The Tipping Point - Malcolm Gladwell

If you have a brilliant idea and have no clue how to sell it. You ought to read this.

In fact everybody ought to read this book, as it certainly does manage to explain certain epidemics/ideas which would otherwise leave us thinking "it worked somehow".

Orkut clicked!!!!! But so many others, some probably with many more features, did not. Why???
ICQ!!! Skype!! Google!!! .. and so many more... How did they click??? The book doesnt explain it, but i guess it'll atleast enable you to list down a few reasons for each of these :)

A lot of thought and research has gone into this book. The author has taken solid examples of ideas which have tipped over and spread like epidemics, many of which we have been witness to and can very well relate to. He has derived from these a very well defined set of factors that result in an idea tipping over to become an epidemic.

According to him no change is gradual. A change always happens in one dramatic moment and could be triggered or incentivised by the tiniest of events.
This moment when everything changes dramatically is what he calls the 'Tipping Point'.

The book defines three rules of epidemics : The law of the few, the Stickiness Factor, the power of context.

The law of the few states that the success of any new project depends on the special set of people with some rare social skills. He has caategorised these special set of people into three groups : Connectors, Mavens and Salesmen. He explains these beautifully by calling Mavens the "Data Banks" who provide the message of an epidemic or idea. The Connectors are the "Social glue" that spread it. And the Salesmen persuade those who are still unconvinced.

While explaining these he has explained a few concepts which we probably embrace on a daily basis like : the six degrees of separation (number of links in orkut between any 2 people), the strength of weak ties ( a brilliant concept in itself ), the concept of motor mimicry which says "Emotion goes outside in" as in if you smile you will be happy.. :).


In the ad world it is said a person has to see an ad atleast 6 times before he remembers it. Can we make this message stick in subtler easier ways?

Stickiness - Its a concept thats a little tricky to explain. The book has gone to great lengths to explain the idea by taking the example of a popular childrens educational program called Sesame Street and Blue's Clues.


A few interesting theories come your way again like the principle of mutual exlusivity in childrens thought processes and James Earl Jones Effect which is the idea of learning through repetition.

In explaining the power of context, the third law of epidemics, he explains that a person is influenced more by his immediate surroundings than his actual background or pedigree.
Character he says is more like a bundle of habits, tendencies and interests, loosely coupled and dependant at times on the circumstances and context. So it is important he says, to perceive everything keeping in mind the circumstances in which they happened.

We inherently have the habit of assuming people's fundamental characteristics or traits to hold true under all circumstances. he calles this the Fundamental Attribution Error(FAE).
Interestingly he too brings up the Broken Window theory, to explain the reduction of crime in new york. This was also mentioned in the book Freakonomics to explain the same scenario.

The spread of an idea also depends on the skillful use of group power.
Interesting concepts here also include the rule of 150 and the channel concept.

A few case studies ensure the point is driven home.

Freakonomics : Steven D Levitt & Stephen J Dubner

This book is certainly very different in many ways. Just as it promises, it has no unifying theme or "Big Idea". But what Levitt has managed to do, is to direct you to think a little differently. Look at everything from a different perspective.

One thing thats available in plenty today is information. In fact we are overloaded with information that we just cannot assimilate. But ofcourse, we do have experts who can digest this information and present their viewpoint, saving us the trouble of having to process that information.

We have as a result, experts in every field, who control and define what comes to be known as "conventional wisdom" in any field.
And conventional wisdom is usually simple, convenient and comforting, because it makes sense for it to be so. Probably because it makes more sense for the experts.


By asking simple questions like how are school teachers similar to sumo wrestlers? or What is the link between Ku Klux Clan and real estate agents? or why drug dealers live with their mom?, and analyzing them using available data to arrive at simple conclusions, it will certainly set you thinking.
The book beautifully reverse engineers these questions to arrive at answers that will then seem obvious.

The book will certainly not make you an expert on the ku klux clan or sumo wrestlers or real estate agents.
But you will certainly be a lot more circumspect about "conventional wisdom" and probably start looking behind the scenes to catch what does not otherwise meet the eye.

And lots of little trivia too, like the Yakuza - the japanese mafia, the makuchchi and juryo divisions of Sumo, Mr Ayak and Akai, how crack cocaine is made :) , how Du Pont introduced Nylon stockings to list a few...

Love is the Killer App : Tim Sanders

In what turned out to be a wonderful book, Tim Sanders introduces the concept of "Business Love" and the lovecat way of life.

Its a simple, practical book that will help you conciously practice what you may already know.

We are no longer in a world where information is best used when kept to yourself. He introduces you to the lovecat who shares his knowledge, shows compassion and builds his network to stay ahead in life. He defines love as the selfless promotion of the growth of others.

While we may all know or be aware of many of these things, the book also tells you how you can practice it.

So what are the benefits of a Lovecat's way of life?

a) You build a brand for yourself : In a world where you are respected, valued and rewarded for your knowledge and not by the years of experience you hold, building a brand for yourself is very important.

You can do this by building on your DREAM :
D - Differentiate : be different in a positive and productive manner and offer your intangibles..
R - Relevant : Be relevant to people in their daily life
E - Esteem : offer everything you have expecting nothing in return.
A - Awareness : Create an awareness of a brand called U. Good news always travels fast.
M : Mind's eye : have a distinctive brand in the minds eye of our bizmates


b) Create an experience : We are moving from a service economy to the experience economy and that applies to us as a brand too.
c)Access to peoples attention
d) Harness the power of positive presumption

Its a must read for any of you who wish to take a step forward from wherever you are. An inspiring and refreshing read.