posts

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Every time someone asks me about my desk, I find myself updating this article. Having worked remotely for many years, I’ve built up a library of best practices and tools that work for me. I share these insights in the hope that others can learn from my experiences, improve their workflow, and look and sound better on camera!

Transitioning to remote work wasn’t just about shifting locations; it was about reimagining how I approach my daily tasks. Over the years, I’ve realized that a well thought out workspace isn’t a luxury, it’s a necessity. My desk has become more than just a place to set my laptop; it’s become a productivity hub tailored to my needs.

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Communication stands as one of the most powerful tools at our disposal. Whether you’re navigating complex technical challenges, trying to gain consensus, selling someone on your idea, or leading a diverse team, your ability to communicate effectively can make all the difference.

_{Image by Me}

One quirk that consistently bothers me with mDNS on Mac is how it handles hostnames. If the Mac system thinks another device is already using its designated name, it automatically attaches a numerical suffix to the hostname.

_{Image from Star Trek Guide}

Admittedly, I am a nerd. If you have not been watching Star Trek Strange New Worlds, I’d advise you drop everything and binge it right now. In my opinion, it’s some of the best Star Trek ever.

One of the standout characters is Captain Pike. Watching him evolve as a leader over Star Trek Discovery season 2, and the two seasons of Strange New Worlds has been fascinating to me. In my mind, he embodies the leadership principles that I value, and that I’ve talked about in this blog over the last few months. Go watch it!

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As I mentioned, I’ve been spending some time thinking recently about the concept of empathetic joy. Now, this may sound a bit abstract, but bear with me. Picture it as a secret superpower - this amazing ability we can have to tap into an inner source of joy. And what’s the catalyst for this joy? Quite simply, seeing others happy. Experiencing their happiness with them, as if it were our own.

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One of the fascinating things about leadership is how it constantly evolves, and how practicing it forces us to evolve as well. If you’ve been following along with my journey in exploring the intersection of leadership and Buddhist principles, you might remember my earlier discussions on Bringing Buddha into Leadership, The Power of Empathy, and Mindful Communication. Today, I’d like to dive into another topic that’s been on my mind a lot lately - the concept of equanimity.

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Building on the themes of mindful leadership and the power of empathy, we now turn to another essential aspect of conscious leadership: Mindful Communication. As a natural extension of empathetic leadership, mindful communication plays a crucial role in fostering mutual understanding, collaboration, and trust within our teams.

In its simplest form, mindful communication is simply being fully present and aware during our interactions. It is about being conscious of not just what’s being said, but also how it’s being said, and how it might be received. It includes compassionate speaking and active listening. It’s the art of engaging in conversations with intention, respect, and an open mind.

Let’s dive into how we can incorporate mindful communication into our leadership style and why it’s so important.

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As leaders, we often can feel like we are barely treading water. We are focused on the complexities of managing teams, driving performance, and achieving goals. While these aspects are crucial, it’s also important to recognize the profound impact of empathy in our leadership approach. Empathy is the ability to understand and share the feelings of others. It can be a powerful tool that transforms the way we lead, communicate, and build relationships.

Empathy stands out as a powerful force that can revolutionize the way we lead and interact with others. It transcends mere sympathy and allows us to truly understand and relate to the experiences and emotions of those around us. We will embark on a journey to explore the profound impact of empathy in leadership and how it can create a ripple effect of positive change.

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In the fast-paced world of leadership results and bottom lines often take center stage. However, it is important to take the time to pause and reflect. I often use this time to think about how we can take the concepts of Buddhism and apply them to leadership in the modern world. By weaving these principles into our daily lives, we can work towards fostering a more harmonious and inclusive work environment while still driving meaningful results.

Let’s look at 5 concepts from Buddhism and see how they apply to leadership today.

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I have been around online communities far longer then I’d like to admit. And I have lived through many waves of community building, discovery and colonization. One of the problems that I have seen happen over and over is a form of gentrification of online communities.

I do not feel that an online community being gentrified is the same as a physical community suffering this fate. I do feel that there are lessons and observations that we can take from both sides of the experience. I also feel that we are seeing this same thing happening again in the Fediverse.

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I am sure that you have heard the news about twitter.

I had spent a lot of time building a heavily curated experience on twitter. Over the years, I have carefully selected follows to build a news stream that appeared to reflect reality.

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I feel like I need to update this about every year, as I tend to evolve my set up. You can see last years post here as well as my thoughts about working remote.

After 6 or 7 years with a standing desk that could not move up or down, I decided to get a sit/stand desk. I did a ton of research (ie, asked a few friends) and landed on the Vari desk.

_{Image by tsykoduk}

As we make things more complex, do we make things better? Are we lowering the bar to entry or raising it?

When I was a kid, the BBS scene was the way that most of us got into computers. That required a lot. I was very privileged to have a C64 hooked up to a 300 baud modem when I was a pre-teen.

How do folks break into the market today? How do they pick up the skills that they need? How can we ensure that everyone has a chance to explore?

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Well, if you have not seen it yet, Heroku is removing its free tier on November 28nd, 2022.

If you use the free tier, you need to decide if you want to upgrade or move. And don’t forget to grab SQL dumps of your hobby Postgres!

I thought that I would take a moment to reflect on the journey of Free at Heroku, and exercise some other hosting platforms.

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At about 7:45am March 26th 2011, I walked up to the doors at Heroku for the first time. I was early because that’s what you did where I came from.

The doors were locked. No one responded to the buzzer.

So I went and got some really bad coffee at the DNA Lounge next door, and waited. As I recall, I saw someone walk in at about 9, and followed them in. That’s how the next chapter in my life started.