I often hear people asking for something, such as “How do I measure productivity?” In knowledge work, you can’t measure productivity. You can measure the throughput of a team, but you can’t measure the productivity of a person. But that doesn’t stop people from asking the question. What you can ask is, “What would that […]
What Would That Do For You? Read More »
Some people fear failure. Some people, like me, fear mediocrity. Other people, fear success. Don’t worry. You can be human and fear all of them in different circumstances! But if you fear success, you are not alone. Maybe you’ve been trying to accomplish something for a long time. You may have convinced yourself that what
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Mark and I have bought a house on the other side of town. It’s a one-story house. Here, it’s called a “ranch” style house. I think in the UK, it’s called a bungalow. In any case, all the rooms we will live in are on one floor. You know what this means, though. We have
Is Anyone Using This? Read More »
I’m in London this week, teaching and speaking. I’m having a blast. When I made reservations at this hotel, I asked many questions. I looked for a hotel where I could reserve a walk-in shower. I know that many hotels in London have no facilities for handicapped people, so I asked. Yes, this one did.
What Filters Do You Have? Read More »
I discussed perfection rules in my Do Your Rules Prevent You From Solving Problems? But, other rules can prevent you from living as full a life as you might want. When I was in 10th grade, I took French (the language). I wasn’t so good at French. My teacher told me he would give me
Are You In the “Here-and-Now” or in the “There-and-Then”? Read More »
We all have rules. Some of our rules arose from our childhoods. “Look both ways before crossing the street,” is an example of what might be a good rule. Of course, it depends which way you look first, depending on the country you’re in, right? Our rules can help us live productive lives. They can
Do Your Rules Prevent You From Solving Problems? Read More »
Some people are afraid of failure. I’ve already said that I’m afraid of mediocrity. But that’s me. Sometimes that fear of failure is so fierce that it is paralyzing. Sometimes, even worse, the fear of failure produces the very thing we fear. I see this a lot in my clients. They want assurances that their
Many years ago, I asked Mark, “Where do you go when you sleep?” I was curious. I was thinking of things such as “the soul takes over,” or “your dreams take you away” or some such philosophical waxing. Mark answered, “First I start on my left side. Then I go to my right side. Sometimes
Which Problem-Solving Picture Are You Seeing? Read More »
Are you laughing enough? I know, you don’t normally associate laughter with problem solving, do you? But laughter relieves tension. If you stay wound tight and serious during all of your adaptability, how you can see the big picture, the small picture, or anything in between? You have to relax. You can’t do that when
What Makes You Laugh? Read More »
It’s snowing here today. We should end up with somewhere between six and twelve inches of snow when this storm is done. The problem? It’s a day storm, scheduled to be the worst during commuting hours. Ouch. The schools are closed, and many businesses have encouraged people to work from home. That way, they can
What Problem Are You Solving? Read More »