Random Thoughts from a CTO: Human Resources

Unconferences - the next generation of seminars?

Wed, 27 Sep 2006 16:24:58 GMT

A few years ago, I went a local conference and attended a session called Open Spaces. The concept was intriguing - groups of people determine topics that they would like to talk about and they gather to talk about that subject at a designated time and place. Instead of a pre-determined "speaker", the group self-organized and determined what they would talk about when they met.

While I liked the idea, I was frustrated at the time with the execution of the Open Spaces. People seemed to be confused, disorganized, and as a result little good came from it. Seems I wasn't only with my frustration.

Scott Berkun has a great post this week on "How to run a great unconference session". Here is his introduction:

It’s easy to assume that unconferences, the popular trend in tech-sector events, require little thought on the part of session organizers. The myth is that by choosing to do an unconference, special magic will trickle down into all the sessions, blooming into dozens of beautiful flowers of enlightened communal experience.
It’s not true: All unconferences have good sessions and bad. Ask anyone who’s attend one of these things - they’ll tell you about dud topics, confused session organizers, and the guy who kept taking the floor to talk about his company in session after session. For all their benefits, unconferences have their bad moments too.
One trick with unconferences is not to bet the farm on self-organization: people running sessions have a job to do, and it’s up to them to make the sessions work. The event planners do carry the heavy burden of setting the tone, creating the environment and inviting the right people, but the session creators themsleves are part of the the front lines for delivering value to attendies (and themselves).
Running a great session isn’t hard - it just take some thought and awareness of what can go wrong.

Read the rest of Scott's post on tips of things to consider when planning an unconference. I think if people follow these rules, we should hear a lot more about the effectiveness of unconferences to come!

Focus on Quality and not Quantity

Wed, 06 Sep 2006 16:38:00 GMT

When I first started reading blogs, I was excited about the amount that was out there. I started out slow, reading about 10 blogs on a daily basis. I found the content fascinating and of great value, so I started subscribing to a few more, and grew the list to around 25. It was a little more challenging, but I was able to read this list every day. I thought to myself, "If I can read 25, why not 50, 100, 150, 200?". So the number of blogs that I started reading increased significantly over the next few weeks. At one point, I had over 200 feeds that I was trying to keep up with.

Here's what I found though, I didn't have the time to really read and digest the content. I found myself skimming material, some material that was very good but because of the volume didn't have much time to do more than that. I begin to find that not only did it take me much more time to read everything, but I wasn't getting the value that I had received before when the numbers were much lower.

I started looking at the blogs I was reading and determining which of these was really worth my time and which weren't. The goal became quality not quantity. I started narrowing the group down, soon to 100, and now around 75. I still probably have to cut more down, but I am pleased already with the ones that I have remaining and have found that I am spending more time reading them. I think I will really need to get down to about 30-50 feeds to maximize the quality of time I have dedicated to reading blogs. This will take some discipline, but in the end will be worth it.

Now, think about the company that you work for. Are you multi-tasking too much? Do you feel overwhelmed and stretched too thin? Are you focused on quality of what you do and not just quantity? Is your company trying to do too much against its capacity? Are people wearing too many hats? Remember, it's always better to perform some things very well than many things just ok.

Start with yourself. Find those things that you are doing that isn't bringing quality and value to what you do, and cut them out. Talk with your boss about processes and workloads that you aren't sure why you are doing and verify the value. If there is little value, remove them. Encourage your boss to talk to their bosses, looking at those things that are taking away the focus from the things that are most important to stay in business and keep/get customers. If everybody in your organization was thinking this way, just think about how successful the company could be!

Looking into the eyes of others

Fri, 11 Aug 2006 16:00:07 GMT

If I am talking to a particular individual or perhaps a group of up to 3 people, I have no problem making direct eye contact with each of them during our conversation. And, if I address say a larger crowd of 15 or more, I learned from my Toastmasters days to make random contacts to the audience at large but not any particular person. If I get nervous, I can look beyond the audience to several points on the back wall. Given the size of the audience, they will feel a general amount of eye contact without looking at each of them directly (and thus getting distracted by concentrating on that).

However, if I am having a discussion with a group between these two extremes, I tend to either put my focus on up to three people and only on them, or end up having no or little contact with anybody in the group. Neither of these techniques works well. Why? Because with a group of that size, it is important that each person feels engaged and part of the conversation. Otherwise, there is a chance that my lack of eye contact could be intrepreted (unintentionally, of course) in the wrong way, such as:

"Is he hiding something by not looking at me?"
"Is there something that I did that he is ignoring me?"
"He must like those other people more than me to give them the attention."
"He must not be talking about something that concerns me since he isn't looking my way."
"He keeps looking at me and not others, is he using me as a good (or bad) example."
"Is there something I am (or am not) doing because he is (or is not) looking at me?"

Amazing what could (and does) go through people's minds just because body language is saying something else than what is intended and spoken. Because of that, I need to continue to work on this weakness of me if I want to be a better communicator. Plus, I can't be a better manager or leader without being a better communicator. However, given I have learned particular techniques for individuals as well as large groups, I struggle relearning a new technique for this other scenario. Have you noticed this happening to you? If so, have you corrected that problem? Otherwise, you may find out that there may be other messages being communicated other than what you have said. Plus, certain individuals may have never heard what you were saying because they were focused on the lack of eye contact.

Learning Triggers

Wed, 09 Aug 2006 17:31:54 GMT

For the first 22 years of my life, learning wasn't something that I felt I had any choice. I had to go to primary school. My grades needed to be good enough to stay in school and get into college. I had no choice but to go to college, it was expected of me in order to have a successful career and eventually support a family.

Therefore, I never saw learning more than that - a necessity in life. I also did the very least necessary to make it through the first half of my life. Sure, there were leanings towards certain subjects (I was very good in math), and I had choices on what career I wanted to go into (anything with computers). However, I never read books outside of those required by school. I never did extra credit. I just got by. I got decent grades but didn't excel. And for me that was just enough.

However, when I started my career, and wasn't "forced" to go to any more education that I had a choice. I could read books or not. I could get more training or not. I could learn additional skills or not. And thus, I achieved my first "Learning Trigger":

Learning Trigger #1 - Learning isn't what you have to do, it's what you want to do.

Now, I started reading some things on the side on my own terms. I still wasn't learning that often, but I realized that I needed to learn beyond what school had taught me in order to have success in my career. After a couple of years, I started to slack off. As I see with many people, I felt I had enough knowledge to do my job and there wasn't anything else that somebody was going to teach me. It wasn't until I applied for a job that had skills that I wasn't qualified for and ended up getting hired for, that I achieved my next Learning Trigger:

Learning Trigger #2 - Learning is not about who you are, but the potential of who you can become.

I had become laxed in my learning, because I was only concentrating on what I currently needed and not want I could be learning in order to move further in my career. When I got this job that I wasn't prepared for, my eyes opened up. I don't know everything! I then spent the next several years learning as much as I can for this job while keeping an eye for other opportunities. It was during this time that I also saw much success and promotion at work. I was given better titles, more responsibility, and of course more money.

However, as I got busy with work, I started doing what I also see many poeple do. "I don't have time to learn", "There aren't enough hours in the day". So, I stopped looking for oppportunities instead I almost expected that the organization should throw conferences and other training opportunities in my lap and provide me much time off in order to learn. I also got resentful when I felt that my company let me down when that didn't happen. After much waiting and realizing that I wasn't getting over those feelings, I reached my next Learning Trigger:

Learning Trigger #3 - The best learning doesn't always come to you, you need to go looking for it.

Even if my organization gave me the opportunities, they were too infrequent to make enough of a difference. I realized that if learning was important enough to me, I needed to make the time. I never had time for vacations, but you know that I used every vacation day and made time for it! Same could be true with training. So, I started finding hours both at work and outside of work where that time was focused only on learning. At first, it wasn't much time at all. But, I started finding another few minutes here and there. Minutes turned into hours each week. I also realized the next Learning Trigger in my life:

Learning Trigger #4 - Once you realize the benefits and rewards of learning, you can't get enough of it.

I am addicted to learning now. I can't get enough. I am reading several books right now on various topics. I am finding seminars, conferences, user groups and other opportunities to connect with the community and learn - many of those things not only local but free or inexpensive. And, starting this year, I have extended my learning through blogging and subscribing to blog which has tremendously expanded my knowledge. I can't wait until the next post, the next book, the next class in which I can learn something new and related it to what I have already learned. Through this passion for learning, I discovered the next Learning Trigger:

Learning Trigger #5 - The more you learn about other things, the more you learn about yourself.

Learning has made me a better person. It has provided my humility to know that I am not the smartest person out there. I have better identified my strengths and weaknesses. It has greatly improved my strengths, while help me to overcome (or in some cases, work around) my weaknesses. I have gained confidence by discovering people who share my thoughts, feelings, experiences, and values.

I can't wait to see what Learning Triggers I have in the future!

Listening Types

Mon, 07 Aug 2006 19:11:06 GMT

I'll admit it. Listening doesn't come easy to me. I have to work on it. Constantly. Why? Because otherwise I cannot be a team player. I cannot manage others effectively. I cannot gain mutual trust and respect. If I don't listen well, even if it is done at a sub-conscious level, it comes across like I'm not interested or don't care. I don't want to come across like that!

Here are different types of listeners that I have either encountered over the years or I have been guilty of becoming at one time or another:

Listener #1: The Mirage - Appears to be listening but it's just an act. Somebody is at home but the lights are out. You can usually catch these people by asking pointed questions to them about the conversation -- "What did I just say?".

Listener #2: The Snoozer - Happens often after lunch. You start to see their eyes glaze over, then they begin to close, then the head begins to bob. Then, when something interesting catches their ears, they all of sudden come back to life!

Listener #3: The Dreamer - "A million miles away". You can identify these people pretty quickly. They are off looking at something or doodling on their notepad. They mind is on something far, far away. It takes something dramatic to bring them back to the discussion (like a loud noise or a good nudge).

Listener #4: The Selfish - They can't wait until you finish talking so they can put their two cents in. Many times their impatience will cause them to interrupt you or try to finish your sentences. They aren't focused on what you have to say, just when they can say something.

Listener #5: The Talker - They LOVE to hear themselves talk. They are long-winded, and pay a lot of attention and preparation on how they talk and what they say. They don't really care about what others have to say, just that they come off well in their part of the conversation.

Listener #6: The Distracted - One minute they are focused. The next minute something can distract them. It could be a sound, a fly, a pen click, the color of the marker on the board. They cannot keep focus for very long.

Listener #7: The Bored - Everything about them shows that the conversation is the last thing they want to be doing. They can't wait to be doing something else. They...are...so...bored.

Listener #8: The Futuristic - They are several places ahead in the conversation. They have already made up their mind on where the conversation is headed (or should be) and will be thinking about that. They will force the conversation to get there (quickly).

Why kind of listener should you be? Well, none of the above that's for sure! Instead, you should possess the following traits:

Pay attention to non-verbal. It's not all about what you say, but what you don't say but your body does! Maintain eye-to-eye contact. Lean forward to show attention.
Don't talk so much. Greatest advice I have ever received. Try to talk as little as possible and pay attention to listening to others.
Wait your turn to speak. Give people plenty of time to talk and wait for cues from them on when they are finished. THEN talk. Note: This doesn't work for the "The Talker" Listeners, but pretty much everybody else. For those kind of people, give ample time then find an opportunity to break into the talking when you feel that you have already heard the same information for the third time!
Give your complete attention. If you have too many things going on, excuse yourself from the conversation and reschedule for another time when you can focus on them. Others will appreciate that you care enough to give 100% of your attention even if it is a later time.
Ask interesting questions. To show that you are listening, make sure you ask questions that are relevant to the conversation but also show that you have been paying attention.
Clarify at the end. At the end of the conversation (or followed up with an email), go through the major points of the discussion to make sure that nothing got missed. Again, people will appreciate knowing that you are not only paying attention but want to make sure nothing gets missed.

They can't all be like you!

Wed, 02 Aug 2006 18:08:09 GMT

A few days ago, I was reading an article in Inc magazine regarding the best practices of hiring. There was a statement in that article that has changed my way of thinking. A common mistake, they mentioned, is that hiring managers tend to hire people that are like them. Instead, they should consider that there may be great candidates that are out there that fit the job but may not fit your personality or way of thinking. In other words, it may be a really bad idea to get a bunch of people who are just like you!

Wow! In thinking about this, I realized that when interviewing people I was making this mistake repeatedly. I also looked around to several people that I have directly hired. They act like me. They think like me. Wow, they even dress like me. Ok, perhaps not the last one but you get the idea. When I have interviewed, I realized that I expect the answer that I would give when asking the questions. I expect others to prepare for the interview in the same way that I would prepare. I expect their cover letter and resume to have the same elements that mine would have. It turns out that I am trying to hire -- ME!

It's not that I think I'm right and they are wrong, but that in choosing between candidates I found to pick the ones that fit my way of thinking. Now, some of you would say, "But isn't that ok? Don't you want to hire people who will be compatible with your management style?" So, let's think about online dating for a moment. I'm never done it personally, but I hear from others that the less successful sites are those that try to match up the answers between two dating candidates. The highest matching scores get put together. Do you really want to date yourself? Anybody knows that the best relationships are those where the two people compliment each other. One person's weakness is another strengths, and vice versa. This is true compatibility! Same goes with hiring. Find somebody who strengths are missing in the organization, who may think a little different from others to bring some diversity to the team. This will not only make the organization more successful but will help get a different perspective in making decisions and creativity among the team.

I decided to take this idea of seeing the other person's perspective with a recent performance review I had with an employee. Preparing for the review, I was very frustrated with the manner this person was communicating with their team. They were spending a lot of time producing documentation. Documentation for planning and documentation for tracking. For me, that level of written communication and organization would not work. I prefer to communicate verbally and more concise. Get the point. Do the minimum work you need to do to communicate. So, I saw this as a weakness for that person because it would be a weakness for me if I did the same. But you know what, that person isn't me. Instead, I tried to put myself in their shoes and discovered what I thought was a weakness was actually a strength of this person. They were more confident and organized because they communicated the way they did. In projects where communication and coordination wasn't working as well verbally, these notes saved the team from having to revisit older discussions. What they were doing what working for them. It may have not worked for me or the next person, but it was for them! As a result, the review went very well. What could have turned into frustration on both sides, because a very good discussion about his strengths and things to watch out for to ensure his strengths don't become a weakness (for example, don't forget about verbal communication with all of the written communication).

Just remember this the next time you interview the next hire or interact with those that you manage, THEY CAN'T ALL BE LIKE YOU! Appreciate the differences between yourself and others. Evaluate each person on their own merits. I guarantee that you will see immediate results and be more honest with yourself on how you view others.

Avoiding Weaknesses

Fri, 14 Jul 2006 16:37:53 GMT

Now, let's talking about avoiding (you heard me right avoiding, not managing) weaknesses...

A weakness is a pattern of behavior, thoughts, and feelings that produces low satisfaction or pride; drains mental and financial resources; and presents little or no measurable progress toward excellence no matter how hard we try. Weaknesses, if not addressed over time, can also reduce productivity or lessen self-esteem.

How do you identify the signs that show weaknesses in yourself and others? Here are some guidelines that I learned when I was new in management by researching what it took to be an effective manager:

Feel Defensive about Performance: Individuals functioning on strength show little or no defensive behavior. They meet challenges with a doubling of activity, and progress is the norm, not the exception. Likewise, if they are involved in activities where their weaknesses are exposed they will be more sensitive.

Experience Slow Leaning: You just can't seem to "get it" no matter how hard you try. Slow learning is so significant an indicator of non-strength that it can never be discounted on the assumption that a person will "get it someday."

Develop Obsessive Behavior: When the strengths normally used to pursue talents are concentrated on bolstering whatever we don't do well, we get minimal improvement despite intense focus. In contrast, working on strength, we can measure improvement and have a quick learning curve.

Do Not Profit From Repeated Experience: Some people plod along; they "get" enough of the activity to be barely functional and then they hang in there, but lack the basic talent for excellence. No matter how hard/often they try, there is no measurable improvement.

Consciously Think Through the Steps of A Process: In learning new things, we go through the steps consciously. In mastering the skill, talented people find that the steps become automatic quickly. Continuing to think about the steps indicates a weakness.

Experience A Reduction Of Confidence: Motivation goes away when we can't do certain activities well. We lose interest and find excuses to avoid doing it.

Lack Futuristic Thinking: You just want to get this activity over with. Your task consumes all your energy, and none is left for thinking about the future. It is important to spend time thinking about the future and what you can do improve your work and yourself.

Suffer Burnout: We experience resistance when doing something we're not good at. "I just can't do this anymore." Top producers report that pressure and stress often create more energy and renew motivation.

Once you have identified weaknesses, it is your responsibility as a manager to help others through those weaknesses. Too many managers only go as far as identifying weaknesses, which only leaves those individuals more frustrated about their shortcomings. Take it a step further and help that individual work AROUND their weaknesses by looking at these types of actions:

Complementary Partnering: Team up with someone and combine your joint strengths to create a unique capability that could not be done with one person alone.
Subcontracting: "Enlightened delegation" moves a task to a person/group with the skills to do it. This frees you from the work, and also the worry and guilt which were byproducts of forcing yourself to do it. Note that this is different from typical delegation where tasks are reassigned without regard for skills.
Support Systems: If you wear glasses or use an alarm clock, you're already doing this. Find and use the tools that work best for you to manage your specific weaknesses.
Sloughing: Stop putting yourself in situations where you're forced to do something you don't do well, which depresses or angers you. Holding on to something (activity, relationship) that doesn't work only perpetuates a weakness that pulls energy away from strengths.
Alternatives: Find different ways to achieve your goals. If you think in pictures, draw your ideas for others, instead of talking about them. Try taking a scenic way home instead of taking the shortest route. You might other ways to get there by capitializing on either your own strengths or others.

Strengths Identification

Tue, 11 Jul 2006 19:16:39 GMT

A strength is defined as a pattern of behavior, thoughts, and feelings that produces high satisfaction and pride; generates mental and/or financial reward; and presents measurable progress toward excellence.

How do you identify strengths in yourself and others? Here are some guidelines that I learned when I was new in management by researching what it took to be an effective manager:

Listen For Yearnings: Like an internal magnet, yearnings pull us toward one thing (strength) instead of another, beginning in early childhood and continuing throughout life. One's life work often begins in yearnings from childhood. Friendly advice can derail us from our strengths when we confuse it for a yearning.

Watch For Satisfactions: Great emotional and mental rewards come from activities we "get a kick out of doing." Satisfactions are not fleeting pleasures, but form our intrinsic motivation. Both satisfactions and yearnings cluster around strengths. Competencies and satisfactions don't always align. If it doesn't feel good, it's probably not a strength.

Watch For Rapid Learning: If you catch on to something quickly, you're probably good at it, and will say, "I feel like I've always known how to do this." A strength is always characterized by initial rapid learning that continues throughout one's lifetime.

Glimpses of Excellence: We see signs of strength in glimpses of excellence within a performance, such as singing a song, writing a letter, giving a speech. A performance is a series of "moments" which provide clues to greatness.

Total Performance For Excellence: The behavior flows and there are no conscious steps in the mind of the performer. The performer is acting on automatic -- time has stopped. Total performance is much more than a glimpse; it is the complete extension of an activity. It happens consistently, and is repeatable.

As a leader, pay attention to the people around you and see if you can identify strengths of people using these techniques. For yourself, do an internal assessment to perhaps discover strengths that you didn't know existed.

Once you have identified strengths for yourself and others, capitalize on them. Find opportunities that maximize each person's use of strengths. In putting a team together, determine what the goals that the team is supposed to achieve and what it will take to accomplish those goals by putting people together by the strengths they bring.

Don't just stop at that first thought!

Thu, 06 Jul 2006 19:55:51 GMT

You have a problem to solve. You start thinking about a solution. Actually, you start thinking about THE solution. Depending on your experience, you may have resolved similiar problems like this in the past. If so, you try to use the same solution as you did before. Other times, you run into a problem that you have never had before. In those cases, you try the first solution that "pops" into your head. And you are off and running...

Or so you thought. Did you discover that the solution didn't resolve the problem as well as you hoped (or didn't resolve it at all)? After the fact, did you come up with other solutions that you wished you had used instead? Or did others point out solutions after the fact (especially in those cases where the problem is new) and you had wished you would have thought of the solution yourself (or asked for their help)?

Switch gears. Let's look at communicating through email. When you write email, do you approach it as you would if you talked with someone in a conversation? Or do you approach it as you would in writing a book report for a class assignment that you will be graded on? Just like the scenario above, did you find that your email wasn't recieved as well as you had thought or didn't achieve the goals you had?

Sure there are emails and problems to solve that are fairly straightforward and don't require much thinking. It's not those situations that we are talking about here. It's the ones that require more analysis than you are giving it. I like the number 3 for some reason. I think in these cases you should determine three possible solutions (or in the case with email, go through three revisions) before you act. You will find that your end solution is MUCH more effective with this technique.

Here are some tips in going forward:

Get opinions from others. It doesn't hurt to ask people. Try out your ideas with them. Have them read your emails (as long as they aren't confidential in nature). This works especially well when you are having a difficult time coming up with something effective or are dealing with a situation that is new. You will be amazed on what other people can come up with because they have different experiences and perspectives.
Ask "In what ways...?" instead of "How do I ...?". It's amazing how changing three little words can impact how you think about things. "How do I..." can assume that there is only one answer - and hardly ever is there just one way to accomplish something. By asking "In what ways" you are reminding yourself (and others if you ask for help) that you want multiple solutions to review.
Treat solutions and emails like homework assignments. Pretend that you are going to get graded for your efforts. If you had to have someone review your work, what would they say? Do you think they would get it? Have you made yourself clear enough? Are there assumptions that you are making that aren't understandable or correct? Are there things that you haven't considered?
Find the solution (or revision) that best meets the goals. Of course, you must fully understand the goals. What problem am I really trying to resolve? What message am I trying to give? What outcomes do I expect from this? Then weigh each of the three solutions against these goals to determine the best fit.
Review afterwards. How effective was I? What could I have done differently? Be your own worst critic, it will make you stronger and better for the next time. Don't take it too far, but take an honest assessment of your performance trying to find better ways for the next time.

Effective Communication Is...

Tue, 27 Jun 2006 16:57:37 GMT

An Attitude - "I really want this effort to succeed."
Listening - Do you truly know what the other person is saying?
Calm, even-keeled, yet passionate - A steady, yet firm belief in what one is saying.
Timely - Avoid allowing resentments to build; don't let the passage of time allow the issue(s) to become greater than it actually is.
Separating the person from the issue - Target the issue, not the person; avoid putting them on the defensive.
Focusing on problem solving - Does not focus on affixing blame.
Persistent - Doesn't give up easily; recognizes communication is hard work.
Recognizing and giving validity to one's perceptions as real - People act on their perceptions because what they perceive is truly what they believe to be truth.
Honest and straightforward - Avoid being vague and indirect.
Attentive to both delivery and content - How one says it may be more important than what one says. Delivery = process (how one says it). Content = message (what one says).

Motivational Fuel

Fri, 23 Jun 2006 20:41:03 GMT

As a person, we all have our ups and downs. There are times that the we can feel that nothing is impossible and it feels effortless to do even the most difficult of tasks. You wish those times last forever. But like life in general, everything comes in cycles. It's easy to endure the good times, but what do you need to help you through the tough times. What if you are burned out in your job? What if what you are working on isn't going so well? What if you don't have the motivation to keep going?

In those times, the fuel is encouragement. As a manager, you need to constantly be coaching from the sidelines and tell people that they can do it. As peers, we need to provide encouragement to team members through assistance and our words. Encouragement is a very powerful thing. Through the right words and actions, it can be the springboard to quickly get back to the good times. Through the wrong words and actions, you can easily contribute to the downward spiral of despair and demotivation. You need to show the other person things about themselves that they either have forgotten or didn't realize exists. You are painting the picture of what is possible but not yet acccomplished by this individual. You are demonstrating what positive impact this individual has already had on you and others.

I have experienced those ups and downs in my professional life, personal life as well as keeping up this blog. It is through the encouragement of others that either respond to my blog postings and provide general support through email that have inspired me. It is through co-workers that take the time to thank me for something I did for them or how they value me. It is through my wife, son and friends who show their appreciation and give me the perspective of what is most important in life.

Their words and actions provide purpose. Their words and actions provide energy. Their words and actions give the fuel to keep going and doing my best. Their encouragement is my "motivational fuel". A sincere thank you for all of those that have and will continue to provide the fuel. It is my hope that I can return the favor and then some.

Why doesn't anybody understand me?

Fri, 09 Jun 2006 16:52:50 GMT

Have you ever asked yourself that question? Do you come out of meetings or conversations with people and feel that you weren't heard? Do you get a lot of blank stares from people as you are talking with them, as if you are talking in some foreign tongue?

We have all had that happen to us. But, what do you do about it other than being frustrated and complain about it?

I went to a project management seminar a couple of years ago. There was a portion spent on communication. Though the context was around project and team communication, I believe the application can be applied to any situation where communication is taking place. There were four words that stuck in my mind that were said that day:

"Support comes from understanding."

If you feel you aren't getting the support, you are getting blank stares, and people aren't responding to you -- chances are they don't understand you. So, what are some things you can do to help people to understand you?

Keep things simple - Don't go immediately to the details. Avoid being too technical unless the audience is right. Start with the broad strokes to see if people are following you. Make sure there are key points that people pick up on and take away from the discussion. If they are following you, then you can get into more complexity and detail, but not until.

Speak their language - Learn and listen in meetings and see how people respond to communication. What are their hot buttons? What interests them? What turns them off? Each person responds differently so note those difference. Then, make sure you focus on terminology that will peak their interest. Maybe somebody thinks about saving money, focus on that. Another person on quality. Perhaps another about customers. Try to adapt your discussion by aligning your points with things they care about.

Use other forms of communication than just verbal - Some people are visual learners, others respond to something in written form. Determine how the people you are communicating with operate, which may require you to present your information in various formats. As they say, a picture can speak a thousand words, so use pictures, graphs, and other visuals. Sometimes, use analogies works well if people can connect better with the analogy than the direct concepts. Other times people like to hear stories, so tell your information in a story format.

Get constant feedback - Don't be afraid to ask people after the meeting or when the communication takes place about how you did? What did they get from the conversation? Did they understand you? How could they better understand you in the future? By asking these questions, you will have a much better chance of connecting with them in the future. Plus, by asking the questions you have shown to them that you care about them understanding which helps build the relationship.

Rally some supporters - If you are going to meet with a larger group, determine the key opinion leaders and speak to them individually before the meeting. You can "test" what you plan on talking about and see how they react. They will also let you know how they feel about it, which could influence others in the meeting. The key thing is to determine how you get their support, either before or during the meeting. If you get their support, chances are that you will get the support of others.

Learning about your strengths

Mon, 05 Jun 2006 16:14:34 GMT

There are plenty of tools out there to assess a person and what they can do - personality tests, aptitude tests, career planning test. Some are better than others. A problem I found with many of them is that they really didn't do a good job of showing true differences between people or show how you can work with those differences.

A couple of years ago, I had read a book by Marcus Buckingham called "First, Break All of the Rules". In that book, he showed me that historically a person has been more judged by their weaknesses than strengths. Performance reviews seemed to be focused on what was not working than what was. It was deemed to be management's job to point these weaknesses out and fix them. A poor manager would make the person fix them. A good manager would try to work with the person to overcome their weaknesses. However, little or no work was done to point out a person's strengths and improve with those strengths. I really liked the book, but wanted to know more about managing through strengths.

Marcus answered that desire with his next book, entitled "Now, Discover Your Strengths". In that book, he introduced a test that you can take at StengthsFinder.com (Note: You will need to purchase the book to get a special code to take the test). The 30 minutes or so test will then determine your five most dominant strengths out of a total number of strengths of 34.

Marcus explains in the introduction of his book on the importance of managing through strengths:

"The great organization must not only accommodate the fact that each employee is different, it must capitalize on these differences. It must watch for clues to each employee's natural talents and then position and develop each employee so that his or her talents are transformed into bona fide strengths. By changing the way it selects, measures, develops, and channels the careers of its people, this revolutionary organization must build its entire enterprise around the strengths of each person."
"Most organizations are built on two flawed assumptions about people:

Each person can learn to be competent in almost anything.
Each person's greatest room for growth is in his or her areas of greatest weaknesses."

"If you want to test whether or not your organization is based on these assumptions, look for these characteristics:

Your organization spends more money on training people once they are hired than on selecting them properly in the first place.
Your organization focuses the performance of its employees by legislating work style. This means a heavy emphasis on work rules, policies, procedures, and "behavioral competencies".
Your organization spends most of its training time and money on trying to plug the gaps in employees' skills or competencies. It calls these gaps "areas of opportunity." Your individual development plan, if you have one, is built around your "areas of opportunity", your weaknesses.
Your organization promotes people vased on the skills or experiences they have acquired. After all, if everyone can learn to be competent in almost anything, those who have learned the most must be the most valuable. Thus, by design, your organization gives the most prestige, the most respect, and the highest salaries to the more experienced well-rounded people."

"To break out of the weakness spiral and to launch the strengths revolution in your own organization, you must change your assumptions about people. Start with the right assumptions, and everything else that follows from them - how you select, measure, train, and develop your people - will be right. These are the two assumptions that guide the world's best managers:

Each person's talents are enduring and unique.
Each person's greatest room for growth is in the areas of his or her greatest strength."

As of now, everybody in my department has taken the test as well as key people in other parts of the organization including the executive management team. I haven't started using it yet for a criteria for hiring (though I see potential in doing so), but once a person has joined the organization in my department, I have had them take the test and read the book to better know them. It has become a new language for us, to talk about each other using the five dominant strengths -- "Since Joe has Context as one of his strengths, that is why he wants to understand the background behind the decision that is being made. I should try to get him that information." It has given us a new appreciation of the commonalities as well as difference between people - how we interact, how we process, how we work. In employee reviews with my people, though there is still some discussion around "areas of opportunity", there is also discussions about strengths and how to improve them. Also, having a total of 34 strengths ensures that each person truly has different results which confirms their uniqueness.

By the way, here are my five dominant strengths with a brief description of each:

Futuristic - People strong in the Futuristic theme are inspired by the future and what could be. They inspire others with their visions of the future.
Arranger - People strong in the Arranger theme can organize, but they also have a flexibility that complements this ability. They like to figure out how all of the pieces and resources can be arranged for maximum productivity.
Significance - People strong in the Significance theme want to be very important in the eyes of others. They are independent and want to be recognized.
Individualization - People strong in the Individualization theme are intrigued with the unique qualities of each person. They have a gift for figuring out how people who are different can work together productively.
Maximizer - People strong in the Maximizer theme focus on strengths as a way to stimulate personal and group excellence. They seek to transform something strong into something superb.

If you go back and read my posts, you will see evidence of each of these strengths. Now, I can describe to other people what my strengths are. I can now tap into others in the organization that have the necessary strengths to compensate for my weaknesses. As a manager, I have a better understanding of each of my teammates and can help them improve their strengths while identifying others that they can go to for help where they have weaknesses.

A new way at looking at performance appraisals

Tue, 23 May 2006 23:18:21 GMT

Marcus Buckingham, in his book "First, Break All The Rules", has an excellent chapter called "The Measuring Stick". This chapter changed my whole outlook on employee performance appraisals. Over the last 18 months, I have used these questions in my annual reviews with employees. The result? A better focus on the positive (how do I maxmize strengths instead of improving weaknesses), also a better focus on the manager-employee relationship (what can the organization and/or manager do differently to ensure that the employee is maximizing their contribution).

Here an exerpt from the book:

"Measuring the strength of a workplace can be simplified to twelve questions. These twelve questions don't capture everything you may want to know about your workplace, but they do capture the most infomration and the most important information. They measure the core elements needed to attract, focus, and keep the most talented employees."

Here are the questions (my comments in parenthesis):

Do I know what is expected of me at work? (This will check to see if the person's roles and responsibilities have been clearly communicated.)
Do I have the materials and equipment I need to do my work right? (This will get to the roadblock with tools that the individual is using so the manager can resolve.)
At work, do I have the opportunity to do what I do best every day? (This question determines if the job is taking advantage of the individual's strengths or desires.)
In the last seven days, have I received recognition or praise for doing good work? (When I saw this question, it was an eye opener and a reminder to give recognition and praise more often. Not to assume that "no news is good news".)
Does my supervisor, or someone at work, seem to care about me as a person? (Another eye opener, does the individual believe that they are getting my attention and I care about how they are doing?)
Is there someone at work who encourages my development? (This will provide information on the individual's mentors as well as for you to see some of the leaders in your organization.)
At work, do my opinions seem to count? (This is a great question and will deal with issues where an individual is feeling shut out of decisions.)
Does the mission/purpose of my company make me feel my job is important? (Like the first question, this question really tests the employees on what has been communicated -- in this case, the company vision and strategy.)
Are my co-workers committed to doing quality work? (This question helps to see how this individual relates to others and their contribution to the team.)
Do I have a best friend at work? (Work is a community as sorts, so this is an interesting question to ask and get responses to see where there are tighter relationships between individuals.)
In the last six months, has someone at work talked to me about my progress? (Just like the recognition question, this is a gentle reminder to a manager to keep up with the progress of people on their team.)
This last year, have I had opportunities at work to learn and grow? (This question sets the stage on aligning personal goals to opportunities either within or outside of the organization. It also tells the individual that you care about them wanted to learn and grow.)

Constructive Criticism

Thu, 27 Apr 2006 16:04:44 GMT

Providing constructive criticism is an important part of the human improvement process. People need to know when they are doing something wrong. It is the manager's responsibility to not only point out the problem but help the person correct the behavior.

For some managers, the task of confronting another person comes easier than others. You also don't know how a person is always going to receive criticism. There is an easy process that I found that can improve the chances that the confrontation will be a success. It's also easy to remember.

Called the PINE model here are the steps:

Preparation Stage

Identify the problem.
Set a goal.
Analyze forces influencing the behavior.
Plan, coordinate and organize the session.

Initiation Stage

State the problem and the impact to you and the organization.
Listen to the other person’s perspective. Determine what the person believes causes the behavior and what will be required to change it.
Conduct session using sincerity, compassion, and kindness; but remain firm and in control.

Negotiation Stage

Ask for possible solutions.
Consider the viable options and choose one to pursue.
Create an action plan together that will accomplish the goal.

Evaluation Stage

Set date to discuss progress.
Ensure goal is reached.
Ensure process works for both parties.

I hope that this process will make it easier for you to confront another when the time comes to do so. This will also make you a better manager by not just stating the problem (many managers stop here), but jointly coming up with the solution and seeing it through to the end.

Interviewing Mistakes - After the Interview

Wed, 26 Apr 2006 17:43:33 GMT

I continue to be amazed of how hard it is sometimes to find quality people through the interview process. I don't think it's a lack of people applying. I also don't think it's a lack of qualifications. I think it's because so many of the applicants aren't prepared to go through the interview process. Hopefully, seeing these typical mistakes will encourage potential candidates to better ready themselves for that next interview. Chances are by doing a little extra you will distinguish yourself from others that may have the same or better qualifications.

This is the last part of a 3-part series (part 1 is here and part 2 is here). Here are the mistakes typically made after the interview:

No follow-up email - Always follow the interview with an email to the interviewers thanking them for the opportunity and providing feedback on the interview. If you still want the job, make sure that they can sense your enthusiasm and desire to get the position. Don't sound desparate, but determined. The follow-up email demonstrates your ability to follow through as well as indicating that from your standpoint the desire is still there to move ahead with the process.
Not asking more questions if you think of them (or ones you didn’t have time for) - Don't stop asking questions when the interview is over. If you are like me, you'll think of plenty of things you had wished on asking during the interview but didn't get a chance or forgot. Send more questions via email or over the phone if possible. This not only shows your interest but your ability to process information and continue a dialog.
Impatient with the process - As mentioned in part 2, make sure before the interview that you understand where the process is and when to expect another phone call. Then wait! Don't send emails or leave phone calls wondering what is happening, until you have exceed the period that was set in the interview. Then, wait a couple of more days and then inquire. If you don't hear back, assume you didn't get the job or another opportunity to interview again. Then, move on and pursue other opportunities.
Begging for feedback - Speaking of moving on, it would seem to be a good idea to ask the interviewers feedback on how you did in the interview and why you weren't as good as other candidates. It is human nature to want to know why, especially if you felt things went well and you met the qualifications very well. However, this puts the interviewers in an awkward position. Why? Because anything that they may say could be held against them. If some do respond to you, they will probably not provide much information in order to protect themselves from "wrongful hire" situations. What can you do? Self-analysis. Think about answers you provided that you wish you had performed better on. Think about areas of strength that you didn't highlight well enough.
Sore loser not being accepted - Nobody likes a sore loser. No matter how you feel, if you don't get the job provide a cordial email thanking them for the opportunity. There are a lot of people competing for the job you went after. Only one is going to get it. So, don't take it personal. Also, if you come off as gracious, there may be a chance of a future opportunity with that company. Otherwise, you have burned bridges with that company.
Not learning from the experience - Treat every job interview as an opportunity to improve your communication and self-marketing abilities. You may have to go through a bunch of them to find that job that is best for both you and the organization. Don't give up. Don't take it too personal. When the right job comes along, you will know it. And, chances are the interviewers will know it as well. It will be worth the wait!

Interviewing Mistakes - At the Interview

Tue, 18 Apr 2006 23:17:27 GMT

This is part 2 of a 3-part series (part 1 is here). Here are the mistakes typically made at the interview:

Arriving too early or late - Don't EVER be late to meetings. Know where you are going and be there early. Even with that said, things happen. If you are running late, call ahead and make sure that the interviewers know your situation. Then, be very apologetic for the unfortunately situation. On the other hand, don't be too early to your interview. Why? Because most likely the interviewers aren't ready for you and probably don't have a meeting room available or have meetings prior to yours. If you arrive early, sit in your car or go somewhere nearby until you arrive 5 minutes prior to the scheduled time.
Poor initial greeting - First impressions are everything!!! What you do in the first seconds could influence the interview. Make eye contact. Be pleasant. Have a firm handshake. Thank the interviewer for the opportunity.
Not prepared for questions (or at least standard questions) - Sometime during the interview, the interviewers will ask the interviewee if they have any questions. Be prepared for this part of the interview. Not only should you come prepared with questions about the company, the position, the customers they serve, etc; but you should mentally (if not writing down) other questions that come up during the interview. Asking questions shows that you are detailed-oriented, inquistive, and really care about knowing the answers. Verifying items brought up in the interview shows that you are paying attention!
Talking too short or too long - Interviewers typically ask open-ended questions. Why? They want to see how you handle them. Answer with "yes" or "no" shows that you don't like to talk and haven't thought through the question. Answers that take 20 minutes shows you have a hard time getting your thoughts into words. Either way shows you are a poor communicator. Listen to the question. Take a couple of seconds to think about it. Then answer thoroughly but not exhaustively. Watch the interviewers. You can tell if you are losing them by their body language. You can also sense their frustration with quick answers. If they seem to be engaging and interested in what you are saying, you are doing it right!
Asking for validation too often - It is acceptable to verify a question before you answer it. However, after you answer if you ask "Did I get it right?" shows that you are a person who needs validation and could show a lack of self-confidence to the interviewers. Especially if you do it several times during the interview.
Guessing (or making up) answers - Don't try to bluff your way through the interview. If you put something in your resume, you better be prepared to back it up. You also may be asked to take a test or answer questions to verify your knowledge. Good interviewers will quickly see through your facade and you will destroy any chances of getting the job - now or in the future.
Providing “canned” answers you read somewhere - There are plenty of resources on the web on how to answer typically questions in the interview process. Don't memorize them verbatim. It is great to be prepared but you need to also be yourself. If you sound too perfect to the interviewers with your answers, chances are that they will assume you memorized ahead of time. The interview should feel like a conversation between people, not some kind of Q&A session.
Showing you are nervous - Everybody is nervous for interviews. But the people who get the job do something differently from those that don't get the job - they never let the interviewers "see them sweat". You have to demonstrate how you can perform under pressure and on your feet. How do you get around this? Practice in front of others, with people who will give you honest feedback. You probably won't have a chance to practice in front of a stranger, but you can practice in front of others who are brutally honest. That should make you nervous enough.
Not thanking interviewers by names - You may know ahead of time who is going to interview you. You may not. But, early in the process you should learn (or need to ask) who the people are that are interviewing you. Then, REMEMBER their names (at least their first names). Throughout the interview, sprinkle in their name in the conversation. This makes the interview much more personable, as well as shows how well you pick up learning new things (such as individual names).
Not asking about next steps if not mentioned - Hopefully, your interviewer will let you know where you are at in the process and set expectations about when and how the next steps will happen. If you aren't sure, or this hasn't happen, it is fine to ask. Otherwise, you will drive yourself crazy waiting by the phone only to find out that the interviewers are early in the process and it will be several days before they get back to you.
Talking about money (unless asked) - You can asked general questions about compensation, especially around benefit packages. However, never bring up the question, "So how much are you going to pay?" You would be surprised how many times I have had that question asked. Leave the pay until the interviewers brings it up. You will have time to negotiate, don't come across as you are only interested if you "show me the money".

Interviewing Mistakes - Before the Interview

Thu, 13 Apr 2006 22:03:14 GMT

This will be a 3-part series, starting with these mistakes that are typically made before the interview:

Poor or missing cover letter - A quick email saying "I want the job" isn't a cover letter. Attach a cover letter along with your resume. In that letter, match up with what was in the job ad or the company with your experience. Don't repeat your resume but highlight how you meet the job requirements. Don't just say that I'm the one, demonstrate it through your experience. Also, if you have learned about the company through their web site, find ways to mention what you know in the letter and how past jobs might be valuable to what the company does.
Providing a resume in a non-standard format - I recommend to everybody to either put your resume in HTML or PDF format and attached the file to your email. Don't put the body of your resume within the email. Don't use text format. Don't assume that everybody has your particular version of Microsoft Word or uses the same operating system as you do. Don't assume that others have the same fonts as you (another reason to use PDF). Making sure that others can access your resume correctly and that it is in a format that shows some creativity, formatting shows that you care to take the time to provide a quality resume.
Exaggerating (or possible lying) on your resume - Don't put something on your resume so that it will match the requirements or sound good to the interviewer. If you can't back up your resume with questions that may come from the interviewer (or questions that they ask your references), then don't put it in your resume. You may also be asked to take a test to demonstrate your skill in a particular. Don't embarrass yourself by trying to fake it.
Grammatical or spelling mistakes - Review your resume, cover letter and email with others. There is no excuse for spelling mistakes or major grammatical errors. These will get noticed, and the interviewers will assume that you don't have the "attention to detail" for the job.
Unprofessional email address or signature - It is a big turnoff to see cute, personal and sometimes offensive email address or signature. You can get away with that for personal email, but find another email address that is more respectful for replying to job postings. Seeing sumo_lover@yahoo.com isn't going to cut it. Use an email address that reflects your name as easier reference for interviewers. Also, if you must have a signature line at the bottom, just provide basic contact information.
Knowing nothing about the company - If you are provided just an email address to respond to, look up the domain on the web and see if you can find the website for the company. For example, ours email domain is INTS.Com. Don't respond to your email with "Dear INTS.COM". Go to your browser, type www.ints.com and you wil find our company information. Then, reply with our company name. Also, do your homework. Learn everything you can about the company not only on their website, but search for their name or products on the web. What you cannot find out about, jot those questions down and be prepared to ask. The first question I usually ask in an interview is, "tell us what you know about our company."
Asking for directions and contact information - If you find a company website, chances are that you can find contact information (address and phone number). You should be able to use something like Google Maps, Mapquest, etc. to get directions. If you cannot find the address, but a phone number (usually the front receptionist) then call that number to get more information. It's good for interviewers to see how resourceful you are.
Getting lost to the interview - This just doesn't need to happen. If you are unfamiliar with the area, then go to the location the day before and make sure you have found the company. If you are unable to find it during this "dry run", then call the receptionist and get better directions. Don't do this 5 min before you are to be at the interview. Know where you are going well in advance.
Not dressing for the part - Find out what the appropriate dress is for the organization. Dress how you would dress if you worked for the company. Don't wear a full suit if the company is more casual. Also, make sure your appearance is not a distraction. Be well-groomed, smell good, and clothes that are appropriate for the workplace (which may or may not be what you wear at home). Don't let your looks be a distraction - by either being overdressed or under. You should demonstrate that you can fit into the culture of the company through your appearance.
References not prepared - Many people (including myself) will be a line in their resume like "References provided upon request". Be ready to provide references at any time. Make sure that those references are ready for a phone call or email. Tell them to respond as quickly as possible. Make sure that you provide both managers and co-workers, at least from the companies that are more relevant to the current position you are interviewing for.

Who's to blame for unmotivated employees?

Tue, 11 Apr 2006 20:05:04 GMT

Rob May from BusinessPundit asks this question is his post "Unmotivated Employees - Is It Your Fault or Theirs?". Rob is reacting to an article he found in the HBS Working Knowledge. Here is an exerpt of that article:

The great majority of employees are quite enthusiastic when they start a new job. But in about 85 percent of companies, our research finds, employees' morale sharply declines after their first six months-and continues to deteriorate for years afterward. That finding is based on surveys of about 1.2 million employees at 52 primarily Fortune 1000 companies from 2001 through 2004, conducted by Sirota Survey Intelligence (Purchase, New York).

The fault lies squarely at the feet of management-both the policies and procedures companies employ in managing their workforces and in the relationships that individual managers establish with their direct reports.

Rob's response?

"The point of this is that employees and managers both share the blame on this one. It's easy to sit back as an employee and talk about how much more you could do if you were incentivized properly. That's why so many people do it - because it is easy. It's easy to sit back as a manager and expect employees to do their jobs regardless of the environment because that is what you pay them to do. Again, this is a popular attitude because it is easy.

Motivation is a two way street. The way to look at it isn't to discuss why you are or aren't motivated. The way to look at it is to realize how helpful motivation is to success and then figure out how to get motivated. Building up your own discipline and your own personal internal demand for excellence will get you much farther in life than whining about your work situation.

So if you are a manager, take the HBS article to heart and try to create a motivating work environment. But if you are the one being managed, don't let a poor environment be an excuse because that is a sure step towards a career of mediocrity."

Rob's provides more details to his conclusion in his post, please read it to learn more. What is my take on this? I have to agree with Rob. I am a strong believer in teamwork. You can't have a winning team if you have a great coach but have players that aren't self-motivated. You also can't have a winning team if you have great players but a terrible coach who demotivates. However, if both sides understand what causes motivation and demotivation and together create an environment that generates positive motivation, then we have a great team!

Thoughts are Powerful

Thu, 06 Apr 2006 16:18:25 GMT

Something I ran across that is good advice for anybody especially leaders. I read it on a presentation that somebody had given on management.

Be careful of your thoughts,
for your thoughts become your words;
Be careful of your words,
for your words become your deeds;
Be careful of your deeds,
for your deeds become your habits;
Be careful of your habits,
for your habits become your character;
Be careful of your character,
for your character becomes your destiny.

- Author Unknown

How true! Everything starts with a thought, and can end up defining you as a person which can then decide your future! It is so important that these thoughts be positive, enriching, encouraging, insightful. I give people advice that has been handed down to me - "Think before you speak".

Don't let your thoughts be driven by emotions! Give your thoughts time to form before you do something with them. Write down your thoughts on something and mold them so that they become you.

After all, a simple thought could change your life! Powerful, eh?

Who do I invest my time with?

Thu, 23 Mar 2006 00:21:34 GMT

I have a team of about 25 that I manage. For some, you may have several times that amount. For others, your teams may be smaller. Even with a size of 25, I find that I don't spend the same amount of time for each person. If I did, there wouldn't be enough hours of the day. However, I have learned a long time ago that it's ok not to spend the same for each person. It's not because of favoritism or avoidance and I don't think I am being unfair to anybody. I do try to spend some time each week talking with each person, even if it just a casual conversation. However, these are the individuals where I spend the most of my time with:

Those that ask for my help. Who have come to me and need me to help resolve an issue. I will always make time for these people.
Those that need my help. They are struggling with some tasks because of their weaknesses. I try to help them work around those weaknesses through training, guidance, or ways to realign their strengths to overcome the problems. This could be in looking for a better fit in the organization, or just getting a little extra help to get over the tough times.
Those that are going through new changes. They may be working with new technology, tools, processes or people. Their dynamics and normal workflow have been impacted. I need to help them along with the change until they feel comfortable with it.
Those that will have the most impact to the organization. These are the future leaders of the company, the ones that have the most potential and contribute the most to the organization. Eventually, there is a chance that they will carry on my legacy and the legacy of those before me.
Those that have been given the most authority or responsibility. These are middle managers and "lead" positions where we need to get together and make sure we are aligned in direction. We need to be on the same page, with our goals and objectives. We need to make sure we are focused on what has been defined as important, and that we agree with priorities.
Those that are the opinion leaders. They may fit some of the groups above, or just have a pulse on what is going on in the organization. You need to know what they are hearing or thinking themselves, and work with them to make sure they are satisifed. If they are happy, others will be.

Being S.M.A.R.T. about goals and objectives

Mon, 13 Mar 2006 16:53:37 GMT

I have mentioned SMART objectives before. If you don't know what I am talking about or need a refresher, George over at The Practice of Leadership has a good primer in his post "Setting SMART Objectives".

What does SMART stand for?

Specific
Measurable
Achievable
Realistic
Time- Bound

George not only clarifies the difference between goals and objectives, but gets in the details of SMART with good examples. Read his post. Follow these guidelines. Write up your goals and objectives. But, don't stop there -- EXECUTE them!

How your beliefs can be limited

Tue, 07 Mar 2006 18:08:51 GMT

Adrian Savage from The Coyote Within has an excellent post today called "Limited Beliefs". He starts by saying:

"Limiting beliefs can block action and confine choices. Where do they come from? I think there are at least four distinct sources:

Irrational fears

Outdated habits

Mixed-up values

Untested assumptions

Focusing on the negatives"

His conclusion to this?

"Start by recognizing your limiting beliefs and understanding their causes, then counteract any effects by broadening your outlook and adding to your strengths. You don't need any negative beliefs. Let them go."

Thinking Time

Wed, 22 Feb 2006 20:21:46 GMT

The world moves too fast. Information is thrown at you from everywhere. Tasks have to get done faster. Decisions made quicker. Fast, fast, fast, fast ,fast...

Hold the phone! There are times that you need to think. You need to process this information. You need to think through decisions. Fast is important, but even more importantly is quality. You may not have a second chance on a decision, or how you implement your tasks. Therefore, you want to make sure you do it right the first time. This takes time....and thinking.

I am constantly fascinated on how the mind works. Input, processing and output. Much like computers, right? Well, sometimes we don't allow our minds to do the processing. We overload our "computers" with lots of input - Web, meetings, TV, radio, books, magazines, etc. We expect quick answers, but those are usually only valuable to answers to experiences and decisions we have made earlier. what about things that are new to us? We must allow our brain to process the information and provide back to us not just a solution, but many times multiple solutions.

Here are some tips for thinking time:

Get input on as many sources as possible - Have a decision to make? Talk to co-workers and other people that are (or will be) invested in the decision. Have something to learn? Find the experts and get advice from them. Learn from others mistakes and solutions through books, web and other means.
Find a thinking time and place - Dedicate some time each day to think about things. Find a quiet place that you feel you won't be interrupted.
Make lists - Write down things you want to think about - decisions, ideas, things you are learning, etc. Review this list during your thinking time.
Use tools to gather your thoughts - For me, I'll use my blog, emails, wikis, mind mapping, or something as simple as some paper and pencil. Whatever is handy and will record my thoughts appropriately. Don't rely on your memory, and sometimes these "flashes of brilliance" won't come again.
Communicate your thinking to others - Verbally or written down. Share your thoughts with others and get their feedback. Sometimes the answer (or a better one) will come out of those discussions.
Give it time - If you don't feel comfortable with a decision yet, take more time for your brain to catch up with you. Try to buy as much time as possible to large decisions or tasks, letting the people know that you are still coming up with various alternatives. If it can buy some time, share your initial thoughts so that they understand you have spend quality time on it (but just need more).
Trust your instincts - If you are uncomfortable with an approach, idea or decision, give more time to thinking about it. You will know when the time is right as long as you listen to your instincts. If you have exhausted your resources (and your brain), seek help from others through brainstorming to come up with a solution.

Making Assumptions Can (Sometimes) Get You in Trouble

Sat, 18 Feb 2006 01:01:41 GMT

Unless you validate those assumptions. People make assumptions all the time in the way that they approach work, life, make decisions, etc. These assumptions may be based on experience, culture, knowledge or other factors. Many times our assumptions are safe or predictable enough that they do indeed prove to be correct. But how do we really know? And what happens to assumptions that aren't correct?

We are rolling out a new way to develop software using Agile, which is requiring us to use new tools and processes to manage our projects -- how we do our work, how we record our time, how we conduct meetings -- all are changing because of either the tool or the process being different. Because of this, and my understanding of the processes and tool that we chose, I needed to play the role of coach to provide direction for the team as we go through this "pilot" period. During this period, we had fairly extensive training that everybody went through. We also had project managers and other team members attend some of the meetings that the first "pilot" project using the new stuff. Why? To gain real-life exposure to how the tool and processes will adapt to the way we do projects in the organization. Sounds all good, right?

Well, I made the assumption that through the trainings and the meeting observations that people were learning enough so that when they started using the tool and processes that they were ready to go. No coaching needed. All of my coaching was spent on the first project, and I made the assumption that other than issues that may come up my coaching was less needed. Bad assumption.

I recently attended one of our first project review meetings for one of the newer projects using the tool. I quickly realized that the meeting wasn't going as well as other meetings, the tool wasn't used in the same way, there was much confusion in the air. I expected some confusion, but not to the extreme to where this particular team was quickly losing faith in the new tool and processes. Even though the other team who was well coached was experiencing quite the opposite and were really liking the tool and processes and getting very comfortable with them. I apologized to the project manager that I didn't spend more time with the team and himself as I did with the first team, and that I left him with a mess to clean up. I now plan on spending the time coaching him (and others) as I did with the first team.

I wouldn't have had this problem if I had just checked in with others and validate my assumptions. "Do you feel comfortable with the tool?" "Is anything confusing to you about the new processes?" "Do you need my help with anything?", etc. Then, to communicate that if my assumptions changes to let me know. Perhaps they do feel they can handle things. But if they find out quickly they can't, come find me and I'll help out. At that point, my assumption is no longer correct.

Assumptions are fine to make. In fact, you have to make assumptions for almost everything you do. But, it's always good to validate your assumptions, especially those that could bring higher risk or impact if you are wrong. Good lesson for me to learn!