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 »
I meet people who want to do something new. They might want something new at work. They might want a new job. They might want to develop a new creative skill. What they want will take time. I often ask what they will do today. They look at me with that deer-in-the-headlights look. Sometimes, they
Who Will You Start to Become Today? Read More »
I’ve had the chance to speak with various folks over the past few weeks about their creativity. Some of them are developers or testers, worried about the IP agreements their companies want them to sign. Others are writers, worried about book contracts. In each case, the company or publisher wanted to “own” all the creative
Who Owns Your Creativity? Read More »
I was writing the geographically distributed agile teams book this morning with Mark Kilby. I said, “I have to fight for all my empathy skills. They might come naturally to you, but they don’t for me.” He laughed. Empathy and sympathy are quite different. To me, it’s about the context. Here’s the difference: Empathy is
Are You Fighting to Build Your Empathy Skills? Read More »
My town is busy planning and discussing and planning and discussing (yes, continue for several more recursions) the plans for the new high school. We need a new high school for many reasons. A lot of it is the physical plant, the physical resources. (See where the high school stands.) Note that the Resources and
What Are You Sentimental About? Read More »
If you are sure of yourself in a given situation, it’s easy to believe in yourself. I make mistakes all the time. I’ll use professional speaking as an example because I often feel as if those mistakes might become magnified. I’ve made small and large mistakes when speaking. A small mistake was saying Star Wars
CAL Tip #7: Believe in Yourself Read More »
A few weeks ago, I was at the Agile 2018 conference. The conference has changed from its beginnings. It’s now full of certifications and big consulting organizations that will sell you “the One Right agile framework,” regardless of your context (my caps). My experience is that if you want any kind of change—personal or professional—your
How Can You Understand Someone’s Context? Read More »
We encounter a problem somewhere, at work, at home. We often reflect, to discover the root cause(s). That might be useful, especially if we discover a common cause, something within our system of work (or home) that creates problems. However, if we have a special cause—especially a random event—we don’t need to reflect. We can
Where Do We Go From Here? Read More »