Shortform Books

The Importance of Networking in Business: Triads

What can networking do for you and your business? What’s particularly powerful about networks of three? In Tribal Leadership, authors Dave Logan, Halee Fischer-Wright, and John King explain how tribes develop through stages. At Stage 4, a tribal leader deliberately cultivates relationships with potential tribe members. The authors discuss three-part relationships (triads) in particular, identifying three main benefits: They’re stable, they’re easily expanded, and they enable creativity. Keep reading to learn about the importance of networking in business, the Tribal Leadership way.

Normal Distribution: Explained With Examples

What is the normal distribution in statistics? How do measures of central tendency relate to the normal distribution? The normal distribution is a foundational concept in statistics. When data is normally distributed, it means that most values cluster around the center. Therefore, the mean, median, and mode are exactly the same in a normally distributed data set. Keep reading for the theory of normal distribution, explained in simple terms.

The History of Domesticated Farm Animals in Eurasia

Why did Eurasian society thrive throughout history? What set Eurasian farming apart from other areas of the world? According to the author of Guns, Germs, and Steel, Jared Diamond, a large part of why Eurasia thrived was due to its history of domesticated animals. Diamond claimed that Eurasia had more domesticable farm animals than most parts of the world. Keep reading to learn about the history of domesticated animals on Eurasian farms.

Why Trust Is Important in a Team (+Low Trust Solutions)

Why is trust important in a team? What are the symptoms of low trust in a team? How can you build team trust? Stephen Covey wrote The Speed of Trust to explain the far-reaching and sometimes subtle impacts of trust in your life. Covey believes society has learned to undervalue trust even though it affects your success in all your relationships, including your career. Fostering team trust in the workplace is one of Covey’s key points. Read on to find out why trust is important in a team, including how to build team trust, according to Covey.

The 2 Prayer Requests That Will Strengthen Your Spirituality

What are prayer requests? What should you request if you need help in life? Requesting from God can be difficult because it’s so tempting to ask for selfish things. However, Julia Cameron recommends two prayer requests that can help you without sounding selfish: humility and a better mood. Read below the prayer requests that Cameron talks about in her book Seeking Wisdom.

Mean and Mode: Which Should You Use?

What is the difference between mean and mode? Which of the two is a more accurate measure? Both the mean and the mode are measures of central tendency. For non-skewed distributions, the mean is more accurate because it takes into account every value in the data set. For skewed data, the median is better because it isn’t influenced by outliers. Keep reading to learn about the difference between mean vs. mode and when to use which.

2 Tips to Stay Focused That Can Help Others

What are some tips to stay focused? Do you want to help others stay focused too? In Stolen Focus, Johann Hari suggests that we have a societal attention crisis: We’re all losing our ability to concentrate. His proposed solution for the attention crisis has two parts: systemic changes and a citizen-led movement. Check out how everyone can benefit from these tips to stay focused.

Steven Kotler’s The Art of Impossible: From Dream to Reality

What does Steven Kotler’s The Art of Impossible say about achieving dream goals? Which steps are most important for making your dreams a reality? Author Steven Kotler wrote his bestselling book, The Art of Impossible, after extensively researching how the nervous system and brain work to impact motivation. Through his research, Kotler identified habits that the world’s top performers use to achieve seemingly impossible goals. Keep reading to learn Kotler’s secret to success, according to advice from The Art of Impossible.

Sleep and the Brain: Why You Shouldn’t Skimp on Your Zzzs

What happens in your brain when you sleep? Conversely, what happens in your brain when you don’t sleep? Chronic inadequate sleep leads to a higher risk of many health issues, including dementia and cognitive decline. Extensive research on the effects of sleep shows that sleep is more than just the body’s chance to relax: It’s a vital phase of neural activity and regeneration. Here’s a look at sleep and the brain.

The Unfair Advantage: Book Overview

Why do some startups skyrocket to success and others fail? Better ideas? More money? Good timing? The Unfair Advantage (book by entrepreneurs Ash Ali and Hasan Kubba) explains that founders of successful startups exploit their unfair advantages, the qualities or conditions that give them an edge over competitors. There are many types of unfair advantages, and everyone has at least one, according to the authors. To achieve startup success, you just need to find and use your unfair advantages to fuel business growth. Keep reading for an overview of the book and see what you can apply to your own