Too Much or Not Enough

Most of the time, we are either told too much -- so we have to clear away the fluff to get at the real information -- or not enough, so that we have to connect the dots. Either way, we're not getting a true picture of the issue.

We have to train ourselves to peer through the fluff that covers the real thing, and to perceive the shape of the matter at hand based on the unconnected dots. And we have to do it fast -- so the client / partner / whatever is still right there, the discussion still hot on their tongues, and we can say, "wait a sec -- "

Meetings

For some of us, the body language, tone of voice, and social dynamics of a traditional meeting provide context to the discussion. For others, these things are noise and distractions. Which describes you?

Squeaky wheels

There's communicating (interfacing with colleagues, an even-handed give-and-take, sharing knowledge and opinions) and then there's being the squeaky wheel. They're not the same thing. And reinventing the squeaky wheel is way out there.

Winning

You don't win an argument (or a debate - or a pitch, for that matter) by being insistent or unpleasant until your opponent (antagonist, dance partner) gets disgusted with the whole thing and leaves. It's not a last-man-standing battle for territory. You win by convincing the other party to share or at least accept the validity of your position.

In the marketplace of ideas, someone has to be interested in what you have to offer. You can't bully them into buying it.

Multitasking Collaborators

The time it takes to complete any project must be multiplied by the number of multitasking collaborators assigned to it.

Collabsturbation...

...really can make you go blind.

Too many cooks...

Too many cooks still spoil the broth - even if they call it "collaboration."