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Entries Tagged as 'Appearances'

A Buddy

May 16th, 2022 · No Comments

By Dwayne Phillips A buddy is someone who is standing next to me whom I assume knows what they are doing. They are carrying me. Then I learn otherwise. We all need a buddy. We all need someone standing next to us for support, advice, know how, etc. One problem with having a buddy in […]

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Tags: Appearances · Help · Humility · Other

Please Show Me

March 31st, 2022 · No Comments

by Dwayne Phillips There is much hyperbole in the technology field these days. There are three words that can eliminate that hyperbole. Be polite when using them. Over the years I have heard many amazing statements from people concerning something or other in the field of technology. I have mostly worked in computing over the […]

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Tags: Appearances · Hope · Humility · Technology · Visibility

Telephone and Smartphone

December 2nd, 2021 · No Comments

by Dwayne Phillips When the terrain and the map differ, believe the terrain. It is there in front of us. We ignore this at our peril. We have a telephone (at least I still do in my home) and a smartphone. We call both of them “phones.” Their names are the same. How we represent […]

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Tags: Alternatives · Appearances · Choose · Differences · Experiment · General Systems Thinking

People Say That Because…

November 25th, 2021 · No Comments

by Dwayne Phillips We often say things simply because we have heard others say those things. We are an odd lot. People say that because… they heard other people say that. And the other people said it with great confidence and bravado. Hence, it must be true, right? “Half of marriages end in divorce.” That […]

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Tags: Appearances · Communication · Error · Expectations · Judgment · Reality

Anonymity in the Masked Society

April 19th, 2021 · No Comments

by Dwayne Phillips All this mask wearing allows me to not recognize and not talk to people when I’d rather just keep doing things I’d rather just keep doing. The year of the virus has brought us many changes. Let’s consider one that I discovered recently and like (on those occasions when I like it). […]

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Tags: Alternatives · Appearances · Conversation · Reaction · Virus

The Common Person

January 25th, 2021 · No Comments

by Dwayne Phillips Thoughts about all those folks out there who seem to be doing something that the experts don’t like. 1980—it was a long time ago in a galaxy far, far away when I heard a woman telling foreign dignitaries about the common person in America. I didn’t approach her and hit her with […]

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Tags: Appearances · Fairy Tales · Integrity · Observation · People · Respect

Silence is Complicity (not)

September 14th, 2020 · No Comments

by Dwayne Phillips We have another variation of the “silence is agreement” notion. Let’s refute that notion—again. Looking back through this blog, it appears that I have written about this topic every four years. Once in 2012, once in 2016, so I guess it is time again. This time around “silence is complicity” is being […]

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Tags: Appearances · Communication · Conversation · Justice · Respect · Thinking

Looking Like I am Working

September 12th, 2019 · No Comments

by Dwayne Phillips Appearances are often deceiving. As managers, we know this, but… A long, long time ago, I was sitting in a chair against the wall in a meeting. The important persons were huddled around the meeting table discussing what important persons discuss around meeting tables. To this day, I have no idea what […]

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Tags: Appearances · Employment · Expectations · Management · Meetings