I don’t usually cover politics. I prefer to write about people and things that change the culture. Spring means commencement speeches, and often politicians pop up to give them, including Vice President Mike Pence. I love following college graduations because they offer a rare snap shot into what’s trending as...
Culture
You Think You’re Self-Aware? Why Personas Are A Bigger Deal
These days, the concept of the persona is very real. Personas offer building blocks toward becoming a more whole person–as long as you know what they can, and can’t, do for you. The viral wonder boy band BTS (Bangtan Sonyeondan) recently kicked off a new album cycle for Map of the Soul:...
Envisioning a Way Forward—Trend Report 2019
Every year, I bury myself. Not literally. I burrow into consumer data and devour breaking research and corporate forecasts. I interview experts and focus group moderators. My desktop is a jumble of notes and Post-Its. But there’s a method to the madness. Tracking the tremors before they turn into trends...
The Inner Life of Trends: Meaning, Motivation and What’s Morphing in 2019
Since moving to the woods last year, I’ve picked up a mild obsession: Looking up words I can re-purpose to describe 21st-century situations. This has become an important part of my work as a hunter of social phenomena. I want to associate new trends with an existing word — awesomize,...
2019 Resolution: Break Free from the Work/Life Paradox Part 2
To make the most of everyday life in 2019, I want to focus on the nexus of work and wellbeing. I’m talking about work/life integration, not work/life balance. Rather than seeking balance, which is nearly impossible for us mere mortals, I’d like to argue that it’s better to seek integration...
2019 Resolution: Break Free from the Work/Life Paradox Part 1
Wow, 2018 was a year of countless unforeseen changes. You too? Rising to each challenge proved to be wearing. I burnt out. What to do? Because the amount of complexity in our lives is not subsiding. The research reveals that failure to cope, if not adapt, will make us very...
What a Dominatrix Can Teach You about Love
While researching the #MeToo phenomenon, I discovered Kasia Urbaniak, a former Dominatrix. She was once paid $64,000 for a 10-minute session, a handsome fee that went toward her college tuition. Today, she teaches women-empowerment classes in New York. Her classes sell out. Soon she’ll be taking her training online including...
Trend Watch: The hidden story behind the wild popularity of the Handmaid’s Tale
Month after month, Amazon rated Margaret Atwood’s Handmaid’s Tale in its top 10 most-purchased novels during 2017. Hulu’s gripping adaptation was a runaway hit generating countless blog posts. What does it mean? The tsunami of social media surrounding the women of Gilead, the dark dystopian society where the Handmaid’s Tale...
New Research: How Robust Cultures Get That Way
These days, teams work in far-flung places and communicate electronically more than in person. What is the glue that holds teams together? For years, it seemed as though business leaders would strive to build great work cultures, but still fall short. At a corporate strategy session I recently facilitated, the...