Binge watching
Netflix has us hooked on binge watching TV shows. It takes real self-restraint to not go into isolation and watch entire seasons at once. While I »
Waiting to talk
Sometimes I catch myself trying to tell stories, but stopping when someone else starts talking at the same time. At that point, I consciously try to »
Why don't we have the day off on election day?
If we cared about increasing voter turnout, we would make election day a holiday, to increase the probability that people would vote. But unfortunately, more resources »
Rules and decision making
Crisis exposes weakness. Unfortunately, some decisions are structured in ways that are more prone to failure. Be sure that you're being setup for success. Decisions can »
Exiting conversations gracefully
I admire people who are able to exit conversations gracefully. At parties it's relatively easy to start talking with other people, but in one on one »
Walking away from a negotiation
Most of negotiations in my class have resulted in an agreement. But, when executive education students do the same exercises, few of them make deals. My »
Subway delays
Recently, I've caught myself feeling self-conscious about taking the subway when delays make me late. While these circumstances are out of my control, I'll admit that »
Understanding through code
One of the best ways to test whether you understand a concept is to try teaching it to someone else. As you're asked clarifying questions, you're »
Fly the weather not the forecast
Making decisions based on stale data is inexcusable. There's nothing more dangerous than making a decision and praying that things will magically work out. Actively acknowledging »
Philanthropy and social services
Many Milton Friedman disciples argue that social services, typically offered by government, would be better left to free market philanthropy. They claim this would lead to »