'How could you be tired? You've been sitting at your desk all day!' 'Yeah but every second has been spent on calls!' Social interaction is tiring. It doesn't matter if it's virtually or in person, it can wear you out. It is fatiguing because each interaction requires a plethora of activities, like: paying attention, choosing … Continue reading Interaction fatigue →

For a long time I stood in the specialize early and don’t deviate camp but now I’m reading ‘Range’ by David Epstein and I’m not entirely sure anymore. Mr. Epstein provides compelling examples of generalists who have succeeded. That a large sampling period and trying your hand at many different things can be key to … Continue reading Generalist or specialist →

In this day and age of corporate brands a little personality can be a great competitive advantage. Take for example Oatly (oat milk) and Innocent smoothies. Both are in fairly boring industries, (when was the last time there was an innovation in milk?) with little differentiation between competition in taste and yet these two brands … Continue reading Oatly brand personality →

Project briefs are kind of like Pictionary. You what the answer is, you can see it in the drawing but the question is can the other person? ‘Look at it, it’s clearly a dragon!’ ‘Oh I thought it was a potato’ We’ve all heard the horror stories of a brief only being discovered it was … Continue reading Briefs and Pictionary →

I think it's pretty safe to say - if a boy asked a girl to sign a binding contract that she will go on a second date with him - us objective bystanders would all see that as a huge red flag. 'I want it in writing that you are going to call me!' Steer … Continue reading Love at first doubt →

Yesterday I placed the last piece into the hardest jigsaw puzzle I have ever come across. It was made by Mensa and they call it a 'Flipsaw' puzzle. A Flipsaw because each piece has two images on it. You can see one image at one angle and the other image at another angle. So you … Continue reading The Flipsaw puzzle →

'Hang on, are you allowed to assign me work? You're not my boss! I'm going to go check with my boss that I have to do this work before I start it.' I think it's fair to say that there is a certain amount of status associated with assigning work. It's traditional for a manager … Continue reading Assigning status →

The leaders can't guarantee anything. The gossip mill is rife with redundancy rumours. There is no end in sight. The not knowing is torture. It would be only natural for panic to set in. I can't say this with 100% confidence as I have not lived through much uncertainty but from what I have read … Continue reading Quarantine anxiety →

Jacques Floseau has stopped painting. It has required a lifetime's supply of oranges but it looks like he is finally finished. This should be a momentous occasion and time for celebration but Jacques is worried. He is unsure if his painting is good. In my eyes, a fork in the road, lies before Jacques. The … Continue reading Jacques Dilemma →

You don't know what you've got until it's gone. Ain't that a pity? It's only when you come upon a rocky present that you start to appreciate the smooth past. From this point I see the paths diverging into two. One involves strong nostalgia and excessive longing for the past to return. The other includes … Continue reading Dangerous Nostalgia →