Competency can also be called - Ability, Capableness, Ableness, Capacity, etc...
Knowledge + Skills + Attitude = Competency
Knowledge - Awareness or comprehension acquired by study or experience
Skills - Ability to apply knowledge
Attitude - State of mind or feeling
One of my favorite formulas is: Knowledge + Experience = Wisdom
What is your Competency Rating?
Tips, hints, links, and helpful information related to the discipline of Project Management.
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Wednesday, May 13, 2009
Monday, May 11, 2009
Don't Follow a Bad Leader
Leadership = Purpose + Direction + Motivation + Coaching + Passion + Character + Trustworthiness + Discipline + Communication
I witness poor leadership behaviors all the time. It amazes me that these scoundrels have followers. People that follow bad leaders are a lot like sheep following a shepard. Don't follow a bad leader. Break out from the flock and look for a leader that wants you to succeed.
I witness poor leadership behaviors all the time. It amazes me that these scoundrels have followers. People that follow bad leaders are a lot like sheep following a shepard. Don't follow a bad leader. Break out from the flock and look for a leader that wants you to succeed.
Thursday, May 07, 2009
Characteristics of a Successful Organizational Culture - Part 2
Signs your organization's culture is healthy
Change is not seen as a goal but a journey
An individual’s status in the organization is gained because of their results ...and methods ...and communications, not their role or title
People have fun at work
People become more willing to speak their minds
All levels of the organization come together to solve problems
Risk taking is encouraged
Project management is taken seriously
Senior staff and executives are visible, available, and relevant
There are blurred lines between organizational groups and departments
External employee concerns (home, family, school) are part of the organization’s agenda
Teams evaluate themselves and other teams
Teams determine who is on or off “the team”
Executives and senior managers that show anti-social behavior or who are not team players are told to seek work elsewhere
People manage themselves
People doing the work are looked upon as experts on how the work should be done
Organizational decisions, rewards, and results are shared openly
There are formal and explicit links and work rules between internal groups
Managers are visible, informed, and accountable
Team assessments are used to measure a Team’s success
There is a new paradigm about what the organization owes the employee and what the employee owes the organization
The gap between potential and performance is reduced (must be measured by outsiders)
Teams replace supervisors
Information is shared about the organization’s failures, problems, successes, and opportunities
People smile more and like coming to work
People discuss then decide
Trust, Respect, Integrity, and Truthfulness are not an option
People are eager and willing to learn new things
Tuesday, May 05, 2009
Characteristics of a Successful Organizational Culture
Culture can be described as a set of behaviors that are refined and are used or sought after by people in their group. Cultural behaviors are a set of shared ideas and beliefs that are associated with a way of life.
In highly effective enterprises, cultures tend to have the following characteristics. There are many more, but these are some that come to mind:
Leaders lead and teach others to be leaders
A positive attitude is displayed by key managers and leaders
The organization's plans, policies, procedures, rules, and strategic direction are well documented and discussed at all levels of the organization
The opinions of employees are valued and they believe they are key members of the larger enterprise team
Work teams are encouraged to develop solutions to organizational problems
Continuous improvement is a part of the way business is done
The organization believes in and practices a philosophy of creativity and innovation
Professional politicians are looked at as a liability
Interdependent relationships are numerous and exist at all levels of the organization
Employees are recognized for their achievements
Feedback is continuous and two-way
Senior managers are visible and available
Resourse planning is practiced continuously
There is "Systems Thinking"
There is a shrinking gap between organizatinal potential and performance (and it is measured)
Team members evaluate the performance of their team as a whole and eliminate unproductive members that are unwilling to perform at acceptable levels
Senior management understands that the people doing the work are the ones that know how the work should be done
Managers are facilitators and coaches
Moral is high and people are satisfied with their jobs
People are committed to the organization's goals and to their work groups success
In highly effective enterprises, cultures tend to have the following characteristics. There are many more, but these are some that come to mind:
Leaders lead and teach others to be leaders
A positive attitude is displayed by key managers and leaders
The organization's plans, policies, procedures, rules, and strategic direction are well documented and discussed at all levels of the organization
The opinions of employees are valued and they believe they are key members of the larger enterprise team
Work teams are encouraged to develop solutions to organizational problems
Continuous improvement is a part of the way business is done
The organization believes in and practices a philosophy of creativity and innovation
Professional politicians are looked at as a liability
Interdependent relationships are numerous and exist at all levels of the organization
Employees are recognized for their achievements
Feedback is continuous and two-way
Senior managers are visible and available
Resourse planning is practiced continuously
There is "Systems Thinking"
There is a shrinking gap between organizatinal potential and performance (and it is measured)
Team members evaluate the performance of their team as a whole and eliminate unproductive members that are unwilling to perform at acceptable levels
Senior management understands that the people doing the work are the ones that know how the work should be done
Managers are facilitators and coaches
Moral is high and people are satisfied with their jobs
People are committed to the organization's goals and to their work groups success
Sunday, May 03, 2009
Monday, April 27, 2009
Relationships in Project Management
“You can make more friends in two months by becoming interested in other people than you can in two years by trying to get other people interested in you.” —Dale Carnegie
Friday, April 24, 2009
100ft. = 100 miles or 30.48 meters = 160.9 kilometers
In one of Tom Peter's many free presentations on his website he had the following quote from his book "In Search of Excellence".
I found the quote in regards to communication distances troubling, but true.
Tom's quote goes:
"It was the only chart we used in In Search of Excellence! It arrived courtesy of the research by Tom Allen and his colleagues at MIT. Studying communication patterns, they discovered that people more than a hundred feet apart might as well, in terms of communication frequency, be 100 miles apart!. Internet or no Internet (these days), that is nothing short of … stunning! And the implications are nothing short of profound!"
I found the quote in regards to communication distances troubling, but true.
Tom's quote goes:
"It was the only chart we used in In Search of Excellence! It arrived courtesy of the research by Tom Allen and his colleagues at MIT. Studying communication patterns, they discovered that people more than a hundred feet apart might as well, in terms of communication frequency, be 100 miles apart!. Internet or no Internet (these days), that is nothing short of … stunning! And the implications are nothing short of profound!"