People with diverse professional experiences and background have totally unique perspective on any issue. When a new team is assembled for any project, its vital for the success of that project that all team member are aware of the ground-rules for the project; similar to any sport. You may have to read it to team and give aContinue reading “15 Ground Rules for Project Team Management”
Category Archives: Workplace
Power of Social Media and Customer Service
You might have heard that someone got very bad customer service one day and no one would resolve the complaint at this company. This person gets upset by the treatment received and decides to write a complaint letter to the president of the company. In few weeks he receives a note and the issue is resolved by president’s interference. Continue reading “Power of Social Media and Customer Service”
11 Principles of Leadership
I came across 11 leadership principles of Marine Corps in Guide Book for Marines on the Internet and here is my interpretation of 11 principles. I am interested in hearing from Marines about their leadership experience. Take responsibility – we need to seek and take responsibilities if we need to grow; never shy away, whatever seems challenging willContinue reading “11 Principles of Leadership”
Quotes for Managers
Here are 6 quotes for I.T. managers from Norman R. Augustine Hardware works best when it matters the least. A revised schedule is to business what a new season is to an athlete or a new canvas to an artist. One of the most feared expressions in modern times is ”The computer is down”.Continue reading “Quotes for Managers”
Leadership Sans Ego & Insecurity
Everywhere we turn our focus to, we hear something negative and how leadership should come forward. Leadership at every level is already faced with some difficult choices. It is of paramount importance that when leaders make decisions to change the course, decisions should not have been plagued by personal ego and due to insecurity. AsContinue reading “Leadership Sans Ego & Insecurity”
Capture Planning Assumptions
Your boss approaches you and tells that workplan is very good but customer wants to know how can we deliver the project sooner than promised? Now you have to come up with a new workplan or make some adjustments based on new findings. You put your thoughts together and go on to make changes/update and deliver the finalContinue reading “Capture Planning Assumptions”
Choosing Team Lead
“People acting together as a group can accomplish things that no individual acting alone could ever hope to bring about.” – FD Roosevelt Each team members has unique work style, personal goals, skills, background and experience. Each team member’s unique qualities and different attributes make a team complex unit where conflict, confusion, criticism will grow and finally bringContinue reading “Choosing Team Lead”
Life is bigger than that!
2008 is nearing the completion of business work days and it was one of the eventful year. We have seen all from US election to Canadian elections, Wall-street meltdown to Automotive bailout, Saturday Night Live comedy to economic worries. All the stuff, never thought of. But when it comes to our professional life, one needs toContinue reading “Life is bigger than that!”
Communication Skills for Managers – Learning From Barak Obama
I was looking into posts on Mr. Barak Obama’s communication style and how it contributed towards Obama’s victory. Did Obama address people in all 4 categories of DiSC Model? These categories are Dominance, Influence, Steadiness, and Conscientiousness. Each person in his/her category wants to hear in a specific manner. Some people need direct answer while others need some encouragement and hopeContinue reading “Communication Skills for Managers – Learning From Barak Obama”
The Laws of ….
I got this humorous email today from one of my friend with subject “Newton’s Unpublished Laws” and found it quite funny, I thought of sharing with you all to kick-off the weekend on a lighter note. I have ready many laws (including Murphy’s law) but these are quite unique someone came up with. And credit goes to whoeverContinue reading “The Laws of ….”
Fast, Cheap AND Good
Can’t pick any two? You also need all three – fast, cheap and good? It has been very commonly used set of options in I.T. when offering an alternative or usually when dealing with issues from outsourced service. Someone will come and say – “Pick any two!” Sometime ago I was involved in a projectContinue reading “Fast, Cheap AND Good”
The 7 Habits For Managers
Stephen R Covey’s book The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People is classic and most of us have read and learned from it. This week, I listened to his another audio book The 7 Habits for Managers: Managing Yourself, Leading Others, Unleashing Potential. Its based on ‘classic 7 habits’ and with focus on management. I would recommend toContinue reading “The 7 Habits For Managers”
DiSC model – Management Styles
I completed DiSC (stands for Dominance, influence, Steadiness, and Conscientiousness) training last week and fount it interesting. DiSC confirms one thing, different strokes for different folks. DiSC is a system to help you find out similar and unique characteristics among people. It also shows person’s behavioural preferences and helps to identify different management styles that can leadContinue reading “DiSC model – Management Styles”
Trust is very important for teamwork
When a team outgrows individual performance and learns team confidence, excellence becomes a reality. – Joe Paterno. Who else can say better than JoePa? He is absolutely correct, but key thing is outgrowing individualism. When a team is motivated to work together, everything seems possible and there is quite a different feeling. I have beenContinue reading “Trust is very important for teamwork”
Know what to emphasize
PM Tips – 1 What points we emphasize make a big difference in our communications. How do we do that? We got to know the expectation of the audience and what we want to convey. Over emphasizing something or emphasizing meager issues may dilute the effect of conversation. We develop this skill with experience, paying attention to theContinue reading “Know what to emphasize”
PMI Membership Benefits
I volunteer at my PMI (Project Management Institute) local chapter called Great Lakes Chapter (www.pmiglc.org). I enjoy the benefits of PMI membership in form of monthly magazine called PM Network and accompanied paper called PMI Today. Both are informative and I have gained a lot by reading both publications. Many people join organizations enthusiastically and then with veryContinue reading “PMI Membership Benefits”
Cheese Moved? Doesn’t Matter.
We, as a professional, are hired by organizations to deliver results and perform. As time passes, our daily job becomes our universe. We spend our energies resolving problems, improving processes, saving money and many other good things. Sometimes we are ignorant and sometimes we are so busy handling all the situations at the job, we do not realize that wholeContinue reading “Cheese Moved? Doesn’t Matter.”
How to Have Project Kick-off Meeting
Kick-off meeting is the first meeting of the project where you give all the team members good news that project is ‘go ahead’ from the sponsors and also set the tone of your project – is it going to be a success or a failure. Many hours and days have gone into preparation before youContinue reading “How to Have Project Kick-off Meeting”
Keeping in touch with direct reports?
Workplaces have transformed a lot in last few years from people working in same office building to team members scattered over different continents. This poses some benefits and challenges. As we all know that we are all connected via communication and our communication skills and capabilities play a major role in our success. Keeping theContinue reading “Keeping in touch with direct reports?”
Conflict Matters!
Managers face many situations where he has to sort out two opposing actions or ideas. Situation may be very tense as people with conflicting ideas become very much involved and passionate about their stand. As a manager, a positive and constructive conflict between team members may be a good thing (such as some team members in favor ofContinue reading “Conflict Matters!”
5 points to ponder…
Judge your success by the degree that you’re enjoying peace, health, and love. Understand that happiness is not based on possessions, power, or prestige, but on relationships with people you love and respect. Live a good, honorable life. Then when you get older and think back, you’ll get to enjoy it a second time. BeContinue reading “5 points to ponder…”
The Toyota Way – 14 Management Principles
I completed listening ‘The Toyota Way’ audio-book by Jeffrey Liker. The book talks about 14 priciples of Toyota Production Systems (TPS). There are many gems that I think could be of use in Information Technology Project Managment. Here are 14 TPS management principles – 1. Base your management decisions on a long-term philosophy, even at the expenseContinue reading “The Toyota Way – 14 Management Principles”
One Liners
Sense of humor is very important in life. My friend Seema forwarded me an email with some humorous one-liners; I thought I should share it with others. Regular naps prevent old age… especially if you take them while driving. Having one child makes you a parent; having two makes you a referee. Marriage is a relationshipContinue reading “One Liners”
Positive interpretation of other people’s actions
It is very simple thing to do and results are excellent and enriching. Often we interpret other people’s actions or behavior negatively when we do not have enough detail about their actions or behavior. My approach is to give benefit of doubt in such case and interpret the action positively instead of taking it otherwise. It savesContinue reading “Positive interpretation of other people’s actions”
10 Steps of Project Success
Whenever IT project failure is talked, people refer Denver Airport project that failed big time and costed a lot. I have also seen project that failed or cancelled or shrunk. Why is it happening when so many intelligent people are working and we know all the ingredients of project success. Here are some commonly known factorsContinue reading “10 Steps of Project Success”
Importance of TimeOut
We have seen in various sports when a play or a pass is not developing the way expected or falling out of bound, timeout is called. After timeout, team regroups and turns the outcome for that instance or break the momentum of the opponent team going for score. It give opportunity to re-focus, re-think and re-group.
The 4 Disciplines of Execution
Execution of ideas/goals makes the real difference. Any one can set goals and objectives but when it comes to implementation, it is totally a different game. You might have seen excellent concepts being converted into highly visible projects and later the project being cancelled or product being shelved. Its all how you execute. As Will Weider saidContinue reading “The 4 Disciplines of Execution”
How to Attend Team Meetings
Once I was approached by a team member and enquired why she is not being given special tasks or not being involved that much in comparison with her another colleague. Since I had led both team members and knew where she is falling behind. I suggested few points to follow, she was no longer feelingContinue reading “How to Attend Team Meetings”
Leadership Secrets
Leaders are not only people with heavy-weight designations like CEO, CIO, Vice President or say Senators, Member of Parliament, or something with power and authority. We all are leading in some shape or form and making things happen by our leadership. Some people with their role and authority can have big impact and can lead aContinue reading “Leadership Secrets”
Situational Leadership
I completed Computer Based Training – “Situational Leadership II” developed by the Ninth House. I was amazed with the technique used to give lessons; it kept me involved till the end and I did not feel disconnected or bored. It is kind of movie that you watch and your decisions dictate the way story develops. Continue reading “Situational Leadership”
Leadership and Management 