We all practice being ready for our plans. For shopping, I make a list and decide in advance how I’ll pay. For travel, I plan when to make all the reservations and how I’ll get from one place to another. When I leave the house, I make sure to gather everything I need, especially now […]
What Do You Need to be Ready? Read More »
As I write this newsletter, we still have plenty of uncertainty about everything. One of my colleagues told me she had trouble getting her head “back in the game.” She had trouble starting her work. She had trouble finishing. She sees her list of things, and in her words, “I just want to start happy
Three Secrets for Making “The Game” Possible Read More »
It’s the new year (Happy New Year!). Many gyms, weight loss programs, and educational programs focus on catching the people who like resolutions. I have never succeeded at resolutions. Never. That’s too many years to not succeed at something. Instead, I recommend you consider one, two, or maybe three watchwords for next year. By watchword, I mean the idea of
Three Options for Your Next Year’s Watchword Read More »
A client trying to use an agile approach said, “I want to future-proof my organization. I want the assurance we will be here for years and years.” I asked him if he intended to change things. He gave me that deer-in-the-headlights look. He said, “Maybe?” I did quote Franklin about nothing being certain about death
Do You Choose to Mistake-Proof or Future-Proof? 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 »
We do favors for each other all the time. Those favors don’t have to be reciprocal. If I do a favor for you, I’m pretty sure I can ask for something (help or a favor) in the future. Or, the other person will pay it forward in some way. Sometimes, I receive requests for book testimonials,
How Can You Make it Easy? 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 »
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 »
One of my clients had been quite successful in a particular role. She’d decided it was time to look for a new job doing the same thing. She wanted my opinion about several organizations. Instead of offering her an opinion on the organizations, I asked this question, “Do you want to do the same thing
Does Your Current Success Define Your Choices? Read More »
Universities choose high school seniors in a crazy game of selection. Publishers choose a select few books to publish. I’m shepherding chosen experience reports for the big agile conference in the summer where a program team chose a limited number of reports. Instead of “being chosen,” why not choose ourselves? Last week, I spoke with
When Do You Choose Yourself? Read More »