The tightly scheduled day doesn't allow for the unexpected, it provides minimal flexibility and should something urgent arise, it requires you to make sacrifices to react. All it takes is a delay in one activity for you to spend the rest of the day trying to catch up. It relies on everything going to plan … Continue reading Tightly scheduled Day →

'I think we're still good to deliver some time in October' The uncertainty of the word 'think' coupled with the non-specific target date of the whole month of October provides a tell tale sign that this project is going to miss its October 1st delivery date. If the below was the statement it would be … Continue reading Delivery language →

'Can you do that for me?' 'I can but it's not assigned to me so I won't' The more responsibility you shirk, the less you will work, until it becomes hard to find work!

It's inevitable that you'll have to chase people in todays world. Attention spans are fragmented and spread across more formats then ever before. So if you want to make change happen you will eventually have to remind someone of their commitment to you. Now you want to do it in a way that doesn't harm … Continue reading Chasing tone of voice →

It's January and Bob & Cindy have been handed a college essay that is due at the end of March. Cindy gets started on it that day. As she sits down a clever thought pops into her head and she asks the question 'Could I add that to this essay?' It would definitely improve her … Continue reading Could I add that? →

Today is the Munster final. Max and his team aren't anxious at all, they feel prepared, they have a plan. A well thought out plan, that they had worked on for the past month. But unfortunately that plan was based on the presumption that the weather would be good. And the weather today is awful. … Continue reading When the plan fails →

If you'd like to control every minor detail of a team project you certainly can, it just requires sacrificing a few things. Namely: Productivity Initiative Trust Morale and all of your spare time to name a few.

Meetings are like surgery you hope it will be quick, painless and effective.

If you don't write it down, the likelihood of that great idea being implemented decreases by the minute.

Can you get apples for me? Vs Can you get me 10 Granny Smith apples from Murphy's, have Dan himself pick them and have them bright and shiny in the office kitchen at 3pm this Friday? The problem with the first question is that it leaves you wide open to misinterpretation: 2 apples? Green or … Continue reading Can you get me apples? →