Working Up

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

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Don’t Try So Hard

February 4th, 2016 · No Comments

by Dwayne Phillips One of the worst things to do in many situations is to try really, really hard. One of the best pieces of advice I received from author and consultant Jerry Weinberg is: Don’t try so hard I have to force myself to remember this when I find myself staring at something and […]

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Tags: Breathe · Observation · Work

Kickstarter and the Office of President

November 5th, 2015 · No Comments

by Dwayne Phillips Kickstarter campaigns raise more money than presidential candidates. Who, if anyone, should be ashamed? Some Kickstarter campaigns for little gadgets are raising more money than some presidential candidates. Americans should be ashamed for putting more time and money into silly little gadgets than they do into who will be the next leader […]

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Tags: America · Observation

Integrity

April 9th, 2015 · No Comments

by Dwayne Phillips We all say that we are people of integrity. But are we? I hate to write this blog post. I know I hate to do it because I have been meaning to write it for seven or eight years, but still haven’t done it. Well, here goes. We like to say that […]

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Tags: Integrity · Management · Meetings · Observation

Remote Sensing is Difficult

September 4th, 2014 · No Comments

by Dwayne Phillips It is difficult to measure things from a distance. That distance can by in space and it can be in time. We often attempt to measure things from a distance. We take photos of the ground from 10,000 feet up in the air. We then run through geometric calculations to determine the […]

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Tags: Estimation · General Systems Thinking · Observation · Technology

The Most Important Moment in a Project

December 2nd, 2013 · No Comments

by Dwayne Phillips The most important moment in a project is not when you hold your breath during the final system test. Rather, it is a moment of interaction between persons. Quick and to the point: The most important moment in a project is when a person tells the project manager some “bad” news, and […]

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Tags: Management · Observation · People

Labeling People

July 18th, 2013 · No Comments

by Dwayne Phillips A  practice in government was labeling people. It was a lazy but oft-used practice. Happenstance was the main source of labels. I worked in government 28 years. Managers were often overwhelmed with things to do. Much of the “work” was self-created, but that is another story for another time. Anyways, one result […]

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Tags: Employment · Government · Management · Observation

Flip Flopping to Extremes

November 29th, 2012 · No Comments

by Dwayne Phillips I have observed people change their mind from one extreme to another. Is there a name for this behavior? I have observed something about people and I am searching for a name for this behavior. I have observed this across decades, organizations, and areas of endeavor. Here is how it goes: Consultant: […]

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Tags: Communication · Culture · General Systems Thinking · Observation · People

Blogging to Clear the Mind

March 19th, 2012 · No Comments

by Dwayne Phillips One reason for blogging is to clear ideas from the mind. Put them in the blog and they no longer rattle around up there. That makes room for the next ideas. Why blog? There are many reasons. Here is one: To clear the mind. This is one thing that writing, any type […]

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Tags: General Systems Thinking · Ideas · Observation

Unrelated Indicators

September 5th, 2011 · No Comments

by Dwayne Phillips People off tip off what they are about to do (pick up the remote control and you are about to watch television). There are other tip offs or indicators that are not so obvious. I was sitting in a meeting a few weeks back. I put on my $1 reading glasses and […]

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Tags: Observation · People

Nike was Here

August 25th, 2011 · No Comments

by Dwayne Phillips Whatever it is we are doing, there are probably other people doing much the same thing. Sometimes we have to look in the dirt to notice their footprints. My wife and I went “hiking” (walking in the woods) recently in the Shenandoah National Park. The trails were pretty easy to follow – […]

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Tags: Observation