I like years that end in zero or five. I think of these years as bookends. A nice way to wrap the previous years and to start the next year(s). I get to choose again, how I want to be in the world. In some ways, I’m no different as a person. I’m still “too” […]
How Do You Want to Be in the World? 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 »
The more I learn about adaptability, the more I realize I need to generate several options. The options help me select a new response to the altered situation. And, every so often, I find that too many options confuse me. I want to find the One Real Possibility that will solve the problem. Instead, I
How Many Options Can You Hold at One Time? 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 meet a number of people who have great ideas. And, in order to “push” the ideas through the organization, they tell me that the ends justify the means. I don’t buy that. That’s not congruent behavior. These people are thinking about themselves. They’re thinking about the context. However, the way they treat the other
What Does Integrity Mean to You? 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 »
I had a difficult time seeing a site on my iPad. I grumbled about it to Mark. I said, “They must have changed the font.” He replied, “Is your screen dirty?” I took his advice and cleaned both my glasses and my iPad. It was better, but I still had trouble seeing the site. They
What’s the Solvable Problem? Read More »
There’s a lot in my life I can control. I can control what I eat, and often when I eat it. I can control when I go to bed at night, even if I can’t control my occasional insomnia. I can control what I choose to do with my time: which projects to start and
How Much or Little Can You Control? Read More »
Several of my clients have told me they want to help people be happy. They measure—well, they attempt to—each individual’s happiness. I have not found measuring happiness all that helpful. For me, happiness is an outcome, a result, of satisfaction. Satisfaction with my choices, satisfaction in finishing, satisfaction with my results. I wonder about happiness
Is Happiness Your Goal? Read More »
Many people use the terms adaptable and resilience interchangeably. However, they mean different things and we live and use them differently. When we are adaptable, we see that reality has changed. We don’t deny that reality. Because we admit that we have a new reality, we can find new approaches to manage our responses to
What’s the Difference Between Resilience and Adaptability? Read More »