by Mark Davison
February 28. 2011 15:35
1. That’s never been tried before
2. That’s against corporate policy
3. Get real - lets get back to reality
4. That’s not our problem
5. You can’t teach an old dog new tricks
6. Good idea, but it will never work
7. Lets give it some more thought
8. Put it in writing
9. We’ve never done it like that before
10. We don’t have the equipment
11. We don’t have the personnel
12. Not that idea again
13. Where did you get that one from
14. It’s different here
15. That costs too much
16. We tried that before
17. That’s not our responsibility
18. We’re not ready for that
19. We’ve always done it this way
20. Lets continue to evaluate it
21. It’s too much change at once
22. We don’t have the time for that
23. Our organization can’t handle it
24. It’s not practical for us
25. That won’t work
26. Lets sleep on it
27. We’re to busy for that
28. That’s not my job
29. The staff will never buy in
30. Management will never agree
31. Our systems can’t handle it
32. Keep doing your research
33. It’s too much trouble
34. It’s impossible
by Mark Davison
February 23. 2011 08:59
Being tactful when dealing with others can help a PM get what he/she needs and wants. Here are some suggestions on being “tactful”:
- Focus on the positive by communicating a positive thought as you start the dialogue
- Take responsibility for your statements and feelings by using “I” statements rather than "You" statements
- Stick to the facts, separating out opinions and assumptions
- Be empathetic by acknowledging others’ viewpoints and feelings, recognizing their importance
- Remain level headed and don’t overreact if the dialogue moves into problems, frustrations or disappointments
- Be specific when you express your needs and expectations, don’t use generalizations
- Be clear on what you may need or want so others are not confused by your “ask”
by Mark Davison
February 22. 2011 13:45
Being a good team player is more than just being a good individual player – it’s about working for the good of the team.
- Familiarize yourself with the team’s goals and objectives
- Define where you can best make a contribution
- Trust and respect your team members; develop interdependence
- Meet your commitments to others
- Help others when they need assistance to meet targets and deadlines
- Share your ideas, thoughts and perspectives in the spirit of helping the team
- Recognize and thank others; share success to motivate others
by Mark Davison
February 18. 2011 07:56
Interruptions seem to happen constantly! How can a PM improve productivity, retain focus and handle interruptions with ease and diplomacy?
- Recognize that your first obligation is to the person or group you are already in conversation with, or to the work you are in process of completing
- Protect your current activity: let the interrupter know that you are in the “middle of xxxxx” and will get back to him/her as soon as you finish
- Finish the conversation or the work you are doing
- Follow up with the interrupter as soon as possible and make it a time when you can focus on the interrupter's issues, questions, ideas, etc.
Note 1: if the interrupter is your manager, executive or other person “higher” on the organizational ladder or of special interest”¦
- Same "rules" apply ”¦ do your best to retain continuity and finish the activity you are currently engaged in
- It might be wise, however, to provide an explanation at the time of the interruption by stating the importance of the conversation/task currently underway, or providing the business reason for following up at a later time
- You can even say that as soon as the current activity concludes you'll come to his/her office (or other location) to follow up in person
- Then when the conversation or work wraps up, go to the office and follow up
Note 2: Regarding electronics ... As difficult as this may seem - these rules also apply to interruptions that come in via cell phone call, text and instant messenger! In this case, it might be possible to just ignore those little alerts until after the conversation or work is complete.
by Mark Davison
February 17. 2011 10:25
1.
Brainstorm possible action steps
2.
Group steps logically and order them chronologically
3.
Go back over the list and ask “have I forgotten anything?”
4.
Do initial estimates for each step - be reasonable for the first pass since you can always trim back later
5.
Review the order of the tasks and re-order by importance/priority and time sequence
6.
Identify checkpoints, milestones and deliverables where you can monitor the work being completed
7.
Review and validate the draft plan with others - colleagues, managers, clients, etc.
by Mark Davison
February 16. 2011 10:44
Some of our clients are familiar with the idea of being "S-M-A-R-T" about setting goals.
- Specific - if you can be precise about the target you increase the chances of hitting it
- Measurable - remember, what gets measured, gets done. Measure cost, quality, quantity, time, etc. Without effective measurements, you will be at someone else's whim
- Agreed to - obtain agreement from the appropriate stakeholders and project participants to assure they don't undermine the goal later
- Reachable - make the goals attainable; if others perceive they are unattainable they likely won't commit or try
- Timely - determine and establish a well defined target/deadline so everyone knows what is expected.