Aimee E. Cowher

I’m going to take a slight personal detour before writing more technical guidance of tools.  However, it isn’t completely unrelated to the overall theme of Seek the Art of the Possible or the topics about which I commonly write.  It is important to set goals - personal, professional or even project goals.  Goals give us something to work toward, a means to keep us focused (difficult for those of us with a Low C Predictive Index profile) and a measure to judge success.  Of course, we don’t always achieve our goals, which doesn’t necessarily mean we have failed if we view it as an opportunity to learn, improve and maybe even try again.  So, I am sharing these tangential thoughts because I have just received my certificate for completing the Detroit Free Press Flagstar Marathon.  It is still somewhat surreal to me that I actually ran 26.2 miles, until, of course, the residual pain in my knees and toes without toenails remind me that it, in fact, is a reality.  It isa goal I set on my 30th birthday to run a marathon before turning 40.  That goal I beat by a little over a year.  Once I started training, I set another goal to run it in 4 Hours, 30 mInutes.  Well, that one I didn’t accomplish.  I hung with the 4:30 group thru 18 miles then fell behind.  Considering the challenges I faced in the weeks leading up to the race (pulled calf muscle, bronchitis, sick kids, etc.) I’m satisfied with my performance.  Further, the reaction of my almost-5-year-old daughter when I returned home from the race and she saw the medal around my neck is even more gratifying than finishing - “Mommy, you WON!” and that’s exactly how I feel!  Set goals, stay focused, measure success and learn from failing.  If we can do that personally, professionally, in Six Sigma projects, in the turn-around efforts in businesses and communities, WOW!  Think of the possibilities!

Saludos,

Aimée

The Celebration began in summer 2003 to celebrate the graduation of Aimée’s sister, Shannon, from Oakland University. Discussing various options for the party, Gary and Aimée decided to open up their recently acquired property to family, friends, and neighbors. Aimée  (as usual) did all the heavy lifting   and Gary insisted on live Rock ‘n’ Roll with a touch of blues. The party was a success with about 80 people in attendance. A good time was had by all. Copperhead played until well after midnight and Cal’s (the bass player) ability to play blues is an unexpected treat. Aimée  was pregnant with Abi who was born in November that year, 3 minutes before Aimée ’s birthday.

While enjoying a glass a wine with a colleague a few weeks ago, we were debating the issue “to blog or not to blog.”  Being the newly appointed CEO of her company, she admitted that the sales and marketing group were encouraging her to put up a blog on their website.  She relented that she’d have posted anything worth saying within 6 months and wondered who would read it anyway?  Having been working on the design and intent of this blog for some months, I admit at first it took the wind out of my sail.  Then, I adjusted the rudder (mindset) and decided to regain momentum.

I am so fortunate to have the experience of the last 18 years in industry.  It would be impossible for me to share the collective knowledge of all the brilliant people with whom I have worked in a single lifetime, much less in 6 months.  Besides that, every new experience brings new knowledge and more to share, which is the best part of my work!    As for who will read it, who cares?  I just want to write about it and I hope someone out there finds it useful.  Of course, the knowledge-sharing will be enhanced by those who choose to contribute content.

The intent of this blog is simply to share knowledge as it relates to effecting change, or as a wise executive recently labeled it - seeking the art of the possible.  I look forward to sharing my thoughts on books I have read and hope that others will comment and critique in the Book Babble category.  I will also present insights gained through recent experiences in the area of leadership and strategy (Leadership Lingo and Strategy Speak categories.)  And the engineer in me can’t help but offer technical guidance, starting with the basic tools taught as part of a Six Sigma curriculum that are too often misunderstood, abused, or omitted (Techie Talk.)  Of course, I might offer completely irrelevant but hopefully interesting tidbits in the Miscellaneous Musings.  

By the way, if you’re reading, I do care and welcome your feedback.

Saludos,