Rob started telling me about the cool stuff he was producing at work. His team is building things that would cost millions to buy. I was impressed with what his team accomplished. I asked him his secret. His team saw problems. They created solutions. Rob's job was easy. Just say "Yes." No one told them to do it. They just did it. Rob let them. More than that... he encouraged them. Rob didn't try to manage his people (or their tasks). He led his people and their … [Read more...]
Ask, Don’t Tell?
June 12, 2012 by
My friend's team was filled with some ridiculously smart people. They were smart with technology. They just weren't people smart. He was telling me about the challenges they had working together. I had lunch with another friend a couple of months ago. He told me how he had learned to make people be part of the plan. The people make the plan happen. They might be inconvenient to work with. But nothing happens with out them. The team with the smart people struggle mightily … [Read more...]
How much is pain worth?
June 11, 2012 by
He said, "You know how we have to protect the foundation. Sometime we have to be aggressive." I was talking to a friend I used to work with. He worked on a team that had an us vs. them mentality. It created issues sometimes. They didn't always ask the questions they needed answered when they're customers approached them with a project. Then their customer would surprise them with a last minute requirement ... one that might have been revealed with the questions that didn't get … [Read more...]
What do you want to leave behind?
May 29, 2012 by
Let's stick with the Lego theme. I've written about building ideas ... ideas are the Lego blocks. Putting the blocks together is the execution. Many of us get caught in the idea trap. Accumulating ideas like a hoarder accumulates newspapers, cats and Elvis plates. The ideas pile up until we're overwhelmed by them. They're everywhere! You can barely walk in your brain because there are so many ideas piled up and laying around. Most of my regrets are about what I haven't done. … [Read more...]
Are you getting caught in the idea trap?
May 25, 2012 by
I remember stepping on the Lego piece with my bare foot. I screamed, cursing. A cubic, sharp pebble cutting into my foot. It hurt! Yesterday, I talked about how building ideas is like playing with Legos. "The ideas are the blocks. Putting them together is the execution." If you're an "idea guy" (or gal), like me, you have a bunch of blocks. They're everywhere! You're tripping on them, stepping on them, staring at them. Are you putting them together? Are you addicted … [Read more...]
What if you asked differently?
May 17, 2012 by
What if I fail? One the most common reason we don't take action is the fear of "what if". What if they say no What if it doesnt go well What if they don't like me What if they ask questions and I don't know the answer What if I look dumb Here are some more "what ifs" to ask: What if you look back in 10 years and your in the same place you're in now What if you become irrelevant What if you have nobody to blame but yourself By avoiding the first set of what … [Read more...]
Double the trouble
October 25, 2011 by
The Warheit Twins joined us last week. Today they are 1 week old. Sleep has been at a premium. Jen and I are adapting. We talked with another mom in the waiting room for the babies 48 hour doctor visit. We talked about when it gets better. Her observation, "I'm not sure that it gets better. I think we get better." Shortly after her comment, we realized we were in the wrong doctors office. It's easy to get caught up in waiting for "It" to get better. When we do that, … [Read more...]
Where’s your resume?
September 21, 2011 by
I work with people to help them manage change. When things go well, they produce results that they weren't able to produce on their own. This is a common outcome. I speak to many clients who want to leave their job. Their obstacle: Their resume isn't ready. They'll wallow in misery rather than write their resume. Meanwhile they deliver "Less than" results for the people they work for. This may last weeks, months or years. Disengagement is contagious. It needs to … [Read more...]
Are you a champion?
September 7, 2011 by
I hear bad advice a lot. The most common I people tell each other is "You should just do 'insert action'." You don't ask your infant to walk when they can't even crawl. Why do we ask adults to do things that they haven't demonstrated an ability to do? Just because you know how to walk doesn't mean the person you're trying help does. Telling them to walk produces one thing. Frustration. You're frustrated with them for not listening. They're frustrated with themselves for being stuck or … [Read more...]
Is it time for a new standard?
September 6, 2011 by
I screamed out of frustration. I hit another ball into the net. I was taking group lessons after not playing for 10 years. I expected myself to be the second coming of Roger Federer. The tennis coach came over. He scolded me. He said, "You don't have a right to get frustrated with how you're playing. You haven't practiced enough to expect yourself to do consistently well." I expect more from myself than I rightfully should. I'm not Wolfgang Puck. I don't have an professional … [Read more...]
