“They” won’t let us. “They” tried that before. “They” don’t care. Whenever you hear someone use “they” you must ask, Who’s “they”? Usually “they” is an untested assumption that some group or some person may be against your change. Once you know the group or person, by code or by name, you can call them […]
Reading for me is like applying large strips of Velcro to my brain. With each new thing I read, whether a business book, novel or local newspaper, I now have new information that other information can stick to. This new information always seems to help me find the patterns I need to drive the changes
In need of more Velcro Read More »
Faced with the choice between changing one’s mind and proving there is no need to do so, almost everyone gets busy on the proof.” – John Kenneth Galbraith Be willing to change your mind. Be open to something new. Ask, “How would it work if that were true?” and listen for something amazing.
Toyota paid out big money over their sticking accelerator pedal problem. Turns out, according to initial reports, that the actual cause of the accidents was operator error. It seems drivers thought they were hitting the brake when they were actually pushing the gas all the way to the floor. While driving change I see the
Is that the brake or the gas? Read More »
I’ve been stringing together weeks of adventures. Last week I was at a Naval Postgraduate School class in Monterey, California. For the next several weeks I’ll be road tripping through Washington, Montana, North Dakota, Minnesota, and Wisconsin then back through Minnesota, South Dakota, Wyoming, Montana and Washington. While I’m gone, where will you be? I
Adventures and What Else? Read More »
If you goal is to make change, it’s foolish to try to change the worldview of the majority if the majority is focused on maintaining the status quo. The opportunity is to carve out a new tribe, to find the rabble-rousers and change lovers who are seeking new leadership and run with them instead.” –
When you’re driving change with a team, you’ll be holding at least a few meetings. To keep people coming to your meetings, be sure to greet them as they arrive. Arrive 10 minutes earlier than you usually would. Get all your things together for the meeting. Then, as people arrive, say something to them, anything.
When you’re leading a team, find your passion within the team’s project or goals and make the team’s work essential to you in some way. Maybe the team’s goal (e.g., expanding housing for the homeless) is your motivation. Maybe you’re indifferent to the goal (e.g., reducing the number of file cabinets in the department storeroom),
Follow your passion Read More »
For the next month I’m devoting the blog to a series of posts tailored for team project leaders and the people who support them (e.g., my favorite consultants and executives out there). I think you’ll get something from these posts, whether you’re leading a team at your church, in your volunteer organization, or at work.
Cassandra, in Greek mythology, was the woman gifted with prophecy, the ability to hear or see the future. Apollo, denied her love, placed a curse upon her so no one would believe her predictions. Her tragedy was her deep understanding and her powerlessness to make it known. As you work at driving change, as you
Deep Understanding and Powerlessness Read More »
