Recommendations for Dealing with Challenging Staff

You may find that you have a staff member that is a challege to work with. The following are recommendation to help you manage through the challenge.

1. First keep in mind that a good leader will have challenges. The universe often provides us with challenges to help us realize our weaknesses and help us evolve.

2. We can never control another person. Most conflicts arise due to ego. Ego meaning the perception of our self that we hold in our mind and how we think the world should respond to us. You will find that when you let go of any ideas of self and not take things personally, that you will more accurately see the situation and be able to respond to it rather than react to it. Reacting often results in an unbalanced state of mind, lack of mental clarity, and state of emotional weakness. When we stop thinking of our self and perceive the situation as it is, then we can respond in a clear state of mind to the challenge at hand.

From my experience, the best way to deal with negative people is to be kind, polite, and professional. Usually if they cannot get a reaction from you then they back off.

3. Speak to the person and communicate your concern. If that does not resolve the situation then escalate to your manage for recommendations. During this process be kind, polite, professional, and keep in mind that all things will pass. The one constant in this world is change.

4. Another strategy is to go to lunch or do some off site activity and try to get to know the person better. You can build a relationship this way that will impact your work life.

Finally, keep in mind that a good leader is a good follower. It is not necessary to assert ourselves on others nor require them to respond to us in a specific way in order to be an excellent leader.

What additional questions or comments do you have?

Productivity tip #6 - Weekly Status Report

Weekly status reports are short and simple. Monthly status reports contain more detail. Go to my website and login to pick up your free project management templates, including various weekly and monthy status report templates.

- If it takes you more than 15-30 minutes to complete the status report then there is an issue with the status report template you are using.

- A good status report template has instructions.

- If you have metrics such as 'probability' you must include a legend that defines what 1-5 means. If some one hands you a status report template with metrics of 1-10 ask them why they need 10 numbers. An effective impact and probabilty scale has 5 options NOT 10 or more.

- Be aware of content areas in the status report. Do not duplicate information in the report. Do not exepect users to duplicate information that they maintain in a 'CHAIR' log (changes, action items, issues, and risks) or project schedule.

- If you are trying to introduce standards into an organization that has none you need to make your templates simple, clear to understand,short (one page), and user friendly.

If you apply these tips you will be able to get more done.

Managing resistance tip. #1 - Your Approach Matters

It is rather common to experience resistance to project management best practices. You will set up processes and procedures and there will inevitably be some people who just won't use them, and they may even be very vocal about their perspective for not using the processes and procedures. In most cases these people have difficulty delivering successful projects. They are consistently late, over budget, and / or do not deliver what was exected. These are often people who get emotional and think that using a project schedule is a waist of time. You will find that they create a schedule and never update it properly. These people typically exist in reaction mode and are some what disorganized.

First of all forcing anyone to do anything will not boost your popularity. Force typically makes the resistor dig in their heels. It really takes a gental approach to win them over.

How to win them over? First step is for you to observe the environment and see how people work.

Keep in mind that most emotional reactions are due to the ego. Many people are afraid to admit that they do not know something so they try to cover it up with emotional reactions. During their reaction they will try to blame you and / or your processes as being a waist of time and simply not needed. Don't argue with them. Instead listen and aknowledge their points.

You will need to take baby steps but you will find that these people will ultimately state that they need something, and that is your doorway to offer to help them. When you have the opportunity to help them you will use the best practices techniques and present them in a way to offer assistance to their success. More like a teacher instead of a dictator. You will find that resistent people can turn around if you approach them in a way that empowers them and makes them feel good.


...more to come!

Do the right thing - Contract Managemet

The project or program manager should participate in the statement of work (SOW) and master service agreement (MSA) negotiation process.

1. Work with the procurement team to ensure that all processes and procedures have been thought through in terms of how they will be executed.

2. Read the contracts thoroughly. Highlight and dogie ear pages so that you can easily refer to them. Keep the marked up copies so you can easily compare newer versions of the contract to the changes you previously requested.

3. Have senior managers from departments that are also impacted should review and comment on the contracts.

You can't read a book to become a project manager

Project management requires common sense and creativity. If you don't know how to figure things out using common sense and you lack the ability to be able to invent ways to get things done then project management is not be for you!

Many people are good at reading books and repeating back what they read. Don't be fooled when interviewing people who are all "talk" and not personally capable. During the interview throw a situation or two at them and see if they have any common sense and creativity. By the way you really cannot measure these skills in a test. That is why many of the project management exams that supposidly qualify you as a "professional project manager" are really a joke. They are a scam to take your money. Don't fall for it! From my over 16 years as a manager virtually 99% of the people I have met that took one if those tests fail regularly in real life as a manager because inatetly they lack common sense and creativity. Copying someone else's material or parroting theories about how things should work is not how a successful organization should be run. Avoid hiring people who really cannot do the job. You cannot read a book to become a project manager.

Dora Tarver 4/25/09
www.e-projectmanagers.com

Project Management - The Art of Getting Things Done

In a nut shell, project management is the art of getting things done. There are various tools and techniques available to help you get things done, but ultimately if you do not deliver (on time, within budget, and meet or exceed expectations) then you fail to manage successfully.

If you manage a person who can never deliver, where years pass and nothing of real value is accomplished, then that person needs an education in project management best practices or a career change.

Management should evaluate accomplishments in order to determine the level of productivity. Management should survey direct reports to a manager to determine if the manager is effective or dysfunctional. An organization's success is dependent it's level of productivity. So if someone in your organization cannot get things done and re-education is not changing their ability get things done, then it is time to find a new resource.

Learn the art of getting things done. It is easy if you simply take action!

Productivity Tip #5 - Review Work flow Processes

Work flow processes are often designed in the spur of the moment as a reaction to an event rather than a well thought through response to an event. Most 'reactionary processes' are simply weak and ultimately effect your schedule's time line as well as leave a negative impression on the people who have to use it.

When you are in a situation where you are given a work flow process that appears to limit your functionality then think of a better work flow process that allows you and your team to accomplish your goals.

Never hesitate to review work flow processes whether they originate internally or come from a vendor. The work flow processes that you use will impact the success of your project.

Productivity Tip #4 - Plan your day...

If you plan your day then you will find that you are able to get more done. Yes, I mean write it down! If you can hold your plan in your mind that is okay, but if you write it down in your calendar and then refer to your calendar throughout the day then this is the best practice to follow to get things done.

If you need to allocate time to read emails, prepare for meetings, or even eat lunch then write it in your calendar. When someone asks you to do something add it into your.calendar just like you would a meeting.

Every morning review your calendar and make updates into your calendar during the day. I prefer to use a computer software calendar that I synchronize with my PDA (personal digital assistant). This way I always have access to my calendar.

Take a few minutes to plan your day rather than running around reacting to events. You will find that you are able to get more done during your day.

If what you planned to achieve is not accomplished then update your calendar. Using this technique you will not loose track of activities and always deliver.

Productivity Tip #3 - Mental Clarity

In order to be able to effectively manage and respond to situations you need mental clarity. If you maintain a clear mind you will find that you are better able to respond to all situations.

The are many ways to create and maintain mental clarity however I will share with you one technique that can be easily applied, and that has numerous variations so that you can find an approach that best suits your mental, emotional, and spiritual needs.

The Technique:
Set aside 20 minutes to sit and be still physically and mentally. Let go of your thoughts, fears and desires. Focus on a point in front of you or close your eyes and focus on the center of your chest in the sternum area. Allow your thoughts to slow down. If a thought arises re-focus. Slowly and consciously inhale and exhale. Be still. Practice this technique for 20 minutes. During this time you will connect with your energy and obtain clarity.

Productivity Tip #2 - eMail Management

You can manage your emails easily every day if you implement a few quick tasks every day.


The first task is to schedule time (10 or 15 minutes) in your calendar in the morning, afternoon, and end of the day to review messages.

The second task is to learn to scan messages for those that need your reply.

The third task is to create project folders and sub folders. Create folders with the label of the senders name. Folder names may also have the department or company name in the folder name. Be creative! Create labels that help you organize information.

Fourth task is to communicate to others to be removed from distribution lists that you do not need.

The fifth task is to create email rules that will automatically file messages.


Tell me what other challenges you have?

Productivity Tip #1 - Embrace Technology

Be aware of others who do not embrace technology. They prefer to use a horse and buggy while the majority realize that a car will typically get you there 1000 times faster.


In today's business world there are people who unconsciously, in most cases, manage in highly ineffective ways.


Case #1
For example, rather then send an email they call 5 times in a row and leave many voice mail messages. Mean while you do not have a secretary to transcribe the long winded messages, and you end up spending 30 minutes sifting through to locate the point of what is being said.

Case #2
Another example is when someone needs something from you, they get up from their desk and walk to the other side of the floor to 'hunt you down'. In their mind they need to speak with you in person in order to get what they need. Needless to say, you are on a conference call and they don't bother to apologize for interrupting you. They even begin speaking to you oblivious to the fact that you are holding a telephone receiver in your hand. You look at them and politely state that you are busy right now. However they continue to talk at you, so you turn around and continue your conversation.

These are just two examples of how your productivity is impacted by someone who does not embrace technology. In today's world we have limited resources, and time is money. Be aware of what others do and how it effects your productivity. Don't let them force you to ride in a horse and buggy! ;-)