Overwhelmed

Have you ever looked at the result you produce?  Perhaps it is a legal brief, a sales proposal or a software solution.  Most likely, whether it is tangible or completely virtual, there were many tools, people and steps to create the end result.

On our team, we deliver business systems.  The amount of thinking, planning, people, information, systems and communications is mind boggling.  There are a number of failure points.  There are many other projects which have to be managed at the same time. This all has to be delivered in the midst of uncertainty.

The uncertainty comes from all the other knowledge workers pushing on us for time, energy, solutions and mindshare.  It’s part of the new deal in the new economy.  We are all in the collaboration game.  You have access to others much more easily now.  You are most likely dealing with similar demands and expectations. Read more

Winning In a Down Economy

In a time of great change, there is great opportunity. When there are changes in companies, jobs, business models and economic reality as we know it, there is always a redefinition of what the new rules will be.  Those who play to the emerging rules become beneficiaries of opportunity.

When we are coasting in business and life, we get lax.  We take things for granted.  When things are status quo, you are on cruise control.  As a customer, you like the goods and services you have become accustomed to.  You have that favorite restaurant or drink at Starbucks you buy without thought.

When hard times hit - loss in revenue or loss in job, you start shopping at cheaper places and looking for deals.  So does everyone else.  A higher level of discretion and scrutiny has entered your psyche.  You move with the ebb and flow of your situation. Read more

Productivity Glass Ceiling

I had the privilege of being in Germany when the Berlin wall fell. My father served 25 years in the military and 9 of those were in the Cold War era of then West Germany. At that time, West Germany was one of the most dynamic economies in the world. East Germany was a communist, economically struggling society. When the wall came down, hundreds of thousands of East Germans crossed into freedom.

One of the lighter sides of the whole ordeal was seeing the disparity between the two German peoples. I can remember traveling down the autobahn. There are no speed limits on the German autobahn. They were made for fast BMW’s and I would love to drive mine there for the pure speed thrill. That was what West Germans were like. Read more

Anyone Could Do That

Go to the grocery store and buy all the ingredients you will need. Next, go to Williams and Sonoma and get the best cookware and utensils. Sit in front of the television and take careful notes. Mimic the cook and see if your dinner dish comes out as succulent as you saw.

Are you now a world class cook? Now that you have all the required tools, accessories and instructions, can you serve in the finest restaurants? How about if you read the manual, a good cook book?

What makes a world class cook? If we break down all the elements to their sterile descriptions as we illustrated here, we get a picture, but not necessarily the essence of what it takes to be a gourmet chef. No, there is a much larger price to pay for such excellence that people praise and have demand for. Read more