I just returned from a (fiction) writing workshop this week. I learned a ton about craft, selling short stories, and publishing short stories. One of my big learnings: I play it safe too often with my writing. The stakes for the characters aren’t big enough. This is an opportunity for me. I can take this […]
When Can You Grab This Opportunity? Read More »
As I coach writers and consultants with their various businesses, I hear a lot of “but”s. “But, I can’t offer that product or service.” Or, “But, I can’t write an article in a day.” Or, “But, I don’t know enough to do that.” The “buts” prevent people from experimenting. What prevents us from experimentation? Often,
What Does “But” Really Mean? Read More »
I read Dwayne Phillips’ One of the Ultimate Compliments at Work and started thinking about being indispensable. I wonder if people want to be indispensable or if they want to be missed. I’m not a fan of indispensable people. They create bottlenecks in projects and cause delays. (See Change the Indispensable Employee Mindset.) And, even
Will They Miss Me When I’m Gone? Read More »
We often think of friction as bad. Friction prevents us from doing something we might want to accomplish. On my other blog, I write about frictionless releasing. We often want to avoid friction at work. The less friction we have, the easier it is for us to work together and release products. And, sometimes, friction
Where Do You Want Friction in Your Life? Read More »
I spoke with a colleague and explained how I had improved writing over the past year. That person said, “I’m proud of you.” I said, “Thanks.” And, I wondered why this person felt pride in me, in my accomplishments. I was proud of my accomplishments. I’d worked hard. I’m sure my colleague didn’t mean to
Who Can Be Proud of You? Read More »
I’ve been working on my 2020 strategy and tactics. I think further out, but I don’t plan for more than one year at a time. And, I break that down into quarterly and monthly planning. Because things happen. (For more details, see How Often Do You Reflect?) My yearly plan is a set of options.
When Can You Optimize For Resilience Over Anything Else? Read More »
I like years that end in zero or five. I think of these years as bookends. A nice way to wrap the previous years and to start the next year(s). I get to choose again, how I want to be in the world. In some ways, I’m no different as a person. I’m still “too”
How Do You Want to Be in the World? Read More »
I read Reginald Braithwaite’s tweet about people who work long hours and their success. Some of the comments discuss not just the single parent, but the support system all successful people need. We have a myth (at least in the US) that we can succeed all on our own. We can’t. We need other people
Who Is Part of Your Support System? Read More »
I’m gathering my data from this past year to prepare for my strategy for next year. I gather quantitative data about books, workshops, talks, and more. I assess my feelings as I finished my various work—the qualitative data. And, I note what I didn’t do. I gather this data every quarter. I actually note what
How Often Do You Reflect? Read More »
I’ve been pushing myself to get the second book of the Modern Management Made Easy triad ready for my technical reviewers. I found a ton of little problems and then I realized I had several big problems. I needed to redesign—and rewrite—the first and last chapters. This happens to me a lot when I write
How Do You Feel When You Achieve a Significant Milestone? Read More »