Sometimes (maybe most of the time) you will need to change your plan. Sometimes you will only need to change a little. Sometimes big changes are called for. And, sometimes, you will have to blow everything up and start over. Don’t be a slave to your plan. Remember that your plan was your best guess of how things should » Read More
Category: Planning
Boss’s Tip of the Week: Play “What if?”
The great bosses I’ve worked with are constantly playing the game of “What if?” in their head to help them prepare for “surprises.” Think of it as ad hoc scenario planning. Ask yourself what might happen. Then figure out what you’ll do if it does. What if a key team member has health » Read More
New Year’s Resolutions and Reality Checks
The ancient Babylonians were probably the first people to make something like New Year’s resolutions, around 4,000 years ago. In their case, the resolutions were promises to the gods to do something specific, like repay a debt. Today, New Year’s resolutions don’t have much to do with anything religious. Instead » Read More
What’s your story for 2017?
New Year’s is a time for resolutions and goals and all manner of plans. Let me suggest an alternative. Block out the story of what you want to do in 2017. Start by looking backward. Your 2017 story starts with 2016 Yep. That’s right. You’ll do a better and more realistic job of projecting forward into 2017 if you » Read More
Project planning lessons from home renovation
It’s a little crazy at my house this week. Workers are here doing all manner of renovation. There are big things, like repainting and putting in a new electrical circuit. There are medium things, like replacing a ceiling fan. And there are loads of little things like replacing switch plates that were ever-so-stylish » Read More