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Working Up in Project Management, Systems Engineering, Technology, and Writing

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Entries Tagged as 'Conversation'

I Will Do Less Than I Can

October 24th, 2024 · No Comments

by Dwayne Phillips The title is the hallmark of a person in a bureaucracy. Do less; just get by. I have worked in and around government agencies for four decades or more. Gosh, that’s a lot. The title of this little post summarizes the mean of the bell curve in these places. Let’s expand a […]

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Tags: Commitment · Conversation · Excuses · Government · Leadership · Learning · Systems

When the Audience Knows More

October 10th, 2024 · No Comments

by Dwayne Phillips Sometimes, the audience knows more than the designation teacher or expert. Great. There is much good that can come from this. Let’s discuss teaching adults or at least a situation where someone says you are the teacher and everyone else in the room is an adult. It is common for one of […]

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Tags: Adults · Authentic · Conversation · Honesty · Learning · Teaching

Communications Channels and Checks

July 8th, 2024 · No Comments

by Dwayne Phillips Let not check a communications channel using that same communications channel. It is pretty silly to do so. Since the great pandemic of the early 2020s, I have been part of countless ZoomerTeams meetings. Almost every one starts with, “Can everyone hear me?” Let’s pause and think. If a participant cannot hear […]

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

John, I am Upset

February 8th, 2024 · No Comments

by Dwayne Phillips Here is one way to begin what is likely to be an unpleasant conversation. It lessens the unpleasantness and moves toward a more productive conversation. Let’s begin with, “John, I am upset.” (Substitute the other person’s name for John. That was the most alias of names I could find.) There, said the […]

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Tags: Adults · Communication · Context · Conversation · Wishes

Sharing Risk: What Do You Have to Lose?

January 25th, 2024 · No Comments

by Dwayne Phillips In our personal lives, we often take all the risk without asking others to share it. The basic, but rarely asked, question is, “What does each person have to lose?” I am sitting here sipping coffee pondering what to do. Someone is asking me to wait, and wait, and wait. Perhaps they […]

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Tags: Accountability · Alternatives · Conversation · Differences · Economics · Respect · Risk

The Local Phone Call

January 11th, 2024 · No Comments

by Dwayne Phillips There was a time when a local phone call was special. Today, we have social media. Same thing, but we tend to use it differently. We don’t have to. Many years ago there was such a thing as a long-distance phone call and a local phone call. The long-distance call was charged […]

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Tags: Choose · Conversation · Internet · People

Jargon

December 14th, 2023 · No Comments

by Dwayne Phillips We continue to use too much jargon. Are we illiterate or just too lazy to type words? I am reviewing materials for a certification. Gosh, I am too old for this, but whatever. I won’t mention the name of the certification. I you continue reading this post, you can probably guess which […]

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Tags: Brevity · Clarity · Communication · Conversation · Word · Writing

Apology

July 31st, 2023 · No Comments

by Dwayne Phillips An apology is just that—an apology. It is neither an explanation nor a justification. Rats! An apology is simple: I did this wrong. I am sorry for that. I ask your forgiveness. An apology does not contain an explanation: I was trying to do such-and-such and … An apology does not contain […]

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Tags: Accountability · Adults · Authentic · Change · Communication · Conversation · Error · Ethics · Excuses · Honesty

In Praise of the Table

May 11th, 2023 · No Comments

by Dwayne Phillips In which I consider what is the ultimate purchase for the home, family, and home business: the table. Consider the humble flat horizontal surface. Narrow the consideration to the kitchen table with four chairs. A quick search shows plenty of choices from $100 on up. Let’s settle for $150. A family eats […]

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Tags: Adults · Authentic · Concepts · Conversation · Economics · Family · General Systems Thinking

Leading and Managing

April 27th, 2023 · No Comments

by Dwayne Phillips Someone is paid to lead the people and manage the work. They are paid to answer, “Yes, but how are they going to do that?” Work can be difficult to accomplish at times. And there are times when you say, “This isn’t good enough. It must be better.” A well-meaning person replies, […]

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Tags: Conversation · Leadership · Management · Work