Can you imagine if the universe of what we know (or, said another way, what we know about the universe) were restricted to what we can see with our naked eyes? The classic Powers of Ten short film, created in 1977, does a marvelous job conveying the relative size of things. Beginning with a view … Continue reading Making the Invisible Visible
2022 didn’t start out exactly as I’d planned. At the end of December, I relished re-connecting with family that I hadn’t seen in two years, immersing in holiday celebrations, family meals, movies, hikes, and board games. I also took some time to reflect on the whirlwind that was 2021 and planned for 2022, considering how … Continue reading The Best Laid Plans of Managers and Moms
A thirsty crow found a pitcher with some water in it, but so little was there that, try as she might, she could not reach it with her beak, and it seemed as though she would die of thirst within sight of the remedy. At last, she hit upon a clever plan. She began dropping … Continue reading Mother of Invention
Right now, I feel profound gratitude for vaccines and the scientists who created them, for a fulfilling career that allows me to learn and contribute in meaningful ways, and for the health and happiness of my husband and children. Each and every day, I’m thankful for colleagues who I consider friends and for friends who … Continue reading Expressions of Gratitude
Do you use Waze for navigation? Customer support chatbots? Apple voice memos? Facebook photo auto-tagging? Electronic check deposits? Amazon purchase recommendations? Grammarly writing tips? LinkedIn language translation? Google search? If so, then you already use artificial intelligence (AI) nearly every day. AI systems have the capacity to reason and learn — attributes typically associated with … Continue reading AI is Already Everywhere (But Not in the Way That You Fear)
Let’s stay laser-focused on the desired outcome: To identify paradigm shifts that could disrupt the market, unleash differentiated opportunities, and enable best-of-breed offerings. Start by prioritizing the low-hanging fruit; don’t try to boil the ocean. It’s essential that we leverage subject matter expertise and exploit our competitive advantage. At the next checkpoint standup, we’ll review … Continue reading Corporate Jargon, the Harvard Comma, and Authentic Communication
“No one knew what to do with women like her,” recalled my father. My mother was smart, well educated, and conscientious, but because she didn’t type, she struggled to land a corporate job in the 1960s. So she went back to school for a professional degree, one of only 11 women in her year at … Continue reading Inspiring Women Leaders
On sunny days, the solar panels on our roof return more power to the grid than we consume. My daughter and I shifted to a more sustainable vegetarian diet. I use reusable bags at the supermarket. I try to do my part. But I recognize that there is so much more we all must do … Continue reading The Hottest Topic of Our Time
“I’d like you to be a part of a new initiative we’re kicking off,” I said into the phone. “We’re forming a tiger team.” “Uh…a what?” he asked after a brief pause. It was the very same response that I had given when asked to lead a red team some years earlier. There are a … Continue reading Tiger Teams, Task Forces, and Councils, Oh My!
“It’s a trashy job, but somebody’s got to do it!” That was the slogan for our fledgling Rubbish Runners business, my first foray into entrepreneurship. When I was very young, our town had little motorized vehicles that zipped up to the top of people’s driveways to pick up trash. But cost-cutting measures eliminated the service, … Continue reading Rubbish Runners and Other Odd Jobs That Build Character
Mother of Invention 