Careers
Challenging the Culture of Competition
We’ve been led to believe competition helps us excel. But if we look at its evolutionary function, says Dr. Roland Persson, we see a much more complex picture.
A Winding Path to Artisanship An Interview with Pierre Miller of the Desiderata Pen Company
“Starting your own business is a lot of work. It should come as no surprise that ‘entrepreneurship’ is such a long word.” So says Pierre Miller, founder of the Desiderata Pen Company. In this interview, he shares the winding path that led him from his STEM degree to becoming an artisan and a small business owner, and how it required continual work at reintegration.
The Creative Intelligence Agency A Conversation with a CIA Creativity Instructor
The Central Intelligence Agency isn’t the sort of place that draws a lot of self-described “creative spirits.” But according to the 9/11 Commission, their presence is sorely needed. How can the CIA—and other highly convergent, formal bureaucracies—best make use of those employees who feel like square pegs in round holes?
The Confusing Life of Being Too Different
It’s fashionable to argue that it’s better to fight for something and die trying than to surrender and admit defeat. In this article, Roland Persson argues that while we believe this for a reason, it’s not because of objective knowledge of human behavior. So what’s an extremely gifted person to do? Persson offers some thoughts on the pursuit of happiness for those who are simply never going to fit in.