Is criticism ever really constructive?

In this article by Tony Schwartz on the Harvard Business Review blog he discusses whether criticism is ever really constructive. He discusses how giving feedback can be difficult to deliver not just for the person receiving it but for the person giving it as well.

This is a very helpful piece to read and reflect on regardless of the role you play in your organization bc the reality is we all find ourselves in the position of giving feedback as some point.

a sister's eulogy...

This piece written by Mona Simpson, Steve Jobs' sister, has no doubt made its rounds all over the world wide web -- but its worth posting even if for the millionth time.

It is very moving & beautiful.

Mindset After Failure is Profound...

In this article by Jonah Lehrer on Wired.com he discusses the profound importance of a person's mindset after failing at a task. Even more importantly for me, as a father, he discusses the profound impact of our words/instructions/comments to children after failing or succeeding at a task.

Intuitive Decision Making...

Author Donald Miller wrote this concise yet profound blog entry regarding the validity of making decisions (quick ones at that) using intuition alone.

I found it similar to Malcolm Gladwell's Blink which is entire book dedicated to the topic. And of course anything by Gladwell is top-notch.

I recommend reading both the article and Blink.

Ben Franklin - master of social skills...

In this enlightening piece by David McRaney of You Are Not So Smart.com he discusses the myths & truths behind why we like or dislike certain people. It was very eye-opening for me and certainly caused me to stop and think. He uses Ben Franklin as the case study but certainly dives into deep research and study on the topic.

This article is quite lengthy but worth the read.

Hydration during exercise - a new theory

Well actually -- its not so much a new theory as it is a contradiction to what we have been told (a better word is probably "sold") for a long time. When it comes to sports drinks and/or water are you over-hydrating?

This article might lead you to believe that you are. It is very interesting to say the least. And i must say the point Dr. James Winger of Loyola University Medical Center makes seems very logical.

Competition - good or bad motivator?

In this article by Seth Godin he makes a strong point about the advantage or disadvantage of using competition as a motivator. I found this piece to be very profound on several different levels and areas in my life.

Short & sweet as usual by Godin.