So, this morning I was presenting my synopsis of Prescription for Excellence, a terrific book about customer service excellence by Joseph Michelli.  In the midst of my presentation, I was talking about UCLA Health System’s commitment to innovation.  From the book:

“Innovation distinguishes between leaders and followers.”  (Steve Jobs).
The battlefield of business competition is littered with the remnants of once-great companies that failed to adapt or innovate.

And then, out of my mouth came the story about IQ and web browser preference that I had read earlier in the week – the story that people who use one internet browser have a lower IQ than people who use other browsers.

After the presentation, one of our regular participants nicely told me that he had heard about the study on NPR, and the next day, NPR apologized and recanted.  So, it turns out that the study was a hoax, that I, and apparently a whole bunch of journalists, bought into.

Here’s the report reporting that it was a hoax:

Internet Explorer IQ study was a hoax!
Widely reported research by a Canadian firm purporting Internet Explorer users tend to be less intelligent apparently is a hoax.

Now I could tell you that I read the story on more than one web site.  (I did).  I could tell you that at least one of the web sites was quite “legitimate” (in other words, not some obscure blog.  And, it was).  I could tell you that I should not be held accountable.

But – I  repeated a story that was not based in fact.

And I apologize.

So – this is my apology to our participants; this is my mea culpa.

I really should remember the advice of Ronald Reagan – “trust, but verify.”