Archive for June, 2010
on knee-jerk reactions
things don’t always go as you had planned.  something at some point will happen which throws off your expectations.  no project is without it’s problems challenges (sorry, in the consulting world we don’t like the word ‘problem’ because it has a negative connotation to it) — but before you institute solutions, you absolutely have to think about how it will affect the entire dynamic.
the problem with knee-jerk reactions is that they are generally conceived by the “fight or flight” portion of our brains; the portion of our brains that doesn’t consider impacts beyond the immediate situation.  so while the reaction might be good for you right now in diffusing the situation or mitigating the issue, it may end up having negative impacts down the line.
fight the urge to make those knee-jerk reactions. Â your task, your project, your business is far too important to hinge its future on a decision made without just deliberation. Â before you make a decision on how to solve your next challenge, ask yourself two simple questions: “have i gathered multiple points of view?” and “have i really given good thought to this?”
what can we learn from the beautiful game?
image by prettyfriendship, flickr artist
i like drawing parallels between sports and life. Â there are so many lessons that we can learn just by taking a look at things through a different lens. Â the beautiful game is no exception.
it’s world cup time right now; for me this is a huge deal. Â the only way i can describe it to non-football enthusiasts is to take thanksgiving, wrap it up in christmas, and then get rid of it for 4 years. Â it’s massive.
as i’ve watched the games and results unfold this year, i’ve had to rub my eyes in disbelief on more than one occasion.  most notably, for me, the first group-stage match between spain and switzerland where the swiss won with a 1-0 final score.  if you look beyond the score to the match statistics you see today’s lesson.
official stats for the game: spain 63%Â possession, 12 corner kicks, 24 shots… only 8 on target. Â switzerland 37% possession, 3 corner kicks, 8 shots… but 3 made it on target and of course one resulted in that crucial goal.
what do you look for when you hire?
image by Round Indigo Rock, flickr artist
we’ve had a big hiring push lately at my firm, and to be quite frank i don’t really like it.
to me it’s not enough to hire bright, intelligent, promising people to add to your workforce. Â you have to go beyond that and think about the team(s) those people will be on. Â this is hard to do when you are hiring people for their capabilities rather than a particular task. Â you need to be asking: can they become the new leaders of this team? Â can they handle the pressures of a highly dynamic development process? Â will they be able to form those trusting bonds with their coworkers?
i’ve been a part of many teams in both my academic and professional lives to know that just because someone has all the skills necessary, and their resumé checks all the boxes on your list of “the perfect candidate,” that doesn’t mean that they’re the right fit for your organization.  conversely, i’ve known people who have not been the brightest or the most talented but whom have made the organization thrive because they were excellent teammates.
who killed mom and pop? a discussion on quality
i have a close relationship to mom and pop because i used to work for mom and pop back in high school. Â it was a small shop around the corner from my house in south philly, italian flag painted on the floor of the storefront. Â we took pictures of our frequent customers and would hang them on the walls; it was as much their shop as it was our own.
sal — the owner of the store and my boss — wasn’t a young man anymore, and you could tell that time wore on him harsher than to most people.  when you work your whole life — from the time you’re 5 years old till you’re in your 60s — buying and selling produce for your family’s storefront and also a large group of independent restaurants, your body starts to wear out.  in some ways it sounds a romantic story — the american spirit lived out by italian immigrants: unquestionable work ethic.  uncompromising reserve — but here’s where the story turns tragic.