Posted on October 22, 2009
I just read a very thought-provoking article by Peter Bregman, who writes about how to lead and how to live for Harvard Business Review. The article starts off talking about the number of successful suicides (isn’t that an oxymoron?) at France Telecom–24 in the last year.
There were others who attempted and failed, including the guy who tried to stab himself to death during a meeting at work.
Writes Bregman:
“If we spend all our time working, traveling to work, planning to work, thinking about work, or communicating about work, then we will see ourselves as workers and nothing more. As long as work is going well, we can survive that way.
“But when we lose our jobs or our jobs are threatened — and whose isn’t these days? — then our very existence is put in question.”
Read the complete piece at http://tinyurl.com/DiversifyYourself
Then take some time for serious, life-saving reflection.
Posted on October 15, 2009
It happened again yesterday-the issue: detailed directions vs. a map on how to get somewhere. Pay attention and think about this before you send someone directions to your office or destination.
I was rushing off to a last-minute meeting and asked Anetris to find out where the restaurant was. Anetris, being a detail person, handed me two pages from an online mapping site. The detailed, step-by-step directions were on top; the map was underneath.
I know those detailed directions help some people, but they confuse the dickens out of big picture thinkers like myself. I just wanted a visual map, particularly since I know the area very well.
But Anetris needs all those little stop sign icons and directions like “proceed .01 miles,” etc. I can’t make sense out of all the data-it’s not logical to me. She won’t leave the office without it.
The next time you need to give directions–ask the person if they would prefer a map, step-by-step directions or both.
