Novelty

When I read about the Diffusion of Innovations theory this week, I knew very well where I've been falling across that bell curve - far far on the right side. Imagine five segments of our population: the first 2.5 percent with innovation ad infinitum on the left of the curve, followed by the next 13.5 percent being early adopters, and then early majority.

The last two chunks, the right-side-of-the-curve, refer to the late majority and laggards. That's me.

Laggards are those who, like me, keep iPhone 4 when others are buying iPhone 7. I'm used to borrow paperback books before packing for a vacation, no matter how many of you have already switched to Kindle. I wrote the travel plan using Microsoft Word file, and then was taken aback by the Sygic Travel apps recommended by a very good friend of mine. And it took me quite a while before I followed my friends' advice to try those smart bicycles that can be unlocked and rented with a swipe at my phone.

The best lesson of the week for me, however, isn't the uber-practical rent-a-bike app. It's the story of entrepreneur Ron Bruder at a crosswalk with his two daughters. They were waiting for the traffic light to change. Ron pointed to the red glow of the "Do Not Walk" signal and asked the young girls what they thought about the meaning of that sign.

"It means we have to stand here," his daughters replied. They were certain. Or so they thought.

"Are you sure?" he asked rhetorically. "How do you know it's not telling us to run?"