Lonnie Pacelli's Blog, page 59

Lesson 18 - Job changes: I've gotta do what?

Six-Word Lessons for Project Managers on Amazon, kindle, iTunes, Nook and moreProcedural and systems changes could very well mean changes in job roles and responsibilities.

Articulate how people's jobs will be impacted and ensure job descriptions are revised accordingly.

See all 100 lessons at 6WordLessons.com.

Dinnertime - Balancing the Work/Life Balance Equation

Some time back I did an interview on the importance of dinnertime.  It reminded me of the importance of eating dinner as a family in the work/life balance equation so I thought I would post it here as well:

In your view, why aren't families sitting down to the dinner table like they did in the 1950s? 
Simple; families have allowed themselves to get so busy that they have come to accept that sitting down together for dinner isn't a necessity.  It all starts with the parents; if they don't sit down together or enforce that the family will be eating together, the family won't do it. Make sitting down together the rule and not doing so the exception.
How does this affect both parents and children? 
Dinnertime is a prime opportunity to have a captive audience with your kids and to allow for discussions to develop organically.  Not capitalizing on this opportunity means that parents and children miss the chance to connect on both simple topics (how was your day?) and more complex topics (addictions and sex). 
What are your top five tips for creating the perfect family dinner together?Start early when the kids are young - set the expectation that the family sits down for dinner together such that the kids see it as the normal thing to do.Establish a contract - When my kids were little, my wife and kids would eat dinner at 5PM and I would eat later when I got home from work.  We had to agree upon a dinner time (6PM) where we would all agree to be at the table for dinner.  I had to schedule it in my calendar and treat it just like a meeting; because if I didn't make the meeting I would keep my family waiting.  Our 6PM dinnertime contract has been in force for years and has worked beautifully.Turn off the electronics - No TV, iPods, or any other distractions at the table.  If Publisher’s Clearinghouse calls with a $1 million prize then let them wait. Have some fun - laughing at the dinner table is massive for building relationships as a family.  Encourage a bit of goofiness and fun.  If kids see dinnertime as a fun time they are more likely to want to do itDon't be in a rush to leave the table – Before our daughter went off to college my wife and I frequently would sit around the table with her after the meal talking about whatever was on her mind.  From our perspective as parents there was nothing more important than giving her our attention and talking about whatever it was she wanted to talk about.   

What is the most important thing parents should know about eating with their children? 
Dinnertime is more than filling your gullet.  It is where kids get to observe their parents in a captive environment and establish relationships which transcend well beyond the dinner table.  Think about dinnertime as the place where relationships get built and where your words and actions imprint upon your kids.

Is there anything else you think I should know? 
This all starts with the parents.  If the parents agree that dinnertime is a priority then the kids will see it as a priority.  If the parents view the dinner table as a place to build relationships, the kids will participate.  If parents make the dinner table fun, the kids will want to be there.  Parents need to set the standard and be the example. 

Want to learn more?  Get the straight talk seminar 30 Tips to a More Fulfilling Dinnertime With Your Family.

One Minute Leadership Lesson: Humor-Credibility= Doofus

A one-minute lesson on ensuring humor doesn't destroy your credibility.  See more at Why Don't They Follow Me?

One Minute Lessons on Raising Autistic Kids Youtube Videos

I started a new video series on growingupautistic.com specifically focused on helping dads with raising an autistic child.  This is deeply personal to me in raising our son Trevor and helping him through primary and secondary schooling, completing his degree in Film & Media Studies at Arizona State University, and onboarding into the workforce.  I will be adding videos on a regular basis.  I'd love for you to give them a look and let me know what you think. 

Lesson 31 - One task, one person, one week

Six-Word Lessons for Project Managers on Amazon, kindle, iTunes, Nook and moreA task assigned to "the team" or with a duration of more than one week has a greater likelihood of not finishing on time.

Define tasks with a singular owner accountable for delivery and with a schedule duration of one week or less.

See all 100 lessons at 6WordLessons.com.

Lesson 18 - They need to keep a schedule.

Six-Word Lessons for Dads with Autistic Kids on Amazon, kindle, iTunes, Nook and moreHaving the ability to keep to a schedule is important to someone with ASD. You could set your watch to some things Trevor did during the day, like setting the dinner table (5:50 pm), walking on the treadmill (6:30 pm), or having an evening snack (8:00 pm). We consequently kept a very orderly and predictable house and all four of us grew very comfortable with schedules.

See all 100 lessons at GrowingUpAutistic.com.

"Morning After" Decision Making

Several years back I conceived and funded a small business.  My partner and I were very excited about the concept and had sky-high aspirations about the prospects of the business.  While the idea was great, I ultimately decided to shut the business down as I felt the cost of keeping the business afloat would continue to outstrip the revenue.  I'm not going to bore you with the details of the business; what I do want to do is talk with you about the decision process I went through and how the "morning after" decision making process tipped the scales for me. 
A number of months prior to shutting the business down I mentally set a "won't lose more than" dollar amount; meaning that if I had to invest more than the dollar amount I would need to decide whether or not to shut down the business.  As I approached the dollar amount, I found myself faced with a number of factors to consider: there were people who had been working for me who will be out of work and we were getting great feedback on our concept and likely could turn a profit given enough time.  At the same time the business was costing me money and, if left unchecked, could create a significant financial problem for me. The day before making the decision, I walked around our local shopping mall for hours thinking (actually agonizing) through the alternatives.  As I was muddling the alternatives, I decided to play out each scenario by thinking about how I would feel waking up the next morning about each alternative.  I played this out in my head: Alternative 1 - keep the business alive:  stress and fear of the unknownAlternative 2 - shut the business down:  relief

Once I played out each alternative and what my first thought would be after waking up, the decision became crystal clear:  I shut the business down and didn't look back. 

As leaders we are regularly faced with multi-faceted decisions where each alternative has its pros and cons and requires both quantitative and qualitative points of view to make the decision.  Many times the decision may be one of a "least-worst" alternative or a less-than-optimal scenario.  Using the morning after approach helps us as leaders listen to our gut and balance the quantitative and qualitative aspects of the decision and have more comfort and confidence in the decision.

When faced with a multi-faceted decision, take pause and play out each alternative using the "morning after" approach.  You'll have better peace with your decision.

Lesson 29 - Critically manage the project critical path.

Six-Word Lessons for Project Managers on Amazon, kindle, iTunes, Nook and moreNot knowing the critical path through a project means not knowing whether you're ahead, behind, or doomed.

Clearly understand task dependencies and those that can slip or not slip without impacting the completion date.

See all 100 lessons at 6WordLessons.com.

Lesson 19: Even fun surprises can wreak havoc.

Six-Word Lessons for Dads with Autistic Kids on Amazon, kindle, iTunes, Nook and moreSo what kid doesn't like hearing, "Hey, let's go out for ice cream!" While many kids would gleefully run for the car, those with ASD could find it difficult because it is an unplanned activity that wasn't expected. We learned to not spring unplanned activities of any kind on Trevor; we would give him advance notice so he could incorporate the activity into his schedule.

See all 100 lessons at GrowingUpAutistic.com.

Empowerment - Problem Ownership = Errand Runner

Some time back I was working with a leader who was having difficulty with his employees feeling empowered in their work.  Ned (not his real name) was frustrated.  "I don't understand it!" he stammered.  "I assign tasks out, stay out of their way while they're completing the tasks, hold them accountable to dates, and praise them when the task is done well.  I do all this yet my employees tell me I don't empower them.  I'm ready to pull my hair out (ironically he was folically challenged)".
We talked a bit more about how he does things.  As Ned was describing his empowerment technique, something occurred to me.  When he assigned work, he took great pains to describe the task, what the deliverable had to look like, and when it needed to be done.  What Ned failed to do was clearly articulate the underlying problem that he was trying to solve.  Rather, he would assign the task to an employee, get the work product, then use the work product to help solve the problem.  In the meantime, the employee was doing work that she didn't completely understand the rationale for doing or how it was going to be used to solve a problem.  Once Ned and I discovered the issue, he was able to change his focus from delegating tasks to delegating problems  which had a positive effect on how his employees felt about their work.
Empowerment - Problem Ownership = Errand Runner
Being responsible for completing a task is an important part of getting things done; but when it's done without owning the problem then the person doing the work is merely running an errand for someone else responsible for solving the problem.  This not only results in less fulfilling work for the errand runner, it also significantly increases the likelihood that the resulting work product  won't contribute effectively to solving the problem .  The errand runner is one step removed from the problem and is throwing darts at a dart board in a pitch-black room. 

The nugget here is simple:   Delegate problems not just tasks .  You'll get a better work product, develop a more empowered organization, and free yourself up to get more done.