Hey there!

I hope you've had a productive week! If you are new here, welcome to our Friday Roundup.
What is the Friday Roundup?

A roundup of the best in productivity & systems for Entrepreneurs and small business owners with a ‘TLDR’ summary and our take on how to take action to systematize your business and your life.

Be on the lookout for our Tuesday Swipe file & Case study! Every Tuesday a free behind-the-scenes swipe file from an entrepreneur with the systems, tools, and hires that helped them build sustainable success.

-Jenae :)

The Rundown

• UChicago Psychologist Shares His No.1 Brain Hack for Critical Thinking and Memory Skills: Think in a Foreign Language

• How to Create Company Values That Actually Resonate

• How to Implement PARA in Your Favorite Notetaking App

• Grammarly’s New Generative AI Feature Learns Your Style — and Applies It to Any Text

• Add this book to your reading list

🔥Quote/Prompt

Use the quote as a writing or thinking prompt to finish your week strong.

A bit from mine:

(posted in our Doer Entrepreneurs Free Community — off social media)

Did someone forward this to you?

📈 Performance

UChicago psychologist shares his No.1 brain hack for critical thinking and memory skills: Think in a foreign language

Research by University of Chicago psychology professor David Gallo reveals that multilingualism can enhance rationality, decision-making, and memory. Don’t speak a foreign language? The following benefits might be worth playing with a language-learning app like Duolingo. Even if you have no interest in becoming fluent in a second language, check out these amazing brain benefits.

Key Insights:

• Bilingualism enhances brain function: Being bilingual exercises the brain in unique ways compared to monolingual individuals. This leads to the development of richer mental connections, enabling individuals to seamlessly switch between different mental states. This cognitive flexibility can be especially beneficial in dynamic environments where adaptability is key.

• Secondary language fosters rational decision-making: When individuals process information in their non-native language, they tend to shift from an emotionally-driven decision-making process, termed "hot cognition," to a more analytical and deliberate process, known as "cold cognition." This shift can lead to more informed and rational choices, especially in situations that require careful consideration.

• Protection against false memories: Utilizing a foreign language can significantly reduce the susceptibility to false memories. This is attributed to an enhancement in the brain's "memory monitoring" capabilities, which determine the authenticity of a memory. In a world inundated with information, this ability to discern between genuine and false memories becomes increasingly crucial.

• The broader benefits of language learning: Beyond the immediate cognitive advantages of being bilingual, the act of learning a new language itself offers numerous benefits. It not only equips individuals with a new skill but also provides protection against cognitive decline associated with aging. This underscores the long-term value of continuous learning and personal development.

⚙️ Optimization

How to Create Company Values That Actually Resonate

Many business owners fail to define core values or find that their core values, despite being prominently displayed, are often forgotten by employees and themselves — yes, really. To make these values resonate and be memorable, business owners should rethink their design and presentation approach.

Key Insights:

• Be Innovative with Terminology: Traditional "core values" can be replaced with terms that resonate more with the company's identity.

  • Example: Johnson & Johnson uses a "credo," Google opts for "beliefs," and North Face has a "manifesto." A sports team might consider terms like "rules of the game" or a restaurant might use "recipe for success."

• Limit to Four Values: Most people can remember up to four items effectively. Choose values that are essential to the business and avoid generic ones.

  • Example: H&M emphasizes "Cost-Consciousness" due to its significance to their competitive positioning, while Meijer highlights "Freshness."

• Prioritize Memorability: Use techniques like the serial position effect or acrostics to enhance recall.

  • Example: BASF uses an acrostic with its values, spelling out the word CORE for Creative, Open, Responsible, and Entrepreneurial.

• Use Distinctive Language: Opt for phrases that stand out and avoid clichés.

  • Example: Instead of using a common term like "Accountability," Kraft Heinz uses "We own it," and Toyota says, "We go the extra mile." Phrases like "Move fast and break things" by Facebook or "Fun Family Entertainment" by Disney are other notable mentions.

• Visualize the Values: Employ visuals to represent values, tapping into the picture superiority effect.

  • Example: A car maker might use a "values wheel" with spokes representing each value, while a construction company could use a "values ladder" with each rung indicating a value.

⏲️ Time Management

How to Implement PARA in Your Favorite Notetaking App

The PARA method is a simple way for organizing…everything. This is a great roundup blog post that links to a video walkthrough on how to do this for the multiple apps. If you’re not familiar with the PARA method, you can click here to check out the book.

 Apps covered:

• Evernote

• Apple Notes

• Notion

• Obsidian

• Microsoft OneNote

• WorkFlowy

• Anytype

💻 Tools & Technology

Grammarly’s new generative AI feature learns your style — and applies it to any text

Grammarly is set to introduce a new feature for its business-tier subscribers that detects individual writing styles and can rewrite any text in that style. However, concerns arise about potential misuse and the implications for writers' rights.

Key Insights:

• Personalized Writing Profiles: Grammarly's upcoming feature, "Personalized voice detection and application," will be able to identify a user's unique writing style. This voice profile will then be used to adapt any text to match that specific style, ensuring consistency and personalization in written communication.

• Customizable Profiles: Beyond just automatic detection, Grammarly offers users the flexibility to modify their voice profiles. This means that if certain elements of the detected style don't resonate with the user's perception of their own writing, they can make adjustments. This level of customization ensures that the tool is adaptable and can truly reflect a user's desired tone and style.

• Potential Misuse Concerns: The introduction of such a feature raises significant ethical questions. There's potential for misuse, such as companies using a writer's voice profile without their knowledge or consent. Moreover, there's the risk of the technology being used for deceptive purposes, like impersonation in communications or even sophisticated phishing attempts.

• Limited Access for Now: Grammarly has put measures in place to mitigate potential misuse. As of its launch, only individual users can access their own voice profiles, and these profiles cannot be exported or shared. This limitation is crucial in ensuring that the technology is used ethically and responsibly.

👀 Read, Watch, Listen

This week’s awesome books, YouTube videos, newsletters, etc. to add to your list!

Influence, New and Expanded: The Psychology of Persuasion (Book)

Robert Cialdini's international bestseller "Influence" delves into the psychology of persuasion, teaching readers why people say 'yes'. In this updated edition, Cialdini, a leading expert in persuasion, presents new research and insights through engaging stories and examples. The book introduces Cialdini’s Universal Principles of Influence, including the latest addition, "Unity". Readers will not only learn to enhance their persuasion skills but also defend against unethical influence attempts. Drawing from 35 years of scientific research, "Influence" offers a thorough guide on ethically applying these principles to sway opinions in one's favor.

🔒Inner Circle: Events & Announcements

• Wonky Week is over for Europeans! Times are back to normal (eg. 9 AM PT = 5 PM London, 6 PM Europe)

• Tuesday: Work ON Business. Theme: Marketing

• Monday/Friday: Goal Setting + Plan Your Week Party

• Accelerators: Nov 10 is your Office Hours RSVP here

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I hope you found this valuable!

Wishing you much productivity!

- Jenae :)