-
Raising the Connection Machine
We often speak of the Internet and new technologies as something happening to us, taking over every industry, consuming our attention. One of my struggles with media and new technology is our infatuation with the new, without questioning whether some technologies really make our lives significantly better. The connection machine (thanks Seth Godin for the term)…
-
The Gift of Silence
In his 1994 interview with Charlie Rose, Fred Rogers (famous for his children’s show Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood) emphasized repeatedly the importance of margins and silence, in life and in communication. In speaking of his (then) new book, he explains: “This book is about… the white space between the paragraphs, which I think is more important…
-
The Joy Continuum
Now At any given time, there’s a lot going on. We interact with people, get work done, move through the world, take note of things. We have thousands of micro-experiences throughout each day. The Joy Moment There’s a moment when we actually appreciate a given experience. This doesn’t always happen at the same time as…
-
The Medium is the Message
An important but often overlooked key to effective communication is how your listener receives what you have to say. Often we carefully rehearse our own words and stories, but fail to think about our audience’s posture and mindset. Is your audience ready to hear what you have to say? Of course, when the stakes are…
-
Coffee, Craft and Connection
I recently watched Barista, a documentary about coffee-makers competing in the National Barista Championship. For the competition, baristas have 15 minutes to create 12 cups of coffee and demonstrate their proficiency at pouring shots and blending tastes, and also at creating a great experience for coffee-drinkers. Imagine the most coffee-loving person you know, then double it.…
-
Spirit
This reflection appeared first in my quarterly newsletter. Subscribe at the bottom of the page if you’d like to be in on the next one. If you’ve ever been to a kids dance or music recital, you’ve seen it. That thing is subtle, almost imperceptible, but makes all the difference in a performance. The conductor…
-
When the WiFi Goes Out
We get into routines, and they’re not always helpful. Habits slowly form into ruts that seem difficult to steer out of. Sometimes we need a shift to simply to pick up our head and check out our surrounding. A change of course doesn’t always happen without some outside force. The beauty of vacations, summer breaks,…
-
If Everyone Was a Leader…
…then who would follow? The common myth is that only the person at the top of the pecking order gets to lead. If that’s the case, then the rest of us are conveniently absolved of responsibility, and get to wait till we’re in charge to do the difficult, vulnerable work of leading. The truth, though,…
-
A City Without Ads (Cidade Limpa)
See São Paulo’s skyline and you’ll notice one key missing feature. There are no billboards. Nearly 10 years ago – at the protest of the advertising industry and general approval of its residents (and minimalists everywhere) – São Paulo banned outdoor advertising. The city’s outdoor ad landscape was out of control at the time, so…
-
You Just Pointed to All of It…
Often design feedback has me feeling like Hiccup in How to Train Your Dragon. Users take a look at a website and say, “I don’t like… (pointing their finger in circles around the design) thaaaat…” The weakness of many user surveys is that they can reveal how people feel about a certain design, put they…
