The World's Best Book Summaries
Do you have too much on your plate? What’s the most you can handle in a workday? Human beings are asked to juggle a lot in their lives. Many people have jobs, families, and social lives. The only way to avoid collapsing under the weight is to prioritize everything. Find out how to prioritize workload tasks so you can balance everything.
What’s a leadershift? What changes must you make if you want to keep growing as a leader? In his book Leadershift, John Maxwell argues that today’s leaders must abandon traditional management practices and make “leadershifts.” This is the word he uses to describe changes in how people think, communicate, and act as leaders. Continue reading for an overview of Leadershift.
Do you need other people? Are you a giver or a taker? Do you tend to run ahead of others and leave them behind? Many leaders think in terms of what’s best for themselves and base their decisions on their personal goals and opinions. John C. Maxwell writes that, to be an effective leader, you must prioritize your team’s needs over your personal ambitions. Keep reading for Maxwell’s advice on how to practice selflessness in leadership.
Do you have positional authority? Do you have moral authority? Which is more powerful? As a leader, you must develop your influence over others. To do so, you must gain moral authority—respect and recognition for exemplary personal qualities, values, and actions. Having positional authority may force people to follow you, but earning moral authority makes people want to follow you. Read more to learn how to earn moral authority as a leader.
Do people pleasers make good leaders? How can you appropriately balance candor and care with those you lead? A common misconception is that, to be a good leader, you must please everyone and get them on board with your plans and ideas. John C. Maxwell says that you should focus on what makes people better, not what makes them happy. This means balancing candor and care. Continue reading to learn about this candor/care approach to leadership.
What’s wrong with focusing on goals? Are you comfortable with established ways of doing things? John C. Maxwell argues that leaders must make an active effort to grow and improve instead of just treating growth as a natural result of their experiences. You can do this by pursuing growth instead of achievement and by innovating instead of sticking to tradition. Keep reading for Maxwell’s advice on leading with a growth mindset.
What makes someone a good mentor? Why shouldn’t you focus on making others happy? How can you build a strong legacy as a leader? John C. Maxwell writes that the hallmark of effective leadership in the modern era is not a leader’s personal achievements. Instead, it’s their ability to inspire others to grow and become leaders in their own right. Continue reading to learn how to develop leaders for a new generation.
How effectively does science predict human behavior? Does reason or irrationality account for the decisions people make? What’s the true secret of persuasion? Rory Sutherland’s Alchemy: The Dark Art and Curious Science of Creating Magic in Brands, Business, and Life argues that contemporary economic and political theories are flawed. They hinge on reason as a predictor of human behavior, so any attempts to persuade people using reason are doomed to fail. Continue reading for an overview of this thought-provoking book that could cause you to change the way you and your business operate.
Do your team members feel like you understand and care about where they’re coming from? Are they comfortable sharing their own ideas, or do they feel pressure to conform? In Leadershift, John C. Maxwell discusses simple but significant management changes you can make to help your team operate at its highest level. Maxwell writes that leaders must: 1) understand instead of command, and 2) encourage diversity instead of uniformity. Read more to learn how to get the best out of your team by putting Maxwell’s principles to work.
What does Gallup’s employee engagement report mean for employers? How can employees overcome obstacles to engagement? According to Gallup’s 2023 State of the Global Workplace report, the average global employee engagement score is 23%. Employee engagement is crucial because it translates to productivity, synergy, and creativity, which in turn lead to an organization’s success. Here’s why employees are disengaged and what it means for companies.