Journal by getabstract - Your Daily Dose of Lifelong Learning

HOW TO...?

“How Do I Address Wrong Things the Right Way?”

Speaking up and saying “no” sounds easier than it is – especially in economically uncertain times.

“How Do I Hire (and Onboard) People Without Meeting Them in Person?”

A world with fewer office jobs is not a world with fewer jobs.

CURRENT AFFAIRS

And Related Compressed Knowledge

Kick Off Your Staycation – the Right Way

This summer, many will forgo traveling to a vacation destination. Still, you will need to take some time off. Learn how to maximize the benefits of your staycation – and return to work feeling more rejuvenated than if you had taken that voyage.

Column

As a German who chose to live in the United States for a while, the first thing you miss is not the good old Schwarzbrot – it’s the art of engineering.

July, 7 2020 by Vince Ebert

Q&As

“How Can I Stop Racism in My Workplace?”

Three steps you should take seriously if you care about a corporate culture that works for all.

“How Can You Make Consumption Sustainable?”

It has been suggested that if everyone on planet Earth lived the way we do in the developed world, we would need four planets. Present-day consumerism is unsustainable – but how can it be replaced?

“How Do I Welcome Back Furloughed Employees?”

Put simply: Be warm and mindful.

“What Is the Best Way to Start the Day?”

Believe it or not: The first hour of your day, whatever time it may occur, paves the way for the remainder. Here is how to spend it right.

Recent Articles

Deutsche Thoroughness

A Communicative Introvert

Are We Punishing the Poor?

On the (Economic) Effects of Immigration

“How Can You Make Consumption Sustainable?”

“Is Consumerism Preventing Us from Being Happy?”

“How Do I Address Wrong Things the Right Way?”

Recent Reviews

Talking in Code — Reshma Saujani: Brave, Not Perfect. Currency, 2019.

Accepting your shortcomings and missteps is the path to success.

July, 7 2020 by David Meyer

More...

Knowledge Containers

Knowledge Container

Knowledge Container

This series offers context and applicable reading material to help companies and individuals navigate the new normal and prepare for the future in three steps: Adapt, Transform, Reinvent.

Knowledge Container

MAKING SENSE OF TODAY

Jackie Jenkins-Scott

The 7 Secrets of Responsive Leadership

A strategist offers a comprehensive and entertaining introduction to responsive leadership.

Career Press

Zusammenfassung lesen

John C. Maxwell

The Leader’s Greatest Return

John C. Maxwell teaches you how to handle leadership development.

HarperCollins Leadership

Zusammenfassung lesen

Gary P. Pisano

Creative Construction

How can large corporations succeed at innovation?

Public Affairs

Zusammenfassung lesen

Darrell M. West

The Future of Work

Rapid technological change could revolutionize economic policy for the better or for the worse.

Brookings Institution Press

Zusammenfassung lesen

Michelle P. King

The Fix

Stop trying to fix yourself. It’s not you that’s broken; it’s your workplace.

Atria Books

Zusammenfassung lesen

Michael Hageloh

Live From Cupertino

Behind Apple’s phenomenal success was a selling machine that marketed human potential over hardware.

Post Hill Press

Zusammenfassung lesen

NEW: REVIEW SECTION

Our Independent Book Critiques

Accepting your shortcomings and missteps is the path to success.

July, 7 2020 by David Meyer

A Communicative Introvert — Diane Weston: Small Talk. How to Start a Conversation, Truly Connect with Others and Make a Killer First Impression. Monkey Publishing, 2019.

Master the art of small talk by giving your complete attention to others and truly listening.

July, 2 2020 by David Meyer

Are We Punishing the Poor? — Nicholas D. Kristof, Sheryl WuDunn: Tightrope: Americans Reaching for Hope. Knopf, 2020.

Nicholas D. Kristof and Sheryl WuDunn detail how US life expectancy is declining as misguided government policies punish the poor. The Pulitzer Prize-winning co-authors weave history and policy analysis into profiles of working-class Americans.

July, 1 2020 by David Meyer

Alan B. Krueger: Rockonomics. Currency, 2019.

According to the late economist Alan B. Krueger, America’s music scene stands as a metaphor for the US economy. Consider, for example, that for every platinum-selling artist, millions of musicians never earn a living wage. Krueger notes that the US economy…

June, 26 2020 by David Meyer

More...

FEATURE

The US government suspended many employment visas through the end of 2020. Does that make economic sense?

DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION

Basics, Insights and Answers

FOCUS: Artificial Intelligence

“When You Talk to People About Fairness, the Conversation Immediately Becomes Political” — Michael Kearns and Aaron Roth

Computer scientists Michael Kearns and Aaron Roth research how computer programs can affect our lives. Even when written without malice, algorithms have the potential to treat people unfairly or violate their privacy. How do you get algorithms to be decent?

How the Pandemic is Accelerating Digital Transformation

The coronavirus pandemic and the need to avoid person-to-person interactions has pushed us further into a digital world. The crisis will have lasting effects on the way we work, do business and interact with each…

April, 22 2020 by Sara Küpfer

Quick Fix

“What Does It Take to Become a Digital Leader?”

One abstract to rule them all.

What's Next?

Retaining flexible workplace practices in the post-pandemic era

Q&A

“How Do I Deal with Misfits, Eccentrics, Rebels and Nonconformists?”

“What Do 240 CEOs Know Today About the Leadership Qualities of Tomorrow?”

“How Do I Grapple With Complex, Chaotic Problems?”

“How Do I Use Data (Science) to Solve Real-World Problems?”

“Is Remote Work Here to Stay?”

“What Does It Take to Become a Digital Leader?”

“As a Manager, How Can I Learn a ‘Hands Off’ Approach?”

More...

Deep Dive

Interview

"Many people are underestimating the pace and scope of change and aren’t thinking correctly about how it will appear this time." (Richard Baldwin; Photo by Tmi Kimmo Räisänen) — Richard Baldwin by Tmi Kimmo Räisänen

Economist and bestselling author Richard Baldwin believes that many business leaders and politicians continue to grossly underestimate the impact of digital change. Here, he explains how to position yourself correctly in competition with “Globots.”

#getTogether

Featured Summary

David Carmona

The AI Organization

The AI revolution will redefine your organization.

O’Reilly Media

Zusammenfassung lesen

See Full Knowledge Container

FOCUS

Educate Yourself About Racism

COLUMN

The Most Important Decisions in Life Should Not Be Taken Alone. We're Here to Help!

Meet Julia, 26, software developer

“What Is the Most Enjoyable Version of Lifelong Learning?”

Meet Bob, 74, retired telephone man

Meet Carl, 48, designer (and part-time artist)

IN CONVERSATION

With Leading Scientists in Their Field

Jared Diamond, American historian and anthropologist, Pulitzer Prize-winning author, and UCLA professor, playing piano in the living room of his home in the Bel-Air neighborhood of Los Angeles; photo by Damon Casarez /Redux/laif

Interview

“We Lead the World in Science, and We Also Lead the World in Opposition to Science”

Jared Diamond, world-famous historian of societal crises and collapses, currently lives in self-imposed quarantine in California. When he’s not writing papers on the birds of New Guinea or playing Beethoven sonatas on the piano, he is concerned about the effect the current pandemic will have on his country and the world. What gives him hope?

“The Emergence of Liberty Is Perhaps Even More Surprising than Economic Growth.”

To get an idea of the political construction of the world of tomorrow, one has to travel back in time – sometimes a few thousand years. Renowned MIT economist Daron Acemoğlu talks about the making and the most interesting findings of his new book.

“Public Attention Is Not Awarded Rationally. It Has To Be Carried by a Story” — Robert J. Shiller, Kai Nedden/laif

In his new book, economist and Nobel laureate Robert Shiller argues that he and his fellow dismal scientists need to look beyond the usual data point: Stories are what really drive decisions to spend, save or speculate.

COLUMN

What's New In "New Work"

Related Channel

Corporate Culture

Your organization's atmosphere, culture and communication affect its success. They shape engagement, productivity, drive and collaboration. Today’s high fliers – Google is the most famous example – build their image on these factors. How can you make your culture good – and how good can you make it?

Zum Channel

New

Now is the time to evaluate what you have learned under the extraordinary pressure of the last weeks – and use that knowledge to influence the future of your organisation.

May, 11 2020 by Anja Wyden Guelpa

Recent Contributions

People First!

The New New

SKETCH NOTES

Learn More...

SPECIAL: CLASSIC ADVICE

The Greatest Books of All Time (And Their Collected Knowledge for Everyday Life)

Jules Verne’s Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea Or: How to Escape a Madman Offshore

Denmark Ranked Least Happy Country (in 1603)

William Shakespeare’s The Tragedy of Hamlet Or: Why Revenging Your Dead Father Could Damage Your Health

Kafka’s The Metamorphosis Or: How Not to Wake Up Feeling Like a Pest

CUSTOMER WEBINAR

How Danone Drives Learner Engagement

Learn More...

AFTER THE PANDEMIC

Relevant Knowledge About COVID-19 and the Effects of the Pandemic

Future of Work

As the world strategizes on what the “New Normal” should look like, Vlatka Hlupic argues that humane, social-minded companies will survive in the post-pandemic world. How can we become part of a company that is a force for good?

Here’s how to get back on track after a business interruption.

FOCUS: Career Derailment

How to not only cope with a layoff, but turn it into an opportunity.

May, 29 2020 by getAbstract

Best Practice

Feature

Exploring the Wonderland of Child-Led Learning — Photo by Paul Hanaoka on Unsplash

The many hours of lockdown-induced downtime offer an opportunity for your children to let their natural curiosity take them places they may otherwise not have discovered.

Featured Summary

Clive Thompson

What If Working from Home Goes on…Forever?

The pandemic forced workers home, but high productivity and cost savings may keep them there.

New York Times Magazine

Zusammenfassung lesen

Coping With Isolation

Of Viruses, Vulnerability and Superheroes

Isolation highlights the need to reach out.

More...

TAKE A BREAK!

On the road to curating good books for our readers, we’ve learned a bit about bad ones. Click here for the abstract.

SPOTLIGHT

Says Who?

SELECTED CHANNELS

Compressed Knowledge on the Latest Topics

2019–20 Coronavirus Pandemic

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is an infectious viral respiratory disease caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), also known as “novel coronavirus.” Reports in December 2019, from Wuhan, China, first cited the disease, which has spread globally, resulting in the 2019–20 coronavirus pandemic that affects people and businesses worldwide.

Zum Channel

Working from Home

Remote work has been a trend long in the making, and indeed the current Coronavirus pandemic has forced many to work from home. The advantages for employees, companies and society are plentiful: save time commuting, cut greenhouse gas emissions, relieve traffic congestion, increase employee satisfaction, increase workforce diversity, save money on office space and much more. But remote work also comes with its challenges – for leaders as well as employees. Learn how to structure your day, organize your communication, build trust and foster team spirit.

Zum Channel

Innovation

Innovation is arguably the most crucial and, at the same time, the most elusive skill to master for any business. Systematically developing novel products, services and processes to stay ahead of the competition requires concerted action on virtually all levels of your organization. Join the vanguard!

Zum Channel

LEADERSHIP

Wanna Grow a Leader?

Related Channels

Leadership

One for all and all for one: This strategy only works if you set a good example as a leader. Learn how to stimulate your employees so they perform to the best of their abilities.

Zum Channel

Crisis Management

If your organization faces a crisis – whether a public health emergency, a natural disaster, or a public relations or product calamity – you often can make it better or worse for your people by how you manage it before, during and after. Eventually, a crisis will hit. You won’t be able to prevent it, but you can prepare for it, overcome it and emerge stronger.

Zum Channel

getTogether

The "New Normal"

“Performance Reviews: How Do I Give the Right Feedback in the Current Exceptional Situation?” — Performance reviews: Make a directional decision - or at least cause one. There are in fact more than only two ways to proceed. / Photo: Jon Tyson at Unsplash

You have three options.

A world with fewer office jobs is not a world with fewer jobs.

Q&As

“As a Manager, How Can I Learn a ‘Hands Off’ Approach?”

(without having my anxiety go through the roof in the process).

“How Do I Ensure That My Business Continues?”

In these times, nothing is certain – right? Let’s prove that wrong!

One abstract to rule them all.

Top Summaries

Robert J. Anderson and William A. Adams

Mastering Leadership

This can be your leader development book for life. It’s a bold promise, but this work delivers.

Wiley

Zusammenfassung lesen

John C. Maxwell

Leadershift

John C. Maxwell says leaders can deal with baffling new challenges by making important “leadershifts.”

HarperCollins Leadership

Zusammenfassung lesen

Roger Dooley

FRICTION

Eliminate the friction in your business and life processes.

McGraw-Hill Education

Zusammenfassung lesen

Gretchen Anderson

Mastering Collaboration

Formal collaboration inside organizations seldom works. Here’s what does.

O’Reilly Media

Zusammenfassung lesen

Stephen R. Covey

The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People

To be highly effective, just initiate, focus, prioritize, connect, cooperate, improve yourself and let others win. Whew.

Free Press

Zusammenfassung lesen

Jean Dahl

Leading Lean

Deloitte’s lean management expert Jean Dahl explains how to use lean processes to create lean leaders.

O’Reilly Media

Zusammenfassung lesen

In Conversation

A millennial herself, Crystal Kadakia provides globally relevant insight into her generation in her book, The Millennial Myth. Here, she shares some of her thoughts on how to attract millennial talent.

getTogether

Related Abstract

Patrick Hollingworth

The Light and Fast Organisation

To deal with the VUCA world, apply the “alpine style” to your organization.

Wiley

Zusammenfassung lesen

See Full Knowledge Container

#getTogether

Our Online Reading Club

TOP TEN

Time to highlight some of the most successful titles from our library!

>> NEW FRONTIERS

Series: Ten Big Questions That Will Preoccupy Public Dialogue

We live in revolutionary times – at once deeply unsettling but also filled with the potential of transforming human lives for the better. This series introduces you to ten big questions that will preoccupy public dialogue of the near future.

ONE: Is Capitalism at a Breaking Point?

TWO: The Next Society

IN CONVERSATION

Talk

The “Middle Kingdom” is back. But not the way one had imagined in the West: While the Chinese economy is growing, the freedoms of the population are dwindling, says China expert Kai Strittmatter.

New Summary

Kai Strittmatter

We Have Been Harmonised

The rise of tech-enabled totalitarianism in China threatens more than its own citizens’ freedom.

Old Street Publishing

Zusammenfassung lesen

SKILLS UPDATE

Unusual Superheroes (And Their Hidden Super Powers)

The more vulnerable you feel about something, the harder it is to talk about. Yet you should do so anyways.

It’s an open secret that The New Yorker is one of our favorite magazines. Sometimes, however, the great articles are just the beginning of a learning path. For example, when it comes to the improvement of home office skills and habits.

“How Do I Address Wrong Things the Right Way?”

“How Do I Hire (and Onboard) People Without Meeting Them in Person?”

“What Is the Best Way to Start the Day?”

“How Do I Welcome Back Furloughed Employees?”

“How Do I Deal with Misfits, Eccentrics, Rebels and Nonconformists?”

“What Do 240 CEOs Know Today About the Leadership Qualities of Tomorrow?”

“How Do I Grapple With Complex, Chaotic Problems?”

“How Do I Increase My Consciousness?”

“How Do I Use Data (Science) to Solve Real-World Problems?”

“Is Remote Work Here to Stay?”

“How Do I Lead Inclusively?”

“What Does It Take to Become a Digital Leader?”

Your “Back to the Office” Guide

“How Do I Ensure That My Business Continues?”

“As a Manager, How Can I Learn a ‘Hands Off’ Approach?”

“How Do I Organize Myself When I Pursue Further Education Alongside My Job?”

More...

QUICK FIX

Your Solution, Only Two Clicks Away

“How Can I Get My Financial Life in Order?”

In need of a financial road map, but no idea where to start? There you go!

March, 6 2020 by getAbstract

“How Do I Gain Energy and Enjoy Better Health?”

No Sweat: Find your motivation and set goals!

March, 6 2020 by getAbstract

“How Can I Improve My Ability to Remember?”

Implement a seven-step program to control and optimize your memory!

March, 6 2020 by getAbstract

FEATURES

FOCUS: Climate Change — Female lion walking in Savannah field in Nairobi national park, Kenya.

Perhaps this year, after all the attention garnered by climate strikes in 2019, will be the year of practicable proposals for climate solutions. The effects of lockdowns, such as hugely improved air quality in many countries, could contribute to this debate.

Invisible women, 25 pairs of shoes, and the long-awaited end of unnecessary meetings – here are this year’s reading recommendations from different departments at getAbstract.

December, 19 2019 by getAbstract

TALKS

DEMOCRACY

INNOVATION

Efosa Ojomo, Clayton M. Christensen and Karen Dillon

In one of his last interviews, economist Clayton M. Christenen, who passed away in January, argues that only innovation can lift nations out of poverty.

January, 31 2020 by Michael Wiederstein

CHINA

Kai Strittmatter, Foto Anton Turovinin (Piper Verlag) — Kai Strittmatter by Anton Turovinin (Piper Verlag)

The "Middle Kingdom" is back. But not the way one had imagined in the West: While the Chinese economy is growing, the freedoms of the population are dwindling, says China expert Kai Strittmatter.

November, 21 2019 by Michael Wiederstein

WORKPLACE

In his book Open to Think, Dan Pontefract offers strategies for cutting through the clutter, thinking more clearly and making better decisions. His prescription: be more deliberate with your time.

ECONOMICS

“You Can Watch the March of Ideas from the Minds of Economists and into Our Lives.”

After decades of free-market policies in the United States and Britain, working-class voters are in full revolt. In The Economists’ Hour Binyamin Appelbaum surveys the last half-century and sees an obvious path from the economics of Milton Friedman, Arthur Laffer and others to today’s disgruntled masses.