As I write this, we are in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic. Collective action - when we all act together - is playing out in the headlines, as we watch from isolation. Collective action comes in various forms: Constructive collective action, with people keeping social distance and stores and businesses doing what they can … Continue reading The challenge of collective action
Leadership
Poker and Healthcare
The professional poker player Annie Duke, in various articles and podcasts, answers the question about whether life is more similar to chess or poker. She makes the point that in poker there is a large element of chance. No matter how good a player you are, some of the cards remain face down, and what … Continue reading Poker and Healthcare
Team Fundamentals, part 2
In the previous post. I wrote about how every team has four foundational elements. As a reminder, they are: PurposePeopleMeasuresMethods What would make each element successful? For each foundational element, you want to check for: Clarity - Is the concept clear and specific?Agreement - Does every team member have the same understanding, and do they … Continue reading Team Fundamentals, part 2
Team Fundamentals, part 1
My friend got a new job involving the oversight of several departments, most of which she had never worked in before. She was told that these teams needed improvement and asked me about a general framework for evaluating a team she had never seen before. Of course if you know the domain well, you've got … Continue reading Team Fundamentals, part 1
How I Journal
It's a new year, and with it comes resolutions. I resolve to re-invigorate this blog, which has languished in the throes of a new job and new life patterns. For me, a new year also means cracking open a new journal. I have tried, on and off, to keep a diary or journal since 1983. In … Continue reading How I Journal
The other cost of not understanding performance
If you don't know how to measure performance, then you don't know if your team is doing a good job. If you don't know if your team is doing a good job, then you don't know what it takes to do a good job. If you don't know what it takes to do a good … Continue reading The other cost of not understanding performance
The gift of empathy
I was part of a facilitated discussion for a charitable group, and the question posed to us was: How do we increase empathy? It was a diverse group of entrepreneurs, educators, and others (I include myself as an "other"). There were a lot of thought-provoking questions raised: How and when do you start teaching kids … Continue reading The gift of empathy
