Welcome to the
Digital Odyssey
This blog explores the collision of imagination, intelligence, and emerging technology. It’s not about chasing trends or hyping tools—it’s about understanding the real shifts beneath the surface. From AI ethics to workflow reinvention, Digital Odyssey documents the journey of those who are bold enough to question defaults, reimagine systems, and shape the future on their own terms.
Turbulence
You're 30,000 feet in the air, halfway through a transatlantic flight, when the captain's voice crackles over the intercom. "Folks, we're hitting some unexpected turbulence. Please fasten your seatbelts and remain seated."
That sudden jolt, the uncertainty of what's coming next...it's a microcosm of life itself, isn't it? Just like those air pockets in the sky, unexpected changes can hit us out of nowhere, throwing our carefully laid plans into chaos. For me, this hit home HARD over the past 48 hours trying to get home from Lisbon. Delays, missed connections, and eventually, a canceled flight due to extreme weather.
When Change Hits Home: Navigating Chaos in Dysfunctional Organizations (And Lessons from My Own Journey)
Change is hard. But change in a dysfunctional organization? It's like navigating a hurricane while building a sandcastle. 🌪️🏰
In honor of Pride Month, I'm reflecting on my own journey of change and sharing lessons learned from navigating chaos, both personally and professionally. 🏳️🌈
Chestnut Books: Where My Love of Reading (and Writing!) Took Root
Do you remember that feeling as a kid of discovering a book that absolutely captivated you? The kind of book that transported you to another world, made you laugh out loud, or taught you something unexpected? I was lucky enough to have a childhood filled with those moments, thanks in large part to my grandmother and her bookstore, Chestnut Books.
Ctrl+Alt+Oops! When User Experience Meets Sewing Machine Logic
Ever had a tech support call that left you in stitches? In the early days of dial-up internet, I fielded a call from a sweet southern lady whose "foot pedal" had stopped working. Turns out, she was using her computer mouse like a sewing machine pedal! 😂 This hilarious experience taught me some valuable lessons about user experience, the importance of humility in learning, and why we should never assume anything when it comes to technology.
The Unexpected Smile of Technology: AI's Potential to Surprise and Delight
The other night at IHOP, while pancakes steamed on the griddle, I watched my mother-in-law unlock her phone with a broad smile. Chuckling, I asked, "Having fun with FaceID?" Her laughter filled the booth, "I thought I had to smile for it to work!" We both dissolved into giggles, a reminder that technology often surprises us, sometimes in the most delightful ways.
The Infinite Learner's Advantage: Unlearn, Learn, Relearn Your Way to Career Success
Picture this: It's your first day at a new job. You're handed a stack of manuals and told "Here's what you need to know. Learn this, and you're set." A one-and-done learning experience to master your role.
Sound familiar? Probably not, because that's not how careers work anymore.
As Helen Tupper and Sarah Ellis, authors of The Squiggly Career, put it: "Where we once went to work to learn to do a job, learning now is the job." Mind. Blown. 🤯
Winning Friends and Influencing Operations: Dale Carnegie's Timeless Wisdom for Modernizing Digital Operations
In today's rapidly evolving digital landscape, modernizing operations is no longer a luxury, but a necessity. It's about more than just implementing shiny new technology – it's about empowering your people, fostering collaboration, and creating a thriving digital workplace. In this post, we'll delve into the timeless wisdom of Dale Carnegie, exploring how his principles of human connection and influence can be your secret weapon for navigating the complexities of digital transformation. Meet Sarah, an IT consultant who masterfully blends technical expertise with emotional intelligence, showcasing how Carnegie's teachings can revolutionize your approach to modernizing digital operations.
Grove's Timeless Principles Meet the Modern Workplace
The modern workplace is undergoing a seismic shift. We're moving away from the traditional 9-to-5, office-bound model toward a more flexible, human-centric approach. But how can we navigate this changing landscape while ensuring our teams thrive?
The wisdom of legendary Intel CEO Andy Grove, as outlined in his book "High Output Management," and the forward-thinking insights of Atlassian's Dom Price offer a powerful framework for building a sustainable future of work that goes beyond mere productivity.
The Power of People at TEAM 24
The buzz of TEAM 24 wasn't just about new features or AI demos (though those were thrilling!). What truly stood out was the energy of connection – the Atlassian community, partners, and customers coming together in person after so long. It was a powerful reminder that even in a tech-driven world, change is ultimately a human endeavor. The most brilliant tools can't replace the relationships and collaboration that drive true transformation.
TEAM 24 Buzz: Rovo, AI, and the Future of Enterprise Search
Atlassian's TEAM 24 conference was packed with exciting announcements, but one that has the potential to be a game-changer is the unveiling of Rovo. While still in its early stages, Rovo promises a unified search experience across the entire enterprise, powered by cutting-edge AI capabilities. This goes beyond simply finding that elusive document faster. Rovo has the potential to revolutionize how we address one of the biggest challenges of remote work: knowledge accessibility and breaking down information silos that can stall progress and hinder collaboration.
The Water's Path: Persistence, Power, and Change
Nature provides some of the most powerful metaphors for understanding the complexities of change. Much like water, change can be a slow, persistent force, gradually carving its path through the most resistant landscapes. Yet, it also possesses the potential for rapid, transformative power, capable of reshaping its surroundings in unexpected ways.
The Snowflake Effect: Are You the One That Triggers the Avalanche?
Snowflakes fall, a gentle tide,
Transforming landscapes, far and wide.
Change takes time, a silent force,
From tiny acts, it finds its course.
A single flake, a fragile thing,
Yet change arrives on whispered wings.
Your actions count, your efforts soar,
The avalanche begins with one drop more.
Stop Wandering in the Dark: How OKRs Illuminate the Path of Change
Change initiatives often leave teams feeling like they're fumbling through the fog. Lack of transparency about goals, priorities, and progress breeds confusion, resistance, and ultimately slows down the entire process. OKRs (Objectives and Key Results) offer a powerful solution to change management's biggest communication problem. Let's explore how they create a clear, shared understanding of the path forward.
Ditch the Duplicate Gear: Why Execs Need OKRs for Strategic Alignment
Imagine your team heads out on an epic camping trip. You've got the fancy gear, a killer destination, and even a shiny set of OKRs (Objectives and Key Results) to guide you. But here's the problem: Everyone packed in isolation, assuming they knew best what to bring. Now you're overloaded with three camp stoves, no matches, and somehow everyone forgot the bug spray. Welcome to strategic planning at way too many companies, folks!
Stop Sacrificing Empathy for Speed: A Change Management Reality Check
Empathy: It's the golden child of leadership books and change management seminars. Everyone agrees it's crucial for building trust, communication, you name it! But here's the thing... the moment a change initiative gets stressful, empathy gets tossed out the window like yesterday's lunch.
Dale Carnegie: The Secret Ingredient for Change Management Success
Change management experts have their go-to frameworks – Prosci, 5M, and others provide essential blueprints for navigating transformations. But for truly successful change, there's another timeless resource to tap into: the wisdom of Dale Carnegie, author of the classic "How to Win Friends and Influence People".
When "Change Management" Becomes Personal: Lessons from My Transition
My hands shook as I clicked 'send' on the email to Christy Wyatt, my CEO. Subject line: 'Important Conversation Request.' For months, the words 'I'm transgender' had been a silent weight in my chest. Fear gnawed at me: fear of rejection, fear my career would screech to a halt. But that day, the need to be my authentic self outweighed everything else.
The Secret Sauce of Change: 5 Universal Principles You Can't Ignore
Change is messy. Whether it's a major company restructuring or a simple software upgrade, we've all seen change initiatives fizzle out despite good intentions. But here's the thing: while there are a gazillion change management frameworks out there (Prosci, ADKAR, Kotter...the list goes on!), they all boil down to a few core principles. Nail these, and you're well on your way to boosting your change success rate.
My Digital Odyssey: From On-Prem Outlaw to Cloud Champion
Remember those old "Wild West" ads with tumbleweeds blowing by? That was my team at Good Technology a decade ago. We were the internal tools group – a bit stuck in our ways, more focused on maintaining our dusty software setup than embracing anything new. Boom. Enter me, a fresh-faced Scrum Master secretly tasked with shaking things up. Little did I know I was about to embark on an Atlassian adventure that would shape my career.
The AI Revolution? More Like a Quiet Coup
Forget the robots taking over the world. There's a much sneakier revolution happening in business, and it's got everything to do with AI. This isn't the scary AI of the movies; this is the kind making everything smoother, faster, and yeah, even a little more personal.