Tag Archives: Inquiries
What’s going on?
When I ask someone “How’re you?” the response I usually get is, “fine”. If I ask “What’s up?” the response is, “not much”. These questions prompt rote responses. I can detect a little of how someone really feels in the inflection of the answer. There’s a subtle but important difference between “not much…” and “not much!”, but I am interested in knowing more than if you might be bored at the moment. For me, “What’s going on?” is the question that garners more than a habitual answer. In most instances, it triggers someone to tell me like it is. Not … Continue reading
What Works Right Now?
Agile infiltrates an increasing amount of organizations. Changes in the jargon detect its influence. Phrases and words like “inspect and adapt”, “vertical slice”, “velocity”, and “collaborate” start getting batted around like volleyballs at a beach party. People ask questions in the serious tone of a late-night host discovering what is interesting about the guest: “What is the highest ranked item?”, “What are the acceptance criteria?”, “What does the team think?”. Zealots mutter incomprehensible phrases like “maximize the work not done” and “tracking actual hours worked is unnecessary”. People insist it takes a shift in mindset to understand, and yet we … Continue reading
What is powerful? Where does it come from?
Accelerating with gravity, the resistance of loose powdery snow raising large plumes behind me as I choose the direction down the contours of a mountain makes me feel incredibly powerful. This feeling comes from the balance of known skills against unknown terrain, converting potential to kinetic energy while teetering on the edge of chaos but remaining in control. There is an aspect of control to it, but when someone states “that is a powerful person”, typically a different image of what powerful means comes to mind. It made me wonder, who is considered powerful? Where do they draw that power … Continue reading