Back in the ’90s, people started to talk about “sustainable pace.” We work to the best of our abilities during the day. We’re done and pleasantly tired at the end of the day. We could maintain this pace for weeks and months at a time. Maybe even years. (The very first agile books and the […]
What Is Your Sustainable Pace? Read More »
I’ve been traveling a ton in the past couple of months. That means I get to meet all kinds of people—professionals in my field, hospitality people in hotels, taxi drivers, you name them. People often tell me how they feel about their work. Some of the professionals hate their work. So do some of the
How Much Grunt Work Do You Have? Read More »
I’m in Paris at a conference this week. I was a keynote speaker, which is lovely for my ego. One of the participants asked me how long I’d been a consultant. I answered, “24 years.” He gave me that look, the one that says, “Really?” with one eyebrow up so high he almost had no
How Do You Maintain Your Emotional Balance? Read More »
I had lunch with a colleague today. We spoke about his freshman-in-high-school age (14?) child who was studying Computer Science. The student is actually solving problems with code (Python) and showing his work to others. I didn’t ask if he was working in a team, but he probably is. I didn’t take my first Computer
Which Number Career Are You On? Read More »
A number of people have asked me in the last few weeks and months when I’m going to retire. While I think that might not be a totally appropriate question, I understand why they ask. I have gray hair (which I have earned), I use a rollator to manage my vertigo, and I’ve been public
How Do You Think and Feel About Age? Read More »
We solve many problems over the course of a day, week, month, year. Some problems are difficult because the problem is difficult to solve. Some of my book projects are like that—I have to do some of the work to discover what the work is. And, the discovery is relatively small. The problem is deterministic.
Is This Problem Deterministic or Non-Deterministic? Read More »
One of the problems of creating an adaptable life is the question: How do I get from where I am to where I want to be? That’s where the idea of options helps. We often see one direct path to a given end state. That end state might be a new job, a new way
CAL Tip # 8: Generate Options Read More »
One part of adaptability is discovering ways we can work together. For me, that’s about discovering and using the places where we agree. In the US right now, we have a divisive political climate. I suspect that many of us agree on the principles even as we disagree on the specifics. For example, we might agree
Where Do We Agree? Read More »
I travel a lot. I’ve noticed a trend in hotel rooms that irritate me: a very-high bed and very-low toilet—a design inconsistency. This past week, I stayed in a slightly too-high bed, a reasonable-height toilet, but the shower head was mounted at least 8 feet off the ground. When I extended my arm, I didn’t
Which Inconsistencies Do You Notice? Read More »
I’m in Las Vegas for a workshop. (I’m taking the workshop, not teaching it.) Las Vegas is either a sensory feast or a sensory overload. I’m not sure there’s a place in between. I need to ignore some of the sounds, the cigarette smoke, and some of the lights. I ignore to maintain my sanity.
What Can You Ignore? Read More »