Tuesday, March 04, 2008

In like a lion . . .

The old saying that the month of March "comes in like a lion, and out like a lamb" is half true, so far. Another storm front looms. Not as bad as the first ice storm in February, but freezing rain is in the picture, and more snow on Friday. The weather has not disrupted Greyhound bus service, nor has it set back plans to move the agency office in May.

Yesterday, I met the gentleman who runs the BP station on East Main St., and we all but sealed the deal. Someone from the DE contacted me, too, but -- until the contract is signed -- the announcement is not official. You'll be the first to know, Bloggee. The tentative opening day is May 1. Maybe we can have a ribbon cutting, you know, something different, like instead of ribbon, cut a length of tire inner tube.

The Lion-Lamb saying about March is offered as an example of Axiomatic Project Managing by consultant Carl Pritchard, as a way to build professionalism. Carl says we choose maxims which resonate with us and apply them in our daily lives. Safety first is one example. Some might call it a mantra, the thing(s) we tell ourselves repeatedly.
"If you find a few that resonate with you, they can become your signature. They can become a small component of what you represent. . .
My mantras are lyrics of Todd Rundgren songs. I think it's good to keep your mantra(s) secret. On the other hand, Pritchard is talking about maxims and wise sayings that have stood the test of time, like Benjamin Franklin's classic Lack of care does more harm than lack of knowledge. About the March saying, Pritchard speculates
In like a lion... So many projects start that way. Blustery. Confused. Cold. Relationships uncertain. The future looking downright Arctic. And yet, is it not those projects that (because of the investments we make in making them right) that go out like lambs? And conversely, those that we ignore or consider "easy pickings" from the beginning turn into the "lions" at the end?"
True enough. But with news alerts from Google, unruly blogs can be tamed, easy as shepherd's pie.

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