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Each week on Steph\u2019s Business Bookshelf I share the three big ideas I\u2019ve taken from the business and non-fiction books I\u2019ve been reading. As we\u2019re now 6 months into our literary adventure, I wanted to share my ten favourite big ideas from over 60 that have featured on the podcast \u2013 all with a theme of work.

Whilst not all of these books are specifically about work, I\u2019ve pulled out some of my favourite lessons that will help you work smarter, think bigger and team better.

1. Checklists help save lives and money better than humans (from\xa0Checklist Manifesto by Atul Gawande)

As life and work becomes more complex and complicated, mistakes are inevitable. Teams working in the most high-stress, high-risk environments (think military teams, flight crews and surgical teams) are getting smart by outsourcing some of the thinking required in critical scenarios through the use of checklists.

Apply it:\xa0Avoid both decision-making fatigue and mitigate the risk of bad decisions when under stress with some simple checklists / decision trees you pull out when required. Also use your calendar/day planner as a checklist for your day with all your critical tasks plotted.

2. Talent is not required (from\xa0Can\u2019t Hurt Me by David Goggins)

Endurance sports are not about physical talent, or even fitness, but dedication and consistency that allow people to mentally persist through challenging situations.

Apply it:\xa0you don\u2019t need to be an ultra-marathon runner to practice this approach (luckily) \u2013 find ways to regularly push through discomfort, challenge yourself and find someone stronger to compete against.

3. Work should be fun (from\xa0Shoe Dog by Phil Knight)

This became a litmus test for Phil as he tried out several careers on the road to creating Nike and is ultimately why he chose not to be an accountant or a lecturer \u2013 the work wasn\u2019t fun.

Apply it:\xa0define your idea of \u2018fun\u2019 at work. Is this being met the majority of the time?

If not, what can you change about the situation to bring more fun?

4. Smile (from\xa0How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie)

As one of the most basic human behaviours, it\u2019s absence can often cause issues. Particularly on first impressions when a stranger is working out whether you pose a threat or not. It\u2019s amazing how many interactions could be improved with the addition of a smile.

Apply it:\xa0smile.

5. Focus on the system, not the goal (from\xa0Atomic Habits by James Clear)

Whatever you want to achieve, it\u2019s the things you do every day/week that will add up to momentum towards your goal or desired outcome. Therefore, you need to turn the journey into the process and shift to more medium/long term thinking. This can be done by defining success as consistency of execution of the process.

Apply it:\xa0look at your calendar/to do list from the last week. If that week repeated itself over the next year, would you reach the outcomes you want to in 12 month\u2019s time?

Find out more big ideas from the Top 10 Business and Non-fiction books on the next Episode of Steph\u2019s Business Bookshelf.

Music By:\xa0\xa0Blank\xa0Template Song bySkygaze

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