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 »
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 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 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’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 »
You might have heard the apocryphal story about a landscape architect and shortcuts. The architect doesn’t put sidewalks or trails in a large green space. Instead, he waits for a year as walk across the space. He then puts the sidewalks/trails where the people walk. I am not quite ancient-history-years-old. I have never seen this
When Does a Shortcut Make Sense? Read More »
On my way to an appointment the other day, I saw traffic backed up. The left lanes—the through lanes—looked stuck. I signaled and turned to get into the middle lane. That lane was stuck, too, so I signaled and turned to the right lane. I zoomed through in just a minute. The other drivers behind
When Does it Make Sense to Change Your Lane? Read More »
I love to learn. When I learn, I reflect on what I know and refine how I can use my knowledge to change something. I love to learn about how people work—and don’t work together. I love to learn how to make things easier for people at work. I love to learn about all aspects
How Do You Create Your Learning Opportunities? 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 »
In my work, I meet people who think their problems are totally unique. Their issue, their product, their managers—their context is unique. They are correct. While each of us is unique, we have many common challenges. We can learn from others. We might be able to apply something to our situation. I see this a
When Are You the “Only” One? Read More »