Blog

Problems across boundaries require a different approach

by Jamie Flinchbaugh on 11-01-10

How do you engage other departments in problems? Most organizations do this at the wrong time. This is why efforts like value stream mapping exist. People we don’t engage across functions on an ongoing basis, we need over-the-top efforts to break in and start to solve those cross-boundary issues. But

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This is NOT a tree

by Jamie Flinchbaugh on 10-29-10

This is not a tree. Can you tell me what it really is? Time’s up. It is a picture of a tree. No, it’s not a stupid trick question…there is a point behind it. So often people confuse the real thing with the representation of that thing. This picture of

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“I disagree” should be celebrated, not stricken

by Jamie Flinchbaugh on 10-27-10

In today’s politically correct world, conflict is avoided seemingly at all costs. But without active conflict management, good decisions cannot be made. I propose we need more tolerance rather than more sensitivity. As a sign of how overly far sensitivity has gone, we were once told not to use the

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Be Respectful, but for the right reason

by Jamie Flinchbaugh on 10-25-10

In the age of self-help, self-promotion, and self-everything-else, it seems that even basic human principles lose meaning. In this blog post by Manager Tools (which I highly respect and listen to their podcasts) called Be Respectful, it either argues or forwards the argument from Wired Magazine as follows: An article

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Join me at these upcoming talks

by Jamie Flinchbaugh on 10-22-10

I don’t spend a lot of time speaking at events as most of my time in coaching in the field. However, I have two opportunities remaining this year that I’m excited to share with you. On November 11th in Hartford, Connecticut, I will be keynoting for the CONNSTEP Manufacturing and

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People are not assets

by Jamie Flinchbaugh on 10-20-10

What is an asset? By definition, it is “a single item of ownership having exchange value.” Exchange value, as in buy and sell. Sounds a bit like slavery to me, which is still this country’s most shameful part of its history. Why are assets on the balance sheet? So that

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Don’t problem solve to infinity

by Jamie Flinchbaugh on 10-18-10

Good problem statements define a gap to close. They do not just describe an undesirable condition that you would like to remove completely. Why does it matter? It comes down to when you consider yourself “done”, or at least done for now. David Allen of “Getting Things Done” fame talks

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There is no water problem

by Jamie Flinchbaugh on 10-15-10

…there are many water problems. Water issues around the world from flooding to sanitation is perhaps one of the most under-publicized issues in the world, relative to the impact. Perhaps this is because the issues are very correlated to income and development. Underdeveloped countries face the biggest problems. That’s one

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You CAN teach an old dog new tricks

by Jamie Flinchbaugh on 10-11-10

No matter what we do for a living, at some point we are all in the business of learning. Either we are on a learning curve ourselves. Or we are trying to influence others, whether through sales and marketing, or though managing, or through coaching. In any of these cases,

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The devil you don’t know lives on the greener grass

by Jamie Flinchbaugh on 10-06-10

“The grass is always greener on the other side of the fence.” This popular phrase carries a sentiment that human beings tend towards jealousy. We look at what other people have and assume their condition is easier, better, or more effective than the condition we face. One of my most

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