Most people think influence comes from talking more. Being the smartest voice in the room.Dropping knowledge like grenades. But here’s the truth you learn only after watching a few real players in action: Influence isn’t about making people think you’re smart.Influence is making people feel they are smart.And the fastest way to do that? Ask better questions. But FIRST If you are new, welcome to OCE’s weekly newsletter curated for the ambitious youth…here are some articles you missed from...

A wealthy man walks into a bank in New York. “I’m going away to Europe for two weeks and need to borrow $5,000.” The loan officer blinks. That’s it? Just five grand? “Of course,” he says, “but we’ll need collateral.” The man calmly hands over the keys to his Rolls-Royce. A $250,000 luxury car… offered as security for a $5,000 loan. Everyone at the bank laughs behind his back.“Who uses a Rolls-Royce as collateral for coffee money?”They park the car underground, still laughing. Two weeks later,...

Dear Changemaker, There’s one thing adults don’t tell you loudly enough: Your worldview has an expiration date. Not tomorrow. Not next year.But sooner than you think. Skills? You can learn those at 18, 35, or 57.Excel formulas, AI prompts, pitch decks, SEO — all teachable. But the way you see the world — what you think is possible, what you assume is normal, what you believe is valuable — that becomes concrete faster than you realize. Not because you choose it. But because you absorb it. And...