Short pieces, one topic at a time.
Personal
Too much work? Why the volume is rarely the real problem
When it feels like there is too much work, the volume is almost never to blame. The source says what sinks you is mishandled items, not…
5 min
When a task is really finished, and why so much stays open
A task is finished when you won't have to handle it again, not when you did it. The source names three reasons things stay open, and what…
5 min
Why a backlog never sits still, and why it is hard to escape
A backlog is not a pile waiting for you. The source says it grows by itself, creates work that blocks you from clearing it, and half-done…
5 min
What a business code of ethics is, and why posters fail
A code of ethics is not a values poster. The source says it is a list of restrictions you take on yourself and keep even when nobody checks.
5 min
Why managing by fear backfires, and what works instead
A threat works once, and then people report what you want to hear. The source says a manager leads with subgoals and gives each person…
5 min
What you owe your team, and what your team owes you
The source says responsibility between a person and a group must weigh the same both ways. Demand it without giving it back, and a quiet…
5 min
Why your explanation for a business problem is not the cause
A good explanation for a business problem is not always its cause. The source says a cause is measured by results, and fixing the wrong one…
5 min
How to tell you found the wrong cause of a business problem
According to the source, two signs give away a wrong cause: you knew it long ago and nothing changed, or you have to strain to invent a fix.
5 min
Why the economy and your supplier are not the real cause
The source says the real cause of a business problem is limited to what you control. The economy or a supplier can be true and still not be…
5 min