Posts

Part I: How to Make a Consulting Gig Mutually Effective and Rewarding

Before I retired, I had done consulting / contracting for a number of years, and I’ve worked with a few companies and managers. Here are some pointers on how to get the most of a **highly skilled** consultant / contractor like myself. 1. Clearly define the purpose of the assignment beforehand, and inform the consultant / contractor. Is it: • Staff supplementation: a consultant taking over a role in the organizational chart normally assigned to a permanent employee who may be going on leave or another long term project. • A specific short or long term development or infrastructure project. 2. Define whether this engagement is considered to be a contract to hire position. Again, inform the contractor as to whether this is your expectation. Some consultants do not want to leave consulting, and the consultant should know whether this is a ‘try-buy’ opportunity. 3. Define the reporting structure of the consulting position, and the expended duties, procedures and time and status reporting me...

Downtime Pursuits When You Don't Have Much To Do

This was published previously in this blog back in 2010. I'm re-publishing it for any benefit which others can find from it I'm happily and honorably retired now.

New Employee Orientation and Cross Training in IT

This was published previously in this blog back in 2010. I'm re-publishing it for any benefit which others can find from it I'm happily and honorably retired now. 

Dealing with Envy In the Workplace

 I came across this article when thinking about the role of envy and competition in the workplace: Envy in the workplace: Jealous guise . The Harvard Business Review article that it is cited in this article is also worth finding and reading. It’s noteworthy that IT firms were some of the companies cited in the articles. One of the problems that managers do need to watch out for is the situation when one worker tries to sabotage and hold back another person because of the green eyed monster. This can have tremendous negative impact on an organization and sink or delay critical projects if one person tries to keep another from receiving due credit.

How to Pick the Right Skills For Success in 2025

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 Hey, do you care about growing your career? And do you care about finding your niche and building your stack of skills? In this video I put together some insights that I've developed over the years, and I also lean on the shoulders of Scott Adams, King Solomon and John D. Rockefeller for some insights to include. I may ramble in some sections, but there's some gold here which I'm passing on for your benefit.   DISCLAIMER: This video is educational and not intended to substitute for any legal, psychiatric or psychological advice or treatment. Please consult with a qualified professional in your area if you need legal, psychiatric or psychological advice or treatment. #career #careergrowth #skills #skilldevelopment #skillstacking

What Makes Church Feel Safe and Healing? -- Ephesians 4:15-16

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 Do you speak the truth in love? Do the people in your church speak the truth in love? Do the leaders in your church speak the truth in love? How can we grow to be more like Jesus together? In this video, together we explore Ephesians 4:15-16, where the apostle Paul tells what the growing church is like. It's about speaking the truth in love and functioning together as the body of Christ! And this means that we have to make some deep adjustments in how we talk to each other and how we treat each other -- but we'll stop hurting and wounding each other, and help to build up and bring relational healing and safety to each other like Jesus intends for us. #churchhurt #spiritualabuse #spiritualhealing #spiritualhealth #bodyofchrist #churchleadership #churchleadership #churchfamily #edification #buildingeachotherup #buildingupeachother

When a Nation Said Yes, We Need a King! -- II Samuel 5:1-5

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Yes, people actually voted for a king -- a number of times! In this video, we'll explore and explain II Samuel 5:1-5. This is a little mentioned passage where the people of Israel come to their senses and choose David to be their king, after God had already been indicating that he had been prepared and chosen for their king. And this passage tells us a lot about government and about the providence of God, and it foreshadows the perfect King, King Jesus, the Son of God, the greatest heir of David. #king #kingjesus #kingdavid #whovotedforhim #government #voting