I've been reading the book Outliers by Malcom Gladwell and was struck by his descriptions on how the Matthew Effect (the rich get richer and the poor get poorer) is effecting our changes of success.
He unveils the important role 'relative age' plays in the lives and careers of successful people. And It's all about the system we use to find and select our biggest talents.
This first example used in the book makes this very clear:
In Canada young ice hockey players with talent are selected when they are 9 years old (not 10) for the all-starteams. The selections take place every year, at the beginning of the year. This simply means that if you are born in January your in luck. By the time the selection takes place, you are almost 10 years old. In your development you are way ahead of the kids born in December. Consequently they are selected and will enter special programs and receive extra training to further develop their talents. As a result most successful Ice Hockey players in Canada are born in January, February an March. This is a fact.
The way almost all countries select their talents in sports and education is basically the same. And as a result there are a lot of talented people left behind.
It makes you think. Why didn't anyone notice this before....?
Read the book (besides the Matthew Effect he describes some other worthwhile ideas.)
More on Outliers...
skip to main |
skip to sidebar
A blog from Strategic Design Agency DesignThinkers
DesignThinkers is a strategic design agency specialized in business, service and social innovation/ transformation.
DesignThinkers is a strategic design agency specialized in business, service and social innovation/ transformation.
- Arne van Oosterom
- Owner and Strategic Design Director at DesignThinkers, lecturer and chairman of the Service Design Network Netherlands (Service Design Netwerk Nederland).
I'm collecting service testimonials
DesignThinkers QR-code
Join The International Service Design Network on LinkedIn
Service Design professionals and supporters are gathering on LinkedIn. Our aim it is to develop, professionalize and promote the relative new field of expertise called Service Design (and related subjects).
The network will soon grow up to be an influential platform. Are you interested in being part of it? Just follow this link...
The network will soon grow up to be an influential platform. Are you interested in being part of it? Just follow this link...
Blog Archive
-
▼
2009
(72)
-
▼
March
(10)
- How Kevin Bacon Cured Cancer
- DesignThinkers at the Academy of Design, Finland
- Design Ignites Change
- New World of Work
- What The *#&! Is Social Design
- Matthew effect
- Core Principles
- Charles Ogilvie Talks About Service Innovation
- Public Service Design
- DesignThinkers at the Design Management Institute ...
-
▼
March
(10)
Labels
- Service Stories
- service design
- designthinkers
- service revolution
- service-economy
- branding
- co-production
- communications service revolution
- costumer-journeys
- design thinking
- empowerment
- marketing
- service-ecology
- Alex Nisbett
- BODW
- Bill Moggridge
- Business of Design Week
- Engine
- International Service Design Network.
- Kuopio Academy
- co-ownership
- costumer-journey
- customer service
- designthinker
- european tender
- international network
- mobile banking
- mobile monday
- momo
- relationship-building
- service economy
- service industry
- service innovation
- service-delivery-blueprints
- summer school
- target audience
- target groups
- theory
- third industrial rvolution
- touch-points
Labels
- Alex Nisbett
- Bill Moggridge
- BODW
- branding
- Business of Design Week
- co-ownership
- co-production
- communications service revolution
- costumer-journey
- costumer-journeys
- customer service
- design thinking
- designthinker
- designthinkers
- empowerment
- Engine
- european tender
- international network
- International Service Design Network.
- Kuopio Academy
- marketing
- mobile banking
- mobile monday
- momo
- relationship-building
- service design
- service economy
- service industry
- service innovation
- service revolution
- Service Stories
- service-delivery-blueprints
- service-ecology
- service-economy
- summer school
- target audience
- target groups
- theory
- third industrial rvolution
- touch-points
2 comments:
If I may pose a question/thought; what about design, and particularly product innovation? As an engineering student the trend of success in the more mature students suggested by the Matthew Effect is readily apparent. However, as my interests being in a more design-centered practice, what personality "characteristic" (stemming from an age, region, sex, background, etc.) would contribute to one's creativity? Or perhaps not their creativity, but one's ability to "innovate"? This question stems from a recent interview I sat in on with a true medical device innovator, Dr. Thomas Fogarty, and it was clear that he falls into this category of "outlier".
Regardless of the answers, if even any can be made, this is all very interesting, thank you for the posts. Planning to get out and pick up my own copy... cheers!
This is really interesting I'd like to read this book because I think that good, this is based on attitude because I can become richer if I have the courage to do it.
Post a Comment