The Puzzle of Motivation ~ Daniel Pink

Are you motivated by the carrot or the stick? reward or punishment? These are the traditional motivators of most traditional business models. Reward the person who is most productive; punish those that fall short. Extrinsic Motivators Extrinsic incentives (like reward and punishment) work really well for activities that need narrow focus on a goal that …Read More

Speak Like a Leader ~ Simon Lancaster

“Instead of teaching our kids how to sit down and shut up, we should be teaching them to stand up and speak out.” ~ Simon Lancaster The ancient art of rhetoric (the art of effective persuasive speaking) is no longer taught routinely in schools. The STEM education initiatives support Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math. However, …Read More

Steven Johnson – Play, Creativity, Invention

“Serious play is not an oxymoron; it is the essence of innovation.” —Michael Schrage Creativity and play are inextricably linked. If necessity is the mother of invention, play might just be the father. The interplay (pun intended) of necessity and playfulness have both brought the world some serious innovations. In the TED talk video below, …Read More

How to have a good conversation

We are social creatures, built for connection. Almost like a hive organism, the whole human population has become an interconnected web of information. As I awake in the morning to the alarm on my smart phone, I contemplate how to start my day. The evening before, I had looked at my schedule to determine when …Read More

Narrative Medicine ~ Rita Charon

Narrative Medicine fortifies clinical practice with the narrative competence to recognize, absorb, metabolize, interpret, and be moved by the stories of illness. ~ Dr. Rita Charon With the age of science and objectivity applied to modern medicine, little space is left for empathy and emotions. “Just the facts” has become the litany that creates a …Read More