State-of-the-Art Teamwork
Is Within Your Grasp!

I work with people in problem-solving organizations who make complex products or sophisticated services that need state-of-the-art teamwork, and with organizations that want to achieve high performance by building stronger relationships among their people.

Dynamic problem-solving organizations face special problems. In producing products and services for their customers, we must make technology work in new ways, before any of our competitors do. A "dynamic problem-solving organization" produces first-of-a-kind commercial products and services based on technical mastery and state-of-the-art teamwork.

This Web site is way more than a hyperlinked brochure. You'll find hundreds of articles here, packed with valuable content. Keep reading below, or take a quick look right now.

I'm Rick Brenner, principal of Chaco Canyon Consulting. I understand what life is like in problem-solving organizations that depend on teamwork for success. I know what it takes to be successful in a fast-paced, high-pressure environment, and still hang on to your humanity, your integrity, and your sense of humor.

Get 12 Years of Point Lookout!

Have you ever found yourself sitting in a meeting, listening for the third time to drivel you just couldn't believe people would actually say out loud, and wondering how much longer this would go on until they finally agreed to what anyone with half a brain knew they'd have to do anyway? And then groaned to yourself when you realized that your next meeting would be more of the same?

Or have you ever had the kind of "forehead-slapping moment" when you suddenly realized why the group didn't go for your last suggestion, and then wondered how you could possibly have been so naïve as to have proposed it in the first place?

The Collected Issues of Point Lookout is filled with the insights you need to make sense of it all. It helps you avoid the traps and pitfalls that await you at work, and it guides you into new choices that can make life at work more enjoyable and rewarding.

The Collected Issues of Point Lookout is filled with the insights you need to make sense of it all. It helps you avoid the traps and pitfalls that await you at work, and it guides you into new choices that can make life at work more enjoyable and rewarding.

It includes all articles from the 2001 through 2012 issues of Point Lookout. It's a massive collection — 1263 pages (338,000 words) in all.

The Collected Issues of Point Lookout makes a wonderful and unique gift for a friend, a colleague, or a spouse who faces any of the ordinary — and many of the not-so-ordinary — challenges of working today. More · How to Order

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If you prefer, you can now use your PayPal account for any purchase here. Since we're a PayPal Verified seller, you can be assured of a secure and professional purchase process.

And even though there's talk of Internet sales taxes someday, there is still No Sales Tax on any purchase you make at my store.

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Sign up for my free newsletter

Point Lookout is a free weekly email newsletter of tips, insights and perspectives that help people in dynamic problem-solving organizations find better ways to work with each other. It gives concrete, nuts-and-bolts methods for dealing with real-life situations. Sign up now or check out some sample issues.

Point Lookout for February 26:Scope Creep, Hot Hands, and the Illusion of Control

Despite our awareness of scope creep's dangerous effects on projects and other efforts, we seem unable to prevent it. Two cognitive biases — the "hot hand fallacy" and "the illusion of control" — might provide explanations.

Where you can catch me

Check out public programs where you can catch me live, or publications where my articles appear. More

Join the Library of Personal Trade Secrets

A growing collection of tips, tricks and techniques members use to deal with the hassles of everyday life at work — to thrive and to succeed. Charter membership is free to anyone who contributes a Personal Trade Secret. View some samples

Get personal coaching from Rick

Get the extra boost you need to address sudden, unexpected challenges or opportunities or problems of long-standing — rapidly and effectively. More

Check out Rick's Resources

Ebooks, tips books, email tips, essays, and other resources for people in problem-solving organizations. All designed for people so busy they don't even have time to read the directions on their prescriptions.

Make your next workshop or seminar a hit!

Check out what people say after they attend Rick's events. Download a program catalog, and check out my resources for meeting planners.

Spreadsheet modeling services

Since we use spreadsheets to manage our projects and our enterprises, we should use them as effectively as we can. Check out Spreadsheet Models for Managers. For more about my spreadsheet consulting and training services, visit SpreadsheetAce.com.

Are you a writer, editor or publisher on deadline?

Are you looking for an article that will get people talking and get compliments flying your way? There are more than 200 articles and essays at this Web site, ranging from in length from 500 to 3000 words. You could have one in your inbox in an hour. More info