Jan
6
2010
My friend, Cal, spent the whole holiday season selling Christmas trees on a windy corner in Queens, NY. The weeks dragged by as he dickered with stern, Eastern Europeans over the price of Fraser Firs and Blue Spruces. The days were brutal and long with no prospects of Thanksgiving or Christmas roadtrips to see siblings and nephews. At the low spot of the season – five days before Christmas, he complained, “The problem with the short end of the stick is there’s so damned much of it to go around.” He was ready to quit and walk away from the whole mess – but he managed to see it through till the end.
Here’s a solution for short end of the stick syndrome:
Done is the Engine of More.
After the crappy year we’ve all had, this seems like a great anthem for the new decade. It comes from a fascinating blog post by Bre Pettis in collaboration with Kio Stark. The post, entitled “the Cult of Done Manifesto“, is filled with 13 arguments for action. Here are three of my favorites:
#4 – Pretending you know what you’re doing is almost the same as knowing what you are doing, so just accept that you know what you’re doing even if you don’t and do it.
Every project I do has things in it that baffle me. Sometimes I pay so much attention to the things I don’t know that it keeps me from doing the things I know how to do! Steady daily progress is the best strategy for getting through the sticking points of a project.
#9 – People without dirty hands are wrong. Doing something makes you right.
My cubicle mate at work has an interesting observation about meetings. “People come with empty yellow pads and leave with empty yellow pads. In the middle, they fill the air with reasons why the project can’t be done.” Dirty hands means you believe. Dirty hands shows which side you’re on.
Downstairs Duplex: 2 - Dave: 0
#13 – Done is the engine of more.
This is obviously my favorite. It’s like
- Damn the Torpedos
- Praise the Lord and Pass the Ammunition
- I now pronounce you man and wife
all rolled into one. Six little words that have already gotten me through a couple tough spots – and it’s only the first week of the year! In the words of my old drill sergeant, “C’mon ladies, time to make it happen.” Cult of Done – here I come.
- Read the full text of the manifesto at Bre Pettis | I make Things.
- Here’s a link to Colleen Wainwright’s post (a.k.a. Communicatrix) where I first saw the motto.
- Here’s a link to a poster version of the manifesto designed by Joshua Rothaas. I gave one to everyone in my MBA class.
Dec
23
2009
Our team had a tight deadline and tons of work to get done. There were dozens of research topics, hours of analysis, and a final presentation due in just a couple of weeks. Each person was responsible for multiple sections along with the supporting documentation. Just a few days into the project, it was obvious our technology was working against us. With several “current” versions of working documents circulating through eight email In-Boxes, the team was paralyzed by revision ambiguity.
This is not a new problem. Every organization that gets things done has some formal way to organize information, collaborate on projects, and move project deliverables toward completion. Or maybe not. Maybe your organization or class is just as disorganized and frustrated as we were.
We found a solution in Huddle.net, a web-based collaboration service from Great Britain. Huddle offers an online space that is powerful and flexible. I originally signed up for a free space, but quickly saw the value for collaborating with other partners on different projects. The free service only allows a single workspace, but all the tools are fully functional. The basic service costs $15/month and is well worth the money. I can manage up to five separate workspaces and invite as many collaborators as needed. There’s a 2.5GB storage limit, but I have two concurrent projects running with hundreds of documents and have never come close to needing more space.
Huddle Document Manager
Features that were helpful for my team:
- Online file editing for Microsoft Office files (Office 2003 or earlier)
- Automatic versioning for files uploaded to a workspace
- Online viewer for any graphic file uploaded to a workspace
- RSS or Email notification when files were changed
- Workspace calendar and ToDo list
- Online whiteboard for brainstorming and project links
Once the team started using Huddle, it was much easier to keep track of work needed and milestones accomplished. Project meetings revolved around the files on Huddle, so there was never any fumbling around looking for the most recent versions in email boxes and flash drives. By the time the final presentation was made, even the skeptics were converted.
If you need an agile collaboration tool, consider Huddle.net. If you have a LinkedIn account, you can add a free Huddle workspace from the LinkedIn Applications menu. It was a great solution for my group, and got us moving again!
Dec
19
2009
My friend is smart and successful. He recently completed an MBA from a small Midwestern university on US News’ Best Colleges 2010 list. He’s also honestly skeptical about whether the time and money was worth it. Does he know something I don’t know?
Don’t get me wrong – I’m not thinking of quitting. There are five classes between me and graduation day, and I’m determined to stick to it. But what if my friend’s fears have foundation? The craziest delusion is to continue on with a fool’s errand when the folly becomes apparent.
I put these questions to some classmates recently. Here’s what they told me.
“I’ve been moved three times by my company – always against my will. I see the MBA program putting me in control of my future.”
A fellow IT worker recounted how his company downsized his department repeatedly – each time retaining him by moving him further from friends and family. “If I’d had my MBA, things would have been different,” he reasoned. “I’d have had more options.”
“My studies have given me the tools to distinguish opportunity from fantasy.”
One of the younger members of the class told about helping her mother avoid a potentially disastrous business venture. “My mother was all fired up about opening a health food store near her beauty shop,” she explained. “But she couldn’t explain to me how the store would compete against the others in the area.”
“I’m working on projects now that would have completely baffled me a year ago.”
Recently promoted to a better job with his employer, another classmate talked about the difference that his classes had made in his approach to complex problems. “I just think about the cases we’ve studied and use the lessons learned to tackle these difficult assignments.” He’s convinced that his new job is a direct result of the work he’s been doing on his MBA.
“In the CPA world, an MBA is nothing. In my real world, it has enriched my life.”
An instructor talked about the changes she’d seen in her own life since graduating a few years ago. “The MBA program opened up opportunities I could never have foreseen,” she explained.
“The lessons my classes and classmates have taught me will save me a lot of painful mistakes.”
This classmate’s response was heartwarming for me. Sometimes I feel like the “old man in the room” – probably because I am. Everyone agrees that I talk too much, but this comment reminded me me that we can help each other by sharing what we’ve seen and heard.
This was a good conversation. It was more than mutually assured sheepwalking. Everyone had concrete examples of how this education was making a difference. What are you doing to get ready for the future?
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14
2009
I just started using a couple of new tools from JGSoftware as programming utilities:
AceText is like Windows clipboard on steroids. It enables the user to make libraries of snippets and other notes. You can create a library for each project. This saves repetitive referring to lists of attributes, database references, stored procedures, etc during development.
You organize the snippets or notes in collections. Within a collection, you can add notes (clips) as well as folders. Of course, you can nest notes in the folders to keep these clips organized.
One really cool feature is that AceText can be run from a flash drive. This means snippet collections and project notes are close at hand whether at work or home. For me – I don’t need to install AceText on my work computer – hooray – boycott workplace software nazis! (full disclosure – I’m a workplace software nazi.)
EditPad is my new text editor. I used to use TextPad for my text editor, but EditPro has more sophisticated search and replace functionality. It can also search folders and process multiple text files in the folder at the same time. EditPro works with AceText, so my project collections are available in EditPro. For me this is helpful since I’m constantly accessing my snippet library – very helpful for vbscript, VBA, and CSS programming. Both products are available as a package for $80, but I spent a little more because of buying them separately.
For massive note taking, my favorite tool is OneNote. It’s part of certain distributions of Microsoft Office 2007. OneNote is great for keeping disparate data to keep data organized – usually with the objective of creating documentation. AceText has taken the place of OneNote for my snippet library, but OneNote is great for organizing research, graphics, and lists, links, etc. It won’t run from a flash drive, although you can store OneNote files on a flash drive to carry back and forth from work.
I would certainly encourage you to check out the products at JG Software. I use nearly all of them, and they save me tons of time.
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18
2009
The drive down US24 from Fort Wayne, IN to Toledo, OH is filled with surprises. This afternoon, the sun was perfect – slanting through autumn leaves eastward down the Maumee River. I had to stop and take in the view at Roche de Bout near Waterville.
As I lamely tried to capture the moment on my phone, a fellow joined me to shoot the river view in the soft October light. We talked a little about cameras, his well worn G7 camera dangling from a leather neck strap. He talked about the G7’s adventures in London, Rome, Greece, and around his native Toledo. He mentioned using folders full of his snapshots as slideshows on his TV. “It’s a lot better than watching cable news or soap operas”, he explained.
The old Interurban bridge near Waterville, OH.
I mentioned my mom, and asked if he thought a senior citizen could learn how to use email and facebook if they’d never ever touched a computer. This fellow started using computers and digital cameras in the 90’s – after he retired from the railroad. He’s nearly 80 now and still scrabbling down the path at Roche de Bout to get a perfect October river shot.
“Get your mom one of those $400 Acer laptops”, he advised. “You may need to sit with her a little bit to get her started, but she’ll catch on in no time.” His parting comment to me: “Don’t write someone off because they’re old – your mom still has a lot to live for!”
A lot to live for! What a great Sunday afternoon thought.
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15
2009
Where do you look for inspiration? What makes you forget about the past and press on with hope to an uncertain future?
Are You Fearless?
I heard a speaker today comment about the fact that Americans are typically “a-historical” – preferring to ignore the past since “those people probably weren’t as smart or cool as us.” It is important to know the past – but it’s important to recognize the future when you see it.
My wife Paula inspires me. She worries about the future – but I’ve never seen her cower from it. In fact – sometimes she seems almost fearless.
Oct
4
2009
I just took a project management class and was introduced to the concept of project risk. Let’s see how does my new project stack up in terms of risk?
Risky Business
- High profile project – corporate level development
- New language – switching from VB.net to C#
- New platform – switching from Windows apps to Web app
- New DB platform- switching from SQL Server to DB2
According to my project management class there are only a couple of things to be done with risk:
- Reject Risk
- Accept Risk
- Transfer Risk
- Mitigate Risk
I’m going to devote a few weeks worth of posts to dealing with these risks in a real-world project. My first goal is to get up to speed in C#. If you are interested in switching from VB.net to C#, watch this space.
Oct
4
2009
She was just a chance acquaintance outside the Botanical Gardens. Marilyn P. was making casual conversation with Paula and me while she cooled down outside the Krohn Conservatory in Cincinnati. She and her husband were selling gorgeous orchids inside at the Orchid Show. Somehow in on our five minutes of camaraderie she shared that she’d earned a Master’s in Education in her 50’s. More about that later.
Late Bloomer?
A couple of weeks ago, I was going through a crises. Embroiled in a tough class project for an MBA class, it seemed like more trouble than it was worth. Paula had recently talked with her brother about starting work on a master’s program at UC. “What good will a master’s degree do you in your 50’s”, he asked incredulously. Outwardly, my snide reply was, “More than not getting a Master’s – ever!” Inwardly I was asking myself the same question!
Marilyn’s casual comments helped me see clearly. She talked about getting her ME in her 50’s and still using the “techniques and strategies from the classes” everyday in her work as a substitute teacher. Did I mention she’s 65 and still working?
In case you missed it – the world fell apart last year and we’re all probably going to work a lot longer than we planned. Isn’t it better to face those extra years with as many widgets in the ol’ toolbox as possible? Late bloomer? Maybe…but better late than never!
Sep
19
2009
Every now and then, I rummage deep in my IPod and play something from the attic. Today, it was Tricycle by Flim and the BB’s. 15 seconds later Paula called out from her office, “I haven’t heard this in so long!”
The cover from Flim and the BB's 1983 CD Tricycle.
I fell in love with this band back in the 80s listening to my local public radio station. We used to have a Saturday Morning jazz show hosted by a fellow named Bruce Reidenbach. It was the high point in my week. The show always started with a Flim tune called New America off the Big Notes cd.
You know the funny thing about that time? I used to regard that show as my weekly guilty pleasure. We were members of a very strict church that forbade listening to worldly music. It seems so pathetic now – to worry about such a trivial thing especially since the music is so FABULOUS!
Sep
15
2009
The Man Who Never Sleeps
Don’t you wish you lived in Kentucky, so you could hire “The Man Who Never Sleeps”? This billboard was photographed near Pikeville, Ky on US23 heading south. I wonder if the insomniac attorney licensed the image concept from this e-book.