A good thank you shows appreciation for someone. Store bought thank you cards are one method, but they lack a personal touch. This is why I have now adopted a post-card thank you.
Picture a Thank You Card
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Category Archives: Pracademic-Tool
Winning Decisions – and Time Travel
In my ongoing effort to remember what I have read, some notes on an excellent, although time-warped, book: Winning Decisions: Getting It Right the First Time; J. Edward Russo, Paul J.H. Schoemaker.
Continue readingAn Employer’s Ex-db
Two previous blogs* about the Experience-database (Ex-db) discussed how individuals use this tool to track what they have done to respond to job ads or consulting opportunities. Can the value be increased with the employer being part of the tracking effort? For organizations thinking of implementing a talent management tool, creating an interim one based on this thought-exercise can be a useful proof of concept in understanding what information and processes are useful before buying.
Continue readingI Remember When I …
Discusses utilizing the Experience Database (Ex-db) to record and analyze experiences. It guides users on populating four key tables with their information and introduces job application statuses. Users can generate reports to compare their capabilities with job requirements, enhancing their resume and job application process.
Continue readingEmail Signature – More than Just your Address
Here is a hack to save a few minutes of time during your day, use your signature file (particularly in MS Outlook) as a template for emails. Of course MS Outlook has an email template and it can be the basis for very consistent and very sophisticated content – and that is the problem.
Continue readingMeeting in a Box
Running an effective meeting requires both skills and tools and the latter is the focus of this blog – the ‘Meeting in a Box’.
Interview Questions Database
In my ongoing effort to both remember what the heck I have done and to share good ‘pracademic’ ideas, I present a method to manage interview questions (and answers). It is surprising how many times this business need has come up for hiring staff or contractors. Myself, I have built about 3 variations of the database presented below over the past few decades in variety of tools.
Continue readingA Poor Man’s Data Dictionary
A Data Dictionary assists in planning, controlling, and evaluating the collection, storage, and use of data. An Excel tool can be downloaded and a brief explanation and set of definitions are provided.
Continue readingPRMM – How is That Planning Thing Working Out for You?
This is the second in a series of blogs on a Practical Risk Management Method or PRMM. At the bottom of this blog is a refresher of the other steps. This step’s premise is don’t separate your planning activities from your risk management activities. In other words:
Planning = Risk Management. Planning is ultimately about managing uncertainty which is a fancy name for Risk. At this point you may be saying:
- Of Course: we already do this. Good on you, see you at the next blog!
- Great Idea: this may be incrementally more work during the planning process but ultimately over all less effort for the organization.
- What is This Planning Thing you Speak Of: hmmm, we may have identified your top risk.
I am afraid I can’t help you if you fall into the last category but hopefully these blogs can help you if you with the first two.
Continue readingAudit Question Log
An idea that I have been kicking around for a few years is why organizations don’t maintain a list of audit questions they have been asked in an Auditor Question Log? Such a log contains the questions, responses and the organization’s supporting policies or documentation.
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