Savvy self promotion

Sunday long reads

Business

It isn’t bragging, it is savvy self-promotion

Do you struggle to tout your own accomplishments? I know I’m constantly wrestling with that challenge. Bragging doesn’t come naturally (to me). And while boasting comes naturally to some, it has a tendency to create backlash. Self-deprecation is a loaded minefield too. So what can you do to be seen and be successful at work? Harvard Business School’s come up with a scientifically backed answer to the conundrum, and they call it savvy self promotion.
It includes suggestions like: 1) Share when you’re asked 2) Share when others are sharing 3) Find a promoter 4) Strike a balance 5) Celebrate the right way. Read more here.

Tech

Pet Influencer - yes it’s a thing!

Your family mutt is the most beautiful, smart, loving animal in the world! Well you think so anyway. You think his/her antics are so darn cute that they needs a whole dedicated Instagram/TikTok etc. page. But beyond your family and friends, how do you get the world to see what you see? And more importantly can you make your mutt earn his/her keep? (mine is definitely an insta Z-lister with barely a following! Insta handle @gaia_londondog, follow & help a mutt out!?)
One writer went on a quest to make her one-eyed rescue pup internet famous, and I’m taking inspiration from her valiant efforts, to try a little harder too. It seems it isn’t just the mutt’s job to work towards internet stardom. Read more here.

Science

How SARS-CoV-2 first adapted in humans

For the past 14 months we’ve been stuck in lockdowns, masks, or quarantines dealing with sickness and death. In the western world we now wait our turn in vaccination lines, while those in poorer countries struggle with hospital lines, dearth of hospitals and death.
The question we must ask is how much knowledge do we, as non-epidemiologists have about this strain of coronavirus? It has brought the world to a halt, but do we really understand how this strain promotes new human infections? I found this piece in the Science magazine hugely educational. Read more here.

Geopolitics

Understanding Israel & Palestine

It is impossible to say anything regarding the complex, and emotionally charged conflict without setting off a barrage of criticism from all sides. It is a C4 filled explosion just waiting to happen. The best way to understand the nuances of what is driving both sides, is a deep dive into some fabulously written accounts. Random House’s ‘ReadDown’ has helpfully drawn up a list to arm us with the history, and perspectives we need. I’m a book down, quite a few to go! Browse the list here.