I’ve written in the past about how we gauge crises with our 3 x 3 matrix. As a company, we focus on the long, slow occurring crises (the frogs) and the unforeseen, come-out-of-the-blue crises (the godzillas) as these are the crises that most people don’t, won’t or can’t plan […]
I had a fascinating discussion with my son-in-law the other day. He is transiting to a new job with a new employer and one requirement was to have a drug test. He easily passed but he described the discussion he had with the person administering the test. It appears […]
I read an article this weekend about making good decisions – it seems at a team of scientists examined the way that applicants for the Cirque du Soleil were judged by themselves, managers and also by other performers. The applicants rated themselves two levels too high while the managers […]
I heard a story long ago about Sigmund Freud when someone asked him what they should do if they were feeling depressed. He said, “Go out and find someone who is worse off than you and help them.”
We are now in that part of the year which is supposed […]
Have you ever stopped to consider where your problems come from? Normally, we are too busy solving problems to even consider where they came from. But something or someone caused them. And while it would be convenient to blame someone else, most problems we cause ourselves because we were […]
Within seconds of meeting someone for the first time, you have already determined the basis of your interrelationship with that person. If they are dressed appropriately for the situation; if they smile; their posture; whether they look you in the face or not – you will have determined how […]
Most people believe they are capable of independent thought and action. But are they really? Doesn’t the social structure determine our behavior?
In Ken Burns’ documentary The Civil War there’s a discussion of Pickett’s Charge – thousands of Confederate men lining up and charging straight at the Union forces on […]
In my wife’s family, there was one phrase that would end all discussion on any topic, “My name is Father and…” His position as father allowed him the ultimate disposition on any topic.
Now, my father-in-law usually used this phrase to end those discussions where everyone has had their say […]
“Why do these things always happen to me!!!!!!” You may have spoken those words yourself – you certainly have heard them spoken by someone. A problem appears seemingly out of the blue with devastating effect – we call them Godzillas. But are they really that surprising? Peter Senge in […]
Shortly after 9/11, my son sent me a link to an blog post entitled On Sheep, Wolves and Sheepdogs which described the general population as comprised of sheep (peace-loving, productive people); wolves (evil people) and sheepdogs (people who are capable of aggression in order to protect others). It’s an […]
What criteria does free counseling as set for specific concerns resource?
What I think you’re asking is – How do I get free counseling from Me2 Solutions and Squishy Peanut Marketing?
Both Me2 Solutions and Squishy Peanut Marketing are happy to discuss any specific concerns that you have – we […]
Last week Section 619 (Spokane) of the American Society of Quality (ASQ) had a member meeting at the Mirabeau Hotel where we heard Manuel Marco discuss the upcoming changes in ISO 9000: 2015 – it was our most attended event in years. At the conclusion of the meeting, the […]
This question came from Sara
You could ask 30 different business people and likely get 30 different answers to this question – reflecting personal experiences of the business people you ask.
Ultimately, the biggest mistake comes down to a very simple concept – making decisions without understanding
The consequences of the decision […]
This is a question we received at the Spokane Ask Me Anything sponsored by the National Association of Women Business Owners held June 12, 2014.
SpokaneAMA: My twitter account was hacked so I disabled it – how do you prevent this? Or on other social media?
When an account is hacked, […]
By Frank Hutchison
We held the very first (but not last) Spokane Ask Me Anything (#SpokaneAMA) at ITT Technological Institute on April 16th. We had a blast and all the attendees said they wanted another one! Well, you will! We’ll announce the date, time and place when we have […]
We last spoke of the need to ask questions instead of always making assumptions – it leads to less error and lower risk. But how do you identify when someone is making an assumption? Here’s a few markers to help you tell when assumptions are being made: Genius […]
One of the great questions that my class mates at Central College addressed my freshman year was, “Do you call it soda or pop?” when referring to soft drinks. It seems that those from the east called it soda and those from the Midwest called it pop. For […]
It has all the makings for a blockbuster movie. Just image:
An earnest young engineer (played by a beefy, Chris Hemsworth-type) arrives in an idyllic rural Pennsylvania town determined to introduce the modern wonder that is fracking to the locals. It’ll revive the town’s fortunes! he swears.
A sincere young geologist […]
February is special to me because it was on February 1, 1908 that the USS Plunger, SS 2, was launched. I kept a line drawing – basically an outline of the ship and its components – on the wall of my office for many years. It was […]
We have had our first REAL snow fall here in Spokane this winter – being in the initial stage of a “moderate drought” does put you behind. It’s welcome news for ski resorts and water managers and brings the usual chorus of gripes about shoveling and cold and […]
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