I am a self-confessed late adopter of er, most things. I once completed an application form for a job at the BBC years ago, answering the question: will social media have a role to play in future general elections? I said that absolutely no way would voters take to Twitter and influence such things. I didn’t get the job.
The thing is, I make no claim to be cool or cutting edge and as such, am also late to picking up books that other people rave about for years. So, my pick of the week, seven years late, is The Chimp Paradoxby Professor Steve Peters.
It’s brilliant – simple with broad appeal, but compelling enough to keep reading and saying: ‘that’s me, that is!’. It’s great in helping understand why we do, think and feel certain things.
Understanding your ‘chimp’ – or knee-jerk reaction, or animal instinct – helps in loads of circumstances. Like when colleagues or close family and friends are doing your head in. Or when you’re doing your own head in.
I’m inclined to think that my chimp cramps my style, and is a bit of a safety Susan – I would like to be cool and cutting edge, but I’m driven to taking my own teabags on holiday and ignore highly recommended books that might prompt new thinking. Banana anyone?
**Join my ‘late-adopters book club’ – next month, Who Moved My Cheese by Spencer Johnson.**