As I write this newsletter, we’re in the midst of the COVID-19 crisis. It’s a crisis because we can’t maintain the old ways of living and working—unless we’re willing to tolerate significant disease and death. And, we don’t know the way forward yet. We can’t solve the big problem of COVID-19—how to keep people healthy and achieve […]
When Is the Right Time to Solve This Problem? Read More »
The coronavirus is sweeping across the world. We have risks everywhere: to travel, to the economy, to our work, and in our communities. What can we do? We need to think about the risks we can and cannot manage. About 25 years ago, I traveled to a workshop not knowing I was sick. (My children
Which Risks Can You Manage? 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 »
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 was on vacation last week, in Eilat Israel, a tourist destination. Because it’s a tourist town, you can see a lot of street art. On my walk this past Saturday (Shabbat) morning, I heard loud music with a great drumbeat. My first reaction was, “How loud! On Shabbat!” Then, I turned the corner and
When Are You Willing to Practice in Public? Read More »
I was at a conference recently. The theme was about games (simulations) that would help create psychological safety. Psychological safety matters both at home and at work. I bet you’ve seen people who live with psychologically unsafe families. Their lack of safety makes everything about their lives much more difficult. How can you gain emotional
How Can You Use Your Fear or Vulnerability to Create Courage? Read More »
Early in my career, IBM dominated the computer landscape. They had the big mainframes. There were some alternatives, such as Xerox. I used a Xerox Sigma 6 in school. (I didn’t use punch cards until I started to work!) Later, they missed the minicomputer phase. There were two big competitors, Digital Equipment Corp (DEC) and
When Do You Choose the Safe Path? Read More »
I like some rules, such as the rules around driving. I like to know that people will stop at stop signs and for red lights. I like to know the other drivers will go on green. Driving rules help everyone coordinate their actions. Rules around driving are simple and straightforward. They work. (Even in Massachusetts.)
Do We Need Rules, Agreements, or Guideposts? Read More »
I participated in a breakfast meeting yesterday, called “What is the Future of Work?” We had great discussions and I had more questions. Technology advances help us change and (often) work better. In particular, I was thinking about automation and the changing cost of friction for work especially compared to my early work choices. Depositing
What Could Be the Future of Work? Read More »
Perseverance, the idea of grit, fascinates me. Every time I finish a (damn*) book, I experience relief and happiness. Relief that it is finally over—that’s the “damn” part. Happiness because I finished. Read that word, finish, in neon-blinking capital letters with fireworks. That’s how it feels to me. Damn*: Finishing a book is a slog
How Do You Build Grit? Read More »