Working Up

by Dwayne Phillips I have learned that I am not capable of being prepared for everything. Hence, I have learned to be prepared for being unprepared. I often speak in front of people, lead discussions, teach classes, and generally attend meetings where people ask me questions. I am often unprepared for what people ask. I […]

[Read more →]

by Dwayne Phillips I attend a five-day conference with only an iPad and ZaggMate bluetooth keyboard. It worked! I recently attended a conference at work – eight hours a day for five days. WiFi was to be available. Hmm, eight hours, WiFi, I wasn’t sure about power connections, I decided to try my iPad with […]

[Read more →]

by Dwayne Phillips Some meetings are driven only by the calendar. We meet monthly or weekly or whatever just because a page falls from the calendar on the wall. I’m going to a meeting tomorrow (or maybe its the day after?). The reason for the meeting? the calendar Yes, it is a meeting determined by […]

[Read more →]

by Dwayne Phillips In my industry job, I see people making phone calls to obtain answers to questions right now. I never say that in 28 years of government. Here are some thoughts on the practice. I worked in government for 28 years. I have since worked in private industry for two years. A current […]

[Read more →]

by Dwayne Phillips People use one set of postures for thinking. There are another set of postures that make it easy for other people to hear what you are saying when you are talking. Please try to switch postures when thinking and then talking. This request is especially strong when in meeting with other people. […]

[Read more →]

by Dwayne Phillips Well meaning managers often start new activities. The activities are not sustainable, and the well meaning manager gains a reputation as a liar. I am a grandparent. I have one grandson who is now 23 months old (I have to put up a new photo of him sometime :-). Grandparents engage in […]

[Read more →]

by Dwayne Phillips There is a difference between deciding well and documenting a decision process well. The human condition means that we are mistaken a good portion of the time. Processes and documents can help, but they don’t erase that. I once worked in a government organization that prided itself on its excellent decisions. They […]

[Read more →]

by Dwayne Phillips Be wary when someone asks for “actionable fill-in-the-blank.” I few years ago, I was working in a prestigious organization (just ask anyone who worked there, they would happily tell you that it was a prestigious place). A division there had an expiring charter and needed to update it. Several senior managers asked […]

[Read more →]

by Dwayne Phillips The Technology Imperative states that if a new technology exists, we need it. Logic and business school lessons don’t matter. It happened again this week. I was visiting someone at their office in another building. The man I was visiting was slouched over in his chair with a face that asked, “Why […]

[Read more →]

by Dwayne Phillips I hate doing something twice. That leads to disliking short tasks. Short tasks are easy to do all over a second time, especially when someone else decides that they want you to do it again. This may not sound right, but I would much rather have a long, time-consuming task that one […]

[Read more →]