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IT Management LifeIT Management LifeThe life and times of IT project managers Articles
2009 Leaders & Managers Need Outstanding Soft Skills
2009-01-03 11:21:00 I’ve always stood by the belief that strong people skills (a far reaching topic in itself) are critical to the success of any manager or leader, whether they’re a Project Manager or CEO. Certainly there are those who exist without those skills, but their success and longevity are often minimal, as we shall see below. According to some HR specialists, 2009 is the year of the socially skilled diplomatic character who approaches tasks with a “together we can” attitude, as opposed to the authoritarian “I want” approach. The change that many have already embraced is from strict hierarchical vertical structures to more horizontal networks. The old manager was expected to organise, direct, set objectives, communicate clearly and enforce the hierarchy. Today’s manager needs to be a coach and an inspirational leader. The new manager is expected to have or cultivate ‘soft skills’, relational and emotional, be a superb communicator and able to realise ... More About: Soft , Skills , Managers , Leaders
The Intergalactic PMO Chaos Theory
2008-12-28 11:32:00 The APM Programme Management Specific Interest Group recently published the following article I wrote: I’ve observed the efforts of a number of organisations to build a PMO. In some cases, the term PMO is used with the letter ‘P’ interchangeably representing the words programme and project because no one seems to know whether they are building a programme or project office, or a combination of both. That often derives from the confusion within the organisation over what exactly constitutes a project and a programme. There are plenty of people still naively referring to projects as programmes, and vice versa; but I digress. Are you nodding already? If you’re sitting there nodding your head, I’m pleased that you know what I mean and you’ve probably seen the organised chaos that so much time, effort and money can often achieve in the hands of the right people. Don’t laugh …just continue to nod. Then there’s the need to introduce a project or programme office quic... More About: Theory , Chaos
The 5th Habit and Programme Communications
2008-06-11 13:38:00 I thought I would post this article that I wrote for the APM Programme Management Specific Interest Group newsletter last year. Many aspects of life rely on communication. School, parenting, relationships, sport, politics, social and business are just a few. The trouble is, when communication is performed poorly or not at all in any of these areas, people and results suffer. Programme Management is no different and although we sometimes use advanced techniques to manage risk, apply the latest processes to operate more effectively, etc, communication is more about understanding people than anything else. The guidelines set out by the OGC and other organisations are certainly very useful references, but those guidelines can only become truly effective when they are applied by a Programme Manager who understands the human element of communication. Or put simply, a Programme Manager who understands people and the environment around them. The Gower Book of Programme Management highlights... More About: Communications
Leading with Empathy
2008-05-04 11:24:00 The likes of Harvard, Stephen Covey and other respected names in business support the fact that leaders need to empathise strongly with their followers and care about what they are feeling. Good leaders give people what they need, and not necessarily what they want and leaders must balance respect for the individual with the task at hand. People who fail to lead with empathy can learn a lot from publishers such as Havard and Covey, in particular, Covey’s book; “Principle Centered Leadership”. Some people enjoy the luxury of growing up in an environment in which empathy becomes second nature, but many don’t, although the quality can be learned. Giving our full attention, being completely present and seeing things from another’s perspective takes courage, patience and an inner feeling of security. It means moving to the into the hearts and minds of others, to see the world as they see it - not as we see it. It doesn’t mean feeling the way they feel... More About: Leading
Stakeholder Management
2008-04-21 11:46:00 Stakeholder Management helps us ensure successful change. It helps managers assess and manage the environment around the planned programme and brings out the interests of the stakeholders and identifies potential conflicts to assign a level of risk or challenges to the programme’s success. It also helps identify existing relationships between stakeholders that can be leveraged to build coalitions and potential partnerships that go on to build valuable trust and collaboration among the stakeholders. But what is a stakeholder? A stakeholder is anyone who is: - managing the programme of work; - working within the programme of work; - directly or indirectly contributing to the programme of work; - affected by the programme of work or its outcomes. So even the smallest programme will find itself with a long list of stakeholders who need to be managed carefully. Understanding stakeholders as well as their needs, desires, characters, feelings, levels of influence, perceptions, etc is... More About: Stakeholder
Source of Confusion in Changing Organisations
2008-04-19 08:09:00 By Zbynek Rozboril - Krauthammer Consultant Krauthammer provides consultancy-based training and coaching for clients all over the world. Synonymous with lasting performance improvement, Krauthammer is most active at the fusion of the individual, team, and corporate dimensions. Source of Confusion in Changing Organisations It´s amazing in business life, we sometimes ignore basic facts. For example the need to ... More About: Consulting , Change
Corporate blogging sense
2008-04-01 14:29:00 It’s been a few months that I’ve been blogging from a professional perspective and I find it an ideal way to communicate with the many people that I’ve worked with in the past and to share knowledge. I was interested in Bain & Company’s recent article on how corporate blogging is have a serious impact on business, from many perspectives. Darrell Rigby of Bain explained that blogs are now reducing the reliance on internal e-mail and the traditional public relations-oriented corporate website. Darrell adds that a successful corporate blog should: Establish the blog’s focus and mission; Develop a simple-to-use site and update it frequently; Create links with key audiences; Ensure consistency with corporate image and product branding; Employ RSS; Consider the option of wikis; Establish clear blogging guidelines for the corporation and educate employees about potential legal repercussions. This blog that I write is an excellent way for me to maintain ... More About: Sense , Blogging , Corporate
Programme Management newsletter
2008-03-08 13:54:00 ProgM is the Programme Management Specific Interest Group of the Association for Project Management and the British Computer Society. I have to say that the March issue of the the ProgM Newsletter is the best yet. The table of contents includes: - The ProgM Olympics 2012 Event - Partnership Governance: Getting it Right (Paul Rayner) - The Universal Disagreement to Programme Management around the world (Geoff Reiss) - 2007 Local government conference - Improving Project Success through cross project KPI reporting I encourage anyone interested in programme management to visit http://www.e-programme.com/ to learn more. Membership of the ProgM is free and you can apply for membership by mailing info@e-programme.com
Risk management culture
2008-02-22 08:18:00 Most well run organisations will have risk managed at four distinct levels which are; Corporate/Strategic, Programme, Project and Operational. To do this effectively, a framework for managing risk needs to be designed and implemented to address the following: 1. how risks are identified; 2. how information about their probability and potential impact is addressed; 3. how risks are quantified; 4. how options to deal with them are identified; 5. how decisions on risk management are made; 6. how all these decisions are implemented; 7. how actions are evaluated for their effectiveness; 8. how appropriate communication mechanisms are set up and supported; 9. how stakeholders are engaged on an ongoing basis. But this is just the beginning because it’s all very well having a thorough framework documented and sitting pretty on the shelf with a tick in the box, but risk management needs to instilled within the people of the organisation. A healthy culture of risk management needs to ... More About: Culture , Management , Risk Management , Risk
Source of Confusion in Changing Organisations
2008-02-19 07:09:00 It´s amazing in business life, we sometimes ignore basic facts. For example the need to communicate. Communicate and you will survive. Krauthammer provides consultancy-based training and coaching for clients all over the world. Synonymous with lasting performance improvement, Krauthammer is most active at the fusion of the individual, team, and corporate dimensions. Article below by Zbynek Rozboril - Krauthammer Consultant Everybody knows that in this crazy quick age, we face a huge amount of change. Sometimes it seems that organisations are more chaotic than organised. The number of processes that can be really properly described and will work all the time seems to be pretty low. The rest is chaos and permanent change. Sad? Maybe. Reality? For sure! Yes, for organisations it is crucial to change from day to day … those who stop for a moment will lose the race. BUT honestly …who likes change? If you do …my compliments! How does this situation challenge us? What is the main ... More About: Source , Changing , Confusion
Now you can post on this blog
2008-02-11 09:40:00 I launched this blog in 2006 and it now offers over 100 articles. I wrote most of them and others were written by various industry experts. These days I am too busy to post here regularly but the blog has continued to be a popular place for people to visit on a daily basis and I ... More About: Post , Blog
The Colour-Blind Executive
2007-11-08 13:25:00 I wrote this article for the British Computer Society’s Programme Management special interest group newsletter ProgM, which was published earlier this month. Tony Blair Once Said; “I am pleased that one of its (the Improving Programme and Project Delivery Report) key recommendations - establishing Programme and Project Management ‘centres of excellence’ within departments - has already been endorsed by the Cabinet. Achieving this requires clear leadership from the top and better delivery on the ground. Better programme and project management in the Civil Service has a key role to play. Of course these new centres must recruit the right people, develop programme management skills, and promote the delivery culture.” (Tony Blair - 2003) Not Everyone Understands Like Tony Does Programme Managers will sometimes find themselves struggling to explain the benefits of good programme management to those further up the chain of command. When these people have a ... More About: Executive , Blind , Colour
The Colour-Blind Executive
2007-10-13 14:25:00 I wrote this article for the British Computer Society’s Programme Management special interest group newsletter ProgM, which was published earlier this month. Tony Blair Once Said; “I am pleased that one of its (the Improving Programme and Project Delivery Report) key recommendations - establishing Programme and Project Management ‘centres of excellence’ within departments - has already been ... More About: Executive , Blind , Colour
Lucrative Contract and Job Opportunities
2007-07-07 05:18:00 I’ve decided to veer the the focus of this blog towards helping IT Managers find better consultanting and job opportunities. After all, I now have more that 100 articles on project and programme management and I feel like a change. Having been an independent consultant for many years, finding lucrative opportunities comes relatively easy to me. ... More About: Job Hunting , Contract , Opportunities , Trac , Unit
Geoff Reiss on Project Management Demystified
2007-06-02 15:44:00 Having had just 5 days home in Prague after the New Zealand trip, I arrived in Al Ain, UAE yesterday to manage a government programme for Injazat (EDS & Mubadala). I had a mail from Programme and Project Mana gement guru Geoff Reiss whilst in New Zealand. His book “Project Management Demystified” has now become a best seller ... More About: Publications
Geoff Reiss on Project Management Demystified
2007-06-02 15:44:00 I had a mail from Programme and Project Management guru Geoff Reiss whilst in New Zealand. His book “Project Management Demystified” has now become a best seller in the UK world of project management and the new 3rd edition should extend the already significant readership. It provides a very accessible coverage of all of the important techniques in an entertaining manner. Dr Martin Barnes, President of the Association of Project Management, said;ËœIf you plan to read one book on project management, this is the book you should read. The detailed announcement of the third edition is available here.
The 5th Habit and Programme Communications
2007-05-27 13:38:00 I’ve just returned from a great 3 week trip to New Zealand. To get the Blog back into action I thought I’d post this article that i wrote for the British Computer Society’s Program me Management special interest group newsletter ProgM, which was published earlier this month. The 5th Habit and Programme Communication s Many aspects of life rely on ... More About: Emotional Intelligence , Gramme , Communications
Recipe for Business and Sport
2007-05-04 09:10:00 Since posting the 100th article on the Blog, the pace of publishing has slowed a little. It’s not from lack of enthusisam but simply because I’ve had to focus my time elsewhwere. I’ve been doing some consulting work in Europe, we’ve placed three PMs in the last week and we’ve been working on the promotion ... More About: Business , Sport , Recipe , Ness , Spor
Black Slides
2007-04-29 12:21:00 Most of us have witnessed a few dreadful PowerPoint presentations in our time. I’m sure most of us are also guilty of giving presentations that we could have been done so much better. The Communication s expert Bert Decker has published a really interesting article on his Blog about using black slides. Bert points out that a black slide ... More About: Tools , Black , Slide , Slides
Black Slides
2007-04-29 12:21:00 Most of us have witnessed a few dreadful PowerPoint presentations in our time. I’m sure most of us are also guilty of giving presentations that we could have been done so much better. The Communications expert Bert Decker has published a really interesting article on his Blog about using black slides. Bert points out that a black slide will do three things: 1. Clear the screen 2. Black out the screen 3. Totally change your mindset I’m not going to reproduce Burt’s advice here so just click here to head over to the article on his Blog. More About: Slides
Why use a Methodology for Managing?
2007-04-25 13:54:00 Many Project Managers believe that to enjoy total project management success, you need to manage projects using a formal project management methodology. They say it helps give you direction, it saves you time and it improves the quality of your deliverables. But does it? Most good managers use a methodology of sorts, whether it be written on post-it notes stuck to their screen, documented in a stack of procedures on their desk, or included in software that they have bought. Regardless of the type of methodology used, there is one common theme - that it typically helps them to manage projects and therefore improve their project success. What is a Methodology? A methodology is “a set of methods, processes and practices that are repeatedly carried out to deliver projects”. The key concept is that you repeat the same steps for every project you undertake, and by doing that, you will gain efficiencies in your approach. What is a Standard? So what is the difference between a ...
Why use a Methodology for Managing?
2007-04-25 13:54:00 Many Project Mana gers believe that to enjoy total project management success, you need to manage projects using a formal project management methodology. They say it helps give you direction, it saves you time and it improves the quality of your deliverables. But does it? Most good managers use a methodology of sorts, whether it be written on ... More About: Standards , Tools , Aging , Ology
It’s All About People
2007-04-18 01:00:00 I’ve done a heck of a lot of interviewing in recent months; of people who have applied for Project and Programme Management roles. In this time, I’ve come across some superb CVs and spoken with some very articulate and switched on managers who display strong communication skills. I’ve also been lucky enough to have worked with all sorts of managers and leaders from various cultures and countries. But not everyone sparkles so bright (if you get my drift!), particularly in the area of people skills. This point has inspired the topic of the first article I am writing for ProgM who publish a Programme Management newsletter. Let’s face it, life in the absence of people skills is very disappointing to say the least and whether it’s a business partner, spouse, politician, project or programme manager, when people skills are lacking, the people around them and the objectives at hand suffer. Only a minority spend time and effort improving their communication ski... More About: People
It?s All About People
2007-04-18 01:00:00 I’ve done a heck of a lot of interviewing in recent months; of people who have applied for Project Manager, Senior Project Manager or Programme Manager roles. In this time, I’ve come across some superb CVs and spoken with some very articulate and switched on managers who display strong communication skills. I’ve also been lucky enough ... More About: People , Communication , Leadership , About
The Elephant in The Room - By Geoff Reiss
2007-04-12 09:45:00 This is the 100th article to be posted on the Blog and I thought it would be very fitting to have something extra special published to mark this milestone. I’m pleased that one of the world’s leading project and programme management mentors has this morning offered me this great article that he has just written. You can learn more about Geoff’s oustanding background in project and programme management at the foot of this article and at his web site www.geoffreiss.com “Thank you Geoff” The Elephant in The Room - By Geoff Reiss Banks, software houses, manufacturers, civil engineers, central and local government organisations, universities and charities: I have been lucky enough to have observed a great many organisations struggling with the whole concept of benefits. I have observed, and here informally outline, some stages in benefits maturity in the hope that it will help you understand more; improve more and that it will help you creep up the career la...
The Elephant in The Room - By Geoff Reiss
2007-04-12 09:45:00 This is the 100th article to be posted on the Blog and I thought it would be very fitting to have something extra special published to mark this milestone. I’m pleased that one of the world’s leading project and programme management mentors has this morning offered me this great article that he has just written. You can learn ... More About: Reis , Room , Elephant , The Elephant in the Room
The Lovable PID
2007-04-06 08:33:00 The purpose of the Project Initiation Document (PID) is to define all of the major aspects of the project. Our lovable PID forms the basis for the project’s management and the assessment of overall success. It’s essential that the PID is constructed carefully and not simply thrown together just so that you can say “we ...
Leading with Empathy
2007-04-04 11:24:00 The likes of Harvard, Stephen Covey and other respected names in business support the fact that leaders need to empathise strongly with their followers and care about what they are feeling. Good leaders give people what they need, and not necessarily what they want and leaders must balance respect for the individual with the task ... More About: With , Leading , Lead , Path
Project Process and Documentation
2007-04-03 09:56:00 There are many organisations that don’t have the luxury of a Project Office (PMO); or the extent to which a PMO can help project managers is limited due to capacity. Whilst this is, to a degree, the reason why many projects are run without proper documentation, it’s not the only reason. Many organisations don’t offer ... More About: Men , Documentation , Document , Menta
Slow down or take a breath
More articles from this author:2007-04-02 16:19:00 I was in Rome for the first time this weekend and of course I visited the Vatican, its museum, the Colleseum and Fontana di Trevi. Incredible constructions that the Romans created long long ago. I really was impressed. The journey there by plane was quick and easy from Prague. But what stood out was the stewardess ... More About: Take , Down , Breath , Slow , Brea 1, 2, 3 |
