How Do We Recognize When We Box Ourselves In?
I’ve been talking with people in various mediums about how their agile approach is working. All these people have similar problems: they are trying to use a specific agile approach.…
Read moreAre You Fighting to Build Your Empathy Skills?
I was writing the geographically distributed agile teams book this morning with Mark Kilby. I said, “I have to fight for all my empathy skills. They might come naturally to…
Read moreWhat’s the Worst Thing You Could Do?
I often think about the worst thing that could happen, as a way to manage risk. That’s one alternative. Sometimes, when I’m stuck on a problem, I think about the…
Read moreWhen Can Structure Enhance Your Creativity?
I like structuring my work. Some structures don’t box me in. I use timeboxes and a daily structure to organize my time. I have a default set of book and article…
Read moreHow Can You Generate Options When You Feel Stuck?
Back in the comments for What’s the Difference Between Problem Whining and Problem Solving?, I mentioned we sometimes feel as if we have no choices, no good options. We need…
Read moreHow Perfect Must You Be?
I wish I was perfect in many things: in my writing, in my coaching, in my personal life. I’m often good, sometimes great, and sometimes a disaster. I can only…
Read moreAre Your Shoulds Trapping You?
One of my readers sent me a private email responding to the When Are You Excessively Above Average? question. The reader felt as if he should want to master some…
Read moreWho’s Your Guard Dog?
I take multiple walks through my neighborhood to get my steps in. Most of the time, I pass the houses and it’s quiet, just me and my rollator and my…
Read moreHow Can We Discuss a Difference of Beliefs?
Long ago, I had a huge fight with my grandmother. She said something untrue. I told her it was untrue and I explained why. Her response was, “You have such…
Read moreWhat’s Personal to You?
We’ve all heard this phrase, “It’s not personal. It’s just business.” There are several things wrong with that saying. “Just” is a keyword that says, “Don’t look here, you won’t…
Read more