| 18/02/08 | | Looking for the single, correct answer can be dumb |
Thanks to ken (one of our favourite Anecdote blog commentors) for this link of Malcolm Gladwell doing what he does best: telling a story which helps us understand something new—this time it's spaghetti sauce. The story is about Howard Moskowitz and how he transformed our views of retail choice and explains why we have so many varieties of mustard, soft drinks and practically anything else you can buy from the supermarket. But more importantly we learn that looking for the single correct answer might not be the best solution.
I won't spoil the story but watch out for how Gladwell introduces his character and how story comes before reason or interpretation. And see how he creates mystery from the outset and gradually reveals the culprit.
Gladwell's essay covering the same topic is here.
| 12/02/08 | | Questions |
I've created a new blog category today called "questions." I'm planning to use it to capture some of the excellent story eliciting questions I come across in our work and reading. So to kick things off here is a question from Christina Baldwin:
"Can you keep a confidence? Describe a story about confidentiality. What is important to you about confidentiality?"
We would love to hear your story. Just post it in the comments.
Baldwin, Christina. Storycatcher: Making Sense of Our Lives through the Power and Practice of Story. Novato, California: New World Library, 2005.