Working Up

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

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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

The View from the Inside

May 17th, 2021 · No Comments

by Dwayne Phillips Candid comments from someone on the inside. It can be ugly in here. For a while, I worked on a project where I would teach persons how to use the software that was produced. We had good intentions. When the software worked as advertised and taught, it allowed the users to do […]

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Tags: Adults · General Systems Thinking · Humility · Mistakes

Just do It! Are You Kidding?

November 19th, 2020 · No Comments

by Dwayne Phillips We “just” … Nothing is easy. We might as well describe the situation as it is. Everything is easy if someone else is supposed to do it. When I have to do it, not so easy. Yet, we describe things as easy. We’ll just do this and that and be done with […]

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Tags: Authentic · Competence · Conversation · Expectations · Humility · Word

Find the Opportunity

June 18th, 2020 · No Comments

by Dwayne Phillips Just as every event provides a learning, every event provides an opportunity. The choice to see and seize it is ours. The times are a troubling. What’s new? Everything is new; nothing is new. The times present us with the choice to shrug or to learn. We are paying the tuition by […]

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Tags: Accountability · Choose · Humility · Leadership · Learning · Notice · Observation

Let’s Do Better

May 28th, 2020 · No Comments

by Dwayne Phillips Improving what and how we do things is a touchy subject. Approach it carefully. “I wish they would do better,” said the optimist. “They are awful at this,” said the disgusted. “Improve,” said the commander. And what other stereotypical comments can we make when we see someone do something poorly? First, what […]

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Tags: Change · Humility

Behold the Wonder of the Lip (protruding edge)

May 4th, 2020 · No Comments

by Dwayne Phillips There are persons and things that we don’t notice much, but who keep everything working and everyone smiling. Please notice and appreciate. lip: noun, the edge of a hollow container or an opening. “drawing her finger around the lip of the cup” Behold the wonder of the lip, that protruding edge that […]

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Tags: Analysis · Concepts · General Systems Thinking · Humility · Listening · Notice

Our Past Brought Us Here

February 13th, 2020 · No Comments

by Dwayne Phillips We hate to admit it, but we are here and now because of our past actions. “How did we get here?” bemoans a person currently caught in some quicksand of life. The answer is, “Out steps brought us here.” Another answer is, “The system is the way it is because we made […]

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Tags: Adapting · Alternatives · Choose · Humility · Learning

Solutions Already Exist

December 23rd, 2019 · No Comments

by Dwayne Phillips Many of our problems already have solutions in waiting. And many of these are effective and inexpensive. Person A: My kid won’t stop chewing on fill-in-the-blank. Person B: Put a drop of fill-in-the-other-blank on it. It will taste bad, and the kid will stop chewing on it. Person A: Oh. … Person […]

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Tags: Humility · Problems · Questions · Simple · Solutions

What did You Hear Me Say?

September 5th, 2019 · No Comments

by Dwayne Phillips Ask for information. Use it to change me—not the other person. I teach classes on a few topics at work. The best thing I can do afterwards (a few days later) is ask one of the students questions: “What is this? What is that? How would you do this? What is the […]

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Tags: Communication · Humility · Teaching

I’m not Sure about This…

January 14th, 2019 · No Comments

by Dwayne Phillips The most difficult thing about the agile and similar approaches is the zero-th step. “I’m aren’t sure about this.” Let’s take small steps and learn as we go. Let’s not reach too far and make too costly a mistake.This is the agile manifesto stated another way. There is nothing new here; we […]

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Tags: Adapting · Agility · Error · Humility