Building psychologically safe work cultures enables workers to tap into their creativity and innovate, which in turn improves their engagement and performance. Find out how to encourage employees to speak up below.
What is systems awareness? How can it help us solve global problems such as climate change? In his book Focus, Daniel Goleman outlines three main directions you can aim your attention: inward, toward others, and outward. He connects each direction to certain skills. He associates an outward focus with the skill of systems awareness. Keep reading to learn how tackling the biggest problems requires systems awareness and learn some concrete steps we can take to achieve it.
Do you have the potential to become a leader at work? What does it take to be a role model for your co-workers? Managers are typically expected to create healthy work environments, but employees can contribute as well. In The Fearless Organization, Amy C. Edmondson says that despite what your role is at work, you too can make a difference. Here’s how to become a leader at work by making co-workers feel psychologically safe.
What is the importance of management in business? How do you build a team of managers that will last? In Built to Sell, John Warrillow claims that if you want to sell your business, you need to have a good team of managers in place who will stick by the change. This way, you can trust they can oversee every aspect of the company without you. Continue reading to learn more about the importance of management in business.
How can you make abstract concepts concrete? What are some techniques you can use to help people understand complicated concepts? Complex ideas are often abstract, and abstract ideas are hard to understand. Communicating complex ideas simply is a skill, and Jeff Bezos has it. In The Bezos Blueprint, Carmine Gallo discusses how Bezos brings abstract ideas into the real world. Keep reading for two examples of this skill in action.
What do you talk about most? What do you communicate repeatedly? Do you have a leadership mantra? Jeff Bezos talks about one thing constantly. His mission is serving customers, and he makes his mission his mantra. In The Bezos Blueprint, Carmine Gallo explains that your mission, too, should be a mantra—easy to repeat and easy to remember. Read more to learn how to develop a leadership mantra that infuses all you do and say.