The Unfortunate Non-Negotiables
Software Implementation and Digital Transformation should be as humane an experience as we can make it. The people receiving the change should understand why the change is happening, they need to understand…
The Move from Idea to Execution
It’s incredibly easy to have an idea. Thoughts are free. The delivery of an idea has a cost. The cost is often not just financial. The real cost, often, is very personal….
Important Lessons from an Ancient Job Disaster
My very first job ended in complete disaster for me. But it also taught me two of the most important lessons I carry with me to this day. Lesson #1: A business…
So You’ve Been Laid Off…
It’s all over the news and LinkedIn and other outlets – we are in a period of significant change and uncertainty in the tech job market in a number of sectors. Whether…
Implementation Parable – The Fisherman and the Businessman
The other day my team asked me to detail our new purpose. I felt the conversation was constructive, but upon reflection, it ended with insufficient information for my team. The conversation was…
Pre-mortem – How to Prepare for Change
You get assigned an implementation. It’s terrifying – people are going to hate it. So, you pick a team. And now you and your team are shaking in fear. “Why me?” you…
Leading Change – The Kotter Perspective
Leading Change, a book by Dr. John Kotter, remains a must-have for Change Leaders. His book outlines 8 Steps to effectively lead, implement, and sustain a successful change project. Here are the 8…
The Kimberly Effect – Lateral Leadership is Real
My first large-scale change initiative involved moving Charles Schwab’s Creative Services department from a paper-based workflow to a completely online workflow while also integrating multiple Creative groups (added through acquisition) into a…
Motivation for Creative Professionals
In the book The Rise of the Creative Class, Author Richard Florida postulates that motivation for Creatives is more intrinsic than extrinsic. Extrinsic Motivation uses rewards or punishment to motivate the correct behavior….
The Unwanted Implementation – And What To Do About it
Stay away from negative people. They have a problem for every solution. – Albert Einstein That is excellent advice, but when you are a software implementer, sometimes you don’t have a choice…