Serendipity and Learning

 As I reader of non-fiction, some books are just pathetic to read. What makes a non fiction book pathetic? 1. They all look like they are written by the same person. There is a style to it. First it starts with describing what they wore, what they ate, a description, then a few words and then the deep insight (which is neither deep not insightful)  2. They are basically rehashed versions of other (lots of) books .  3. They are repackaged greatness . A set of people appreciate one another and write books cross referencing each other. Almost seems like a insider trading scam. 4. They become more about the author than the topic at hand. I recall a great book that I was a huge fan of and was looking forward to this authors second book and the second book was all about herself.   5. They cash in on a trend (and I buy them). And very soon they are out dated.  Thoughts as I finish a book with a great cover picture, but quite a pathetic one otherwise. This book som...

These are the answers to my previous post 1. No, you dont. 2. Your job is to manage the learning in the organization and the culture. For therapists, the org can go elsewhere. There are enough psychotherapists, counsellors who do this for a living. 3. No, you dont, else you would be doing something else. 4. Well, sonder... 5. Raise the game - if the fish dont bite, either they are not hungry or the bait aint good enough. Training is not the answer to everything. Or many things. 6. Where is the change? 7. Buzzwords wont do 1 8. Buzzwords wont do 2 9. Ahem. Supply, Demand etc. (Refer to my post , and this one , for a little more elucidation) 10. Refer point 9 11. Groupthink anyone? The real stuff lies beyond that :) 12. Contribute, dont lurk. Why do we have such poor quality real research? (longer post for another time) 13. Correlation, not causation. Refer point 1 14. Basic gamification is over. 5 years ago atleast. When was the last time you clicked on a time bound ...

Recently, I was a fly on the wall on a couple of discussions by a gathering of LnD associates. Yes, I admit, it was a boring event, but instead of feeling bored, I switched roles to that of someone who observes dispassionately, and here is what I gathered (this is tongue in cheek of course) 1. LnD people run the business. They do more than the business teams, founders, top level leaders and everybody else. Without them, there would be savages and philistines running the company. 2. Lnd people are therapists, counsellors, coaches, psychologists and conscience keepers rolled into one. It is a pity they are paid the salary of one person only. 3. LnD people believe they know everything. Including and not limited to the "Theory of everything". Just that nobody asked them. Else, the Nobels would have been ours people - seemed to be a collective feeling. 4. Any more navel gazing, and they would be Buddhas with the luminosity of their high salaries as the halo around their head...

Ever so often one gets to be on a panel or see a panel as part of a conference. Here are my tongue in cheek observations. 1. See the topic. Again. And again. Underline it. 2. Now, stick to it.  With Fevicol. 3. Do not go here and there like a jumpy cat. Stay on point. The topic. 4. If you have never seen, held or spoken into a mike in your life, please see one and then come on the panel. Don't behave as if its the first time someone gave you the mike and hold on it for dear life. It is not a straw though you are drowning. 5. If people don't listen to you anyhow, the place to try and validate it is not on a panel. 6. There are other people in a panel as well - if you had to be given a voice to speak by yourself, they would have invited for the damn keynote. 7. Moderator, your job is to moderate. And that includes stealing mikes, ensuring panelists don't share their life story or meaningless information or ramble along. Thou shall herd the cats into the fence known a...