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The neuroscience of trust – @HBR

Paul J. Zak has an interesting article in the Harvard Business Review (here) on the impact of trust on performance: 50% higher productivity, 74% lower stress, 29% more satisfaction and 40% lower burnout (reported experience, top quartile vs. bottom quartile). The article also gives eight actions to foster higher trust within the organisation, including: recognise excellence […]

Beware the simplifier

The media is currently obsessed by Donald Trump’s travel ban and it seems that, without exception, every outlet is describing the target as seven “mostly Muslim” countries. Social and celebrity media has quickly elided that to “Muslims”. Those countries are, of course, mostly Muslim: between 90.0 and 99.7% of their populations according to Pew Research quoted on […]

The artist as entrepreneur #writing

Just an important reminder from Steven Pressfield: “Step One, it seems to me, is to recognize that all of us–writers, artists, filmmakers, actors, musicians–are entrepreneurs. We don’t work for the Man. We work for ourselves. These are two completely different modes of operating in the world and of thinking about ourselves. … No one guarantees […]

Evidence in a post-truth world? #contentmarketing

Are proof-points passé in a post-truth world? On the contrary, they are more important than ever. In a world of Putin, Trump and the Brexit campaign, it’s tempting to think that evidence simply doesn’t matter anymore. Can’t you just say anything you like, as long as you repeat it loudly and persistently? Here are two […]

Rock and roll rhetoric: Make Me Smile (Come Up and See Me)

“Come up and see me, make me smile Or do what you want, run on wild. … There’s nothing left, all gone and run away” Make Me Smile (Come Up and See Me) (Steve Harley), Steve Harley and Cockney Rebel Steve Harley is hugely under-rated as a songwriter. Also as a performer: his sneering snarl […]

Simple words and structures – Trump’s inauguration speech

You don’t have to approve of Donald Trump or believe in the practicality of his policies, to appreciate his inauguration speech (video and full transcript on the BBC News site, here). It was short, direct and aspirational. It was even statesmanlike in parts, while avoiding overblown flourishes. The speech uses simple words and simple techniques. […]

We are not numerate …

Steve Layman reminds us that, in general, we are not numerate: “ most people just don’t understand how [compounding] works. For instance, 10% growth for 25 years is not 250%, it’s 985%!” Douglas Adams understood, of course, and illustrated its power – especially if combined with time travel – in paying your bill at Milliways, the Restaurant […]

Fairness, populism, reciprocity and the left – @DannytheFink

Daniel Finkelstein writes a fascinating column in yesterday’s Times: Why the left will never understand populism (free registration required). “Fairness” is a slippery subject, but Finkelstein makes a strong argument for a fundamental difference in how people understand the concept. Too often, fairness is conflated with equality and descends into an “all shall have prizes” attitude. […]

© Andrew Dunn (3 December 2004), website: http://www.andrewdunnphoto.com/

Stand a little out of my sun – on self-reliance

There’s a great post over at the Art of Manliness site, on self-reliance: “It’s increasingly difficult to live a life that is inner-directed rather than other-directed. In order to operate effectively in this kind of autonomy-sapping environment, developing a strong sense of self-reliance is crucial.” It includes some interesting quotes as well: “Self-trust is the first […]

Tell true stories – @thisisseth

Seth Godin on how to be heard, including: “Do your homework. Reflect back what you believe the other person is trying to say before you disagree with it. Tell true stories.”  

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