Working Up

by Dwayne Phillips Are we ready to do this? Long ago I participated in meetings that were called things like: Operational Readiness Review Test Readiness Review Contract Readiness Review Trip Readiness Review fill-in-the-blank Several persons sat together and asked, “Are we ready to do this?” Regardless of what “this” was, we discussed the answer. Sometimes […]

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by Dwayne Phillips Let us consider the humble design review. It is still valuable. I have an idea. I think it will solve a problem or improve a situation. It is just an idea, but let’s try it. Perhaps—before we try it—let’s discuss it. This discussion of an idea before trying it is a design […]

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by Dwayne Phillips I review yet another fundamental of accomplishing work that seems to have been forgotten. In order for us to accomplish our work and our mission, we need you to do something. Here is the work. Here is the schedule. Here are the resources. Please. I suppose we leave off most of those […]

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by Dwayne Phillips Brevity and clarity are apt companions. The trouble is, they aren’t frequent companions.

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by Dwayne Phillips Trying to edit the writing of yourself or someone else? Especially trying to shorten the writing? Simply delete the last phrase of a sentence the last sentence of a paragraph the last paragraph of a page the last page of a chapter the last chapter of a book the last section of […]

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by Dwayne Phillips Sometimes if we change one little word to another littler word, the message is received. I write this post from a local coffee shop. I have been coming to this local coffee shop to viewing the Internet and write various things for about ten years. Every now and then, one of the […]

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by Dwayne Phillips If I cannot explain something with brevity and clarity, I am not ready to explain it. Gosh, that summary is a killer. I am ready to explain something. I have this earth-changing wonderful great super-duper (note the lack of brevity and clarity) idea that the world needs to hear and implement just […]

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by Dwayne Phillips Another troubling thing recruiters often say. Recruiter: Oh, so you’re interested in an oversight position as opposed to hands on. Me: No, I am not looking for an oversight position. I really don’t understand what that is. Since it is your word, would you please explain it to me? Recruiter: …silence… Me: […]

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by Dwayne Phillips Let’s not attribute to things that which belong to persons. The sign on the door read, This bathroom is out of order. Sorry! *MANAGEMENT* Just a simple little sign, and they said they were “sorry.” Who, however, was “they.” The writer of the sign was “MANAGEMENT.” (yes, that was written all uppercase) […]

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by Dwayne Phillips The message to a person should be the same as the message about a person. What I say to a person is the same as what I say about a person. At least it should be. In other words, I say the same thing when the person is in the room as […]

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