tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6055483634160041129.comments2023-10-12T11:53:46.682-05:00The GradientJohn Salchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18079879668425149867noreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6055483634160041129.post-14813633008616085712013-11-05T20:23:24.285-06:002013-11-05T20:23:24.285-06:00I have great memories of your mom. She was a grea...I have great memories of your mom. She was a great woman and raised you boys into fine men. I am sorry for your loss. You are in my thoughts old friend. Mike KotilaJumpg8https://www.blogger.com/profile/02818061968304110431noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6055483634160041129.post-64902546125882089222012-12-25T13:30:58.024-06:002012-12-25T13:30:58.024-06:00This Steve Jobs quote sums it up to me. If you can...This Steve Jobs quote sums it up to me. If you can't put the rocks together, its very hard to smooth out the rough edges in the team.<br /><br />(Quote begins here:)<br />And one day he said to me, "come on into my garage I want to show you something." And he pulled out this dusty old rock tumbler. It was a motor and a coffee can and a little band between them. And he said, "come on with me." We went out into the back and we got just some rocks. Some regular old ugly rocks. And we put them in the can with a little bit of liquid and little bit of grit powder, and we closed the can up and he turned this motor on and he said, "come back tomorrow."<br /><br />And this can was making a racket as the stones went around.<br /><br />And I came back the next day, and we opened the can. And we took out these amazingly beautiful polished rocks. The same common stones that had gone in, through rubbing against each other like this (clapping his hands), creating a little bit of friction, creating a little bit of noise, had come out these beautiful polished rocks.<br /><br />That's always been in my mind my metaphor for a team working really hard on something they're passionate about. It's that through the team, through that group of incredibly talented people bumping up against each other, having arguments, having fights sometimes, making some noise, and working together they polish each other and they polish the ideas, and what comes out are these really beautiful stones.John Salchhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18079879668425149867noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6055483634160041129.post-82713621802551356802012-05-21T12:34:36.743-05:002012-05-21T12:34:36.743-05:00That's interesting. All of my "great"...That's interesting. All of my "great" accomplishment were based on "Oh, this is how you do it?! I think I can do it better!" - but not on an original "This is what you should do in the first place." I thought I am quite alone in this.Mark Kerznerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13191731750238314152noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6055483634160041129.post-26901435195628564952012-05-21T12:32:31.792-05:002012-05-21T12:32:31.792-05:00That was my feeling too: you can do waterfall deve...That was my feeling too: you can do waterfall development with an outsourced company - maybe - but not the creative, best quality software products.<br /><br />And, with the abundance of software development tools today, one developer or a small team can be incredibly productive.<br /><br />So yes, it does make a difference - being able to talk to someone any time, and often argue vehemently, which is hard to be in a friendly manner over the wire.Mark Kerznerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13191731750238314152noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6055483634160041129.post-38158489433746345372008-06-02T10:14:00.000-05:002008-06-02T10:14:00.000-05:00Great pics. I look forward to doing some tours ov...Great pics. I look forward to doing some tours over there someday.<BR/><BR/>I'm partial to Pinot Noir, so I'll have to check out Westwood.Warrenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12713306126103523869noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6055483634160041129.post-9013172942876150832007-08-01T10:12:00.000-05:002007-08-01T10:12:00.000-05:00Some of my favorites:EXCUSESWhen you get right dow...Some of my favorites:<BR/><BR/><B>EXCUSES</B><BR/><BR/>When you get right down to it, one of the most important tasks of a manager is to eliminate his people's excuses for failure. But if you're a paper manager, hiding in your office, they may not tell you about the problems only you can solve. So get out and ask them if there's anything you can do to help. Pretty soon they're standing right out there in the open with nobody but themselves to blame. Then they get to work, then they taste success, and then they have the strength of ten.<BR/><BR/><B>LEADERSHIP</B><BR/><BR/><I>To lead the people, walk behind them.</I> -- Lao-Tzu<BR/><BR/>True leadership must be for the benefit of the followers, no the enrichment of the leaders. In combat, officers eat last.<BR/><BR/>Most people in big companies today are administered, not let. They are treated as personnel, not people.<BR/><BR/>...<BR/><BR/>How do you spot a leader? They come in all ages, shapes, sizes and conditions. Some are poor administrators, some are not overly bright. One clue: since most people per se are mediocre, the true leader can be recognized because, somehow or other, his people consistently turn in superior performances.<BR/><BR/><I>"As for the best leaders, the people do not notice their existence. The next best, the people honor and praise. The next, the people fear; and the next, the people hate. ... When the best leader's work is done the people day, 'We did it ourselves!'"</I> -- Lao-Tzu<BR/><BR/><B>MISTAKES</B><BR/><BR/>Admit your own mistakes openly, maybe even joyfully.<BR/><BR/>Encourage your associates to do likewise by comiserating with them. Never castigate. Babies learn to walk by falling down. If you beat a baby every time he falls down, he'll never care much for walking.<BR/><BR/>(continues)<BR/><BR/><B>DELEGATION OF AUTHORITY I</B><BR/><BR/>Many give lip service, but few delegate authority in important matters. And that means all they delegate is dog work. A real leader does as much dog work for his people as he can: he can do it, or see a way to do without it, ten times as fast. And he delegates as many important matters as he can because that creates a climate in which people grow.<BR/><BR/>(continues)Greg Broderickhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11302357191711647178noreply@blogger.com