5/7/21 Recommended Issues: Antipatterns, Challenger Safety, Universal Creative Income

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Each week we handpick newsletter issues by independent writers you may have missed that provide new or unique perspectives. 

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Here's what's worth reading this week...enjoy!

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CHALLENGER SAFETY

Bill Gates and Psychological Safety in The Daily Coach on May 3 

While clearly none of us is Bill Gates, wielding an unfathomable amount of power and knowledge and intellect, it’s interesting to think about how he actively works to create a “safe” environment for people he’s meeting so that he’ll actually get the best out of them and they won’t just sit there mutely, thinking it’s better to say nothing than to say the wrong thing. This short issue discusses four different types of workplace “safety” (1. Inclusion, 2. Learner, 3. Contributor, 4. Challenger), which, it seems like if you’re a manager, or work cross-functionally with people less senior than you, it’s worth the reminder to think about them. Most office places (and HR departments) seem to focus on 1, 2, and 3...but as a leader, to help get to the best outcomes, it seems like a good opportunity to make sure you’re creating a successful environment for Challenger Safety too. (446 words; 1.5 minutes ) Read it...

ANTIPATTERNS

The Antipattern Edition in Why is this interesting? by Noah Brier on Apr 30  

In this issue, Noah describes the benefits of patterns (briefly, in the context of software development and user experience) -- but then delves into the idea of antipatterns (they’re “just like a pattern, except that instead of a solution it gives something that looks superficially like a solution but isn't one.”) in organizations. You’re likely familiar with some of them (either by name or by resonant experience), but they’re a great reminder of what to look for in your own company that might be slowing you down / mucking things up-- or what to try to observe in companies you might be interviewing with that would affect you once you get there. Noah also delivers a memorable story about the “bicycle shed” antipattern, which, guaranteed, you’ll find an excuse to retell either at work or at home, as it’s pretty easy to imagine falling into that trap and then identifying it happened… (897 words; 3.25 minutes) Read it...

UNIVERSAL CREATIVE INCOME

 The Case for Universal Creative Income in Li’s Newsletter on April 21 

This issue, about how a Universal Creative Income could work in the US and why it would be a net benefit to “creatives”, businesses, and society as a whole, is pretty fascinating. Li argues it could be pulled off by private companies rather than the government, and does cover some of the risks/downsides as well. You may or may not agree with her ideas, but no matter what, it’ll make you ponder something you probably hadn’t previously (both the concept of UCI AND that it could maybe be done privately (!?) ) and it will be an interesting conversation topic with some friends over beers. (3427 words; 12.5 minutes) Read it...

Learnings from newsletters this week:

• Cooks, packaging/filling machine operators, miscellaneous agriculture workers, bakers, and construction laborers had the greatest risk of death in California during the pandemic. (A list of top 25 professions is in the issue). Hell World May 5

• For ER visits for kids who non-fatally choke on food, the largest culprit is candy; hard candy (15%) and other candy (13%). For kids 0-4, fruits and vegetables account for the largest share. For fatalities, the top three causes are hot togs, candy, and grapes. Moral of the story: cut the grapes and hotdogs well-- and don't give kids candy :) Parent Data May 3  

• In the European Economic Review, a group of European economists found that “a one percentage point increase in the capital gains tax rate reduces acquisition activity by around 1% annually.” It will be interesting to see if the current administration's plans for increased capital gains taxes follows the predictions and causes a reduction in acquisitions... BIG Apr 29

• The top 1% of Americans now hold 30.4% of all household wealth. Li's Newsletter Apr 21

• Someone whose family has an income of $100,000 is twice as likely to become an artist, actor, musician, or author than someone from a family with $50,000 income. And if you come from a household with an annual income of $1 million, you're 10 times more likely to become an artist than those from families with a $100,000 income. Not starving artist? Li's Newsletter Apr 21

• Every month since February 1985 has been warmer than the 20th-century average. The Cosmopolitan Globalist May 3

• The Orkney Islands (off of the northern coast of the UK) are about to get a floating tidal turbine! It'll connect to their local electricity grid and help power the local communities. +1 for clean and sustainable energy! Sentiers May 2

• Researchers think that Tyrannosaurs likely hunted in packs...roar, double roar! Sentiers Apr 25

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Best,
~Jessica