When persistence is not always good…………………….#pmot

Posted on April 15, 2013 by admin

Project Managers are generally encouraged to be persistent and this characteristic is normally seen to be a “good” thing and something to be encouraged.

Sometimes, however, being persistent can bring “bad” results.

Consider the case of a Project Manager who has a preconceived agenda & seeks to impose it on a meeker member of the team. Despite the initial objections of the Team member the Project Manager persists and “badgers” the other into doing what She wants.

Six months later the project hits a major hurdle and the Project Manager realizes this was exactly what She was warned about all those months ago but chose to ignore in order to bash ahead with her agenda.

The wise Project Manager always listens to her Team and is prepared to question her own agenda with as open a mind as possible.

Persistence is a great attribute of any Project Manager but not when it impedes good judgement.

chris@projectsguru.co.uk

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Start your own Consultancy from scratch – practical tips

Posted on March 20, 2013 by admin

So you really want to start your own Consultancy business from scratch !?

Here are some tips I hope will help:-

Identify your key skills – if you want to sell yourself as a Consultant the first thing you need to identify is the skills you possess which people will be willing to pay for. If you can’t do this don’t give up your day job.
Develop a Business Plan – don’t put it off because you can’t be bothered or don’t think it’s necessary. If you want people to take you seriously as a Business you need to start thinking like a Business.
Identify your target market – who are you going to sell your skills to ? – your current or former employer perhaps ? Former customers or suppliers, ex colleagues, business partners etc etc
Network – Develop your contacts, LinkedIn is great for this but don’t forget about your address book & business card collection.
Have a look at the Professional Contractors Group website www.pcg.org.uk – it has a fantastic free downloadable guide for freelancers/consultants.
If you still want to take the plunge this is perhaps the hardest step of all – You will need a MINIMUM of 6 months income in the bank before you start. Do not plan to earn anything from your Consultancy business for the first six months. If you really want to succeed with your own Consultancy business you will find this money. If you see this as too big a hurdle then sorry but Consultancy is not for you.

Look out for my new book “Start your own Consultancy – Now!”

chris@projectsguru.co.uk

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Why not start your own consultancy ?

Posted on March 19, 2013 by admin

As Chairman Mao famously said “we live in interesting times”.

Millions of people live in daily dread of redundancy, working longer & longer hours to appease the boss in an effort to avoid the dreaded 90 days notice interview and ultimate dismissal. I know, I’ve been there once or twice myself and it sucks!

However, there is an alternative, and that redundancy payment can provide a great springboard to a new successful and rewarding career.

Any professional person with a skill to sell can start their own consultancy business but it does need a set of personal attributes which not everyone has:-

Persistence – you will need this in abundance to generate leads and pursue opportunities.
Flexibility – are you willing to travel or work away from home.
Pick up things quickly – can you hit the ground running & “add value” from the start of any assignment.
Positive Outlook – do you let things grind you down or do you react by seeking solutions to problems.
Uncertainty – can you live with not knowing what you will be doing in 3 months ?
Outgoing personality – if you can get on with people from different backgrounds & talk to the cleaner as well as the CEO you will do well, if you are a shrinking violet who prefers staring at a computer screen all day you will fail.
Embrace Change – if you love ding different things in different places you will thrive. If you prefer the routine then consultancy is not for you.

For more practical advice on starting your own consultancy look out for my next post.

Extracts from my future book ” Start your own Consultancy….now!”

chris@projectsguru.co.uk

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10 great #Leadership traits….#pmot

Posted on February 21, 2013 by admin

All great Leaders share common traits, here are some of them:-

Swim against the tide – if you want to be a great leader, don’t go with the flow. Great leaders invariably pursue their goals regardless of the opinion of the masses.
Have a Vision – to be a leader you need to know where your headed.
Be tenacious – strive for your goals & never give up.
Maintain a sense of calm – no matter how bad things get, keep your cool (or at least look like you do!)
Promote people who are cleverer than yourself – the great leader does not put his ego above success.
Consult experts – it doesn’t matter how great you are, you can’t know everything.
Achieve the impossible – don’t let anyone tell you it can’t be done.
Be Positive – always moving forward.
See the big picture – rise above the situation.
Learn from mistakes – don’t seek someone to blame.

chris@projectsguru.co.uk

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Who needs a #business plan ?

Posted on February 20, 2013 by admin

Every Business needs a Business Plan.

It is commonly recognized that 4 out of 5 new start ups fail in the first 12 months and a key reason for this is a lack of a proper Business Plan. Your Business Plan is not just used to gain financial support (although this is obviously a key reason) but to act as a “roadmap” for the Business by which progress can be measured and tracked.

If you are starting a new business a comprehensive Business Plan is essential. If you want help with your Business Planning get in touch for a free consultation.
chris@projectsguru.co.uk

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Cameron’s Indian Takeaway………….#business

Posted on February 19, 2013 by admin

David Cameron has been visiting India again in an effort to drum up bilateral trade. Very laudable indeed. As we can see from Tata’s investment in Jaguar Land Rover the company has come on leaps and bounds since the Indian Conglomerate took over the ailing British company in 2008 with billions of pounds investment.

There are also many areas where UK companies can help India, particularly in developing infrastructure which is one of the main bottlenecks to growth in the country & in improving telecommunications.

India is a vast country both geographically and economically. With a GDP of nearly 2 trillion GBP it is on target to become 4th largest in the world around 2020 at current growth rates.

Of course, India is not without it’s problems:-

Infant Mortality – 63/1000
320,000 deaths from diarrhea per annum
Sanitation coverage 31 %
Only 15% of rural population has access to a toilet.
29.8% below poverty line, most living on less than $2 per day.

India has come a long way in the last 20 years but it also has a very long way to go in eradicating poverty & disease within it’s own boundaries. Hopefully David Cameron can persuade his hosts to address these issues as well as selling them a few helicopters.

chris@projectsguru.co.uk

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Success in Project Management by improving people skills #pmot

Posted on February 6, 2013 by admin

Whatever type of Project you are Managing results will be improved by paying more attention to your people skills:-

Treat others as you would expect to be treated yourself – it’s so obvious but so easily neglected. When the pressure is on it’s even more important. Every word you say, every action you take needs to take into consideration the impact on the feelings of those around you. It sounds a bit ‘wet’ but if you consistently neglect the impact your actions have on others you will pay the price of poor Team performance and morale.
Communicate – keep the team informed by giving regular briefings and updates.
Don’t rely on email – it’s a great way of communicating complex information but terrible at conveying emotions.
Face to Face – the most effective way of communicating. Sit down with your key team members at least once a week.
Leave the door open – always make yourself available for a private chat.
Make it fun – it’s all too easy to get bogged down in the bureaucracy of project management – keep a sense of humor & maintain a positive outlook.
Never criticize anyone in front of the Team – keep it for your one to one.
Open & Honest – personal communication should make your team members aware of your thoughts. This means telling people face to face what you think is good & what you think is bad. This requires you to listen openly without interrupting & being argumentative. Through this process your team will gain respect for your point of view & learn that you are a good listener.
Treat people equally – whether they are the cleaner or the CEO.

These issues will be further explored in my forthcoming book – ‘The Projectsguru guide to effective Project Management’
chris@projectsguru.co.uk

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10 tips to eliminate the blame culture…..#pmot…#leadership

Posted on January 30, 2013 by admin

Changing a company culture is not an easy thing to do & the blame culture which is endemic to many organizations needs to be eliminated for innovation to thrive. Here are some tips to eliminate the blame culture:-

Adopt a leadership position by ignoring the accepted blame culture & practicing a solution based mind set.
Instead of asking who did what & why identify the steps required to move from the current position to the desired one.
Look to the future not the past, develop a vision of where you want the organization to be.
Ignore the jibes of others who try to lay the blame by focusing on the steps required to achieve the desired outcome.
Lead by example – people will begin to notice & copy positive behavior.
Reward positive behavior with encouragement.
Deal with negative behavior by ignoring it.
Promote positive people within the organization at the expense of those who cannot change.
Forgive those who exhibit redemption.
Celebrate success & generate genuine teamwork.

chris@projectsguru.co.uk

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#Freelancers earn loads of wonga………..#HFD2012

Posted on November 21, 2012 by admin

It’s Freelancer day today so lets debunk some of our favorite myths about freelancing:-

Freelancers earn loads of wonga - Freelancer pay is very much dependent upon industry, location, length of contract etc. In Engineering a typical freelancer may earn 25% more than a “permie” but that’s like comparing apples & pears as the freelancer gets no paid holiday’s, sick pay, pension, bonus etc etc so a direct comparison needs to take into account the monetary value of these “permie” benefits.

Freelancers pay less tax – There is some truth in this. By owning a Limited Company a Freelancer may structure his pay to take home more income (perfectly legal) but the biggest benefit is being able to deduct legitimate business expenses like car mileage from taxable income. It should be stressed that legitimate Freelancers pay their full contribution according to UK tax law.

Freelancing is insecure – This is largely down to career management. In a lot of respects it can be more secure because the contractor has more active control. Rather than being at the whim of an employer the Contractor tends to be secure for the length of his contract & needs to be active in seeking another towards the end. If her Network is well developed this is perfectly manageable.

Freelancers can’t get a proper job – some people move easily between Contracting & “Permanent” roles. The majority, however, prefer freelancing. Most Freelancer’s wouldn’t take a permie job given the choice.

Freelancers are ruthless opportunists – no more so than the companies who employ them on short notice contracts. Freelancers are certainly not naive & are perfectly capable of exploiting an opportunity should it arise.

Freelancers are essential – Of course I would argue this but who else is going to step in & cover for 12 months maternity leave or provide invaluable support through a period of rapid growth. If it wasn’t for Freelancers the corporate world would be like a Swiss cheese.

Freelancers are competent Professionals – undoubtedly true. To survive without the fluffy blanket of corporate support, to learn on the job, hit the ground running, contribute immediately & be effective are all signs of competent professionalism. If you want an easy life don’t go into freelancing.

So why would anyone want to go into Freelancing ———that’s for the next post.

Happy Freelance Day!

chris@projectsguru.co.uk

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Tag Archives: leadership

When persistence is not always good…………………….#pmot

Start your own Consultancy from scratch – practical tips

Why not start your own consultancy ?

10 great #Leadership traits….#pmot

Who needs a #business plan ?

Success in Project Management by improving people skills #pmot

10 tips to eliminate the blame culture…..#pmot…#leadership

#Freelancers earn loads of wonga………..#HFD2012