Speakeasy conversation about strategy, competition, economics, history, and policy from two non-experts.
The episodes include some actual economic Game Theory such as the Prisoner's Dilemma, the Traveler's Dilemma, and the Public Good game. Episodes also include conversations on dilemmas in TV/Movies, sports, and board/card games, as well as the history of military, intelligence (spies), politics, and economics.
The objective is simply to think critically about how people make strategic choices regarding the world around them and most importantly, about the people around them.
119. Is Being Too Efficient At Your Job Bad? And How to Have Health Work Habits
Summary
In this episode, Nick and Chris discuss the efficiency paradox, where being good at your job can actually hinder your chances of getting promoted. They share examples from various industries, including eye surgery and software engineering, where employees who excel at their work are often rewarded with more work instead of promotions or recognition.
They emphasize the importance of not making yourself irreplaceable and creating a single point of failure. The episode also touches on the concept of setting expectations and managing perceptions to advance in your career.
In this conversation, Nick and Chris discuss the importance of finding the right balance between maximum effort and minimal effort in the workplace. They explore the concept of the 85% rule, which suggests that putting in 85% effort consistently can lead to better results and prevent burnout.
They also touch on the significance of soft skills and building a good relationship with your boss. The conversation concludes with a discussion on the value of preparation and how it can impact performance in various fields, such as blind wine tasting and chess.
Chapters:
00:00 Introduction and Breaking News
03:02 The Efficiency Paradox: Being Good at Your Job vs. Getting Promoted
09:57 The Chase Money Glitch and Other Examples
13:59 Office Space and The Office: Depicting Workplace Realities
19:07 The Importance of Setting Expectations and Managing Perceptions
23:02 Avoiding the Single Point of Failure and Advancing in Your Career
26:12 Recommendations for Getting Promoted
26:49 Introduction: From Wine to Hawaiian and Viticulture
27:36 Promotion and Replacing Employees
28:13 The Benefits of Working for a Large Corporation
29:23 The Greatest Walmart and Subway Stories
31:23 The Importance of Bosses and Recognition
32:22 The 85% Rule: Finding the Balance in Workplace Effort
36:19 Soft Skills and Building Relationships with Your Boss
38:22 The Value of Preparation in Performance
43:41 Achieving Success with 85% Effort
53:53 Conclusion: Episode Titles and Arrays
29 Aug 2024
118. Shrinkflation; Skimpflation & The Downfall of Subway
At a glance:
Takeaways
Shrinkflation is the process of products decreasing in size or quality while maintaining the same price.
Examples of shrinkflation include smaller food packages and thinner burger patties.
Ben and Jerry's faced tax issues in Canada due to downsizing their ice cream pints.
Skimpflation refers to a decrease in product quality for the same price.
Shrinkflation impacts consumer experiences and the economy. Shrinkflation and skimflation are common practices where companies reduce the size or quality of products while maintaining the same price.
Examples include Ben & Jerry's reducing ice cream container sizes and Chipotle decreasing portion sizes.
Measuring skimflation can be challenging, as it often involves changes in product quality that are not easily quantifiable.
Companies like McDonald's and Subway are facing declining sales and customer frustration due to high prices and lack of value.
Businesses should focus on providing quality products at affordable prices to meet customer expectations and drive sales.
In this episode, we explore the concept of shrinkflation, where products decrease in size or quality while maintaining the same price. They provide examples of shrinkflation, such as smaller food packages and thinner burger patties. The hosts also mention Ben and Jerry's involvement in shrinkflation and how it led to tax issues in Canada.
They touch on the related concept of skimpflation, where the quality of a product decreases for the same price. Overall, the conversation highlights the impact of shrinkflation on consumer experiences and the economy. The conversation explores the concepts of shrinkflation and skimflation, which refer to the practice of reducing the size or quality of products while maintaining the same price.
Examples are given, such as Ben & Jerry's reducing the size of their ice cream containers and Chipotle decreasing the portion sizes of their meals.
The discussion also touches on the challenges of measuring skimflation and the impact it has on consumers. McDonald's and Subway are highlighted as examples of companies facing declining sales and customer frustration due to high prices and lack of value. The conversation concludes with the importance of businesses focusing on providing quality products at affordable prices.
Chapters:
00:00 Introduction and Casual Chat
02:57 The Decline of Dating Apps
11:16 Introduction to Shrinkflation
17:30 Examples of Shrinkflation
21:44 Ben and Jerry's Involvement in Shrinkflation
24:22 Skimpflation: Decrease in Quality
25:01 Impact of Shrinkflation on Consumers and the Economy
31:38 Examples of Shrinkflation and Skimflation
36:32 Challenges in Measuring Skimflation
39:42 Impact of Shrinkflation and Skimflation on Consumers
45:07 Struggles of McDonald's and Subway
48:25 The Importance of Providing Value to Customers
1 Aug 2024
117. Black Swans - What Are They? What Do They Mean? Can You Prepare for Them?
In this episode, Nick and Chris discuss black swan events, which are rare and unpredictable events with significant consequences.
They explore the criteria for a black swan event and provide examples such as the 2008 financial crisis and the 9/11 terrorist attacks. They also discuss the predictability of these events and the impact they have on society and the global order.
The conversation explores the concept of black swan events and their impact on history and society. It discusses various examples of black swan events, including the South Sudan basketball team playing the wrong national anthem, the 9/11 terrorist attacks, and the COVID-19 pandemic.
The conversation also touches on the US intelligence community's Global Trends reports, which predict future trends and potential black swan events. It concludes with a discussion on the limitations of predicting and preparing for black swan events.
Chapters
00:00 Introduction and Multilingual Podcast
01:17 Marvel Casting Robert Downey Jr.: A Cry for Help?
06:16 The Concept of Black Swan Events
14:09 Examples of Black Swan Events: 2008 Financial Crisis
19:00 Nassim Nicholas Taleb's Definition of Black Swan Events
23:45 9/11: A Black Swan Event
28:03 Introduction to Black Swan Events
29:58 Examples of Black Swan Events
36:29 The Role of US Intelligence in Predicting Black Swan Events
45:19 Geomagnetic Storms and Other Potential Black Swan Events
47:42 The Consequences of US Disengagement
Reach and audience
Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.
Apple Podcasts (US)
4.4 / 5
37 ratings
Spotify
4.4 / 5
79 ratings
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