Chris Gratigny

When a client initially contacts me for a solution, they are always going to come with a problem. They need a solution to their problem, and they often know exactly what they need.  Clients come "prepared". They found a widget that does exactly what they need, and they are sure that I need to make this widget work for them. Right?

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Growing up back east, we would often drive through the Appalacian Mountains. On these roads, there were long tunnels through the mountains. You'd see the tunnel coming up, and then in most of the tunnels you could see the other end. I always wished we could go faster as soon as I saw the end of the tunnel because I loved the rush of light when you exited the tunnel. It was almost like holding my breath during the tunnel, just waiting to get out.

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Starting May of this year, I'm been phasing out taking my laptop to meetings.  When I am at a meeting with no laptop, I'm able to pay full attention without having any distraction.  Even though I may be able to use the laptop when I'm in a meeting, it will rarely add to the effectiveness of the meeting, and what I take away from the meeting.

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A question I ask myself when I start something is.... can I sustain this?  Starting things is so much easier than finishing them, and at the beginning it's so much work to think critically about what you're doing.  This can apply to all areas of your life, but I'll focus on how this can affect your work.

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When working with other people to accomplish something, it's important to have one person who is the leader.  Without having that one person who is ultimately responsible for overseeing the work, it may not be accomplished.

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