Ex Post Facto no. 3 – Leadership, Puppies, and Blowing Smoke

Based on popular demand, The Snow Report is continuing its new tradition of starting the weekend with an Ex Post Facto! (Catch up on the previous ones here.)

Here are three things you’ll have wished you’d known at the start of the week:

One EXcellent piece of wisdom

“The dose makes the poison.” This is a classic adage that’s often used in toxicology, but it’s quite applicable to everyday life. In a high enough dose, just about anything can be harmful. Too much water can kill you. Too much oxygen can kill you. Too many cute puppies… well, there are exceptions to every rule, aren’t there?

The point of “the dose makes the poison” is to recognize that some things that we think of as poisonous actually are very helpful in the right, small doses. This is the principle that vaccines operate on. It’s why having iron in your diet is healthy. It’s why a little red wine has health benefits, but a lot of red wine is a big problem. It’s why including some strange people in your life can bring you a lot of growth, so long as you have healthy relationships too. Think on that!

One POST you don’t want to miss

How To Effectively Use Stories As A Leader During Times Of Change <— This one’s inspired by questions from several readers, and also by the gobs of emails from CEOs I keep getting about their “commitment” during these “uncertain times.” The principles in this post apply whether you’re leading a company, a country, or just trying to get your kids to do their homeschool work.

One FACT Of great interest

Ever wonder where the term “blowing smoke up your ass” comes from? Turns out that in the 1700s, people believed that a tobacco smoke enema could revive a drowned person like a defibrillator. Basically it was like mouth-to-mouth… except actually it was bellows-to-bum.

I learned this fact from a mention in a Jackbox game, which then sent me down a history rabbit hole. The thing I couldn’t figure out is why the phrase has turned into a modern euphemism for “flattery.” I guess maybe it is flattering that someone would want to resuscitate you after you fell into the pool…

Have a great weekend, thinking of all the great talking points you’ll have to share by the time the bars open up again! Just remember to keep your poison dosage low. ;)

Much love,

Shane