An interesting read...
Why Good Managers Are So Rare - Randall Beck , and James Harter - Harvard
Business Review
http://blogs.hbr.org/2014/03/why-good-managers-are-so-rare/
Wednesday, March 19, 2014
A Beautiful Visualization of Air Traffic Over Europe
This isn't just a wonderful visualization of something right over our heads all the time...so much so that we take it for granted, it's beautiful just as art:
http://nats.aero/blog/2014/03/europe-24-air-traffic-data-visualisation/
http://nats.aero/blog/2014/03/europe-24-air-traffic-data-visualisation/
Tuesday, March 18, 2014
Holstee Manifesto
From the Holstee Manifesto...
"...Life is about the people you meet, and the things you create with them. So go out and start creating."
"...Life is about the people you meet, and the things you create with them. So go out and start creating."
Friday, March 14, 2014
Seems Confusing To Call It the "Second First Friday Salon." Hmm?
I've decided I want to start an art club. It turns out I'm not getting enough time sipping shiraz out of a paper cup and smoking a filterless cigarette that gently litters light grey ashes across my "Hades midnight" (black) organic cotton turtleneck. Life is too short.
Ok, actually it's not really an art club, it's an artists' club. Yep, I've been hitting the Seth Godin kool-aid again.
The idea, in it's beta version was released to the public during a delightful evening of beers, food, and conversation with two of the most genuine and admirable guys I know: Mike Proctor and Steve Hathaway. The seed for that idea was planted by a lunch outing with my ex-boss and friend, Mark Swift just hours prior. My brain-to-mouth turn-time is amazing, eh? "Fuck it, Ship it!"
Initially, the idea was to form a monthly gathering of friends....just an assortment of the interesting, impressive, admirable, wickedly smart people that I've been blessed to have stumble on to my life's stage. Poor bastards!
You see, after returning from Mexico (and accentuated by our too-brief visit back to Oaxaca in January), Meredith and I have felt the withdrawal of no more fiestas de amigos. In Mexico we spent a good chunk of time in each month just hanging out with our friends - talking, making/enjoying music, drinking, laughing and saying God-only-knows-what to them in our half-assed Spanish. Yet, here in the "Land of the Free, Home of the Brave" we have spent less time over seven months than we did there in any given month doing anything similar to those Mexican social gatherings. HELL, I spend more time in my fucking car in traffic each week than I do truly, actively "in" my friendships!!
Perhaps, I could see more of my friends (and they could see more of each other) if I made it a bit more "scheduled." Nothing more formal than a happy-hour after work would at least be something...if not the first step towards something even more "real," and intimate, and meaningful.
Many years ago....ok, MANY, MANY years ago, my girlfriend and I started something similar. Most of us were in our twenties and dispersing geographically across the metro area. News was slow to make the rounds. Job changes and relationship changes could happen and once-close friends might found out only months later via some shared contact.
This wasn't just pre-Facebook. This was pre-(public)-Internet, BITCHES!!!!
We started the First Friday social club and convinced enough people to join us for cocktails and appetizers and, most importantly, conversation, on that designated evening each month. We emphasized it wasn't a party or a dining event. It was a chance to catch up with a special group of people.....friends who had many years together.....friends who were now noticing that life was pulling them apart and the bonds would wither without some effort.
Eventually, we started rotating the location among the homes of the participants. And it grew. And, I believe, it became a meaningful event to all of us. Time marched on and more changes came and went just like the seasons.
So, I want to do it again. I want to spend more time hearing the thoughts and laughter of the clever, funny people I know. I want to see what happens when those who don't know each other make acquaintances. I want to share more of the nifty, amazing, awe-inspiring, silly, inspiring things I stumble across. And I want my friends to do the same so we can determine if maybe these types of honest intimacy are the true jewels we ignore in the crazy-lust of consumerism that seems to be America. Thus, it's time for a new salon!
More details to follow. In the meantime, Id love to hear your thoughts on starting, conducting or nurturing the growth of a salon? Care to join us?
Ok, actually it's not really an art club, it's an artists' club. Yep, I've been hitting the Seth Godin kool-aid again.
The idea, in it's beta version was released to the public during a delightful evening of beers, food, and conversation with two of the most genuine and admirable guys I know: Mike Proctor and Steve Hathaway. The seed for that idea was planted by a lunch outing with my ex-boss and friend, Mark Swift just hours prior. My brain-to-mouth turn-time is amazing, eh? "Fuck it, Ship it!"
Initially, the idea was to form a monthly gathering of friends....just an assortment of the interesting, impressive, admirable, wickedly smart people that I've been blessed to have stumble on to my life's stage. Poor bastards!
You see, after returning from Mexico (and accentuated by our too-brief visit back to Oaxaca in January), Meredith and I have felt the withdrawal of no more fiestas de amigos. In Mexico we spent a good chunk of time in each month just hanging out with our friends - talking, making/enjoying music, drinking, laughing and saying God-only-knows-what to them in our half-assed Spanish. Yet, here in the "Land of the Free, Home of the Brave" we have spent less time over seven months than we did there in any given month doing anything similar to those Mexican social gatherings. HELL, I spend more time in my fucking car in traffic each week than I do truly, actively "in" my friendships!!
Perhaps, I could see more of my friends (and they could see more of each other) if I made it a bit more "scheduled." Nothing more formal than a happy-hour after work would at least be something...if not the first step towards something even more "real," and intimate, and meaningful.
Many years ago....ok, MANY, MANY years ago, my girlfriend and I started something similar. Most of us were in our twenties and dispersing geographically across the metro area. News was slow to make the rounds. Job changes and relationship changes could happen and once-close friends might found out only months later via some shared contact.
This wasn't just pre-Facebook. This was pre-(public)-Internet, BITCHES!!!!
We started the First Friday social club and convinced enough people to join us for cocktails and appetizers and, most importantly, conversation, on that designated evening each month. We emphasized it wasn't a party or a dining event. It was a chance to catch up with a special group of people.....friends who had many years together.....friends who were now noticing that life was pulling them apart and the bonds would wither without some effort.
Eventually, we started rotating the location among the homes of the participants. And it grew. And, I believe, it became a meaningful event to all of us. Time marched on and more changes came and went just like the seasons.
So, I want to do it again. I want to spend more time hearing the thoughts and laughter of the clever, funny people I know. I want to see what happens when those who don't know each other make acquaintances. I want to share more of the nifty, amazing, awe-inspiring, silly, inspiring things I stumble across. And I want my friends to do the same so we can determine if maybe these types of honest intimacy are the true jewels we ignore in the crazy-lust of consumerism that seems to be America. Thus, it's time for a new salon!
More details to follow. In the meantime, Id love to hear your thoughts on starting, conducting or nurturing the growth of a salon? Care to join us?
Thursday, March 6, 2014
Employee Mindset for an Edge-of-change Company
My boss recently shared an interesting item with the team.
How does a cutting-edge company, or one that finds itself competing in a realm that is on the edge of (industry) change, hire and keep the right kind of employees? Here is how NetFlix explains its thinking regarding that challenge:
http://www.slideshare.net/reed2001/culture-1798664
If you want more context on this PowerPoint presentation, here is a Harvard Business Review article (registration required):
http://hbr.org/2014/01/how-netflix-reinvented-hr/ar/1
I LOVED this! Right on, NetFlix!
How does a cutting-edge company, or one that finds itself competing in a realm that is on the edge of (industry) change, hire and keep the right kind of employees? Here is how NetFlix explains its thinking regarding that challenge:
http://www.slideshare.net/reed2001/culture-1798664
If you want more context on this PowerPoint presentation, here is a Harvard Business Review article (registration required):
http://hbr.org/2014/01/how-netflix-reinvented-hr/ar/1
I LOVED this! Right on, NetFlix!
Monday, February 17, 2014
SnapTimer for Better Time Tracking
I've yet to meet
a consultant who LIKES keeping track of their time (billable or non), but most
I've met like to get paid. So, doing your invoicing is (sadly still) part of
the job.
I have found
that I can significantly decrease the time I spend on doing my weekly timecard,
increase the accuracy of my time entries, AND provide better received billing
notes for client invoices. To do this requires a bit of technohelp…at least for
me.
I use SnapTimer
(freeware) from Dan Hersam (http://dan.hersam.com/software/snaptimer/
) to keep a countdown timer running on my desktop and to automatically pop up a
simple text file log every 30 minutes.
I have
configured the SnapTimer to launch automatically so I always have it up on my
desktop. My configuration causes it to countdown from 30 minutes and thing
start ringing a chime and then launching a Notepad instance with a datetime
stamp prepopulated. I then record what I
did (or didn’t do) for the last 30 minutes. I try to put this in a format that
carries easily into the billing system. For
example, here is this morning’s entries….
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
------------------------------------------------------------------
Mon 02/17/2014
08:15 AM
..
Arrive 6:45
Admin = 1.5Hrs = Relocate
desk, minor chatter with Mr.X
------------------------------------------------------------------
Mon 02/17/2014
08:30 AM
..
Admin = 0.25 Hrs = email
------------------------------------------------------------------
Mon 02/17/2014
09:01 AM
..
Training = 0.50 Hrs = Research AngularJS
------------------------------------------------------------------
Mon 02/17/2014
09:32 AM
..
Admin = 0.50 Hrs = email
and NetFlix slidedeck
------------------------------------------------------------------
I’ve provided a
zip file with all the goodies you’ll need but you’ll need to configure it for
your system/setup:
Note that SnapTimer is a
standalone .EXE so you can run it from a USB key or whatever. I myself locate the SnapTimer folder at:
C:\Program Files\SnapTimer
Then, for
various personal preferences (e.g. perms on the Program Files folder, my SOP
for my BAT files), I put the two supplemental .BAT and .LOG files into a folder
in my Documents folder. I then configure
the SnapTimer (after you read its ReadMe and launch it) to launch my .BAT file
at the end of the countdown. I then
configure the .BAT file to point to the .LOG file (path).
Finally,
remember to put a shortcut to the SnapTimer.EXE in your StartUp folder for
autolaunch at login.
Holler if you’d
like help with the initial configuration. Plus, please share your thoughts and
suggestions for more efficient time tracking (with or without SnapTimer).
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