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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What’s wrong with #Interim?….

Posted on March 4, 2013 by admin

Rafael Benitez the current Chelsea F.C Manager has been having a bit of a rant about his job title including “interim”.

But that’s exactly what he signed up to when he took the job!

Benitez was appointed Chelsea F.C Manager until the end of the season and that makes him an “interim”

Anyway, what’s wrong with that ? Those of us who are Professional Interim Managers by choice are proud of the fact. We provide an essential service in an increasingly fragmented economy where flexibility is a key factor for success and interim personnel are valued for the contribution they make.

Come on Rafa ! celebrate your interim status with pride.

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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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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Building great teams……..#business #leadership

Posted on November 12, 2012 by admin

Team building is not all about weekends away in the Lake District building rafts & swinging through the trees. Effective Managers employ simple everyday methods to build team performance. Here are 10 tips for great team building:-

Do as I do not as I say. – If you ask team members to carry out tasks you either cannot or wouldn’t do yourself you will quickly lose respect.
Eliminate the blame culture – Organizations which have an overwhelming blame culture are unproductive & waste energy. Avoid blaming others, especially in public, and seek to improve your own performance & those of your team.
Open & Honest Feedback – is to be encouraged. If you want to question a team members performance it must be done in private & in an open, honest manner. Be prepared to hear things you don’t want to hear but don’t be afraid to point out weaknesses you feel need to be rectified.
Don’t delegate irresponsibly - by overloading your team or passing off un-savoury tasks you don’t fancy doing yourself. This will only create resentment & lower morale.
Get your hands dirty – now & then, the team will really appreciate it – and so will you.
“Big Up” your team – to Senior Management instead of taking the credit yourself.
Have an “open door” policy - to listen to people’s personal problems, it will be much appreciated.
Show Leadership – by taking responsibility for failure as well as success.
Treat others as you would have them treat you – it’s obvious but the best advice normally is.
Celebrate Success – buy the drinks, cakes – whatever but celebrate that win !

chris@projectsguru.co.uk

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Digital Switchover – a great project management success #pmot

Posted on October 24, 2012 by admin

This week has seen the completion of the Digital TV switchover in the UK. Over a 5 year period the team has managed the successful transfer from Analogue to Digital in all regions of the UK. This has involved:-

Re-engineering over 1100 transmitters from Analogue to Digital.
Maintaining coverage at around 98.5% of UK residents.
Making 95% of the population aware of the programme.
Ensuring those who need help get it fast.
Freeing up the Analogue bandwidth for other uses.

The Team achieved all this and more completing the changeover on time and within budget. It was also an excellent example of collaboration between public sector broadcasters, independent broadcasters, Ofcom, Government and other parties.

Particularly impressive were the adverts targeted at the public which were clear, concise and informative.

Congratulations to the Digital Switchover team for a job well done.
chris@projectsguru.co.uk

www.projectsguru.co.uk

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Your #business cannot compete on cost alone…

Posted on October 16, 2012 by admin

According to new research published today by Allianz Insurance, some 83% of UK managers rank Innovation as the key to their organization performing strongly.

However, despite the fact most leaders are fully aware of the benefits of innovation, the ongoing challenging economic environment has caused many to opt out of such projects in recent months.

For instance, 23% of the 500 respondents noted that the economic slump has pushed innovation further down their list of business priorities, with issues such as a lack of funding and a focus on profits being the main reasons behind this fact.

This approach is not only wrong it is patently short sighted. Innovating value added products or services is the only way to ensure long term survival never-mind success. Long-term it is not possible for organizations to compete purely on cost. Globalization ensures that whenever you compete purely on cost, someone, somewhere will be able to undermine your cost base and do it cheaper. The only way to compete successfully, particularly in the West, is to produce differentiated products with high added value, which cannot be easily reproduced elsewhere where labor costs are significantly cheaper.

This requires investment in R & D, training and advanced manufacturing techniques.

Innovation is essential to long term survival.
chris@projectsguru.co.uk

www.projectsguru.co.uk

#Innovation adds value and creates jobs……

Posted on October 9, 2012 by admin

Fantastic news today regarding the development of a National Automotive Innovation Campus at the University of Warwick.

Funded jointly by the Government’s U.K Research Investment fund, Tata Motors & Jaguar Land Rover, the centre will cost 92 million pounds.

David Willetts, Minister for Universities and Science, said: “The UK has world-class companies and great universities. This new investment will get them working together to deliver innovation and growth.”

“The automotive industry in the UK has seen a recent resurgence, but for the UK to remain internationally competitive we must create urgently a critical mass in research excellence,” said WMG chairman and founder Professor Lord Bhattacharyya. “Our vision is to create the National Automotive Innovation Campus where we link people, research and world-leading infrastructure to create and develop novel technologies.

“NAIC will be an ‘engine’ for economic growth, with wide economic benefit, and sustained growth from the creation of world-leading technologies. It will enable academic and industry teams to work together in state of the art buildings, with tailored equipment and digital solutions to create and integrate breakthrough technologies with a whole system approach crossing multiple disciplines.”

This is exactly the type of investment British Science & Engineering has been crying out for & is a terrific example of how collaboration between successful organizations and Government can work together to increase innovation & deliver high value added products along with well paid jobs.

chris@projectsguru.co.uk

www.projectsguru.co.uk

Great projects, on cost, on time, every time. call 0775 172 2603

Tag Archives: project management

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

Start your own Consultancy from scratch – practical tips

10 great #Leadership traits….#pmot

Success in Project Management by improving people skills #pmot

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

Building great teams……..#business #leadership

Digital Switchover – a great project management success #pmot

Your #business cannot compete on cost alone…

#Innovation adds value and creates jobs……

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