Shortform Books

The 3 Power Moves to Manage Difficult Conversations

How do you hold and manage difficult conversations? What can you do to keep the conversation on track and not let it escalate into an argument? In business and in personal matters, difficult conversations come up all the time. But if we can learn how to manage difficult conversations more productively, our relationships and our lives will improve tremendously. Here are three “power moves” that can help you manage difficult conversations in spite of the other person’s lack of cooperation.

How Good Work Habits Improve Corporate Culture

Why do you need good work habits? How can good work habits help transform a corporate culture? Good work habits are important for you personally, but you can also be effective in helping you transform your workplace. Having a positive corporate culture informs good work habits and vice versa. Read more about having good work habits and how they can improve corporate culture.

Michael Oher Today: NFL, Life, & Legacy (Updated August 2023)

Where’s Michael Oher today? How did he respond to his situation and his success? What’s happening between him and the Tuohys? After Michael Oher’s story was told in The Blind Side, he got a college degree, played in the NFL, and wrote and published two books about his life and career. And, his relationship with the Tuohys has hit some troubled waters. Read more to learn about Michael Oher today and how his story continues to unfold.

The Tale of Donald Trump’s Cincinnati Success

What was Donald Trump’s Cincinnati project? What made it a success? The tale of Donald Trump and Cincinnati begins at a foreclosure action in 1964, where he and his father bought the Swifton Village property for $6 million. In 1972, they sold the Swifton for $12 million, walking away with a nearly $6 million profit because they had little debt and were bringing in $700,000 a year in rents. Read about Donald Trump’s Cincinnati project.

Erik Erikson: Psychosocial Theory of Development

Who is Erik Erikson? How is Erik Erikson’s Psychosocial Theory of development different from Freud’s Psychosexual theory? Erik Erikson (1902-1994) was a German-American psychologist and psychoanalyst who is best known for his theory of psychosocial identity development. Erik Erikson’s Psychosocial Theory marked a shift from Freud’s Psychosexual Theory in that it conceptualized psychosocial development across the entire lifespan instead of just childhood. Here is an overview of Erik Erikson’s Psychosocial Theory.

Why Sell on Pinterest? Users Are More Likely to Buy

Do you want to know how to sell on Pinterest? How is marketing on Pinterest different from many other social media platforms? Users like Pinterest because it is aspirational and purchase-friendly. Studies found that users are almost 80% more likely to buy something you sell on Pinterest than Facebook. Keep reading for tips on how to sell on Pinterest.

Never Eat Alone: The 4 Key Networking Principles

Do you want to improve your networking skills? What are some networking principles that can help you master the craft? Networking gives you the opportunity to meet like-minded people with whom you can build mutually beneficial relationships. In Never Eat Alone, entrepreneur Keith Ferrazzi shares his key networking principles to help you maximize the chances of your networking efforts being successful. Keep reading for Keith Ferrazzi’s networking principles.

Disney Buys Lucasfilm: The Fight for Creative Control

Why were negotiations so difficult when Disney bought Lucasfilm? How did Disney’s CEO Bob Iger convince George Lucas to give up his control? Disney CEO Bob Iger knew that it would be a difficult road if Disney bought Lucasfilm. Iger would have to negotiate with George Lucas, who was notorious for wanting control over the Star Wars mythology. After many disagreements, Lucas finally sold to Disney. Continue on to learn how Disney bought Lucasfilm.

Edward Said: What Is Orientalism?

What is Orientalism? How does Edward Said define the concept? It is difficult to be precise about the answer to the question “what is Orientalism?” Edward Said uses the term in three interdependent senses: 1) Orientalism as a scholarly discipline, 2) Orientalism as a mode of thought based on the essential East-West divide, and 3) Orientalism as a political ideology. Keep reading for Edward Said’s answer to the question: what is Orientalism?

The Blind Side Setting: From Hurt Village to Affluence

What is The Blind Side setting? What are the locations where the book takes place? The Blind Side setting takes place primarily in Memphis, Tennessee. The book has scenes from Michael’s childhood in the West Memphis housing project known as Hurt Village, as well as the affluent neighborhood where the Tuohys lived and where Michael went to school. Read more about The Blind Side setting.