A Wintry Summer's Day

London, 6 April 2008, 13.20. Everything is covered in snow. On my way home last night, I ask the taxi driver, 'Do you believe it's going to snow tomorrow?'

'I wouldn't be surprised if it did. It's happened once before, so it can certainly happen again,' he replies.

I can tell Richard is a no-nonsense kind of guy. He didn't seem the least bit worried about the uncertainty of the weather. He goes on to tell me he's already evaluated all his options come rain, snow or shine. He's a man unfazed by uncertainty.

And so I find myself faced with more questions than when I first started my journey home:

1. Dealing with uncertainty is something we Brits excel at. If we're used to the unpredictability of the British weather and have learned to cope with it, why can't we do the same with the uncertainty of projects instead of pretending that plans can be done upfront or that things shouldn't change? That way, we'll be leveraging all the knowledge, experience and wisdom we have when it comes to coping with changeable weather. It's what we Brits have had to live with all our lives. We're lucky that we get so much practice.
   
2. It's happened once before, so it can certainly happen again. It only takes something to happen once for things to change forever. It makes the impossible suddenly possible and, more importantly, acceptable. What's the one thing you can try doing this week to change the way you work for the better?