Personal Traits

These messages focus on the ways we (and others) see us as individuals, both in our personal and professional lives.

    • Detecting Phony Information

      Carl Sagan, although best known for his popular explanations of space, was also noted for a common-sense approach to critical thinking. Throughout his career, he tried to balance skepticism and openness to new ideas. His efforts were not limited to science, and he...

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    • Then and Now

      Stashu was born in Donora Pennsylvania in 1920. He was the 5th child and first boy born to his parents. His father was a Polish immigrant, and his mother was a first-generation American. His father struggled to keep a job largely because of his alcohol use and anger...

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    • Routines

      Sandra was a person who lived by routines. Her morning work preparation followed the same pattern. Her colleagues made fun of her because she wore the same outfit each day of the week. Mondays were blue, Tuesdays were brown, and each day had its own color and...

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    • Giving Credit Episode B

      Mileva Marić was born in Serbia in 1875. Her family was wealthy, and her father was able to gain entrance for her at a technical institute which normally did not admit women. She hoped to become a teacher of physics and mathematics. She wasn’t well received by either...

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    • Believing in Yourself

      Werner Forssmann was born in Germany in 1904. He was admitted to medical practice at the age of 25. He got a job as a cardiologist at a small hospital in Germany. It was from his early experiences in treating heart patients that he developed a medical procedure that...

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    • Lessons from a Plow Horse

      Connor had begun to doubt herself. The past several months had destroyed what she had thought would be her future. A long-term relationship had ended with bitterness and regret. Her job performance was suffering. She had always been good at setting priorities and...

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    • Not Age

      John Goodenough was born in 1922 to American parents living in Germany at the time. He came from an academic family. His father and all of his siblings had careers in academia as did John. John received a Bachelor’s degree from the University of Chicago. His academic...

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    • Combinatory Play

      Susan Pointer was concerned with the blandness of her students’ ideas for her class on New Ways of Thinking. Unfortunately, students seemed to lack the traits to be creative. The advent of AI (artificial intelligence), or abetting ignorance as she called it, made the...

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    • Intrapersonal Intelligence

      Dottie Reynolds, CEO and founder of D Reynolds, Inc. was increasingly concerned about her company’s recruiting practices. The recent hires they had made were strong on interpersonal skills, but the company was missing the introspective thinkers it needed for advancing...

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    • Decency

      Joseph Welch was born in Iowa in 1890 as the seventh child of English immigrant parents. He was very bright and was a member of Phi Beta Kappa at Grinnell College. His GPA at Harvard Law School was the second highest in his class. After a short stint in the U.S. Army,...

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