Author Archives: Michael Katz

Different Rules, Different Tools

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Have you traveled internationally much? I’ve done a little bit. One thing I’ve noticed is that no matter where you go, when you meet someone whose first language is not English, and no matter how technically fluent they may be, they almost always speak with an accent. And, of course, it’s not just any accent. Italians speak with an Italian accent. Germans speak with a German accent. Costa Ricans speak with a Costa Rican accent. So here’s my question for you: How do they know? How does each person, from […] Click to read more…

The Curse of Knowledge

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I was in Croatia and Slovenia last week, celebrating my 30th wedding anniversary. I have no idea where my wife decided to go. I’m kidding; we were there together. Both are beautiful countries with nice people, quality beer, and lots of silent consonants. We had a terrific time. When we arrived in Slovenia’s capital, Ljubljana (pronounced: “Las Vegas”), we had to check into our Airbnb. This was more difficult than anticipated. The problem was that while the apartment owner had emailed step-by-step instructions regarding how to find the lockbox, get the key, […] Click to read more…

Simply *Not* the Best

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Have you ever heard of a man named Braxton Key? Let me give you a hint: He’s a professional basketball player. Still not ringing a bell? Don’t feel bad. I had never heard of him either until I did some Googling (who says I don’t do research?). That’s because, among those who play in the National Basketball Association, Braxton Key stands out, skill-wise, for just one reason: He is arguably the worst player in the league. He plays for the Detroit Pistons – the team with the worst record this past season – and […] Click to read more…

Why Newsletters Fail

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Maybe you’ve noticed … here in America, we’ve got two distinct types of holidays. First, you’ve got your “A-list’ celebrations. Things like Labor Day, New Years, 4th of July, and Thanksgiving. Among their fellow commemorative events, these are the heavyweights, the celebrities. If there were a People Magazine of Holidays (not that I am suggesting this), you’d see New Year’s Day on the cover frequently, looking thin and pale while entering a rehab facility in Arizona. Next, and much lower in the pecking order, are the auxiliary holidays. These are the ones – […] Click to read more…

The Time Is Now

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I don’t read many “standard” business books. As a one-man band with no interest in expanding, books about CEO excellence, leadership strategy, hiring, firing, motivating others …  little of it applies in my world. Plus, between you and me, I find those topics kind of dull. Instead, I like and read a lot of social psychology-ish books: Different, Nudge, The Paradox of Choice, Made to Stick. And while they aren’t intended to be business books, they are very much about how people think, behave, and make decisions. Which, if you boil it all down, is […] Click to read more…