We Judge the Parts. We Rarely Judge the Fit. When we build something important, we look for the best parts. We hire the strongest candidate. We select the most capable software. We appoint the most experienced partner. Each choice is defended on its own merit, and...
Our Actions Are Blindly Biased Towards What We Want On the surface, we think we are rational. We make rational choices based on multiple factors and conditions under review. We gather information, weigh the options, consider the risks and arrive at a decision. At...
We Keep Seeing the Same Picture Because We Keep Using the Same Frame We see a similar picture every time we look from the same frame. Problems, solutions, opportunities, challenges. After a while, they all look the same. The problem feels familiar. The solution feels...
We Declare Transformation. We Implement the Status Quo. Every technology decision is a leadership choice. Not a software choice. A leadership one. Underneath the vendor demonstrations, the business case and the procurement paperwork, the choice usually comes down to...
Freedom Is Not Doing What We Want. It Is Owning What We Choose. Freedom without a sense of ownership, responsibility and character only leads us to ruin. That sounds like a strong claim. It is meant to be. We tend to treat freedom as something good in itself: the more...
Find the Spark. Then Feed It. A spark, on its own, does very little. It flickers. It shows that something is there. And then, if nothing is added to it, it goes out. Most sparks do not fizzle out because they were weak. They fizzle out because nobody fed them. A few...
Force Doesn't Change People. It Only Makes Them Adapt. One may think he or she has the power to change others. A manager with authority. A sponsor with a budget. A parent with the final word. A leader who can set the rules, approve the promotions and decide who stays....
Our Work Is to Clean Our Colour, Not Change It We are colours of nature. Unique in many ways, yet blend in many ways. No two people are quite the same shade. Each of us carries a particular mix of temperament, history, strengths and instincts that nobody else has in...