I taught a Geographically Distributed Agile Teams workshop in Israel this week. During the simulation, the “tester” led the “developer”: as in “Let’s do this,” “Here’s what done means,” “ We should do it this way.” Someone commented that this was “Test(er)-Driven Development.” I laughed. Then I realized. Aside from “back seat drivers,” this happens […]
Who Is Driving Your Bus? Read More »
I saw this post and video last week: I’ve fallen. Now how do I get up? Scroll down to the video where the therapist discusses all the ways you can get up from the floor. I have to admit, I had no idea I should leave my head down when I got up from the
Are You Solving Problems MacGyver-Style? Read More »
I’m in a workshop this week. There are signs all over, that say, “You are responsible for your own career.” It’s true. Each of us is responsible for our own careers. Do you act that way? If you work for an organization, do you push for one-on-ones each week with your manager, and discuss your
Who Is Responsible for Your Career? Read More »
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 »
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 »
This week’s question of the week is, “What can I control?” I was thinking about this in several dimensions. I was talking with a client manager, who was bemoaning his lack of potential influence across the organization. “I don’t have enough influence to do what I want.” I asked him this question, “What can you
What Can I Control? Read More »
Are you afraid of success? Maybe you’re afraid of failure? I’m afraid of being mediocre. Sometimes our fears lead us to not even try. And that’s a shame. Because we can work on all of these fears. Sometimes I have to as, “What’s the worst thing that could happen?” I might fail in public. Well,
What Are You Afraid Of? Read More »
I was thinking about how I solve problems, and I realized that I often ask three questions. I thought I would share them with you. First question: What’s the next step? I use this a lot on myself (grin), and in coaching. This question is useful when you think you’re stuck. You can almost always
Three Questions for Adaptable Problem Solvers Read More »
I had to fill my gas tank the other day. I’m one of the few people who enjoys filling the tank, because I see a full tank as a source of endless possibilities. When you have a full gas tank, your car can take you many miles. All you have to do is decide where
Creating Possibilties Read More »
I was sitting on the wall, chatting with Eddie, a colleague, at the Gaylord mega hotel in Nashville. I’m at the Agile 2013 conference. I recognized the female gardener as she walked by and greeted her. She asked if the Eddie, the gentleman sitting next to me was my son. I was nonplussed, surprised, and
How Old Are You on the Inside? Read More »