tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13327419892617709992024-03-16T13:52:46.950-05:00The C4Leader BlogLeadership Lessons from the Frontlines: Combat to CorporateErinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12528509012363694158noreply@blogger.comBlogger510125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1332741989261770999.post-67748285843853872812019-02-19T09:12:00.000-06:002019-02-19T09:25:53.211-06:00What Is One of the Most Common Leadership Traps?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dzQbJ6dWt_uecnOe0KxaLrf_9uzhaZaoQo1yKvmq3MalD_Q_ET5XcAuCPAubR3BBb2HpRomqqa5tgkASuaHgw' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
I'm trying an experiment. I've come across a service called Lumen5, and am looking at creating videos to highlight the primary lessons from previous blog posts. What do you think? Helpful? Too Long/Short? Too generic?<br />
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I greatly appreciate your input.<br />
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The first video is based on this article:<br />
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http://www.c4-elt.com/2015/09/a-leaders-most-common-mistake.htmlMatt Morey, PMP, DTMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06565415521599248947noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1332741989261770999.post-88049555602225665072018-12-12T09:13:00.003-06:002018-12-12T09:13:54.650-06:00It's been a while...Hello anyone who still visits this page!<br />
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It's been nearly 7 months since my last post, and unfortunately, I can only blame life (changes in location, job, family situation, etc.). I do not plan on abandoning this blog, and I will probably return in the near future with some new posts, and perhaps even some of the other ideas that have been percolating in the back of my mind. I only ask for a little patience.<br />
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Thank you and Happy Holidays!Matt Morey, PMP, DTMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06565415521599248947noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1332741989261770999.post-38439908391336696662018-05-28T08:00:00.000-05:002018-05-28T08:00:01.082-05:00Leadership Quote - Doc Hastings<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfgcDtmjDx-Eaa9UubxL6PI44Mb_JGV6mQ8ihsiUxkgeXHoRyfCfuoZ1g5M5SjvxHkIhqNI4uMswj9rPizCx7nEznjA0jdbzBlTrSjmxwBeuHYO6YCRaQMivsrX3NV3KaOYVq014eK1wg/s1600/Memorial+day+copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfgcDtmjDx-Eaa9UubxL6PI44Mb_JGV6mQ8ihsiUxkgeXHoRyfCfuoZ1g5M5SjvxHkIhqNI4uMswj9rPizCx7nEznjA0jdbzBlTrSjmxwBeuHYO6YCRaQMivsrX3NV3KaOYVq014eK1wg/s400/Memorial+day+copy.jpg" width="266" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Created by Erin Morey</td></tr>
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Memorial day isn't about the people who served and survived. It is to remember those who didn't.Thankfully, I didn't have too many fallen friends during my time in the Army, but anyone who's served knows a few, and I lost several even after I was out of the Army. I miss those friends, so, while you enjoy your barbeques and the beginning of summer, please take a moment to think about the men and women who have sacrificed everything, and the families that miss them as you enjoy the holiday.Matt Morey, PMP, DTMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06565415521599248947noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1332741989261770999.post-31120519104072323042018-05-21T08:00:00.000-05:002018-05-21T08:00:06.158-05:00Leadership Quote - Alexander den Heijer<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg81DVk2ryml023AveYhap60tzQtkesBJI7In7Iu7mOTSOw6YGUUv_Y2boPZPjKk5P8gxGy6HqzK5SvfiQQNpxdOBIWL0_hmFfbrNIIOmDpWGOLCy1WZC1jWwVRYwL2XZjqA2D8B9G-Fz4/s1600/flower+environment+copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="900" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg81DVk2ryml023AveYhap60tzQtkesBJI7In7Iu7mOTSOw6YGUUv_Y2boPZPjKk5P8gxGy6HqzK5SvfiQQNpxdOBIWL0_hmFfbrNIIOmDpWGOLCy1WZC1jWwVRYwL2XZjqA2D8B9G-Fz4/s320/flower+environment+copy.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Created by Erin Morey</td></tr>
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My wife is a bit of an amateur gardener, and since we recently moved we've started discussing how to build raised flower/gardening beds. One of the larger concerns when gardening is the quality of the soil. You amend the soil with compost, lime, and other materials to make it a better medium for growth. It can be critically important to adjust the soil, as the wrong pH balance can kill the plants, and plants grow better in different types of soil.<br />
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What about your team? Are you giving them a rich and fertile place to grow, or is it barren and destitute? Do you provide the team nutrients and opportunities to grow (compliments, recognition, challenging assignments) or do you constantly dig up or neglect the seeds? As Dutch Speaker <a href="https://www.alexanderdenheijer.com/">Alexander den Heijer</a> identified:<br />
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<i>When A Flower Doesn't Bloom, You Fix The Environment In Which It Grows, Not The Flower.</i></div>
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<i>- Alexander den Heijer</i></div>
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Pretty simple this week. Are you trying to address the environment your team is in or are you trying to address the team? In real life you probably need to pay attention to both, however, if the environment isn't conducive to the growth of the team, then the team members won't grow or bloom. </div>
Matt Morey, PMP, DTMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06565415521599248947noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1332741989261770999.post-51492656844190741272018-05-14T08:00:00.000-05:002018-05-14T08:00:08.029-05:00Leadership Quote - Milarepa<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1wnAJTkiMq61Y3P80tSAjKBBsm7kqJgYzJrol_Yu6Dovce8UFVVw8ARzIHGZdq9F7MoR2szihcQMaWaVazXQVV8_xcTdonwAthteZPdlF1kLjbE4LFeLSWXrlYMEs8qlZ-cv6oWr-1jI/s1600/dog+lion+copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1wnAJTkiMq61Y3P80tSAjKBBsm7kqJgYzJrol_Yu6Dovce8UFVVw8ARzIHGZdq9F7MoR2szihcQMaWaVazXQVV8_xcTdonwAthteZPdlF1kLjbE4LFeLSWXrlYMEs8qlZ-cv6oWr-1jI/s400/dog+lion+copy.jpg" width="266" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Created by Erin Morey</td></tr>
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Are you able to stay focused on what you want to accomplish? Or are you like Doug the Dog from the Pixar movie <i>Up?</i> Unable to maintain a train of thought and easily distracted by squirrels? Regrettably, it is getting harder and harder for us to maintain our focus as hundreds (if not thousands) of things vying for our attention. Just as an example, how often has your phone pinged, vibrated, or lit up since you started reading this? I'm willing to bet it is more than once.<br />
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When these things happen, we lose focus and have to try to re-attain it. At least one study has shown that it can take up to 25 minutes to regain your focus once interrupted, and another showed that people switched their activities every three minutes five seconds (<a href="https://www.fastcompany.com/944128/worker-interrupted-cost-task-switching">Fast Company interview</a> with Gloria Mark, Professor in the Department of Informatics at the University of California, Irvine). This disruption is at the expense of deeper thinking and consistent effort.<br />
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Which brings us to this week's quote:<br />
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<i>When You Run After Your Thoughts You Are Like A Dog Chasing A Stick: Every Time A Stick I Thrown You Run After It. Instead, Be Like The Lion Who, Rather Than Chasing The Stick, Turns To Face The Thrower. One Only Throws A Stick At A Lion Once. </i></div>
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<i>- Milarepa</i></div>
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Are you running after sticks (or chasing squirrels) rather than disciplining your mind? As a leader, what about your team? Are you causing undue stress and impacting their ability to work? Are others? </div>
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Often when I coach Project Managers I advise them to turn off the email notifications because it can be distracting and pull you away from the detailed work you are doing. Instead, pick dedicated times to review, triage and reply to emails. By doing this you take back more control and limit the distractions. If it was important, they would call you!</div>
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There are other tactics you can do to protect your time and that of your team. I would suggest you block some time this week and look at your distractions. Work to become the lion, rather than a dog with a stick!</div>
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<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Milarepa">Milarepa</a> is one of Tibet's most famous yogis and poets. He was a major historical figure of the Kagyu School of Buddhism. </div>
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Matt Morey, PMP, DTMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06565415521599248947noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1332741989261770999.post-52160882769404949092018-05-09T08:00:00.000-05:002018-05-09T08:00:01.439-05:00Wacky Wednesday - Accidental Art<br />
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Since this weeks quote was provided by Vincent Van Gogh, I thought it would be fun to share some Accidental Art. Thanks to the constant efforts of my loving wife, I've grown a greater appreciation of art over the years (It may have grown to the point of "cool" rather than "eh"). Well, sometimes I'm amazed at what people do, and sometimes I'm amazed at the accidents that can provide moments of beauty. This week I share a couple of interesting picks and a link to a list of 25+ accidental beauties:</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="Google Maps Glitched Out But It Looks Awesome" height="346" src="https://static.boredpanda.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/5ad5a561cb932_4wp6rzdnhwjz-png__605.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/AccidentalArtGallery/comments/6y1qbx/google_maps_glitched_out_but_it_looks_fkn_awesome/">Google Glitches</a> - Sleevelessocks</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://static.boredpanda.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/5979e9e2646e1_0RjRcoI__605.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="A Tree Pattern Inside A Tree" border="0" height="400" src="https://static.boredpanda.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/5979e9e2646e1_0RjRcoI__605.jpg" width="304" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://imgur.com/gallery/zg6Rd">Tree Pattern In a Tree</a> - AbortedGallow</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://static.boredpanda.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/5982d46302f16_MiDB1ar__605.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Oranges Photographed Through The Glass Panes Of A Greenhouse" border="0" height="265" src="https://static.boredpanda.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/5982d46302f16_MiDB1ar__605.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/AccidentalRenaissance/comments/6r662r/oranges_photographed_through_the_glass_panes_of_a/">Oranges through Greenhouse Glass</a> - Mikeleus</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://static.boredpanda.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/unintentional-art-by-accident-2-595b980509246__605.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="A Rock Created Bird Shaped Window Art On My Car" border="0" height="400" src="https://static.boredpanda.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/unintentional-art-by-accident-2-595b980509246__605.jpg" width="267" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/mildlyinteresting/comments/4yrx2c/a_rock_created_bird_shaped_window_art_on_my_car/">Chipped Windshield Like a Bird</a> - AshlynnMartell</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="Was Coloring Eggs With My Niece When She Accidentally Made A Dragon Egg" height="400" src="https://static.boredpanda.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/59bf61b025268_Qxf08Yr__605.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/pics/comments/31hia9/was_coloring_eggs_with_my_niece_when_she/">Accidental Dragon Egg</a> - AwkwardPigeon</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="After I Poured Milk Into My Coffee, I Found Snoopy On The Doghouse Under The Moon" height="300" src="https://static.boredpanda.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/59ae41887ebdb_wcsaSr9r__605.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/mildlyinteresting/comments/5rb4vg/after_i_poured_milk_into_my_coffee_i_found_snoopy/">Snoopy Under the Moon</a> - Tacec</td></tr>
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<tr><td><img alt="The Spray Pattern On This Wall From A Plumbing Exaust" height="400" src="https://static.boredpanda.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/5979ea0723a08_HSx433zr__605.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="225" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;"><a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/mildlyinteresting/comments/3ns2nm/the_spray_pattern_on_this_wall_from_a_plumbing/">Plumbing Spray Pattern</a> - LysdexicPenguin</td></tr>
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Do you want to see more? <a href="https://www.boredpanda.com/unintentional-art-by-accident/?page_numb=1">Check this out</a>, compiled by BoredPanda.com<br />
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Matt Morey, PMP, DTMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06565415521599248947noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1332741989261770999.post-4286381393589262722018-05-07T08:00:00.000-05:002018-05-07T08:00:01.383-05:00Leadership Quote - Vincent Van Gogh<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-HNwyjEFSQp5_8eixf-U57jE8G3Hqr4WENRAi_cc86rtMJCcKcFbZkJBNi0ldajWvm-OnXT_UL8HDNQDVrOy0RXjuCUrDn046-syNyAfkx0g_xOwQSNoj9guam-HwW18iJeg_sDL52pE/s1600/normality+copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-HNwyjEFSQp5_8eixf-U57jE8G3Hqr4WENRAi_cc86rtMJCcKcFbZkJBNi0ldajWvm-OnXT_UL8HDNQDVrOy0RXjuCUrDn046-syNyAfkx0g_xOwQSNoj9guam-HwW18iJeg_sDL52pE/s400/normality+copy.jpg" width="266" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Created by Erin Morey</td></tr>
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Last week we discussed how the turtle needs to stick its neck out in order to make progress. This week I'll encourage you to be careful of Normality (status quo). The two can often seem related, but I would encourage you to think of them separately. The road can be comfortable, and you can make great progress rapidly by traveling down a road, but you can miss the adventure (or flowers) by staying on the road. Hence this week's quote:<br />
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<i>Normality Is A Paved Road: It Is Comfortable To Walk, But No Flowers Grow.</i></div>
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<i>- Vincent Van Gogh</i></div>
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In fact, one of my kid's favorite movies touched on the topic (first 22 seconds <i>Cars </i>by Pixar): </div>
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I say touched on it because this scene is most often credited with explaining what hurt Radiator Springs and how the decisions can hurt regular people, but in this particular context, I would point to the comment made about how most of the cars didn't even know what they were missing. </div>
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Too often we get comfortable in what we are doing, or we work hard to make great time, but we forget to have a great time. There are many ways to say it, but the bottom line I would ask is are you taking time to enjoy your accomplishments? Are you stepping off the paved roads to enjoy the flowers? To Stop and smell the roses? Or are you doing things the way you always have because they are comfortable? </div>
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From a leadership perspective, are you looking for improvements? Are you finding the flowers through process improvements or new opportunities? Perhaps it's time to step off the Paved Road.</div>
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Vincent Van Gogh was a Dutch painter (Post- Impressionist) who is probably one of the most recognized names in art. He is credited with 2100 works of art, the majority of them in the last 2 years of his life. He committed suicide at 37 following years of mental illness and poverty. </div>
Matt Morey, PMP, DTMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06565415521599248947noreply@blogger.com22tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1332741989261770999.post-17445865827947351822018-05-02T08:00:00.000-05:002018-05-02T08:00:10.169-05:00Wacky Wednesday - The Marvel BunchThis has been going through my head all week... AND I HAVEN"T EVEN SEEN INFINITY WAR YET!<br />
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The only thing is that I wish they had done it with Civil War, so that Cap and Iron Man would be the parents.... Missed opportunities!Matt Morey, PMP, DTMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06565415521599248947noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1332741989261770999.post-42640783046524847932018-04-30T08:30:00.000-05:002018-04-30T08:30:52.789-05:00Leadership Quote - James Bryant Conant<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Created by Erin Morey</td></tr>
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This past week I presented at the Nashville PMI Symposium on Change Management. The Opening Keynote was provided by <a href="http://www.danthurmon.com/">Dan Thurmon</a>, NSA member, acrobat, and juggler. At 50 years old, this man provided a keynote meant to inspire the audience to be <i><a href="https://amzn.to/2vYV2wR"><b>Off Balance on Purpose</b></a> </i>(also his book, affiliate link). I can only hope to summarize his key point but basically it's that you can expend a lot of energy maintaining balance (the status quo) but you only make progress when you are off-balance; so lean forward and intentionally become off balance.<br />
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After watching his speech that day, I did something I've never done: I scrapped my presentation. I walked into my breakout session and gave a nearly packed room the choice of either the prepared presentation on the process of Change Management, with tools and templates, or a facilitated conversation about Change Management, focusing on the people side and problem-solving. We spent an hour in an intense Q&A along with input from the audience and my own experiences. It was a fascinating experience that was completely different from what I expected and based on the feedback, the attendees enjoyed as well.<br />
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Which brings me to this week's quote:<br />
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<i>Behold The Turtle. He Makes Progress Only When He Sticks His Neck Out</i></div>
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<i>- James Bryant Conant</i></div>
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The quote feels appropriate considering the lessons from the last week. Are you too comfortable with what you are doing? Do you have goals or dreams that you would like to achieve but are afraid to stick your neck out? I encourage you to try something completely different, stick your neck out to make progress. You may be amazed that you win a race (okay okay, tortoise instead of turtle but I think you can see the connection!).<br />
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<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Bryant_Conant">James Bryant Conant</a> was a US Chemist, President of Harvard University, and the first US Ambassador to West Germany. He helped develop poison gas in WWI, led changes to Harvard University, and oversaw the Manhattan Project as Chairman of the National Defense Research Committee. In 1953 he left Harvard and became the United States High Commissioner for Germany, overseeing the restoration of Germany and became Ambassador until 1957.Matt Morey, PMP, DTMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06565415521599248947noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1332741989261770999.post-70533813077876645672018-04-18T08:00:00.000-05:002018-04-18T08:00:26.153-05:00Wacky Wednesday - LighthouseEarlier this week we shared a quote about a Lighthouse... sometimes no matter what you try you just can't help some people:<br />
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Ahhh... my fellow servicemen in the US Navy!<br />
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Just Kidding Guys!Matt Morey, PMP, DTMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06565415521599248947noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1332741989261770999.post-9234485141721813552018-04-16T08:30:00.000-05:002018-04-16T08:31:02.243-05:00Leadership Quote - Unknown<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRjmp-qTWpxL1-iplf8EPXj-m9Be28o7cC3HrtL845XioJTKMp59tgVGWN8CrFTgwAAhPTxr0VJPMV8ti1ls6G2AjrWRoJHGERPPfH-pQ10EDMs3o0pAquNXxzS8aQq-zDgzG669idSWQ/s1600/IMGP3101za+copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRjmp-qTWpxL1-iplf8EPXj-m9Be28o7cC3HrtL845XioJTKMp59tgVGWN8CrFTgwAAhPTxr0VJPMV8ti1ls6G2AjrWRoJHGERPPfH-pQ10EDMs3o0pAquNXxzS8aQq-zDgzG669idSWQ/s400/IMGP3101za+copy.jpg" width="266" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Created by Erin Morey</td></tr>
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Too often Leaders see their job as being the rescuer. In fact, I once had a co-worker tell me I needed to stop being the hero all the time. I rarely think of myself as the hero. More often I like to think of myself as a mentor. When I make decisions or try to smooth out roadblocks, if I can, I like to take time to educate my team on why certain decisions are made or even get them involved in the decisions. When I am able to do this, then this week's quote is true:<br />
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<i>I am a lighthouse rather than a lifeboat. I do no rescue, but instead help others to find their own way to shore, guiding them by my example - Unknown</i><br />
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Most leadership experts would agree that we are at our most effective when we can provide for the growth of more leaders. Our first goal is typically to achieve a specific objective; however, one of our most important and often overlooked goals is to improve our teams and hopefully grow a few leaders along the way. In that case we should strive to be the lighthouse that provides a direction for our team's growth and guidance so that they can progress safely.<br />
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What are you doing to grow your team? Are you providing them with the opportunity for education? Are you taking the time to explain the decision you've made or why you chose the path you are heading down? This works to educate, but it also builds trust. What more could you be doing to provide the light to help them get to shore?Matt Morey, PMP, DTMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06565415521599248947noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1332741989261770999.post-4297565212495081152018-04-11T08:00:00.000-05:002018-04-11T08:00:39.071-05:00Wacky Wednesday - People Are Awesome - MarchAlright folks, for another Wacky Wednesday, here is the compilation video for <i>People Are Awesome</i> for the month of March 2018. Enjoy!<br />
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<br />Matt Morey, PMP, DTMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06565415521599248947noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1332741989261770999.post-857809347769151592018-04-09T08:00:00.000-05:002018-04-09T08:00:42.137-05:00Leadership Quote - <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjk_JOlRqQJ8TjhRBwxdTFo7IxjU5YZTNKzsrgdRu2zBK-AvsodXDdrnqKD-o6bfhvJ2YebkfMp5JgLjiTQ-STAzLzVsf2JAUTVDXiaC0kC6a5Co8j6bpUj_u29mB-OnN4SMNBszNrKDdk/s1600/feel+the+heat+copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="900" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjk_JOlRqQJ8TjhRBwxdTFo7IxjU5YZTNKzsrgdRu2zBK-AvsodXDdrnqKD-o6bfhvJ2YebkfMp5JgLjiTQ-STAzLzVsf2JAUTVDXiaC0kC6a5Co8j6bpUj_u29mB-OnN4SMNBszNrKDdk/s400/feel+the+heat+copy.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Created By Erin Morey</td></tr>
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Leadership is a tough endeavor. Defining a vision, getting the team to buy into it and then working toward that end goal are not easy things to do. Add in the very human response of resistance to change and a person can find themselves very easily at odds with the very people he/she is trying to lead and hopefully help.<br />
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In this week's quote, President of the United States <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ronald_Reagan">Ronald Regan</a> shares his thoughts on this concept:<br />
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<i>When You Can't Make Them See The Light, Make Them Feel The Heat. </i><br />
<i>- US President Ronald Regan</i><br />
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When President Regan first thought of this statement, he may have been relating to another common American Idiom: <i>If you can't stand the heat, get out of the kitchen.</i> The point I take from his line is that people who can see the light will be generating the heat and excited about the change. They will be creating fire and using it to help reach the goal.<br />
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However, there can be another effect of all this progress. Others may feel the heat and be scared of it. They can become afraid that the fire will burn them, or burn down the comfort and habits that they knew and relied upon. These people have a choice to make:<br />
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1. Embrace the heat and see the light from it<i>, </i>deciding to work with the fire.<br />
2. Fight to put out the fire, sabotaging and undermining the efforts of the leader and/or team<br />
3. Hope the fire burns itself out, as so many "good ideas" in organizations do (i.e. do nothing)<br />
4. Leave the kitchen because the heat is too hot<br />
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As a leader work to identify which of these choices your team members (and other stakeholders) have made. You will have to deal with each one differently, but at the very least be aware of the person's choice.<br />
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1. This person is a change champion and will readily work to see the change happen. Embrace them and continue to put kindling on the ember that they represent (i.e. coaching, training, praise, guidance, etc.)<br />
2. This person needs to be either converted or removed immediately. Either way, you cannot let this person remain in the decision that they have made.<br />
3. This person most likely needs to be trained and educated on what the vision really means and how it will impact them. Try to get this person off the fence.<br />
4. This person will likely either leave the job or change departments. Minimal for a leader to do except perhaps help them move on to their next position.<br />
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A lot of material for a small quote. Now, go light a fire!<br />
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<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ronald_Reagan">Ronald Reagan</a> was the 40th President of the United States. Prior to becoming President he was an actor and Govenor of California. he is considered a Repiblican Party icon for his sweeping initiatives while in office, including tax rate redutions, deregulaton of industry, and reductions in government spending. He also Presided over the conclusion of the Cold War with the Soviet Union.<br />
<br />Matt Morey, PMP, DTMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06565415521599248947noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1332741989261770999.post-90130955650925862212018-04-02T08:00:00.000-05:002018-04-02T08:00:42.059-05:00Leadership Quote - Darth Vader<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Darth Vader is, perhaps, the most recognizable movie character in modern time. All you need to hear is the respirator to think of this fantastic, black encased leader who is known for getting things done, even if he needs to get his own hands dirty. Showing up to take over projects that fall behind (i.e. the second Death Star) he pushes people to achieve as much as humanly possible, and then beyond. Known as a fantastic motivator, it is almost like he has some hidden force behind him, especially when he wants to reach out and choke someone!</div>
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In case you haven't guessed yet, APRIL FOOLS! While I agree with the quote, as with so many things, context is everything. I don't think that the original author (whoever that is) would have thought of this when providing the quote. Strong leaders do lift up their team so that they can achieve more; but usually not in such a literal fashion. </div>
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Have a great week!</div>
<br />Matt Morey, PMP, DTMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06565415521599248947noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1332741989261770999.post-57215045406838496752018-03-28T08:00:00.000-05:002018-03-28T08:00:21.653-05:00Wacky Wednesday - People Are Awesome (Feb)Happy Wacky Wednesday Everyone! This week I bring you the best of February <i>People Are Awesome</i> video! Check-out their <a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCIJ0lLcABPdYGp7pRMGccAQ">YouTube channe</a>l, I could share them almost every week (but like to provide some variety so I'll keep it to the best of). Enjoy!<br />
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<br />Matt Morey, PMP, DTMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06565415521599248947noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1332741989261770999.post-41795220176332820532018-03-26T08:00:00.000-05:002018-03-26T08:00:38.369-05:00Leadership Quote - Maya Angelou<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Created by Erin Morey</td></tr>
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My apologies for the missing posts. I've been away with the family on vacation and we ran into a problem with the scheduled posts. Hopefully we can return to our regular program this week. <br />
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Recently my family and I revisited an old stomping ground of mine: The Space and Rocket Center in Huntsville Alabama. Way back in 6th grade I paid half of the price to attend Space Camp for 1 week and it was a fantastic time. My wife loves the pictures and VHS of me in my flight suit and going through simulators. She always laughs and says: "You were such a dork!" Is it any wonder that I love her?<br />
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At the Center there are all types of things that can grab a kid's (or kid trapped in a grown-up's body) attention. You can see how impacts affect the different types of shielding on the space shuttle, adjust vibrations through material to see what happens when you hit the resonance frequency, and even design your own jet and fly it through a simulated obstacle course (mine took 5th for the day!).<br />
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All of these things (arguably) exist because of a "solitary fantasy" of one man: John F. Kennedy. His challenge to send a man to the moon and return him safely to the earth inspired a nation for a decade, and the results are on display at the Space and Rocket Center. It transformed the realities of not millions, but billions of people when Neil Armstrong set his foot down on the powder of the moon's surface.<br />
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Maya Angelou, who is rapidly becoming a favorite of mine, beautifully shared the sentiment with this week's quote:<br />
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<i>If One Is Luck, A Solitary Fantasy Can Totally Transform One Million Realities.</i></div>
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<i>- Maya Angelou. </i></div>
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There are others who could fit this statement. Martin Luthor King Jr., Nelson Mandela, Mother Theresa are only a few names that come to mind.<br />
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Each of the people identified are paragons of leadership and their names are recognized around the globe. That is a very high mark to set. For this week, I would ask you to look at yourself and the people you are leading. Do you have a vision/goal for the team and have you shared it? Before you can transform the realities of millions you need to be able to change the reality of one.<br />
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Define your fantasy, and share it with your team. Then start working toward the plan of how you can make this fantasy a reality. If you cannot, then it will never become your reality, or inspire your team to transform their own.<br />
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<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maya_Angelou">Maya Angelou</a> is an American poet, singer, memoirist and civil rights activist. She has received dozens of awards and more than 50 honorary degrees. She recited<i> On the Pulse of Morning</i> at President Bill Clinton's inauguration in 1993. Her books are used in schools and universities worldwide (although there have been efforts made to ban them from some U.S. libraries).Matt Morey, PMP, DTMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06565415521599248947noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1332741989261770999.post-89357261040027463082018-03-07T08:00:00.000-06:002018-03-07T08:00:47.607-06:00Wacky Wednesday - Celebrities in Japanese CommericialsI use to frequent a movie theatre called the <i><a href="https://drafthouse.com/">Alamo Drafthouse</a></i>, which was originally an old movie theatre with sloped seating and a kind of dive bar feel. They served real food, had beer and alcohol and very often would show old movies along with new releases. You haven't experienced <i>Mony Python and the Holy Grail</i> until you are gleefully clopping away with two halves of a coconut and counting "1, 2, 5!" in unison with everyone else in the theatre. Or perhaps screaming "Inconceivable!" while watching <i>The Princess Bride</i> and eating a pizza and drinking a local beer.<br />
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One other gem from the theatre was they would find obscure videos related to the main stars, genres, or themes of the movie and play those until it was time for the previews (much more entertaining than watching constant commercials in most major movie chains today). It was during a screening of <i>The Running Man</i> when I was first exposed to Japanese Commercials with U.S. Celebrities (Specifically Arnold Schwarzenegger). Here's a video with 5 from Rhett and Link, who are trying to guess what the person is doing/selling in each commercial. Enjoy!<br />
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<br />Matt Morey, PMP, DTMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06565415521599248947noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1332741989261770999.post-88494122263670423712018-03-05T08:00:00.000-06:002018-03-05T08:00:12.640-06:00Leadership Quote - General Robert Baden-Powell<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
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This was a big weekend in the Morey household. Our oldest son crossed-over from Cub Scouts to Boy Scouts, earning the <i>Arrow of Light</i> badge and the <i>Super Achiever</i> accolade. In this day and age, where there are so few milestones to celebrate within a growing child's life, we decided to treat it as a big deal, presenting him with several gifts as well as acknowledging the work he did to earn this recognition and the significance of his accomplishments.<br />
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As he moves into Boy Scouts, my wife and I found ourselves thinking of Baden Powell, the founder of Boy Scouts. As we reflected on what to share this week for a quote we came across one that stands out not only for the boys but for the teams that these boys will hopefully lead one day (and you may be leading now):<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Created by Erin Morey</td></tr>
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<i>A Boy Carries Out Suggestions More Wholeheartedly When He Understands Their Aim.</i></div>
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<i>- Sir Robert Baden- Powell</i></div>
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Simon Sinek wrote a book, <a href="https://startwithwhy.com/">Start with Why</a> that is a smash hit for the very reason that Sir Robert Baden-Powell provided this quote. A team will work harder and more enthusiastically when they know the reasons why a particular action are required and what part they have in the overall reason WHY.<br />
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One other item to consider, although I've found it to be less of an issue than during my time in the military, is that there may be times when you aren't able to share the why and your team still needs to execute. If you are trusted, shown solid comprehension and understanding, and worked largely with the team's best interest in mind, then the team will probably execute without knowing the "aim." But that rarely comes first.<br />
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So, are you building the relationship with your team? Do they trust you? Do they know the "why" of what you ask them? If you are, great keep it up! If you are not... then I think there is some work to be done.<br />
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<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Baden-Powell,_1st_Baron_Baden-Powell">Robert Baden-Powell</a> was a Lieutenant-General in the British Army, author of <i>Scouting for Boys</i>, founder of the Scouting Movement, and first Chief Scout of The Boy Scout Association. In a manner of speaking, he is responsible for the growth and development of thousands of boys into men through the scouting program (including myself). I wonder if he ever knew the influence his movement had over so many men in the last 100 years?</div>
Matt Morey, PMP, DTMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06565415521599248947noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1332741989261770999.post-11736565298202291522018-02-28T08:00:00.000-06:002018-02-28T08:00:26.219-06:00Wacky Wednesday - Miracurl on Ice - USA Curling Gold<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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In a story that belongs with <i>Cool Runnings</i> or the <i>Mighty Ducks</i>, the USA Men's Curling team won Gold last week in Korea. This was the first US gold in curling and it happened in the most improbable way, with one "former" superstar player (John Shuster) who was basically ostrasized from the USA Curling High-performance program in 2014 and whose name was a joke for Olympians making clutch mistakes, built a team of nobodies to make it to the Olympics and win everything! The team comprises a liquor salesman, a sporting good store salesman, a technicion for consumer products and an engineer, all from Minnesota or Wisconsin. They even go by the name Team Reject and were supported by curling fan Mr. T!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://static01.nyt.com/images/2018/02/24/sports/olympics/24ivanka-doug-1341/24ivanka-doug-1341-superJumbo-v2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="220" src="https://static01.nyt.com/images/2018/02/24/sports/olympics/24ivanka-doug-1341/24ivanka-doug-1341-superJumbo-v2.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Credit<span style="background-color: white; color: #999999; font-family: nyt-cheltenham-sh, georgia, "times new roman", times, serif; font-size: 11px; text-align: start;">Doug Mills/The New York Times</span></td></tr>
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Here are the highlights from the Gold Medal round:<br />
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Can't you see the cast of <i>Super Troopers</i> in this movie:<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://imagesvc.timeincapp.com/v3/mm/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fewedit.files.wordpress.com%2F2015%2F10%2Fsuper-troopers-01.jpg%3Fw%3D612&w=700&q=85" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Image result for cast of super troopers" border="0" height="248" src="https://imagesvc.timeincapp.com/v3/mm/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fewedit.files.wordpress.com%2F2015%2F10%2Fsuper-troopers-01.jpg%3Fw%3D612&w=700&q=85" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">20th Century Fox Film Corp./Courtesy Everett Collection</td></tr>
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And to top it all off, during the medal ceremony the men were awarded the <a href="http://www.foxnews.com/sports/2018/02/24/us-mens-curling-team-accidentally-given-womens-gold-medals.html"><i>Women's Curling </i>Gold Medals</a>! Come on Hollywood, make this movie!Matt Morey, PMP, DTMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06565415521599248947noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1332741989261770999.post-90805130335144221082018-02-26T08:00:00.000-06:002018-02-26T08:00:09.211-06:00Leadership Quote - William Arthur Ward<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsIVcSxv_fkKYz4oCmryamSCz_bvHk_8OG8wcI6zYwqPV5k_01hLY-hUrk8pOVmhmXm82W4T8gxIW1mOMtMHvA0bNGNst4_1NiNpJcv7PPqo2dFf_mjTrBrLJhIbhozsRWGoRHxAieYRo/s1600/teacher+copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="900" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsIVcSxv_fkKYz4oCmryamSCz_bvHk_8OG8wcI6zYwqPV5k_01hLY-hUrk8pOVmhmXm82W4T8gxIW1mOMtMHvA0bNGNst4_1NiNpJcv7PPqo2dFf_mjTrBrLJhIbhozsRWGoRHxAieYRo/s400/teacher+copy.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Created by Erin Morey</td></tr>
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<i>The Mediocre Teacher Tells. </i></div>
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<i>The Good Teacher Explains.</i></div>
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<i>The Superior Teacher Demonstrates.</i></div>
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<i>The Great Teacher Inspires.</i></div>
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<i>- William Arthur Ward</i></div>
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Like many professions there are great teachers, good teachers, and of course bad teachers. Teachers do not have an easy job, with more and more weight put on their sholders even as their resources are limited and their tools become more restricted. Add in what the media portrays as a dangerous work environment (and some may very well be), especially in the last 2 weeks, and it is amazing that there are people who are willing to become teachers, but many will do it because of the students they teach.<br />
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But you don't find teachers only in schools. A great leader is also a great teacher, because a great leader will grow other leaders and make sure the team is growing to meet the needs of the mission, task, job etc. The funny thing is that great teachers, who inspire, also become leaders because they lead the student to becoming better, whether that education happens within the walls of a school or not.<br />
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Look at the team that surrounds you and ask yourself "How am I inspiring them?" If you don't know the answer, then perhaps it is time to put some real thought into it.<br />
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When you're done with that, take a moment and think of a teacher who inspired you. If you can, reach out to her or him and thank her/him. It is through the efforts of those people, who are so often taken for granted, that you are where you are.<br />
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<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Arthur_Ward">William Arthur Ward</a> is an American writer and perhaps one of the most quoted writiers in American history. He's published 100+ articles in <i>Reader's Digest, The Upper Room, Science of Mind, Ideals, </i>and many others.Matt Morey, PMP, DTMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06565415521599248947noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1332741989261770999.post-40500927181366120572018-02-21T08:00:00.000-06:002018-02-21T08:01:00.017-06:00Wacky Wednesday - Beautiful Pictures, No PhotoshopI have to thank my wife for improving my appreciation of photography. I've become more amazed at what people can capture, especially when they don't use a program like Photoshop.<br />
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Please enjoy some of my favorites and you can see so many more at Brightside.me (<a href="https://brightside.me/article/100-best-photographs-without-photoshop-46555/">here</a>).<br />
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<b>A Dragon</b></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><b><img height="300" src="https://files.brightside.me/files/news/part_4/46555/208655-2761860-R3L8T8D-1000-gjVfnT8-1000-f8f57ea40d-1484729696.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" /></b></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><a href="http://imgur.com/gallery/gjVfnT8" style="background-color: white; color: #939393; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: italic; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">© imgur</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #939393; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: italic;"> © </span></b></td></tr>
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<b>An Autumn Forest. 50% Downloaded</b></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img height="307" src="https://files.brightside.me/files/news/part_4/46555/210005-eio-u-io-io-1000-1446447971-1000-446d31791d-1484729696.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://500px.com/photo/126588789/the-border-by-dan-tivadar?ctx_page=1&from=search&ctx_q=without+photoshop&ctx_type=photos&ctx_sort=relevance" style="background-color: white; color: #939393; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: italic;" target="_blank">© ©Dan Tivada</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #939393; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: italic;"> </span></td></tr>
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My Neighbor Totoro</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img height="291" src="https://files.brightside.me/files/news/part_4/46555/208605-2758510-R3L8T8D-1000-sova-1000-740dad5635-1484729696.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://500px.com/photo/124560851/raindrops-by-tanja-brandt?ctx_page=1&from=user&user_id=11455561" style="background-color: white; color: #939393; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: italic;" target="_blank">© Tanja Brandt</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #939393; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: italic;"> </span></td></tr>
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<b>Jeep Ghost</b></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><b><img height="288" src="https://files.brightside.me/files/news/part_4/46555/206705-13492810-R3L8T8D-950-13-1000-992672ade7-1484729696.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" /></b></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><a href="https://twitter.com/stookeyjoe" style="background-color: white; color: #939393; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: italic; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">© twitter</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #939393; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: italic;"> </span></b></td></tr>
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<b>The Supermoon in a Radio Telescope</b></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="г" height="266" src="https://files.brightside.me/files/news/part_4/46555/206005-12-_2_-1000-41dad920ee-1484729696.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://imgur.com/gallery/KPJdH4b" style="background-color: white; color: #939393; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: italic; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">© imgur</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #939393; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: italic;"> </span></td></tr>
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Matt Morey, PMP, DTMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06565415521599248947noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1332741989261770999.post-77788575356929182222018-02-19T08:00:00.000-06:002018-02-19T08:01:06.657-06:00Leadership Quote - Gruenert & Whitaker<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8S7p7VHuUNaJzzuZJu-SMhxMOaFvfelqFxpBj9OcC8Ud6lM5X7HD59Cm45zkXyVgOPeGXtLK63fYhSGYGxBzGzyO7yRVCujxOyNE9d9SAgQn3o_KpxUw5YhG7ynbLyqZQ9BwEUjBcjGg/s1600/culture+organization+copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="900" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8S7p7VHuUNaJzzuZJu-SMhxMOaFvfelqFxpBj9OcC8Ud6lM5X7HD59Cm45zkXyVgOPeGXtLK63fYhSGYGxBzGzyO7yRVCujxOyNE9d9SAgQn3o_KpxUw5YhG7ynbLyqZQ9BwEUjBcjGg/s400/culture+organization+copy.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Created by Erin Morey</td></tr>
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Part of the Downtown Houston skyline, we see office buildings that possibly house a wide variety of companies (perhaps 1, perhaps 100s), and in each company (or for that matter within each company) there is a culture formed by the leaders and people within the organization. Perhaps each floor could have its own culture. But what is one of the driving characteristics that forms culture:<br />
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<i>The Culture of Any Organization Is Shaped By the Worst Behaviors The Leader Is Willing To Tolerate.</i></div>
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<i>- Gruenert & Whitaker</i></div>
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This simple statement has made significant movement across the internet lately )although Gruenert is often missing the "t"). The reason is that it houses a lot of truth. Very often people will ignore little deviations from accepted behavior because it "isn't worth the time and energy to correct" or "it's not that big a deal" or a myriad of other excuses. Truthfully, most times these are excuses to avoid conflict. The problem is that this thought pattern lets the person who performed the action think it is okay and will repeat it again. Then others will see that person getting away with it and they will think it is okay and thus will perform the action (or even take it further).</div>
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If you think about it, it isn't just about company cultures, but in the home, school, sports, and a myriad of other places as well. What do parents allow their children to do that they really shouldn't? Teachers? Coaches? Managers? </div>
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The next time you see someone do something on your team that you don't agree with, don't just let it slide. Instead, take the opportunity to correct the action before it snowballs. The worst acceptable behavior is the bottom level of your culture. How do you want your team/organization to be perceived?</div>
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Education experts <a href="http://www.ascd.org/Publications/ascd-authors/steve-gruenert.aspx">Steve Gruenert</a> and <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Todd-Whitaker/e/B0045AYYBC/ref=ntt_dp_epwbk_0">Dr. Todd Whitaker</a> wrote a book titled <i><a href="http://amzn.to/2sChLNp">School Culture Rewired: How to Define, Assess, and Transform It</a></i> (affiliate link) with the goal of providing a tools and procedures to transform a school's culture to one that is positive, forward-looking, and actively working to enrich students' lives. </div>
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Although I haven't read the book, the reviews show that it contains lessons which not only apply to school but can be modified for other cultures as well. Although some may find it a basic book, it does provide a starting point that many could use to grow a positive culture within their organization. </div>
Matt Morey, PMP, DTMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06565415521599248947noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1332741989261770999.post-1958680786397974862018-02-14T08:00:00.000-06:002018-02-14T08:00:38.517-06:00Wacky Wednesday - People Are Awesome! January 2018Happy Valentine's day! I originally thought about sharing something Valentine's related, but that would be too predictable. Instead I found a compilation video for the first month of 2018. I've shared some of these videos before and will probably continue to share them as people do amazing feats of strength, agility, and sometimes stupidity. I prefer watching the <i><a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCIJ0lLcABPdYGp7pRMGccAQ">People Are Awesome</a></i> videos as compared to the <i><a href="https://www.youtube.com/user/failarmy">Fail Army</a></i> videos (mostly because the latter makes me cringe way too often).<br />
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With that in mind, here is a compilation video of January 2018 from <i>People Are Awesome:</i><br />
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<i><br /></i>Matt Morey, PMP, DTMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06565415521599248947noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1332741989261770999.post-89950987573645139122018-02-12T08:00:00.000-06:002018-02-12T08:00:29.017-06:00Leadership Quote - Amelia Earhart<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMCOzHwS8AXU4V47ZuP6LuE0uB0cddjHvCJnHiEr_zi2OXINHDa_7yXznxPZen5htpnPEb0r73SGM53QyCw6NLKwBhaDc4JpN6Nv4g9PEhrCsfNIJXIeSAcqdx01DeW_VTOJZzqylbaaw/s1600/earhart+act+copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="900" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMCOzHwS8AXU4V47ZuP6LuE0uB0cddjHvCJnHiEr_zi2OXINHDa_7yXznxPZen5htpnPEb0r73SGM53QyCw6NLKwBhaDc4JpN6Nv4g9PEhrCsfNIJXIeSAcqdx01DeW_VTOJZzqylbaaw/s400/earhart+act+copy.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://lesbrown.com/">Les Brown</a> would say in his speeches "The graveyard is the richest place on earth because it is here that you will find all the hopes and dreams that were never fulfilled..." Why were they unfulfilled? I think the answer is Amelia's quote:<br />
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<i>The Most Difficult Thing Is The Decision To Act, The Rest Is Merely Tenacity. </i></div>
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<i>- Amelia Earhart</i></div>
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Lots of people, myself included, have great ideas that never see the light of day. Because people don't want to risk action. So long as it stays an idea and not a reality there is no risk. Unfortunately, there is also no reward.<br />
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Will you let time pass by and miss out on your opportunity? Or will you take action? To wrap this up with another common phrase, it is easiest to steer a moving vehicle. Once you start to act, all it takes is tenacity to keep it going!<br />
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<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amelia_Earhart">Amelia Earhart</a> is an American aviation pioneer and author. She was the first woman to fly solo across the Atlantic Ocean. She set records, authored best-selling books and was instrumental in the formation of an organization for female pilots, the Ninety-Nines. Earhart disappeared in 1937 trying to circumnavigate the globe. It is one of the great mysteries of aviation and the fascination with her life and disappearance continues even today.Matt Morey, PMP, DTMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06565415521599248947noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1332741989261770999.post-34050817278408016102018-02-07T08:00:00.000-06:002018-02-07T08:00:00.184-06:00Waky Wednesday - Super Bowl MomentsNFL Is over and the Eagles are the Super Bowl Champions (again ouch for this boy with family in New England). To salve the wound below are two videos with the best and worst plays in Super Bowl History. Enjoy (or not depending on your team; for some reason, a lot of these plays seem to be against the Patriots). One of the plays is in the Best and Worst. Can you find it?<br />
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<b>Best</b></div>
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<b>Worst</b></div>
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<br />Matt Morey, PMP, DTMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06565415521599248947noreply@blogger.com0