Keep Calm and Let Them Work

DOUBT PRODUCES LESS RESULTS...

Micromanagement is more of a sign of insecurity than the need to usurp control.  It's a sickness for anyone to feel the need to watch the minutia of what people are doing to complete their assigned task.  Qualified individuals or experts in their crafts do not require such tight supervision.  In fact, it is an insult.  Scratch that.  It is even an insult to someone who is learning on the job or in a junior position.  

However the pressure of looking over someone's shoulder or the demands of requesting a status every waking minute will eventually cause stellar performers to leave and good workers to resent the workplace and become complacent with doing the bare minimum. 

But here's how to delegate, keep calm, and let others give their best for your benefit:

1.  Once the work has been assigned, ask for a timely status on the progress.  Do not constantly send emails and request an update.  It is annoying and shows your lack of trust in either the competence or ability to meet communicated deadlines.  Agree to a time of the day (only if absolutely necessary) or week the update should be sent and send a friendly reminder only after it is not received.

2.  Build your employees up with others.  Talk about their strengths and expertise in specific areas to other managers and even their peers.  Let them know the confidence you have in them to produce great work in front of others at meetings - some of which they are attending.  This sends a subliminal message that they're on the hook because high standards have been set.

3.  Find other projects to keep yourself busy.  If you don't have enough work, emails to sift through, or calls to return, create a side project to show your worth that does not require delegating tasks to others.  This serves three purposes: a) provides a new focus area to keep your mind off the "workerbees", b) empowers you to prove value and increase self-esteem in the work world, and c) creates a safe distance for those who report to you to actually begin to like you and want to provide consistent status.

Cure the illness.  Just keep calm and let them work.

For more advice on managing in the ranks of entrepreneurship and corporate life, pick up my book Get A Clue - 10 Steps to an Executive IQ or watch the videos on my YouTube channel.

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Posted in: 10 Steps to an Executive IQ,corporate communication,corporate etiquette,Get A Clue,leadership,Leadership Skills,manager,program management,project management,Temeko Richardson

Three Things Leaders Never Say

DON"T SAY IT...

There are leaders, managers, and supervisors and there is a difference between all three.  Leaders position and encourage others to do well.  Managers oversee administrative tasks and status of projects.  Supervisors normally micromanage and check every deadline and whereabouts of the employees.  Leaders are visionary and are not normally as detailed-oriented or overly anal as supervisors.  

But there can be success as a manager who thinks like a leader if 3 things are not said to the masses.

1)  It's always been this way.  But that does not make it right or even fair.  If people are complaining about an antiquated rule that was put in place because someone took advantage of prior managers, be empowered to change it.  Leaders listen and identify with people by putting themselves in their shoes.  A little shake-up to the status quo increases the trust of the leader.

2)  That's not what is really happening.  Managers who take the hands-off approach normally have no clue what is going on with their subordinates.  They believe they have "made it" because they have been assigned the bigger cubicle or office.  Perception is reality and if more than one person in the office is complaining about it, it is a problem that needs to be addressed.  Leaders don't take aggregated complaints lightly.  They handle them.

3)  It will work itself out.  Wrong again.  No it won't.  If the language barrier, work ethic, interpersonal, communication, finance, morale issue was not taken care of when it was small or affected less people, letting it continue will morph into bigger problems like missed deadlines, decreased customer satisfaction or support, jeopardized bottom line and employee turnover.  Leaders face the problem and come up with a plan to fix it.

Trusted leaders have dedicated teams because they accept when it is time to change and do what is necessary to make a positive impact for the group.  Leaders know exactly what to say.

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Posted in: 3 Things Leaders Never Say,employment,employment stress,Get A Clue,Leaders,leadership,Leadership Skills,management consulting,program management,Temeko Richardson

Bite Your Tongue

LEARN TO SAY NOTHING...

Have you ever been in a meeting and the person who has the most to say knows the least? Were you ever evaluated by someone who is not in touch with what outside companies are doing because they have only worked at this company for n-teenth years?  Have you ever wondered how some people with no work ethic and no experience get the higher paying jobs or at least the title?  Absolutely!  It happens to most people who worked up the ranks to get the expertise, received the education from the top universities, and/or slaved tirelessly for 80+ hour work weeks to meet schedules and prove their worth.  But don’t blacklist yourself by talking too much and worse, saying the wrong thing!

Here’s the art of biting your tongue, making a statement, and keeping your allies:

1. Appear aligned with superiors (e.g. supervisor, manager, etc.) and subordinates (e.g. employees, consultants, etc.) in front of others.  There is nothing worse than the humiliating moment when a boss disagrees with a worker in front of others or vice versa when it could have been resolved before getting in front of a larger group.  If you make your boss look good (of course, without compromising your integrity), you go a lot further.  “Further” does not mean promotions but at least you will not be considered the enemy which can buy you time on making your next move.  As the boss who stands behind your employees, the more dedicated they will be to you and harder they will work.
2. Keep comments regarding others’ work experience or credentials confidential.  The Oxford, Harvard, or Penn graduate received the opportunity (normally) because of college credentials and expertise.  This does not mean they need to be pointed out to the rest of the group who has less credentials.  It makes others feel inferior and can set the stage for “uncooperation” with both seasoned and unseasoned professionals.  On the flip side, telling people that Joe is managing a group and has no experience managing nor completing the tasks he is asking his people to do does not work either.  This causes friction and people lose enthusiasm to work for and with Joe.  It further forces Joe to spark defense mechanisms that might not be healthy for the team.
3. Bring a notebook or tablet to write thoughts privately during meetings.  This will keep you out of trouble as long as you’re not sending messages to others in the meeting or making what you write visible like “he’s an idiot”, “this doesn’t make sense”, “can someone fire this moron”.  When someone is saying something out of line and you can’t correct them calmly, start taking notes.  If what is being said is not important, write out a task list on what it will take for you to complete your assignments for the day/week.  If the time is right for you to move on, put together a plan with deadlines for a professional “i-am-out” plan to escape the madness.  Keep the former or latter visible at all times in your notebook or tablet as a personal road map.
4.  Take the emotion out of the statements before disagreements.  It is common to want to respond right away.  But sending a text message or email to yourself or walking out the door for a smoke break or Starbucks Joy or Vanilla Robois tea is the best answer.  What you send emotionally can result in devastating you financially.  Take a deep breath and recognize there are bills to pay, mouths to feed, and lifestyles to preserve – all which matters more than backfire from making one wrong statement.

Let’s face it.  Not everyone with the job is qualified for the job or even qualified to be around the people who know what they are doing.   We can only hope they bring a quality to the table that others are lacking.  But what should be common among both the immature and seasoned professional is verbal filtering – learning how to say nothing!

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Posted in: being smart,biting your tongue,consulting,Growth Opportunity,Impressing People,Making Mistakes,networking,New Career,New Employment,program management

Limiting the Nosy Co-Worker

The Not Cute Curiosity...

Nosy neighbors are definitely a problem but nosy co-workers can be worse if you don’t stop them in their tracks.  Their motive is much different and can potentially harm professional reputation and career growth if allowed.  

So here are some common tactics of the nosy co-worker and how you can combat them:

Inquire about weekend or holiday plans.  A casual visit to your office/cubicle to start out with a work topic that goes into a casual inquisition is the norm.  He/she will be really trying to determine family life, extracurricular activities, and potential spend to scope out how much you are obligated financially and time-wise.  Be very evasive and do not let on that you have any special plans and leave it there.  If he/she asks any further questions, use the “clean up/work around the house” or “need to rest” excuse.  No one ever questions that.

Expose the type of car they have.  In a meaningless conversation, he will either discuss the type of car he drives, needs to pick up from the (named) dealership, or leaves the key with the bold symbol blatantly on a desk or public place.  Here is your turn to flip the nosiness on them and tell them how much you admire those cars and “one day you hope to be able to afford one”.

Discuss employment favors.  Bragging is their ammunition to get you to fall into their trap of believing you can trust him.  Oftentimes what will be disclosed is how they manipulated the system and managed to not get caught.  Do not fall privy to an open dialogue regarding any favors provided to you.  This person is trying to determine how far you will go to get ahead and who will be the casualties.  And it will be used against you.

At the end of the day your business is just that – YOUR BUSINESS.  Sharing it is not a good idea if you want to keep it moving, offend no one, and remain a safe distance from those who want to know too much about you.

For more tips, be sure to follow:
Blog:  blog.therlcgroup.com
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/execgetaclue

Feel free to pick up a copy of the book, Get A Clue - 10 Steps to an Executive IQ

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Posted in: being smart,biting your tongue,Business Etiquette,employment,Get A Clue,HR,networking,new business,professionalism,program,program management,project management,promotion,Temeko Richardson

Being Prepared for the Worst

DISASTER RECOVERY REQUIRES A PLAN...

Natural disasters like hurricanes, tornadoes, floods, earthquakes, explosions, and fires are happening all too often.  The shift in reasoning for the good of the American people in the United States government should have everyone on watch for potentially worse calamities than last week's government shutdown. It has been estimated that 40% of businesses closed by an unforeseen situation never reopen and 72% of nonprofits never regain footing - impacting the individuals they employ or serve.

Here's how both business and non-profit leaders can properly prepare for the worst:

1) Create a business continuity plan.  Identify what is required to have on stand-by for the basic operations to run without delay. This plan should include the individuals responsible to put the plan in action, named alternate locations, several months (recommended - six) of allocated funds to enable the minimalist approach to operating, and disaster recovery plan for data/storage/servers.
2) Develop a communication plan for employees, customers or donors.  Implement a strategy to get the word out to employees who do not need to come into work or telecommute.  There should also be a plan to identify who needs to be on-call or readily available at alternate locations.  Customers or donors will also need to be sent an email to alert them of the situation and that all precautions have been taken to ensure their personal identifiable information is protected and secure during this transition period.  For those expecting pay or assistance, they will need to be informed about how this will work or if there will be any slight delay.  This should be clear by understanding the employee, customer, and donor makeup of the entity. (Read Chapters 3 - 5 in my book, Get A Clue - 10 Steps to an Executive IQ).
3) Keep telecommuting options open.  Ensure the VPN, firewall, and security measures are offloaded to a third-party agency outside of the company's local area to minimize risk of downtime.  Do not expect cell phones to be the only mode of communication.  Email and secure messages provided on the company network should be able to continue without interruption.
4) Start moving systems to the cloud.  Get over the "I need to keep my data inhouse" syndrome.  There are reputable cloud companies that provide storage space, database and business intelligence analytics systems, sales, marketing, inventory, and ordering systems.  Identify the systems with the most valuable data and operational impact and create a 3-6 month plan to move that data to a cloud solution.
5) Revamp contracting with government agencies.  The post on the 2013 Government Shutdown and the follow-up one on  Lockheed Martin furloughs should explain this perfectly.  Shore up enough contracts that will allow you to keep people on the bench and still maintain profit in case of issues.

This type of planning needs to be realistic, familiar, tested, and proven.  But it can be done as long as it is well-thought out and constantly updated.  In the words of John Wooden, "Failing to plan is planning to fail".

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Posted in: 2013 government shutdown,business continuity,business planning,Cloud Computing,Entrepreneurship,entrepreneurship contracts,Get A Clue,program management,project management,Temeko Richardson

Magnify the Solution not the Problem

Magnify Solutions Not Doubt...

Meetings are held to discuss or devise a plan of action.  Contracts are awarded to entrepreneurs because of more expertise in an area.  New technology is only implemented because specific information needs to be exposed for decision-making.  New tactics for sales and marketing are  deployed because of a shift in direction due to stagnant or changing times.  Custodial engineers (formerly known as janitors) are hired to work after hours to ensure the cleanliness and decency of the office. In essence, most people go to work because they have been employed to solve a problem.  But what most do not understand is that magnifying the solution increases their value instead of reiterating the problem.

Discussing a problem continuously reflects poorly on the person initiating the conversation.  It demonstrates poor team spirit since the collaborative strength is demonstrated in the person who can cover for the weakest link.  It further speaks volumes to the level of forgiveness and tolerance that is not granted to others but surely expected in return.  Instead, the conversation should either cease or take a turn towards the solution.

For any problem there is a solution, either short-term or long-term.  The plan of action should be announced to all appropriate parties via an internal communication outlining what will be resolved with clear expectations on when there will be a noticeable decrease in the problem or its residue. This informs everyone involved that initiatives are in force to ensure those affected will not encounter a repeat offense. It further reduces the noise surrounding the problem allowing positive reinforcement for change management and adoption of the solution.

In all, there are noisemakers and peacemakers in every situation.  The squeaky faucet is never respected nor admired but the wrench is always viewed as the keeper.  Promote the wrench and tighten credibility by magnifying the solution that solves the problem.

Be sure to follow on Twitter @temekoruns.

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Posted in: Delegate,program management,project management,solutions,teamwork,technology,Temeko Richardson

Best Read Friday - Overworked, Underpaid, Overpressured

SCURRYING TO THE NEXT TASK...

Overworked, underpaid, and overly scrutinized!  This describes most people under pressure of tight deadlines and demands for high performance in their profession.  They have lots of work with a little amount of time to complete it and have the extra pressure of accuracy before completion.  But how does one use time wisely to manage it all and still achieve with a measure of confidence?  Use specific time management skills that will compartmentalize the time from the most important to the least important jobs. 

Check out this Yahoo business article that explains how time spent can be more productive.

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Posted in: employment stress,program management,project management,stress,stress management,Temeko Richardson,Time,Time management,time.com

When Being Smart Leads to More Work

SMART IS NOT ALWAYS COOL...

From childhood to college, it was always, or at least should have been, a desire to be perceived as intelligent - the one with the correct answers on the test, the A average, the one with the most scholarships, and the one that everyone went to for their academic needs.  Fast forward to adult careers, being smart is not so cool if you want a life because everyone will start dumping their work on you.

So here's three tips on keeping the intelligence but becoming smarter on how tasks are assigned to you:
1)  Intelligence affords a certain level of procrastination but don't let them know.  What takes the average person a month can take a smart person a couple of days or even hours.  That's why you are labeled smart and they are labeled - not so smart.  The time it actually takes you to complete your assignments is YOUR business ONLY.  Don't brag about it because it will encourage others to slack and give you their work.   Accomplish gracefully and silently.
2)  Selfishness is warranted when you are the star performer.  Identify what you get out of completing it.  It is not about getting the credit of making it happen but determine if there is some moral satisfaction, sanity justification, or monetary incentive that is worth making the investment to complete this assignment and hence picking up the slack for someone else.
3)  Taking one for the team is not always good for the team.  It should come as no surprise who the biggest complainers and least performing persons are on the team.  These are the people that normally have a lot to say but the least amount of knowledge.  Doing their work or continuing to work with them in a capacity that builds them up keeps them around. This is definitely not a good thing for the organization or the people that have to deal with the individual.
4)  If you perceive your time as important, others will too.  Estimate what time is needed to handle your own tasks coupled with the time to address personal needs and the time needed to dedicate time to making your dreams come to fruition.  Calculate the minimum time it will take rather than the buffered time of taking on someone else's task.  It should not cut into the time needed for you to take care of YOU - the total package.

You have worked hard all your life and now it is time to work smart.  Pass along assignments that take time away from your dreams and aspirations or professionally completing your work.  Being a team player also means understanding when to hold back to make the team work harder to become more effective.  This is what being smart is really all about!

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Posted in: being smart,program management,project management,Temeko Richardson,Time,Time management

Video Series - Running Business On a Diet

Measure the Fat in Business...

It's just as important to have a lean business as it is a lean body.  Trimming fat helps sustain longevity and keeps creativity flowing. 

This may mean a change to who is employed based on productivity and the mission of the company.  It can also mean finding alternative ways to achieve the same goals without overspending.

Check out this video for tips on how to start running a lean business.  http://youtu.be/FUy22crG78w

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Posted in: business expert,business planning,consulting,contract work,employment,Entrepreneurship,Get A Clue,productivity,program management,project management,Temeko Richardson

Respect the Boundaries or Expect Departures

Result of Crossing Boundaries..

Information Technology is no different than other industries like construction, finance, entertainment, and sports where deadlines are in place to meet objectives to get to successful results.  There are employees, consultants, and vendors in place that are assigned tasks and either work on teams or individually to make sure nothing falls through cracks.  There will always be a mistake or miscommunication that causes some rework or more research and this should be accounted for in a buffer that does not put everyone in crunch mode.  However, if there is poor planning on management's part, emergencies may arise but there are boundaries that should never be crossed if the dedicated qualified people are expected to continue to perform with excellence or even stay.

Here are a few tips on maintaining the boundaries to not lose the good people:
1)  Acknowledge and grant respect for life outside of work.  Work is the means to the end but not LIFE for anyone who is well-balanced.  There will be times when it is necessary to work late hours and weekends but it should not be the norm or be expected continuously for over a month.  Anything over that means there is a lack of respect for the people working.  Burn out is inevitable because the downtime required for people to regroup to perform better than average is missing. Mistakes will be made.
2)  Remove people that cause confusion and misinterpret.  Rework costs any project time, money, and resources.  If there is consistency of a person misconstruing the requirements and changing the direction on a whim, more time and money is wasted for continuous correction.  Management should address and eliminate this factor. Leadership should apologize to those performing the corrections and take the hit for it.  (Notice the difference between management and leadership.)
3)  Do not over-exaggerate minor issues.  We all know the story of The Boy Who Cried Wolf.  Everything is not a disaster or a showstopper.  In fact, all problems are not important enough to be addressed immediately.  Learn to stay focused on the bigger picture and only raise alerts on items that would cause a complete failure.  If someone on the team including management keeps setting every problem as a high priority, their position needs to be reevaluated.
4)  Escalate as the last resort.  If someone did not respond to an email, text message, or phone call at midnight and there were no established rules for overnight support, there is no need to escalate to upper management.  In fact, chances are #3 was not adhered to and there is some undertone of believing the most qualified people are somehow indentured servants answering to a dictatorship.  Trust. That will not last very long. 

In summary, respect those who work for you, maintain the boundaries, and they will work harder for greater outcomes towards your vision.  No matter the economy, there is always a group that can appreciate their expertise and hard work.

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Posted in: Business Etiquette,business expert,consulting,Employees,Entrepreneurship,management consulting,program management,project management,Temeko Richardson,Time management,vendor relationships

Video Series - Learning To Remain Calm

THINK BEFORE YOU TOUCH...

Accusing co-workers? Misguided management? Poor planning causing unnecessary emergencies? Risky business ventures? Deliverables missed because of weak links on the team?  

These are all reasons to be upset and send a tweet rant or a pointed email.  However, how you handle these situations may determine how your character is perceived.  It can cost you financially if the response is too abrasive or harsh.

It is best to remain tactful, become politically correct, and in some instances keep silent.  In other words, keep calm.  

Check out this video of tips on how to be calm to quiet the storm.  http://youtu.be/-6X4yGTMMDA

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Posted in: consulting,corporate etiquette,Entrepreneurship,management consulting,professional athletes,professionalism,program management

Best Read Friday - Busy body or Productive?

BUSY PEOPLE..

"Don't mistake activity for achievement." - John Wooden, Legendary coach

Too many of us have lots to do during the day and wish there was more than 24 hours in a day.  But why? Is it because we are just too busy with tasks that really don't get us to an end result? Or is it because we don't know how to sit still? Or are we really being productive?  

Check out this article to find out.  http://bit.ly/12sgBiu


For more videos on productivity, visit my YouTube channel: http://bit.ly/Vtzm2s

To find out about technology that increases productivity, follow this blog for Tech Thursdays like yesterday's post on iPhone 4 and 5 and the new BlackBerrys.  http://bit.ly/18S8oYD

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Posted in: busy work,productivity,program management,Temeko Richardson,Time management,www.success.com

Dealing With Difficult Clients

THE HEADACHE OF DIFFICULT CLIENTS

Whether you are a lawyer, hair stylist, insurance broker, physician, dentist, independent consultant, or established entrepreneur owning a company with multiple employees, there is always that difficult client who either makes the blood pressure boil or influences the need for a breath of fresh air or a drink.  I am not talking about the client who rightfully expects a product or service they paid for or was unfairly treated or was charged an exorbitant fee. I am referring to clients who never are happy no matter what you do.  

So how do you deal with these individuals?
1). Do not feed into their misery. Stay positive and offer recommendations with valid reasoning to counter their complaints.
2). Be patient and allow them to vent. Sometimes, not all the time, they will lower their voice and stop talking. At that point, you can interject with the voice of reason of which they may listen.
3). Don't even try to out-talk or talk over them.  Chances are, they have mastered intimidating others by not allowing people to speak.  If you can't get the opportunity to speak, let them finish. They need an audience and a response for their ego.
4). Placate them by apologizing that you can't accommodate them. Use this after you have exhausted all the other methods. They will either give in and calm down or ask to leave the business relationship. This is your chance to close open-ended invoices and politely engage in conversation to vacate contractual obligations.

When its all said and done, still give quality products and service and never miss deadlines. Do not give difficult clients any ammunition because in most cases, they will be your BEST references.

For more tips like these and overall business strategy, be sure to pick up a copy of the book at Amazon.com (http://amzn.to/10Somc1).  Also follow on Twitter @temekoruns and check out informative videos on the YouTube channel - http://bit.ly/Vtzm2s

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Posted in: Exec Get a Clue,Get A Clue,Impressing People,productivity,program management,project management,small business expert,Temeko Richardson,The RLC Group

Best Read Friday - Stop Thinking Small, Go Big

Your business can only grow to the maximum if your mindset expands beyond the minimum.  Focusing on consumer business only does not allow a sustainable model.  B2B (business to business) contracts normally pay more, last more, and provide the flexibility of better long-term agreements.

How do you focus on this aspect of the business?  This article gives sound advice on getting started with B2B contracts.  The sky is the limit so don't limit your business.

Follow on twitter:  http://twitter.com/temekoruns
Like on Facebook:  http://facebook.com/execgetaclue

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Posted in: Entrepreneurship,Growth Opportunity,management consulting,program management

Best Read Friday - What Doesn't Kill You...

SELF-EVALUATION TIME...

There is no time like the present for self-evaluation.  Looking at the man in the mirror is a task that most of us do not want to face.  However in the world of business, it is important to recognize who you really are to positively influence others, negotiate, and problem solve.

This article, http://bit.ly/11zM2W2, provides the in-depth questions that we should ask ourselves regardless of our positions in life.

For more insight like this, check out Chapters 2 and 3 of the book, Get A Clue - 10 Steps to an Executive IQ.  Amazon:  http://amzn.to/Ybf7Ca or Barnes & Noble: http://bit.ly/YbfjkD 

Follow on twitter: http://twitter.com/temekoruns or Facebook: http://facebook.com/execgetaclue

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Posted in: career change,Making Mistakes,management consulting,negotiation skills,New Career,New Employment,New Job,program management

Best Read Friday - Options to Exit from a Business

When the business no longer works for you mentally, financially, and professionally or your passion runs dry, it might be time to exit.  This article describes in detail views on the advantages and disadvantages of certain exit strategies.

http://www.entrepreneur.com/article/78512

For additional tips, follow on twitter @temekoruns or like on Facebook (http://facebook.com/execgetaclue)

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Posted in: Exit Interviews,management consulting,negotiation skills,program management

The Athlete from Limelight to Business - Finale

LIFE AFTER THE LIMELIGHT - FINALE ...

Welcome back to the finale of the 3 part series, Life After the Limelight, that focuses on the professional athlete and what can be done to live life to the fullest once that career is over and maintain financially, socially, and professionally while keeping his/her name relevant.    

Watch this video to see yet a major investment opportunity taken by many athletes as a means for residual income during and after the limelight.  http://youtu.be/MjZ-irF26mo

For more business tips and favorite sports and motivational tweets, follow on twitter: http://twitter.com/temekoruns or like on Facebook at http://facebook.com/execgetaclue

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Posted in: athlete injury,athlete retirement,career change,Get A Clue,professional athletes,program management,Temeko Richardson,Time management,work-life balance

Video Series - Three Must Reads

THREE MUST READS.  

If you're like me, I have almost no time to read and no interest to pick up a tablet to peruse an eBook after spending over 60 plus hours on a computer all week.  My eyes need a well deserved break.  

But over the years I have had to deal with some difficult people and make smart decisions and had to choose a couple of self-help or "wisdom-providing" books to avoid trial and error.  I was fortunate to select 3 great books - namely, Blink, 4-Hour Work Week, and 48 Laws of Power.  

Check out my video on why these books are important to everyone - not only executives and entrepreneurs.  http://youtu.be/xtMXyrzsK6k

Keep in touch and don't forget to read the blog at http://execgetaclue.com, follow on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/execgetaclue and/or read the tweets at http://twitter.com/temekoruns

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Posted in: 4 Hour Work Week,48 Laws of Power,Blink,Malcom Gladwell,management consulting,program management,Robert Greene,Temeko Richardson,Time management

Best Read - There is an I in Team

Teamwork Makes Dreams Work

The best way to build unity and accomplish goals toward a strategy is to have a great group of people who can be trusted to take charge and get things done. 

While you may be a great individual contributor and there are alway slackers in teams, here is an article on the way to find and empower good teammates that are about winning.  http://onforb.es/10LdkKB




Follow on Twitter: http://twitter.com/temekoruns
Like on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/execgetaclue


For more guidance on starting a business or maneuvering through work with an executive mind, download the ebook, Get A Clue - 10 Steps to an Executive IQ today.
Amazon - http://amzn.to/Ybf7Ca
Barnes & Noble - http://bit.ly/YbfjkD  

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Posted in: Exec Get a Clue,Get A Clue,Leaders,Leadership Skills,management consulting,productivity,program management,project management,teamwork,Temeko Richardson

When Projects Are Confused with Strategy

Too often executives use terminology to their advantage to add work that is contradictory with the trends of reducing spend. The verbiage is used to cushion and dispel rumours of unnecessary spending. If changes or new development have to be completed to meet business needs, should this be labeled as a project or a strategy? Does the label "strategy" constitute more funding than "project"? Does a defining strategy override the need to minimize overhead?

It is important to recognize that strategy embodies a vision that requires multiple tasks to be accomplished for a common goal. A project is a set of well-defined tasks that accomplish business requirements and directives. Many projects are birthed from a strategy but the two are not interchangeable.

For example, if a company chooses to build an ODS (operational data store) based on frequent data feeds from external data sources, there are usually two compelling reasons - 1) reduce overhead of reporting development and maintenance from different data sources and 2) implement and simplify business intelligence in a format understandable by sales, marketing, and operations executives. The project to create the ODS is a very important part of the strategy of providing visibility and transparency to customers and cross-departmental executives to increase customer satisfaction and develop better products/services for its consumers. Now if there is no unique identifier to relate consumers and products/services across the ODS, there needs to be a one-time data update to create and amass this key for reference. This is neither a project nor a strategy but a one-time assignment and task for a data update for the synchronization across the ODS to happen successfully.

In essence, strategy does not equal to project. While strategies are normally highly funded, projects have to be formed to implement the strategy accurately. One time tasks that only provide an immediate business need are not projects and should not be labeled accordingly. Test it out. What projects are you working on to impact a strategy or fulfill an immediate business need? The answer defines whether you are a key component to a greater vision.
Follow on Twitter: http://twitter.com/temekoruns
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