We’re all in the middle of substantial change. People moved from collocated to remote work overnight. Children are home, too. Your family is home for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Our entire world is not what it was even one month ago. You’re in the middle of considerable change. I use the Satir Change Model to […]
Where Are You in Your Changes? 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 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’m gathering my data from this past year to prepare for my strategy for next year. I gather quantitative data about books, workshops, talks, and more. I assess my feelings as I finished my various work—the qualitative data. And, I note what I didn’t do. I gather this data every quarter. I actually note what
How Often Do You Reflect? 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 »
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 »
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 »
I’m writing this on July 4, 2019, Independence Day in the US. We celebrate in wonderful ways if you grew up here. I suspect if you’re looking in from the outside, our celebrations seem a little strange. What we celebrate is—in my opinion—the most outrageous and courageous experiment in self-government across the planet. it started
When Are Your “Truths” Not Self-Evident? 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 »