Keys to Success -

A recent article featuring the Maestro: From Quartz - Malcolm Gladwell on the key to success: don’t be afraid to look like a fool

• Keys - capability, desire, passion.
• It is healthy to have winners and losers - for kids.
• Why the 10,000 hour rule for mastery isn't about sports, it is about mastery of complex cognitive tasks.

Malcolm Gladwell Interviewed by Michael Lewis

The two best writers of their genre.

The interview by Michael Lewis of Malcolm Gladwell is one of the most intimate and personal that you will see of any of Gladwell's public appearances. I've watched many, many, many of them (New Yorker, Google, conferences) on YouTube and this one is by far the best.

How a paperwork snafu allowed Gladwell not to be deported from the United States back to Canada.

Gladwell reflects on his experience working on a Reverend Moon publication with his rendition the Police song - "Walking on the Moon"
 
Despite his success, Gladwell never will be mistaken for an American. He is very much Canadian and espouses Canadian virtues.

His journey to becoming a writer started with the creation of Wexford Harding, intramural football coach, who commuted from Alabama to the University of Toronto.

 How he was forced to be a right winger because other forms of rebellion were cut off, for a variety of reasons. His mother sounds incredibly wise.

On his drive to Washington DC from Indiana after believing he blew his chance to make it in America, his insight that the lyrics to the Foreigner song - "I Want to Know What Love Is" is a decent psychological test when making the statements into questions.


The interview by Gladwell of Michael Lewis is just as good. Gladwell's introduction of Lewis is exceptional. Gladwell explains his testimonial for Lewis' newest book, Flash Boys. Lewis' book Moneyball was fantastic and something I think about when doing my day job of making health care better.


My absolute favorite Gladwell books are below.

Does one of the most influencial thought leaders need a fan page?

I think so.

Sure Malcolm Gladwell has his own website and a wikipedia page. Even his initial blog, which sadly, but perhaps understandably hasn't been kept up to date since 2010.

Now, I've been a fan of his work since listening to him speak for the first time at a patient safety conference in San Francisco in 2005 with fellow New Yorker writer Atul Gawande. Prior to that discussion, I had no idea who either man was. After that conference, I read all of their books and continue to follow their commentary closely.

Both have had a profound influence on my thinking.

With Gladwell, I've been reviewing many of his interviews, commentary, and articles, particularly those which relate to health care and many which do not.

From my blog -

• Why Doctors Should Read Gladwell's David and Goliath. Can a David Fix Health Care?
• Malcolm Gladwell and David Goldhill Interview on Health Care - Disappointing, Dangerous, and Frightening.
• Why Nurse Practitioners Should Not Do Primary Care Without Physician Oversight
• Would Doctors Pick a Better Health Care System If They Saw It?
• Is Making Primary Care More Professionally Satisfying as Simple as Lowering Panel Size?
• Doctors, Patients, Insurers - Who Will Shape Health Care?

And also some great pieces including from Forbes and my colleague Robert Pearl, MD.

• Tell People What It Is Really Like to be a Doctor
• Malcolm Gladwell On American Health Care: An Interview

And some very interesting and insightful talks / interviews including:
Malcolm Gladwell on Criticism, Tolerance, and Changing Your Mind via BrainPickings

and the lecture he alludes to at UPenn (my alma mater) is here
Other great videos / lectures include:

 2014 Seagram Lecture
Talks at Google - SapientNitro iEx2012 Keynote Speech Tokens, Pariahs, and Pioneers - New Yorker Festival (and in Q&A how awesome, Canada is, eh!) With fellow Canadian - on George Stroumboulopoulos Tonight - Extended Interview

What is your favorite Gladwell video or piece?

Happy Belated Canada Day from one Canadian to another!