A collection of articles, books, and podcasts we have
selected for this month’s theme: Duality.
1. The Hidden Meanings of Yin and Yang
In this 4 minute TED Ed video, John Bellaimey teaches us about Daoism, which is all about learning from and living in harmony with both yin and yang energies.
“Everything contains the seed of its opposite. Darth Vader has the seed of goodness and Luke has the potential to follow his father to the dark side. Like Luke and his father, yin and yang are not total opposites. They are relative to each other… One can turn into the other or are two sides to the same coin.”
– John Bellaimey
2. The Paradox of Leadership
Are the best leaders humble or confident? Perhaps some of the loudest examples would indicate that confidence bordering on arrogance is the path to success. But humility is gaining attention as an essential trait to build trust amongst teams. So which is it? This article says it’s both.
3. When Strength Becomes Weakness
This episode of Adam Grant’s WorkLife podcast series focuses on the difficult balance between leveraging your strengths for maximum impact and overusing them with negative consequences. Listen here to get advice on how best to name your strengths, use them appropriately, and identify the environments in which they thrive.
4. Go Slow to Go Fast
This article addresses the two most important and often conflicting objectives companies face: 1. Prioritize growth and 2. Take the time to slow down and do things right. Included in this quick read are some important reminders for how to build a sustainable foundation while also moving faster than the competition.
5. The Righteous Mind
Based on his extensive research in the field of moral psychology, Jonathan Haidt explains how our judgments are actually based on gut feelings rather than our reasoning. This book articulates the both and of political beliefs – how liberals and conservatives are both right about their central concerns.
6. The Double-Edged Sword of Tenacity
You may have followed the news coverage of the Silicon Valley startup, Theranos, but if you haven’t read Bad Blood, you are missing out on some jaw-dropping details. It seems all founders must possess a healthy dose of tenacity, but what happens when that positive drive becomes a dangerous obsession? Get the book here.
The most recent posts
I’m going back to my roots. Literally. I’ve been highlighting my hair for longer than I’ve had a driver’s license. And this week, without much thought or realization of the significance, I asked my stylist to match the top half of my hair to the bottom half. Under all that blonde, I’m apparently a natural brunette. ...
Read Field Note“Love takes off the masks we fear we cannot live without and know we cannot live within.” James Baldwin Today, we’re living in a divided world of “us” and “them,” of people who think/look like me and those who don’t. When things are going well, when we’re around people like us, it feels easier to ...
Read Field NoteI laughed with my family and colleagues this week sharing that I was this year’s banquet keynote. The class of ‘93 over there is probably laughing too. I also told many of them I’d start this address tonight with a reminder: I’m lucky I finally made my way out of Mr. Evans’ office to speak ...
Read Field NoteSubscribe to our newsletter
Sign up with your email address to receive our monthly newsletter. What do we send your way? Recommended resources, introspective content, information on upcoming events, & more.