Topic: Malcolm Gladwell

Shorting Talent

I've long held that talent is one of the more important aspects -- indeed, assets -- of any organization. It might even be the most important quality of a company. With a team of talented people -- smartly skilled colleagues -- you ...READ»

Collaborate Towards a Single Goal. Expect the Unexpected.

More than your solitary smarts, your capacity to do something extraordinary depends on something else. It is your ability to build on the work of others from the past or with others at the same time. So said Malcolm Gladwell at last ...READ»

Sell less sell more?

Malcolm Gladwell often talks about Howard Moskowitz and his work in creating the best Pepsi (or the best Pepsis plural – see http://www.ted.com/index.php/talks/view/id/20 for a 20-min video overview). Howard’s research found the ...READ»

He Could Go All the Waaayyyyy

Like any good business book author, Malcolm Gladwell, who we profiled in our January issue, discusses how his theory of "momentary autism" can be applied to sports in an interview with ESPN.com's Jeff Merron. And what better time, ...READ»

Mano a Mano

Now, this is a conversation worth eavesdropping on. James Surowiecki, author of The Wisdom of Crowds, and Malcolm Gladwell, author of Blink, are holding forth in Slate this week. So far, their exchange has touched on the difference ...READ»

Animals Got a Tsunami Warning. Why Didn't Humans?

Reading about the aftermath of the tsunami in south Asia, I'm struck by one story now making the rounds. As rescuers began assessing the damage, they reported that, remarkably (and true to legend), the wildlife populations of the ...READ»

Is the Tipping Point Toast?

Marketers spend a billion dollars a year targeting influentials. Duncan Watts says they're wasting their money.READ»

• Order Versus Chaos
• Order Vs. Chaos
• Igniting a Trend -- It's About Chance Not Choice?

FC on Gawker

Fast Company's January cover story on Malcolm Gladwell caught the attention of the media gossip blog, Gawker, today. (Marshall McLuhan gets a nod in the process.) I think that means we're hip... Or maybe that's just Gladwell. Check ...READ»

Permission Management

Agile Management features a thoughtful piece on the role of manager as "permission giver" today. Citing Malcolm Gladwell, the author writes, "A line manager can act as this tipping person to change both the behavior of his staff but ...READ»

Gladwell on Talent Selection

I just got back from the American Society for Training & Development’s International Conference and Exhibition in San Diego where I was a speaker. This was a great conference – one of the best I’ve ever been to and I’ve ...READ»

Malcolm Gladwell: Outliers (His Next Bestseller)

Malcolm Gladwell's latest myth to crack: success. The New Yorker scribe debunks the real reason Bill Gates made it to the top of the world.READ»

• Malcom Gladwell: The Accidental Guru

The Accidental Guru

Malcolm Gladwell, says one fan, is "just a thinker." But what a thinker. His provocative ideas are taking the business world by storm. So who is this guy, and what can he teach you about business?READ»

The Un-Tipping Point

Duncan Watts's challenge to Malcolm Gladwell (Is the Tipping Point Toast?, February) continues to attract attention. On February 28, an invitation-only crowd of 65 gathered at Fast Company's Manhattan office to hear author Clive ...READ»

• Feedback

Outliers Review: Outliers The Story of Success by Malcolm Gladwell

Outliers: The Story of Success by Malcolm Gladwell is yet another superb showing from one of the last people who seemingly still uses his brain to come up with new insights these days. With Blink and The Tipping Point he zoomed way in ...READ»

The Accidental Guru

Malcolm Gladwell, says one fan, is "just a thinker." But what a thinker. His provocative ideas are taking the business world by storm. So who is this guy, and what can he teach you about business?READ»

The Six Best Things on the Web this Week

In case you spent your week "working," here's what you missed online: card-counting iPhones, Mac Mini spy-shots, Depression predictions, and two refreshing arguments against Malcolm Gladwell and intelligent design. Oh, and a sleep-walking dog, to keep things highbrow.READ»

The Truth About Successful People

We all know the secret to huge success. We read about it in books, see it in movies. Malcolm Gladwell sums it up in his new book, Outliers, "our hero is born in modest circumstances and by virtue of his own grit and talent fights his way to greatness." It's the story of pop and sports stars, wealthy entrepreneurs and CEOs. There's just one problem with seeing success this way--it's not true. It's not that talent and hard work won't help you get ahead, but rather success is a result of the product of many factors--a system if you like. Our culture, our parents, our friends, our environment, our attitudes, our values the lessons in life, all contribute to success.READ»

Why Does the Best Design of 2009 Still Look Like 2000?

The IDEA Awards are supposed to represent the most cutting-edge industrial design. So why do some of the winners feel like they're nine years old?READ»

• Valerie Casey's Networked Culture blog

Even Brilliant People Need The Right Opportunities

Entrepreneurs love to point to the success of "self-made" people like Bill Gates as proof that hard work, solid ideas and solid execution are the most important factors for success. But is that really true? Malcolm Gladwell, the ...READ»

Marketing: The Anti-Gladwell

The sticky-wars have arrived. Yesterday AdAge's Matthew Creamer introduced Duncan Watts, a Columbia University sociology professor from down under who's challenging The Tipping Point's Malcolm Gladwell to a battle at the mic. Armed ...READ»

Abraham Lincoln and the 10,000-Hour Rule

Thousands of hours of practice are required in order to become famous in any given field. This article applies this general principle to the career of Abraham Lincoln. READ»

Feedback

Letters. Updates. Advice.READ»

Fast Forward 2005: <span>1 - 6</span>

The future is something to get excited about again. Here's our look at the surprising people, ideas, and trends that will change how we work and live in 2005.READ»

Fast Company's Best Books of 2005

Forgive us for blowing past the new year before getting up what may be the last best of 2005 list you'll read, but we hope it's worth the wait. We were hibernating with a collection of 1950's advertising satires and lost track of ...READ»

The Maine Attraction

How do you know the difference between Pop!Tech and Amateur Night at the Apollo? At the Apollo, when a hot band comes on stage, members of the audience stand up and dance in the aisles. At Pop!Tech, when a hot band comes on stage, ...READ»