I came across this article several years ago and thought it made some very good points.
1. RESULTS – Try planning backwards - Start with the results in mind. Most mid-level managers plan around their schedule in an effort to “fill the calendar.” If your group’s goal is to stay active and keep everyone busy this is a great idea. But if your goal is to accomplish something like, oh I don’t know, let’s say your organization’s mission or turn a profit, this is the dumbest way to start out. Really, what are you in business to do? Move the sand pile left then move it back right the next quarter?
Smart planners begin with the results they want to achieve. They ruthlessly eliminate everything that doesn’t support this goal. They never hesitate to say, “No, that’s not what we are about.” Great leaders stay focused on the main thing they and never deter from it. What do you want to see occur next year? Where do you want to be? Set that as your planning goal and let everything fall in to place around it. Guard this and don’t let any other activity or program get in the way.
2. ACTIVITIES – Next plan the activities it will take to accomplish your goal(s). Don’t schedule them yet. Just sit down and determine what it will take to get to the destination you have set. Some activities may be impossible to pull off, but this will give you a good idea of what you need to be doing and how you need to distribute resources to get things done. Planning activities will help you determine the Big Three questions that need to be answered in planning guidelines:
(A) What do you think you are doing?
(B) What ought you to be doing?
(C) What are you actually doing?
Examining all three perspectives will give you valuable insight into your job and time problems.
Activities that don’t meet these criteria or don’t support the mission of your company, corporation or mission should be eliminated, no matter how sacred they are. How many exercises do you do for no other reason than, we’ve always done them? Read Sacred Cows Make Great Burgers. Yes, it is risky to ask “Why?” but you’ve got to take a few risks to venture into new territory. Have some fun. Go around and ask people how certain historical practices originated and why they continue to schedule them every year. You’ll be surprised at how many people are clueless, but continue to perform them like mindless sheep.
3. PRIORITIES – The next step will happen almost automatically. You and your staff will begin to re-evaluate your priorities and find out what you need to be about in the year ahead. You’ll be surprised to find consensus when you have eliminated useless activities that don’t accomplish your mission or goals. Determining your goals and activities will help you establish clear priorities for the time period you are planning. It will help you enforce the “If it doesn’t support or goals, we’re not doing it” rule.
Use the Paretto Principle to establish priorities: “Eighty percent of our activities produce 20 percent of the results, while only 20 percent of our activities produce 80 percent of the results.” Vilifredo Paretto was a 19th Century Italian economist who established a rule for economics that works in almost every realm of planning. It is simple: List your top ten priorities in order, then circle the top two. Concentrate planning on those two and the other eight will take care of themselves. More organizations waste time on useless trivial activities that produce almost no results. The wisdom of life consists of eliminating the non-essentials.
4. TIME ESTIMATES – How long will it take? How much time will each activity require to get you closer to your annual goals? The key to successful planning is to plan both work and time. Start to determine what will take big blocks of time, how many people will be required to get it done and where will the resources be needed to accomplish each task. Next look at the smaller blocks of time and find out how they can be batched together to eliminate waste in funding and time. Where are the wasted time slots? How can they be reduced or wiped away completely?
Determine what time of the year is the peak performance time to get each task accomplished. Where are the slow periods annually that you can get more “behind the scenes” work done? When is your “showtime,” when visible tasks are best accomplished? Remember these are only estimates but they will give you a good idea as to when you need to be concentrating on the right tasks at the right time.
5. SCHEDULING - Now look at your actual calendar. Things that are scheduled tend to happen on time. Things that are not scheduled may never happen. As I said earlier, most managers tend to schedule first in an effort to fill the calendar and eliminate gaps. Knowing what you are about, why you are about it, and how long it will take will be the greatest ally you have in putting things on in ink.
Use this guideline for scheduling: Flexibility in time: Start early on major efforts, Big blocks come first; smaller jobs/activities come second; and group items that are similar in nature. Scheduling along these lines will do more to eliminate wasted time in your calendar. It will allow for the time estimates to become realities and your people to know what they are doing, why they are doing it and how it fits into your overall mission/goals.
6. FLEXIBILITY – Allow time for error and the uncertainty. This can only be done if you have set out to allow the proper amount of time for big projects. No one can predict the future (although we seem to have an abundance of philosophers, pundits and fanatics who attempt to do it every day). A well-known television economist spent the first two months of his new program telling everyone not to buy home improvement company stocks (Lowe’s, Home Depot, etc.) then was forced to retract every prediction when they soared following the devastating hurricanes in the Gulf Coast areas. One good rule: Don’t take advice from anyone who isn’t personally invested in the suggestions they are giving. You probably have example in your own life of people who said to do one thing only to change when things weren’t as certain as they assured you. Don’t get stuck paying the bill for their mistakes.
Planning flexibility allows you to adjust your schedule as needed. It allows you to drop back and re-evaluate your intentions and redistribute resources and personnel in key areas as are required. Be flexible about your schedule, but not your results or goals. Times change and although you can’t predict the future, the great leaders are able to see through the present times and prepare for both good and bad events. Those with the best outlook on life are always expecting the best, but prepared for the worst, just in case. To deny that problems will arise is foolishness. In summary, our ability to control our time is directly related to our attitude toward controlling our environment. Now you are in control of your schedule. You determine what to do and when to do it based on a simple rule: What results do we want? Henry Ford said, “Whether you think you can or you can’t, you are right.”A year from today, evaluate the tasks you accomplished. How did your employees, support staff come together to meet your goals? How long did it take for everyone to get in step with the master plan and find ways to cut wasted time and reallocate resources? How prepared were you for unforeseen events in the market and society? How much more can you accomplish next year? Try “Backwards Planning” and see how everything fits better into place.
Permission is granted to reproduce this article in whole or in part provided the following byline below appears along with the article and that a copy is sent to me after publication. Thank you: JIM MATHIS is an International Speaking Professional and Trainer.
To subscribe to his FREE personal and professional development newsletter, please send an email to subscribe@jimmathis.com with the word SUBSCRIBE. An electronic copy will be sent out to you every month. For more information on how JIM and his programs can benefit your organization or group, please call 888-688-0220, or visit his website: www.jimmathis.com
Tuesday, June 09, 2009
Monday, June 01, 2009
Your Health is a Project
DISCLAIMER - Please check with your doctor before beginning any exercise program.
Quick Introduction
Our health is important, I think we can all agree on that. If we want to improve our health and fitness we really need a plan. Part of our plan needs to include exercise. The exercise that delivers the best fitness and weight loss results while using the least amount of your time is jogging/running. Many people begin a jogging/running routine, but quit due to fatigue, soreness, or injury. Why do they get injured or lose interest? They do too much without getting their body in shape first. The plan I use starts with only walking at first. Also, in the plan I use no workout is longer than 30 minutes.
How I Got Started
Back in March I found a document online entitled "From Couch to 5-K in 9 weeks". Since I am 51 years old and wasn't in very good shape I modified the document for my needs and included a link to it here. I added a few weeks to help me get in shape (15 weeks instead of nine), and modified some of the distances and times (started slower). I'm currently using the plan and am in week 11. So far so good. I have lost weight and I feel good.
In closing, If I can follow this plan anybody can. Especially when doing jogging in the Florida heat! The trick is to go slow, listen to your body, and keep following the plan.
If you are interested in the plan I use you can get a copy of the document here
If you want a MS Word version of the document e-mail me at sfseay(at)yahoo.com
DISCLAIMER - Please check with your doctor before beginning any exercise program.
Quick Introduction
Our health is important, I think we can all agree on that. If we want to improve our health and fitness we really need a plan. Part of our plan needs to include exercise. The exercise that delivers the best fitness and weight loss results while using the least amount of your time is jogging/running. Many people begin a jogging/running routine, but quit due to fatigue, soreness, or injury. Why do they get injured or lose interest? They do too much without getting their body in shape first. The plan I use starts with only walking at first. Also, in the plan I use no workout is longer than 30 minutes.
How I Got Started
Back in March I found a document online entitled "From Couch to 5-K in 9 weeks". Since I am 51 years old and wasn't in very good shape I modified the document for my needs and included a link to it here. I added a few weeks to help me get in shape (15 weeks instead of nine), and modified some of the distances and times (started slower). I'm currently using the plan and am in week 11. So far so good. I have lost weight and I feel good.
In closing, If I can follow this plan anybody can. Especially when doing jogging in the Florida heat! The trick is to go slow, listen to your body, and keep following the plan.
If you are interested in the plan I use you can get a copy of the document here
If you want a MS Word version of the document e-mail me at sfseay(at)yahoo.com
DISCLAIMER - Please check with your doctor before beginning any exercise program.
Thursday, May 28, 2009
Free Project Management Planning Tips
Most projects that fail, were failures before they started
Your project stakeholders are your best allies or your worst enemies – you decide
If your project plan hasn’t changed – be afraid
Ask for help, advice, assistance...from everyone! – early and often
Focus first on delivering the benefits then focus on costs
Don’t own the project, own the process
Document all valid assumptions
Don't allow jerks to work on your project....ever
Make friends not war
Sunday, May 24, 2009
Saturday, May 23, 2009
Weekend Break - Kayaking on the Braden River
Some bird photos I took earlier today
Click photos to enlarge
Wednesday, May 20, 2009
E-mail Rules for Project Managers
High volumes of e-mail can be overwhelming. In the course of managing a long project a project manager can receive thousands of e-mails. To manage this level of e-mails we need some rules.
If you have time, there is a great video on this subject by Merlin Mann entitled "Inbox Zero". I have created a link to Merlin's video at the end of this posting.
___________________________________________
E-mail rules for Project Managers
1) Ensure your inbox messages are viewable in one screen. This means you should not have to scroll your Inbox window to see all your messages. To clean up your current inbox you may need a few hours (or a few days if you have thousands of e-mails in your inbox), but the effort is worth it in the long run.
2) Scrub your e-mail inbox using some of the same rules that exist for cleaning up the paper on your desk. These rules are simple: Act on It, File It, or Throw it Away.
a.) Act on it - Act on the individual e-mail now or if there is not time then schedule the time on your calendar to review it later. Also, you can create a “Pending” folder for e-mails you can’t act on because you are waiting on more information. Schedule time regularly to review your "Pending" e-mail folder. Lastly, delegate the message and ensure you set a date to follow-up
b.) File It - Decide if you need to keep it. If so, ensure you have setup a logical e-mail folder structure so you can find your e-mails quickly in the future
c.) Throw It Away – If the e-mail is not needed then hit “Delete”. The "delete" key can be very liberating
3.) Decide on a schedule to check your e-mail and stick to it (twice a day, every three hours, etc.). Be willing to adjust the schedule as you find what works for you. Don’t be one of those dorks that checks their e-mail device every time it vibrates. You probably aren't that important and neither is the e-mail you might be receiving
4.) For all important communications call the person(s), don’t send an e-mail.
5.) Don’t reply to the same e-mail more than twice. Pick up the phone or go talk to person face-to-face
6.) Setup time on your calendar each week to manage your e-mail
Finally, check out Merlin Mann's great video about managing your e-mail entitled "Inbox Zero" by clicking here
If you have time, there is a great video on this subject by Merlin Mann entitled "Inbox Zero". I have created a link to Merlin's video at the end of this posting.
___________________________________________
E-mail rules for Project Managers
1) Ensure your inbox messages are viewable in one screen. This means you should not have to scroll your Inbox window to see all your messages. To clean up your current inbox you may need a few hours (or a few days if you have thousands of e-mails in your inbox), but the effort is worth it in the long run.
2) Scrub your e-mail inbox using some of the same rules that exist for cleaning up the paper on your desk. These rules are simple: Act on It, File It, or Throw it Away.
a.) Act on it - Act on the individual e-mail now or if there is not time then schedule the time on your calendar to review it later. Also, you can create a “Pending” folder for e-mails you can’t act on because you are waiting on more information. Schedule time regularly to review your "Pending" e-mail folder. Lastly, delegate the message and ensure you set a date to follow-up
b.) File It - Decide if you need to keep it. If so, ensure you have setup a logical e-mail folder structure so you can find your e-mails quickly in the future
c.) Throw It Away – If the e-mail is not needed then hit “Delete”. The "delete" key can be very liberating
3.) Decide on a schedule to check your e-mail and stick to it (twice a day, every three hours, etc.). Be willing to adjust the schedule as you find what works for you. Don’t be one of those dorks that checks their e-mail device every time it vibrates. You probably aren't that important and neither is the e-mail you might be receiving
4.) For all important communications call the person(s), don’t send an e-mail.
5.) Don’t reply to the same e-mail more than twice. Pick up the phone or go talk to person face-to-face
6.) Setup time on your calendar each week to manage your e-mail
Finally, check out Merlin Mann's great video about managing your e-mail entitled "Inbox Zero" by clicking here
End of Project Survey Template - Repaired Link
Click here for a direct link to the document that was discussed in last week's post. Some people had problems viewing the document because of permissions.
Steve
Steve
Friday, May 15, 2009
End of Project Surveys are Important
Measuring customer satisfaction at the end of the project is critical. I recently started using a new Post Implementation Project Survey document. I send the document to all key stakeholders just after the project's completion.
Is the document useful to you? Is it too long? Is there questions you would ask that aren't listed?
Click here to review the document, and please take the time to leave me some feedback.
Is the document useful to you? Is it too long? Is there questions you would ask that aren't listed?
Click here to review the document, and please take the time to leave me some feedback.
Thursday, May 14, 2009
Corporate Purpose and Core Values
I came across this last year on the Internet. I thought it was worth sharing. I changed the company name to XYZ.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Purpose and Core Values
Building a Better World: We better the lives of those we touch and improve communities around the world through our personal and professional contributions.
Our employees are our greatest assets and we will grow, inspire and protect them.
XYZ is committed to actively encouraging diversity through our people and our activities, as we truly believe in the value of a diverse workforce to both inspire our people and grow our business.
We will be uncompromising in our determination to achieve product excellence and, in turn, improve the world's quality of life. Our everyday work is focused on reducing impacts to the environment and improving focus on reducing impacts to the environment and improving society, while meeting client needs with superior project design and delivery.
We are committed to being involved citizens, both as a business and as individuals, in improving the communities where we reside and work. We want to leave a positive legacy in the communities we work in.
Our reputation as a trustworthy business partner is critical to our business success. Honesty, professionalism, ethical behavior, and integrity with our staff and clients. Our reputation with them is paramount to our success as is our technical leadership reputation.
Our business goals are only met when mutually we make our clients successful and we are fairly rewarded. By getting all these right, delivered through our project management, quality, safety, health and environmental management systems, we serve our clients' needs successfully.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
WOW, this sounds like an organization that is focused on the right things.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Building a Better World: We better the lives of those we touch and improve communities around the world through our personal and professional contributions.
Our employees are our greatest assets and we will grow, inspire and protect them.
XYZ is committed to actively encouraging diversity through our people and our activities, as we truly believe in the value of a diverse workforce to both inspire our people and grow our business.
We will be uncompromising in our determination to achieve product excellence and, in turn, improve the world's quality of life. Our everyday work is focused on reducing impacts to the environment and improving focus on reducing impacts to the environment and improving society, while meeting client needs with superior project design and delivery.
We are committed to being involved citizens, both as a business and as individuals, in improving the communities where we reside and work. We want to leave a positive legacy in the communities we work in.
Our reputation as a trustworthy business partner is critical to our business success. Honesty, professionalism, ethical behavior, and integrity with our staff and clients. Our reputation with them is paramount to our success as is our technical leadership reputation.
Our business goals are only met when mutually we make our clients successful and we are fairly rewarded. By getting all these right, delivered through our project management, quality, safety, health and environmental management systems, we serve our clients' needs successfully.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
WOW, this sounds like an organization that is focused on the right things.
Wednesday, May 13, 2009
Competency and the Project Manager
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?
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?
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!"
Monday, April 20, 2009
The Heart of Business Strategy - Tom Peters
Tom's wisdom is awesome. Find lots more at his website
The post below was taken from a document Tom wrote called the Heart of Strategy.
Start Tom's Message below:
"We usually think of business strategy as some sort of aspirational market positioning statement. Doubtless that’s part of it. But I believe that the number one "strategic strength" is excellence in execution and systemic relationships (i.e., with everyone we come in contact with). Hence I offer the following 48 pieces of advice in creating a winning strategic that is inherently sustainable*:
"Thank you." Minimum several times a day. Measure it.
"Thank you" to everyone even peripherally involved in some activity—especially those
"deep in the hierarchy."
Smile. Work on it.
Apologize. Even if "they" are "mostly" to blame.
Jump all over those who play the "blame game."
Hire enthusiasm.
Low enthusiasm. No hire. Any job.
Hire optimists. Everywhere. ("Positive outlook on life," not mindless optimism.)
Hiring: Would you like to go to lunch with him-her. 100% of jobs.
Hire for good manners.
Do not reject "trouble makers"—that is those who are uncomfortable with the status quo.
Expose all would-be hires to something unexpected-weird. Observe their reaction.
Overwhelm response to even the smallest screw-ups.
Become a student of all you will meet with. Big time.
Hang out with interesting new people. Measure it.
Lunch with folks in other functions. Measure it.
Listen. Hear. Become a serious student of listening-hearing.
Work on everyone’s listening skills. Practice.
Become a student of information extraction-interviewing.
Become a student of presentation giving. Formal. Short and spontaneous.
Incredible care in 1st line supervisor selection.
World’s best training for 1st line supervisors.
Construct small leadership opportunities for junior people within days of starting on the job.
Insane care in all promotion decisions.
Promote "people people" for all managerial jobs. Finance-logistics-R and D as much as, say, sales.
Hire-promote for demonstrated curiosity. Check their past commitment to continuous
learning.
Small “d” diversity. Rich mixes for any and all teams.
Hire women. Roughly 50% women on exec team.
Exec team “looks like” customer population, actual and desired.
Focus on creating products for and selling to women.
Focus on creating products for and selling to boomers-geezers.
Work on first and last impressions.
Walls display tomorrow’s aspirations, not yesterday’s accomplishments.
Simplify systems. Constantly.
Insist that almost all material be covered by a 1-page summary. Absolutely no longer.
Practice decency.
Add “We are thoughtful in all we do” to corporate values list. Number 1 force for
customer loyalty, employee satisfaction.
Make some form of employee growth (for all) a formal part of values set.
Above
customer satisfaction. Steal from RE/MAX: “We are a life success company.”
Flowers.
Celebrate “small wins.” Often. Perhaps a “small win of the day.”
Manage your calendar religiously: Does it accurately reflect your espoused priorities?
Use a “calendar friend” who’s not very friendly to help you with this.
Review your calendar: Work assiduously and mercilessly on your “To don’ts.”—stuff
that distracts.
Bosses, especially near the top: Formally cultivate one advisor whose role is to tell you the truth.
Commit to Excellence.
Talk up Excellence.
Put “Excellence in all we do” in the values set.
Measure everyone on demonstrated commitment to Excellence.
The post below was taken from a document Tom wrote called the Heart of Strategy.
Start Tom's Message below:
"We usually think of business strategy as some sort of aspirational market positioning statement. Doubtless that’s part of it. But I believe that the number one "strategic strength" is excellence in execution and systemic relationships (i.e., with everyone we come in contact with). Hence I offer the following 48 pieces of advice in creating a winning strategic that is inherently sustainable*:
"Thank you." Minimum several times a day. Measure it.
"Thank you" to everyone even peripherally involved in some activity—especially those
"deep in the hierarchy."
Smile. Work on it.
Apologize. Even if "they" are "mostly" to blame.
Jump all over those who play the "blame game."
Hire enthusiasm.
Low enthusiasm. No hire. Any job.
Hire optimists. Everywhere. ("Positive outlook on life," not mindless optimism.)
Hiring: Would you like to go to lunch with him-her. 100% of jobs.
Hire for good manners.
Do not reject "trouble makers"—that is those who are uncomfortable with the status quo.
Expose all would-be hires to something unexpected-weird. Observe their reaction.
Overwhelm response to even the smallest screw-ups.
Become a student of all you will meet with. Big time.
Hang out with interesting new people. Measure it.
Lunch with folks in other functions. Measure it.
Listen. Hear. Become a serious student of listening-hearing.
Work on everyone’s listening skills. Practice.
Become a student of information extraction-interviewing.
Become a student of presentation giving. Formal. Short and spontaneous.
Incredible care in 1st line supervisor selection.
World’s best training for 1st line supervisors.
Construct small leadership opportunities for junior people within days of starting on the job.
Insane care in all promotion decisions.
Promote "people people" for all managerial jobs. Finance-logistics-R and D as much as, say, sales.
Hire-promote for demonstrated curiosity. Check their past commitment to continuous
learning.
Small “d” diversity. Rich mixes for any and all teams.
Hire women. Roughly 50% women on exec team.
Exec team “looks like” customer population, actual and desired.
Focus on creating products for and selling to women.
Focus on creating products for and selling to boomers-geezers.
Work on first and last impressions.
Walls display tomorrow’s aspirations, not yesterday’s accomplishments.
Simplify systems. Constantly.
Insist that almost all material be covered by a 1-page summary. Absolutely no longer.
Practice decency.
Add “We are thoughtful in all we do” to corporate values list. Number 1 force for
customer loyalty, employee satisfaction.
Make some form of employee growth (for all) a formal part of values set.
Above
customer satisfaction. Steal from RE/MAX: “We are a life success company.”
Flowers.
Celebrate “small wins.” Often. Perhaps a “small win of the day.”
Manage your calendar religiously: Does it accurately reflect your espoused priorities?
Use a “calendar friend” who’s not very friendly to help you with this.
Review your calendar: Work assiduously and mercilessly on your “To don’ts.”—stuff
that distracts.
Bosses, especially near the top: Formally cultivate one advisor whose role is to tell you the truth.
Commit to Excellence.
Talk up Excellence.
Put “Excellence in all we do” in the values set.
Measure everyone on demonstrated commitment to Excellence.
Saturday, April 18, 2009
Friday, April 17, 2009
Stuff I Really Believe!
“The deepest human need is the need to be appreciated.” — William James
“What creates trust, in the end, is the leader’s manifest respect for the
followers.” — Jim O’Toole, Leading Change
“The most successful people are those who are good at plan B.” — James Yorke,
mathematician, on chaos theory in The New Scientist
“People want to be part of something larger than themselves. They want to be
part of something they’re really proud of, that they’ll fight for, sacrifice for, that they trust.” — Howard Schultz, Starbucks
“It is not the strongest of the species that survives, nor the most intelligent, but the one most responsive to change.” — Charles Darwin
“If things seem under control, you’re just not going fast enough.” — Mario Andretti
“We have a ‘strategic’ plan. It’s called doing things.” — Herb Kelleher, founder, Southwest Airlines
“I guess it comes down to a simple choice, really. Get busy living, or get busy
dying.” — The Shawshank Redemption (Tim Robbins)
“Nothing is so contagious as enthusiasm.” — Samuel Taylor Coleridge
“A man without a smiling face must not open a shop.” — Chinese Proverb
---------------------------------------------------------------------
"Leadership is all about love...
and
Passion,
Enthusiasms,
Appetite for Life,
Engagement,
Great Causes & Determination to Make a Damn Difference,
Commitment to Excellence,
Shared Adventures,
Bizarre Failures,
Growth Beyond Measure,
Insatiable Appetite for Change" - Tom Peters
“What creates trust, in the end, is the leader’s manifest respect for the
followers.” — Jim O’Toole, Leading Change
“The most successful people are those who are good at plan B.” — James Yorke,
mathematician, on chaos theory in The New Scientist
“People want to be part of something larger than themselves. They want to be
part of something they’re really proud of, that they’ll fight for, sacrifice for, that they trust.” — Howard Schultz, Starbucks
“It is not the strongest of the species that survives, nor the most intelligent, but the one most responsive to change.” — Charles Darwin
“If things seem under control, you’re just not going fast enough.” — Mario Andretti
“We have a ‘strategic’ plan. It’s called doing things.” — Herb Kelleher, founder, Southwest Airlines
“I guess it comes down to a simple choice, really. Get busy living, or get busy
dying.” — The Shawshank Redemption (Tim Robbins)
“Nothing is so contagious as enthusiasm.” — Samuel Taylor Coleridge
“A man without a smiling face must not open a shop.” — Chinese Proverb
---------------------------------------------------------------------
"Leadership is all about love...
and
Passion,
Enthusiasms,
Appetite for Life,
Engagement,
Great Causes & Determination to Make a Damn Difference,
Commitment to Excellence,
Shared Adventures,
Bizarre Failures,
Growth Beyond Measure,
Insatiable Appetite for Change" - Tom Peters