One of my favorite frameworks for looking at how one is doing in life is through Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs. I'm not certain if it is the oversimplification of how we approach life, or the fact that I can broadly apply it to many of life's circumstances, but I do think that is the most succinct framework out there. Thinking about the top of the triangle, I often ponder what true self actualization would feel like. I think that being truly self actualized is the meaning of life. I know many of my friends and colleagues have found their niche (pronounced "knee-sh", not "nit-ch") and say that they are self-actualizing in their career. Personally, I think that most people stumble at the Self Actualization level due to the need to be displaying and constantly seeking their full potential. So, that being said, I would offer this advice for those Project Managers who desire mastery of their art. “Culture eats strategy for breakfast.” - Peter Drucker
This quote from Mr. Drucker is so often forgotten when plowing forward with a project. One can be technically brilliant, but may fail to recognize the political currents of an organization. The use of Change Managers can sometimes help with this, but "managing change" usually requires a good deal of effort. Unless the project is one of slash and burn, a Project Manager should never forget to solicit requirements and work with the sponsor to communicate the benefits of the project before the project even starts. It is so much easier to modify the scope and approach before moving from the Planning to Execution phase - which is what makes this so important. Have you talked to your stakeholders today?
“Complacency will be the architecture of your downfall.” - Jeremy Gutsche
When Mr. Gutsche flashed this quote on screen during his Unlocking Cool presentation to my class during my undergrad degree, I had my eureka moment. However, instead of being in a bath tub, I was in a cramped classroom. This notion is not a new one, but it sure is more catchy than "continuous improvement". From the largest software implementation project, to the smallest birthday party planning project, if you, Mr. or Ms. Project Manager, do not take an active interest in everything that is happening on your project, or you do not consider externalities on your project, you will meet your downfall. There is only so long that that horseshoe that is firmly wedged between your shoulder blades will last (i.e. luck will only take you so far). Be a little concerned, be a little neurotic, and make sure that your team knows why. “Be eager to please and willing to learn, just know whom you want to please and what you want to learn.” - Jason Zalmanowitz Is it kind of weird to quote oneself? I'm not 100% certain, so I'm going to do it anyways. This was the opening line of my final co-op term report during my undergrad, and it has stuck with me since. I have since used terms like "sweat/equity" or "I just don't think that we're right for each other", but it ultimately boils down to the same thought - your time and energy is limited; be smart on what and whom you allocate it to. Just like my career preferences are to stay out of the Gambling and Online Money Transfer Industries, and I have no desire to work with That Guy, you will need to identify why you want to be and why. If you can clearly articulate your personal goals, and how the project you are working on will help you achieve them, then you are well ahead of the curve. Those are my thoughts on how to move from Esteem to Self Actualization. What are yours?
One of the Project Management RSS feeds which I read had an interesting article in it today (it looks like a recycled link, but was new to me). The article stated that in order to continue growing in your project management career, you should start keeping a binder of your best practices. Given that I'm not particularly into dead tree and lugging a binder about, I fired up Google Docs and started a new file. I spent 30 minutes hammering out everything I could think of as a best practice. My first line item, which came from a fortune cookie that I have taped to a photo frame, was Promise Only What You Can Deliver. I always find it interesting that that quote bubbles to the top of my mind when I think of effective Project Management. There have been so many instances in my consulting career that I have seen individuals say "yeah, I've got this" only to be followed by "I don't got this." My second line item, which I have seem to have borrowed from the same site, is to ask people "how do they got that?" (Or, more formally, ask your team members to explain what their plan of action is for a deliverable). It is impossible to over communicate with your project team, so the notion that you need to confirm how people plan to action a task should seem like a fairly simple idea. And while it may seem like a motherhood statement, it is so important that your team communicates with you as much as you communicate with your team. And this leads to my third line item (don't worry, I'm not going to go through all three pages) - involve your team to manage the project like you would stack an executive team. Make sure that everyone is involved as the CEO, COO, CFO, and CIO. Start with the CEO - Communicate Expectations Often; move to the COO - Communicate Outcomes Often; then to the CFO - Communicate Facts Only; and finally the CIO - Communicate Information Often. Applying this technique may seem weird and cutesy, but it can help bring some transparency to the way that you manage your projects with your team. That's the start of my Project Management knowledge book. What are some of your Project Management best practices? Are there any worst practices that you would prefer to eliminate before going down the path of best practices?
Great article posted today on how CIOs can earn their place as a trusted advisor to the CEO. I thoroughly enjoy when CIO.com preaches realities of ineffective IT departments. " 5. Technology is a barrier to your strategy. Unfortunately, technology and its application can create barriers that stop a company from reaching its goals. Things as simple as outdated e-mail and social media policies can hamper the way the company communicates with its customers and employees. Too much process, inflexible governance, rogue IT initiatives, maintenance of out-of-date applications and the like can take IT resources off-course. Don't wait for the CEO to tell you how IT is hampering your company's performance. Listen carefully to other business leaders. Get out in the market and see for yourself. Dig into the analytics about IT performance. Then, armed with the facts, initiate the conversation with the CEO about your ideas for removing the barriers." However, the major hurdle is allocating enough time to listening, observing, and analyzing. Most CIOs that I know are so hampered by operational issues and their Directors that are focused on technology. link: http://www.cio.com/article/print/674715
Technically, I don't present until Wednesday, March 9th, but I thought I'd upload to Slideshare to test it out. I like it!
While browsing The Simple Dollar today, the following quote struck me as the career crisis of Gen Y (aka why most of my type A friends are hopping companies): "I did not feel as though my previous job was actually helping anyone improve their life. I spent most of my time exploring abstract problems and answering abstract questions. While it was intellectually stimulating, it was quite often spiritually depressing." Thus Spoke Zarathustra (or Trent from the Simple Dollar... Same diff)
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