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This article from a popular fitness web site expands on a recent US Army research paper and recommends using performance-enhancing drugs (steroids), under doctor supervision and with deep consideration for safety and side effects, to ensure our soldiers have the greatest possible edge in combat. In combat, where strength, stamina, and other physical factors may make the difference between mission success and mission failure, and where mission failure saves lives, does it make sense to open this line of research? Likewise, where the decisions of leaders at every level – tactical, operational, and strategic – have wide-ranging impacts on mission success, should we also look into drugs to enhance cognitive performance? If we choose not to, and the next adversary does, do we risk giving up the initiative and costing unnecessary loss of life?

Google co-founder Eric Schmidt recently testified to Congress about how to break down barriers to DoD Innovation and speed. Schmidt, who currently chairs the Defense Innovation Board, highlighted challenges in procurement, bridging the research-practice gap, and appropriations. Can you think of other important challenges that must be tackled to create an environment where agile product development can thrive within DoD? Why it is important – as threats increasingly take on the characteristics of non-state organizations, they become more and more agile. We are already ceding speed of action to the threat in several key areas – and as warfare becomes increasingly information-centric, the gap stands to widen unless we take bold action now. Key Quote: “The DOD violates pretty much every rule in modern product development,” Schmidt said.

Successful investor Ray Dalio believes that exploring the 95% of our oceans that remain virtually unknown will be both more exciting and more important than a mission to Mars. His venture, called OceanX, brings together researchers, explorers, philanthropists, and media companies to make it happen. Ray already has significant experience in ocean exploration – he has been involved in various media efforts in recent years, and one of his remote submersibles recently found a lost Spanish Galleon holding as much as $17B in treasure. OceanX is looking for ideas for upcoming missions – submit yours at the link here. (www.oceanx.org/join-the-mission/). Related reading: Learn how Paul Allen’s team has been finding historic WWII ships on the ocean floor.

Harvard Business Review reports on the importance of sleep to senior executives. In a survey, researchers found that the more senior someone is in their organization, the more sleep they get. It is unclear so far whether getting more sleep, which is known to improve cognitive function, caused these leaders to get promoted, or whether the benefits that accrue to seniority (assistants, etc.) mean they get to do less work.

Henrik Bunge, CEO and “Head Coach” of fitness apparel company Björn Borg (named after the tennis star) has integrated fitness into the culture of his company. Since Bunge came onboard, profitability has risen sharply, something he credits to the mind- and team-building benefits of exercising together and physical goal-setting and achievement. Although there is a growing research literature on the connection between physical fitness and cognitive performance, researchers differ in their opinion of whether that directly translates to business success as Bunge claims. Why it may be important – in addition to research that shows that a healthier workforce costs less in terms of health care expenses, lost productivity due to injury and illness, and longevity, demonstrating short-term benefits to profitability may entice other leaders to invest in the physical fitness of their teams.

We are all masters of patterns. Every day, every moment, we move through a cycle.

We recognize patterns in the world around us.

We match new experiences and information to our patterns.

We build new patterns from the combination of new data and existing patterns.

Gaining mastery of a domain means that we have developed an enormous group of patterns, structured, networked, layered, fractal, recursive. The largest patterns allow one to achieve the simplicity on the other side of complexity.

But we can also be trapped by our patterns. When new information arrives that doesn’t fit, and cognitive dissonance ensues, we only have two choices: change our pattern or deny the information. Changing the pattern is hard. And the deeper the expertise, the more difficult it is. But intellectual honesty demands that we take the hard path. Reframe. Revise our patterns.

How do we listen?

Frequently, we listen to Respond. Listening just enough that we get the topic. Eager to jump in with a related story. To shift the focus to ourselves. Passive listening; just enough to preserve a minimum of social decorum.

Sometimes, we listen to Comprehend. Not jumping in, but politely hearing all of the words. Getting the surface meaning. Nodding and agreeing. The beginning of active listening.

Occasionally, we listen to Understand. Listening not just to comprehend, but also to understand the point of view of the other. Perhaps to fell what they are feeling. To empathize. We begin to give back to the listener, by beginning to join them in their journey.

Infrequently, we listen to Appreciate. We give deep thought not just to what our friend is saying and feeling, but to understand the journey behind the story. To imagine what they had to learn, what they had to experience, what they had to feel to be able to tell the story they are telling.

Rarely, we listen with Love. We comprehend, understand, and appreciate the other and view them in their full humanity as someone worthy of love, not in spite of their faults, but because of them. To know that their strength can not exist without their vulnerability. And to recognize the briefness of our time in the Long Now.

How will you listen today?

 

1992 and 1996 US Swimming Olympian Mark Henderson (100 Fly, 400 Medley Relay) has started a new app and website that seeks to provide critical mentorship and advice to young athletes. He imagines a world where Michael Phelps can personally help and inspire a young swimmer who asks a question through the app, and provide the confidence and direction that may make the difference in that athlete’s career and life.  N.B.  Amy and I both knew Mark during our high school and college years – he is a great person (and was an absolute beast in the pool!).

A former Google product ethicist explains the ways that internet companies use psychology to drive your behavior, while preserving in your mind the illusion of freedom of choice.  Why it is important – large media companies make money by selling your attention (time).  How you structure your media consumption is important – do you use media to produce or to consume? If the latter, you are the product being sold. If the former you may regain control (but you are still being sold). Understanding how they do this may help us regain some control.

In this brief article by Zat Rana, he builds a case for his opinion that the future belongs to the polymaths – people who are expert generalists and can see problems and connect solutions across increasingly broad domains – rather than specialists who go very deep on very narrow problems. Part of his case is that the more specialized the problem, the easier it is to build AI to solve it, making the specialist’s job lose value. The good news – as Walter Isaacson said in a recent podcast, anyone can be a daVinci or a Franklin because the key skill of the polymath is an intense curiosity, and to be curious is simply a choice.