Good to Know

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The Feedback Fallacy

«The first problem with feedback is that humans are unreliable raters of other humans.» In this excellent piece in Harvard Business Review, the authors explain why feedback as it is commonly understood doesn’t work. And they offer a new way to think of it. Not as an evaluation of sorts, which – as research shows – often reveals more about the feedback giver than the receiver. Instead, we should think of feedback as an intervention («That! Yes, that!») that prompts a reflection on why something went well.

From Weekly Filet #285, in March 2020.

The Basecamp Guide to Internal Communication

Sure, every company works a little differently. I still feel these 30 rules of thumb for «how, where, why, and when we communicate» are valuable for everyone. In most jobs, communication is a key factor to how effective you can be and how you feel – and from my own experience and what I hear from others, almost every company would benefit from being more mindful about it.

From Weekly Filet #284, in March 2020.

Work Guides

From Quartz’ newly launched «at work» vertical, aimed specifically at managers: work guides with useful tips, such as «How to keep bias out of the hiring process» or «How to structure your day better».

From Weekly Filet #251, in October 2017.

What happens to your body when you die in space?

File under: Questions you never bothered to ask yourselves. And the answer is more multifaceted than you might think (also, remember this as a conversation starter: «While the UN has regulations about littering in space, the rules may not apply to human corpses.»)

From Weekly Filet #228, in February 2017.

Bias in the ER

Humans are notoriously bad at understanding probability – and as a consequence make bad, unreasonable decisions, both in experiments and in real life. When you’re in a hospital, you better hope your doctor knows a thing or two about probability. This excellent piece goes deep on the issue (and serves as a reminder that you should read Kahneman’s «Thinking, Fast and Slow» if you haven’t already).

From Weekly Filet #227, in February 2017.

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