Book Summary Shy by Design


12 Core Principles

Book by Michael Thompson

Book Shy by Design CoverBook Shy by Design Cover

Book Synopsis - Shy By Design


Book Summary Shy By Design provides 12 core principles for the introverted and shy to live a life worth living.

The book offers strategies to stay curious, build meaningful connections, and develop self-belief.

It emphasizes the importance of listening, effective communication, and courage in achieving success without being loud.

Michael Thompson provides practical tips and frameworks to help quiet individuals stand out and make an impact.


About the Author - Micheal Thompson


Michael Thompson - Author of the Book 'Shy By Design'.Michael Thompson - Author of the Book 'Shy By Design'.

"Shy by Design" is a book by Michael Thompson.

Michael had a difficult early life with introversion and a stuttering tongue.

Although he entered the sales profession, he faced numerous difficult periods.

However, with will, grit, and learning from books and others, he eventually overcame his weakness and finally turned into a successful communication coach.

His book Shy by Design contains 12 principles to empower quiet individuals in a noisy world.

Michael Thompson shares his personal journey from being shy and introverted to becoming confident and thriving in his career in this book.


Book Summary Shy by Design


This Book Summary Shy By Design will provide you with three main key lessons.

Lesson 1


In this book 'Shy By Design' Michael Thompson suggests utilizing 5 conversation personas to enhance your listening skills and consequently improve your speaking ability.

Michael's speech therapist pointed out to him that his issue was not speaking, but rather not listening attentively, as he was preoccupied with what he was going to say.

Despite being a reserved individual who predominantly focused on listening, these words were not what Mike wanted to hear.

However, his therapist's advice was correct, and the unique practice of watching videos of people conversing and jotting down his observations proved to be very beneficial.

Since then, Michael has always carried a notebook with him as he believes in prioritizing listening.

This method involves adopting 5 different mindsets that can be implemented in any conversation:

1. Be a feather: Take a moment to ground yourself before or during conversations, letting go of judgment for a short period.

2. Think like a set designer: Create a comfortable environment for conversation, such as using cozy chairs or opening a window.

3. Be a biographer: Keep the conversation flowing by asking specific questions about the other person's past, like inquiring about their music tastes during high school.

4. Act like a trampoline: Engage actively in conversations by contributing your own thoughts and ideas, allowing others to see their perspectives develop with your input.

5. Be a smart parrot: Occasionally rephrase what you've heard in your own words to ensure mutual understanding and encourage others to share more of their story.

Lesson 2


Lesson Two suggests maintaining consistent communication with others through four simple techniques to establish and nurture relationships.

In the Book 'Shy By Design, Michael recalls the day his role model, Seth Godin, unexpectedly sent him an encouraging email after a friend shared his post on Medium, Michael emphasizes the importance of follow-up in forging friendships.

In his Book Shy By Design, he identifies this as the sixth principle.

Apart from emails, he practices various methods of routinely staying in touch with people, including:

1. Sharing interesting findings like book or movie recommendations.

2. Providing inspiration for their projects, suggesting topics they could explore.

3. Asking questions only they can answer, avoiding easy-to-google queries.

4. Sending reminders of them in your daily encounters.

Through consistent acts of kindness and communication, Michael highlights the significance of building lasting and meaningful relationships with those who matter to you.

Lesson 3


Talking about Lesson Three, it is important to recognize your ability to confront fears by creating a Boldness list and employing the AAA framework.

Michael's father, after his retirement, embarked on the Camino de Santiago at the age of 73, revealing his vulnerability by expressing his fear at the train station.

Michael Thompson stresses that being bold is not about eliminating fear, uncertainty, and doubt but about acknowledging them and taking action nonetheless.

He suggests developing a Boldness list to document instances where you displayed courage, reinforcing your resilience during challenging times.

Additionally, he shares the AAA framework, which consists of:

1. Acknowledging your emotions, such as feeling nervous about a Zoom call.

2. Accepting the circumstances, recognizing your current lack of confidence but valuing the effort you invest.

3. Identifying what you require to progress, like determining how to boost your confidence.

Embracing the mindset of attempting challenges holds more importance than striving for perfection from the start.

By displaying vulnerability and determination, you indicate your commitment to growth.

These tools, though soft in nature, can guide you through challenging situations, ensuring you persevere, even when faced with extreme fear. 


Summing Up


Book Shy by Design 2

Book Summary Shy by Design just touches the surface, but at the same time, it provides an easy-to-digest essence of the complete book and what author Michael Thompson wanted to communicate and profess to live a good, worthwhile life. 

You can read more about Shy by Design At GoodReads

staff writer

STAFF WRITER

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