The Gatsby Syndrome

The Gatsby Syndrome

I’ve identified a new psychological phenomenon. I’ve called it The Gatsby Syndrome. Because we just can’t get enough abbreviations, I refer to it as TGS. I’ve created a foundation through which to study it. I’m going to try to get it...
Flying Pigs

Flying Pigs

The only thing more amazing than the things for which we fall is the length of time for which we continue to fall for them. Given the popularity of inbound marketing and marketing automation, I’d have imaged them to be relatively new phenomena. I’d have...
What’s the Difference?

What’s the Difference?

Is any tired rhetorical trope more trite and trivial than making a difference? “We’re making a difference.” “Let’s make a difference.” “One person can make a difference.” “Our company is making a difference.”...
Instant Karma

Instant Karma

In the past, we’d have said the younger of my two younger brothers, Ben (to protect his privacy, this is not his real name), is mentally retarded. In these enlightened times, we’re more likely to say he’s intellectually disadvantaged, synaptically challenged, or...
People First

People First

We tend to meet any new situation by reorganizing; and a wonderful method it can be for creating the illusion of progress while producing confusion, inefficiency, and demoralization. (Charlton Ogburn, 1911-1998) I once helped a company establish its brand in a new...