The World's Best Book Summaries
What does “pull yourself up by the bootstraps” mean? Why is Stephanie Land so critical of it? Stephanie Land, the author of the memoir Maid, criticizes the “pull yourself up by the bootstraps” mentality in America. The saying insinuates that people in poverty are lazy and make bad choices. Read more about why this mentality is outdated and offensive to people living in poverty.
What can you learn from Scrum by Jeff Sutherland? Why does the Scrum method work better than traditional management systems? According to software developer and management expert Jeff Sutherland, the methods most companies use to build products are misguided and lead to inefficiency. Too much time is spent planning, too much energy is wasted on unimportant tasks, and not enough emphasis is placed on flexibility. That’s why he came up with the Scrum method. Here’s a brief overview of Jeff Sutherland’s Scrum.
What are the four levels of success? What’s the highest level of success you can achieve in life? According to Gay Hendricks, there are four distinct levels of success people occupy. These levels can be described as 1) stagnancy, 2) adequacy, 3) high achievement, and 4) state of fulfillment. As we accomplish more in life, we move through subsequently higher levels. Keep reading to learn about the four levels of success and their key characteristics, according to Hendricks.
How important is a teamwork culture in your organization? Why is a collaborative work environment more important than corporate culture? Many companies believe that creating an enticing corporate culture is what makes the business thrive. While corporate culture (various perks, free lunches, etc.) can attract people to work for your organization, it’s not what makes them stay. High-value people seek to do meaningful work as part of a supportive, collaborative team. Keep reading to learn about the importance of teamwork in an organization.
What is deemed a “high-potential employee”? How does classifying your employees into high- or low- potential hurt your organization? Companies use performance appraisal systems for identifying high-potential employees. When an employee is “high potential,” it usually means they have promise for promotion because of their skillset and work ethic. However, “high-potential” people don’t matter in the long run. Here’s why you shouldn’t segregate your employees based on high or low potential.
Is your team falling behind at work? What can you, as a leader, do to get your team to perform at their best? Your team reflects how good of a leader you are. If your team is lacking in performance or isn’t showing improvement, you need to give them better feedback. According to Buckingham and Goodall, the authors of Nine Lies About Work, most leaders give exclusively corrective feedback, which puts people on the defensive. Instead, leaders should focus on highlighting what people are doing well rather than what they should improve. Here’s how to encourage team members to perform
How important is work-life balance? Does work-life balance lead to fulfillment? According to Ashley Goodall and Marcus Buckingham, the authors of Nine Lies About Work, maintaining a work-life balance can actually burn you out and make you unhappy. Instead, they suggest finding a job that you love so you won’t feel drained. Here’s why work-life balance is overrated.
Do you want your team to follow and respect you? What qualities make a good leader? In their book Nine Lies About Work, Marcus Buckingham and Ashley Goodall explain the traits that leaders should exhibit if they want to build a thriving organization. We’ve combined these traits into three core qualities that embody the freethinking leader, a person who values individuality and questions traditional systems. Keep reading to learn about the key qualities that make a good leader, according to Marcus Buckingham and Ashley Goodall.
What does a person need to succeed in life and in their career? What are easy ways to achieve success without getting distracted or discouraged? In Relentless, Tim Grover says that an urge to succeed is natural, and you should actually strive towards satisfying it. He offers three methods you must work on to ensure your success: make sacrifices, accept discomfort, and ignore judgments. Keep reading to learn what a person needs to succeed in life and become unstoppable in their journey.
What is Simon Sinek’s Leaders Eat Last about? What is the key message to take away from the book? In Leaders Eat Last, author and inspirational speaker Simon Sinek argues that a leader’s primary responsibility is to prioritize her subordinates’ needs above her own. In business, this usually manifests as a manager prioritizing her employees’ personal needs above immediate profit. Ultimately, this helps the company—and its leader—to be more successful. Below is a brief overview of Leaders Eat Last by Simon Sinek.