http://imgs.xkcd.com/comics/duty_calls.png
ht my friend G
Sunday, February 24, 2008
Sunday, February 17, 2008
New Toy!
Totally psyched!!!!Just last night ordered one of these. Can hardly wait for it to arrive.
First time that I've ordered a camera on line, without holding it in my hand first. Seen nothing but great reviews on this camera though.
And, it's good news for you too!.... Now that I've bought one, the price is sure to plummet!
Sunday Funnies
A priest, a rabbi and a consultant were traveling on an airplane. There was a crisis and it was clear that the plane was going to crash and they would all be killed. The priest began to pray and finger his rosary beads, the rabbi began to read the Torah and the consultant began to organize a committee on air traffic safety.
Friday, February 8, 2008
Quotable Quote
"When the artist is alive in any person, whatever his kind of work may be, he becomes an inventive, searching, daring, self-expressive creature. He becomes interesting to other people. He disturbs, upsets, enlightens, and opens ways for a better understanding. Where those who are not artists are trying to close the book, he opens it and shows there are still more pages possible."
- Robert Henri
The Art Spirit, 1923
- Robert Henri
The Art Spirit, 1923
Thursday, February 7, 2008
Lessons Learned
Ok...in the past month I've learned the following about myself and about being a leader.
1) Have the right people in the room!!
Have been going round and round on a technical decision for 4 weeks now only to be told by the vendor that what we wanted to do "had risks". But, they could never define what those risks were. Finally, some one with a better vantage point came in and said, get the technical resources involved. Problem solved! We were going round and round without the right people in the room. Duh!!
2) You're not there to make friends.
I've found myself in the last week entrenched in the every day workings of this project. I tend to be pretty friendly and start chatting so nothing is getting done. (I know...I'm a bad role model). So basically, I know I've thrown off the momentum of the team by trying to get to know them a bit. I need to step back and manage them instead of befriending them.
3) Space is a beautiful thing!!
My "office" at the client site is a rather large conference room turned project room. It's where everyone hangs out. I literally have one person sitting in my office every single time I am there. I don't know why she's taken to doing it, but she sits right across from me the whole time I am in the office. Unfortunately, that means I get no privacy, no room and nothing done. I'm an introvert...I need space! I MUST find another place to work even if that means going to a whole other building to do so.
4) When you "fire" someone, INSIST that they go! Do not be "nice", do not let someone else talk you out of your decision. Once it's decided, it's decided...
I let them talk me into keeping this yutz and he's doing absolutely nothing on this proejct. He's a total waste of time and energy for me. He's billing the client for hours he's not doing and he needs to stop. He needs to start reporting to me what he's working on and I need to step up and get rid of him if he's not working. I need to quit paying him for lounging around.
5) Ya gotta mean business
I'm trying to be nice and I've forgotten my responsibilites. We only have a couple months to get this stuff done. I need to get back on track.
6) Ask for help.
So tonight I went out to dinner with someone that is in a program manager role. She has worked with this client before and knows exactly how to navigate the system. I wouldn't mind working for her actually. The other day she wrote me a note to see how I was doing and said "do you need anything". In the past, I would have said, oh no, I'm fine...and would have just pressed myself into working 100% of the time. This time I said, what I really need is to go out for dinner. I just need to bounce some ideas off someone and get some feedback. That was a smart move on my part. I feel so much more focused and in charge talking to her. She reminded me to get away, stay in charge and let them know I was in charge....Hearing her perspective about how weird this project is was very helpful too. Glad I asked for help even though it was just having a night of socializing with someone.
7) Get a routine!
This week, I changed up my routine. My room is a mess, I'm getting up late, I'm not focused and I"m getting bad habits. Having a routine is vital. More on that later.
1) Have the right people in the room!!
Have been going round and round on a technical decision for 4 weeks now only to be told by the vendor that what we wanted to do "had risks". But, they could never define what those risks were. Finally, some one with a better vantage point came in and said, get the technical resources involved. Problem solved! We were going round and round without the right people in the room. Duh!!
2) You're not there to make friends.
I've found myself in the last week entrenched in the every day workings of this project. I tend to be pretty friendly and start chatting so nothing is getting done. (I know...I'm a bad role model). So basically, I know I've thrown off the momentum of the team by trying to get to know them a bit. I need to step back and manage them instead of befriending them.
3) Space is a beautiful thing!!
My "office" at the client site is a rather large conference room turned project room. It's where everyone hangs out. I literally have one person sitting in my office every single time I am there. I don't know why she's taken to doing it, but she sits right across from me the whole time I am in the office. Unfortunately, that means I get no privacy, no room and nothing done. I'm an introvert...I need space! I MUST find another place to work even if that means going to a whole other building to do so.
4) When you "fire" someone, INSIST that they go! Do not be "nice", do not let someone else talk you out of your decision. Once it's decided, it's decided...
I let them talk me into keeping this yutz and he's doing absolutely nothing on this proejct. He's a total waste of time and energy for me. He's billing the client for hours he's not doing and he needs to stop. He needs to start reporting to me what he's working on and I need to step up and get rid of him if he's not working. I need to quit paying him for lounging around.
5) Ya gotta mean business
I'm trying to be nice and I've forgotten my responsibilites. We only have a couple months to get this stuff done. I need to get back on track.
6) Ask for help.
So tonight I went out to dinner with someone that is in a program manager role. She has worked with this client before and knows exactly how to navigate the system. I wouldn't mind working for her actually. The other day she wrote me a note to see how I was doing and said "do you need anything". In the past, I would have said, oh no, I'm fine...and would have just pressed myself into working 100% of the time. This time I said, what I really need is to go out for dinner. I just need to bounce some ideas off someone and get some feedback. That was a smart move on my part. I feel so much more focused and in charge talking to her. She reminded me to get away, stay in charge and let them know I was in charge....Hearing her perspective about how weird this project is was very helpful too. Glad I asked for help even though it was just having a night of socializing with someone.
7) Get a routine!
This week, I changed up my routine. My room is a mess, I'm getting up late, I'm not focused and I"m getting bad habits. Having a routine is vital. More on that later.
Sunday, February 3, 2008
Sunday Funnies
Ok, this may not be funny to anyone else, but it makes me laugh because totally reflects the way I feel about calvinism and the baggage that has gone along with it in my life. (and no, I'm not talking about the comic strip).
Don't remember where I found it, so I can't credit it...but thanks to whomever came up with it!
Don't remember where I found it, so I can't credit it...but thanks to whomever came up with it!
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