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Showing posts from May, 2013

Counterintuitive = Outcome x (Evidence/Bias)

I suck at math, so please view the title of this post as symbolic and literary in nature. I've read or heard the term 'counterintuitive' a lot lately. I like how it puts the spotlight on perception....a lot can be uncovered. But, it may say more about our biases than anything else...see definition below. coun•ter•in•tu•i•tive  (ˌkaʊn tər ɪnˈtu ɪ tɪv, -ˈtyu-) adj. counter to what intuition would lead one to expect. So, I read the above and ask one question.....Who's intuition is the accepted baseline? Isn't it possible that when someone says "Hey, that seems counterintuitive." it could be easily viewed as "Hey... I have a less evolved, less informed, and biased, outlook... so I didn't expect that outcome." A few examples: "That member of an ethnic class didn't live up to my stereotype." or "My simple view of the world didn't expect the more complicated results the experiment showed." or &q

The Knowledge Ceiling

I work with some pretty smart people....partners, colleagues, clients, a team of fine folks. We train weekly....sales process, technology changes, best practices....sharpening the saw. Many of us are curious by nature, so we seek out new things naturally. Trade rags, articles on new developments and recent trends, white papers, what have you. But I've noticed something. No matter how good we are or how hard we try, we run into a peculiar problem...there is only so much knowledge contained within a group.  We have shared as much info as is contained within a particular group. We look around and see that what was once a series of shared discoveries is now communal knowledge. Occasionally we hit a ceiling. Being relevant has a finite expiration date, without knowledge growth. We have, often, had to look hard to find new things to learn. It's uncommon, as there is so much change within my industry. But it happens. When it does, it's time to have lunch....or coffee....or

Beauty...simply.

The Bormioli Rocco Fido Glass Canning Jar. Simply made, seemingly anachronistic, perfectly engineered. It's a great symbol of quality that balances efficiency, economy, and function in a sublime manner. I get wound up over strange things, I admit. But stick with me... In the aisles of mass-produced plastic crap, the Fido stands out. Whatever you are storing, you care about it. You want it sealed in an air tight manner. You trust glass as the perfect medium to neither impart nor allow entry from outside tastes (ever tasted ice that tastes like garlic....that's infused from the fridge....think of food products that work similarly). Spices, some a minor investment, find these little homes perfect for their overall demeanor. A marinara made with real San Marzano tomatoes, fresh basil, and garlic deserve to be stored in a Fido. Now...you may be wondering my point. Go to your pantry. Look in. Is there any foodstuff there that you would deem worthy of the Fido? Eliminat