Universities may teach you many things, but they often neglect to tell you the key unwritten rule of career success: that doing well in your workplace is as much about knowing how your organization functions as it is about understanding your job and yourself. In The Secret Life of Organizations, expert HR professionals Shalini Lal and Pradnya Parasher tap into decades of experience and observations from working with prominent firms across the world to steer you through the fascinating inner life of companies as they answer these questions and more: • How do you effectively transition from student life to a high-stakes work environment? • How do you navigate hidden patterns of corporate culture? • How do you capitalize on your personality to be most effective at work? • How do you prepare for the unknowns of a fast-evolving work environment? Sharp and effective, this enlightening guide to overcoming early challenges at the workplace gives you an insider view of what makes organizations tick, and helps you take the smart path to the top.

In the early 12th century, members of the Chinese royal court found themselves surrounded by advisors who mirrored only their own perspectives. Out of fear and complacency, few of these advisors challenged accepted wisdom, questioned the status quo, or voiced their concerns. Insightful leaders realized this denied them critical access to the reality about themselves and their organizations. Court jesters, however, free from conventional restraints and fears, began to supply truth in very clever ways, thereby opening up new perspectives, insights, ideas and options for those leaders they attended. Today, more than ever, individuals are searching for ways to positively contribute to organizational leadership, culture and behavior. To do that successfully, they need insight into organizational truth as well as strategies to reveal that truth to others in a way that does not cause defensiveness or resistance. Jesters are needed as much today just as they were in the courts of old. David Riveness, in his insightful and entertaining book The Secret Life of the Corporate Jester, reveals how to adopt and apply a ?jester's perspective.? The perspective and behaviors of a jester can be understood and adopted by anyone regardless of his or her organization, role or position. Those who apply what they learn from this book can wield significant influence and bring about remarkable positive change.David Riveness is the founder and CEO of Corporate Jester, an organization created to assist individuals and organizations learn, develop and apply strategies for success. As part of this role, he delivers personalized keynote addresses, learning sessions and coaching for companies, organizations, and individuals. Prior to founding Corporate Jester, David served as the Director of Global Facilitations for Eagle?s Flight, a worldwide innovator in the development and delivery of practical training programs for organizations. While at Eagle?s Flight, he facilitated and implemented training programs with such industry leaders as Warner Bros., NIKE, ESPN, Pfizer, The American Heart Association and Citibank on a variety of topics relating to organizational and individual effectiveness. David has hosted dynamic training workshops and speaking engagements ranging from small groups to large workshops with 3,500 attendees. He has worked as a facilitator and speaker around the world, including such diverse locations as India, China and Brazil

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Personality and performance are intricately linked, and personality has proven to have a direct influence on an individual's leadership ability and style, team performance, and overall organizational effectiveness. In Personality and the Fate of Organizations, author Robert Hogan offers a systematic account of the nature of personality, showing how to use personality to understand organizations and to understand, evaluate, select, deselect, and train people. This book brings insights from a leading industrial organizational psychologist who asserts that personality is real, and that it determines the careers of individuals and the fate of organizations. The author’s goal is to increase the reader’s ability to understand other people—how they are alike, how they are different, and why they do what they do. Armed with this understanding, readers will be able to pursue their personal, social, and organizational goals more efficiently. A practical reference, this text is extremely useful for MBA students and for all those studying organizational psychology and leadership.

Discover what our words say about us. Words are powerful. Every day people use words to inspire, encourage, and motivate others. On the other hand, words have the power to hurt, damage, and scar us when used maliciously. But do you know which words hold the most power? You may think the way people use adjectives and nouns reveals a lot about his or her personality; however, it’s the small words that are the most telling. It’s the pronouns, prepositions, and articles like I, she, it, the, to, for, but and so on that says the most about our emotional connections and even our social status. Through James W. Pennebaker’s groundbreaking research in computational linguistics, we can see how our language carries secrets about our feelings, self-concept, and even our social intelligence. In fact, our use of pronouns and prepositions can be as distinctive as a fingerprint. As you read, you’ll learn the difference between I-words and we-words, you'll see how men and women think differently, and lastly, you'll discover how something as simple as "we" can reveal more than you could ever imagine. Do you want more free book summaries like this? Download our app for free at https://www.QuickRead.com/App and get access to hundreds of free book and audiobook summaries. DISCLAIMER: This book summary is meant as a preview and not a replacement for the original work. If you like this summary please consider purchasing the original book to get the full experience as the original author intended it to be. If you are the original author of any book on QuickRead and want us to remove it, please contact us at hello@quickread.com.

Uncover the lives of 20 real-life spies who made it their mission to uncover the truth and collect secret information from their enemies… This book presents personal accounts and testimonies from spies all over the world and throughout history and brings key moments in history to life for young readers. This book journeys around the world and delves back and forth in time to introduce readers to a host of incredible spies who dedicated their lives to world of espionage. Meet Alan Turing whose work cracking the Enigma code helped shorten World War II by a number of years and save countless lives, and let Hedy Lamarr prove to you that looks can be deceiving as she put her Hollywood glamour on hold to help advance radio technology. With accounts told through first person narrative, readers will feel like they're meeting some of the most infamous spies of all time. From those involved in reconnaissance, planning and logistics, espionage and development of new technology, this authentic retelling uncovers the secret life of spies in a unique and engaging way. With stylish illustrations from the wonderfully talented Alexander Mostov and informative and compelling text from Michael Noble, this is the secret life of spies.

Dive into the enchanting world of our feline companions in "Whiskers and Wonders: The Secret Life of Cats." This comprehensive guide uncovers the mysteries of cat behavior, from their ancient origins to their modern-day roles in human society. Explore the cognitive world of cats through their communication styles, social hierarchies, and the beloved yet bizarre quirks that cat owners cherish. Learn about the health and nutrition needs of cats, understand the nuances of their life cycle, and gain insights into the intricate bond between cats and humans. The book also delves into the mythical aura surrounding these enigmatic creatures, tracing their depiction in culture and superstitions. Whether you're a seasoned cat lover or simply intrigued by their secretive lives, this book promises to enrich your understanding and appreciation of the secret life of cats.

A surprising and entertaining explanation of how the words we use (even the ones we don't notice) reveal our personalities, emotions, and identities. We spend our lives communicating. In the last fifty years, we've zoomed through radically different forms of communication, from typewriters to tablet computers, text messages to tweets. We generate more and more words with each passing day. Hiding in that deluge of language are amazing insights into who we are, how we think, and what we feel. In The Secret Life of Pronouns, social psychologist and language expert James W. Pennebaker uses his groundbreaking research in computational linguistics-in essence, counting the frequency of words we use-to show that our language carries secrets about our feelings, our self-concept, and our social intelligence. Our most forgettable words, such as pronouns and prepositions, can be the most revealing: their patterns are as distinctive as fingerprints. Using innovative analytic techniques, Pennebaker X-rays everything from Craigslist advertisements to the Federalist Papers-or your own writing, in quizzes you can take yourself-to yield unexpected insights. Who would have predicted that the high school student who uses too many verbs in her college admissions essay is likely to make lower grades in college? Or that a world leader's use of pronouns could reliably presage whether he led his country into war? You'll learn why it's bad when politicians use "we" instead of "I," what Lady Gaga and William Butler Yeats have in common, and how Ebenezer Scrooge's syntax hints at his self-deception and repressed emotion. Barack Obama, Sylvia Plath, and King Lear are among the figures who make cameo appearances in this sprightly, surprising tour of what our words are saying-whether we mean them to or not.

"A small adventure beginning with a tiny little water crystal has spread to people all over the world, creating a growing movement. Hearts have been opened, and love, gratitude, and a hope for peace have spilled out, opening the way for a new adventure." From its arrival on earth to the vast areas it traverses before emptying into the sea, water holds all the knowledge and experience it has acquired. As phenomenal as it may seem, water carries its whole history, just as we carry ours. It carries secrets, too. In "The Secret Life of Water, "bestselling author Masaru Emoto guides us along water's remarkable journey through our planet and continues his work to reveal water's secret life to humankind. He shows how we can apply its wisdom to our own lives, and how, by learning to respect and appreciate water, we can better confront the challenges that face the twenty-first century -- and rejuvenate the planet. "Water has a memory and carries within it our thoughts and prayers. As you yourself are water, no matter where you are, your prayers will be carried to the rest of the world."