The Six Types of Social Power

For as long as humans have existed, we have attempted to influence, establish dominance, and exercise power over one another. As we have moved into the information age, as society has become more civilized, and the workplace is increasingly recognizing the intrinsic human rights we hold, the ways in which employers enforce power and employees…

Book Review #4 – How to Be Perfect by Michael Schur

Imagine this. You are the conductor of a train hurtling along at rapid speed. You are trying to make up for lost time and for some reason the radio is not working so you don’t have contact with your destination. It’s hot and humid and the horizon appears hazy. Squinting into the mirage, you get…

Say Yes to Opportunity, Figure the Rest Out Later

I can remember at least three pivotal moments where my life’s path faced a fork and I had to choose between the known and the unknown. The first was when I chose to remain at my high school in Queens despite being accepted to Stuyvesant High School in Manhattan, the second was when I opted…

Book Review #3: Think Again by Adam Grant

Last week I wrote a long post about my perspective on America’s epidemic of gun violence and then shortly afterwards, I had the opportunity to visit a gun range with some friends. I felt like it was my duty to challenge my assumptions about these weapons, to try to understand the passion people have of…

Book Review #1: Beginners by Tom Vanderbilt

Early in my residency, I remember the first time I saw a patient coding in the emergency department. I wanted to do something but I didn’t know where to start. I felt frozen in place while everyone raced around me. The techs transferred the patient from the stretcher to the bed and then attached pads…