by Dwayne Phillips Where will we go for discourse on the Internet? Semi-public groups for forums work. I like Seth Godin’s recent short essay on trust and how folks use the Internet. Godin described the early (1970s) online interaction as, “Because each of these groups were high-trust communities, it was easy to conclude that the […]
Entries Tagged as 'Respect'
Internet Discussion Chaos and Semi-Public Groups
April 1st, 2021 · No Comments
Tags: Adults · Conversation · Ideas · Internet · Respect · Talk · Trust · Vocabulary
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 […]
Tags: Appearances · Fairy Tales · Integrity · Observation · People · Respect
Who Called First?
January 14th, 2021 · No Comments
by Dwayne Phillips Who wants whom? Who wants someone else’s attention or expertise? People tend to forget the answers. You called me. We called him. These mean something—important. We called him. We want his time, attention, expertise—we want something he has and we don’t have. The same when you call me. You want something of […]
Tags: Analysis · Influence · Questions · 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 […]
Tags: Appearances · Communication · Conversation · Justice · Respect · Thinking
Explain Yourself!
September 7th, 2020 · No Comments
by Dwayne Phillips One of the bigger compliments in the knowledge world in which we live is when someone wants to know what I know. “I don’t have to explain myself to you! I am a grand exalted expert in expertise and all grand exalted things!” said a frustrated expert when told, “Explain yourself.” I […]
Tags: Expertise · Knowledge · Respect · Teaching
The Art of Requesting Assistance
June 25th, 2020 · No Comments
by Dwayne Phillips We all need assistance in our work. There are requests for assistance that bring assistance. There are requests for assistance that bring nothing. We all need assistance in our work. Persons who can do their job well all the time are stalled in a job that doesn’t challenge them. There are requests […]
Just In Time, Head Scratching, and Congruence
June 22nd, 2020 · No Comments
by Dwayne Phillips People differ in work styles. Failing to admit such is failure. Let’s discuss our difference and work. We turn in products on schedule, sometimes literally at the last hour. Well, what’s the problem? The products are on time. And many are fine with that. If you finish ahead of time, you show […]
Tags: Adults · Communication · Competence · Resources · Respect · Work
One of the Ultimate Compliments at Work
January 30th, 2020 · No Comments
by Dwayne Phillips One of the ultimate compliments at work is, “We’ll do fine without you.” If you want to be indispensable, do a really bad job. It may seem backwards, but we can do without our best employees. Of course, this all depends on the definition we use for “best” and “good.” Our best […]
Tags: Process · Respect · Trust · Work
Physics Rules in Thailand and Everywhere Else
July 23rd, 2018 · No Comments
by Dwayne Phillips Computing is amazing. It does not, however, overcome basic physics. The kids and their coach in Thailand were rescued from that cave. One rescuer died in the attempt. Facebook, Instagram, SnapChat? They don’t overcome physics, gravity, water, oxygen, and those other pesky things. Note how we quickly lose control when we venture […]
The One-Person Silo
November 30th, 2017 · No Comments
by Dwayne Phillips We all like to have something we can call our own. We like to work on something and say, “I did that!” We have to decide if one of us is smarter than all of us. In Agile Development, somehow the team meets and decides on a new feature or fix for […]