Articles for category: Initiative

June 27, 2017

Greg Thomas

Building a Better Mouse Trap

Sometimes, all that is needed is a better MouseTrap – a better way to solve the problem, a modification on the structure, some much needed enhancements, etc, etc. You don’t need to be an innovator to be a creator, sometimes all you need is a tweak to take something broken and make it better than before, better than anyone imagined, and through that create a better product that will re-invigorate a worn-out market or need that people have long forgotten. History is littered with examples so don’t worry if you haven’t invented the latest tire that tweets out it’s mileage and

June 26, 2017

Greg Thomas

Forget Viral

Your post isn’t going to be picked up by millions. That article that took you 2 hours to write, will be read by 5 people (one being your mom). That photo with the slick lens flare won’t receive any likes. That sweet tweet that you composed on the way to work that is pure gold will get 1 retweet. Your well-crafted, well-written, put together Facebook post is going to get 15 dislikes. So now that you know Viral is not in the cards for what you are working on, will you still post it?   Will you still put in all that

June 21, 2017

Greg Thomas

Dropping People when the Job’s Not Done

The last sprint to the end of the project is always an exciting time for the team has worked so hard to get there. They have fought through all the trials and tribulations, the late nights, the early milestones (and the late ones). Through the good and the bad – they have stuck together, making it out as one cohesive team, stronger for what they have gone through.  When that final push comes, they are all jumping in to help to see it go out the door and the first user log on – not matter your role on the project,

June 20, 2017

Greg Thomas

The False Learning Trap

I hear this a lot – “I’ll learn it when I’m given a project that I can learn it on”. Translation – “I’m not going to invest my own time in figuring this out until you tell me I can invest my own time in doing this for you… and pay me for it.” Perhaps not what you were thinking at the time you said that, but you can’t argue with the logic. Would that really inspire confidence at an interview or team meeting if uttered as honestly as the above? Doubtful. Don’t fall into the False Learning Trap where

June 19, 2017

Greg Thomas

Demolition is Easy

We get to tear what was old down to the ground and rebuild it, from scratch, with our own ideas and stamp imprinted directly on it. It is an incredibly satisfying endeavour to demolish a piece of software that never worked or rip apart that kitchen floor that has looked horrible since the day you moved in. The euphoria of destruction makes all the pain melt away. But it’s only the beginning and the building back up is always that much harder, fraught with unknowns and discovery of what we never knew existed. We become discouraged and frustrated and yes