From My Inbox: Smell Test

A podcast, questions about how to handle requests for introductions to valued (and valuable) connections, and a bloody hot NYC summer, have me musing on smells this week.

Starting with a hot summer in the city.

For the uninitiated, during a "real" summer in NYC (real = hot, really bloody hot) the heat gets baked into every inch of concrete. As the heat radiates out from the buildings and pavement, it exudes an unavoidable stench. Whether you welcome the odor or are appalled by it depends, it would seem, not on the delicacy or sensitivity of your nose, but rather, on how you experience summer in the city. A smell is not just a smell. It's memory and emotion.

Moving on to requests for introductions.

The dilemma of whether (or when or whether not) to facilitate an introduction to a valuable connection arose during a coaching call with a group of women executives. My quick rule: does the request to connect pass the smell test? In other words: is the person making the request authentic, credible, trustworthy, and is their request authentic, ethical and potentially of interest to the target of the request? When a request doesn't smell right, even if it's the tiniest hint or whiff of being off, it's a no.

As for the podcast.

It's the fascinating story of one woman's hyperosmia (aka heightened sense of smell) and her discovery, as a result of taking her husband to a support group for Parkinson's suffers and caregivers (aka she was networking) that Parkinson's sufferers have a distinct and unsavory odor. In other words, she can smell the disease.

A suggestion for this week: take notice of your nose (what do you have a nose for? are you following the right scent? if you send out that "you two should know each other" email will you come out smelling like roses?).

And 💩 from my inbox:

💡 The Sunday Read: ‘The Woman Who Could Smell Parkinson’s’ (The Daily)

💡 Long Term Selfish (Seth's Blog)

It’s not just our body that keeps the score but our very genes.

💡 The big idea: can you inherit memories from your ancestors? (The Guardian)

💡 Apply for 2023 Whitley Awards. Whitley Awards are for dynamic, mid-career conservationists who are leading wildlife conservation projects in the Global South. Deadline: October 31.

💡 In a fast-paced world where content is delivered 24/7 and consumed on the fly, does anyone care about craft anymore? Craft & Commerce: Opportunities for Marketing in the Motion Image

From the BYDN blog: ASK! Before You Make That Well Intentioned Intro + Connecting is Art, Reputation and DNA + Making The Perfect Email Introduction & from the Newsletter: Is It OK To...LinkedIn.