Today I recharged my batteries with a few great articles by and videos about Admiral H. G. Rickover, my favorite change agent. First, I’ll share a clip out of his speech, “Thoughts on Man’s Purpose in Life,” given to various audiences over several years (a benefit of the pre-Internet age). The task of finding a […]
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Check out this featured case study at Kotter International’s website: Creating an Engine for Change. There’s even a video of Dennis Goin and I talking about driving change with a network in a command-and-control hierarchy. As my husband says, I am one of those weird people who loves her job. I hope that shows in
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A lion doesn’t concern himself with the opinions of a sheep.” – Richard Sherman Congratulations to Richard Sherman and the Seattle Seahawks on their Super Bowl win. Thank you to Mr. Sherman for reminding us that change agents shouldn’t worry about what status quo keepers think about their ideas. Drive change by making the change
The best way to get people to think out of the box is not to create the box in the first place.” – Martin Cooper What if, much like the mime, there is no box unless we imagine it to be there? Over the years, I’ve watched so many people struggle against imaginary walls.
I’ve begun or am soon to begin several new roles simultaneously. The process of starting so much new is reminding me that change stimulates the mind in ways that learning within a role never can. Assuming a new role requires so much probing, listening, sensing, sending, receiving, and interpreting that every nerve seems activated. I’m
All anyone asks for is a chance to work with pride.” – W. Edwards Deming How odd it is that pride in your work is too often mistaken for arrogance. I often wonder why that is so. Perhaps people are confusing false pride with reality-based pride. False pride says, “Give me unearned respect.” Reality-based pride
On Monday, sixty people began their morning with physical stretching to get their bodies warmed up. After quick introductions on why they were together and who they each were, they broke into predetermined groups for some mental stretching, using my favorite mental stretching exercise: Cognitive Edge’s The Future, Backwards. The mental stretch was followed by
Neither a wise man nor a brave man lies down on the tracks of history to wait for the train of the future to run him over.” – Dwight D. Eisenhower Chris Gin via Compfight
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I don’t know if it is a blessing or a curse that I think of abstract concepts as pictures and videos. Today, while discussing the differences between seeking excellence and preventing failure, a picture filled with hot air balloons sprung to mind and then my imagination pushed play. Our scene opens to a beautiful balloon
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I love the man that can smile in trouble, that can gather strength from distress, and grow brave by reflection.” – Thomas Paine As the first full week of the year dawns, let us be encouraged by our fellow souls that can live like the man in Mr. Paine’s quote. This week, I commit to
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