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I don't do this very often but I have to showcase one man's work and his calling: Better Workplace Now™. Tom Terez has set out to create better workplaces. This doesn't appear to be altruistic. Tom's writing indicates a pragmatism rather than idealism. Tom is a story-teller. He's well-equipped with an MBA and a degree in journalism. But he's not just a story-teller. I get the impression he lives the lessons of his stories.

I came to find Tom by way of Alan Mossman, a friend and colleague from the UK who is working with Greg Howell this week delivering a workshop in Atlanta on implementing a lean approach on your projects. Alan picked up the story from one of his friends, Geof Cox who reprinted the article in New Directions, also in the UK. (I love how small a world it is!) Alan is a regular reader and frequent commentor of this weblog.

What got both of our attention is the story of an elementary school principal in Ohio. I'll let you read the story. It's well-worth your time. Go to Lessons from a Principled Leader. In a sidebar, Tom describes 7 action steps for being present to your situation. I've excerpted them here.

1. Reserve some quiet time for yourself each day. Listen to the inner dialogue.
2. Walk around, observe, ask questions. Be among the people who do the work.
3. Expect to see fascinating things. Then tell stories about what you've seen.
4. Don't dismiss the "small" stuff. What you think isn't important may be very important to someone else.
5. Remember that all organizations, no matter how bad they appear in the moment, have things that are working. A well-framed question or prompt can lead people to acknowledge and honor what currently works.
6. Recognize that even negative people are trying to say something positive. If someone complains about dull meetings, what they're saying is that they want better meetings where they can communicate and engage with colleagues.
7. Strive to live by the 95% Rule: Spend 95% of your time trying to understand and just 5% of your time making judgments.

Tom could have told a story about project managers and used the same 7 action steps. Try them on for a week or two. I bet it makes a big difference in your effectiveness and enjoyment.

There's plenty more at Better Workplace Now™. Have a look and get a bronze key while you are there.