Kickoff For November 1, 2021

Welcome to this week's edition of the Monday Kickoff, a collection of what I've found interesting, informative, and insightful on the web over the last seven days.

Yet another month has started. I don't know about you, but I was only just getting into the groove of the last one. These monthly roll overs are coming a tad too quickly for my taste ...

Let's get this Monday started with these links:

Work

How narcissists climb the career ladder quickly, wherein David Robson explains why people who aggressively promote themselves move up in the corporate world faster than their humbler, often more competent counterparts.

Why So Many People Are Unhappy in Retirement, wherein Arthur C. Brooks explores retirement from within the framework of the hero's journey and discovers that some people who go off that script rage, instead, trying to pound their lives back into the story line.

The case for a shorter workweek, wherein we learn why companies are, or should be, considering a four-day work week — for the benefit of employees and the firm.

Crime

The Fall of the Billionaire Gucci Master, wherein we get a glimpse into the rise and fall of a so-called social media influencer who led a lavish lifestyle fuelled by participation in business email compromise attacks against large institutions.

The Sopranos of Berlin: A Brutal Crime Family and a Billion Dollar Jewel Heist, wherein we learn about a brutal museum heist in Dresden, its purported link to a notorious crime family, and how the German police tried to crack the case.

The Spine Collector, wherein we learn about a literary scammer's attempts to illicitly cage unpublished manuscripts, and about the mystery of who they are and what their motivation is.

Productivity

You’re never going to finish your to-do list – and that’s fine, wherein Oliver Burkeman explains that no matter how much you do, you'll always need to do more and why it's important to focus on what’s gloriously possible instead.

The Frustration with Productivity Culture, wherein Cal Newport looks at the obsession with jumping on the productivity assembly line and ponders an alternative.

Is there a perfect productivity system?, wherein Anne-Laure Le Cunffe explains that no productivity system fits everyone and that everyone should intentionally design a system that works for them.

And that's it for this Monday. Come back in seven days for another set of links to start off your week.

Scott Nesbitt