Can't Read the Label From Inside the Jar

By definition it is impossible for any of us to know what we don’t know.

D. Brown Management

July 2, 2018 2 minute read

Quote: You can't read the label from inside the jar.

We could be in the top 5% inside our domain and better off spending time scaling the machine rather than perfecting it.
We could be missing something major and not be able to see it.
We could be in a very high-leverage position where even a small improvement could have a huge impact.
We could be missing so much context for the model that we have difficulty seeing how new information fits in thereby limiting our Situational Awareness.

Who are the top 5 people inside your organization that help each other refine your models of projects, your company and the industry?

Who are the top 5 people you are mentoring and coaching to help them refine their models?

Who do you turn to on the outside of your organization that is experienced and unbiased to help give you perspective?

Locus of Control - A Critical Dimension of Talent

Locus of Control is a critical dimension of talent that will materially improve every aspect of someone's life and job performance. It can be screened for in interviews and can be intentionally developed. It is the multiplier for many other skills.

Organizational Development

Four Critical Elements of an Effective Task

Maximizing labor productivity starts with defining exactly what needs to be delivered and then breaking it down into tasks that can be effectively managed.

change management foreman training labor productivity project management project planning schedule management

Work Conversion Cycle and Backlog Run-Off

PARADOX: A contractor can’t focus on the bigger strategic issues until they have a predictable backlog of work. If a contractor doesn’t have a solid market strategy and organizational structure in place it’s very difficult to build a consistent backlog.