So it has come to this. I am now officially a blogger!
I’m not sure where this will take me but I suspect it will be fun and stimulating. I’ll start off in a simple way. My basic content will be the columns I write for Journal Metro in Montreal. They are usually inspired by observations and experiences from my own life or the lives of my clients. They are published in French and are translated from the original English ones, which I will post when they are written (every two weeks).
I suspect the columns will result in some comments which, if I know myself, will push me to add more content. I can’t help providing an opinion on just about any subject (not always my best quality, I might add)!
In addition to the regular columns, I will also include the occasional article published in other papers and magazines.
A final source of inspiration will be the local papers which habitually publish articles on mental health, usually a single study which is far too premature to mean anything but which certainly sparks interest.
The posts below are the three most recent columns published in Metro. The one on experience is self-explanatory. I think about the value of experience every time we look to hire anyone in life, be it a tutor for our kids, or a roofer, or a surgeon. My argument is that experience is a double-edged sword – potentially invaluable and potentially dangerous.
The article on hindsight was inspired by a real case, which I describe in the first paragraph. I think many people kick themselves for having made what turned out to be bad choices. In the article I do not offer a solution (many psychological processes are normal). I simply hope that the perspective it provides will help us accept such choices a little more easily.
The following is the last column I wrote before my vacation. It is on loyalty and trust and was published on July 27, 2007. It was inspired in part by an article Shankar Vedantam in the Washington Post. In it he compares King Lear and George Bush. His argument is that some powerful men have a tendency to surround themselves by yesmen by accusing critics of disloyalty.
Through my own experiences and those of my clients over the years, I have seen the effects of many different management styles. It seems there are many types of support staff; nay-sayers, yesmen, and critical thinkers. The best results are always seen when critical thinkers are not confused with nay-sayers.
Tagged as communication.
Posted in Human nature.
Posted on 22 Aug 2007
