Just a Blonde of Very Little Brain

First kohlrabi

2009-06-20T19:03:00.000-07:00

On the bridge to Sweden

2009-05-08T02:21:00.000-07:00

O'Hare airport signage

2009-05-05T19:00:00.000-07:00

Aarhus morning

2009-02-19T22:43:00.000-08:00

Espresso to go

2009-02-18T13:48:00.001-08:00

Nyhavn, Copenhagen

2009-02-18T13:45:00.001-08:00

Shopping List for the Costco of Life

2009-01-30T10:01:00.000-08:00

Good Design

2008-12-03T09:00:00.001-08:00

Good design is about identifying and satisfying hidden constraints in
an emotionally satisfying manner.

Change...

2008-11-24T09:22:00.001-08:00

Of Ladders and Trenches

2006-07-10T09:58:00.000-07:00

It's difficult, when you are in a management position, to maintain a balance between keeping a perspective on the big picture and staying in touch with what is going on in the trenches. I find that, while I need to maintain some contact with the trenches to retain perspective on what it's all about, I cannot get involved in routine trenchwork for two reasons:

1. At some point, it becomes too difficult mentally to have to integrate both details that are significant in the trench but not in the big picture , and details that are significant in the big picture but not in the trench. A friend of mine calls this "spanning too many rungs of the ladder." Obviously, when it becomes too much depends on the size of the ladder, the distance between rungs, and how stretchy you are at any given time.

2. I can't be both peer to and supervisor of my co-workers. While I (think I) can track my role-switches, it's almost impossible for others to do so, which, rightly makes them confused and uncomfortable. This is one of those management aphorisms on whcih all the management trainings agree but that everyone really has to learn for themselves. You have to be equal but separate.

So I think my strategy needs to be the Periodic Royal Pulse Check: hear about/talk to a few example trenches without actually getting involved directly.

3 Steps Exactly

2006-06-15T07:46:00.000-07:00

In disaster response, you always have to be thinking three steps ahead. Some people have trouble learning to think three steps ahead. Some people have trouble learning to think only three steps ahead.

Panic Early

2006-06-10T21:19:00.000-07:00

Panic early. It saves time later.

In the Labyrinth: For a Fellow Red-Crosser

2006-05-26T16:15:00.000-07:00

In the labyrinth, there is only one path. We all share the path, but each walk it alone. Sometimes we must step aside for others, sometimes others step aside for us. Sometimes we step aside and never return, but follow the path a different way.

The path has a beginning, a center and an end. It is the same for us all. Some walk the path quickly, some slowly, some pause, some never look back. Sometimes we are surprised to be on the outside and sometimes on the inside. Most find the center. All find the end; some too suddenly, some too soon. Mike Goth found the end too suddenly and too soon. I was fortunate to have shared a bit of the path with him.

Nunc lento sonitu dicunt, morieris.