Category: Uncategorized
-
Quotes: On changing the world and being a leader
Two unrelated but interesting quotes. (And they’re real. I’ll leave April Fools Day to folks like YouTube or Gmail) “The challenge of leadership is to be strong, but not rude; be kind, but not weak; be bold, but not bully; be thoughtful, but not lazy; be humble, but not timid; be proud, but not arrogant; have […]
-
Data + Intuition = Success
Ok, I’ll admit there’s a lot more that goes into that equation for it to work in real life. But it’s a start. Here’s what Jason Kottke says at the end of a post about expensive products that lose money but show the company cares about excellence (think the Corvette and Mac Pro): Normally I’m […]
-
Yahoo, telecommuting, focused work, and higher ed
There’s been a good amount of chatter over Yahoo’s kibosh on telecommuting. They’ve called everyone back to the office. Work from here, or don’t work. Some people think it’s great. Others think it’s a move backwards. A few things stand out: Every workplace is different. Programmers who can be evaluated on productivity and lines of code may not […]
-
On curiosity
“Questions are places in your mind where answers fit. If you haven’t asked the question, the answer has nowhere to go. It hits your mind and bounces right off.” – Clay Christensen
-
Donald Miller: If you’re rushing, something is wrong
I appreciate a recent post from Donald Miller about how they work at Storyline. He says he’s worked with people and companies where everything is urgent. Emails need a response today. Plans change at the last minute. He says that’s a sign something is off. Rush happens, but it’s not always necessary. Crisis happens – […]
-
Stress and indecision
Bobb Biehl says that 85% of stress is caused by either indecision or lack of control. What three things are causing you the most stress right now? Of those three, which are stressful because of indecision? Lack of control? If it’s indecision, the way forward is to act. Decide and move or collect the additional […]
-
Follow delight
I should have changed the plan as soon as we got in line. Peter Pan is clearly one of Disneyland’s kids’ rides, but my son looked at the line and said, “no no no.” Being the good parents that we are, we told him he would love it and worked to amp him up for […]
-
Your time is limited. Clear space for what matters. [quote]
“As a creator, you don’t have time to waste. Time is your greatest commodity, and spending it on experiences you think you should have instead of experiences that feed your soul is a waste of time. Cutting the experiential clutter out of your life will free room for you to do great work. “Of course […]
-
Grammar Police: Towards vs Toward
I’m re-editing a paper for my doctoral program based on some recent feedback, and I came across an interesting edit I disagreed with. (Well, it’s interesting if you find anything dealing with grammar interesting. Which I think comes from my days in journalism. Which probably means it’s not really interesting.) I used “towards” in the paper […]
-
Don’t lose the room: Three elements of a compelling presentation
When you’re speaking or teaching, how you say something matters more than what you say. Yes – content matters. You’ve got to start with something worth sharing. But most who are willing to get in front of a group have something worth passing along. The problem is, that kernel of amazing insight gets lost in the rest […]
-
Creating space for connection
APU’s new recreation complex is almost completed, and it’s already packed with students playing soccer, basketball, and sand volleyball every night. It reminds me how important third places are for community – in cities and on college campuses. As we focus on improving the overall college experience, don’t forget those spots that aren’t the classroom […]
-
Reconsidering textbooks in a digital world – or – Why a $100 ebook is crazy
I’m jumping back into the world of education as I start studies for a PhD in Higher Ed in about a week, and as I start that journey, I’m reminded of some of the joys of life as a student. Like that some books cost $150. Some people are outraged by this. I’m hit with […]
-
How Facebook Camera changes the way we share our lives
Facebook is evolving. It’s been a slow shift, but over time, the site’s purpose has changed. At first, the goal was to collect your friends and acquaintances in one place. You could see what was happening with your best friend and check in on that classmate you haven’t seen since high school. As the site grew, Zuckerberg and […]
-
The job hunt – Are you moving to or from?
It’s that season in the Higher Ed world. People across the country are scouring the job listings for open positions. If you’re looking for a “next step” in your career, there’s an important question to consider. Are you running to something or running from something? One is healthy and natural. The other should at least […]
-
Innovation belongs to the tweakers
Malcolm Gladwell writes a great article on why Steve Jobs’ genius wasn’t so much in how he invented or pioneered but instead tweaked ideas. “The visionary starts with a clean sheet of paper, and re-imagines the world. The tweaker inherits things as they are, and has to push and pull them toward some more nearly […]
Jon Sampson 