Notes

Random notes on the problems with the 2020 U.S. economy

Random notes on the problems with the 2020 U.S. economy

I’ve been struggling to logically explain my gut feelings about the 2020 U.S. economy. Long story short, I’m bearish. I’ve felt this way since early Q1 2020. The goal of this research was to help me understand in more detail the forces at play that may be contributing to my gut feelings. By definition, this research is biased as it focuses exclusively on current economic problems and ignores any positive trends. If you’d like to explore the bad signs in the economy further, here are some of my notes.

Web NotesRick LindquistJune 15, 2020Economy

Notes and Takeaways from The Success of Nonviolent Civil Resistance

Notes and Takeaways from The Success of Nonviolent Civil Resistance

The current protests have me curious as to how effective nonviolent protests are in bringing about political and social change. To my surprise, Professor Chenoweth’s research suggests peaceful campaigns are far more effective than violent ones.

Video NotesRick LindquistMay 31, 2020Leadership

Notes and Takeaways from The Power of Vulnerability with Brené Brown

Notes and Takeaways from The Power of Vulnerability with Brené Brown

This TED talk was recommended by a friend. I’m interested in vulnerability’s impact on trust in relationships and teams. This is a (very) light overview of Brené Brown’s work on vulnerability.

Video NotesRick LindquistMay 1, 2020Emotions

Notes on Developing the Leader in You with John Maxwell by the Knowledge Project

Notes on Developing the Leader in You with John Maxwell by the Knowledge Project

I’m a big fan of both John Maxwell and Shane Parrish. When two of my favorite leaders discuss leadership, I’m required to take note...s. If you're an aspiring leader, you might find these notes helpful too.

Podcast NotesRick LindquistApril 26, 2020Leadership

Notes on Building a Psychologically Safe Workplace via TEDx

Notes on Building a Psychologically Safe Workplace via TEDx

I watched this talk as part of my research on leadership, teams, and emotions. The speaker, Amy Edmonson, is credited with introducing the concept of “team psychological safety” in 1999. If you’re struggling with getting the most out of your team, this concept might explain why.

Video NotesRick LindquistApril 19, 2020Leadership

Notes and Takeaways from Ego Is the Enemy

Notes and Takeaways from Ego Is the Enemy

This book was recommended to me by a friend as a good read on self-awareness. I enjoyed it. The book is packed with wisdom that is relevant to leaders and teams of all kinds. It’s also a book about emotions.

Book NotesRick LindquistApril 12, 2020Emotions

Notes and Takeaways from Inside the Mind of a Master Procrastinator via TED

Notes and Takeaways from Inside the Mind of a Master Procrastinator via TED

COVID-19 wiped out many of my regular routines. As a result, I’ve been procrastinating more than usual. I found this TED talk and it helped me understand what’s happening inside my brain when I procrastinate. If you’re procrastinating right now, these notes might be helpful to you too.

Video NotesRick LindquistMarch 29, 2020Emotions

Notes on start with why by Simon Sinek via TED

Notes on start with why by Simon Sinek via TED

I’ve been researching ways leaders can better deal with the changes driven by social distancing. I remembered this book on leadership communication and found the TED talk. If you’re leading through change right now, you may find these notes useful.

Video NotesRick LindquistMarch 22, 2020Leadership

Notes on Get Together: How to build a community with your people

Notes on Get Together: How to build a community with your people

One of LegUp’s current ventures (GroupCurrent) provides outsourced community management for member-based groups. GroupCurrent’s founding client, PandoLabs, is focused on building an entrepreneurial community in Park City, Utah. I read this book for ideas on how we can improve GroupCurrent’s community playbook for PandoLabs. If you’re interested in building (or contributing to) a community, you might find these notes useful.

Book NotesRick LindquistMarch 15, 2020Relationships

Notes on the difference between winning and succeeding by John Wooden via TED

Notes on the difference between winning and succeeding by John Wooden via TED

I was working on an article about the definition of success and found this TED talk. Coach Wooden's views on success versus winning really spoke to me. Succeeding is greater than winning just like character is greater than reputation.

Video NotesRick LindquistMarch 8, 2020Leadership

Notes and Takeaways from How to Network Without Feeling Like an A-hole

Notes and Takeaways from How to Network Without Feeling Like an A-hole

Most people hate networking. I certainly do. But as my new ventures ramp up, I know I’m going to have to do it. This book is about how to transform networking from a series of transactions into a long term investment in new friendships. If you hate networking too, these notes will be useful to you.

Book NotesRick LindquistFebruary 27, 2020Relationships

Notes and Takeaways from Politics and the English language

Notes and Takeaways from Politics and the English language

I review this essay by George Orwell whenever I need a simple reminder on how to improve the clarity of my writing. I’ve put together these notes on the key takeaways to make them easier to revisit. George Orwell was an incredible writer. I hope you find these notes useful.

Article NotesRick LindquistFebruary 18, 2020Writing

Random notes on continuous improvement from around the web

Random notes on continuous improvement from around the web

Each day, you’re either getting better or getting worse. You don’t have to make huge changes today to see massive progress over the next year. You only have to focus on getting a little bit better every day. If you’d like to explore continuous improvement further, here are some of my notes.

Web NotesRick LindquistFebruary 2, 2020Learning

Notes on A Genius of Empathy via Finding Fred

Notes on A Genius of Empathy via Finding Fred

I stumbled across this podcast when I was researching empathy for this article: Clarifying empathy as skill so we can use it. Fred Rogers was a master of feelings and empathy. I don’t remember watching Mister Rogers Neighborhood much as a child. But I do remember a few vivid moments in 1st and 2nd grade when I was exposed to the show at elementary school. As an adult, the way he approached complex emotional topics with simple language amazes me.

Podcast NotesRick LindquistJanuary 26, 2020Emotions

Random notes on Trust from around the web

Random notes on Trust from around the web

The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines trust as assured reliance on the character, ability, strength, or truth of someone or something. Stephen Covey, author of The Speed of Trust, says he prefers a simple definition: you know it when you feel it … trust means confidence. There are many other loose definitions of trust. If you’d like to explore trust further, here are some of my notes.

Web NotesRick LindquistJanuary 17, 2020Relationships

Notes on Neil Pasricha: Happy Habits

Notes on Neil Pasricha: Happy Habits

I’m a regular listener of The Knowledge Project. This episode was special. The host (Shane) and the guest (Neil) know each other well. This led to some interesting conversation across many ideas, including: why work-life balance is not a thing, parenting, retirement, happiness, and resilience.

Podcast NotesRick LindquistJanuary 11, 2020Emotions

Notes on smash fear learn anything by Tim Ferriss via TED

Notes on smash fear learn anything by Tim Ferriss via TED

I discovered this talk as part of my ongoing research on reflection and self-learning. While it wasn’t what I was looking for, I found the mental models described in the video compelling. Here are my notes on three ways you can deconstruct and learn anything.

Video NotesRick LindquistJanuary 5, 2020Learning

Notes on What Almost Every Leader Gets Wrong by Simon Sinek via Inc.

Notes on What Almost Every Leader Gets Wrong by Simon Sinek via Inc.

I saw an ad for Simon Sinek’s new book, The Infinite Game, and I wanted a sneak peek. I found this video on YouTube and it was exactly what I was looking for. After watching it, I bought the book and I’m already halfway through it. In this video, Simon Sinek explains why there are no rules in business.

Video NotesRick LindquistDecember 28, 2019Leadership