As always I have too much work to do and not enough time to do it, and recently its got to a point where I go home after a really busy day, not having done anything on my To Do list – which is becoming such a size that its now a database rather than a list!
This week I hit a wall – too much doing X not enough thinking = no productive work!
So I took the advice of some of my learners on a recent Project Leadership course – remove yourself from your current environment, your location, the people you are with, the systems you are using. Change your physical perspective to change how you feel. By changing your perspective you break the negative cycle which in my case was being busy on all the wrong things because I could not see the wood for the trees.
Of course, being me I followed the advice to the max and booked myself into a hotel on Park Lane! But it definitely worked, a swim, some sleep, some room service and I got my motivation back and could take a more analytical approach to prioritising my work.
So what works for you – where do you go when you need to change your perspective? As ever, let me know, I love hearing from you.
Showing posts with label Interpersonal Skills. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Interpersonal Skills. Show all posts
Monday, 14 February 2011
Tuesday, 17 November 2009
BPUG Members Annual Conference, 11-12 November 2009
By Melanie Franklin, CEO at Maven Training
Best Practice User Group Members Annual Conference took place at the Mercure Holland House Hotel & Spa, Bristol on 11-12 November 2009. The Conference Theme was 'P4: People, Portfolios, Programmes and Projects'.
Conference delegates enjoyed two days of valuable discussions, presentations and ideas generation across the whole range of OGC PPRM guidance, with special emphasis on 'people' aspects. Past delegates of BPUG conferences have praised them for their wide spread of topics, the quality of the session leaders and the opportunity to network amongst others in similar work circumstances.
I gave a presentation on the importance of emotional intelligence in achieving project success. There was broad agreement in the room at the start of the presentation that building capability and being able to answer the question ' how do we things well' is more important these days than sorting out 'what we do' which results from the implementation of methodologies. That is not to say that the methods offered by PRINCE2 and MSP are not important for project and programme management, its just that many organisations have implemented these now, and are looking to upskill their workforce for successful project delivery, and not just successful following of a methodology.
Interpersonal skills and technical skills combined deliver this 'how to' knowledge. Excellence in interpersonal skills are a result of developing 'emotional intelligence' which involves self awareness - an unflinching assessment of our strengths, weaknesses, likes, dislikes and how we demonstrate these through our personality and self management - a willingness to tailor some of our personality traits to the situation. We discussed how emotional intelligence grows over time, as we learn from our mistakes, and therefore, it is essential to constantly ask ' how could i have done that better' when engaging with people. We all agreed that we would never get anything done on a project if it weren't for the people around us, so increasing our ability to inspire, motivate, delegate and manage is not optional, its mandatory.
There were a number of questions at the end including the importance of building personal relationships if we are to get the most out of some of our more impersonal meeting formats such as teleconferenes, virtual teams, webinars and email. The removal of face to face communication presents us with even greater challenges for which emotional intelligence gives us a number of solutions
If anyone attended the conference over the two days it would be great to hear your thoughts!
Tuesday, 28 July 2009
The current life of project managers
We have found three very interesting posts on two of the blogs we follow most closely, and we thought them so valuable that we decided to share them with you!
From Arras People:
Current Recruitment Activity in Project Management. Mixed news and fortunes surround recruitment activity in project management at the moment, there are winners and losers across all sectors. Specifically within project management, the volume of requirements is down year on year by 50%, and we have also seen some pressure on day rates and salary levels over the last six months. Read full article here
From Project Shrink:
How To Promote Yourself As A Project Manager. Read full article here
You Are Using Project Leadership Almost Every Day. Read full article here
From Arras People:
Current Recruitment Activity in Project Management. Mixed news and fortunes surround recruitment activity in project management at the moment, there are winners and losers across all sectors. Specifically within project management, the volume of requirements is down year on year by 50%, and we have also seen some pressure on day rates and salary levels over the last six months. Read full article here
From Project Shrink:
How To Promote Yourself As A Project Manager. Read full article here
You Are Using Project Leadership Almost Every Day. Read full article here
Tuesday, 14 July 2009
Top 50 IT Training Companies: Maven Training goes up!
For the second year in a row, Maven Training is ranked on the UK’s Top 50 IT Training Companies – and this year we’re even more chuffed to have increased our placing from 42 to 38!
The list is compiled by gathering information on the revenue of companies with IT training businesses (excluding sales of training delivered outside the UK and non-IT related business).
Our CEO, Melanie Franklin, states that the very core belief of Maven Training is what helped us go up on this year’s list. “Listening to clients (and potential clients) helps us give them what they want. I talk to delegates at training centres and at exhibitions, and I deliver training. I ask what problems they want solving”, she says.
The list is compiled by gathering information on the revenue of companies with IT training businesses (excluding sales of training delivered outside the UK and non-IT related business).
Our CEO, Melanie Franklin, states that the very core belief of Maven Training is what helped us go up on this year’s list. “Listening to clients (and potential clients) helps us give them what they want. I talk to delegates at training centres and at exhibitions, and I deliver training. I ask what problems they want solving”, she says.
Monday, 13 July 2009
Interesting blog find of the week (so far!)
We have just come across a very interesting Project Management blog, Fear No Project, which purpose, they state, is to “share thoughts and experiences on issues affecting project managers and the world of project management”. Two of their recent articles, we think, are of extreme relevance – that’s why we’re sharing them with you here!
Role of Project Managers in Change Management
July 10, 2009 — Bruce McGraw
Because change is an organisational constant affecting everyone, we assume everyone knows about Change Management. However, change management requires more than the natural flow of change in an organisation. Change Management (emphasis on the management) begins with a desired behavioural outcome and works methodically toward that goal by re-shaping an organization’s culture or way of doing business...
Read full article.
Project manager – having difficult conversations
June 20, 2009 — Bruce McGraw
Whether it’s an underperforming developer, a lazy team member, some type of inappropriate behaviour, or a prima donna on the team that makes everyone angry, there are times in every project manager’s life when he or she must have a difficult conversation with employee team member. These conversations are always difficult because you will be saying something that the other person doesn’t want to hear. You will be asking the employee to change his or her behaviour which is not something people are often motivated to do...
Read full article.
Role of Project Managers in Change Management
July 10, 2009 — Bruce McGraw
Because change is an organisational constant affecting everyone, we assume everyone knows about Change Management. However, change management requires more than the natural flow of change in an organisation. Change Management (emphasis on the management) begins with a desired behavioural outcome and works methodically toward that goal by re-shaping an organization’s culture or way of doing business...
Read full article.
Project manager – having difficult conversations
June 20, 2009 — Bruce McGraw
Whether it’s an underperforming developer, a lazy team member, some type of inappropriate behaviour, or a prima donna on the team that makes everyone angry, there are times in every project manager’s life when he or she must have a difficult conversation with employee team member. These conversations are always difficult because you will be saying something that the other person doesn’t want to hear. You will be asking the employee to change his or her behaviour which is not something people are often motivated to do...
Read full article.
Wednesday, 8 July 2009
Wanna be…a DREAM Project Manager?
Earlier this year Maven Training nominated Soma Bhattacharya, of the popular Stepping into Project Management blog as the unsung heroine of the world of women working in technology for the special celebrations of the Ada Lovelace Day
The tips below, on how to be the Dream Project Manager, were based on one of Soma’s posts – follow the tips and you won’t need good luck to succeed!
Always be on time. You want be noticed for your punctuality. Caught on traffic/public transport? If possible, ring the office and inform you will be “10 minutes late, Holloway Road is jam-packed”. Consideration, please.
Check emails and plan your day. Do this first thing, while everyone is still making tea and chit-chatting about today’s tabloid headlines – if you do this everyday, you don’t have to stress out at 5pm. Time management is an indispensable asset for Project Managers, and if you want to prove that you master this skill, wasting a lot of time at the water cooler one hundred times a day won’t take you very far…
Get your to-do list according to the priority of delivery. Because you can’t afford to miss a deadline, can you? Follow up with your team and co-workers; if your delivery is dependant on a third party, just to make sure they are aware of the deadline too. On time delivery is taking the lift for the Project Management office instead of the staircase. Everyone wants it on time.
Work efficiently and learn something new as often as possible. Everyone likes a perfectionist, and new skills gives you the edge and the fact that want to grow and spend your personal time and energy to acquire skills that you can use in your job environment.
Keep your desk organised. May sound parent-ish, but keeping a tidy work space helps you unclutter yourself psychologically – besides, it aids in keeping the pressure off (after all, you are not fumbling for that piece of paper you left at your desk three weeks ago). And, really, an organised behaviour is utterly paramount for being a project manager.
Protect your team. Well, no questions about this one. Responsibility is required, and blaming others for work not done when you haven’t followed up or bothered reviewing is not good behaviour. Trust can’t breed if you allow your team to take the hit every time – but do keep the rotten apple close to you (you can’t discard it, at least make sure it doesn’t spread to others).
Encourage others to grow. If your team grows, you grow automatically. Train them to handle more responsibility, be in control, acquire better work habits and discourage slackers from taking everything for granted.
Never call it a day while your team is still working. Don’t leave early if your teams on the deadline and working late hours. Being with your team is important, and if you can’t buy them pizza, at least being there is showing support and being together no matter what.
Based on Stepping into Project Management blog, by Soma Bhattacharya.
The tips below, on how to be the Dream Project Manager, were based on one of Soma’s posts – follow the tips and you won’t need good luck to succeed!
Always be on time. You want be noticed for your punctuality. Caught on traffic/public transport? If possible, ring the office and inform you will be “10 minutes late, Holloway Road is jam-packed”. Consideration, please.
Check emails and plan your day. Do this first thing, while everyone is still making tea and chit-chatting about today’s tabloid headlines – if you do this everyday, you don’t have to stress out at 5pm. Time management is an indispensable asset for Project Managers, and if you want to prove that you master this skill, wasting a lot of time at the water cooler one hundred times a day won’t take you very far…
Get your to-do list according to the priority of delivery. Because you can’t afford to miss a deadline, can you? Follow up with your team and co-workers; if your delivery is dependant on a third party, just to make sure they are aware of the deadline too. On time delivery is taking the lift for the Project Management office instead of the staircase. Everyone wants it on time.
Work efficiently and learn something new as often as possible. Everyone likes a perfectionist, and new skills gives you the edge and the fact that want to grow and spend your personal time and energy to acquire skills that you can use in your job environment.
Keep your desk organised. May sound parent-ish, but keeping a tidy work space helps you unclutter yourself psychologically – besides, it aids in keeping the pressure off (after all, you are not fumbling for that piece of paper you left at your desk three weeks ago). And, really, an organised behaviour is utterly paramount for being a project manager.
Protect your team. Well, no questions about this one. Responsibility is required, and blaming others for work not done when you haven’t followed up or bothered reviewing is not good behaviour. Trust can’t breed if you allow your team to take the hit every time – but do keep the rotten apple close to you (you can’t discard it, at least make sure it doesn’t spread to others).
Encourage others to grow. If your team grows, you grow automatically. Train them to handle more responsibility, be in control, acquire better work habits and discourage slackers from taking everything for granted.
Never call it a day while your team is still working. Don’t leave early if your teams on the deadline and working late hours. Being with your team is important, and if you can’t buy them pizza, at least being there is showing support and being together no matter what.
Based on Stepping into Project Management blog, by Soma Bhattacharya.
Friday, 12 June 2009
Come to The Best Practice Showcase!
We’d like to reinforce our invitation to all our readers, trainers, partners and clients to come and spend the day at The Best Practice Showcase on Tuesday 23rd June at the QE11 Conference Centre.
The Showcase, which is in its seventh edition, is FREE TO ATTEND. Its interactive format proves a real hit with delegates, who spend the day discussing issues, talking to experts and sharing experiences with each other.
Maven Training will be hosting five Birds of a Feather sessions at the event – these sessions entail sitting round a table with ten to fifteen delegates and grappling with pertinent programme and project management issues – our idea of heaven!
Melanie Franklin, our CEO, will host sessions that will focus on Programme Management – where are we and where do we go next? Melanie will present a step by step guide as to how to go about establishing and implementing a programme environment in your organisation. The examples she’ll be exploring are derived from our work with public and private sector organisations. She’ll also ask delegates to share their experiences and challenges.
Melanie is also scheduled to deliver her popular presentation on Interpersonal Skills for Projects and Programmes – exact timing still to be confirmed, but watch this space for further details.
Susan Tuttle, Associate Trainer, will be hosting sessions on Project management – what next? Susan will discuss how project managers can get commitment from their sponsors, how to persuade line managers to release staff to work on projects, and how to engage support staff fully. The session will give those involved in project management a chance to share their experiences, and set this against our roadmap for increasing organisation wide project management capability. This is an opportunity to devise practical steps to address these issues. Using a combination of interactive examples and our in depth experience in resolving these issues, those attending this session will feel empowered to return to work and make a tangible difference.
In addition to these discussion groups, the Best Practice Showcase will also feature a full seminar programme. Emma Jones, Chief Examiner for PRINCE2® Qualifications will update delegates on the impact of the 2009 Refresh.
The event is free so we’d love to see you take part. Click here for details of all the sessions on offer, and to register.
The Best Practice Showcase
Tuesday 23rd June 2009
QE II Conference Centre, London
www.bestpracticeshowcase.com
Wednesday, 27 May 2009
BCS Debates - Making Projects Work
Last month our CEO Melanie Franklin was a panellist of the BCS Debate, “Making IT Projects Work”, along with David Hicks, CEO, RADTAC and Paul Major, CEO, Program Framework.
The debate, chaired by Brian Runciman, Managing Editor of the BCS , concentrated on discussing problems and solutions revolving around IT Projects. The high level of the participants brought interesting answers and comments on Project Management itself – amongst the questions answered was “Are project failures a perception or sheer reality?”. They discussed the real chances of acquiring more information about failed projects, the difference between projects and programmes (and the definition of both frequently seeming a bit “hazy”), projects that work, projects that don’t and why, and the benefits of a dedicated project office. However, it was the panellists’ years of project and programme management experience that drove the conversation to the human side of project management – knowing how to deal with the people who work in a particular project is as important as having a structured approach to managing it. The focus was on the migration of “techies” to project management, PM “lingo” on the way of success, how to engage people – including management of board expectations.
WATCH THE DEBATE!
Part 1
Part 2
Part 3
Part 4
The debate, chaired by Brian Runciman, Managing Editor of the BCS , concentrated on discussing problems and solutions revolving around IT Projects. The high level of the participants brought interesting answers and comments on Project Management itself – amongst the questions answered was “Are project failures a perception or sheer reality?”. They discussed the real chances of acquiring more information about failed projects, the difference between projects and programmes (and the definition of both frequently seeming a bit “hazy”), projects that work, projects that don’t and why, and the benefits of a dedicated project office. However, it was the panellists’ years of project and programme management experience that drove the conversation to the human side of project management – knowing how to deal with the people who work in a particular project is as important as having a structured approach to managing it. The focus was on the migration of “techies” to project management, PM “lingo” on the way of success, how to engage people – including management of board expectations.
WATCH THE DEBATE!
Part 1
Part 2
Part 3
Part 4
Tuesday, 26 May 2009
The Practice of Leadership
Blogging about we have found a very interesting blog called The Practice of Leadership, which is written by South-African George Ambler.
We particularly love his post on ‘No Communication No Leadership’ and we couldn’t agree more with that. Communication is key to leading people – after all, who’d follow someone they don’t understand?
George says that without effective communication one cannot lead and ends up talking a walk on his/her own. He argues that communication is essential to effective leadership and raises questions for us to consider:
How effective is your communication? How do you know?
Is your communication relevant?
How do you get within their (your staff) experience when your communicate?
We know from experience that many programme, project and risk managers are working under extreme pressure at the moment, with tougher targets, tight budgets and severe time constraints.
It’s not always easy to keep your one’s eye on the ball at times like these, let alone constantly keeping a team updated, motivated and working at optimum levels.
In a programme or project environment the elements of leadership (behaviours and competencies) need to be managed in a way that meets the needs of each step of the project or programme lifecycle.
We don’t want to seem opportunistic or use this blog for commercial reasons, but it just so happens that The Maven Training Skills Academy™ focuses on key interpersonal skills such as negotiation, conflict management, leadership and, of course, communication.
In our one-day Leadership Skills for Projects and Programmes course, we look at competencies and behaviours that successful leaders exhibit as well as at different leadership styles. We also explore the differences between leadership and management and discuss opportunities for establishing leadership credibility.
In our Communication Skills for Projects & Programmes course we addresses the specific management challenges associated with the communication needs of projects and programmes. These include communications that develop buy-in and support for the initiative and communications that provide progress information and reassurance of the achievements of the initiative.
These courses form just two of our specialist Skills Academy division. Each course is highly participative, giving delegates many opportunities to review their own skills-set and understand how their skills impact on their success at work. Our Skills Academy courses are designed to inspire, energise and motivate you so that you return to work better able to deal with all the challenges that you face.
We particularly love his post on ‘No Communication No Leadership’ and we couldn’t agree more with that. Communication is key to leading people – after all, who’d follow someone they don’t understand?
George says that without effective communication one cannot lead and ends up talking a walk on his/her own. He argues that communication is essential to effective leadership and raises questions for us to consider:
How effective is your communication? How do you know?
Is your communication relevant?
How do you get within their (your staff) experience when your communicate?
We know from experience that many programme, project and risk managers are working under extreme pressure at the moment, with tougher targets, tight budgets and severe time constraints.
It’s not always easy to keep your one’s eye on the ball at times like these, let alone constantly keeping a team updated, motivated and working at optimum levels.
In a programme or project environment the elements of leadership (behaviours and competencies) need to be managed in a way that meets the needs of each step of the project or programme lifecycle.
We don’t want to seem opportunistic or use this blog for commercial reasons, but it just so happens that The Maven Training Skills Academy™ focuses on key interpersonal skills such as negotiation, conflict management, leadership and, of course, communication.
In our one-day Leadership Skills for Projects and Programmes course, we look at competencies and behaviours that successful leaders exhibit as well as at different leadership styles. We also explore the differences between leadership and management and discuss opportunities for establishing leadership credibility.
In our Communication Skills for Projects & Programmes course we addresses the specific management challenges associated with the communication needs of projects and programmes. These include communications that develop buy-in and support for the initiative and communications that provide progress information and reassurance of the achievements of the initiative.
These courses form just two of our specialist Skills Academy division. Each course is highly participative, giving delegates many opportunities to review their own skills-set and understand how their skills impact on their success at work. Our Skills Academy courses are designed to inspire, energise and motivate you so that you return to work better able to deal with all the challenges that you face.
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