Tag Archives: kimberly wiefling

The Stories We Tell: Creating and Perpetuating Your Corporate DNA

thumbnail(Originally posted on projectconnections.com)

Recently, several of my clients have become extremely interested in exploring what they call their “corporate DNA.” At first I resisted, because I was concerned that this metaphor implied that they were incapable of changing. But for the most part, this model is being used to explore the unique identity of an organization — the strengths that are admired, and should be preserved and transmitted to future generations.

Most every kid who has the luxury of getting an education learns the basics of DNA. DNA is what causes a giraffe to have a long neck, kangaroos to have pouches, and porcupines to have quills instead of fur. Tadpoles turn into frogs, not butterflies, because of their DNA. And a lot of behavior has its roots in an organism’s DNA. Birds have wings, but dogs don’t, therefore dogs don’t fly. Snakes, lacking both legs and wings, resort to crawling. But what is the meaning of the DNA of an organization?
Continue reading→

What is Design Thinking? A Powerful Methodology for Projects, but NOT “Thinking About Design”!

Why do simple and effective approaches to getting things done often become obscured by jargon? For example, way back in the last century when I worked at HP we experienced big changes in the business environment. Although layoffs are common at HP these days, back then everyone I knew believed that HP had a “no layoff” policy. As offshoring became commonplace, it became clear that the lifetime employment contract was no longer viable. Executives and HR people started using terms like “career self-reliance” and “workforce resilience” — fancy phrases used to convey a pretty simple message: “You’re on your own when it comes to career development and job security.” Unsurprisingly, thousands of people were laid off over the next few years. Being laid off didn’t bother me nearly as much as seeing the reality of our situation needlessly obscured by buzzwords. I strongly believe that the terminology used in communicating the changes was unnecessarily complicated and indirect. Complex doesn’t necessarily mean complicated. I prefer to follow Einstein’s guidance to “make everything as simple as possible, but not simpler.”

Continue reading→

Making Your Message Memorable by Kimberly Wiefling (Wiefling Consulting)

KimberlyNikkeiAd-2010-1024x469(Originally posted on SVProjectManagement.com)

For years I’ve been using a rubber chicken in my consulting work to burn into people’s consciousness the concepts of personal accountability and a belief in an internal locus of control. Holding the chicken at shoulder height, I release it and ask why the chicken fell to the floor. Victims blame gravity. (Some people even blame the chicken!) Leaders say “Because you released it, Kimberly.” It’s a simple message, but an important one for leaders. No matter how tempting it may be, if we blame circumstances for our problems we give away our own power. Continue reading→

How to Lead Effectively. Video Blog 3 by Kimberly Wiefling (Wiefling Consulting)

How can you lead effectively when you’re promoted? You have 2 ears and 1 mouth, so use them in that ratio! Start by listening, collaboratively set clear goals, and work together as a real team, not just a group of people jockeying for position, power and status. Check out Kimberly’s 1 minute view on this.

* Thanks to Japjot Sethi of Gloopt for making this professional video!

Pirates Fighting Among Themselves While the Spanish Galleon Sails On Up by Kimberly Wiefling (Wiefling Consulting)

 

pirates_of_the_carribean.thumbnail

(This article was originally published on www.svprojectmanagement.com)

This past summer I went to a baseball game. It wasn’t completely without benefit. I enjoyed indulging in the traditional stadium food and libations, the $1 hot dogs formed from some unrecognizable substance and the “it shall offend no one” stadium beer (nor shall it please anyone, but let’s not be sticklers). While being herded out with the crowds I noticed that many people seemed to be truly elated or dejected based on the victor in this sports match. Who won? Who cares! While I really tried to get into the spirit of things, I just couldn’t work up a good head of steam around caring who hit a little while ball farther or ran around a dirt track before that little white ball could touch them. Baseball is a perfectly fine way to spend an afternoon, and it’s a hoot to sit there cheering with the crowd and jeering at the umpires, but it didn’t seem to be worth agonizing or celebrating the outcome. Maybe I am missing a sports gene? Is it carried on the X chromosome but recessive? Or is it dominant and on the Y chromosome? Who knows, but it got me thinking . . . Continue reading→

Holiday Compassion All Year Long by Kimberly Wiefling (Wiefling Consulting)

Business Trip Struggles

(This article was originally published on www.svprojectmanagement.com)

This time of year in the US many people, including me and my family, celebrate Christmas. It’s the most important holiday for us, and it’s a time of year when people seem more tuned in to the connections among all human beings. It seems to me that people are a wee bit nicer to each other. We take time to be with our families, and we tell our friends how much they mean to us. As far as holidays go, it’s a very big deal. Because I’m traveling on business 2-3 weeks a month I’m typically arriving home in Silicon Valley, California, from Japan just in time to be jet lagged all through the holiday season. This year, however, my last week of work before Christmas was in Houston, Texas, so instead of being jet lagged I’m merely burnt out. Well, burnt to a crisp, actually – like a piece of bacon cooked in a greasy skillet on extra high heat for about an hour longer than normal. Toast! Continue reading→