Shortform Books

Non-Hierarchical Organizations: 3 Different Approaches

Are middle managers necessary? What are some ways to get around a top-down structure? In Reinventing Organizations, Frédéric Laloux describes “teal organizations.” The most radical departure of these visionary organizations from modern structures is the elimination of the top-down pyramid. They aren’t “flat” but fluid, with complex interrelationships determining how power and resources are shared. Read more to learn about three different structural approaches that non-hierarchical organizations use based on their size and the nature of their work.

How Stoicism and Happiness Work Hand in Hand

How are Stoicism and happiness connected? What do the Stoics say about obtaining happiness? We all want to be happy, but how to achieve happiness, or even how to define it, has been a problem that philosophers, theologians, and psychologists have long tried to solve. Author Derren Brown studied the Epicureans as well as Stoicism and happiness to draw conclusions about living a truly happy life. Read on to learn why Brown says understanding Stoicism is one of the cornerstones of happiness.

How to Find Purpose and Meaning in Life

Do you know how to find purpose? What is a life purpose? A life purpose gives you a reason for all of your passions and hobbies in your life. In The Mountain Is You, Brianna Wiest tells you how to identify your purpose so you can live a fulfilled life. Let’s look at Wiest’s advice for finding purpose and your ideal self.

Tips on How to Be a Good Conversationalist

Do you want to know how to be a good conversationalist? What makes a compelling conversation? One way to start and maintain strong relationships is by being a skilled conversationalist. In The Like Switch, Jack Schafer and Marvin Karlins give tips for keeping conversations balanced and pleasant for everyone involved. Continue reading to learn how to be a good conversationalist.

Managing Complexity: Fred Brooks’s Experiential Advice

Looking for practical advice for managing complexity? How can you improve performance for large teams and complex projects? The Mythical Man-Month by Frederick P. Brooks offers guidance to managers leading large teams, especially teams coordinating detail-oriented projects with lots of moving parts. Its advice centers on managing and reducing complexity. Read on to learn Brooks’s groundbreaking strategies for managing complexity at IBM in the 1960s.

How the Luddite Movement Lives on With Neo-Luddites

What was the “Luddite” movement? What is a “neo-Luddite”? Why are some people turning against technology? As technology advances at an unprecedented speed, a growing number of neo-Luddites are urging caution about what we use and how we use it. According to them, we need to stop adopting new technologies mindlessly and start questioning their potential consequences. Read on for an overview of the Luddite movement and learn how neo-Luddites are continuing the fight against technology.

Human Brain Development: What Makes Our Brains Grow?

Do you understand human brain development? How does the brain develop? In Seven and a Half Lessons About the Brain, Lisa Feldman Barrett explains how everyone’s brain develops differently, based on a combination of their genes and their environment. Human brain development depends on the interaction between the genetic information already present in the brain and the environment it develops in. Continue reading to learn how this interaction has great implications for the development of children’s brains.

What Is Organizational Health & Why Is It Important?

What is organizational health? Why is organizational health important? Patrick Lencioni’s book The Advantage talks in great detail about organizational health and its role in helping businesses reach their fullest potential. Further, he claims that there are four steps that you can take to reach organizational health. Read below for Lencioni’s definition of organizational health.

In the Name of God: Justifying Slavery by Divine Salvation

How did slave owners justify slavery? What role did religion play in perpetuating the institution of slavery? One of the earliest justifications for enslaving Black Americans was the belief that white enslavers could save Black souls by converting them to Christianity. By that logic, if Blacks accepted Christianity, their souls would be absolved of their inherent immorality. Here’s how religious rhetoric was used for justifying slavery.

A History of Organizations: From Kingdoms to Corporations

How have organizations changed over time? What accounts for these changes? Where are organizations headed next? In order to understand the future shape of organizations, it’s important to look at how they’ve developed. In Reinventing Organizations, Frédéric Laloux traces a series of paradigm shifts in organizational structure over the past 10,000 years, arguing that each transition goes hand in hand with a change in how we think about the world. Continue reading to understand the history of organizations from ancient kingdoms to modern corporations.