The brick is heavy, and when you drop it, it hits the floor, and pieces chip off, but it’s still together. The functions of a brick are limited; it can be used to build something, although without mortar, it would fall over. Carrying it is heavy, and it weighs you down. It needs more to become something useful; it needs mortar, it needs precision, it needs levelling, and other bricks. And once altogether, it becomes something useful. By itself, not so great, but when together, awesomeness. Don’t be a brick, when you could work with a team and be awesome. …

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1 day ago

Finding a Process Champion

Greg Thomas

Believe in the Process. Trust the Process. These are all good; these all make sense, as long as someone is a Champion of the Process and able to evangelize it in a way that makes people want to stay on board, makes them want to learn more, leaves them hungry with questions to ask. You need someone to lead the process for people to follow it; without someone to lead it, no one will follow it. The proof? How many times have you read the installation manual before trying to install whatever it is you’re working on? Want your process …

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The Idea Matrix of Your Team

Greg Thomas

A Matrix is an environment or system where something else, an idea, a product, a concept, takes form and becomes something else. You go into the Matrix and come out changed by it (just like in the movie). The Idea Matrix is the lunchroom chatter, the discussion after a meeting has happened, the back and forth at your desk – that generates the next idea that your team should be working on. The Idea Matrix is a key indicator of growth as well – not all ideas are great, but the ability to generate ideas, the willingness to try new …

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1 week ago

The Backup Drive Habit

Greg Thomas

Yes, I still use Backup Drives for files. Not regularly, but every now and then, I get a random thought – “Oh, I should back that up”. Setting up a new computer, I back up to the cloud, but also to a local drive… because hey… local drives have never failed, right (they have)? Someone younger than me who never used external drives probably doesn’t use them, but for my generation, going from 1.44 MB to 1 TB in your hand was power incarnate and always gave you that security blanket of – “if something goes wrong I still have …

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Two Approaches to Blisters

Greg Thomas

You can bandage them up and keep going; yes, they will irritate and eventually pop. You can wait for them to go away, however long that takes. One is pragmatic and pushes you back at the worry of further injury, one pushes the envelope, lets the skin heal over and harden. Whatever approach you take is up to you, but clearly, you need new shoes to prevent it from happening again. Want more? Check out my book Code Your Way Up – available as an eBook or Paperback on Amazon (CAN and US).  I’m also the co-host of the Remotely …

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2 weeks ago

The Fear of Growth

Greg Thomas

When we get our first whiff of responsibility from all the great work we do, we sometimes worry that this is going to become the new norm. And the answer is, yes, you’ve shown yourself to be great. People want to see more; they want to raise the bar. And then we wrestle with the inner choice as to whether we are going to take the leap and go for it. We’re afraid of the next step because of what responsibility it might bring. And only you can decide whether you’re willing to take that leap. Want more? Check out …

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Want more? Check out my book Code Your Way Up – available as an eBook or Paperback on Amazon (CAN and US).  I’m also the co-host of the Remotely Prepared podcast.