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Persuasion Articles of the Week

Image “What’s Down There?” by James, Flickr, CC-By-2.0

#parenting #motivation #happiness #stories (more…)
Persuasion Articles of the Week

Photo “IMG_2810_1” by Allie, Flickr, CC-By-2.0

#behavior #relative #bodylanguage #logic #authority #style #advantage (more…)
“Everything is Relative” — Lessons on Decision Making from Dan Ariely’s “Predictably Irrational”
In his 2008 book “Predictably Irrational,” Dan Ariely opens our eyes to our decision making process and how it can be used against us.

Everything is Relative.

Our choices are made in comparison to other options, and what we might lose or gain with these decisions. Unfortunately, all too often we don’t know the value of those options at all! For example, do you really know the price and quality of one television set over another?

If given a set of options, Ariely lays out the predictable choices in each:
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Behaviors drive Attitudes

It’s been said that a Weatherman is the only job where you can often be wrong and still keep your job. How often is your local forecast far from what transpires? (or perspires)

“Out of the mist” by Jeremy Segrott, Flickr, CC-By-2.0

Two people meet in the road.

“What a beautiful day!” exclaims the first, looking up.

“Oh, but I think it might rain,” laments the second, looking down at his phone.

And they go on their ways.

This short exchange highlights two vastly different mindsets of the characters. (more…)
Persuasion Articles of the Week

Photo “CL Society 218: Crossing arms” by
Francisco Osorio, Flickr, CC-By-2.0

#fail #win #drive #persuasion #bias #japan #trains #smoking #unstoppable

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“Drive” — 10 Things I learned from Daniel Pink

A few jobs ago in a different company, I split my time between IT Support and IT Sales. It was my first job in IT. I felt lucky to be there.

Drive by Daniel Pink

In the Sales role, my sales manager was constantly looking over my shoulder.

I would compose an email to a client and he would revise it.

I would write up a specific piece of hardware and he would suggest something different.

(more…)
Why you Fail after you Win
Maths! Photo “Amherst63-012” by NealeA, Flickr, CC-By-2.0

In mathematics and statistics, Mean is one method to represent a data set with a single number. When we talk about “Average” we often refer to the “Mean.” The Mean is calculated by diving the sum of data points by that number of data points:
```
Add Data Points: 4 + 8 + 15 + 16 + 23 + 42 = 108

Sum of 108, Divided by 6 data points = 108/6 = Mean of 18
```
Mean is easiest to calculate with numbers and quantifiable data, such as your average (mean) nightly hours of sleep, or your mean cost of lunch. For example, the “Average Human” is either calculated from measurements, or it’s a general term people use without accuracy. (more…)
Persuasion Articles of the Week

Photo “goodbye” by frankieleon, Flickr, CC-By-2.0

#scarcity #identity #tribe #positivity #persuasion #sales #photography #illusion

(more…)
Persuasion Articles of the Week

Can you read minds? “Head shot” by erat, Flickr, CC-By-2.0

#mindreading #bodylanguage #forgive

(more…)
Mind Reading isn’t Real. Here’s How to Do It.

Mind reading, the art of knowing exactly what the other person is thinking.

It’s a dangerous sport, and one that we’re not very good at. It’s the source of many disagreements and misunderstandings. No matter, we all continue to try.

We believe we know what other people are thinking. Image “distant distance” by Rennett Stowe, Flickr, CC-By-2.0

I’ve certainly tried to finish someone’s sentences and been completely wrong. Haven’t you cut in because you knew exactly what the other person was going to say? How did that work out for you? Not always very well, I would bet.

“I opened the door to see…”

“…She was in the house!?” (more…)