Ever do something because you thought it would look good on your rsum? You may have taken a job because you wanted to work at a specific company. Perhaps you agreed to serve on the board of a charitable organization or signed up for a class or pursued a certification.While experience is essential, dont underestimate the impact building relationships can have on your career.Im not saying that rsums dont have a place and a seat at the table, but theyre in the cheaper seatsmore than people have been led to believe, says Thom Mayer, author of Leadership Is WorthlessBut Leading is Priceless: What I Learned from 9/11, the NFL, and Ukraine. Its the relationships that matter.Every Relationship MattersRsums may provide someones background, but they dont reveal the person behind the titles. You can only understand someones character by having a relationship with them. As NFL Players Association medical director, Mayer visits team training camps. He refers to a sign in the Denver Broncos locker room that says,You can easily judge the character of a man by how he treats those who can do nothing for him.You cannot get out of that locker room without passing through there, says Mayer. The quote came from German philosopher Wolfgang Goethe. Coach Gary Kubiak, who was [Broncos] head coach, hung it because it was something his dad used to tell him.The quote underscores an important element of relationships: There is no unimportant member of a team, and anyone you come into contact with deserves your attention. This is a philosophy Mayer has held since he was a student and football player in college. Originally a theology major, he switched to pre-med after an advisor suggested that he could have a more significant impact as a doctor instead of a theologian. However, Mayer began to doubt the decision during his first Chemistry 101 test. Not knowing the answers, he filled the boxes with the pattern ABCDE, EDCBA, back and forth.A bonus question at the end of the test said, If you get this question right, you get an A on this test, no matter how well you did on the first 100 questions. The question was, What is the name of the man who cleans this room every night so you can have a great place to learn? Mayer approached the professor and asked, Do you want his first or last name?He was stunned and said, If you can give me his first name and his last name, Ill not only give you an A in this test, Ill give you an A in this course, as long as you show up and work hard, says Mayer. I said, What if I can give his wifes name and the names and ages of his six children? He stood up and he said, Thom, if you can do that, Ill not only give you an A in this course, Ill give you an A in every chemistry course you take, as long as you show up and work hard.Mayer had gotten to know the janitor, Roosevelt Richmond, because he could only get to the chemistry lab after football practice when Richmond started his shift. When people ask, How did you become a doctor? I worked hard, but I became a doctor because I built relationships, he says.When Mayer interviews someone for a job, he asks two questions: What is the nurses facial expression when they see your name on the schedule? What is the name of the Environmental Services person in charge of your emergency departments?If they cant handle both of those questions, then I dont want them taking care of me or my family when they desperately need it, he says.Relationships Build TrustRelationships also open doors. For example, Mayer says he wasnt chosen to become the first medical director for the NFL Players Association because he was an accomplished ER doctor. Mayer got the call because of his relationship with Gene Upshaw, then executive director for the NFLPA. He called Mayer after Korey Stringer, an offensive tackle for the Vikings, died of heat stroke during practice in 2001.He said, Doc, youve got to step up to the plate and become our medical director, says Mayer. Theyd never had one before. Gene didnt call me because of my rsum. He could have pulled up a bunch of doctors and looked at their rsums. [Upshaw] called me because we were best friendsbecause his youngest and my youngest were best friends. He called me because he trusted me.Relationships begin with everyday actions. Its as simple as greeting people you encounter. Relationships are also cultivated with positive dialogue. For example, instead of walking up to a teammate or employee and saying, Hey, did you get that assignment done? Mayer recommends saying, Hey, how are you doing? Anything I can do to help you?At the end of the day, relationships impact the opportunities youre offered, the help you get at work, and the way youre treated by those around you.See how long somebody wants to stay in an environment when its all transactional and not about the person behind the transaction, says Mayer. When times are hard, you want to know who you can depend on. The type of person you prove that you are, such as being loyal or having integrity, shows up in your relationships.

The row over air conditioning in the athletes' village at the Paris 2024 Olympics demonstrates the scale of the challenge we face in gaining acceptance for sustainable building technologies, writes Smith Mordak as part of our Olympic Impact series.The Paris Olympic Village air-conditioning (AC) debacle is a perfect illustration of the barriers to climate action.If you've not heard, essentially, the athletes' village was designed and built to be cooled via a geothermal cooling system that pumps water from 50-70m below the surface to keep the athletes cool, so long as they follow a few simple rules such as keeping window blinds shut during the day. The system is similar to the district cooling network that's successfully been keeping buildings and landmarks across Paris cool even despite ferocious heatwaves.This story is one that's playing out every dayUnfortunately, faith in this technology wavered, and many teams, including those from Britain, Germany, Italy, Japan, Canada and USA, elected to buy portable air-conditioning units to supplement the geothermal cooling.This was met with dismay as it tipped the playing field in favour of the wealthier nations' competitors, as those that had the budgets to cover the additional AC units enjoyed high-energy active cooling, and those that didn't suffered hotter temperatures.The Olympics is an extraordinary event, but this story is one that's playing out every day. It typifies climate inaction: a low-emissions solution is proposed (or even implemented); fear that it might cause inconvenience or discomfort takes root; those with the means to opt for a high-emissions business-as-usual solution choose not to risk it; greenhouse gases are emitted and inequality prevails. How do we break this cycle?Read: Paris 2024 Olympics sustainability efforts "not enough" says carbon expertTo answer this question, I think we need to solve two underlying problems. How do we engender trust in low- and zero- emissions technologies? And how do we create the cultural conditions that enable us to act for each other, in solidarity?The Paris athletes' village cooling system has all the hallmarks of so many low-carbon technologies struggling to make it big. It's proven at scale, it's marketed as state of the art but actually enjoys a long and proud history (the richest citizens of the Roman Empire were using piped cold water to cool their buildings 2,000 years ago), and it requires modest behaviour change to make it work. We have so many of the solutions we need!Yet whether we're talking about domestic heat pumps or timber structures or nature-based flood management solutions, the same sorts of evidence is stacked in favour, and yet faith wavers. "Technology will save us" they cry, and yet when the technology lies in plain sight, it's questioned and derided. Meanwhile, everyone wants the latest smartphone, why?Anything associated with sustainability comes with a doom-and-gloom, hair-shirt associationHere's my theory: the latest smartphone enjoys two things that these eminently sensible sustainable buildings solutions don't: brand trust, and not being too-closely associated with sustainability.Building trust in a brand is a big job that takes an enormous amount of time and effort, usually over a long period of time. The Paris Olympic Village's geothermal cooling system doesn't have brand trust. One survey showed that more than 70 per cent of people think the organisers should take additional measures to protect athletes.Anything associated with sustainability has an even bigger hill to climb as it comes with a doom-and-gloom, hair-shirt association. For decades now we've heard the bad news: climate change is upon us and we're soon going to have to forgo our comfortable lifestyle and go back to the dark ages.Read: Eight projects with integrated cooling techniques that beat the heatWhen a solution is billed as sustainable, it gets tainted with this crappy colour, and no matter how much the marketeers try and convince us, deep down we suspect that anything eco-friendly is a compromise, and we don't trust it.Trust is a big problem across the board. For example, trust in US and UK institutions is low and decreasing. If we're going to tackle climate change, we have to learn to rebuild trust with each other.As anyone who's ever tried to repair a relationship knows, this is very difficult stuff. But as anyone who's ever actually built deep and enduring trust, it's well, well worth it.A key barrier to overcome is accepting that this is work we need to do, even though we shouldn't have toThe second challenge, of creating the cultural conditions that enable us to act not out of defensive self-interest, but in solidarity for each other, is also no picnic.For clues on this, I'm increasingly looking to ways of healing from intergenerational trauma especially Steffi Bednarek, who's brilliant on this. The transmission of trauma from one generation to the next shows up in all sorts of ways, and I'd argue that climate change is one of them. Generation after generation have fought for their own security, and in the face of fear and scarcity, have made short-term decisions that entrench unsustainable behaviours and systems, and drive a wedge between humans and the rest of nature.Then each successive generation has inherited that fear and scarcity, and the perceived scarcity that comes from being unable to share resources equitably: so the cycle continues.Read: "Paris has had more than 100 years to prepare to host the Olympics"But there is hope! As the new parent who feels themself boiling over with rage as their kid screams all night long, but decides that instead of taking out that rage on the kid or their partner or others, they'll work through that rage and not repeat the pattern of their parent and their parent before them breaks the cycle, so our generation (by which I mean everyone living now) can choose not to perpetuate the cycle of climate breakdown.In addressing intergenerational trauma, a key barrier to overcome is accepting that this is work we need to do, even though we shouldn't have to. It's not fair, but it's landed in our laps and we can choose to deal with it or pass it on.I think a similar acceptance is needed in the face of climate breakdown. Those of us who enjoy the privileges of a life made comfortable and convenient by the spoils of the industrial revolution are the lucky ones: because we have the privilege of making this choice.If we reach the goal of a fair civilisation, then we can collectively decide where to prioritise resourcesWe could choose to just pass it on, to buy our air conditioners and leave those with fewer resources in this generation and the next to lump it. That's even less fair. None of this is fair, but that's even worse.Now maybe you think I'm perpetuating the idea that tackling climate change is a compromise that could ideally be avoided. Perhaps in some cases this is true, but overall, if we reach the goal of a fair civilisation that we can genuinely sustain indefinitely on this planet, and we can trust each other enough, then we can collectively decide where to prioritise resources.So then, a society in balance with natural cycles, and not systemically holding open the wound of inequity, may well decide that expending more (renewable, of course) energy on cooling for a month every four years to support ALL the Olympic athletes is a fair and sensible decision.Smith Mordak is an architect, writer and curator and the chief executive ofthe UK Green Building Council.The photo is by Stefan Tuchila.Illustration by Capucine MattiussiOlympic ImpactThis article is part of Dezeen's Olympic Impact series examining the sustainability measures taken by the Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games and exploring whether major sporting events compatible with the climate challenge are possible.The post "The Paris Olympic Village air-conditioning debacle is a perfect illustration of the barriers to climate action" appeared first on Dezeen.

Bronco and Mustang are Fords acclaimed models that have redefined the performance car industry. Now the US-based automotive giant wants to ride the e-bike wave just like Jeep, Porsche and GM have done. Theyve collaborated with bike company N Plus to create two e-bikes inspired by the legendary models.The high-performance two-wheelers not only carry the aesthetical legacy of the Bronco and Mustang but also deliver with their high-performance hardware. The Bronco version has an off-roading character while the Mustang one has the pure muscle to beat any other e-bike in a drag race.Designer: Ford and N PlusAccording to Tyler Hill, Fords global brand licensing manager, These new e-bikes will allow more people to experience the adventurous spirit of a Bronco and the exhilaration of a Mustang from the moment they grip the handlebar. Thats evident from the specifications of the two models. Both these variants will have four-piston hydraulic brakes and a center-aligned colored LCD panel to display vital information including speed, battery life and range.The Bronco e-bike gets a 750W hub motor for superior torque of 85 Nm to conquer steep hills and a dual-suspension system to counter the punishment of the rugged terrain. Ford calls this G.O.A.T (Goes Over Any Type of Terrain). This e-bike with a motorcycle-styled comfortable saddle is rated as Class 3 as it can hit top speeds of 28 mph. The battery range is promised at 60 miles on a single charge, and it can be topped in 3.5 hours. This one will ride on Pirelli Scorpion Enduro M hardwall 27.5 x 2.6-inch tires for better grip and traction out of tight corners.The sporty Mustang e-bike will further come in two variants with specifications more or less same as the beefier Bronco variant. One will be a standard model and the other a limited-edition Mustang 60th Anniversary Edition for purists. Both versions will get the Pirelli Angel GT semi-slick tires. The seat is going to be more conventional and you will instantly like the Mustang-style triple-bar tail light.Coming from the house of Ford, these celebrated models will have a steep starting price of $4,500 for the Broncos Area 51 blue model and $4,000 for the Mustang Carbonized Gray Metallic version. Buyers can also choose from 10 custom paint color options thatll add $390 to the cost. The e-bikes can be pre-ordered right away from the companys website. Deliveries are expected to commence later this year.The post Ford debuts Bronco and Mustang themed e-bikes for the eco-conscious motorheads first appeared on Yanko Design.

"There are so many amazing games that get polished into gems after mixed initial responses."Stormgate's full early access launch happens next week, but Kickstarter backers and 'early access pack' purchases are playing right now.

Using a renderer with a web browser.

Making use of the new 3D engine in After Effects.

As you start to accumulate resources in Minecraft, you'll run out of room in your inventory. When this happens, the simplest solution is to put any non-essential items in a chest. The guide below shows you how to craft a chest and make it even bigger.Making a Chest in MinecraftThere aren't too many items easier to make than a chest in Minecraft. It only requires one basic resource that you can obtain within two minutes of stepping foot into a new world. The crafting recipe for a chest is as follows:At a crafting table, place eight Planks of any kind in all the boxes except for the middle oneThe crafting recipe for a chest in MinecraftPlanks are extremely simple to obtain. All you need to do is chop down a tree, acquire its logs, and then place those logs into a single box at a crafting table. This produces dozens of Planks, which you can use to construct a base or make a chest. As previously stated, you only need eight Planks to make a single chest, which can come from two tree logs.Continue Reading at GameSpot

Black Myth: Wukong has made a name for itself among the heavyweight releases of 2024, and restless players are keeping their fingers crossed that the game will include a photo mode. The games Chinese mythology and enemy designs are just a few components that promise to render Black Myth: Wukong a visual spectacle, and fans are hoping this magic can be captured through in-game keepsakes.

Image: Akira Himekawa See Link. See Link Speak. Speak Link Speak. Continue reading

Tech leaders often make claims that their track record doesnt supportbut audiences still fall for it every time. Product managers tempted to think the same way incur massiverisk.Big Tech stocks are tumbling on the news that the industry is losing handfuls of money. Just like last time and the time before that and that other time. Each time, tech leaders were able to reassure investors that despite burning cash like its going out of style, the technology that would change everything was just around thecorner.How do they, as the saying goes, keep getting away withit?Well, theres atrick.Its a trick youll see often in newspapers, once you learn how to recognize it. In fact, once I explain the trick, you may start seeing it just about everywhere. And I really do mean everywhereincluding in your own thinking.Its important to understand this trick not only so you can avoid getting tricked, but also so you can avoid tricking yourself.In the news, this trick is used when discussing traffic-driving topics; known entities that reliably get clicks and eyeballs on the page, year after year. Donald Trump is one example of such an entity; closer to tech we might pick names like Sam Altman or ElonMusk.On the surface, it sounds like it would be easy to write about figures like that. They say and do a lot, every day. But that very same property is what makes that job difficult. Because they have been saying and doing things for years, these figures all have a history that is a matter of public record. People writing about them want to tell storiesbut the stories have been told. Readers already know theending.When they want to sell the same story for a second time, storytellers use the forgetting trick.Age of MythologyNothing pleases people more than to go on thinking what they have always thought, and at the same time imagine that they are thinking something new and daring: it combines the advantage of security and the delight of adventure.TSEliotThe forgetting trick is dead simple: to avoid reckoning with the inconvenient track record of their subject matter, storytellers turn the frame of their story solely forward. The trick is to lay out a shiny roadmap stretching into the future, to distract from the grimy footprints following from the depths of thepast.Because if they did, the storytellers would have to reconcile the roadmap with that track record. And the track record would tell the story forthem.Instead of using that track record, storytellers ground their story in myth. They fill the gap left from excising the facts with allusions to the myth of the Silicon Valley Innovator whose daring vision changes the status quo. Part of the Innovator myth is that they know how to deliver those results, so instead of answering can this person deliver what they promised they can treat it as a foregone conclusion and speculate about what might happen if theydid.The Apple garage, from the movie Jobs (2013) is, of course, amythThe forgetting trick is powerful because we want to believe the myth. Audiences love nothing more than the promise that things will be different from how they are todayespecially if things can get better without them having to change what they are doing rightnow.Of course, those audiences are set up for disappointment when the promise inevitably fails to pass. The forgetting trick deflects accountability until it suddenly doesnt and your only hockey-stick growth is in the consequences.Performing LeadershipIt is difficult to get a man to understand something when his salary depends on his not understanding it.UptonSinclairElon Musk is not the only figure in tech who, to borrow a term from constructivism, performs leadership. Every executive is expectedand usually held responsible by the company charterfor presenting themselves as a leader who can Think Big by making announcements that improve investor sentiment and, therefore, stockprice.People further down the org chart are still part of this performance. We discuss mini-CEOs without a trace of irony and say that everyone is a leader. We tell the same stories about vision, and play the same forgetting trick. The only thing that changes is the medium through which we tell the storyinstead of journalists writing in newspapers, we see product managers preparing roadmaps for their stakeholders.In this context, the forgetting trick becomes much easier. Past promises and their outcomes are not a matter of public record; with an average tenure on the job between 6 and 24 months and reorgs happening more frequently than that institutional memory rapidly approaches zero. Both the storytellers and their audiences are highly incentivized to ignore the facts and believe the myth. Is it any surprise that we end up playing thetrick?Before the Rot-Com Bubble, WeWork was the poster child of exactly this kind of thinking. There was never a turnaround, but the man who drove it into the ground ended up becoming a billionaire.As a result of this trick, the stories that the roadmap tells come out very convincing. So convincing, in fact, that the job already feels half-done. Product managers who find themselves in this position need to check themselves and askif its that straightforward, how come no ones done italready?Big ideas require big behaviorchangeWe wanted the best, but it turned out like always.Viktor ChernomyrdinThe answer, of course, is that it was never thatsimple.But by writing a story in the shape of a roadmap, we accidentally tricked ourselves into thinking that it was a roadmap, and that we had done the work through the vision stack necessary to make it meaningful.When we substituted the generic, all-capable Innovator persona for the reality of our organizations, we temporarily obscured all the execution challenges that would lie between ourselves and inevitable success even if our organization could leverage its capabilities with 100% efficacy(whichThe only inevitable result of this process is that product managers end up holding thebag.The executives are not the ones who end up bearing the brunt of that recklessness.I cant speak for Elon Musk and Sam Altman, but I believe that regular PMs want to do good work and fall victim to the forgetting trick only inadvertently. Anyone who wants to avoid getting tricked in the future would do well to ask themselves these questions:Was this person or organization able to deliver on promises like this in the past in full, in part, or not atall?If not in full, what needs to change in order to be able to get from here to there, and are we seeing thatchange?Chances are that your organization is planning or already implementing some sort of AI project. In which case the questions might look something likethis:Has your organization successfully implemented any cutting-edge innovations before, or did they all stall at the proof of conceptstage?Do you know why things turned out that way, and what you need to do differently to avoid the samefate?Hopefully, youll be able to avoid tricking your team next time youre asked for the Big Ideas. But youll definitely be able to avoid getting tricked by headlines offering empty promises.Techs stock crash and the Forgetting Trick was originally published in UX Collective on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.