The World's Best Book Summaries
Why do people love Starbucks so much? What’s the customer experience at Starbucks like? When Starbucks was in desperate need of a new business model, one of Howard Schultz’s areas of focus was customer service. Schultz made changes in three key areas: improved communication with customers, polished store design and operations, and renewed social and environmental commitments. Let’s explore each of those areas now.
Why is it so easy for people to procrastinate? What productive habits can we build to overcome procrastination? Procrastination is frustrating because we know what it is and we can see how it hurts us, but we keep doing it anyway. In Solving the Procrastination Puzzle, Timothy A. Pychyl explores three forces behind procrastination: our desire for rewarding experiences, our trouble making realistic plans, and our lack of preparedness for obstacles and challenges. Let’s look at the reasons why we procrastinate, and what we can do to stop them.
What are the benefits of mindful decision-making? What are some tips for making good choices in life? Clay Scroggins says that being dutiful and mindful in the small, daily decisions you make is called leading your actions. This consistency shows that you’re ready for the responsibility of leading others in the same way. Check out how to change your life by making decisions that show you’d be a great leader.
What’s the Starbucks business model? What business principles did Howard Schultz bring to Starbucks? As CEO, Schultz made a multitude of decisions that helped Starbucks survive the financial crisis. In total, he made three turnaround strategies: overhauling Starbucks’ management, improving its financial standing, and enhancing the coffeehouse experience. Let’s discuss these decisions and how they left Starbucks in good standing by the end of 2009.
Why do future rewards feel less important than current ones? How does instant gratification cause procrastination? One of the reasons why we procrastinate is that we want to have experiences that our brains perceive as rewarding—experiences that feel good rather than bad. According to Timothy A. Pychyl, this tendency explains why we prefer being rewarded now, rather than later. Find out how to overcome instant gratification, which will then help solve procrastination.
Why is perception in leadership important? How can you look at the bigger picture in a corporation? Leading your perception means taking an active role in shaping how you think about things. This is an important axis of leadership because your perception of a situation influences how you react to it. Below, we’ll discuss the two main ways you can lead your perception: taking a big-picture view and practicing critical thinking.
What was Starbucks’s management strategy after Howard Schultz’s return? Why did the company’s management need to be overhauled? After returning to Starbucks, one of Schultz’s initial turnaround strategies was to completely overhaul the company’s management. There were three major changes Schultz made to accomplish this strategy: hiring new executives, securing emotional buy-in from executives and managers, and reaffirming key values in Starbucks’ management strategy. Continue reading to delve into these three major changes.
How are procrastination and time management related? Why do people underestimate how long it takes to complete a task? One reason why we procrastinate is that we have trouble with planning. Figuring out how to accomplish everything on your to-do list requires planning, but most of us aren’t very good at these kinds of plans. Learn how bad planning and poor time management puts you on a direct path to procrastination.
Do you know how to practice critical thinking? Why do leaders need to have critical thinking skills? Every leader needs critical thinking and problem-solving skills in their back pocket. Critical thinking helps you identify ways to improve the situations and organizations you’re involved in. Keep reading to learn how to practice critical thinking to become a leader among your peers.
How do your emotions cause you to procrastinate? What happens when you avoid negative emotions, rather than confront them? Timothy A. Pychyl says that procrastination results from a failure of the cognitive capacity psychologists call emotion regulation. This is the ability to manage your emotions, attention, and behavior so you can work toward your goals or act according to your values. Continue reading to learn why procrastination and emotional regulation are more commonly related than you might think.