Have you ever been part of a red-blue exercise? The red-blue model is often used in development of military strategies, sports team play books, security exercises and the crafting of anti-spy ware software. To conduct a red-blue exercise, an organization is divided into two groups: one team defends and the other attacks. In the end,…
What are we communicating?
He was a retired general of the United States Marine Corps and I liked him. But, we were on opposite sides of an issue, with significant impediments to finding common ground and a mutually agreeable solution. I am not sure that he liked me but he didn’t seem to dislike me either. He knew that…
I’m throwing my cap over the wall
Do you have an “impossible dream”? Not a vision that requires someone else to do something. Not a hope that one day you will have x-ray vision or be able to fly. I mean a dream that is possible if you alone will take the required actions. A dream to be or to do something…
The arms of Moses
Israel was fighting the Amalekites in a tough battle. Moses and his two aides (Aaron and Hur) were watching from the top of a nearby hill. When Moses lifted his hands, the Army of Israel prevailed; and, when he lowered his arms the Amalekites started winning. Eventually Moses became weary, his hands heavy. Aaron and…
Breakfast? Why??
It was surprising. We have been friends for many years, but she had never asked me to go to breakfast with her before. I wondered what she would want to discuss. We met and had a great time. There was lots of catching up and sharing; I enjoyed every minute of our time together. But,…
In four months….
I saw one of those silly internet videos and it got me to thinking. It’s a video featuring a cat. If you have a couple of moments, watch it. I promise, there is a point. https://www.facebook.com/video.php? V+10152178314081006 (I am not sure that you can see the video if you are not on Facebook, so let…
“Protecting” the boss
Greetings! I enjoyed the holiday break but am happy to be getting back to a normal routine. I pray that you also had some special time to spend with family and to focus on faith and growth. I cannot imagine what 2015 will bring into each of our lives. For John and me, it promises…
More on setting priorities — a great tool
Stephen Covey had an interesting application of the Johari window that helped me to develop and establish priorities for my organization and for my own life. You might find it helpful too. For today’s discussion, let’s assume that we already have a list of activities and changes that we are considering for next year. (At another time, we’ll talk about how…
My last posting included one of my favorite quotes, “When everything is a priority, then nothing is a priority.” Let’s agree that we have to set priorities to structure our use of resources, especially time. So, how do we do it? Before addressing individual tasks or priorities, let’s start with our core beliefs, relationships and…
If everything is a priority, then nothing is a priority
One of my bosses used to say, “If everything is a priority, then nothing is a priority.” What a great statement! Every day we set priorities. As we approach the start of a new calendar year, it is a good thing for us to consider our processes for prioritizing the use of resources including time.…
Dr. Carla Jill Stein 