This week’s best stories on leadership, effectiveness, productivity, team culture, and personal development.

Our Top Pick: Why Silence is the Think Tank of the Soul

There’s a reason why the World Health Organization labeled noise pollution as a modern plague. It found evidence that exposure to noise affects the overall health of a person. Gustavo Razzeti writes about the power of silence, its benefits — from growing new brain cells to lowering blood cortisol — and why it’s the think tank of the soul.

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Pick #2: Steve Jobs’ Secret for Eliciting Questions

Steve Jobs used an effective technique for eliciting questions during meetings. The late Apple co-founder was so good at it that he would immediately understand what was going on at Apple and Pixar. Andy Raskin writes about Steve Jobs’ secret for eliciting questions.

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Pick #3: Stop Treating Your Team Like Kids If You Want Them to Succeed

One of the biggest ironies in the modern workplace is that companies want their teams to be mature yet their policies treat employees like kids. Gustavo Razzeti recommends five ways to stop treating your teams like kids.

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Pick #4: Don’t Be Busy, If You Want to Be a Good Leader

It’s easy for leaders to be entangled with a lot of stuff. After all, leadership isn’t a walk in the park. But if you’re too busy as a leader, you’re making a huge mistake. Because the best leaders spend most of their time on people. Claire Lew examines the perils of being busy and why it’s bad for leadership.

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Pick #5: You Don’t Need to Read 1,000 Books to Be Successful

Every book that you read will help you — in countless ways. But it’s not about the number of books that you read. In fact, consuming too much information will hurt you. You only need the right information — the right book — to help you succeed. John Mashni explains why you don’t need to read 1,000 books to be successful.

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