Adam Grant's 5 'Thinking Styles' Reveal the Key to Effective Leadership and Professional Growth. Most Struggle to Get It Right’

Moving beyond the status quo requires getting people to open their minds to new ideas. Psychologist Adam Grant has been one of my go-to resources for several years now. His books Originals and Think Again are must reads for anyone looking to challenge their own thinking or help others to consider other perspectives. Adam recently tweeted an awesome graphic and thread summarizing 21 things he rethought in 2021, which this article summarizes. I highly recommend reading the article, reviewing Adam's tweet thread (and following him), reading his latest book Think Again, and then... challenge  think again! –Kevin

Seeing the Stars: Small Towns and Rural Parks Pursue Dark Sky Goals

In one of my former cities, we reviewed development applications with a careful eye on lighting that would be not only functional, but would also preserve the night sky - one of the most amazing natural features so often taken for granted. The International Dark-Sky Association has been working for thirty years to build a vast network of local advocates in cities around the globe. Places like Utah (with 27 certified dark sky places) and pockets of Texas (think Big Bend and Horseshoe Bay) are included in the many certified dark sky areas. Why should this matter to cities? In my mind, there are three major reasons. 1) Properly placed and appropriate types of lighting are actually significantly more effective than utilization of "one size fits all" low-cost lighting fixtures; 2) Dark sky tourism is a very real thing, especially when you consider that 99% of the public in the US and Europe don't have the ability to experience nighttime in its purest form; and, because it necessitates at least one overnight stay in a location, it can "triple the economic impact of each visiting party"; 3) Due to the rapid urbanization of America and the massive insufficiency of local ordinances to govern lighting, creating widespread light pollution, a preservationist's approach helps to retain a sense of place that heavily benefits small rural areas, who have the best shot at preserving those views and drawing attention to them. –AJ

Big Cars Are Killing Americans - The Atlantic

The subhead of this article sums it up very well: “The government can no longer allow the auto industry to treat walkers and bikers like collateral damage.” Cars, and passenger trucks more specifically are getting bigger. Importantly the front end of the vehicles continue to get higher and higher. Since the average height of a human has not increased at the same rate as these trucks it’s becoming impossible to see obstructions (read: people) at closer and closer ranges. This one is a quick and worthwhile read. As a small aside I came across the image below on a Reddit thread a little over a year ago and it’s stuck with me ever since. It seems apropos to this exact discussion. What you see is a pair of half-ton Toyota pickup trucks with a 40 year gap between them. – Marshall

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