I went to lunch with a couple of colleagues that I consider people who exemplify the principles of this blog. They manage their business. They not only have an idea of what they want out of life but they follow their own purpose. Their actions serve both the greater good of the systems they integrate… Read More
Our Bubbling Spring of Intent
Intent springs forth from the center of who we are. It emerges from combination of the choices that well up from within, the rational decisions we make as well as our integration with the unfolding situation. Intent is our motive power that gives us purpose and meaning through the actions we take to achieve it. … Read More
Igniting Our Fire to Create
In the aerospace industry, reactive problem solving is the norm. Satellite programs start with a schedule behind where it is supposed to be. A launch window has already been acquired or the alignment of celestial bodies give only a two week period in order for a mission to proceed. We attempt to build in schedule… Read More
Creating is Primary for the Business of You
I picked up an interesting book at the library this weekend, The Necessary Revolution, How individuals and Organizations are Working Together to Create a Sustainable World by Peter Senge. It has a couple of paragraphs that precisely align with what the business of you is all about on page 50. Problem solving is about making what… Read More
Managing Expectations Yields Opportunity
There are many organizations, especially in the aerospace industry, that struggle with perpetual reaction mode. Unfortunately it starts with the contract award. When we plan for being proactive including adequate margin, we are told by our customers our schedule or cost does not meet their expectations. What do we do? We capitulate. We cut out… Read More
Embracing Confrontation
My wife and I were discussing having leadership roles at work. Confrontation is unavoidable. Trust issues come up. People want to be seen as powerful or experienced and thus show themselves like a bird of paradise or peacock. When issues and confrontations do arise, the leader has a choice to make. As in the wild,… Read More
Threshold Identity
Our identity constantly evolves with increased change during periods we pass through a threshold. I’ve been working at a growing company for years. We have reached a point of diminished returns on our efforts to grow and change. We maintain instead of improve. We look at the bottom line instead of the whole picture. Our metrics… Read More
Poor Timing
Timing our actions to address deficiencies as soon as they are perceived is more effective than waiting until we think a problem exists. The difficulty is in the perceptions of those that lead, including our leadership of our own lives. Today, I had an executive “help” me with the backlog we have in inspection. This… Read More
Business of You 