The World's Best Book Summaries
How do you decide what to do? How do you determine how well you do things? You either validate yourself or look to get that validation from others. That’s true for everyone. Shelle Rose Charvet applies this knowledge to the workplace and provides guidance on how to persuade both self-validating people and people who are more validated by others. Read more to learn about this difference in people and how to make the most of it.
What approach do you take to problem-solving? What if you could figure out the approach other people take and use that information to influence them? Some people tend to stick with one way to address problems. Others gravitate toward new ways of tackling issues. Influencing language expert Shelle Rose Charvet explains how you can identify a person’s dominant problem-solving style and communicate with them in a language they understand. Keep reading for Charvet’s tips along with some supplemental advice from workplace coach John Whitmore.
Do you have a hard time getting your team members or colleagues to enthusiastically engage in a new project? Does it seem like they’re on a page that doesn’t even exist in your book? According to influencing language expert Shelle Rose Charvet, if you learn how someone is motivated, you can consciously match their frame of reference and speak in a language they understand. She discusses six motivation patterns in a workplace context, but you can use her insights in any setting. Continue reading to learn how to motivate people at work by speaking their motivation language.
Why do so many companies crack under pressure? How can a floundering company recover? While Jim Collins’s book How the Mighty Fall is a warning to companies that have grown complacent, it also serves as motivation for those in the throes of decline. Collins says that by staying vigilant about the threat of failure, you can rechart your course, keep pushing forward, and ensure your company’s survival. Read below for a brief How the Mighty Fall book overview.
What are the effects of poor leadership? What’s “bad growth” in business? According to How the Mighty Fall by Jim Collins, a successful company could become obsessed with growth in all the wrong ways, which he calls overreaching. This is mainly caused by leaders who believe that bigger is always better, but don’t necessarily pay attention to the finer details. Keep reading to learn more about the effects of poor leadership on successful businesses.
At what point is a team too large? Are team-building activities worth it? Renowned business consultant Patrick Lencioni knows all about teams. In his book Overcoming the Five Dysfunctions of a Team, he defines what a team is and provides guidance on putting a team together and getting it on the right track from the start. Read on for Lencioni’s recommendations for the team-building process.
Do your team members feel like they can be completely open with you and each other? Or, do they tend to guard themselves and be careful about what they share? According to Patrick Lencioni, trust is foundational to team performance. He has written two books about the dysfunctions of teams. The first dysfunction is a lack of trust among team members. He explains what he means by trust, why it’s critical, and how to build it. Keep reading to learn about team trust.
What happens when leaders ignore the symptoms of business failure? Can a company collapse overnight? According to How the Mighty Fall by Jim Collins, a major contributor to a company’s downfall is when it disregards signs of decline. Because leaders ignore these signs, they make reckless decisions with potentially disastrous consequences. Continue reading to learn the consequences of ignoring the symptoms of a failing business.
Which people on your team work best in collaboration? Which ones have a lone wolf personality type? We all have mental habits or motivation patterns that inform the way we behave. One of these is our work style. Generally, people prefer to work alone or in collaboration with others. They find that one style over the other brings out the best in their performance. Read more to learn how to identify the work style of the people on your team and interact with them in a way that resonates with their style.
Do your team members know how to handle disagreements in a constructive way? Or, do they let conflict build up until it explodes? In Overcoming the Five Dysfunctions of a Team, renowned business consultant Patrick Lencioni says that, once you’ve tackled Dysfunction #1 (the absence of trust), you can take on Dysfunction #2: a fear of conflict. When it’s managed well, conflict is healthy for teams. Continue reading to learn Lencioni’s advice for mastering conflict in teams.