Communicating

Thanks to Kendall Lott for producing a great series of podcasts titled, “Project Manager Point of View (PM-POV).” Thanks to PMIWDC for hosting them. Thanks to Michael Hannan for introducing me to Kendall and the podcasts. If you’re looking for thought-provoking, brilliantly produced, quick podcasts to get your creative project manager ideas flowing, check out […]

If I’ve heard it once, I’ve heard it a thousand times, “I can’t afford to attend.” That’s the first thing I hear when I ask people, “Will you join me at Accelerate Results 2016?”  People from a wide range of organizations and industries all respond the same. Now, most of these people don’t even know

Now is the time to connect with the information you want.  Stop waiting for the information to find you.  Here are some ideas to get you started: Subscribe to the leading magazine covering a topic you’re curious about. Write to a blogger or an author that you’ve always wanted to ask a question. Ask a friend

For the first time in six years, Engine For Change has a new look.  I’m doing some site maintenance in advance of what I’m hoping will be a busy 2016 of posting.  Thank you to all of you who’ve been with me since this blog began.  Welcome to all new readers.  I’ll work hard to

One of my key learning takeaways from yesterday’s meeting with Dr. Edgar Schein is that all change agents must be disciplined enough to wait until they have permission from the other person, who Schein call the client, before you offer your recommendations. Help without permission isn’t help.  It’s…abuse might be too strong a word…relationship wear…it

Wednesday I said goodbye to Puget Sound Naval Shipyard and Intermediate Maintenance Facility (PSNS & IMF). As is tradition, I sent a farewell email.  Here’s what it said: Friends – Thank you for 13 wonderful years.  You’ve challenge me, encouraged me, and made me a better person.  I’m enriched for knowing each of you, whether

Today’s the day I decided to embrace safe-to-fail experimentation applied to my profile picture. I’ve been using a fantastic picture of me taken years ago.  I love this photo, but I’m no longer this woman.  This was taken two kids ago, many years ago, and a lifetime of learning ago. Today it was time to

In an attempt to keep change efforts relevant to large numbers of people, we keep the language generic and accessible.  The problem with this approach is that some changes call for specific language with specific meanings in order to make sense of what is really happening. You wouldn’t troubleshoot a complex electrical system by referring