Review – The Dilbert Principle
Review / March 25, 2017

Review First of all, I am a huge Dilbert fan, although I have never read the comics at work, especially not during that dozy hour right after lunch.   Maybe you have heard of the Peter principle. People get promoted for being competent at their current position, so it is certain that everybody ends in a job they can no longer fill competently. The Dilbert principle is similar, but postulates an earlier reason for executive incompetence: incompetent people are rapidly transferred to positions where normal people do not have to see them every day and where they cannot touch anything dangerous – to management. Most management books are written by and for managers. There are good reasons for this, for example few non-managers have the required of free time and hubris to write a management book. But this also creates a bias which may be one reason why ridiculous company policies still thrive. The Dilbert Principle offers a different perspective, looking at management actions through the eyes of the office workers affected by them. Adams brings up diverse topics that determine (and sometimes plague) the daily grind in the cubicles, from consultants to employee motivation programmes. Each chapter gives an…

Review – Tools of Titans
Review / March 13, 2017

Review Success is a vague concept, that everybody has their own definition of. Sometimes it means having a lot of money, or being famous, or just being respected by other experts in your field. Tools of Titans is a collection of success stories of different people, focusing on the daily habits they attribute their achievements to. The author suggests you pick and mix the advice you like while ignoring the stuff you think is stupid (which was quite a lot for me). Tools of Titans is divided into three parts, Healthy, Wealthy and Wise, which is a good thing, because these are where people have problems. The assignment of “Titans” to these categories is rather arbitrary, however, as usually many topics are discussed. Let’s have a look at each category on its own: Healthy Here is the list of additives the author and his guests recommend on a regular basis (probably not exhaustive): gelatin, beet root powder, magnesium, calcium, powdered coconut oil, branched-chain amino acids, butyric acid esters and several other ketones (disgusting stuff), metformin (a diabetes drug), lithium (an antidepressant), and psychedelic drugs like LSD or ibogaine. Feeling healthy already? Then add extended fasting, ketogenic diet (usually a medical…