Gary M. Nelson's Blog, page 2
June 13, 2014
What's the big deal with Team Sports, anyway?
[Also available as a podcast]
When I was a child, I didn't like sports.
Well, that's not exactly true - I loved swimming and spent almost every day during my young summers in the water at our local pool, and was part of the swim team. Wrinkly skin, and a persistent smell of chlorine - it was a wonderful way to spend a good part of your summer's day. Besides, when your town had an outdoor pool that was only open for 3-4 months out of the year, you made the most of it. The rest of the year it was either too cold, or just plain closed, as the pool was left drained for 6 months of the year while the temperatures plummeted from freezing down to -40 degrees Celsius in the coldest months.
In the winter, starting sometime in November, the outdoor ice rinks were getting into full swing. I spent a few winters trying to perfect long, graceful glides around the temporary oval of a Speed Skating rink on our Elementary school field, while my younger brothers were just starting getting into ice hockey at the PeeWee level.
I think I managed two or three years of Speed Skating before I stopped going, while my brothers went on to play hockey with a passion - and still do today, over thirty years later.
My favourite sport fell back to swimming, which I pursued through to Bronze Medallion, and still enjoy today.
The key thing about swimming is that it is very much a solo sport, even if you are on a swim team. Separate swim lanes, individual competitors - even when they held "team" races like a relay, you were still the only person in your lane at one time.
I did not enjoy team sports at all - not even Hockey, which is close to sacrilege for anyone born in Canada.
(C) Fotolia 59510276
One for All and All for ... Someone ElseWhen I say I didn't enjoy team sports, that is exactly what I meant. Of course, everyone had to try a range of sports in school during PE and I was no exception, but as a general rule, I did not enjoy it.
I wasn't trying to be difficult, but a combination of poor coordination and being smaller than the sporty kids left me on the sidelines or regularly ridiculed when I tried each sport. Even though I tried to improve my skills through practice, in a small town it was hard to get away from the sporty kids, who were also my ever-present horde of bullies. When there were only 30 kids in your grade level in the town, it was even harder - the kids you played with all tended to be from your class. The result was the sporty kids got better playing after school, while I continued to be sidelined, or ridiculed further at my attempts to improve. Eventually I just gave up trying.
Needless to say, those experiences left a sour taste that lasted for years - long after my coordination and abilities caught up with my growing frame and I tried my hand at darts, golf and other skill-based solo sports, and some hoop practice with a basketball.
I had come to see most team sports as a place for jocks and the sporty ones - but not for me. I didn't even bother to watch professional games on TV - except for the hockey playoffs when the level of excitement infected even me.
The "I" in TeamThere is no "I" in team, or so the saying goes. It is all about the team , not being an individual, blah blah blah.
But for me, I just couldn't see the point of team sports - as far as I could see, it had no value. People running or skating about, whacking balls or pucks around, bashing each other and trying to get an object through - or into - some type of net.
Even though I was part of a hockey household with wildly varied dinner times as my younger brothers dashed about to hockey games here, there and everywhere, I just didn't "get it". I could see they had fun - and more than a few trips to the emergency room over the years. Dislocated joints, broken bones, concussions, but I just could not see why they continued to play, year after year.
While recovering from a dislocated shoulder, my youngest brother forgot his left hand on the bathroom counter one evening. He had been brushing his teeth, and his left arm was so weak he could not even lift it. He had to step back into the bathroom and pick up his left hand with his right, smiling sheepishly as I passed him on my way in to brush my teeth. Even then, he couldn't wait to get back onto the ice rink.
Sometimes I thought I must be the only sane person in the room. My brothers had to be nuts to get back out there after each major injury.
Just last year (in his forties), the same brother lost the end off of one finger trying to catch a slap shot in his glove. I shook my head when I heard about it, half way around the world. His hockey team will always be "short-handed" from now on.
I came to believe, through observing my brothers and other people over the years, the "I" in Team must be "Insane", where sports was concerned.
A Change of HeartIf you have read any of my other articles, you will find that I feel quite strongly about the positive value and virtues of teamwork. So how can I reconcile a dislike of team sports with being a strong supporter of teams today?
Well, a few things have happened over the years to give me a change of heart.
The first was in 2001 (at the age of 34), when I was managing a system implementation project outside a major eastern US city. I was sitting in a bar on a Friday evening with a work colleague, winding down from a long week's work. An American College Football game was playing on the TV behind the bar, which I was busy ignoring as I dipped deep-fried cheese sticks into sour cream and jalapeno jam. My colleague had ordered them to share, and they were fantastic - hot and spicy, but perfectly balanced with the sour cream and some celery. My colleague had also brought us to the bar to watch the football game, as she was a big fan of football, held parties during the SuperBowl, the whole bit.
She was busy yelling at the TV in between jalapeno cheese bites, encouraging the players or complaining about bad plays. She noticed my comparative dis-interest, and asked if I watched football much.
"Not really," I said, feeling awkward. She had brought me to watch the game, but aside from knowing the basic rules, I didn't go out of my way to watch it. I had only been to one live football game in my life, and someone else had bought the tickets.
She took it as a challenge to help me enjoy the game, so she explained the rules in more detail and commented on each play as the game unfolded on the TV behind the bar. We finished the plate of jalapeno cheese sticks and ordered another. I soon found I was paying more attention to the game than I was to the fried cheese sticks, and they were starting to get cold. I was, for the first time in my life, enjoying watching a football game - but it wasn't the score or the throwing of the ball itself that interested me. It was the interaction of the players.
Something had switched on inside my head - I was seeing organized sport in a whole new light. I could see the coordination within the team, the players working together, trusting someone to be in the right place to catch the ball just as they were tackled. I could see the results of a well-executed play that relied on the whole team working together - and the failed play where one player tried to do it all on his own.
In that one evening, I had suddenly gained the ability to appreciate watching football, albeit from an unexpected angle. I was now seeing the game with a leader's eye.
The second revelation was not a particular event, but more of a gradual progression since that evening in 2001. Over the past 13 years, I have come to appreciate almost any other team sport - as long as I know the basic rules.I am now able to relate the teamwork I see every day on my projects to the teamwork I see on the sports field - whether it is basketball, rugby, baseball, soccer or any other team sport, even Cricket.
Although I still don't go out of my way to watch that much sport on TV, if I am watching it with someone else, I will enjoy watching it with them. Of course, live is often better than TV, so every now and then I will actually buy tickets for the family and we will go watch a live rugby game. I even went to a Cricket match with my teenager, and loved it.
The best joy of all, however, is now watching my own children play team sports - soccer and hockey. Not much ice in New Zealand so it is Inline Hockey, but hey - Hockey runs in the Canadian blood, even if it skipped a generation.
Summary When I was younger and did not appreciate team sports, I saw them as unimportant and without value. I literally could not understand why anyone would enjoy them - let alone watch them on TV for hours on end every week. Yelling at a glass screen where the players could obviously not hear you made even less sense.
However, what I came to realize - and finally accept - was that even though sports was not important to me, it mattered to others that I cared about. And you know what? That was OK.
So my final revelation is this:
There is only value where you place value.
Each of us determines the value system for our lives - those things that are important to us, such as family, friends, code of ethics, causes we believe in, and so on. We may inherit them from our families as we grow up, but over time we fine-tune our value systems to model what is the most important to us. This helps us shape how we fit into the world - at least, as we perceive it.
Our value system also strongly affects how we interact with others, and how we behave towards each other in a variety of situations. The foundation of a strong team is a core set of common values, and learning to appreciate that other people have different values than yourself.
The most common source of misunderstanding and frustration is where values do not align, and you cannot seem to sort out the differences. However, the value of a great leader is being able to take that group of people with different skills, beliefs, backgrounds and attitudes - and then craft them into a Team with a common vision and shared values.
The principle is always the same, whether it is on a construction site, in the project office, or on a large patch of muddied grass.
(C) Fotolia 62470185
Good luck on your projects, keep an eye on the ball - and no matter where you go or what you do, support your favourite Team .
Email: Gary Nelson, PMP
When I was a child, I didn't like sports.
Well, that's not exactly true - I loved swimming and spent almost every day during my young summers in the water at our local pool, and was part of the swim team. Wrinkly skin, and a persistent smell of chlorine - it was a wonderful way to spend a good part of your summer's day. Besides, when your town had an outdoor pool that was only open for 3-4 months out of the year, you made the most of it. The rest of the year it was either too cold, or just plain closed, as the pool was left drained for 6 months of the year while the temperatures plummeted from freezing down to -40 degrees Celsius in the coldest months.
In the winter, starting sometime in November, the outdoor ice rinks were getting into full swing. I spent a few winters trying to perfect long, graceful glides around the temporary oval of a Speed Skating rink on our Elementary school field, while my younger brothers were just starting getting into ice hockey at the PeeWee level.
I think I managed two or three years of Speed Skating before I stopped going, while my brothers went on to play hockey with a passion - and still do today, over thirty years later.
My favourite sport fell back to swimming, which I pursued through to Bronze Medallion, and still enjoy today.
The key thing about swimming is that it is very much a solo sport, even if you are on a swim team. Separate swim lanes, individual competitors - even when they held "team" races like a relay, you were still the only person in your lane at one time.
I did not enjoy team sports at all - not even Hockey, which is close to sacrilege for anyone born in Canada.
(C) Fotolia 59510276One for All and All for ... Someone ElseWhen I say I didn't enjoy team sports, that is exactly what I meant. Of course, everyone had to try a range of sports in school during PE and I was no exception, but as a general rule, I did not enjoy it.
I wasn't trying to be difficult, but a combination of poor coordination and being smaller than the sporty kids left me on the sidelines or regularly ridiculed when I tried each sport. Even though I tried to improve my skills through practice, in a small town it was hard to get away from the sporty kids, who were also my ever-present horde of bullies. When there were only 30 kids in your grade level in the town, it was even harder - the kids you played with all tended to be from your class. The result was the sporty kids got better playing after school, while I continued to be sidelined, or ridiculed further at my attempts to improve. Eventually I just gave up trying.
Needless to say, those experiences left a sour taste that lasted for years - long after my coordination and abilities caught up with my growing frame and I tried my hand at darts, golf and other skill-based solo sports, and some hoop practice with a basketball.
I had come to see most team sports as a place for jocks and the sporty ones - but not for me. I didn't even bother to watch professional games on TV - except for the hockey playoffs when the level of excitement infected even me.
The "I" in TeamThere is no "I" in team, or so the saying goes. It is all about the team , not being an individual, blah blah blah.
But for me, I just couldn't see the point of team sports - as far as I could see, it had no value. People running or skating about, whacking balls or pucks around, bashing each other and trying to get an object through - or into - some type of net.
Even though I was part of a hockey household with wildly varied dinner times as my younger brothers dashed about to hockey games here, there and everywhere, I just didn't "get it". I could see they had fun - and more than a few trips to the emergency room over the years. Dislocated joints, broken bones, concussions, but I just could not see why they continued to play, year after year.
While recovering from a dislocated shoulder, my youngest brother forgot his left hand on the bathroom counter one evening. He had been brushing his teeth, and his left arm was so weak he could not even lift it. He had to step back into the bathroom and pick up his left hand with his right, smiling sheepishly as I passed him on my way in to brush my teeth. Even then, he couldn't wait to get back onto the ice rink.
Sometimes I thought I must be the only sane person in the room. My brothers had to be nuts to get back out there after each major injury.
Just last year (in his forties), the same brother lost the end off of one finger trying to catch a slap shot in his glove. I shook my head when I heard about it, half way around the world. His hockey team will always be "short-handed" from now on.
I came to believe, through observing my brothers and other people over the years, the "I" in Team must be "Insane", where sports was concerned.
A Change of HeartIf you have read any of my other articles, you will find that I feel quite strongly about the positive value and virtues of teamwork. So how can I reconcile a dislike of team sports with being a strong supporter of teams today?
Well, a few things have happened over the years to give me a change of heart.
The first was in 2001 (at the age of 34), when I was managing a system implementation project outside a major eastern US city. I was sitting in a bar on a Friday evening with a work colleague, winding down from a long week's work. An American College Football game was playing on the TV behind the bar, which I was busy ignoring as I dipped deep-fried cheese sticks into sour cream and jalapeno jam. My colleague had ordered them to share, and they were fantastic - hot and spicy, but perfectly balanced with the sour cream and some celery. My colleague had also brought us to the bar to watch the football game, as she was a big fan of football, held parties during the SuperBowl, the whole bit.
She was busy yelling at the TV in between jalapeno cheese bites, encouraging the players or complaining about bad plays. She noticed my comparative dis-interest, and asked if I watched football much.
"Not really," I said, feeling awkward. She had brought me to watch the game, but aside from knowing the basic rules, I didn't go out of my way to watch it. I had only been to one live football game in my life, and someone else had bought the tickets.
She took it as a challenge to help me enjoy the game, so she explained the rules in more detail and commented on each play as the game unfolded on the TV behind the bar. We finished the plate of jalapeno cheese sticks and ordered another. I soon found I was paying more attention to the game than I was to the fried cheese sticks, and they were starting to get cold. I was, for the first time in my life, enjoying watching a football game - but it wasn't the score or the throwing of the ball itself that interested me. It was the interaction of the players.
Something had switched on inside my head - I was seeing organized sport in a whole new light. I could see the coordination within the team, the players working together, trusting someone to be in the right place to catch the ball just as they were tackled. I could see the results of a well-executed play that relied on the whole team working together - and the failed play where one player tried to do it all on his own.
In that one evening, I had suddenly gained the ability to appreciate watching football, albeit from an unexpected angle. I was now seeing the game with a leader's eye.
The second revelation was not a particular event, but more of a gradual progression since that evening in 2001. Over the past 13 years, I have come to appreciate almost any other team sport - as long as I know the basic rules.I am now able to relate the teamwork I see every day on my projects to the teamwork I see on the sports field - whether it is basketball, rugby, baseball, soccer or any other team sport, even Cricket.
Although I still don't go out of my way to watch that much sport on TV, if I am watching it with someone else, I will enjoy watching it with them. Of course, live is often better than TV, so every now and then I will actually buy tickets for the family and we will go watch a live rugby game. I even went to a Cricket match with my teenager, and loved it.
The best joy of all, however, is now watching my own children play team sports - soccer and hockey. Not much ice in New Zealand so it is Inline Hockey, but hey - Hockey runs in the Canadian blood, even if it skipped a generation.
Summary When I was younger and did not appreciate team sports, I saw them as unimportant and without value. I literally could not understand why anyone would enjoy them - let alone watch them on TV for hours on end every week. Yelling at a glass screen where the players could obviously not hear you made even less sense.
However, what I came to realize - and finally accept - was that even though sports was not important to me, it mattered to others that I cared about. And you know what? That was OK.
So my final revelation is this:
There is only value where you place value.
Each of us determines the value system for our lives - those things that are important to us, such as family, friends, code of ethics, causes we believe in, and so on. We may inherit them from our families as we grow up, but over time we fine-tune our value systems to model what is the most important to us. This helps us shape how we fit into the world - at least, as we perceive it.
Our value system also strongly affects how we interact with others, and how we behave towards each other in a variety of situations. The foundation of a strong team is a core set of common values, and learning to appreciate that other people have different values than yourself.
The most common source of misunderstanding and frustration is where values do not align, and you cannot seem to sort out the differences. However, the value of a great leader is being able to take that group of people with different skills, beliefs, backgrounds and attitudes - and then craft them into a Team with a common vision and shared values.
The principle is always the same, whether it is on a construction site, in the project office, or on a large patch of muddied grass.
(C) Fotolia 62470185Good luck on your projects, keep an eye on the ball - and no matter where you go or what you do, support your favourite Team .
Email: Gary Nelson, PMP
Why I No Longer Dislike Team Sports
When I was a child, I didn't like sports.
Well, that's not exactly true - I loved swimming and spent almost every day during my young summers in the water at our local pool, and was part of the swim team. Wrinkly skin, and a persistent smell of chlorine - it was a wonderful way to spend a good part of your summer's day. Besides, when your town had an outdoor pool that was only open for 3-4 months out of the year, you made the most of it. The rest of the year it was either too cold, or just plain closed, as the pool was left drained for 6 months of the year while the temperatures plummeted from freezing down to -40 degrees Celsius in the coldest months.
In the winter, starting sometime in November, the outdoor ice rinks were getting into full swing. I spent a few winters trying to perfect long, graceful glides around the temporary oval of a Speed Skating rink on our Elementary school field, while my younger brothers were just starting getting into ice hockey at the PeeWee level.
I think I managed two or three years of Speed Skating before I stopped going, while my brothers went on to play hockey with a passion - and still do today, over thirty years later.
My favourite sport fell back to swimming, which I pursued through to Bronze Medallion, and still enjoy today.
The key thing about swimming is that it is very much a solo sport, even if you are on a swim team. Separate swim lanes, individual competitors - even when they held "team" races like a relay, you were still the only person in your lane at one time.
I did not enjoy team sports at all - not even Hockey, which is close to sacrilege for anyone born in Canada.
(C) Fotolia 59510276
One for All and All for ... Someone ElseWhen I say I didn't enjoy team sports, that is exactly what I meant. Of course, everyone had to try a range of sports in school during PE and I was no exception, but as a general rule, I did not enjoy it.
I wasn't trying to be difficult, but a combination of poor coordination and being smaller than the sporty kids left me on the sidelines or regularly ridiculed when I tried each sport. Even though I tried to improve my skills through practice, in a small town it was hard to get away from the sporty kids, who were also my ever-present horde of bullies. When there were only 30 kids in your grade level in the town, it was even harder - the kids you played with all tended to be from your class. The result was the sporty kids got better playing after school, while I continued to be sidelined, or ridiculed further at my attempts to improve. Eventually I just gave up trying.
Needless to say, those experiences left a sour taste that lasted for years - long after my coordination and abilities caught up with my growing frame and I tried my hand at darts, golf and other skill-based solo sports, and some hoop practice with a basketball.
I had come to see most team sports as a place for jocks and the sporty ones - but not for me. I didn't even bother to watch professional games on TV - except for the hockey playoffs when the level of excitement infected even me.
The "I" in TeamThere is no "I" in team, or so the saying goes. It is all about the team , not being an individual, blah blah blah.
But for me, I just couldn't see the point of team sports - as far as I could see, it had no value. People running or skating about, whacking balls or pucks around, bashing each other and trying to get an object through - or into - some type of net.
Even though I was part of a hockey household with wildly varied dinner times as my younger brothers dashed about to hockey games here, there and everywhere, I just didn't "get it". I could see they had fun - and more than a few trips to the emergency room over the years. Dislocated joints, broken bones, concussions, but I just could not see why they continued to play, year after year.
While recovering from a dislocated shoulder, my youngest brother forgot his left hand on the bathroom counter one evening. He had been brushing his teeth, and his left arm was so weak he could not even lift it. He had to step back into the bathroom and pick up his left hand with his right, smiling sheepishly as I passed him on my in to brush my teeth. Even then, he couldn't wait to get back onto the ice rink.
Sometimes I thought I must be the only sane person in the room. My brothers had to be nuts to get back out there after each major injury.
Just last year (in his forties), the same brother lost the end off of one finger trying to catch a slap shot in his glove. I shook my head when I heard about it, half way around the world. His hockey team will always be "short-handed" from now on.
I came to believe, through observing my brothers and other people over the years, the "I" in Team must be "Insane", where sports was concerned.
A Change of HeartIf you have read any of my other articles, you will find that I feel quite strongly about the positive value and virtues of teamwork. So how can I reconcile a dislike of team sports with being a strong supporter of teams today?
Well, a few things have happened over the years to give me a change of heart.
The first was in 2001 (at the age of 34), when I was managing a system implementation project outside a major eastern US city. I was sitting in a bar on a Friday evening with a work colleague, winding down from a long week's work. An American College Football game was playing on the TV behind the bar, which I was busy ignoring as I dipped deep-fried cheese sticks into sour cream and jalapeno jam. My colleague had ordered them to share, and they were fantastic - hot and spicy, but perfectly balanced with the sour cream and some celery. My colleague had also brought us to the bar to watch the football game, as she was a big fan of football, held parties during the SuperBowl, the whole bit.
She was busy yelling at the TV in between jalapeno cheese bites, encouraging the players or complaining about bad plays. She noticed my comparative dis-interest, and asked if I watched football much.
"Not really," I said, feeling awkward. She had brought me to watch the game, but aside from knowing the basic rules, I didn't go out of my way to watch it. I had only been to one live football game in my life, and someone else had bought the tickets.
She took it as a challenge to help me enjoy the game, so she explained the rules in more detail and commented on each play as the game unfolded on the TV behind the bar. We finished the plate of jalapeno cheese sticks and ordered another. I soon found I was paying more attention to the game than I was to the fried cheese sticks, and they were starting to get cold. I was, for the first time in my life, enjoying watching a football game - but it wasn't the score or the throwing of the ball itself that interested me. It was the interaction of the players.
Something had switched on inside my head - I was seeing organized sport in a whole new light. I could see the coordination within the team, the players working together, trusting someone to be in the right place to catch the ball just as they were tackled. I could see the results of a well-executed play that relied on the whole team working together - and the failed play where one player tried to do it all on his own.
In that one evening, I had suddenly gained the ability to appreciate watching football, albeit from an unexpected angle. I was now seeing the game with a leader's eye.
The second revelation was not a particular event, but more of a gradual progression since that evening in 2001. Over the past 13 years, I have come to appreciate almost any other team sport - as long as I know the basic rules.I am now able to relate the teamwork I see every day on my projects to the teamwork I see on the sports field - whether it is basketball, rugby, baseball, soccer or any other team sport, even Cricket.
Although I still don't go out of my way to watch that much sport on TV, if I am watching it with someone else, I will enjoy watching it with them. Of course, live is often better than TV, so every now and then I will actually buy tickets for the family and we will go watch a live rugby game. I even went to a Cricket match with my teenager, and loved it.
The best joy of all, however, is now watching my own children play team sports - soccer and hockey. Not much ice in New Zealand so it is Inline Hockey, but hey - Hockey runs in the Canadian blood, even if it skipped a generation.
Summary When I was younger and did not appreciate team sports, I saw them as unimportant and without value. I literally could not understand why anyone would enjoy them - let alone watch them on TV for hours on end every week. Yelling at a glass screen where the players could obviously not hear you made even less sense.
However, what I came to realize - and finally accept - was that even though sports was not important to me, it mattered to others that I cared about. And you know what? That was OK.
So my final revelation is this:
There is only value where you place value.
Each of us determines the value system for our lives - those things that are important to us, such as family, friends, code of ethics, causes we believe in, and so on. We may inherit them from our families as we grow up, but over time we fine-tune our value systems to model what is the most important to us. This helps us shape how we fit into the world - at least, as we perceive it.
Our value system also strongly affects how we interact with others, and how we behave towards each other in a variety of situations. The foundation of a strong team is a core set of common values, and learning to appreciate that other people have different values than yourself.
The most common source of misunderstanding and frustration is where values do not align, and you cannot seem to sort out the differences. However, the value of a great leader is being able to take that group of people with different skills, beliefs, backgrounds and attitudes - and then craft them into a Team with a common vision and shared values.
The principle is always the same, whether it is on a construction site, in the project office, or on a large patch of muddied grass.
(C) Fotolia 62470185
Good luck on your projects, keep an eye on the ball - and no matter where you go or what you do, support your favourite Team .
Email: Gary Nelson, PMP
Well, that's not exactly true - I loved swimming and spent almost every day during my young summers in the water at our local pool, and was part of the swim team. Wrinkly skin, and a persistent smell of chlorine - it was a wonderful way to spend a good part of your summer's day. Besides, when your town had an outdoor pool that was only open for 3-4 months out of the year, you made the most of it. The rest of the year it was either too cold, or just plain closed, as the pool was left drained for 6 months of the year while the temperatures plummeted from freezing down to -40 degrees Celsius in the coldest months.
In the winter, starting sometime in November, the outdoor ice rinks were getting into full swing. I spent a few winters trying to perfect long, graceful glides around the temporary oval of a Speed Skating rink on our Elementary school field, while my younger brothers were just starting getting into ice hockey at the PeeWee level.
I think I managed two or three years of Speed Skating before I stopped going, while my brothers went on to play hockey with a passion - and still do today, over thirty years later.
My favourite sport fell back to swimming, which I pursued through to Bronze Medallion, and still enjoy today.
The key thing about swimming is that it is very much a solo sport, even if you are on a swim team. Separate swim lanes, individual competitors - even when they held "team" races like a relay, you were still the only person in your lane at one time.
I did not enjoy team sports at all - not even Hockey, which is close to sacrilege for anyone born in Canada.
(C) Fotolia 59510276One for All and All for ... Someone ElseWhen I say I didn't enjoy team sports, that is exactly what I meant. Of course, everyone had to try a range of sports in school during PE and I was no exception, but as a general rule, I did not enjoy it.
I wasn't trying to be difficult, but a combination of poor coordination and being smaller than the sporty kids left me on the sidelines or regularly ridiculed when I tried each sport. Even though I tried to improve my skills through practice, in a small town it was hard to get away from the sporty kids, who were also my ever-present horde of bullies. When there were only 30 kids in your grade level in the town, it was even harder - the kids you played with all tended to be from your class. The result was the sporty kids got better playing after school, while I continued to be sidelined, or ridiculed further at my attempts to improve. Eventually I just gave up trying.
Needless to say, those experiences left a sour taste that lasted for years - long after my coordination and abilities caught up with my growing frame and I tried my hand at darts, golf and other skill-based solo sports, and some hoop practice with a basketball.
I had come to see most team sports as a place for jocks and the sporty ones - but not for me. I didn't even bother to watch professional games on TV - except for the hockey playoffs when the level of excitement infected even me.
The "I" in TeamThere is no "I" in team, or so the saying goes. It is all about the team , not being an individual, blah blah blah.
But for me, I just couldn't see the point of team sports - as far as I could see, it had no value. People running or skating about, whacking balls or pucks around, bashing each other and trying to get an object through - or into - some type of net.
Even though I was part of a hockey household with wildly varied dinner times as my younger brothers dashed about to hockey games here, there and everywhere, I just didn't "get it". I could see they had fun - and more than a few trips to the emergency room over the years. Dislocated joints, broken bones, concussions, but I just could not see why they continued to play, year after year.
While recovering from a dislocated shoulder, my youngest brother forgot his left hand on the bathroom counter one evening. He had been brushing his teeth, and his left arm was so weak he could not even lift it. He had to step back into the bathroom and pick up his left hand with his right, smiling sheepishly as I passed him on my in to brush my teeth. Even then, he couldn't wait to get back onto the ice rink.
Sometimes I thought I must be the only sane person in the room. My brothers had to be nuts to get back out there after each major injury.
Just last year (in his forties), the same brother lost the end off of one finger trying to catch a slap shot in his glove. I shook my head when I heard about it, half way around the world. His hockey team will always be "short-handed" from now on.
I came to believe, through observing my brothers and other people over the years, the "I" in Team must be "Insane", where sports was concerned.
A Change of HeartIf you have read any of my other articles, you will find that I feel quite strongly about the positive value and virtues of teamwork. So how can I reconcile a dislike of team sports with being a strong supporter of teams today?
Well, a few things have happened over the years to give me a change of heart.
The first was in 2001 (at the age of 34), when I was managing a system implementation project outside a major eastern US city. I was sitting in a bar on a Friday evening with a work colleague, winding down from a long week's work. An American College Football game was playing on the TV behind the bar, which I was busy ignoring as I dipped deep-fried cheese sticks into sour cream and jalapeno jam. My colleague had ordered them to share, and they were fantastic - hot and spicy, but perfectly balanced with the sour cream and some celery. My colleague had also brought us to the bar to watch the football game, as she was a big fan of football, held parties during the SuperBowl, the whole bit.
She was busy yelling at the TV in between jalapeno cheese bites, encouraging the players or complaining about bad plays. She noticed my comparative dis-interest, and asked if I watched football much.
"Not really," I said, feeling awkward. She had brought me to watch the game, but aside from knowing the basic rules, I didn't go out of my way to watch it. I had only been to one live football game in my life, and someone else had bought the tickets.
She took it as a challenge to help me enjoy the game, so she explained the rules in more detail and commented on each play as the game unfolded on the TV behind the bar. We finished the plate of jalapeno cheese sticks and ordered another. I soon found I was paying more attention to the game than I was to the fried cheese sticks, and they were starting to get cold. I was, for the first time in my life, enjoying watching a football game - but it wasn't the score or the throwing of the ball itself that interested me. It was the interaction of the players.
Something had switched on inside my head - I was seeing organized sport in a whole new light. I could see the coordination within the team, the players working together, trusting someone to be in the right place to catch the ball just as they were tackled. I could see the results of a well-executed play that relied on the whole team working together - and the failed play where one player tried to do it all on his own.
In that one evening, I had suddenly gained the ability to appreciate watching football, albeit from an unexpected angle. I was now seeing the game with a leader's eye.
The second revelation was not a particular event, but more of a gradual progression since that evening in 2001. Over the past 13 years, I have come to appreciate almost any other team sport - as long as I know the basic rules.I am now able to relate the teamwork I see every day on my projects to the teamwork I see on the sports field - whether it is basketball, rugby, baseball, soccer or any other team sport, even Cricket.
Although I still don't go out of my way to watch that much sport on TV, if I am watching it with someone else, I will enjoy watching it with them. Of course, live is often better than TV, so every now and then I will actually buy tickets for the family and we will go watch a live rugby game. I even went to a Cricket match with my teenager, and loved it.
The best joy of all, however, is now watching my own children play team sports - soccer and hockey. Not much ice in New Zealand so it is Inline Hockey, but hey - Hockey runs in the Canadian blood, even if it skipped a generation.
Summary When I was younger and did not appreciate team sports, I saw them as unimportant and without value. I literally could not understand why anyone would enjoy them - let alone watch them on TV for hours on end every week. Yelling at a glass screen where the players could obviously not hear you made even less sense.
However, what I came to realize - and finally accept - was that even though sports was not important to me, it mattered to others that I cared about. And you know what? That was OK.
So my final revelation is this:
There is only value where you place value.
Each of us determines the value system for our lives - those things that are important to us, such as family, friends, code of ethics, causes we believe in, and so on. We may inherit them from our families as we grow up, but over time we fine-tune our value systems to model what is the most important to us. This helps us shape how we fit into the world - at least, as we perceive it.
Our value system also strongly affects how we interact with others, and how we behave towards each other in a variety of situations. The foundation of a strong team is a core set of common values, and learning to appreciate that other people have different values than yourself.
The most common source of misunderstanding and frustration is where values do not align, and you cannot seem to sort out the differences. However, the value of a great leader is being able to take that group of people with different skills, beliefs, backgrounds and attitudes - and then craft them into a Team with a common vision and shared values.
The principle is always the same, whether it is on a construction site, in the project office, or on a large patch of muddied grass.
(C) Fotolia 62470185Good luck on your projects, keep an eye on the ball - and no matter where you go or what you do, support your favourite Team .
Email: Gary Nelson, PMP
May 26, 2014
Dis-Orientation: The importance of Project Vision
"Where there is no vision, the people perish..." Proverbs 29:18
One of the most important things you will do as a leader or Project Manager is to communicate a compelling vision to your team or organization. It not only sets the direction for the team and the project, it also begins to pull a group of individuals into a cohesive unit - and eventually, if all goes well, into a high-performing team.
Without vision, all is lost - or has the potential to be, unless you bring things back on track. This not only applies to your projects, it applies to "real life" too, as I learned first-hand many years ago...
Image (C) Fotolia 49516437
Up to the Snow In 1992, I went skiing with a work colleague and his wife on Mt Ruapehu, a large volcano in the center of the North Island of New Zealand. I had been once before, but this was their first time on the mountain. It was a brilliant, sunny winter day - clear and crisp, and you could see all the way to the west coast from the Turoa ski lodge. The sky was a deep, intense blue you can only get with pollution-free air.
When you drive up to the ski lodge there is a sign for a pullout about half way. No matter the apparent winter conditions, you have to stop and put chains on your car tires before driving any further. The altitude near the peak is high enough to support a permanent ice cap all year round, and the winter roads are often slick with black ice when they are not covered in snow.
One interesting fact about skiiing on a Volcano: When you line up to buy your lift tickets and rent ski gear, there are signs all around telling you that they can give you a 30 minute warning in the event of a volcanic event. If an event does happen, you are supposed to stay on the ridges, and not try to ski out down the gullies. Makes a lot of sense, really - water, mud or lava will flow down the low points in the gullies first.
It was not an idle warning - when I was there in 1992, there was a large hot water crater lake, surrounded by ice. A small 'burp' from the volcano could make the lake level rise, melt the ice and cause a mud flow called a Lahar. In 1953, the crater lake level rose in the middle of the night and caused a massive Lahar down the eastern side of the mountain, through the Whakapapa ski field. It wiped out a ski chalet and a railway bridge near Tangiwai, minutes before a passenger train dove into the chasm, killing 151 people. It was the worst railway disaster in New Zealand history.
Note: The large hot water lake in the crater is smaller than it used to be; in 1995 and again in 1996 a series of eruptions reshaped the top of the mountain. The eruptions started September 25, 1995 - near the end of the ski season. People were still skiing while it vented ash. Things quietened down through the summer, and the ski fields were preparing to open for the season when another eruption cycle started on June 17, 1996. There have been other minor eruptions (2006) and a lahar (2007) since then.
Duly warned, we put on our skis and made our way over to the ski lift. I took off my prescription glasses and put them away in my small backpack. I pulled out a pair of regular polarized sunglasses with a sport strap and slipped them on. I could not see as clearly, but I had skied that way before - things were a bit fuzzy but I could see shapes well enough to stay on the trail and avoid running into things at least. With the strong NZ sunlight, I needed to protect my eyes from the harsh UV rays and snow glare more than I needed sharp vision.
I quickly learned that skiing on Ruapehu was different than every other mountain I had skied on before. The first, obvious difference was the lack of trees - Ruapehu only had rocks poking out of the snow here and there, otherwise everything was white. It made it a lot harder to see where the runs were - a lot of the time, you had to rely on simply following the tracks made by other skiers. There were no clear edges to any of the runs - unless you counted the occasional cliffs and drop-offs, which were still white-on-white. Fortunately, it was fairly easy to follow the tracks of the other skiers. With my polarized sunglasses, I could clearly see the sharp edges of white and shadow in the snow, even with my blurred vision.
The three of us skied together the whole time - but as they were more experienced, they were often waiting for me at the bottom of each run. At around 3pm we paused near the top of one run to admire the clear, perfect view of Mt Taranaki - a classic volcanic cone, far away on the west coast. Looking to the left, we could see some cloud approaching from the south, getting close to the mountain. We were getting tired and hungry anyway, so we decided to call it a day and head back down to the ski lodge. The runs were already emptying out - and as slow as I was, no one had passed me in a while. For long stretches of time, the only people I could see were my friends up in front.
As we descended, the cloud enveloped the mountain. It was not a thick cloud, more like a dense fog - there was still plenty of light coming through it from above. That, however, was the problem - everything was now a brilliant, diffuse white, and because of the fog you could not see anyone or anything beyond about 10 metres. We slowed down so that we would not suddenly come across any large rocks (or cliffs) at speed, but the visibility rapidly deteriorated.
My colleague and his wife seemed to be OK up in front, but I was having increasing difficulty in seeing where I was going - I could only see where to go by following their dark shapes ahead of me. The faint outlines of the ski tracks in the snow had long since disappeared in the white glow, with no shadows remaining. Only the occasional black rock here and there reassured me the outer edge of the run was still on my right.
At one point I took off my sunglasses because I thought I could see just a hint of shadow, or difference in the snow without them - with my astigmatism it was still a blur, but it was the best I could manage. I couldn't stop to get my prescription glasses out of my bag - my colleague and his wife were getting ahead of me. By now we were very worried about getting down to the lodge. The glasses probably wouldn't have helped much anyway.
We continued to ski like that down the hill with them leading, just ahead, but they got faster and faster as they got more nervous. I was struggling to keep up - and to see. At one point the pair completely disappeared into the fog, so I sped up even more to catch up. I suddenly felt very alone, vulnerable and disoriented.
A moment later, I was airborne - white all around, above and below me, with no sense of movement. I was not even sure I was still upright.
Project VisionThere are many books and countless articles about leadership, and nearly as many about the importance of setting a vision for your team. Vision is not only about having goals - although setting goals is an essential part about getting things done. Vision is much more than that - a well-communicated vision generates emotion and passion within the team. It creates a common identity, a strong sense of purpose and direction. With good leadership, a compelling vision and a skilled, engaged team working together, there are practically no limits to what you can accomplish together.
The most powerful thing a team can buy into is Purpose - why we are doing this project, who it will help, and how we can make a difference. When people understand, accept and embody these themes, they will commit themselves wholeheartedly to the common vision - be it a short-term project, or the long-term future of your company.
The opposite to this is also true - if you do not have a compelling vision driving you, pulling you, pushing you onwards, you are likely to have a team busy spinning their wheels and accomplishing nothing. Sure - they may look busy, they may even produce mountains of paperwork as proof-of-life, but if they are not pulling in the same direction, you will soon find out you are going nowhere.
Ooof!
After a brief eternity, I landed skis-first on firm snow and promptly fell over. I was at the bottom of a curved gulley, used as a natural half-pipe for snowboarders. A few of them were doing their last runs of the day and whooshed on by me.
My colleague and his wife were standing at the side of the gully waiting for me, and came over to help me up. They had seen the lip of the gulley and had skied gently down the side. In my haste and blurred vision, I had not seen the edge at all, and flew nearly 3 metres out and 3 metres down to land on packed snow in the middle of the gully - shaken, embarrassed, but not hurt. We skied the rest of the way out without incident - we were now below the main cloud level, and we could see our way a more and more clearly with thicker cloud above and improved contrast.
SummaryHaving clear vision - both in the literal sense, and on your projects - is essential to success. Whether your goal is to simply get down off a mountain, or to deliver a complex multimillion dollar project on time and meet your stakeholder's needs, you simply can't do without it.
And sometimes Vision, or the lack of it, can literally mean life-or-death.
Wait a minute, you may say - aren't you overdoing it, just a bit? I mean how hard can it be to find your way back down to the ski lodge?
The dazzling white cloud that made it so hard for us to see was actually the leading edge of a storm that lasted for two days. We only had our clothes, skis and small packs with water and snacks - we were not prepared to bivouac in the snow. It would have been all too easy for us to get off the trail, and miss the ski lodge completely.
Two years earlier, on August 13, 1990, a group of soldiers and Naval ratings on a winter survival course were not so lucky. They were caught in an intense blizzard with high winds and zero visibility, but were not prepared for it. They had become disoriented near the summit, and dug snow caves for shelter while two men went for help. Rescuers found them three days later, huddled in the snow and suffering from exposure. Six frozen bodies were found only 150 metres from the Dome Hut, where they could have taken shelter and survived - if only they could have seen it.
Good luck with your projects, dress warm - and never forget the importance of a clear and compelling Vision.
Email: Gary Nelson, PMP
One of the most important things you will do as a leader or Project Manager is to communicate a compelling vision to your team or organization. It not only sets the direction for the team and the project, it also begins to pull a group of individuals into a cohesive unit - and eventually, if all goes well, into a high-performing team.
Without vision, all is lost - or has the potential to be, unless you bring things back on track. This not only applies to your projects, it applies to "real life" too, as I learned first-hand many years ago...
Image (C) Fotolia 49516437Up to the Snow In 1992, I went skiing with a work colleague and his wife on Mt Ruapehu, a large volcano in the center of the North Island of New Zealand. I had been once before, but this was their first time on the mountain. It was a brilliant, sunny winter day - clear and crisp, and you could see all the way to the west coast from the Turoa ski lodge. The sky was a deep, intense blue you can only get with pollution-free air.
When you drive up to the ski lodge there is a sign for a pullout about half way. No matter the apparent winter conditions, you have to stop and put chains on your car tires before driving any further. The altitude near the peak is high enough to support a permanent ice cap all year round, and the winter roads are often slick with black ice when they are not covered in snow.
One interesting fact about skiiing on a Volcano: When you line up to buy your lift tickets and rent ski gear, there are signs all around telling you that they can give you a 30 minute warning in the event of a volcanic event. If an event does happen, you are supposed to stay on the ridges, and not try to ski out down the gullies. Makes a lot of sense, really - water, mud or lava will flow down the low points in the gullies first.
It was not an idle warning - when I was there in 1992, there was a large hot water crater lake, surrounded by ice. A small 'burp' from the volcano could make the lake level rise, melt the ice and cause a mud flow called a Lahar. In 1953, the crater lake level rose in the middle of the night and caused a massive Lahar down the eastern side of the mountain, through the Whakapapa ski field. It wiped out a ski chalet and a railway bridge near Tangiwai, minutes before a passenger train dove into the chasm, killing 151 people. It was the worst railway disaster in New Zealand history.
Note: The large hot water lake in the crater is smaller than it used to be; in 1995 and again in 1996 a series of eruptions reshaped the top of the mountain. The eruptions started September 25, 1995 - near the end of the ski season. People were still skiing while it vented ash. Things quietened down through the summer, and the ski fields were preparing to open for the season when another eruption cycle started on June 17, 1996. There have been other minor eruptions (2006) and a lahar (2007) since then.
Duly warned, we put on our skis and made our way over to the ski lift. I took off my prescription glasses and put them away in my small backpack. I pulled out a pair of regular polarized sunglasses with a sport strap and slipped them on. I could not see as clearly, but I had skied that way before - things were a bit fuzzy but I could see shapes well enough to stay on the trail and avoid running into things at least. With the strong NZ sunlight, I needed to protect my eyes from the harsh UV rays and snow glare more than I needed sharp vision.
I quickly learned that skiing on Ruapehu was different than every other mountain I had skied on before. The first, obvious difference was the lack of trees - Ruapehu only had rocks poking out of the snow here and there, otherwise everything was white. It made it a lot harder to see where the runs were - a lot of the time, you had to rely on simply following the tracks made by other skiers. There were no clear edges to any of the runs - unless you counted the occasional cliffs and drop-offs, which were still white-on-white. Fortunately, it was fairly easy to follow the tracks of the other skiers. With my polarized sunglasses, I could clearly see the sharp edges of white and shadow in the snow, even with my blurred vision.
The three of us skied together the whole time - but as they were more experienced, they were often waiting for me at the bottom of each run. At around 3pm we paused near the top of one run to admire the clear, perfect view of Mt Taranaki - a classic volcanic cone, far away on the west coast. Looking to the left, we could see some cloud approaching from the south, getting close to the mountain. We were getting tired and hungry anyway, so we decided to call it a day and head back down to the ski lodge. The runs were already emptying out - and as slow as I was, no one had passed me in a while. For long stretches of time, the only people I could see were my friends up in front.
As we descended, the cloud enveloped the mountain. It was not a thick cloud, more like a dense fog - there was still plenty of light coming through it from above. That, however, was the problem - everything was now a brilliant, diffuse white, and because of the fog you could not see anyone or anything beyond about 10 metres. We slowed down so that we would not suddenly come across any large rocks (or cliffs) at speed, but the visibility rapidly deteriorated.
My colleague and his wife seemed to be OK up in front, but I was having increasing difficulty in seeing where I was going - I could only see where to go by following their dark shapes ahead of me. The faint outlines of the ski tracks in the snow had long since disappeared in the white glow, with no shadows remaining. Only the occasional black rock here and there reassured me the outer edge of the run was still on my right.
At one point I took off my sunglasses because I thought I could see just a hint of shadow, or difference in the snow without them - with my astigmatism it was still a blur, but it was the best I could manage. I couldn't stop to get my prescription glasses out of my bag - my colleague and his wife were getting ahead of me. By now we were very worried about getting down to the lodge. The glasses probably wouldn't have helped much anyway.
We continued to ski like that down the hill with them leading, just ahead, but they got faster and faster as they got more nervous. I was struggling to keep up - and to see. At one point the pair completely disappeared into the fog, so I sped up even more to catch up. I suddenly felt very alone, vulnerable and disoriented.
A moment later, I was airborne - white all around, above and below me, with no sense of movement. I was not even sure I was still upright.
Project VisionThere are many books and countless articles about leadership, and nearly as many about the importance of setting a vision for your team. Vision is not only about having goals - although setting goals is an essential part about getting things done. Vision is much more than that - a well-communicated vision generates emotion and passion within the team. It creates a common identity, a strong sense of purpose and direction. With good leadership, a compelling vision and a skilled, engaged team working together, there are practically no limits to what you can accomplish together.
The most powerful thing a team can buy into is Purpose - why we are doing this project, who it will help, and how we can make a difference. When people understand, accept and embody these themes, they will commit themselves wholeheartedly to the common vision - be it a short-term project, or the long-term future of your company.
The opposite to this is also true - if you do not have a compelling vision driving you, pulling you, pushing you onwards, you are likely to have a team busy spinning their wheels and accomplishing nothing. Sure - they may look busy, they may even produce mountains of paperwork as proof-of-life, but if they are not pulling in the same direction, you will soon find out you are going nowhere.
Ooof!
After a brief eternity, I landed skis-first on firm snow and promptly fell over. I was at the bottom of a curved gulley, used as a natural half-pipe for snowboarders. A few of them were doing their last runs of the day and whooshed on by me.
My colleague and his wife were standing at the side of the gully waiting for me, and came over to help me up. They had seen the lip of the gulley and had skied gently down the side. In my haste and blurred vision, I had not seen the edge at all, and flew nearly 3 metres out and 3 metres down to land on packed snow in the middle of the gully - shaken, embarrassed, but not hurt. We skied the rest of the way out without incident - we were now below the main cloud level, and we could see our way a more and more clearly with thicker cloud above and improved contrast.
SummaryHaving clear vision - both in the literal sense, and on your projects - is essential to success. Whether your goal is to simply get down off a mountain, or to deliver a complex multimillion dollar project on time and meet your stakeholder's needs, you simply can't do without it.
And sometimes Vision, or the lack of it, can literally mean life-or-death.
Wait a minute, you may say - aren't you overdoing it, just a bit? I mean how hard can it be to find your way back down to the ski lodge?
The dazzling white cloud that made it so hard for us to see was actually the leading edge of a storm that lasted for two days. We only had our clothes, skis and small packs with water and snacks - we were not prepared to bivouac in the snow. It would have been all too easy for us to get off the trail, and miss the ski lodge completely.
Two years earlier, on August 13, 1990, a group of soldiers and Naval ratings on a winter survival course were not so lucky. They were caught in an intense blizzard with high winds and zero visibility, but were not prepared for it. They had become disoriented near the summit, and dug snow caves for shelter while two men went for help. Rescuers found them three days later, huddled in the snow and suffering from exposure. Six frozen bodies were found only 150 metres from the Dome Hut, where they could have taken shelter and survived - if only they could have seen it.
Good luck with your projects, dress warm - and never forget the importance of a clear and compelling Vision.
Email: Gary Nelson, PMP
May 13, 2014
Project Management Kids Camp 2014: Developing youth to become empowered, successful citizens of tomorrow
The following is a great initiative that I learned about at a recent PMI Leadership Institute Meeting in Dubai. I met and talked with several board members from the PMI Poland Chapter, and was greatly impressed with the passion and energy they have put into promoting Project Management Life Skills for children over the past 10 years. They are now expanding and adding a new camp in another region of Poland this year.
I think you will find this inspiring - and I hope you can help in some way!
- Gary
Project Management Kids Camp 2014: Developing youth to become empowered, successful citizens of tomorrow
Summer Camp is something that many children and families look forward to every year. Experiencing the great outdoors, camping in tents or cabins, swimming in a lake, roasting marshmallows over an open fire, and participating in a wide range of activities with dozens of other children are some of the things that these lucky children have to look forward to every year.
But what about the children who cannot afford to go to camp, especially those who do not have a family?
Every year since 2004, the PMI Poland Chapter(Gdansk Branch) has run an English Camp for orphaned children ages 9 to 14 (http://english-camp.pl/?lang=en). The Summer English Camp started in 2004, and Winter English Camp was added in 2009. At the camp, these under-privileged children enjoy many of the things that other children do at a typical camp, but they also get to do much, much more.
The camps run by the PMI Poland Chapter are fun, but they also provide lasting value to the children who attend these events. When most children head home after a typical summer camp is finished, they take with them fond memories and new friendships. The children who attend the PMI Poland Project Management Kids Camps will leave with fond memories and new friendships, but they also take with them a range of life skills that will set them up for success for years to come.
The Project Management Kids Camp is designed to teach essential life skills to children, using project management concepts as a solid foundation. Each year, between 20 and 30 orphans will get the opportunity to go to camp, with the numbers dependent on financial contributions from sponsors. The camp is not-for-profit, and is organized and run entirely by approximately 40 volunteers who donate their time and passion each year to ensure that these children have a fun time at camp, while also developing new skills. Not all of the volunteers are from Poland; there are a number of volunteers who come from other countries and even from overseas to donate their time and skills to the camp.
Following 10 years of success in running the summer camp program in Gdańsk, the PMI Poland Chapter is now expanding the summer camp program. The Warsaw Branch will be running their first Project Management Kids Camp in Serock, which is being held from July 20 to August 3, 2014. They are looking for volunteers to help run the camp, and sponsors to help support the orphaned children to attend the camp in Serock.
The main theme of the camp in Serock this year is Make a Movie, as the children will work together through the 14 days of camp to create a film of their own design from the early concept stage through to the finished production.
Volunteers and sponsors are welcome to support either camp in Poland, but we are looking to make sure the first Project Mangement Kids Camp in Serock is a resounding success - and in order to achieve that goal, we need you!
About the campProject management skills are not something that is limited to a select few experts; the basic skills involved in working on and managing projects can benefit many aspects of everyone's work and personal life. Developing these skills at a young age not only enables these empowered learners to be more successful in school today, it also sets them up to become successful in any career they choose when they graduate and enter the workforce.
During the Project Management Kids Camp at Serock, the children will engage in a wide range of fun activities as they work together in project teams to produce their own movie. These will include:- Learning project management concepts- Learning and practising English- Sports- Dance- Music- Cooking- Photography- Robotics- Workshops in graphics, arts and handicrafts
The children will gain self-confidence and practical experience as they develop scenarios, create soundtracks, design and select scenery, take photos, record video, create posters, invitations and marketing tools to promote their movie. But above all, the greatest benefits will come from developing collaboration skills by working as a team to achieve a common goal - and to enjoy the shared sense of accomplishment as they showcase their movie at the premiere.
Through participating in these activities, these children will learn essential project management and life skills such as team building, communication, critical and creative thinking, planning, management, budgeting and scheduling. As the children learn and practice these skills, both during and after the camp, there is no telling how far they can go!
How can I help?The PMI Poland Chapter is need of both volunteers and sponsors.
Volunteers: If you are able to volunteer your time and skills to the camp, please contact Agnieszka or Piotr for more information about how you can contribute. They are looking for a wide range of skills in order to deliver a successful camp, and you do not need to be a project manager in order to volunteer.
Sponsors: The cost to send a child to camp is approximately 2000 PLN per child ($660 USD/ 390 GBP / 480 Euro). Any amount you are able to donate to support an orphaned child going to camp is welcome, but if you are able to fully sponsor one or more children, that will help ensure their place at the camp.
There are also many benefits of being a sponsor, in addition to the key satisfaction of having helped to make an orphan's life better by providing them an opportunity to gain valuable life skills - an opportunity they would not have without your support. Thanks to partnerships with other PMI Chapters, the PMI Poland Chapter can offer sponsors such opportunities as participation in PMI conferences and seminars in Warsaw and London, or publications of their articles in magazines and newspapers in Poland and the UK.
Photos: English camp in Gdansk | Used with permission of the PMI Poland Chapter - pmi.org.pl
For more information on volunteering for the camp or the benefits of becoming a sponsor, please contact the PMI Poland Chapter:
PMI Poland Chapter Project Sponsor - Agnieszka Krogulec (agnieszka.krogulec@pmi.org.pl)
Project Management Kids Camp Fundraising Lead - Piotr Wieleba (pwieleba@gmail.com)
The next step belongs to you - are you prepared to help make a positive difference in an orphan's life?
Related links:
PMI Poland Chapter
PMI Education Foundation
PMI UK Chapter
I think you will find this inspiring - and I hope you can help in some way!
- Gary
Project Management Kids Camp 2014: Developing youth to become empowered, successful citizens of tomorrow
Summer Camp is something that many children and families look forward to every year. Experiencing the great outdoors, camping in tents or cabins, swimming in a lake, roasting marshmallows over an open fire, and participating in a wide range of activities with dozens of other children are some of the things that these lucky children have to look forward to every year.
But what about the children who cannot afford to go to camp, especially those who do not have a family?Every year since 2004, the PMI Poland Chapter(Gdansk Branch) has run an English Camp for orphaned children ages 9 to 14 (http://english-camp.pl/?lang=en). The Summer English Camp started in 2004, and Winter English Camp was added in 2009. At the camp, these under-privileged children enjoy many of the things that other children do at a typical camp, but they also get to do much, much more.
The camps run by the PMI Poland Chapter are fun, but they also provide lasting value to the children who attend these events. When most children head home after a typical summer camp is finished, they take with them fond memories and new friendships. The children who attend the PMI Poland Project Management Kids Camps will leave with fond memories and new friendships, but they also take with them a range of life skills that will set them up for success for years to come.
The Project Management Kids Camp is designed to teach essential life skills to children, using project management concepts as a solid foundation. Each year, between 20 and 30 orphans will get the opportunity to go to camp, with the numbers dependent on financial contributions from sponsors. The camp is not-for-profit, and is organized and run entirely by approximately 40 volunteers who donate their time and passion each year to ensure that these children have a fun time at camp, while also developing new skills. Not all of the volunteers are from Poland; there are a number of volunteers who come from other countries and even from overseas to donate their time and skills to the camp.
Following 10 years of success in running the summer camp program in Gdańsk, the PMI Poland Chapter is now expanding the summer camp program. The Warsaw Branch will be running their first Project Management Kids Camp in Serock, which is being held from July 20 to August 3, 2014. They are looking for volunteers to help run the camp, and sponsors to help support the orphaned children to attend the camp in Serock.
The main theme of the camp in Serock this year is Make a Movie, as the children will work together through the 14 days of camp to create a film of their own design from the early concept stage through to the finished production.
Volunteers and sponsors are welcome to support either camp in Poland, but we are looking to make sure the first Project Mangement Kids Camp in Serock is a resounding success - and in order to achieve that goal, we need you!
About the campProject management skills are not something that is limited to a select few experts; the basic skills involved in working on and managing projects can benefit many aspects of everyone's work and personal life. Developing these skills at a young age not only enables these empowered learners to be more successful in school today, it also sets them up to become successful in any career they choose when they graduate and enter the workforce.
During the Project Management Kids Camp at Serock, the children will engage in a wide range of fun activities as they work together in project teams to produce their own movie. These will include:- Learning project management concepts- Learning and practising English- Sports- Dance- Music- Cooking- Photography- Robotics- Workshops in graphics, arts and handicrafts
The children will gain self-confidence and practical experience as they develop scenarios, create soundtracks, design and select scenery, take photos, record video, create posters, invitations and marketing tools to promote their movie. But above all, the greatest benefits will come from developing collaboration skills by working as a team to achieve a common goal - and to enjoy the shared sense of accomplishment as they showcase their movie at the premiere.
Through participating in these activities, these children will learn essential project management and life skills such as team building, communication, critical and creative thinking, planning, management, budgeting and scheduling. As the children learn and practice these skills, both during and after the camp, there is no telling how far they can go!
How can I help?The PMI Poland Chapter is need of both volunteers and sponsors.
Volunteers: If you are able to volunteer your time and skills to the camp, please contact Agnieszka or Piotr for more information about how you can contribute. They are looking for a wide range of skills in order to deliver a successful camp, and you do not need to be a project manager in order to volunteer.
Sponsors: The cost to send a child to camp is approximately 2000 PLN per child ($660 USD/ 390 GBP / 480 Euro). Any amount you are able to donate to support an orphaned child going to camp is welcome, but if you are able to fully sponsor one or more children, that will help ensure their place at the camp.
There are also many benefits of being a sponsor, in addition to the key satisfaction of having helped to make an orphan's life better by providing them an opportunity to gain valuable life skills - an opportunity they would not have without your support. Thanks to partnerships with other PMI Chapters, the PMI Poland Chapter can offer sponsors such opportunities as participation in PMI conferences and seminars in Warsaw and London, or publications of their articles in magazines and newspapers in Poland and the UK.
Photos: English camp in Gdansk | Used with permission of the PMI Poland Chapter - pmi.org.plFor more information on volunteering for the camp or the benefits of becoming a sponsor, please contact the PMI Poland Chapter:
PMI Poland Chapter Project Sponsor - Agnieszka Krogulec (agnieszka.krogulec@pmi.org.pl)
Project Management Kids Camp Fundraising Lead - Piotr Wieleba (pwieleba@gmail.com)
The next step belongs to you - are you prepared to help make a positive difference in an orphan's life?
Related links:
PMI Poland Chapter
PMI Education Foundation
PMI UK Chapter
May 9, 2014
May Your Projects Never Be Late Again: Secrets from a Road Trip
How do you make sure your projects complete on time? When you set a deadline, you are supposed communicate it to everyone, right? Then, presumably,the entire team will work towards that date, vendor and client alike, to make it happen.
That is usually what happens on most projects - you may be a little late on some target dates, a little early on others, but generally all of you are working towards the same dates, and hopefully the same priorities.
But what about when it doesn't work out, and deadlines are missed repeatedly?
Certainly you can apply contract penalties to a vendor, but that does not always help to achieve the desired effect of getting finished on time.
(C) Fotolia_44112672 What do you do if it seems like part of your own team is disregarding your schedule? What if they seem to have a different sense of timing altogether, no matter how clearly you communicate the priorities and schedule?
This can be particularly problematic as you near the end of the project, when there is still a lot left to get wrapped up. People may be getting tired and losing focus - but you need to keep them delivering, right to the end.
Tempers may flare, relationships can suffer, and you can end up with an even bigger mess on your hands if you are not careful, with little to show for your project as you near that all-important deadline. All the while, the clock is still ticking.
A family friend was plagued with this problem for many years - until he figured out the secret. He not only found out a way to keep a very important chronologically-challenged team member/stakeholder happy, but he also managed to bring things back on schedule, time and time again.
So how did he do it?
Does Anybody Really Know What Time It Is?
Time, they say - is relative. This is particularly true when you are on holiday, and especially so when you take a road trip to see family and friends. The clock seems to have its own independent pace, or at least you don't care much about it until it is time to leave. Then, the clock suddenly grabs your attention again and you have that familiar feeling of pressure - of time weighing down on you.
The problem is - this time pressure often only seems to be affecting you. The rest of the team are still in holiday mode, clocks switched off and hidden from sight. Getting there may have been half the fun - but the going home part may not seem that fun at all. So why should they think about it?
However, you still need to get them moving; it's time to go, real life beckons - and you have no choice but to get them re-focused and prepare them for the last leg of the Road Trip.
(C) Fotolia_44112672
There is a lot to do and not much time, so we will spell it out as we go. Let's get started!
For our R.O.A.D.T.R.I.P, we need to consider the following:
Rapportnoun - a close and harmonious relationship in which the people or groups concerned understand each other's feelings or ideas and communicate well.
When you start out on your project or on your journey, you need to have a common vision and purpose. Simply put, you need to communicate and understand where you are all trying to go and what you are planning to achieve. If one of you heads out the back door instead of getting into the car, you have a problem before you even put the keys in the ignition.
On a project, this is achieved by clearly articulating the vision and desired outcomes. Ideally the project sponsor or a key stakeholder communicates the message to the project team, but failing that, the Project Manager should take on the task. If logistics permit, try to have everyone together in the same room, at the same time - the Project Kickoff is an ideal opportunity for this.
When you share the vision with the full team early into the project, it eliminates a lot of potential misunderstandings. The team also gets to meet each other (some for the first time), and they will begin to develop a sense of rapport that will carry them through the project, even if they work at a distance from each other.
This sense of rapport will also help you push through to the end, particularly if the core team is around for the full duration of the project.
--
When I was twelve, friends of our family and their two boys came to stay with us for a week-long visit. We lived in a small town at the time, with not a lot generally going on, so visits from family or friends were kind of a big deal. How small was the town? Well, under a thousand, unless you added in the dogs and cats. So really, not much going on compared to a big city.
Our friends had lived in the town for several years, and we had become close; the two boys were best friends with my younger brothers, being closer in age to each other. They had moved down to Vancouver the year before, so we were all looking forward to the visit.
They arrived in their car late one summer afternoon, we helped them unload their car, and the visit began. Kids first played in the house, then in the yard, and then the noise carried on down the street, friends re-connecting and just having fun. The adults caught up on recent events, chatting for a while in the kitchen, then the conversation moved out to the back yard. The swatting of mosquitoes struck a counterpoint to the sizzle of hamburgers and steaks grilling on the Barbeque. The conversations went on late into the evening, well after the younger kids were supposed to be in bed.
Organize the Team
Once you know where you are going and what you need to do, you will need to organize the project team to get the job done. Depending on your project, this may be a small internal team, or a large, distributed team involving multiple vendors, business units and teams spread across the planet.
You need to organize the project team and assign tasks from the outset, but this is only half the battle. Managing the return journey, or the final leg of the project, can require some special handling. Some people may not want it to end, and may drag their feet on producing those final deliverables. Incidentally, this common drag-your-feet mentality may have also spawned the "20/80" rule, i.e. "the last 20 percent of the project can seem to take 80 percent of the effort".
--
Throughout the visit, the adults visited and kids played, from sun-up to sun down. Everyone enjoyed themselves and the time they spent together. A week can seem like a long time, but it is far too short when you are having fun visiting. However, as with all visits, it was finally coming to an end.
The night before they were to leave, the visiting father announced their schedule for the morning. He stressed that he didn't want to leave late, as they had a long drive ahead of them.
"We need to get up early, have breakfast, and get packed up quickly so we can all be on the road by 10am," he said firmly. His wife nodded. The boys sighed. "We need everybody helping, so we can get out of here on time."
Act on the Plan When you have the vision, the team and your plan, you need to put it into action. Otherwise it is all just a nice theory and a pretty Gantt chart on the wall.
Plain and simple, you just need get to work - and follow the plan! Sounds, simple right?
--
In the morning, we all got up early and had breakfast. Once the suitcases were packed, my younger brothers and the other two boys shot out the back door for a last chance to play before they had to leave. They made the most of it, tearing up and down the street, some riding on bicycles with the others running along behind. Inside the house, the adults were chatting - well, at least the two mothers still were.
I was outside with the men, helping them carry the suitcases and bags out to the car. After nudging one suitcase a little tighter into the pile, the visiting father walked back up to the front door, and called up into the house.
"Hurry up Dear, we need to get going. We want to make it to the hotel before dinner."
"Just another minute!" was the reply.
Decide what is Actually Important Not everything on your project is important. Well, not of equal importance anyway. There will be different sets of priorities as you work through the project, and as a result, not all relationships will go smoothly. At times, some people will disagree with your priorities or simply rub you the wrong way.
The key thing is to think about what is most important in each situation before you react - what is the most important thing - the schedule, the deliverable - or the relationship?
--
He grunted as he lifted the next pair of suitcases and then walked towards the car. I grabbed a smaller suitcase and followed behind. He set down the suitcases and looked at his watch. Reading it up-side-down, I could see it was five minutes to 10.
He seemed pretty relaxed though, which surprised me. My father had told me that his friend hated to be late, and got really grumpy about it.
The odd thing was, he did not look grumpy or annoyed at all.
More curious than polite, I just straight out asked him. "Why aren't you grumpy?"
He raised an eyebrow. "Why would I be grumpy?"
"Because Dad said you don't like to be late," I replied.
Tactics Dealing with people is hard, especially when they are not doing what you want them to be doing. It takes a lot of effort to communicate, manage expectations, re-share the vision and priorities, re-set expectations, communicate some more, only to find they are still not complying, or simply "not getting it". It can be extremely frustrating - but you have to be smart about how you approach it, rather than just acting on your frustration.
You may simply need to employ different tactics - if you can't solve the problem head on, try and approach it from a different angle.
--
He gave a little smile. "I used to get grumpy when we would go on trips. The first few years we were married, I got very frustrated whenever we were trying to leave. My wife would always want to have a little more time to visit or look around, no matter what I did or said."
He lifted a suitcase into the back of the car. "At first, I decided I would just start packing up early and load the car myself, to give her more time to visit. That way, she would hopefully feel she had visited enough, and would know it was time to go when I finished packing the car."
ReflectAction is not everything. Sometimes, you just need to take a step back and look at the situation or the project from a distance. When you are in the thick of things, it can be hard to look at the big picture.
You need some time to reflect on a regular basis. Little inspiration actually happens when we are sitting at our desks, slogging away, focused on the small details. You may have already noticed that your best ideas happen when you are taking a short break, during a walk around the block, or simply on the way to the water cooler, or stepping out to get a coffee.
If you find you are getting stuck on a problem, or getting all worked up about it, you need to get up, stretch, and take a short break away from your work area. This applies equally to project problems and people problems. Take a break and some time to reflect on the issue - it will be time well invested.
--
He picked up the second suitcase and stuffed it into the back of the car. "Unfortunately, it didn't work. I would end up doing most of the work to pack up, and she still kept visiting long after I had finished packing the car. We would always end up leaving late, and we would often argue in the car once we got driving down the road."
"Let me tell you, you don't want to make your wife angry, even when you think you're right. It's not worth it," he warned.
Innovate"If at first you don't succeed, try, try again." - Thomas H. Palmer
One key to success is to not keep doing the same things over and over again. One definition of insanity is where you repeat the same thing over and over again, but expect different results.
If what you are doing is not working, try again, certainly - but try something else. You may just need to apply a small tweak, or you may need to come up with something truly different.
One key difference between a project problem and a people problem is you can try variations on a theme with a project problem as much as you like. However, if you try that with people, it is seldom successful - they will soon see through your repeated, feeble attempts to get them to change, and more than likely get annoyed with you and become even more resistant to your efforts.
You need to be truly innovative - and you may eventually realize that you can't change other people - but you can change you, and your approach to things.
--
He took the suitcase from my hand and put it on top of the other two."But now, it all works out. She gets to visit, I still load the car, and we all leave happy."
"How do you do that?" I asked as he closed the back of the car.
"I finally got smart. I realized that she would never change - she would always want to have the last few minutes of visiting. After all, it would be months or even a year before we would see our friends again. I finally learned the secret," he winked.
Kids love secrets. "What was it? What?"
Plan for DelaysNo project runs perfectly to all parts of the original schedule. You need to allow for some slippage, for under-estimation of task effort. When you build your plan, you will factor in all of the things you know, and probably a lot of assumptions. You will also likely include people factors into your estimates as well - i.e. if we are able to get Bob on that part of the project, we will be able to get that done in (X) weeks, but James would take a couple weeks longer, because he has less experience.
It is bad practice to always try to design for the best-case schedule; you may not be able to get Bob or James, or even your third pick. If you need to bring in somebody new, it may even take (2X) to get the job done.
Instead, design for a realistic schedule, taking into consideration the potential resources and the level of risk on your project. Don't make it too lean or too padded, but you need to plan for a few inevitable delays. You may also want to introduce additional deadlines ahead of the important ones, in order to identify potential delays early.
--
He leaned down close to me and whispered. "I gave her a different departure time than when we actually need to leave. If we need to leave at Noon to get to the next stop in time, I will tell her we need to leave no later than 10am."
He stood up, still speaking quietly. "That way, she gets to visit a little longer, and we still leave a little early according to my schedule. When we finally get in the car, everybody is happy, and she feels just a little bit guilty about being late. However, I am smiling inside instead of being grumpy. There are no more arguments in the car about leaving late."
SummaryIf history has shown that a particular project resource or vendor is habitually late, you may need to take extraordinary measures to ensure they don't impact your project deadlines.
The reasons behind the lateness can vary widely, from misinterpreting your final deadlines as their delivery deadlines, or a misaligned set of priorities. Proactive communication is always your best tool - but if they are late in delivery time after time, and they appear unlikely to change behavior, you need to take a step beyond the project norms.
It might only be used as a last resort, but in cases like this, you may need to have two sets of deadlines.
the set you share openly for them to deliver to you, and the real, final, "secret" (internal) deadlines that you are responsible to deliver to your sponsor.In the end, you have to do what it takes to make sure you can deliver your project - on time.
--
He winked. "Of course, I still have to act a little grumpy to hurry them into the car, or we really would be late. But you have to promise me you won't tell her the secret, or it won't work anymore."
I still haven't told her - although if she reads this, the cat is finally out of the bag. Of course, it has been well over thirty years since then, so she may have already figured it out by herself.
Good luck with your projects, enjoy the Road Trip, and may all your projects complete on time - however you need to define your schedule.
Email: Gary Nelson, PMP
Books: www.gazzasguides.com
Project resources for kids: www.projectkidsadventures.com
That is usually what happens on most projects - you may be a little late on some target dates, a little early on others, but generally all of you are working towards the same dates, and hopefully the same priorities.
But what about when it doesn't work out, and deadlines are missed repeatedly?
Certainly you can apply contract penalties to a vendor, but that does not always help to achieve the desired effect of getting finished on time.
(C) Fotolia_44112672 What do you do if it seems like part of your own team is disregarding your schedule? What if they seem to have a different sense of timing altogether, no matter how clearly you communicate the priorities and schedule?This can be particularly problematic as you near the end of the project, when there is still a lot left to get wrapped up. People may be getting tired and losing focus - but you need to keep them delivering, right to the end.
Tempers may flare, relationships can suffer, and you can end up with an even bigger mess on your hands if you are not careful, with little to show for your project as you near that all-important deadline. All the while, the clock is still ticking.
A family friend was plagued with this problem for many years - until he figured out the secret. He not only found out a way to keep a very important chronologically-challenged team member/stakeholder happy, but he also managed to bring things back on schedule, time and time again.
So how did he do it?
Does Anybody Really Know What Time It Is?
Time, they say - is relative. This is particularly true when you are on holiday, and especially so when you take a road trip to see family and friends. The clock seems to have its own independent pace, or at least you don't care much about it until it is time to leave. Then, the clock suddenly grabs your attention again and you have that familiar feeling of pressure - of time weighing down on you.
The problem is - this time pressure often only seems to be affecting you. The rest of the team are still in holiday mode, clocks switched off and hidden from sight. Getting there may have been half the fun - but the going home part may not seem that fun at all. So why should they think about it?
However, you still need to get them moving; it's time to go, real life beckons - and you have no choice but to get them re-focused and prepare them for the last leg of the Road Trip.
(C) Fotolia_44112672There is a lot to do and not much time, so we will spell it out as we go. Let's get started!
For our R.O.A.D.T.R.I.P, we need to consider the following:
Rapportnoun - a close and harmonious relationship in which the people or groups concerned understand each other's feelings or ideas and communicate well.
When you start out on your project or on your journey, you need to have a common vision and purpose. Simply put, you need to communicate and understand where you are all trying to go and what you are planning to achieve. If one of you heads out the back door instead of getting into the car, you have a problem before you even put the keys in the ignition.
On a project, this is achieved by clearly articulating the vision and desired outcomes. Ideally the project sponsor or a key stakeholder communicates the message to the project team, but failing that, the Project Manager should take on the task. If logistics permit, try to have everyone together in the same room, at the same time - the Project Kickoff is an ideal opportunity for this.
When you share the vision with the full team early into the project, it eliminates a lot of potential misunderstandings. The team also gets to meet each other (some for the first time), and they will begin to develop a sense of rapport that will carry them through the project, even if they work at a distance from each other.
This sense of rapport will also help you push through to the end, particularly if the core team is around for the full duration of the project.
--
When I was twelve, friends of our family and their two boys came to stay with us for a week-long visit. We lived in a small town at the time, with not a lot generally going on, so visits from family or friends were kind of a big deal. How small was the town? Well, under a thousand, unless you added in the dogs and cats. So really, not much going on compared to a big city.
Our friends had lived in the town for several years, and we had become close; the two boys were best friends with my younger brothers, being closer in age to each other. They had moved down to Vancouver the year before, so we were all looking forward to the visit.
They arrived in their car late one summer afternoon, we helped them unload their car, and the visit began. Kids first played in the house, then in the yard, and then the noise carried on down the street, friends re-connecting and just having fun. The adults caught up on recent events, chatting for a while in the kitchen, then the conversation moved out to the back yard. The swatting of mosquitoes struck a counterpoint to the sizzle of hamburgers and steaks grilling on the Barbeque. The conversations went on late into the evening, well after the younger kids were supposed to be in bed.
Organize the Team
Once you know where you are going and what you need to do, you will need to organize the project team to get the job done. Depending on your project, this may be a small internal team, or a large, distributed team involving multiple vendors, business units and teams spread across the planet.
You need to organize the project team and assign tasks from the outset, but this is only half the battle. Managing the return journey, or the final leg of the project, can require some special handling. Some people may not want it to end, and may drag their feet on producing those final deliverables. Incidentally, this common drag-your-feet mentality may have also spawned the "20/80" rule, i.e. "the last 20 percent of the project can seem to take 80 percent of the effort".
--
Throughout the visit, the adults visited and kids played, from sun-up to sun down. Everyone enjoyed themselves and the time they spent together. A week can seem like a long time, but it is far too short when you are having fun visiting. However, as with all visits, it was finally coming to an end.
The night before they were to leave, the visiting father announced their schedule for the morning. He stressed that he didn't want to leave late, as they had a long drive ahead of them.
"We need to get up early, have breakfast, and get packed up quickly so we can all be on the road by 10am," he said firmly. His wife nodded. The boys sighed. "We need everybody helping, so we can get out of here on time."
Act on the Plan When you have the vision, the team and your plan, you need to put it into action. Otherwise it is all just a nice theory and a pretty Gantt chart on the wall.
Plain and simple, you just need get to work - and follow the plan! Sounds, simple right?
--
In the morning, we all got up early and had breakfast. Once the suitcases were packed, my younger brothers and the other two boys shot out the back door for a last chance to play before they had to leave. They made the most of it, tearing up and down the street, some riding on bicycles with the others running along behind. Inside the house, the adults were chatting - well, at least the two mothers still were.
I was outside with the men, helping them carry the suitcases and bags out to the car. After nudging one suitcase a little tighter into the pile, the visiting father walked back up to the front door, and called up into the house.
"Hurry up Dear, we need to get going. We want to make it to the hotel before dinner."
"Just another minute!" was the reply.
Decide what is Actually Important Not everything on your project is important. Well, not of equal importance anyway. There will be different sets of priorities as you work through the project, and as a result, not all relationships will go smoothly. At times, some people will disagree with your priorities or simply rub you the wrong way.
The key thing is to think about what is most important in each situation before you react - what is the most important thing - the schedule, the deliverable - or the relationship?
--
He grunted as he lifted the next pair of suitcases and then walked towards the car. I grabbed a smaller suitcase and followed behind. He set down the suitcases and looked at his watch. Reading it up-side-down, I could see it was five minutes to 10.
He seemed pretty relaxed though, which surprised me. My father had told me that his friend hated to be late, and got really grumpy about it.
The odd thing was, he did not look grumpy or annoyed at all.
More curious than polite, I just straight out asked him. "Why aren't you grumpy?"
He raised an eyebrow. "Why would I be grumpy?"
"Because Dad said you don't like to be late," I replied.
Tactics Dealing with people is hard, especially when they are not doing what you want them to be doing. It takes a lot of effort to communicate, manage expectations, re-share the vision and priorities, re-set expectations, communicate some more, only to find they are still not complying, or simply "not getting it". It can be extremely frustrating - but you have to be smart about how you approach it, rather than just acting on your frustration.
You may simply need to employ different tactics - if you can't solve the problem head on, try and approach it from a different angle.
--
He gave a little smile. "I used to get grumpy when we would go on trips. The first few years we were married, I got very frustrated whenever we were trying to leave. My wife would always want to have a little more time to visit or look around, no matter what I did or said."
He lifted a suitcase into the back of the car. "At first, I decided I would just start packing up early and load the car myself, to give her more time to visit. That way, she would hopefully feel she had visited enough, and would know it was time to go when I finished packing the car."
ReflectAction is not everything. Sometimes, you just need to take a step back and look at the situation or the project from a distance. When you are in the thick of things, it can be hard to look at the big picture.
You need some time to reflect on a regular basis. Little inspiration actually happens when we are sitting at our desks, slogging away, focused on the small details. You may have already noticed that your best ideas happen when you are taking a short break, during a walk around the block, or simply on the way to the water cooler, or stepping out to get a coffee.
If you find you are getting stuck on a problem, or getting all worked up about it, you need to get up, stretch, and take a short break away from your work area. This applies equally to project problems and people problems. Take a break and some time to reflect on the issue - it will be time well invested.
--
He picked up the second suitcase and stuffed it into the back of the car. "Unfortunately, it didn't work. I would end up doing most of the work to pack up, and she still kept visiting long after I had finished packing the car. We would always end up leaving late, and we would often argue in the car once we got driving down the road."
"Let me tell you, you don't want to make your wife angry, even when you think you're right. It's not worth it," he warned.
Innovate"If at first you don't succeed, try, try again." - Thomas H. Palmer
One key to success is to not keep doing the same things over and over again. One definition of insanity is where you repeat the same thing over and over again, but expect different results.
If what you are doing is not working, try again, certainly - but try something else. You may just need to apply a small tweak, or you may need to come up with something truly different.
One key difference between a project problem and a people problem is you can try variations on a theme with a project problem as much as you like. However, if you try that with people, it is seldom successful - they will soon see through your repeated, feeble attempts to get them to change, and more than likely get annoyed with you and become even more resistant to your efforts.
You need to be truly innovative - and you may eventually realize that you can't change other people - but you can change you, and your approach to things.
--
He took the suitcase from my hand and put it on top of the other two."But now, it all works out. She gets to visit, I still load the car, and we all leave happy."
"How do you do that?" I asked as he closed the back of the car.
"I finally got smart. I realized that she would never change - she would always want to have the last few minutes of visiting. After all, it would be months or even a year before we would see our friends again. I finally learned the secret," he winked.
Kids love secrets. "What was it? What?"
Plan for DelaysNo project runs perfectly to all parts of the original schedule. You need to allow for some slippage, for under-estimation of task effort. When you build your plan, you will factor in all of the things you know, and probably a lot of assumptions. You will also likely include people factors into your estimates as well - i.e. if we are able to get Bob on that part of the project, we will be able to get that done in (X) weeks, but James would take a couple weeks longer, because he has less experience.
It is bad practice to always try to design for the best-case schedule; you may not be able to get Bob or James, or even your third pick. If you need to bring in somebody new, it may even take (2X) to get the job done.
Instead, design for a realistic schedule, taking into consideration the potential resources and the level of risk on your project. Don't make it too lean or too padded, but you need to plan for a few inevitable delays. You may also want to introduce additional deadlines ahead of the important ones, in order to identify potential delays early.
--
He leaned down close to me and whispered. "I gave her a different departure time than when we actually need to leave. If we need to leave at Noon to get to the next stop in time, I will tell her we need to leave no later than 10am."
He stood up, still speaking quietly. "That way, she gets to visit a little longer, and we still leave a little early according to my schedule. When we finally get in the car, everybody is happy, and she feels just a little bit guilty about being late. However, I am smiling inside instead of being grumpy. There are no more arguments in the car about leaving late."
SummaryIf history has shown that a particular project resource or vendor is habitually late, you may need to take extraordinary measures to ensure they don't impact your project deadlines.
The reasons behind the lateness can vary widely, from misinterpreting your final deadlines as their delivery deadlines, or a misaligned set of priorities. Proactive communication is always your best tool - but if they are late in delivery time after time, and they appear unlikely to change behavior, you need to take a step beyond the project norms.
It might only be used as a last resort, but in cases like this, you may need to have two sets of deadlines.
the set you share openly for them to deliver to you, and the real, final, "secret" (internal) deadlines that you are responsible to deliver to your sponsor.In the end, you have to do what it takes to make sure you can deliver your project - on time.
--
He winked. "Of course, I still have to act a little grumpy to hurry them into the car, or we really would be late. But you have to promise me you won't tell her the secret, or it won't work anymore."
I still haven't told her - although if she reads this, the cat is finally out of the bag. Of course, it has been well over thirty years since then, so she may have already figured it out by herself.
Good luck with your projects, enjoy the Road Trip, and may all your projects complete on time - however you need to define your schedule.
Email: Gary Nelson, PMP
Books: www.gazzasguides.com
Project resources for kids: www.projectkidsadventures.com
April 4, 2014
All I want is a little change to the Project Scope...
The Cost of ChangeWe have all heard about how the cost of change increases exponentially the further you are along the path of project delivery. If the unit of effort is, say, (1) at requirements stage to accommodate a feature change, in design it increases to (10x), in development it increases to (100x) and once delivered it may increase again to (1000x) or more. Or perhaps a different scale applies to your project, but you get the idea.
The same rules apply when you are doing construction, when scope becomes set in stone - or at least in concrete. Changes are easiest when you are still talking with the architect and drawing up the first set of plans on a napkin, but after they have been formally submitted for review and approved by Council, it gets more complicated and costly. Any changes to the approved plans require rework by the architect, then a review by another dozen or so eyes, and when that is done, it needs to get re-approved by the city planning department. Oh, and to top it all off, yet another cheque written out to the builder to pay for the change in scope.
Can We Build It? Yes, We Can! In 2005, we had the pleasure (and pain) to build a house, our very first one. Not the first house we ever bought, just the first one that was not "used" by previous iterations of owners. Nothing wrong with recycled houses, of course - they provide excellent opportunities for honing up handyman skills as you maintain the house, fix things that wear out, or replace some horrid feature a previous owner had just loved to bits. This was going to be our house, we would be the first to move in - and it was exciting, but also quite nerve-wracking. After all, we put down a lot of money for an idea and some dirt.
We paid the deposit on the house before the build started. We had looked at a few different plans and lots with the builder, but had decided on this particular combination as it looked great on paper, and the layout looked ideal for our family. At this stage, the plan had already been approved, but the dirt was still in the normal location (in the to-be-hole they were going to be digging for the basement).
It started out fairly smoothly, after catching the small detail that the real estate agent had attached the blueprints for lot 17 in the other subdivision they were building to the contract , instead of this particular lot. It would have been quite interesting, as the lot shapes were totally different and the other lot 17 house plan would have put our living room in our neighbour's front lawn... However, that was sorted out with only minor embarrassment from the developer. Hey, it happens; they had a lot of construction on the go - about a hundred houses at once.
We sat down with the developer and made a number of "small" changes here and there, and the developer was very proactive in working with us. He told us well in advance about the deadlines for when we had to make particular design decisions.Prior to breaking ground, we requested a number of changes that the builder had no problems accommodating.
You know, reasonable things like:Add Garage side door into the yard ($850) - Impact: Small, build wall around holeAdd Garage window ($500) - Impact: Small, build wall around hole Widen garage by 10 inches/22cm ($1000) - Impact: Medium, change of foundation and garage roof-line. Within maximum tolerance for building footprint percentage vs lot size."Wait, a thousand dollars for only 10 inches? Why bother?"
Well, you might laugh, but it made a big difference to storage. It allowed for a long set of shelves on one side.Add Skylight ($4,400) - Impact: Redesign roof truss configuration, limit to 4x4 foot unit.And so on.All in all, an extra $13,000 in scope changes before the first shovel was lifted by the builder, and a hefty increase in the deposit. Ka-ching!
Every day or so we would drive by the site to see what changes had transpired on the site. For a week or so, not very much at all happened - and then they started digging. A week later and they were pouring the foundations. We walked carefully around afterward, eager to get a look at everything as the concrete cured.
I kept copies of the plans handy, as I was trying to visualize what the finished product would look like. Walking carefully around the site, I made quiet observations like "hmmm, isn't that hole quite close to the neighbour? Isn't the digging for the foundation going to collapse their sidewalk?" The properties were all zero-lot-line, or in other words, the minimum clearance from the house to the property line, which was 4 feet. Their sidewalk ended on the property line, and was currently attached to their house but not much else.
I was assured all would be well, once they filled in the dirt around the foundation. Eying the large-ish section of the neighbour's concrete sidewalk suspended several feet in the air, I was not so sure - but you have to trust your builder, right?
Is there such a thing as a Dumb Question? I was starting to felt pretty good about working with the builder, and I was beginning to have what I felt were reasonably technical conversations with him as I learned a whole range of new construction terminology. Hey, I was a Project Manager right? Sure it was in IT and not construction, but projects are projects, there has to be some common ground. He also seemed to be pretty open to changes too, as long as you were happy to pull out your cheque book while you talked.
After the foundations had cured enough, they started framing in the basement and the joists for the ground floor. It was a big moment - to be able to stand in the middle of your new house, before the walls went up. It was one big, flat expanse of plywood, with just the one hole. The hole, of course, was the stairwell, which spiraled down into the dark basement.
I walked around the floor, building plans in hand. I could finally start to see where things would go - the living room, dining area, kitchen and so on. I paced out the dimensions of each future room. Big living room, big kitchen - excellent! Decent sized family room and dining room - all right! Then I went over to where my future office would be - off the living room, behind the stairs.
Hmmm , I thought. I re-measured the distance between the stairwell and the outer edge of the house. Hmmm . Kind of small , I thought.
The next day when we came around to check the house, the builder was there. He smiled a lot as I walked with him around the site, discussing the construction progress and next steps. We were approaching the stairwell, preparing to go down into the basement when I asked the question.
"Um, do you think you could move the stairwell?"
He turned to look at me. "What?"
"The room behind the stairwell looks pretty small, can you move the stairwell just a bit?"
He stared at me like I had sprouted a horn and an extra set of eyes. His smile was long gone. "No, definitely not."
"That room will be my office, are you sure you can't make it a little bigger by moving the stairs a little? You don't have the walls up yet, and just this bit of the stairs so far..."
He turned to face me square on, hands on his hips. "No, no, it's far too late for that."
He then went on to give me a lecture about architecture and the fact that THE most important design component of a multi-story building is not the walls or the roof, but the stairwell. You design that in first and everything else works around it. So no, there was no way they could move the stairwell. They would have to change everything. So no, definitely not. No.
...No.
In that crushing moment I realized two things:
I had just lot a big chunk of credibility with the builder. (i.e. I am pretty sure he had just decided that I was an idiot), and No matter what all those leadership and communication books say, yes, there ARE some stupid questions.
Window of OpportunityOn your projects, there will be windows of opportunity where change will be easy. As time goes on, introducing the same change becomes harder and more costly, and you will soon reach a point where trying to introduce that change is no longer feasible at all. Not impossible, but just so impractically costly and disruptive, that you simply have to concede and let it go.
Unless it is so important, perhaps, that you are prepared to dig up the foundations and start all over again - but those cases would be extremely rare.
You should also balance the importance of the changes vs your project finances - whether you are paying for it yourself, or you are managing the project for someone else. You need to ask yourself (and the stakeholders) - how important is that change, really? Does the stakeholder simply want it, or is there a strong, compelling reason that it should be made? Is it worth the cost?
I have written previously on the importance of developing exceptional requirements - as early as possible, with the customer/vendor working together. This will go a long way towards getting things right the first time, but it is never perfect. You won't get all of the requirements identified completely up front - you will learn things you did not previously know as you go, you wil refine the plan, and new opportunities may also present themselves unexpectedly. The key is to be vigilant and look out for those opportunities as they arise, and try to request changes before it is too late. You need the decision makers primed to be able to approve changes quickly.
Sometimes the window of opportunity may be extremely small - days, or even hours. It might even literally be a window.
You might, for example, be standing on the second floor while they are beginning the framing of the walls and say, "You know, if we moved the window half it's width to the left, we would get a really great view of the mountain every morning, with the sun behind it." A change like that may not be a big deal to the builder at all, if your timing is right. It may also make your stay in that house that much nicer for many years to come - rather than have a permanent view half-obstructed by a chimney you did not know would be there when you started, but had recently sprouted up.
If you are really lucky, a minor change like that may not even cost you at all, and it may deliver long-lasting value. Those opportunities do happen all the time, but you have to be prepared to notice them and act on them.
SummaryWhether you are building a house, or managing a project that is in no way related to construction, change is inevitable. Projects are vehicles for change, after all - why would we not expect to have changes to the scope during our project?
They trick is to manage scope change carefully - keep track of all changes (no matter how minor), look for opportunities and try to make any changes as early as possible - or at least at the earliest opportunity.
From a Project Control perspective, you also need to keep a close eye on the builder - or the vendor delivering your product/solution/outcome. "You Get What You Inspect," or so the saying goes - and that is particularly true with construction.
We were at the house site almost every day - we tried not to be in the way, or to be annoying to the workers. Usually we dropped by around dinner time when they had left for the day. Through our regular visits, we were able to point out a number of things where the carpenter did not seem to be following the plan, or something did not look right. Sometimes we misinterpreted things, but we also found some real problems that would have been more difficult to resolve if they had been left unnoticed. The cracked plastic shower/bath unit, for example - an over-tight screw had damaged the tub, they tried to repair it, but in the end (as we had wanted) it had to be replaced with a new unit. A couple week delay in getting a new one, but far better than future leaks.
I would like to think that I regained some respect from the builder after the "stairwell incident", but I can never be sure - he was respectful, but maybe just a little patronizing.
When they put the plywood on the roof, we were quite excited to see the exterior coming to a close. They already had the vinyl siding on, and the wood fascia which they had started to paint in some sections. We were looking forward to seeing the completion of the colour scheme we had chosen from the builder's options - designed by his own wife, in fact. The asphalt shingles on the roof were to be a dark browny-black, with a hint of copper sparkle to catch the sun.
The next day, I came by in the afternoon and saw the roof layers finishing off the last section. Rain was expected in a day or so, and they wanted to get it sealed up.
The builder was there, and came out to greet me. We stood on the street, watching them work.
"It looks kind of black," I said.
"What?" he asked.
"The colour scheme shows the shingles are browny with shiny copper flecks. Those are solid, and look more black than brown. No flecks."
He turned to look at me. "I'm sure they are the right shingles."
I paused and looked carefully up at the roof. The sun was shining, and there was a definite absence of glint or colour.
"Um, they look black. They are not the shingles from the colour scheme," I turned back to face the builder. I firmed up my resolve, determined to put the stairwell incident behind me. Besides, this was different. I knew I was right.
"Can you please take those black ones off and put on the correct shingles from the colour scheme? They did not put on the right shingles."
The builder stared at me for a long time, then took a slow, deep breath before replying. "No, definitely not. It's too late for that. Besides, it's almost the same colour anyway. You won't notice after a while."
I sighed.
Some changes just cannot - or will not - be made, even to correct a mistake by the builder.
But you know, after a while the black looked OK - every other house on the block had colour and flecks, so ours was unique. We decided we could live with that "imperfection".
As for my "small" office? Once it was all painted and carpeted, the furniture was in place and I was sitting in my new office for the first time - I found the room was bigger than I thought it would be. In fact, it was perfect.
We didn't need to move the stairs after all.
Good luck with your projects, keep a close eye on your project scope, and look out for those ideal windows of opportunity for change.
Email: Gary Nelson, PMP
Books: www.gazzasguides.com
Project resources for kids: www.projectkidsadventures.com
The same rules apply when you are doing construction, when scope becomes set in stone - or at least in concrete. Changes are easiest when you are still talking with the architect and drawing up the first set of plans on a napkin, but after they have been formally submitted for review and approved by Council, it gets more complicated and costly. Any changes to the approved plans require rework by the architect, then a review by another dozen or so eyes, and when that is done, it needs to get re-approved by the city planning department. Oh, and to top it all off, yet another cheque written out to the builder to pay for the change in scope.
Can We Build It? Yes, We Can! In 2005, we had the pleasure (and pain) to build a house, our very first one. Not the first house we ever bought, just the first one that was not "used" by previous iterations of owners. Nothing wrong with recycled houses, of course - they provide excellent opportunities for honing up handyman skills as you maintain the house, fix things that wear out, or replace some horrid feature a previous owner had just loved to bits. This was going to be our house, we would be the first to move in - and it was exciting, but also quite nerve-wracking. After all, we put down a lot of money for an idea and some dirt.
We paid the deposit on the house before the build started. We had looked at a few different plans and lots with the builder, but had decided on this particular combination as it looked great on paper, and the layout looked ideal for our family. At this stage, the plan had already been approved, but the dirt was still in the normal location (in the to-be-hole they were going to be digging for the basement).
It started out fairly smoothly, after catching the small detail that the real estate agent had attached the blueprints for lot 17 in the other subdivision they were building to the contract , instead of this particular lot. It would have been quite interesting, as the lot shapes were totally different and the other lot 17 house plan would have put our living room in our neighbour's front lawn... However, that was sorted out with only minor embarrassment from the developer. Hey, it happens; they had a lot of construction on the go - about a hundred houses at once.
We sat down with the developer and made a number of "small" changes here and there, and the developer was very proactive in working with us. He told us well in advance about the deadlines for when we had to make particular design decisions.Prior to breaking ground, we requested a number of changes that the builder had no problems accommodating.
You know, reasonable things like:Add Garage side door into the yard ($850) - Impact: Small, build wall around holeAdd Garage window ($500) - Impact: Small, build wall around hole Widen garage by 10 inches/22cm ($1000) - Impact: Medium, change of foundation and garage roof-line. Within maximum tolerance for building footprint percentage vs lot size."Wait, a thousand dollars for only 10 inches? Why bother?"
Well, you might laugh, but it made a big difference to storage. It allowed for a long set of shelves on one side.Add Skylight ($4,400) - Impact: Redesign roof truss configuration, limit to 4x4 foot unit.And so on.All in all, an extra $13,000 in scope changes before the first shovel was lifted by the builder, and a hefty increase in the deposit. Ka-ching!
Every day or so we would drive by the site to see what changes had transpired on the site. For a week or so, not very much at all happened - and then they started digging. A week later and they were pouring the foundations. We walked carefully around afterward, eager to get a look at everything as the concrete cured.
I kept copies of the plans handy, as I was trying to visualize what the finished product would look like. Walking carefully around the site, I made quiet observations like "hmmm, isn't that hole quite close to the neighbour? Isn't the digging for the foundation going to collapse their sidewalk?" The properties were all zero-lot-line, or in other words, the minimum clearance from the house to the property line, which was 4 feet. Their sidewalk ended on the property line, and was currently attached to their house but not much else.
I was assured all would be well, once they filled in the dirt around the foundation. Eying the large-ish section of the neighbour's concrete sidewalk suspended several feet in the air, I was not so sure - but you have to trust your builder, right?
Is there such a thing as a Dumb Question? I was starting to felt pretty good about working with the builder, and I was beginning to have what I felt were reasonably technical conversations with him as I learned a whole range of new construction terminology. Hey, I was a Project Manager right? Sure it was in IT and not construction, but projects are projects, there has to be some common ground. He also seemed to be pretty open to changes too, as long as you were happy to pull out your cheque book while you talked.
After the foundations had cured enough, they started framing in the basement and the joists for the ground floor. It was a big moment - to be able to stand in the middle of your new house, before the walls went up. It was one big, flat expanse of plywood, with just the one hole. The hole, of course, was the stairwell, which spiraled down into the dark basement.
I walked around the floor, building plans in hand. I could finally start to see where things would go - the living room, dining area, kitchen and so on. I paced out the dimensions of each future room. Big living room, big kitchen - excellent! Decent sized family room and dining room - all right! Then I went over to where my future office would be - off the living room, behind the stairs.
Hmmm , I thought. I re-measured the distance between the stairwell and the outer edge of the house. Hmmm . Kind of small , I thought.
The next day when we came around to check the house, the builder was there. He smiled a lot as I walked with him around the site, discussing the construction progress and next steps. We were approaching the stairwell, preparing to go down into the basement when I asked the question.
"Um, do you think you could move the stairwell?"
He turned to look at me. "What?"
"The room behind the stairwell looks pretty small, can you move the stairwell just a bit?"
He stared at me like I had sprouted a horn and an extra set of eyes. His smile was long gone. "No, definitely not."
"That room will be my office, are you sure you can't make it a little bigger by moving the stairs a little? You don't have the walls up yet, and just this bit of the stairs so far..."
He turned to face me square on, hands on his hips. "No, no, it's far too late for that."
He then went on to give me a lecture about architecture and the fact that THE most important design component of a multi-story building is not the walls or the roof, but the stairwell. You design that in first and everything else works around it. So no, there was no way they could move the stairwell. They would have to change everything. So no, definitely not. No.
...No.
In that crushing moment I realized two things:
I had just lot a big chunk of credibility with the builder. (i.e. I am pretty sure he had just decided that I was an idiot), and No matter what all those leadership and communication books say, yes, there ARE some stupid questions.
Window of OpportunityOn your projects, there will be windows of opportunity where change will be easy. As time goes on, introducing the same change becomes harder and more costly, and you will soon reach a point where trying to introduce that change is no longer feasible at all. Not impossible, but just so impractically costly and disruptive, that you simply have to concede and let it go.
Unless it is so important, perhaps, that you are prepared to dig up the foundations and start all over again - but those cases would be extremely rare.
You should also balance the importance of the changes vs your project finances - whether you are paying for it yourself, or you are managing the project for someone else. You need to ask yourself (and the stakeholders) - how important is that change, really? Does the stakeholder simply want it, or is there a strong, compelling reason that it should be made? Is it worth the cost?
I have written previously on the importance of developing exceptional requirements - as early as possible, with the customer/vendor working together. This will go a long way towards getting things right the first time, but it is never perfect. You won't get all of the requirements identified completely up front - you will learn things you did not previously know as you go, you wil refine the plan, and new opportunities may also present themselves unexpectedly. The key is to be vigilant and look out for those opportunities as they arise, and try to request changes before it is too late. You need the decision makers primed to be able to approve changes quickly.
Sometimes the window of opportunity may be extremely small - days, or even hours. It might even literally be a window.
You might, for example, be standing on the second floor while they are beginning the framing of the walls and say, "You know, if we moved the window half it's width to the left, we would get a really great view of the mountain every morning, with the sun behind it." A change like that may not be a big deal to the builder at all, if your timing is right. It may also make your stay in that house that much nicer for many years to come - rather than have a permanent view half-obstructed by a chimney you did not know would be there when you started, but had recently sprouted up.
If you are really lucky, a minor change like that may not even cost you at all, and it may deliver long-lasting value. Those opportunities do happen all the time, but you have to be prepared to notice them and act on them.
SummaryWhether you are building a house, or managing a project that is in no way related to construction, change is inevitable. Projects are vehicles for change, after all - why would we not expect to have changes to the scope during our project?
They trick is to manage scope change carefully - keep track of all changes (no matter how minor), look for opportunities and try to make any changes as early as possible - or at least at the earliest opportunity.
From a Project Control perspective, you also need to keep a close eye on the builder - or the vendor delivering your product/solution/outcome. "You Get What You Inspect," or so the saying goes - and that is particularly true with construction.
We were at the house site almost every day - we tried not to be in the way, or to be annoying to the workers. Usually we dropped by around dinner time when they had left for the day. Through our regular visits, we were able to point out a number of things where the carpenter did not seem to be following the plan, or something did not look right. Sometimes we misinterpreted things, but we also found some real problems that would have been more difficult to resolve if they had been left unnoticed. The cracked plastic shower/bath unit, for example - an over-tight screw had damaged the tub, they tried to repair it, but in the end (as we had wanted) it had to be replaced with a new unit. A couple week delay in getting a new one, but far better than future leaks.
I would like to think that I regained some respect from the builder after the "stairwell incident", but I can never be sure - he was respectful, but maybe just a little patronizing.
When they put the plywood on the roof, we were quite excited to see the exterior coming to a close. They already had the vinyl siding on, and the wood fascia which they had started to paint in some sections. We were looking forward to seeing the completion of the colour scheme we had chosen from the builder's options - designed by his own wife, in fact. The asphalt shingles on the roof were to be a dark browny-black, with a hint of copper sparkle to catch the sun.
The next day, I came by in the afternoon and saw the roof layers finishing off the last section. Rain was expected in a day or so, and they wanted to get it sealed up.
The builder was there, and came out to greet me. We stood on the street, watching them work.
"It looks kind of black," I said.
"What?" he asked.
"The colour scheme shows the shingles are browny with shiny copper flecks. Those are solid, and look more black than brown. No flecks."
He turned to look at me. "I'm sure they are the right shingles."
I paused and looked carefully up at the roof. The sun was shining, and there was a definite absence of glint or colour.
"Um, they look black. They are not the shingles from the colour scheme," I turned back to face the builder. I firmed up my resolve, determined to put the stairwell incident behind me. Besides, this was different. I knew I was right.
"Can you please take those black ones off and put on the correct shingles from the colour scheme? They did not put on the right shingles."
The builder stared at me for a long time, then took a slow, deep breath before replying. "No, definitely not. It's too late for that. Besides, it's almost the same colour anyway. You won't notice after a while."
I sighed.
Some changes just cannot - or will not - be made, even to correct a mistake by the builder.
But you know, after a while the black looked OK - every other house on the block had colour and flecks, so ours was unique. We decided we could live with that "imperfection".
As for my "small" office? Once it was all painted and carpeted, the furniture was in place and I was sitting in my new office for the first time - I found the room was bigger than I thought it would be. In fact, it was perfect.
We didn't need to move the stairs after all.
Good luck with your projects, keep a close eye on your project scope, and look out for those ideal windows of opportunity for change.
Email: Gary Nelson, PMP
Books: www.gazzasguides.com
Project resources for kids: www.projectkidsadventures.com
March 15, 2014
Is your Project Team like a Light Switch...or a Candle?
A few years ago I went on a fly-fishing trip with a group of work colleagues. I was working on a project in New Zealand, and we were going to be staying in an old company-owned holiday "bach" just outside of Taupo. You could book these properties for a weekend and pay a small fee. A basic type of unit - furnished with several beds, kitchen, TV, tables, chairs and couple sofas - nothing too fancy.
We unpacked our gear, loaded up the fridge and headed back outside for fly-fishing lessons. My first ever lesson - and apparently you need to learn how to do it while on dry land (without a hook) just to get used to the back-and-forth action before you try it standing hip-deep in a river. Perhaps to make sure you didn't fall over while casting - or hook anyone around you.
After about an hour of practicing casting, it was getting dark and our arms were getting tired, so we headed back in to get dinner ready and settle in for the evening. One of the guys was frying up dinner while the rest of us chatted and watched the little black-and-white TV. I was just walking back into the living room with a fresh beer when the lights went out.
"Who turned off the lights?" I asked.
"There's some coins on top of the fridge," one of the locals called out from the sofa.
"What?"
"Coins on top of the fridge. Put some in the slot."
"What slot?"
He sighed and got up. "In the meter."
He walked over to the fridge and picked up three coins. He popped them into a box on the wall, one by one. The lights suddenly came back on. "That should do for an hour. We pay for power when we use the bach - it's one reason it is so cheap to stay here."
I studied the pile of coins on top of the fridge. It was perhaps my first experience of "user pays" - in this case, quite literally with a pocket full of change.
I was experiencing a sudden and strange shift in expectation - electricity is just supposed to be "on", right?
Taking it for GrantedWhen you stop to think about it, there are many things we take for granted in our every day lives. Turn on a switch, the lights come on, turn a tap and clean water comes pouring out. We get in our cars and turn the key - we expect it to start, and take us where we want to go without breaking down. (Assuming we do some basic maintenance, and fill the tank regularly).
The fact is, there is a lot of investment into the systems, products and infrastructure to support all of these "easy-on" things we use in our every day lives. We seldom appreciate the effort that has gone into those systems - and are rarely thankful that we have them. We have got used to them just being there and working - that is simply the way it is supposed to be, right?
We complain when things stop functioning - but when is the last time you thanked a light switch for working? Well, probably never as that is a bit strange, perhaps - talking to inanimate objects. But have you ever called the electric company to say "thanks for keeping the power on yesterday, I had a big family dinner last night, and I was able to cook the roast until it was finished"?
I am guessing also - never.
You may think I am being ridiculous - but consider this: We have become quite accustomed to these comforts in our society. Not so many decades ago, the hours you were awake (let alone working) were limited by daylight - or how much candle wax you had left to spare. Back then, you would make a conscious decision to stay up and use an extra candle - or save it for another day and hit the hay when it got dark. Today, you just switch on the light and watch TV until late in the night, night after night, without a second thought.
"All right, all right, you've made your point," you say. "But do I really have to call the power company in the morning to thank them?"
Well, that is up to you - but it's not a bad idea. The problem is, they will probably treat you like a crank caller. Why? The answer is simple - nobody expects that level of courtesy any more. Besides, they wouldn't call the plumber to thank them that the toilet didn't back up yesterday, would they? They, like you - simply expect things to work.
It is just another symptom of what you might call the "Light Switch" Society.
How do you switch this thing on?How do you treat your team members? I am guessing for many, that on any given day they are being treated exactly like a light switch. They show up for work in the morning, and -click- they are expected to be fully productive and on the job. Work a full day, then -click- at around 5pm or so, they pack up, and trudge off home through traffic to screaming kids and a nagging partner. And tomorrow, the same routine: -click- on, full work day, -click- off home.
And although there are a lot of problems with that whole approach, which I will touch on next, a sometimes bigger problem is that the switch stays on - or is forced on - until much later in the day, past normal working hours. Email, laptop, smartphone, deadline pressures from work - all of these can easily steal our "home" time and deny us time to rest and recoup for the day ahead.
There are many books and discussions on that particular topic (work/life balance) - but what I would like to focus on here is the "Light Switch" perspective of working with your project team.
Of course, we are professionals, and should be committed to doing our best, do a good job, work a full day and be able to leave work "at the office" if we are lucky. The "Light Switch" problem is more about attitude - how we approach each other, and set expectations on one another. In a very real sense, we are imposing a new technological symbolism onto the workplace, with all of its implied behaviors - and adverse side-effects.
Up through the 1800's, people had a physical appreciation of resource consumption and limitations - if you were up late, you "burned the midnight oil" (literally), and people who worked late and rose early needed light - so they "burned the candle at both ends" [of the day]. In fact, the phrase "burned out" likely grew from that time period and earlier - when physical and mental exhaustion had direct parallels in their environment - i.e. the simple candle. You could only burn it for so long until it ran out of wax. A similar thing happens with people - they run out of energy and need to rest.
Light switches, however, behave quite differently.
Make the SwitchQ: When is your Project Team like a Light Switch?
A: When you treat them like one.
"Ha ha," you say - "but what does this mean for my projects?"
Answer: Plenty!
Let's look at the characteristics of a Light Switch:
Settings: On/Off (or Dim, if you want to spend a bit more)Power source: invisible - no input or energy required from you, after flipping the switch. The light switch does not change.Controls local and/or remote lights, not very personal Light remains On or Off until changed, without visible energy requirements to remain so.Output is constant Is resistant to other forces (you can't blow out an electric light)
Now, the characteristics of a Candle:
Settings: On/Off (or Dim, depending how you trim the candle)Power source: visible - and literally shrinks before your eyesIt is the source of light, very personal and in-your-faceGoes out when the candle burns downOutput depends on length of wick, type of wax, size of candleDepends on energy and skill from you to ignite the flame Subject to other forces (You can blow it out)
Now, think about that - and your team for a moment.
If you treat your team like a light switch, this means you are taking them for granted. They should simply work hard, without thanks or praise, and do it consistently day-in and day-out. No encouragement required, no mentoring, no guidance - and certainly no development training. Switch them on, work - off, go home. No consideration of what drives or motivates them, just work.
In effect, they are viewed as just a machine.
Not very nice, is it? And yet there are many bosses out there (I would not call a person like that a Manager) who do behave like that.
I would not expect to see a top-performing team in this situation. More likely a group of people looking for the nearest exit, as soon as they can scramble to it.
If you want to have a top-performing team, you need to start with treating your team the old-fashioned way. Yes - OK, like a CANDLE:
Care about your team. Great leaders actually care about their teams - as people.
Ask their opinions about project matters - because they probably know more than you do. You have a skilled team precisely because you can't do it alone.
Nurture your team - get to know them personally. Put some time and effort in and invest in those relationships. Get to know them! Encourage them, praise in public - deliver constructive criticism in private.
Develop their skills. Projects are a great way to try something new that they may not get in a normal 9-to-5 job. Make the most of the opportunity. See what their needs are to help them grow and develop, and help them get any additional training they may need/want.
Lead, Mentor and Coach them, not just direct or dictate task assignments to them.
Engage with the team, one-on-one. Don't be afraid to get your hands dirty. Pitch in and help when it is needed, rather than supervising from on high.
Remember, teams are made up of people - not switches, not numbers, and not role assignments. A company is nothing without its people - and the same applies to your projects.
Summary
Looking back at that old pay meter in the holiday bach, I think it is a good symbol for bridging the old and the new; you get the advantages of steady, stable electric light - and no burned fingers working with candles. However, it also reminds us that you need to put some effort in on a regular basis - you need to engage in the process.
Translated to teams, we need to step back from the modern-day perspective of looking at everything as if it were a machine (or cog in a machine). What makes the difference between a good and a bad workplace, or a good and a bad project, is how people interact, or fail to interact - with each other. Light switches are convenient - but you also need the personal interaction you get with a candle.
Why not try it one weekend - while camping, or even at home? Tuck away and ignore those electric devices, and live up close and personal by candlelight. Heck, it might even make for a romantic evening.
---
But what about the rest of the fishing trip, you ask? Well, it was a fun weekend, but the water was muddy from recent rains and nobody caught any fish. Although I did see direct evidence that I was, in fact, on the far side of the world, far away from home. While I was standing hip-deep in the river, casting back and forth, I noticed some small, odd objects floating down past me.
They didn't look like wood. When one came within arm's reach, I plucked it out of the water to have a closer look. I turned it over in my hand, inspecting it closely. I was holding a rock - a floating rock . It was then I knew that I was truly on the bottom of the world, and up-side down - because how else could rocks float?
Pumice, anyone? ;-)
Good luck with your projects, and keep an eye on those candles.
Gary Nelson, PMP
We unpacked our gear, loaded up the fridge and headed back outside for fly-fishing lessons. My first ever lesson - and apparently you need to learn how to do it while on dry land (without a hook) just to get used to the back-and-forth action before you try it standing hip-deep in a river. Perhaps to make sure you didn't fall over while casting - or hook anyone around you.
After about an hour of practicing casting, it was getting dark and our arms were getting tired, so we headed back in to get dinner ready and settle in for the evening. One of the guys was frying up dinner while the rest of us chatted and watched the little black-and-white TV. I was just walking back into the living room with a fresh beer when the lights went out.
"Who turned off the lights?" I asked.
"There's some coins on top of the fridge," one of the locals called out from the sofa.
"What?"
"Coins on top of the fridge. Put some in the slot."
"What slot?"
He sighed and got up. "In the meter."
He walked over to the fridge and picked up three coins. He popped them into a box on the wall, one by one. The lights suddenly came back on. "That should do for an hour. We pay for power when we use the bach - it's one reason it is so cheap to stay here."
I studied the pile of coins on top of the fridge. It was perhaps my first experience of "user pays" - in this case, quite literally with a pocket full of change.
I was experiencing a sudden and strange shift in expectation - electricity is just supposed to be "on", right?
Taking it for GrantedWhen you stop to think about it, there are many things we take for granted in our every day lives. Turn on a switch, the lights come on, turn a tap and clean water comes pouring out. We get in our cars and turn the key - we expect it to start, and take us where we want to go without breaking down. (Assuming we do some basic maintenance, and fill the tank regularly).
The fact is, there is a lot of investment into the systems, products and infrastructure to support all of these "easy-on" things we use in our every day lives. We seldom appreciate the effort that has gone into those systems - and are rarely thankful that we have them. We have got used to them just being there and working - that is simply the way it is supposed to be, right?
We complain when things stop functioning - but when is the last time you thanked a light switch for working? Well, probably never as that is a bit strange, perhaps - talking to inanimate objects. But have you ever called the electric company to say "thanks for keeping the power on yesterday, I had a big family dinner last night, and I was able to cook the roast until it was finished"?
I am guessing also - never.
You may think I am being ridiculous - but consider this: We have become quite accustomed to these comforts in our society. Not so many decades ago, the hours you were awake (let alone working) were limited by daylight - or how much candle wax you had left to spare. Back then, you would make a conscious decision to stay up and use an extra candle - or save it for another day and hit the hay when it got dark. Today, you just switch on the light and watch TV until late in the night, night after night, without a second thought.
"All right, all right, you've made your point," you say. "But do I really have to call the power company in the morning to thank them?"
Well, that is up to you - but it's not a bad idea. The problem is, they will probably treat you like a crank caller. Why? The answer is simple - nobody expects that level of courtesy any more. Besides, they wouldn't call the plumber to thank them that the toilet didn't back up yesterday, would they? They, like you - simply expect things to work.
It is just another symptom of what you might call the "Light Switch" Society.
How do you switch this thing on?How do you treat your team members? I am guessing for many, that on any given day they are being treated exactly like a light switch. They show up for work in the morning, and -click- they are expected to be fully productive and on the job. Work a full day, then -click- at around 5pm or so, they pack up, and trudge off home through traffic to screaming kids and a nagging partner. And tomorrow, the same routine: -click- on, full work day, -click- off home.
And although there are a lot of problems with that whole approach, which I will touch on next, a sometimes bigger problem is that the switch stays on - or is forced on - until much later in the day, past normal working hours. Email, laptop, smartphone, deadline pressures from work - all of these can easily steal our "home" time and deny us time to rest and recoup for the day ahead.
There are many books and discussions on that particular topic (work/life balance) - but what I would like to focus on here is the "Light Switch" perspective of working with your project team.
Of course, we are professionals, and should be committed to doing our best, do a good job, work a full day and be able to leave work "at the office" if we are lucky. The "Light Switch" problem is more about attitude - how we approach each other, and set expectations on one another. In a very real sense, we are imposing a new technological symbolism onto the workplace, with all of its implied behaviors - and adverse side-effects.
Up through the 1800's, people had a physical appreciation of resource consumption and limitations - if you were up late, you "burned the midnight oil" (literally), and people who worked late and rose early needed light - so they "burned the candle at both ends" [of the day]. In fact, the phrase "burned out" likely grew from that time period and earlier - when physical and mental exhaustion had direct parallels in their environment - i.e. the simple candle. You could only burn it for so long until it ran out of wax. A similar thing happens with people - they run out of energy and need to rest.
Light switches, however, behave quite differently.
Make the SwitchQ: When is your Project Team like a Light Switch?A: When you treat them like one.
"Ha ha," you say - "but what does this mean for my projects?"
Answer: Plenty!
Let's look at the characteristics of a Light Switch:
Settings: On/Off (or Dim, if you want to spend a bit more)Power source: invisible - no input or energy required from you, after flipping the switch. The light switch does not change.Controls local and/or remote lights, not very personal Light remains On or Off until changed, without visible energy requirements to remain so.Output is constant Is resistant to other forces (you can't blow out an electric light)
Now, the characteristics of a Candle:
Settings: On/Off (or Dim, depending how you trim the candle)Power source: visible - and literally shrinks before your eyesIt is the source of light, very personal and in-your-faceGoes out when the candle burns downOutput depends on length of wick, type of wax, size of candleDepends on energy and skill from you to ignite the flame Subject to other forces (You can blow it out)
Now, think about that - and your team for a moment.
If you treat your team like a light switch, this means you are taking them for granted. They should simply work hard, without thanks or praise, and do it consistently day-in and day-out. No encouragement required, no mentoring, no guidance - and certainly no development training. Switch them on, work - off, go home. No consideration of what drives or motivates them, just work.
In effect, they are viewed as just a machine.
Not very nice, is it? And yet there are many bosses out there (I would not call a person like that a Manager) who do behave like that.
I would not expect to see a top-performing team in this situation. More likely a group of people looking for the nearest exit, as soon as they can scramble to it.
If you want to have a top-performing team, you need to start with treating your team the old-fashioned way. Yes - OK, like a CANDLE:
Care about your team. Great leaders actually care about their teams - as people.
Ask their opinions about project matters - because they probably know more than you do. You have a skilled team precisely because you can't do it alone.
Nurture your team - get to know them personally. Put some time and effort in and invest in those relationships. Get to know them! Encourage them, praise in public - deliver constructive criticism in private.
Develop their skills. Projects are a great way to try something new that they may not get in a normal 9-to-5 job. Make the most of the opportunity. See what their needs are to help them grow and develop, and help them get any additional training they may need/want.
Lead, Mentor and Coach them, not just direct or dictate task assignments to them.
Engage with the team, one-on-one. Don't be afraid to get your hands dirty. Pitch in and help when it is needed, rather than supervising from on high.
Remember, teams are made up of people - not switches, not numbers, and not role assignments. A company is nothing without its people - and the same applies to your projects.
Summary
Looking back at that old pay meter in the holiday bach, I think it is a good symbol for bridging the old and the new; you get the advantages of steady, stable electric light - and no burned fingers working with candles. However, it also reminds us that you need to put some effort in on a regular basis - you need to engage in the process.
Translated to teams, we need to step back from the modern-day perspective of looking at everything as if it were a machine (or cog in a machine). What makes the difference between a good and a bad workplace, or a good and a bad project, is how people interact, or fail to interact - with each other. Light switches are convenient - but you also need the personal interaction you get with a candle.
Why not try it one weekend - while camping, or even at home? Tuck away and ignore those electric devices, and live up close and personal by candlelight. Heck, it might even make for a romantic evening.
---
But what about the rest of the fishing trip, you ask? Well, it was a fun weekend, but the water was muddy from recent rains and nobody caught any fish. Although I did see direct evidence that I was, in fact, on the far side of the world, far away from home. While I was standing hip-deep in the river, casting back and forth, I noticed some small, odd objects floating down past me.
They didn't look like wood. When one came within arm's reach, I plucked it out of the water to have a closer look. I turned it over in my hand, inspecting it closely. I was holding a rock - a floating rock . It was then I knew that I was truly on the bottom of the world, and up-side down - because how else could rocks float?
Pumice, anyone? ;-)
Good luck with your projects, and keep an eye on those candles.
Gary Nelson, PMP
February 1, 2014
Guest Post: Micromanaging is Destroying Your Team
By Ken Myers
Becoming a leader can be a scary process. In the early stages of a leader's career, they rely on their independence and entrepreneurship to cultivate a strong following and respect in their field. Once a leader is assigned a team, those qualities no longer work to their advantage. A leader that acts like a lone wolf jeopardizes the satisfaction of their team and their job. Learning to let go of all the responsibilities they once held to focus on the bigger picture of a project or business is difficult. Don't fall into the trap of becoming a micromanager, alienating team members and eschewing larger responsibilities. Instead, focus on cultivating a strong team through managed assignments and team unity.
Micromanagers Obliterate Job SatisfactionA good leader knows that employee satisfaction is key to a thriving business. A job where employees feel disconnected or lack ownership may seem great at first but after reading the final page of the Internet will seem pointless. As a leader, your responsibility is to enhance worker satisfaction to produce higher profits and better customer satisfaction. Understanding that micromanaging completely undermines the primary focus of your job is tantamount to resolving the micromanaging issues.
Explore Why You MicromanageThere are thousands of legitimate reasons a leader becomes a micromanager. No one hopes to spend their career carefully poring over other's work while neglecting their other duties. Getting to the bottom of why you micromanage is needed to resolve the issue. Have you been burned by previous employees? Do you trust your current team? Is micromanaging a way to distract yourself from other duties? Does your micromanaging occur daily, weekly, or before specific events?
Understanding the underlying issues that cause the micromanaging can help you develop a plan to discontinue it. If you notice that you tend to take over a team's responsibilities right before a high-level executive visits the team or prior to budgeting, you can stave off that instinct or develop a reporting system that will allow you to continue focusing on the big picture while being assured team members are following through with their responsibilities.
Hire RightA great team starts during the hiring process. Everyone has a story about an employee who started day one disengaged. Don't let those employees through the front door. Many employers rush through the hiring process, hoping to get a seat filled rather than filling out a vital part of a cohesive team.
Ensure that your interview process is intensive enough to find out whether the candidate is a good fit for your team. Don't relegate interviews to 30 minutes on the phone or a one-on-one between meetings. Let team members meet candidates. A lunch can be a great interview setting because the candidate can relax and your team members can interact with them unencumbered by formal questioning. Make a concerted effort to find new members that complement your current employees.
Exploit Your Worker's StrengthsThe Gallup Survey measuring the state of the workforce found that employees who stated that they did what they did best every day were six times more engaged than other employees. Rather than focusing on developing team member's weaknesses, assessing and assigning responsibility based on strengths leads to higher engagement and more productivity within a team. Assignments based on employee strength help employees feel empowered and vital to the everyday responsibilities of the team.
Create an Accountability SystemDo you suffer from managerial anxiety? If you constantly worry about whether specific tasks are being accomplished or whether the day-to-day responsibilities carried out, creating a system that delivers you the information you're concerned about can ease your anxiety without causing undue stress to your team. Ask team members to send weekly or biweekly emails with their accomplishments. Or set up a meeting time to ask questions about upcoming deadlines.
A good leader becomes a great leader by having a solid team. Entrusting your team to deliver the results you need is an essential part of growing your business and finding success in your field. Rather than succumbing to your instincts to micromanage, fill your team with motivated employees, exploit their strengths, and create accountability to ensure you never have a need to micromanage.
Ken Myers is a father, husband, and entrepreneur. He has combined his passion for helping families find in-home care with his experience to build a business. Learn more about him by visiting @KenneyMyers on Twitter.
Becoming a leader can be a scary process. In the early stages of a leader's career, they rely on their independence and entrepreneurship to cultivate a strong following and respect in their field. Once a leader is assigned a team, those qualities no longer work to their advantage. A leader that acts like a lone wolf jeopardizes the satisfaction of their team and their job. Learning to let go of all the responsibilities they once held to focus on the bigger picture of a project or business is difficult. Don't fall into the trap of becoming a micromanager, alienating team members and eschewing larger responsibilities. Instead, focus on cultivating a strong team through managed assignments and team unity.
Micromanagers Obliterate Job SatisfactionA good leader knows that employee satisfaction is key to a thriving business. A job where employees feel disconnected or lack ownership may seem great at first but after reading the final page of the Internet will seem pointless. As a leader, your responsibility is to enhance worker satisfaction to produce higher profits and better customer satisfaction. Understanding that micromanaging completely undermines the primary focus of your job is tantamount to resolving the micromanaging issues.
Explore Why You MicromanageThere are thousands of legitimate reasons a leader becomes a micromanager. No one hopes to spend their career carefully poring over other's work while neglecting their other duties. Getting to the bottom of why you micromanage is needed to resolve the issue. Have you been burned by previous employees? Do you trust your current team? Is micromanaging a way to distract yourself from other duties? Does your micromanaging occur daily, weekly, or before specific events?
Understanding the underlying issues that cause the micromanaging can help you develop a plan to discontinue it. If you notice that you tend to take over a team's responsibilities right before a high-level executive visits the team or prior to budgeting, you can stave off that instinct or develop a reporting system that will allow you to continue focusing on the big picture while being assured team members are following through with their responsibilities.
Hire RightA great team starts during the hiring process. Everyone has a story about an employee who started day one disengaged. Don't let those employees through the front door. Many employers rush through the hiring process, hoping to get a seat filled rather than filling out a vital part of a cohesive team.
Ensure that your interview process is intensive enough to find out whether the candidate is a good fit for your team. Don't relegate interviews to 30 minutes on the phone or a one-on-one between meetings. Let team members meet candidates. A lunch can be a great interview setting because the candidate can relax and your team members can interact with them unencumbered by formal questioning. Make a concerted effort to find new members that complement your current employees.
Exploit Your Worker's StrengthsThe Gallup Survey measuring the state of the workforce found that employees who stated that they did what they did best every day were six times more engaged than other employees. Rather than focusing on developing team member's weaknesses, assessing and assigning responsibility based on strengths leads to higher engagement and more productivity within a team. Assignments based on employee strength help employees feel empowered and vital to the everyday responsibilities of the team.
Create an Accountability SystemDo you suffer from managerial anxiety? If you constantly worry about whether specific tasks are being accomplished or whether the day-to-day responsibilities carried out, creating a system that delivers you the information you're concerned about can ease your anxiety without causing undue stress to your team. Ask team members to send weekly or biweekly emails with their accomplishments. Or set up a meeting time to ask questions about upcoming deadlines.
A good leader becomes a great leader by having a solid team. Entrusting your team to deliver the results you need is an essential part of growing your business and finding success in your field. Rather than succumbing to your instincts to micromanage, fill your team with motivated employees, exploit their strengths, and create accountability to ensure you never have a need to micromanage.
Ken Myers is a father, husband, and entrepreneur. He has combined his passion for helping families find in-home care with his experience to build a business. Learn more about him by visiting @KenneyMyers on Twitter.
December 2, 2013
May I have your Attention, Please?
You know the drill - anyone who has ever flown on a commercial airline has heard this announcement from the flight attendant, usually followed by a safety briefing video and a demonstration by the crew.
Most of us briefly look up, see the flight attendant standing there, snug our seat-belt, glance up above our heads, and resume reading - or listening to music, whatever. Most of us ignore the actual briefing if we have flown more than a few times. Even the comment "you may have flown before, but this aircraft may be different than what you are used to, so please follow along with this safety briefing" is unlikely to gain more than a few curious glances. If the safety message is only a video, there may be even fewer people paying attention.
We have become so used to distractions and the constant babble of noise around us in our daily lives, we learn tune it out - and that can sometimes be a good thing. But how do you get - and hold - someone's attention, particularly if the message you have to share is really important?
On aircraft, different techniques have been used over the years to try to gain - and hold - your attention when announcements are made, with varying degrees of success. Humorous flight attendants are popular, but what about the safety videos?
Some of the most effective have been produced by Air New Zealand, who developed a series of safety videos that actually get you watching - and engaged. They also change the videos regularly, so you are also less likely to be "ho-hum" when you get settled in for your flight. Passengers now look forward to the safety videos - imagine that! Nude flight attendants with paint-on uniforms, anyone? You can be sure everybody paid attention to that safety video!
"That's nice for the airlines", you say. "Buthow can we get - and keep - someone's attention?"
One tactic is to hook them with the unexpected - and then engage them in the message, and keep them interested until you are finished.
The Unexpected ****BANG!****
Well, perhaps it is not a great idea to literally start with a bang (especially on an airplane), but you need to do something to begin to hook their attention away from their smartphones at the beginning of your message or presentation. Something out of the ordinary can work quite well, if you don't overdo it.
Many years ago,well before the clever Air NZ videos, I was on an aircraft that most definitely held my undivided - and disconcerted - attention.
I was leaving New Delhi, en route to Singapore. My first time flying on Aeroflot - the Russian airline. I was on an Illyushian II-86, a large single-level wide-body aircraft with the same capacity as a Boeing 747-400. It held close to 350 people, but that day it had less than 100 passengers. Plenty of room for everyone to stretch out, which was nice for a long flight.
Illyushian II-86. Attribution: Jean-Pierre Tabone Adami (2002)http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:A...
They closed the cabin doors, and a flight attendant rattled off a long spiel in Russian. They then switched to English, and I casually began to half-listen.
"We have now turned on the fasten seat belt signs. Please make sure to have your seat belt fastened at all times when you are in your seat. Your life vest is located in a pouch under your seat. In the event of an emergency..." the attendant droned on with the rest of the standard safety briefing.
There was just one problem.
There was no seat belt sign. In fact, there were was a clear absence of "no smoking" signs as well as seat-belt signs. There were no signs at all - in any language - except the glowing "Exit" sign in the aisle beside me.
Get them Engaged
Once you have their attention, give them something to think about. If you lapse into the mundane and familiar, you will begin to lose your audience. Keep it interesting - and keep a few surprises up your sleeve in case you need to re-hook them.
I looked all around the cabin, trying to see if there were any signs, any at all - aside from "Exit". I looked back to my left. Ahhh, there was one more "Exit" sign, at the bottom of the wide stairs. So, the first one wasn't a fluke.
...Hold on, stairs? You said this was a single level plane.
Yes, stairs. Exit sign, wide carpeted steps, railings on both sides, the whole bit. They went down to a lower level, and I could see a few suitcases piled up against one wall. ...Wait a minute, suitcases visible from my seat?
I learned later this was part of the "Luggage at Hand" option offered by the aircraft - you could buy your ticket and check-in on-board, but not on the International flights.You could walk your own bags into the baggage deck.
The safety spiel was long since finished, but I was suddenly fully engaged and very interested in this peculiar aircraft, and in particular how it related to my own safety.
Steps to the baggage compartment? Only Exit signs? What else was going to be different about this plane?
Keep them on the Edge of their Seat
OK, now you have their attention. Your message is different, and fresh - OK, maybe just different, but they are listening to you, so don't complain. What do you do next? Right - weave in the important parts of your message into your story while they are interested. Wait - is my message a story? Why not? Stories and anecdotes can be a powerful medium for a message to be delivered in a fun and engaging way. So tell them what you want to tell them - but keep it interesting.
After takeoff, I continued to look around the aircraft. I noticed the person beside me had his feet up. Yes - he had his feet up, with the ultimate in legroom. He had flopped the seat-back in front of him down flat.
...Wait - seats are only supposed to recline backwards, right? They are not supposed to flip forward and sandwich you...?!
As the flight was quite empty, I had three seats to myself, as did the person in front of me. And behind me. And beside me. So I sat by the aisle...and in the middle...and then at the window, getting my maximum value from the three seats. I casually flopped the seat-back forward in front of me, and enjoyed the ample legroom with my feet up. Thus relaxing and thinking about perhaps having a nap, I looked out the window at the engines and the right wing. There was only a slight lulling chop for turbulence, more like a rhythmic bouncing sensation. The plane was gently bouncing in time with the flapping of the wings.
Hey, No Sleeping in the Back Row! Keep things moving, don't let the message get stale. It might just be time for another zinger or small surprise.
...Flapping? Yes, this was a jet - and yes, the ends of the long, slender wings were bouncing up and down, making them flap about 6 feet (2m) up and down at the wing tips. Suddenly, I began to feel nervous, and uncomfortably alert.
I then glanced at the twin jet engines on the right side, positioned forward of the wing on long booms. Both engines were bouncing up and down.
Yes, bouncing !
The engines were not bouncing the same way, though - they counter-bounced. One went up while the other went down, about once a second.
Flap, flap, flap, bounce, bounce, bounce.
Suddenly I was very, very nervous.
Send the message homeRepetition in your message is fine, as long as you don't over do it. A common teaching practice is to "tell them what you are going to tell them, tell them, then tell them what you have told them." Make sure to emphasize your key point - the stories and anecdotes are great, but make sure they remember the core of the message you are trying to deliver.
I shuddered, and turned my attention back inside the aircraft. I was just in time to see the passenger in front of me rub his back against the seat. He was twisting to rub an itchy bit of his back against the side of the seat cushion, but as he did so, the entire frame of all three seats in his row visibly twisted with his movement.
At that point, I simply gave up worrying.
If we ever crashed, nobody would ever survive. It was the longest 5 1/2 hour flight of my life.
One thing is for sure though - they had [accidentally] gained - and held - my complete and undivided attention for the entire trip.
Summary
Everybody seems to want a slice of your attention. It is no wonder people are complaining that attention spans are constantly decreasing - there is no shortage of interruptions and distractions that are all wanting a piece of you - and your time.
It used to be that the simple phrase "My I have your attention, please?" would have most of the people in the room politely turn and listen to the speaker for a decent period of time - to listen to an announcement, or perhaps a full hour-long presentation. Now, however, we seem to have grown immune to this polite request. Buzzing, chirping, ringing, tweeting, and just plain lack of social etiquette seems to be the order of the day. Even when we say we are paying attention, our fingers are itching to check email, Facebook, twitter or texts - for most of us it has become a habit - or even an addiction.
"Not me", you say - "I pay attention! Don't count me as one of those 'rude' people!"
Well, perhaps you are an exception. However, not many can resist the constant distractions surrounding us and in the palm of our hand.
Oh, hey, but wait - I have one more interruption...
Did They Get the Message?Hey, what about the airplane story above? How does it fit in with "getting your attention" and "communicating a message" - after all, the flight attendant spoke for barely a minute, reading off some card that apparently did not even relate to their aircraft. What 'message' were they trying to pass on? They didn't even care to get their facts straight, while *I* have an important presentation to give to a group of 500 people. I prepared for weeks - how could you even compare the two things?
Ahhh...you want the secret .
That's gonna cost you.
You gotta pay .....attention.
The important thing to remember about your message is not the actual message delivery itself. It is what the audience takes away from the experience that matters. What will they take away from their journey with you?
The anonymous flight attendant said little - but the experience spoke volumes. I learned to pay attention on aircraft - and not take my surroundings for granted. In doing so, I became very aware of how different things were - and how they could potentially affect my safety. It was, effectively, an interactive, 5 1/2 hour long self-directed "safety briefing" that started with the "hook" from the flight attendant. I learned a few more things too:
I learned that I may think twice about flying on that particular type of aircraft again. I came to appreciate the other aircraft I had become used to flying on, with their short-legroom, no-flip-forward seats, their non-flapping wings and engines firmly affixed to the wings in a most satisfactorily non-bouncy way. I also learned that "this aircraft may be different" is not an idle threat!
When you prepare for and deliver your presentation, think as much about how you are presenting your message as what you are trying to say. You never know what the audience will actually take away from your presentation, but if you can engage them and keep up their interest in what you have to say, they may actually end up leaving with some of the message you were trying to convey.
Good luck with your projects, take care in crafting and delivering your messages - and next time you are on an airplane, pay attention to the safety briefing!
Gary Nelson, PMP
November 18, 2013
Guest Post: A Recipe for Teams
By Peter de Jager
Groups of people are most effective at completing large complicated tasks, when they’re co-operating smoothly with very little interpersonal conflict. This is nothing more than an observation. When this happens we recognize it is a somewhat unique occurrence. So… we give it a name – we call it a ‘Team’.
When we move onto our next large complicated task, and there’s no shortage of these – we remember our last success and try to replicate the it. We remember the Teamwork and set out to re- create that same sense of co-operative team spirit. The problem is that we really don’t have an accurate understanding of why/how a group of people gel into this thing we call a ‘team’. We know it’s desirable, we know it seems to generate positive results, but we don’t really know why it happens.
Consider for a moment the inherent complexity of how people interact. If there are only six people in a group, there are 15 possible one-to-one interactions. Add one more person to the group, and the number of interactions jumps to 21 interactions. (Think of clinking wine glasses when you make a toast around the dinner table) For the sake of simplicity? I’m ignoring the many ways in which people can form cliques and how that adds to the number and types of interactions.
The simple truth is that a manager does not have the time to oversee each and every interaction within a group, anymore than a farmer can attend to each individual ear of corn in a cornfield. What a farmer does, and what we as managers must learn to do, is create an environment that is ‘friendly’ to teams and which supports their growth.
The other thing a farmer knows, and managers must embrace - Is that the ears of corn, the team members in this analogy, are going to do what comes naturally. We cannot ‘force’ people to work well together… The moment we start to use force, we almost guarantee the group will never blossom into a team.
So? Before we put on our boots and head to the fields, can we define what it is we’re going to try and re-create? What exactly is a team? A working definition is comprised of three parts. The first component is a well defined goal/objective. The second is group of people who believe that the goal is worthy of their efforts. And the third part is a shared understanding of the roles of each individual as they work towards that goal.
That sounds simple enough – hopefully not so simple as to be useless – just simple enough to keep in mind as a starting point as we work towards our goal of creating a team.
The first part is easy enough. Defining the goal, and then communicating that definition doesn’t require any special powers. Just some good analytical skills, and the ability to communicate. Surely these are abilities well within the reach of most managers. One down, two to go.
The next piece is a little bit more difficult. Getting people to see that the goal is worthy of their efforts isn't achieved by snapping our fingers and expecting people to immediately accept our exhortations that the goal is worthy. It requires a touch of leadership ability, and an understanding of how people respond to Change. There’s nothing too difficult here, but this does require some effort on the part of the Team Leader, it doesn't just happen. Two down, one left.
Lastly we have to have everyone on the team understand two distinct things. First? How their role will contribute to the success of the team. And just as important? How the roles of everyone else will contribute to that success. How do we do this? Simple. Communicate. Communicate. Communicate. All done. Well… not quite – something’s missing.
All of this is all very fine. These three components provide a good structure on which to build a team, but to be perfectly honest? There’s something missing here, and it has to do with the complexity mentioned earlier. People interact with each other, and the ‘spirit’ of a ‘team’ is encapsulated in those interactions. Given that these interactions outnumber the Manager’s ability to monitor and/or affect on an individual basis… how can a Manager affect this aspect of Team formation?
Part of the answer lies in the simple reality that people are social animals. Left to our own devices, we naturally choose to get to know each other. The more we know each other, the more we’re likely to trust each other – assuming of course that we’re trustworthy – and for the most part we are. Working together isn’t an unnatural act. We might not help a complete stranger – but most of us seem to choose to do so, but we will almost certainly help anyone with whom we have more than a passing relationship.
So? How can we capitalize on the almost hardwired aspects of human nature to create the teams required by our organizations? Just as the Farmer lets ears of corn do what ears of corn do… we should create environments/opportunities where people can do what people tend to naturally do.
If you want to see this happen… and reap some organizational benefit from human nature? Here’s a simple recipe for team building Invite people together for an informal evening. Don’t provide food. Sooner or later – someone’s going to get hungry – that’s what humans do. Don’t order in… instead suggest that they cook a meal. Don’t have supplies on hand. A team will form that will head out for supplies (this used to be called ‘hunting’)… when they return, a team will form to cook the meal, another will form to set the table. Before your eyes a team is forming. It’s what people do.
© 2013, Peter de Jager. Peter is convinced we make things more difficult than they need to be. The answers are in front of us. He’s a Keynote Speaker, Writer and Consultant. Visit vimeo.com/technobility to listen some live presentations.
Groups of people are most effective at completing large complicated tasks, when they’re co-operating smoothly with very little interpersonal conflict. This is nothing more than an observation. When this happens we recognize it is a somewhat unique occurrence. So… we give it a name – we call it a ‘Team’.
When we move onto our next large complicated task, and there’s no shortage of these – we remember our last success and try to replicate the it. We remember the Teamwork and set out to re- create that same sense of co-operative team spirit. The problem is that we really don’t have an accurate understanding of why/how a group of people gel into this thing we call a ‘team’. We know it’s desirable, we know it seems to generate positive results, but we don’t really know why it happens.
Consider for a moment the inherent complexity of how people interact. If there are only six people in a group, there are 15 possible one-to-one interactions. Add one more person to the group, and the number of interactions jumps to 21 interactions. (Think of clinking wine glasses when you make a toast around the dinner table) For the sake of simplicity? I’m ignoring the many ways in which people can form cliques and how that adds to the number and types of interactions.
The simple truth is that a manager does not have the time to oversee each and every interaction within a group, anymore than a farmer can attend to each individual ear of corn in a cornfield. What a farmer does, and what we as managers must learn to do, is create an environment that is ‘friendly’ to teams and which supports their growth.
The other thing a farmer knows, and managers must embrace - Is that the ears of corn, the team members in this analogy, are going to do what comes naturally. We cannot ‘force’ people to work well together… The moment we start to use force, we almost guarantee the group will never blossom into a team.
So? Before we put on our boots and head to the fields, can we define what it is we’re going to try and re-create? What exactly is a team? A working definition is comprised of three parts. The first component is a well defined goal/objective. The second is group of people who believe that the goal is worthy of their efforts. And the third part is a shared understanding of the roles of each individual as they work towards that goal.
That sounds simple enough – hopefully not so simple as to be useless – just simple enough to keep in mind as a starting point as we work towards our goal of creating a team.
The first part is easy enough. Defining the goal, and then communicating that definition doesn’t require any special powers. Just some good analytical skills, and the ability to communicate. Surely these are abilities well within the reach of most managers. One down, two to go.
The next piece is a little bit more difficult. Getting people to see that the goal is worthy of their efforts isn't achieved by snapping our fingers and expecting people to immediately accept our exhortations that the goal is worthy. It requires a touch of leadership ability, and an understanding of how people respond to Change. There’s nothing too difficult here, but this does require some effort on the part of the Team Leader, it doesn't just happen. Two down, one left.
Lastly we have to have everyone on the team understand two distinct things. First? How their role will contribute to the success of the team. And just as important? How the roles of everyone else will contribute to that success. How do we do this? Simple. Communicate. Communicate. Communicate. All done. Well… not quite – something’s missing.
All of this is all very fine. These three components provide a good structure on which to build a team, but to be perfectly honest? There’s something missing here, and it has to do with the complexity mentioned earlier. People interact with each other, and the ‘spirit’ of a ‘team’ is encapsulated in those interactions. Given that these interactions outnumber the Manager’s ability to monitor and/or affect on an individual basis… how can a Manager affect this aspect of Team formation?
Part of the answer lies in the simple reality that people are social animals. Left to our own devices, we naturally choose to get to know each other. The more we know each other, the more we’re likely to trust each other – assuming of course that we’re trustworthy – and for the most part we are. Working together isn’t an unnatural act. We might not help a complete stranger – but most of us seem to choose to do so, but we will almost certainly help anyone with whom we have more than a passing relationship.
So? How can we capitalize on the almost hardwired aspects of human nature to create the teams required by our organizations? Just as the Farmer lets ears of corn do what ears of corn do… we should create environments/opportunities where people can do what people tend to naturally do.
If you want to see this happen… and reap some organizational benefit from human nature? Here’s a simple recipe for team building Invite people together for an informal evening. Don’t provide food. Sooner or later – someone’s going to get hungry – that’s what humans do. Don’t order in… instead suggest that they cook a meal. Don’t have supplies on hand. A team will form that will head out for supplies (this used to be called ‘hunting’)… when they return, a team will form to cook the meal, another will form to set the table. Before your eyes a team is forming. It’s what people do.
© 2013, Peter de Jager. Peter is convinced we make things more difficult than they need to be. The answers are in front of us. He’s a Keynote Speaker, Writer and Consultant. Visit vimeo.com/technobility to listen some live presentations.
