Responsibility is a unique concept… You may share it with others, but your portion is not diminished. You may delegate it, but it is still with you… If responsibility is rightfully yours, no evasion, or ignorance or passing the blame can shift the burden to someone else. Unless you can point your finger at the […]
…we mutually pledge to each other our lives, our fortunes, and our sacred honor.” – Thomas Jefferson, Declaration of Independence [July 4, 1776] Maybe your change requires a commitment less than your sacred honor, but it still requires something. You must align what you’re willing to pledge with what your change requires, be that a
On the days when I wanted to give up I think of a parable Admiral Rickover used to tell. The parable goes something like this, An ancient philosopher came to a city to save its people from their sins. The inhabitants of the city, who at first listened to the philosopher, gradually turned away. One
Whenever I run into a problem I can’t solve, I always make it bigger. I can never solve it by trying to make it smaller, but if I make it big enough I can begin to see the outlines of a solution.” – Dwight D. Eisenhower If you’re driving a change that only solves your
Quote of the Week: Make it big enough Read More »
I bet you’ve met someone like Bill before. Bill works hard every day, is above average in his work output and is a pleasure to work with. Bill is waiting patiently for his boss to offer him a big promotion. Bill hasn’t applied for any new jobs, hasn’t mentioned his interest in the promotion to
The only thing that interferes with my learning is my education.” – Albert Einstein As an implementer, an engineer, someone who turns ideas into practical applications, I enjoy this quote. I enjoy the quote because within it I hear a challenge to do more than absorb information. I hear a challenge to apply my knowledge,
Quote of the Week: Learning Read More »
Nothing was ever achieved without enthusiasm.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson What can you achieve with your enthusiasm and your willingness to drive change? Just imagine!
Quote of the Week: Enthusiasm Read More »
I’ve scrawled quotes on piles of index cards over the years. Nearly every card has the quote plus the quote’s author, the book I got the quote from, and the page number the quote is featured on. Note that I said nearly every card. Why? Well, because this week’s quote comes from a card with
Everyone is Coachable Read More »
A dear friend sent me this quote today: You may encounter many defeats, but you must not be defeated. In fact, it may be necessary to encounter the defeats, so you can know who you are, what you can rise from, and how you can still come out of it. — Maya Angelou Your thoughts?
When you’re driving change, you may be drawn into conversations about what progress you are making. Whenever I’m discussing (or thinking about) progress I try to keep this C.S. Lewis quote swirling in my head: But progress means getting nearer to the place where you want to be. And if you have taken a wrong
