Memorable Quotes - Steve Hardy
February 7, 2008We can tip-toe forward inch-by-inch with our head down in steadfast concentration and call it movement, but we cannot call it progress until we lift our head, run our eyes across the horizon and understand not only where we stand but also where we are going and why.
Memorable quotes - William Shakespeare
January 26, 2008This above all: to thine ownself be true,
And it must follow, as the night the day,
Thou canst not then be false to any man.
– Hamlet
Signature strengths
January 25, 2008Reading the Cluetrain Manifesto was the nearest thing to having an epiphany that I have personally experienced. It was literally like a light bulb being switched on inside my head. It spoke to me — directly. I have never quite understood why.
For those of you that haven’t read it here’s a couple of lines, that capture its main thesis (emphasis added):
Markets are conversations. Their members communicate in language that is natural, open, honest, direct, funny and often shocking. Whether explaining or complaining, joking or serious, the human voice is unmistakably genuine. It can’t be faked.
Recently I read Martin Seligman’s ‘Authentic Happiness‘ — a seminal work on positive psychology — and as suggested I took a test on the accompanying website to identify my ’signature strengths’.
My top strength according to the test results is: ‘Honesty, authenticity, and genuineness — you are an honest person, not only by speaking the truth but by living your life in a genuine and authentic way. You are down to earth and without pretence; you are a “real” person.’
If these results are to be believed (they feel like the real me, which is Seligman’s criteria for adopting them), then the Cluetrain speaks to me so clearly because it is a convergence or intersection of my interests and passion (internet, technology) and my signature strengths (authenticity, love of learning). Wow!
So, having identified this cosmic collision what should I do with it?
Herein is Seligman’s suggestion for living the good life: ‘use your signature strengths every day in the main realms of your life to bring abundant gratification and authentic happiness‘.
Sounds easy! I can be authentic, genuine and honest, but what practical steps can I take to use these strengths? Or is it enough strive towards using the strengths in what I do?
Memorable Quotes - Albert Einstein
January 9, 2008Nothing will benefit human health and increase chances for survival of life on earth as much as the evolution to a vegetarian diet.
Are specialists grumpy?
December 5, 2007I came across the folllowing a while ago but hadn’t got around to adding it here. It seems to be a gross generalisation (no pun intented), but interesting nevertheless:
Karl Weick writes:
Generalists, people with moderately strong attachments to many ideas, should be hard to interrupt, and once interrupted, should have weaker, shorter negative negative reactions since they have alternative paths to realize their plans. Specialists, people with stronger attachments to fewer ideas, should be easier to interrupt, and once interrupted, should have stronger,more sustained negative reactions because they have fewer alternative pathways to realize their plans. Generalists should be the the upbeat, positive people in the profession while specialists should be their grouchy, negative counterparts.
via Bob Sutton.
