I’ve read James Clear’s “Atomic Habits”, I’ve followed B.J. Fogg’s “Tiny Habits”, and yes, I can do all the things needed to develop habits. The science is defendable, and the proof has been observed on this experiment of N = 1 (me).

Habits mean instinctive regularity. For many habits, that means every day. And if you miss a day, they say, well, don’t miss two in a row. But, supporting some good habits (exercise, reading, contacting a friend) every day, which involve a not insignificant amount of time each, doesn’t seem to leave much time for a non-habit (spontaneous) life.

#100wordsaday

One way to outsource value-adding knowledge work is to send a long wordy email and finish it with “Thoughts?”

By doing that, the sender is getting a task off of their to-do list (win!), and on to someone else’s. The cognitive load of that issue is now no longer with the sender, but is now with the receiver.

It helps to more specific about what ‘thoughts’ are being requested. Summarise, use short sentences, and get to the point. If you know something, show you know it. Don’t pass the chance off to someone else to show what they know instead.

#100wordsaday

Information is not the same as knowledge.  These days, we all skim the surface a bit, skimming and taking information in, all the time. 

To add value to information and convert it to knowledge takes effort. Knowledge is deeper, wider.  Knowledge means you’ve considered another view, even a contrarian view, to check that information is sound.

Taking information, and copy-pasting it into another document without adding value is not knowledge work, that’s just admin.  We can’t claim to do knowledge work if we’re not adding value to what we do.  It may be easy to copy-paste, but it’s not better.

#100wordsaday

Many city councils around the world try to solve traffic problems by adding more lanes for cars, and building more roads, bridges, and tunnels. It’s fairly well accepted that those ‘improvements’ only mean more people start using the roads, and they jam up again.

Similar to attempting to reduce traffic jams by adding more lanes, our available communication modes – traffic lanes for keeping in touch - have increased remarkably. Now communications traffic flows much more easily. So that reduced friction means that we communicate more, in more ways … and subsequently creating another kind of traffic jam, in our heads.

#100wordsaday

It’s hard for a credentialed person to say, “I don’t know”. Many years ago, a co-worker asked if I could help him design his concrete garage flooring. It was really hard to admit, “I don’t know how to do that anymore” – because, doesn’t every civil engineer know that? Alas, not this one.

With a credential that points to expected knowledge, it’s even harder to say. And so, there’s a choice: admit it (‘I don’t know’), or, go figure it out. That’s ok too, in some circumstances, especially if you want to learn. But it should start with “I don’t know”.

#100wordsaday

There’s a current culture around striving to be ‘authentic’.  Be true to yourself; allow yourself to be yourself.  It’s about not bending to others’ views or interests in order to fit in. 

These are valid goals.  It’s certainly good to strive for authenticity.  It’s not good to  conform to a culture you don’t fit into; that’s not being authentic.

Seth Godin has identified a better goal:  be consistent.  If you’re claiming authenticity, by default then you have to also be consistent.  If you can’t be consistent with your ‘authentic’ behaviour, then it’s not authentic. 

Consider consistency when striving for authenticity.

#100wordsaday

I was engrossed in the book I was reading.  “I’ll just take this”, he interrupted, gesturing at the barstool I was using for my coffee and my feet.  It felt a bit abrupt, but I gave it over.

See, to him, it was obvious.  No other seats were available, and I was using one to hold  my coffee.  Had I  looked up at any point before he spoke, I would’ve noticed the lack of seats, and obviously would’ve offered it, because it was so obvious.

What you think is obvious at any point, might not yet be obvious to another.

#100wordsaday

It was strange that I showed up for the AGM for a running club I’m a member of, but haven’t yet participated in an event, so no one knew me. It’s also strange that I go to networking events alone and go with the intention to meet new people.

Strange is the epitome of diversity. If encouraging diversity, you also have to be the first one to welcome the strange one, the one who isn’t following protocols or who looks out of place. That’s diversity. Bring it on but play your part. Don’t leave the diverse (strange) one standing alone.

#100wordsaday

The world moves pretty fast… if you don’t stop and take a look around, you might miss it. That quip from the Ferris Bueller movie from 1986 came into my mind as I thought about the need to take time to ‘go blank’. So even back then, over 30 years ago, there was a suggestion that life moves too fast, and it’s important to slow down now and then.

There is something to the idea of spending time not thinking, not reading, not answering emails. Whether it’s meditating, being mindful, or going blank – it gives your mind time to recover.

#100wordsaday

In manufacturing, tracing failed products is part of the quality control process. There are statistical analyses done regularly to find out where flaws in the process are. Once that is determined, a program is put in place to rectify them. Rework is costly, inefficient, and bad for business.

The same applies for knowledge work: any time a report or drawing goes around the review cycle multiple times, that’s effectively rework. Worse, when the wrong drawing goes to site and is used before the mistake is discovered: that’s costly rework.

Review procedures and document control are key processes in avoiding rework.

#100wordsaday

Our brains learn to filter the potential stimuli that is bombarding us at any moment. Over time we are able to develop the ability to effectively block the unessential noise, light, pressure, or irritations that come our way. Similarly, we are also always having to filter abstract inputs such as information, emotions, instincts, and feelings. Physical and abstract inputs are filtered differently by different people: this is part of a culture.

The evidence that filters work is highlighted when they aren’t effective. It’s like having a bad back: you don’t realise how important it is, until it’s not working right.

#100wordsaday

The ability to be visionary is one thing, while the ability to deliver is another.

Coming up with achievable long range big audacious goals is one skill, while the ability to deliver results repeatedly, reliably, and without fanfare depends on a different type of skill.

We imagine that we, or our leaders, can easily do both. The study of successful entrepreneurs shows it’s difficult for a visionary to also reliably deliver. Like many skills, one is often easier than the other for each person.

The expectation to deliver a vision along with the ability to deliver is a tall one.

#100wordsaday

Some people have the ability to take information and spin it into something else. They easily and craftily spin information for the benefit of them or their stakeholders.

Information should just be provided in a factual, sensible, and straight manner.

Don’t forget the fable of the Emperor with No Clothes. The ‘spin-masters’ convinced him that the clothes were made from threads that stupid people couldn’t see. So, no one wanted to admit they couldn’t see it.

We get blind to information that doesn’t fit our preference, bias, or wishes. Sometimes those who spin it are masters. Sometimes, think for yourself.

#100wordsaday

Being organised invokes visions of clean desks and surfaces, tidy filing systems, and the ability to find what you’re looking for in no time at all. Being disorganised is probably more often the norm, with clutter, disarray, and uncertainty around where anything is.

Being organised is an ongoing state - like developing habits: it’s a way of life. An organised desk, filing system or email inbox is not something you achieve, and you’re done. There’s more to it than that.

Even a little bit of structure can help enormously. Keeping it simple helps to make it a way of life.

#100wordsaday

There was a little white dog on a leash waiting patiently at the crossing, looking around excitedly and expectantly. As I admired its cuteness (and hardly noticed the human holder of the leash) it occurred to me that at that height, all that dog is seeing is shins and shoes. A very different experience to mine.

In a conversation, or a disagreement, recognising the other perspectives is useful. It helps to understand where they are coming from, or what they are currently seeing. A bare ankle doesn’t seem like much, but if that’s all they know, it might be plenty.

#100wordsaday

There’s a line in the 2004 movie “Shall we dance”: “We need a witness to our lives. (In a marriage) you’re saying, ‘your life will not go unnoticed, because I will notice it. I will be your witness’ ”. The line is in answer to the question ‘why get married’, which is a whole other topic.

The concept of needing a witness also applies to our work life. There are hundreds or thousands of people doing similar work as you, and work life is so much better when your work is appreciated. When work is witnessed, it just feels good.

#100wordsaday

I do quite a bit of work around developing Australian Standards, and also by extension in the quality arena, I help develop processes, procedures, and guidelines.

What I don’t do (currently) is any work on textbooks.  You know, those things we used to refer to when we wanted to (or had to) learn something. 

Standards are not textbooks.  The principle of performance-based Standards is to apply existing knowledge to achieve the best outcome. And yet, the dependence on Standards seems to be creeping into the textbook realm.  Standards are getting longer and more complicated. Maybe because the textbooks are not.

#100wordsaday

I wonder how envelope makers are faring now that we don’t send as many letters anymore. When I moved to Australia in 1997, email was only just taking off, and I still wrote weekly letters and postcards back to friends and family in Calgary for several years.

But this is about email at the moment. I heard a good analogy for emails: they are the envelope. Take the contents out, do something with that - put it on a calendar or to-do list - and then discard (or file) the envelope. Don’t make space for the envelope, it’s just clutter.

#100wordsaday

I’ve been contemplating a move from analogue notebooks onto online systems. But the thought only usually gets about that far, and then it’s all too hard and I stick with my multiple notebooks system.

I’ve kept a journal on-and-off since I was 12, so that’s one notebook. Then there’s my exercise tracking one. And one for work topics. Another is used as an idea generator and for capturing thoughts. And another is a straight-up analogue pocket calendar to check availability quickly.

That’s a long list. Really, one does not need to handwrite so much!

Well maybe, I do need to.

#100wordsaday

The field of knowledge management brings up thoughts of databases, electronic libraries, and lessons learnt sessions. While all of these are tangible, useful ways to manage knowledge, it is the context of that knowledge which is most important. And context is lost in those sterile databases.

Knowledge management is more than databases. Some of my work involves training and coaching around the development of knowledge plans for people, not for the storage unit.

The transfer of knowledge depends entirely on people.

That means people talking to each other, teaching, training, exchanging, debating, discussing, listening, thinking, disagreeing, agreeing, and so on.

#100wordsaday