Unsolicited advice
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Unsolicited advice

No one wants unsolicited advice. Here’s what that means. No matter how brilliant you are and how perfectly suited your knowledge is to someone’s situation, your unsolicited advice will not help them. They will not listen. And they will resent you. What that looks like About weight loss. This is solicited advice: Your friend or…

Coaches and creators; AI copyright kerfuffle; copyediting tool foibles: Newsletter 14 May 2025
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Coaches and creators; AI copyright kerfuffle; copyediting tool foibles: Newsletter 14 May 2025

Newsletter 94. Never trust a coach who wants credit for your hard work. Plus training on copyrighted content is not fair use, standing out from 2.6 million books, three people to follow and three books to read. Coaches don’t take credit About a week ago my lower back went out. What that meant was that…

How fast will AI replace the Web for decision-making? And what does that mean for authors?
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How fast will AI replace the Web for decision-making? And what does that mean for authors?

How do people find answers to questions? For decades, the standard paradigm for decision-making revolved around web sites, links, search (and SEO), content marketing, and social sharing. Whether the question was “How can prepare for a job interview” or “What’s the right organizational strategy for a transnational company?” the answer started with a web search….

A probability exercise: 2 games down, do the Celtics really have an even chance to prevail over the Knicks?

A probability exercise: 2 games down, do the Celtics really have an even chance to prevail over the Knicks?

Today, a little sports math. The current reigning NBA champion Boston Celtics, owner of a dominant 61-21 record in the regular season, are in a second-round playoff series against the 51-31 New York Knicks. The Celtics were heavily favored to win this series, in part because they won four decisive games against the Knicks during…

Do it anyway

Do it anyway

I can still make useful contributions to the world, and I’m not giving up. If it’s worth doing, do it anyway I was used to being able to do almost anything (at least, anything mental) as smartly as possible, more quickly, and more creatively than most people. I am not as good as I used…

Zero to thought leader; zombie Agatha Christie; Harvard U Press scandal: Newsletter 7 May 2025
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Zero to thought leader; zombie Agatha Christie; Harvard U Press scandal: Newsletter 7 May 2025

Newsletter 93. How to think before you write and lead. Plus, three questions for all writers, writing advice from a dead mystery writer, a university press in crisis, plus three people to follow and three books to read. Thought leadership from a standing start With the churn now taking place in corporate boardrooms, countless smart…