Phil Simon's Blog, page 16
July 29, 2022
Vote on the Subtitle for Why New Enterprise Systems Fail
Later this year, I’ll be releasing the third edition of my first book Why New Systems Fail: An Insider’s Guide to Successful IT Projects. Released in 2010, the second edition is a bit long in the tooth.
A few things have happened during the last dozen years, such as the explosion of cloud computing and DevOps.) Despite some seismic changes in the tech landscape, organizations continue to struggle to implement enterprise systems. (Cue Nietzsche reference.)
Brass tacks: the time is right to update the book.
The changes to the book will be significant. For starters, I’m tweaking the title. The third edition will be called Why New Enterprise Systems Fail. That one-word addition was easy to make and, in hindsight, should have been there from day one. Live and learn …
The cover will keep the same colors but go in an exciting new direction. (Spoiler here.) In terms of the content, I expect a better overall book for one simple reason: I’m a far better writer today than I was in 2009. Next up, there will be a new publisher. Why New Enterprise Systems Fail will be the second title from Racket Publishing.
I’d love your input on the subtitle of my forthcoming book.
There’s still one thorny matter: book titles and subtitles are tricky things.1 To be fair, I’ve gotten off easy with three of the last four books. Slack For Dummies, Zoom For Dummies, and Project Management in the Hybrid Workplace all lacked subtitles.
Against this backdrop, I’d love your input on the subtitle of Why New Enterprise Systems Fail. I’ve certainly got a favorite from the list below, but I’m curious about what others think. I know that it’s ultimately my decision and that you can’t make everyone happy, but what do you think?
Thanks in advance.
Anonymous VoteSign in with WordPressWhich is the best subtitle for Why New Enterprise Systems Fail?An Insider’s Guide to Successful Technology ProjectsAn Insider’s Guide to Successful Workplace Technology ProjectsFoundations for Successful Workplace Tech ProjectsHow to Overcome the Dangers That Hamper Workplace Technology ProjectsOtherVoteResultsThe post Vote on the Subtitle for Why New Enterprise Systems Fail appeared first on Phil Simon.
July 18, 2022
Episode 68: Covering the Workplace With Lizzy Lawrence
Lizzy Lawrence of Protocol joins me. She covers tools and productivity in the workplace. We talk about productivity, Slack, Canva, Gen Z, organizational change, and other cool stuff.
The post Episode 68: Covering the Workplace With Lizzy Lawrence appeared first on Phil Simon.
July 11, 2022
Cluelessness in Virginia
Project Management in the Hybrid Workplace dropped about a month ago and reviews have been very positive.1 That’s what happens when you fuse case studies, research, data visualizations, and fact-based opinions.
A key point in the new book: Thanks to COVID-19, the pendulum has swung from the employee to the employer.
Don’t expect it to swing back anytime soon.
Glenn Youngkin, via Wikipedia
Lamentably, Virginia governor Glenn Youngkin seems not to have received the memo.
Over 300 Virginia state employees in five state agencies recently resigned in the wake of Youngkin’s chaotic telework policy that ultimately mandated a full-time return to the office. (Maybe the governor’s got a man-crush on Elon Musk?)
It turns out that many employees would rather quit than cede their newfound flexibility, especially in a historically tight labor market.
Shocker.
From the little I know of Youngkin, I doubt that he realized—much less cared—that so many public-sector workers would tender their resignations. That’s fine, but how many organizations can withstand a sudden employee exodus?
Simon Says: Hybrid work is the future. Deal with it.The future of work is hybrid. Ditto for the office, for that matter. LinkedIn clearly understands that we’re not returning to a pre-pandemic world of work:
Pretend otherwise at your own peril—and that of your organization’s customers, partners, vendors, and users.
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June 21, 2022
Episode 67: Building a Second Brain With Tiago Forte
Tiago Forte is one productive dude. He joins me to talk about his new book
Building a Second Brain: A Proven Method to Organize Your Digital Life and Unlock Your Creative Potential
. Legos, productivity, pencils, and metadata are also on the docket. WANT EARLY ACCESS TO PODCAST EPISODES? ➡️ The post Episode 67: Building a Second Brain With Tiago Forte appeared first on Phil Simon.
June 20, 2022
Why Office Mandates—Even From Petulant Billionaires—Won’t Fly
Dennis appears to work hard because his manager sees him regularly clock in and out. For her part, Denise (couldn’t resist) is twice the performer but everyone assumes that she’s a slacker.
Why?
Because she works remotely.
Welcome to the world of proximity bias. Few problems vex management, HR departments, and organizations these days as the Dennis-Denise Dilemma. (Check out an extensive Future Forum report on the subject here.)
There’s a simple way to eliminate this thorny issue: level the playing field. This means either mandating in-person work à la Elon Musk or bidding adieu to the office altogether. (Hello Twilio.)
Here’s a simple visual from Project Management in the Hybrid Workplace:
Pick one and you instantly and magically resolve the issue, right?
Hardly.
The problem is each solution to level the playing field isn’t practical. Put simply, these these types of mandates won’t fly—at least over the long term and in the United States. Thank the following:
Prediction: Tesla employees compelled to return to the office every day will immediately start exploring their options. Switching jobs is far more palatable when your employer’s stock price has plunged nearly 50 percent in the last six months.
I’d also wager that many in-demand folks no longer consider Tesla a viable employment option.
For many if not most knowledge workers, the future of work will be hybrid.
As for the remote-only remedy, its limitations are far too numerous to list in a single post, but here are two biggies. More than two years into the greatest WFH experiment in history, organizations continue to struggle to provide basic support to their employees. Beyond that, certain types of work don’t work nearly as well asynchronously.
Brass tacks: For many if not most knowledge workers, the future of work will be hybrid. There’s just no way around it. By extension, the future of project management will be as well. And, generally speaking, hybrid is really freakin’ hard. (Yes, even holding effective and inclusive meetings.)
And that, in a nutshell, is why I wrote the new book.
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June 15, 2022
Publication of Project Management in the Hybrid Workplace
I am pleased to announce that Project Management in the Hybrid Workplace is now available for purchase.
Why give it a read?
Lots of reasons, but here’s a biggie.
As I’m well aware, the existing canon of PM books is substantial. Still, the vast majority of the 60,000 or so texts on the topic dropped pre-COVID. The pandemic changed many things—not the least of which are where, how, when, and why we work.
Those ships have long sailed.
What’s more, to put it mildly, we weren’t that good at managing projects and launching new projects when we all met in person and worked synchronously.
I have written what I believe is a timely, relevant, interesting, and jargon-free text about a vital topic. I also think that it’s my best book to date, and I hope you’ll consider checking it out.
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June 14, 2022
Episode 66: Project Leadership With Anh Dao Pham
Anh Dao Pham joins me. She is a VP of Product & Program Management at Edmunds. We talk about her book Glue: How Project Leaders Create Cohesive, Engaged, High-Performing Teams.
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May 26, 2022
Episode 65: Audio Excerpt From Project Management in the Hybrid Workplace
My new book Project Management in the Hybrid Workplace drops on June 15 of this year. For now, enjoy an excerpt from the audiobook. My narrator Gary Bennett again hits it out of the park.
Pre-order the book here. It should be up for pre-order as an audiobook within two weeks, give or take.
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May 17, 2022
Episode 64: Team-Level Agreements and How the Future Works With Brian Elliott
Brian Elliott, Executive Leader of the Future Forum, joins me again. This time, we talk about his new book How the Future Works: Leading Flexible Teams To Do The Best Work of Their Lives. We also discuss team-level agreements, hybrid work, and the need for experiments.
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May 9, 2022
Book Trailer for Project Management in the Hybrid Workplace
I’m a big believer in book trailers and explainer videos. To that end, here’s the latest for my new baby Project Management in the Hybrid Workplace.
You can preorder the Kindle version of the book on Amazon now. It will be live on other sites shortly.
BUY PROJECT MANAGEMENT IN THE HYBRID WORKPLACEThe post Book Trailer for Project Management in the Hybrid Workplace appeared first on Phil Simon.
