Author Archive for Alfred – Page 2

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August 2016

Six Ways to Improve your Problem Solving 

Every day we are faced with making decisions; some are easy and quick and others are difficult and time-consuming.  For those decisions that require deep thinking, it’s helpful to use a simple systematic methodology that not only saves time, but also ensures you have thoroughly examined the situation.  I first learned Edward DeBono’s powerfully simple tool the “Six Thinking Hats” in 2000 and share it with others as a critical thinking method.

The idea is that thinking can be conducted in a way that more fully explores topics employing formal techniques based on the brain’s behavior.  What makes thinking difficult is the conflicting thoughts of our heart (emotions), our head (logic and information), and our soul (hope and creativity).  “Six Thinking Hats” provides a way for us to separate these thoughts and then focus on one thinking mode at a time.  These modes are represented by six different hats.

 

Six Thinking Hats:
  1. Yellow Hat:  Listing the benefits, pros, and good reasons to support ideas and actions
  2. Green Hat:  Brainstorming ideas, creating alternatives, and thinking “outside the box”
  3. Red Hat:  Listening to and expressing your intuition, feelings, and what your gut says
  4. Blue Hat:  Summarizing, organizing, and facilitating the thinking styles and outcome
  5. Black Hat:  Pointing out risks, cons, and concerns to apply cautious thinking
  6. White Hat:  Understanding data, facts, and figures in a neutral and objective manner
Many of us have “default” hats that we tend to wear most often; for example, I prefer the yellow, green, and white hats.  Because we may wear only a few hats automatically, this technique encourages us to examine all sides of an issue by trying on all six hats, one at a time.

 

This critical thinking tool is easy to remember and apply to your own thoughts as well with others’ thoughts, especially during problem-solving meetings.
Contact us if you’re interested in helping your team come to decisions more quickly and solve problems thoroughly.  We will come to your company to teach and demonstrate critical thinking and problem-solving techniques.
Image by iStock, at Morguefile
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July 2016

As we celebrate Independence Day, I reflect that “independence” means having the freedom to make choices: Choices about the job you work, your relationships, how you carry yourself, your attitude, how you nurture your body, mind, and soul.

 

Think about your past, present, and future choices. Are you choosing servitude or freedom with your decisions? As a teenager, I observed how my mother’s and father’s career choices were limited by their high school education. Determined to have more options, I worked two full-time jobs for the first year after high school graduation to earn enough money to pay for my first semester at a local, traditional college. While attending classes all day, I continued to work full-time to pay for my bachelor’s degree. This choice to get a higher education didn’t guarantee success, but it did teach me critical thinking skills, demonstrated the perseverance and commitment to get a four-year degree, and opened doors that might otherwise be closed.

 

To open doors, open your mind! And you’ll see limitless possibilities, gain freedom of control, and experience ultimate independence. For over 200 years, our nation has done the heavy lifting to maintain its independence, so American citizens have freedom of choice. It’s our responsibility to celebrate our independence every day!
(reprinted from July 4, 2008)
Categories : Articles, Newsletter Archive
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June 2016

When will your project finally end?

Three tips to identify the end, at the beginning

Woo-hoo!  Time for a closing party!  Yes, my project of building my new home is finally, well almost, complete.  We are moved in and have our certificate of completion, yet the builder still has some final touches to finish.  How do you know when your project is finished and you can close it?  Most of my clients struggle with this question – here are three tips to help you:

1. Focus on the ending event not the date

Before you start planning your project, determine what event happens to trigger your project to start incurring time, cost, and resources.  This event could be project approval, permit approval, or a previous project or phase is completed, etc.  Then also determine how you’ll know that your project is complete.  Common events are final payment, final approval, or 30 day post-implementation to work out bugs, etc.  Failure to identify the end contributes to scope creep, being over budget, missing deadlines, and the dreaded never-ending project!

2. Determine success criteria

How will you know that your customers will be satisfied with the end result?  Once you identify your stakeholders and determine what they view as success.  Capture their success criteria as requirements for your project.  Write clear, concise, and complete requirements, so you can verify that you met them.  Then, document those requirements in your final report.

3. Create a final report

Consider including a final report as a required deliverable in your projects.  What is a final report? It is a document that you present to the sponsor and/or customer that proves that you have accomplished your project and to what degree you delivered as promised.  Once you receive approval on your final report then the project is complete.  And then you can close out your project and celebrate!

After working with over 800 companies, I can tell you that most of them are terrible at closing their projects – usually not doing it at all.  Their team members sometimes don’t know what happened, weren’t recognized for their efforts, and feel incomplete.  Worst case scenarios are that the project continues incurring costs, there is no transition to the business process, and the lessons learned from the project are lost forever.

If you want to learn more about closing your projects, identifying stakeholders, and capturing requirements, contact us about our Project Management and Business Analysis workshops.  We specialize in customizing these workshops to fit your specific needs on-site.

We also offer public workshops. Check them out and sign up!

Categories : Articles, Newsletter Archive
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Textbooks and resources for your PMP or CAPM exam preparation.

A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge: PMBOK(R) Guide 5th Edition

PMP Exam Prep, Eighth Edition – Updated: Rita’s Course in a Book for Passing the PMP Exam Eighth Edition

The PMP Exam: Quick Reference Guide, Fifth Edition (Test Prep series) Pamphlet – September 15, 2013

CAPM Exam Prep, 3rd Edition Paperback – September 6, 2013

 

 

 

 

Categories : Ready2ACT Blog
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What is the difference between low-performing and high-performing organizations? 

Find out more in this article from PMI’s 2015 Pulse of the Profession: Focus on the Fundamentals. 

Categories : Ready2ACT Blog
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May 2016

What I learned from Siri

“What is the most hated word in your GPS?” she asked.  “RECALCULATE!” we all shouted. And that started our journey that the Australian Siri took us on during the Colorado National Speakers’ Association year end celebration on May 6.  Karen Jacobsen, the voice of Siri on 300 million smartphones and over 100 million GPS devices worldwide, shared five directions to recalculate your life’s inter GPS:

  • Notice that you are “off route”

Why did we all have the same answer to the most hated GPS word – “recalculate”?  Because being told that we are going the wrong way is jarring, especially when we are trying so hard to follow the directions.  It seems that life has these rules to follow – rules set by societies, families, and organizations, and when we are “off course” then people are quick to tell us.  Other times, we may be succeeding at staying in our lane but know that our hearts want a different route.  How do you notice if you are “off route”?

  • Be willing to change direction

Even if we do notice that we are “off route”, I know I’ve been stubborn at times refusing to change direction – confident that I’m going the “right” way.  Sometimes, being persistent in pursuing your goals helps you overcome obstacles and achieve your objectives; and other times, you are simply lost and driving yourself further away from your destination. How willing are you to change direction if needed?

  • Clarify your destination

Is where you wanted to go still relevant to you?  Has anything changed?  We set goals for specific reasons. Sometimes we lose sight of those original intentions.
Examine your reasoning: Is it still true?  What if it wasn’t true?  What would be possible if you were willing to change direction?  Where could you go?  Who could you be?

My Vistage group recommended that I examine my “why” before changing my business model – sound advice before I clarify my destination. How will you clarify your destination?

  • Embrace the steering wheel

Once you have clarified your destination, hold on tight!  Embrace what you need to do to get there, which may mean being uncomfortable.  There will be distractions, detours, and obstacles along the way. Stay focused and steer your course. Don’t let anyone else drive!  You are the driver of your life.

  • Accelerate!

When you know where you are going and why, then put actions in place to get there – think about what you need as an accelerant: training, coaching, resources. Tell people about your destination.  Ask for help.  You’ll be surprised how many people want to go on your road trip and help you get there.  Accelerate and enjoy the ride!

Our GPS can’t tell us where to go without a destination.  Where do you want to go?

I’d love to hear about your destination! Please Contact me and share your journey with me, so I can support you and help you accelerate.

Categories : Articles, Newsletter Archive
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April 2016

Constructively address the three levels of conflict
Regardless of what you do for work, it’s likely that you interact with someone besides yourself.  And where there are people, there is the potential for conflict.  Heck, sometimes we even have internal conflict all by ourselves.  Conflict can be good or bad depending on how you react to it.  If you can identify the cause of the conflict, you’ll be better at knowing how to respond in a constructive way.  Although the causes are infinite, they can be categorized into 3 levels:
1)    Resources
Resource availability (equipment, materials, labor, schedule, etc.) is a likely source of conflict.  This easily shows up when there’s only one truck in the sandbox and two children wanting to play with it.  Although we don’t grow out of these needs for resources; we can learn to share them, negotiate, be creative, be patient, etc.  Here’s the good news:  we can most easily resolve these types of conflicts.
2)    Psychological needs

Psychological needs may include power, friendship, belonging, respect, etc. Since we can never be in someone’s head and completely understand what’s going on in there, psychological needs can be very difficult to pinpoint. There are so many needs we have as human beings and trying to guess which one is causing conflict, is just that – a guessing game.  Don’t assume that you know the source or try to fix it – that gets us into more trouble sometimes.  Instead, take a stance of compassion.  After all, we have all experienced psychological needs ourselves and if we are honest, we just might be the ones having needs during a conflict.  Ask people questions to try to understand their perspectives.  If possible, try addressing the underlying need, in order to resolve the conflict.

3)    Values
The reason some people say, “never discuss religion and politics” is because they are ripe for value conflicts. Values are core beliefs that usually don’t change and are linked to psychological needs. Values heavily influence who people are and how they behave. The problem starts when people look at different values as a personal attack and feel like they must fight to defend themselves.  “You’re wrong – I’m right” conflicts will never get resolved.  So don’t waste your energy. Recognize there is a value conflict and move on to something productive, where you can find agreement.

Many disputes involve a combination of these levels of conflict.  The level of difficulty to solve these conflicts increases with each level.

When you are having a conflict or observing one, ask yourself, “What is the root cause?”  If it’s a resource level conflict, then use your problem-solving skills to resolve the conflict.  If it’s conflict over psychological needs, then ask questions to determine what’s really going on to address the root cause.  If it’s a values-based conflict, respect that people have different values than you.  It doesn’t mean you respect the values, but that you respect people’s right to have their own beliefs just as you do. Then focus on what you can agree upon.
Remember conflicts can involve two or three levels, so keep asking questions to ensure you are fully addressing all issues.  Otherwise, the conflict will not be resolved constructively.
I’ll be speaking at the Colorado Convention Center on April 29 about “Constructive Conflict on Teams.”  Contact me if you want to educate your people on conflict management to create a healthier, more productive organization.
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March 2016

Three steps to spring into action!

Spring is a time of awakening and renewal.  Let’s use gardening as a metaphor for springing into action.  Did you set goals for 2016?  If not, now’s a great time to do so.  If you did, now that you have survived winter, it’s the perfect time to assess your progress.  There are only three decisions to make:

Replace

Assess people, products, and projects that haven’t realized their potential.  Do a root-cause analysis and determine the best solution.  If you have strategies, systems, or services that are dead, dying, or diseased it’s time to replace them to make room for new growth.  If you feel that anyone or anything hasn’t received the resources or attention that they need to be successful, consider reviving them to see if they can thrive instead of barely survive.

Revive

As you assess your situation, also review your lessons learned from the past.  What strategies, markets, or products were successful that need reviving?  What is doing well that requires attention to ensure that it stays strong and healthy?  Fertilize your organization with employee engagement via rewards and recognition systems, change management plans, talent development, mentoring programs, outside expertise, and training.

Plant

Once you have determined what to replace and what to revive, ask yourself what’s missing to help you reach your goals?  Do you have the right structure, processes, and people to help you execute?  What seeds do you need to start planting now for both short and long term yields?  These investments must have clearly defined outcomes, strategies, and measurements that are agreed upon and communicated throughout the organization.  People must contribute to the germination of new ideas and systems for future success.

These three steps will keep you focused on growth and yield ongoing results!

Contact me if you want to create a healthier organization.
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January 2016 – Have a Happier New Year!

Happy New Year! What makes a year happy? What makes you happy? There are thousands of books and articles asking and then attempting to answer these questions. Here’s a simple list of three practices to make your year happier.
Be Grateful.
Many times resolutions focus on what we don’t have instead of being grateful for what we do have. Being grateful has proven biological and psychological benefits. Thinking of at least three things that you are grateful for instantly decreases stress, enhances relationships, and improves your sleep. Start the habit of practicing gratitude every day to boost your happiness.
Focus on what you want.
When you want something, focus on what you want, not what you don’t want. Remember the law of attraction: Focusing on fear, loss, and disappointments get you more of the same. Instead, think positive! Visualize that new raise, your promotion, and successful outcomes. Turn your negatives thoughts to positive self-talk and you’ll increase your chances of getting what you want.
Choose happiness.
Some people have an external locus of control meaning that they think external events impact whether they are happy or not. Since we can’t control events, but only our reaction to them, having an external locus of control nearly guarantees that we put our happiness in other people’s hands. If you want to be happier, consider choosing an internal locus of control; this allows you to have 100 percent responsibility over your own thoughts and reactions, so you can be happy regardless of what happens.
To have a Happier New Year practice gratitude, focus on what you want, and choose happiness. You’ll only be able to put these practices into place if your beliefs, behaviors, and results support them (to read last month’s article, click here). Contact me and let me know if these practices help you to be happier.
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February 2016 – What’s your Super Bowl?

 

After 17 years, the Denver Broncos won their third  Super Bowl!  As a Colorado resident, I can attest to the excitement of local fans before and especially after the win. In fact, February 8th should have been declared a state holiday since many people never, or barely made it to work after celebrating!  The energy, camaraderie, and pride generated by this single event can’t be measured but is signified by an estimated million people showing up for the rally on February 9th.
What is the “Super Bowl” for your business?  If you don’t know, could you create one that would encourage innovation, healthy competition, and new found collaboration that would raise the bar, not only within your organization but also for your entire industry?  How could you “win” the “game” and earn the loyalty of raving fans?  What would it mean to your business to be recognized as the best?  And if you did win an award, how do you celebrate and let the world celebrate with you?
When I teach Project Management, I ask how many people close their projects, which includes concluding, celebrating, and evaluating.  Unfortunately, most organizations don’t close out their projects, and they rarely celebrate their accomplishments.  The people, who worked so hard on the team, sometimes don’t even know the outcomes nor are they recognized for their efforts.  Lessons learned aren’t captured and the moment of victory lasts only seconds before you’re moving onto the next project.
No wonder employee engagement is at an all-time low of 29% according to  Dale Carnegie!
Create your Super Bowl!  Celebrate your successes!  Engage your team!   Contact me if you want to create a high performing team.
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