The world and life itself are always uncertain. There are periods where it all feels more uncertain than normal. Those periods leave people grasping for processes and interpretations. They get emotionally charged. They produce hard conversations. We, the professionals in whatever industry we occupy, add value when we step into the arena of uncertain times … Continue reading Certainty Isn’t The Answer To Uncertainty
Tag: skepticism
Which Do We Believe: The Statistics Or The Calculus?
Which do we want to believe - the statistics or the calculus? If we believe the statistics and our idea will probably fail, why even start? If we focus on the calculus, the trajectory and future potential of our idea, we’ll at least try to engineer a solution. Even if the odds are against us. … Continue reading Which Do We Believe: The Statistics Or The Calculus?
3 Types Of Blindspots We Encounter All Of The Time (And What To Do About Them)
There are three types of blind spots we come across all of the time. They impact us, our clients, and our colleagues. They show up in our personal and professional lives. Blind spots are a part of being human. Learning to recognize these three types of blind spots can help us turn them into building … Continue reading 3 Types Of Blindspots We Encounter All Of The Time (And What To Do About Them)
It’s A Fact, It’s Science
“It’s a fact, it’s science.” Not exactly. Science is a process where we test answers to questions. We only reach “fact” status when the answer to a test is “objective and verifiable.” Even here, we’re never quite 100% certain. Anything could be disproven, it just becomes a matter of likelihood or confidence. The most common … Continue reading It’s A Fact, It’s Science
Podcast Of The Week: A Flower Is Just A Weed With A Marketing Budget
Rory Sutherland is this week's EconTalk interview. The focus is his book, Alchemy, but they veer off into all sorts of related tangents like market efficiencies, intermediaries, and Freud. Lest that sound too heavy, Sutherland explains everything with comments like, "a flower if effectively a weed with a marketing budget," as he delves into evolutionary … Continue reading Podcast Of The Week: A Flower Is Just A Weed With A Marketing Budget
A Polish Village Who Hasn’t Seen A Male Born In 10 Years (And How We’re Easily Fooled By Randomness)
There’s an article making the rounds with the statistically intriguing topic of a Polish Village who hasn't seen a male born in nearly ten years. Take a moment to pause and ask yourself, what‘s strange about the presentation of this statistic? Our immediate instinct is to remember that the ratio of males to females is … Continue reading A Polish Village Who Hasn’t Seen A Male Born In 10 Years (And How We’re Easily Fooled By Randomness)
Podcast of the Week: Don’t Become Critical, Become Curious – The Art And Science Of The Pre-Mortem
Anyone who has watched a crime drama knows about the post-mortem. The post-mortem is where they determine the cause of death - "he was poisoned, but then strangled... and there are signs of a struggle." There is both science and drama as the likely events leading up to the person's demise are revealed. Anyone in … Continue reading Podcast of the Week: Don’t Become Critical, Become Curious – The Art And Science Of The Pre-Mortem
Podcast of the Week: Leadership and Humility – Balancing Confidence and Conviction
The always thoughtful Russ Roberts invites listener David Deppner onto EconTalk to discuss a question: how should leaders balance confidence and humility? They expand on the concept, consider the leadership role from various perspectives (surgeons, parents, teachers, CEOs, politicians, and many others), and discuss all sorts of implications within the various shades of grey. It's … Continue reading Podcast of the Week: Leadership and Humility – Balancing Confidence and Conviction
My Dog’s Fear Of Rain And How History Gets Things Wrong
My dog Otis loves to go outside but hates the rain. On a normal day, he bolts out of the door and into our backyard. On a rainy day, he bolts outside but freezes on the porch as soon as he senses nature’s cruel trick. His fear of wetness is crippling. For at least 24 … Continue reading My Dog’s Fear Of Rain And How History Gets Things Wrong
Crazy Questions and Teachable Moments: Feynman for Professionals
We’ve put the time in to learn the basics, the processes, the methods, and still - it’s never-ending. Part of the fun of being a professional is the constant learning. And, like the locals who have to deal with the tourists in vacation spots, occasionally someone will randomly throw a “hey - did you ever … Continue reading Crazy Questions and Teachable Moments: Feynman for Professionals