Not often that I hear someone say “a phone call is more human than an email,” though I think we all agree it’s true. Check out Seth Godin’s post today:
Synchronicity, intimacy and productivity
A shortcut to customer and co-worker intimacy is to respond in real time. A phone call is more human [...]
What startups can learn from the May 21 Judgment Day group
So, apparently Judgment Day is this week and I’ll soon be burning in a hell on earth. At least according to Family Radio, the group that believes this. While I obviously think this group is ridiculous, I also think startups can learn from them.
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I wrote this in response to a comment on my last post when I found that I had more to say. Usman, thanks for your comment that led to this post.
In terms of “making different mistakes,” here’s some things I’ve learned both from other startups and from my own experience.
- Write down your [...]
I’ve mostly stopped going to hear speakers and prefer instead to meet people after talks take place. But I ended up going to hear Eric Ries speak at Columbia recently and it was the best talk I’ve heard in a long time. Here are some of my notes from his talk. I wish I had [...]
OK. Sometimes writing is better than speaking, especially for quick updates. In old novels like Anna Karenina and Tale of Genji, many of the characters communicate by passing notes via servants who then hand deliver them.
Here’s how they did it in Anna Karenina:
“Countess Lidia Ivanovna usually wrote [...]
One sweltering windless night while having dinner outside in Burma, my ears were assaulted by a monk chanting scripture — with amplification. Too much amplification.
There was nothing to do but listen. And I’ll never forget the conversation I had with somebody nearby.
Me. What’s he saying?
Them: It’s a prayer.
Me: [...]
These are all quotes from Peter Drucker. I’m just posting them here for thought and discussion. — Successful leaders don’t start out asking, “What do I want to do?” They ask, “What needs to be done?” Then they ask, “Of those things that would make a difference, which are right for me?” They don’t tackle [...]
While there is some good in making machines more like humans, why do we try to make humans more like machines?
I was at the post office recently to mail a package. When I reached the counter the clerk started to rattle through a list of options, with prices, most of which were not relevant [...]
(This post was written by Sandeep Sankarankutty)
Ever since we were young, we were told never talk to strangers. As children, this makes sense, it’s for your safety. But as adults why do we still follow this practice? It seems as if there is a lingering fear carried on from childhood, if you talk [...]
How do you serve your audience and how do they repay you?
I was thinking about this yesterday while watching a mariachi band move between subway cars. As a musician myself I’ve always thought that musicians who play in subway cars should play more than one local stop before moving on, for style if nothing [...]
