I was recently caught in the cross-hairs of a debate and word-smithing over what does and does not qualify as a “Transformation”. It felt like we were dictating how people should perceive the value of their efforts and outcomes. When that happens, one person’s audacious transformation can be reframed as another person’s routine business-as-usual. I … Continue reading The “T” Word
Speech is silver, Silence is golden - Arabic proverb. In my travels, I’ve been exposed to a variety of different coaching stances, styles and schools of thought. Some resonate with me and some don’t. I’m especially partial to the “Silence is golden” school of thought. As a result, one of my favourite coaching questions is, … Continue reading The Power of What Else?
When you assume things, you make an “ass” out of “u” and “me”. I learned that saying at a summer camp when I was barely a teenager. It has stuck with me ever since. Nowhere is its truth more apparent than with the art and practice of communication. Making assumptions about what should or shouldn’t … Continue reading The Fog of Communication
I’m no plumber. My wife reminds me of that fact every time I go near a plumbing fixture with wrench in hand. I’ve had my share of plumbing repair successes. Replacing a washer or swapping out a faucet - those are relatively easy DIY jobs I’ve done well. On the other hand, installing a new … Continue reading DIY Lessons for Change
Reconciliation is not the responsibility of Indigenous Peoples – it is the responsibility of all Canadians. It is our responsibility to continue to listen and to learn.Justin Trudeau Word of the day = Responsibility I was in Ottawa during Canada’s second annual National Day for Truth and Reconciliation. The city was awash and aglow in … Continue reading September 30th
I hate KIA (“Know It All”) managers! There, I said it. You know the type. Those who relish any opportunity to dominate conversations. To show everyone how much they know and how little everyone else knows. To solve everyone’s problems for them whether they needed help or not. Like the Fountains of Bellagio in Las … Continue reading Glimpses Into Servant Leadership
Thomas Edison re-framed a reporter’s question about how it felt to fail so many times before finally succeeding with inventing the light bulb. “I have not failed. I’ve just found 10,000 ways that won’t work.”Thomas Edison What if instead of uncovering 10,000 ways that won’t work, one could discover 10,000 different ways that will work? … Continue reading My Treasure Trove
What do the following concepts have in common? Eliminate wasteParkinson’s LawDunbar’s NumberLimit WIPDescaling That common thread is what this post is all about. With the rising costs of living brought on by the pandemic and war, some consumer packaged goods producers have been managing to keep prices from rising by selling products with less quantity … Continue reading When Life is Full of Filler
What I love about Agile ways is its empiricism. Accepting that we cannot predict and plan how things will turn out. Accepting instead, to just start, try something, learn, and adjust along the way. Accepting that “good enough” trumps “perfect” at every step. Preferring to be approximately right-ish, quickly than exactly wrong, slowly. This holds … Continue reading When Is Good Enough Not?
Management tends to get a bad rap whenever Agile ways of working are discussed. Sometimes this is warranted and other times it is not. One narrative is the manager who basks in the glory of their own magnificence. Those managers may very well deserve to be a lightning rod for criticism and blame when empowered … Continue reading Is Management a Security Blanket or Straitjacket?
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