PlaysWithTrucks

Category: SignPosts

  • Words to Live By

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    by

    Scott Duvall
    in ,

    When we get busy with work, are we busy because we’re doing the things we’re responsible for? Or are we doing tasks that aren’t our responsibility? Just because something needs to be done, doesn’t mean that you are responsible for doing it.

  • Guilty.

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    by

    Scott Duvall
    in ,

    I like to think I’m really good at doing multiple things at once. I’m not. It turns out I’m just really good at rapidly switching between the things that need my focus.

  • Explanations and Excuses

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    by

    Scott Duvall
    in ,

    Learning the difference between Explanations and Excuses is key to being an effective coach. Explanations are necessary after coachable moments. It empowers the voice of the individual you’re working with, and gives a chance to identify what went right, and what went wrong. When expectations are set properly and someone does not meet those expectations,…

  • Hard Lessons

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    by

    Scott Duvall
    in ,

    This was the hardest lesson I had to learn as a manager and leader. I’m naturally a coach. I want people to do better, I want them to understand the why of a process. I love cheerleading, and building people up, and giving them opportunities to grow. Mistakes happen. Good coaching prevents mistakes. But there’s…

  • The next Live, Laugh, Love

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    by

    Scott Duvall
    in

    Not every SignPost is serious. Make sure your day is causing 50% smiles, and 50% drinking.

  • Knowing where to make the mark

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    by

    Scott Duvall
    in ,

    When something isn’t working right, you can spend a lot of time changing out parts of a process. You can continually run around, adjusting standards and methods, and hope for improved results. Or, you can study the system. Learn how the parts go together, what inputs drive the outputs, and identify why they don’t. Once…

  • Yeah, this one’s stolen.

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    by

    Scott Duvall
    in ,

    This quote has been plastered all over self-help books, TED talks, inspirational posters, and probably every Leadership blog published since 1997. It’s still a good one. You can interpret this one a lot of ways. To me, it’s a not-so-gentle reminder that sometimes I’m too smart for my own good. I can use my superpowers…

  • Leaving an Impact

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    by

    Scott Duvall
    in ,

    The quote above comes from an African proverb, attributed to the Shona tribe of Zimbabwe. It’s a powerful message; beautifully and simply stated. As leaders, we make lots of decisions. We interact with lots of people within our organizations. Our fingerprints touch onto so many things, it is easy to forget every single interaction. Yet…

  • Listening to Understand

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    by

    Scott Duvall
    in ,

    A reaction is a response, sometimes automatic. It’s an action or a thought programmed into our brains and triggered by a stimulus. When we’re faced with a situation, reactions happen. It’s important to understand they’re automatic, they’re not conscious efforts. And we shouldn’t base our actions on them. There are situations that require a swift…

  • The Original Non Sequitur

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    by

    Scott Duvall
    in ,

    Monty Python’s Flying Circus was a legendary British sketch show, running from 1969 to 1974. It launched the careers of the original Pythons through its absurdist and boundary-pushing comedy. Originally made for the BBC and broadcast in England, the show was picked up by PBS affiliates in the 70’s. For huge chunks of America it…