Monthly Archives: July 2013

#203 The Twilight Zone

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Every project has a twilight zone. This word describes a fact in nature and also has a more sinister meaning. For me, this is that period of the project when all hell breaks loose. It can happen at any time in the project, but it will happen without fail when the launch date nears.

Rookies will complain about or fear the twilight zone. Experienced professionals will prepare for it. The zen masters will embrace it. This progression will happen only when you enter into and emerge from multiple twilight zones.

The only thing to remember when entering the zone is to not panic. Do the best you can. Be compassionate with yourself and your co-workers. When you emerge, get some rest, then prepare for the next twilight zone.

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#202 Cadence and rhythm

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We all come to work looking for happiness. I have not met anyone who comes to work looking for misery. When we attain the state of happiness, life seems wonderful. Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi’s national bestseller “Flow” documents research on this subject.


One way to attain “flow” is to develop cadence and rhythm in your work. Stops and starts, and spikes in workload do not lead to cadence and rhythm. Indecision will not. Neither will procrastination. Once you get past the are startup costs, such as forming and storming of teams, and early defects and rejects in work output due to inexperience, cadence and rhythm is created. If you can maintain the momentum, “flow” will persist for a longer duration.

Too much “flow” can lead to complacency, a dulling of the senses, and a sense of entitlement. Finding the balance is key. (Re) Introduce disruption in a controlled manner to keep your mind and body sharp.

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