Running With Scissors: Leading Edge Without the Bleeding

Mark Mullaly is president of Interthink Consulting Incorporated, an organizational development and change firm specializing in the creation of effective organizational project management solutions. Since 1990, it has worked with companies throughout North America to develop, enhance and implement effective project management tools, processes, structures and capabilities. Mark was most recently co-lead investigator of the Value of Project Management research project sponsored by PMI. You can read more of his writing at markmullaly.com.

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Topics: Communications Management, Knowledge Management, Lessons Learned

I may not, in point of fact, be the best qualified person to be writing this article. I have an obsession with technology, and the pursuit of new and better technology. In particular, new and better technology that solves problems. Problems that I may not have been aware that I had until such time as I became aware that the new technology existed. Once aware, however, there is only one possible conclusion: I simply must have it.

The result of this state of affairs is that I currently have, at my disposal and dedicated to my use: one desktop computer, two laptops, one iPad, three cellular phones (two smart and one dumb), an iPod and a Nook. I also share technology, but that would be a much longer list (for I am nothing if not generous). The aforementioned computers are also loaded with what some might consider to be an astonishing amount of software. When it comes time to reinstall my Windows computers (about every 12-18 months), the process takes about two full days. Calendar ones.

So how does one get to leading edge without falling over the abyss into bleeding edge? These are lessons that I am only coming to terms with much later in life than many in my life (and particularly my wife) would have liked. At one point, for example, I could be predictably counted upon to upgrade my cell phone every three months or so. I may in one instance have done so even faster than …

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