Archives / March, 2010

The Human Whiteboard Syndrome

The Human Whiteboard Syndrome I am working on a project with someone now (not at Return Path) who is proving to be a very frustrating colleague with whom to collaborate.  He has a condition that a friend of mine once referred to as “The Human Whiteboard Syndrome,” which means that his thoughts always reflect the last thing he heard on any given subject.   This condition is unhealthy.  It leads to the following symptoms: Whiplash:  you send people in one direction one day, another direction the next day Fatigue:  rework is exhausting for those who are constantly in fluid situations, especially if they don’t have full access to information flow Headaches:  it turns out that constantly changing one’s mind is painful…

Book Short: Gladwell Lite

Book Short:  Gladwell Lite What the Dog Saw, And Other Adventures (book, Kindle) is Malcolm Gladwell’s latest book.  Unlike his three other books, which I quite enjoyed: The Tipping Point (about how trends and social movements start and spread) Blink (about how the mind makes judgments) Outliers: The Story of Success (about how talents are genetic, situational, and cultivated) this was not a complete book, but rather a compendium of his New Yorker articles loosely grouped into three themes. If you love Gladwell and don’t read The New Yorker, it’s not a bad read. He’s a fantastic writer, and his vignettes are interesting.  There are many “hmmm” moments as we learn why ketchup always tastes the same but mustard doesn’t;…