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Expect the best; Inspect for what you expect.
Expect the best; Inspect for what you expect.
You do not get what you expect, you get what you inspect. What gets measured gets done. What you choose to inspect also sends a…
June 30, 2008
Do not block the many because of the few
For the most part, I am blessed with excellent team members, associates, and partners. Their creativity, innovation, resourcefulness, and imagination are wonderful to witness. On…
June 27, 2008
If there is nothing to do, do nothing.
One wintery day almost a decade and half ago, I was walking along the frozen Charles River in Cambridge, Massachusetts, having a wide-ranging conversation with…
June 26, 2008
Words Matter
An experiment in diagnosis bias* was once conducted at MIT. A class had just been seated when a college representative walked in and explained that…
June 25, 2008
Rules: For the guidance of the wise
Thesis: Rules are for the guidance of the wise and the blind obedience of fools. Rules are funny things. You need them, but certain rules…
June 24, 2008
You’ve got time to lean, you’ve got time to clean.
Normally, I’m pretty happy when I visit my communities. A rare exception occurred the other day. Two Team Members in the office, no customers. As…
June 23, 2008
The wise farmer does not cast seed on rocky ground
There are only 24 hours in a day, and while we are a generation fortunate enough to reasonably expect to exceed life spans of the…
June 20, 2008
Overdetermined
Something is said to be overdetermined when it is caused (determined) by multiple simultaneous sources, any one of which might be enough grounds to create…
June 19, 2008
“Leaving for Hawaii”
Zig Ziglar, the motivational speaker and author, often told a story called “Leaving for Hawaii.” Stories are a great way to teach because they are…
June 18, 2008
Micro-Actions
Micro-actions are steps toward a goal that are sooooo small, anyone can take them. They seem so small that they are virtually effortless, so small…
June 17, 2008
You can choose the lesson you learn
Sports contain many lessons for life. That is one reason I think we are so enthralled by sports contests. They are life condensed, all the…
June 16, 2008
Opportunity Costs: The Road Not Taken
Every action has an opportunity cost. Opportunity cost is – the cost, the sacrifice made, in choosing one mutually-exclusive option over another – the alternative…
June 12, 2008
Involvement Breeds Commitment
I’ve got a lot of ideas, and some of them are even good ones. But mostly I’ve got more ideas then I’ve got time or…
June 11, 2008
Excusitis
Excusitis: Psychological disorder resulting from the need to defer responsibility to anyone or anything other than oneself. This disorder is usually accompanied by rationalization disorder.…
June 10, 2008
“The Speed of Trust” by Stephen Covey
This is a review and summary of “The Speed of Trust,” written by Stephen M.R. Covey, son of The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People…
June 9, 2008
Always Assume Postive Intent
Assuming positive intent means that you consciously chose to assume that the people you work with have good intentions, that they are operating to the…
June 6, 2008
Groupthink
Groupthink is when everyone in a group thinks alike, and consensus is valued more than independent or creative thinking. Groupthink is a frequent symptom of…
June 5, 2008
Irrational Fears?
I have made a life-long study of risk and people’s perceptions of risk and their reactions to it. After all, the El Dorado of investment…
June 4, 2008
Birds of a Feather
Role models and group norms are powerful, but perhaps we have never realized how incredibly powerful they can be. A recent study by Dr. Nicholas…
June 3, 2008
Emotion is Energy in Motion
Emotion can be thought of as “energy in motion.” To change your mood, MOVE! Or change your circumstances! The other day I received a phone…
June 2, 2008