This article is the ninth of this weekly series called Latticework of Mental Models, which will be authored by my friend and partner in writing the Value Investing Almanack, Anshul Khare. Anshul will write on various mental models – big ideas from various disciplines – which can help you think more rationally while analyzing businesses and making your stock investment decisions.
Outside of the closed glass chambers in the corporate world, there is another very unusual place where grand scheming about workplace strategies (read, office politics) happens regularly. Don’t worry, there is nothing hush-hush about this place and it’s not at all surrounded by thick soundproof walls.
Wondering what I am talking about? Let me give you another hint.
It’s the designated open area in every large company, where people go out in fresh air to fill their lungs with freshly brewed smoke. You guessed it right. I am talking about the smoking areas.
Mind you, it’s not just a place trafficked by the smoke billowing nicotine guzzlers, but you’ll often find those hapless passive smokers too who don’t realize that their lungs are going to collapse sooner than their active smoker buddies.
[Read more…] about Latticework of Mental Models: Law of Small Numbers