The Tipping Point

Have you read it? You should. It's largely intuitive, but Gladwell doesn't drive home the point too hard, much unlike my arch-enemy, Thomas Friedman. I hate, hate, hate Thomas Friedman. If he writes about globalization in one more column, I will slay him. We get it. Globalization is the driving force in the 21st century, and corporations and countries that buck this trend are doomed. End of book. End of career. Thanks for your contribution.

But anyway, Gladwell speaks about Connectors, and how there are people on this Earth who simply know more people in different social groups than most others. Maria is one of these people. Her dexterity in social situations has contributed enormously to her personal success, and I mean this as the highest compliment. This trip has been enriched so much by Maria's connections in different cities. If I had planned this trip myself, I would be sitting on a tourist bus in Barcelona after getting my wallet stolen because I was gawking for too long at a human statue. A short list of Maria's connections: Through Maria, I secured a place to stay in Brussels, became great friends with Kyle Taylor and was introduced to Brussels by the De Crops; in Paris, we had dinner with Maria's friend from Kansas City, who is married to a Frenchman and knows the city inside and out, in Barcelona, we had a beer with a former exchange student who was friends with Maria's neighbor. You get the picture. Everywhere we go, Maria has a friend or an acquantaince in the city. I will always be grateful for her Connector status, as it never fails to produce results.

That's the only compliment she gets...ever!