Spout

This site is full of ideas. Some of them might make you cringe. They may not align with your worldview, perspectives, or experiences. That’s a great thing.

Reindeer nepotism

I’ve seen the classic 1964 “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer” more times than I can count. And I’ve certainly heard the song hundreds of times. But I never put it together until watching it tonight that Donner is Rudolph’s father. It was almost the same feeling as learning that Darth Vader was Luke’s father. (Hope I didn’t spoil that for anyone.) Why doesn’t this ever come up in the song? Seems like significant information to me. Definitely some nepotism going on in Santa’s organization. Reindeer privilege.

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Work is not a playground

We’re moving into a new office next year, and the invitation for ideas was sent out. Predictably, there were calls for slides, video games, ping pong, a ball pit, and other adult play toys. One should bristle at any attempt by an employer to offer any amenities that make you less likely to want, or need, to go home. The Microsoft campus includes absolutely everything you’d need to live there, including dry cleaners, a post office, clothing stores, computer equipment (obviously), gyms, outdoor sports facilities, parking, etc. The goal is pretty obviously to keep your employees on the grounds…

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The wisdom of Joe Strummer

I’ve long made the case that it’s lazy thinking to dismiss information because of the source. “Where did you hear that? Fox News?” “Is that what MSNBC told you?” It goes on… The fact is, discounting a source, or assuming they’re lying is lazy thinking and stunting your own ability to learn, develop, and possibly change. The way people dismiss news sources, you’d think if Fox News reported our Supreme Court has nine judges, some would accuse them of lying just because it’s Fox News. (Our Supreme Court does have nine judges, for the record…) Fast forward to Joe…

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Google expertise is no expertise

We live in an age where whenever you need to accomplish something or learn a skill, you can find countless videos and information on how to do it. You don’t have to spend years learning to play guitar if you just want to learn how to play your favorite song. You don’t need to earn a design degree to create a website. You don’t need to spend years learning software engineering to write code that gets the job done. It’s the age of the Google expert. And we’re devaluing real skill, as a result. Design is art. It is…

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The path to fearless

Yesterday, I wrote about the false premise of a ruined life. After I published it, I continued to think about the ramifications of realizing your life can’t be ruined. It can be altered. It can change. You can certainly hit a setback. But there’s too many unpredictable events and opportunities ahead of you to determine that whatever negative experience you just endured has permanently ruined your life. It is when you realize that your life is ahead of you and not dictated by your past that you can achieve true freedom. The fear and uncertainty that comes with an…

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“My life is ruined”

I just heard someone say this recently. They were being entirely serious. The thing is, there’s no such thing. Too often people who’ve been fired or laid off, divorced, injured, or received other bad news, react as if that is it. Their life is over. That attitude comes from lacking perspective. Life is a marathon. If you’re laid off when you’re 30, it’s hard for some to keep in mind you probably have 50 or 60 years to go. And a lot can and will happen in that time. The key is to look past the significant negative event…

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To continue interviewing a hopeless candidate…?

A friend recently told me about a candidate who was interviewing for a role in his department. The interview loop (or round of conversations) included four members of his team and himself. After the first interviewer was done and had passed the candidate on to the next person, he told my friend that the candidate was not qualified and wouldn’t work out. Hearing this, my friend pulled the candidate aside, had a brief chat to confirm what he had heard, and told the candidate he was cutting the loop short because it wasn’t going to be a good fit….

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What is critical thinking?

I remember looking at a picture on a photography site. The picture wasn’t very memorable. What intrigued me was the accompanying statement: “Ever since my first encounters with many of the great photographers who inspired me, I became aware of the value of turning my attention away from the main event. So often, the temptation is to look where everyone else is looking. But, time after time, I have chosen to observe what’s going on by looking in the other direction – before, or after, or at the edges of the main attraction. There, I find the textures, moods,…

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