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What is Jared Diamond’s Hamlet Test for leaders and does it work
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In Short: An at-home urine test that the NHS has been trialling can detect more than nine in ten cases of bladder cancer, according to the latest findings.
An at-home urine test that the NHS has been trialling can detect more than nine in ten cases of bladder cancer, according to the latest findings. This NHS trial found that the Galeas urine test identified 92% of bladder cancer cases, and if a larger trial is successful, it could mean tens of thousands of patients a year are spared these tests.
While the urine test is not a replacement for cystoscopies, it could help doctors identify patients at greater risk who should be prioritised for urgent ones rather than wait. The test has been commercialised by Nonacus, which pays back part of the revenue to the University and CRUK under a licensing agreement.
In his book 'Profits, Prophets, Coaches, and Kings: (When) Do Leaders Matter?', Jared Diamond introduces what he calls 'the Hamlet test.' This test suggests that the impact of a leader is measured by whether what he achieved could also have been achieved or bettered by any of his contemporaries.
The problem with Diamond's assertion is that one of Shakespeare's contemporaries, Christopher Marlowe, who wrote plays such as Doctor Faustus and Tamburlaine, is considered by many to have been on par with Shakespeare before his untimely death at the age of 29, challenging the concept of a great leader.
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- You worked hard to get to this meeting, to land this position for your community or organization.
- There will likely never be an answer to that, says Diamond.
- Diamond introduces what he calls “the ‘ Hamlet’ test.” If William Shakespeare had died of smallpox at a young age, would “Hamlet” (or any of his works) have been created by another, equally talented Shakespearean contemporary?
- Diamond, well known for blending science and history into compelling narratives, won the Pulitzer Prize in 1998 for Guns, Germs and Steel, which explains why certain civilisations conquer and outlast others.
- Diamond says there are three schools of thought about what makes an effective leader.