Category: Zigging when others zag
-
TFS: Get lots of ideas from your competition
Chapter 24 of Thinking, Fast and Slow is called "The Engine of Capitalism." It is, of course, about irrational optimism. But that's not the only type of bias which afflects entrepreneurs. One of the others is "competition neglect." We become so focused on the originality of our ideas, we forget that we have competition, and…
-
TFS: Why you should think like a loser
Often, prejudicial thinking falls under the "Sin of Representativeness." We estimate the probability of success based on whether someone looks like a winner. How can you avoid prejudicial hiring? We are naturally drawn to likeable candidates that fit our expectations. Daniel Kahneman: Thinking, Fast and Slow: You surely understand in principle that worthless information should…
-
TFS: Work on not knowing
While our System 2 mind works intentionally to find the correct or best answer, our System 1 mind is constantly assessing the environment, looking for threats, cues, and change. System 1 doesn't have any intention and no agenda other than awareness. It's impossible to not know what System 1 thinks about your environment. It supports…
-
Why we have to hang onto the pessimists
Daniel Kahneman says his book Thinking Fast and Slow is not prescriptive, but plenty of us are trying to figure out how to improve our decision making since we read the book. In this excellent interview, Kahneman is asked how companies can apply what he's learned. He says one of the most important things a…
-
Consider the Reverse Resume
For many of us, updating the resume is a ritual of humiliation. We look back a history of jobs and remember how they ended. Even if we stepped out at the height of success, we remember our hopes–the things we couldn't accomplish. Maybe there's a way we could expunge those ghosts. Guha suggests the process…
-
How to take your work personally and keep your sanity
Yesterday I had lunch with Christine Stevens. Neither Christine nor I fit the general preconception of 'creative professional,' although Christine loves to paint. (I just collect things.) But both of us arrive it our job with boundless creativity every day. We figure out better ways to operate a business. Our specialty is marketing but our…
-
What does loyalty mean?
For much of the business world, loyalty is a behavior of repeat purchase. As a marketing manager, I find that "repeat purchase" is often blocked by external factors beyond my control. Where I can make a contribution is in the building of solid, long-lasting relationships with people who may purchase or may influence purchase. Many…
-
Don’t let someone else define leadership
Whenever I absorb someone else's idea about leadership, I always become anxious that I won't measure up. When I think about what I have to share and how well I want other people to do, I'm energized again. Penelope Trunk: How to tell if you have leadership potential, 2012-Aug-9 When you look at your own…
-
Finding the right narrative #li
As we've all been rushing to add narrative to our marketing communication, we keep asking ourselves "What the story?" And we've been asking the wrong person. Gapingvoid Daily Cartoon Email: Empowerment, 2012-Apr, by Hugh MacLeod When someone is using your product, don't ask what stories are they telling about you; ask what stories they're telling…
-
Finding the appropriate challenge #li
Instead of waiting for your boss to configure your job, you have to hunt for the challenges that will make your job satisfying. Reward yourself. Harvard Business Review: The Science Behind the Smile, 2012-Jan/Feb, Interview of Daniel Gilbert by Gardiner Morse We know that people are happiest when they’re appropriately challenged—when they’re trying to achieve…
QVIews 