Sample Interview Questions

“Choose Courage” Books Summary – “Choose Courage: Step Into the Life You Want” + Five Related Handbooks

“Choose Courage: Step Into the Life You Want” unleashes the courage most people have within themselves when they see how to appreciate the power of their own stories. Readers will also receive inspiring, practical guidance on transcending a range of internal limits to their personal and professional progress. Almost anyone can use this book to express their true, best selves in everyday as well as significant situations.

Lively, yet research-based, writing provides 21st century processes to spark and sustain action. Mirroring the messiness of life, “Choose Courage” is not linear; readers can start wherever they wish and easily adapt material to their unique needs. Ample choices such as action plans, checklists, and guides suit a variety of situations. Along with insights from multiple disciplines, photos, drawings, quotes, and poetry add depth and fun.

Visit the “Choose Courage: Step Into the Life You Want” page and the Related Handbooks page to get in-depth information and additional links.

Titles are:

Following are possible questions you may want to use or adapt in addition to your own ideas:

  • Why write these books with themes of courage when there is so much attention already paid to the topic?
  • What differentiates “Choose Courage” and the five handbooks from the thousands of self-help and how-to books related to personal and professional development?
  • What’s new about your definition of courage?
  • How did you uncover a practical, useful meaning of courage?
  • How do you know courage is accessible to most people?
  • Give some examples of how the book would help readers who are blocked in reaching their potential (e.g. Lone Rangers, Perfectionists, Conflict Avoiders, Protectors of the Status Quo).
  • Considering the challenges and difficulties in this world of accelerating change, how come you’re so optimistic about human capabilities?

“Happiness and Joy” Books Summary – “Happiness and Joy in Work: Preparing for Your Future” + Seven Related Handbooks

Happiness and Joy in Work: Preparing for Your Future by Ruth Schimel PhD is a unique guide for becoming expert about the future of your own work. During these times of dynamic, accelerating change, it is the only book providing customized applications for individual readers. As you use it, you’ll see how to imagine, express, and connect with what you want and need to do.

The processes and information in the book show how to integrate your potential, interests, and abilities to form viable strategies and directions that suit you better now and for the future. The holistic design also describes ways to collaborate and engage with others. For example, this includes work and peer groups, communities, government, business, and nonprofit organizations.

The book’s three themes interrelate to promote your progress as well as happiness and joy in work. Use:

  • Lifelong Learning to connect goals, interests, and purposes for continuing benefit and meaning
  • Soft Skills to apply the power of transferable, soft skills for effectiveness and success, as you define it, in a variety of situations
  • Technology to anticipate, influence, and participate in current and emerging technological advances

Drawing on a range of topics from the humanities and sciences, Happiness and Joy in Work: Preparing for Your Future widens horizons and choices for work and learning. Enjoyable ways to expand your skills and abilities include telling stories, coloring images, and sketching. Expect to spark your curiosity and creativity as well as to strengthen your intuition with optimism and realism. You will also get advice to address personal and professional blocks and difficulties that understandably may generate discomfort, fear, or anxiety, especially during these times of rapid change.

The tools and inspiration throughout the book ease your continuing learning and action. Links and endnotes deepen understanding, expertise, and knowledge in practical, accessible ways. Over time, appreciation of your true self leads to further empowerment, engagement, and enjoyment for directing worklife, confidently and successfully.

Following are possible questions you may want to use or adapt in addition to your own ideas:

  • Considering all the writing about the future of work, how is this book different?
  • How can any book be designed to suit each unique reader?
  • Soft skills tend to be subtle and challenging to measure. How do you learn them?  How can you evaluate your own progress?
  • Technology is increasingly dynamic. How can most people keep up with it?
  • How can a reader make time for lifelong learning?
  • Given the credentials craze, how can a reader make her or his informal learning credible?
  • Sounds as though preparing for your work in the future is a job in itself. How to attend to the rest of life while preparing for such an unknown?

Ruth’s 21st-century definition of courage:

“Courage is a process of becoming that involves the willingness to realize your true capacities by going through discomfort, fear, anxiety, or suffering and taking wholehearted, responsible action.”