JUNE 2007 LEARNING FLASH

Russell Martin and Associates Learning Flash June 2007 

This is the month of rebirth, the time when we roam our yards before the bugs get too bad and see what survived the winter.  I once heard Gopal Kapur compare project management to horticulture.  As unpredictable as plants, projects can surprisingly survive or mysteriously wither away.  As you transition into new processes at home and at work, consider thinking about growing your project management resiliency in new way with some of the ideas below.

In this issue:

  • 10 Steps to Successful Project Management Contest
  • The Pigs Have a Workshop
  • Career College Association: Party in New Orleans
  • Hello to ERICSA, USOPM, Dayton Miami Valley PMI, Mid-Nebraska PMI, Greater Cincy ASTD!
  • ASTD ICE in Atlanta Next Week  - See You There
  • Accelerating Business Learning
  • Projects in June in Boston – What Could Be Better?
  • Top Business Challenges Ahead
  • Customer Self-Service Conference
  • Leadership is Stressful
  • Business Impact Drivers
  • How Can I Learn to Trust?
  • Knowing Leadership vs. Doing It
  • The Blind Spot
  • Spamalot Game: And Now For Something Completely Different
  • Conflict Kills: Seek First To Collaborate
  • Are you Liable or Libel?
  • Getting Great
  • What Workers Want
  • Is It OK to Check E-Mail During Meetings?

10 Steps to Successful Project Management Contest

The book is finally here!  Thanks to all of you who have preordered the book, and to those of you who are flooding us with orders.  I’m very excited about this book so the contest this month will be 10 Steps to Successful Project Management trivia questions.  If you send your answers to info@russellmartin.com, you will win a FREE ‘When Pigs Fly’ magnet. If you get all the answers correct, you will get a FREE 10 Steps to Successful Project Management coloring book.    We will draw two names from the pile of contest players and send out two free signed books as well.

No time to play games?  Hmmm… perhaps you need a book on project management?  You can order the book at http://russellmartinandassociates.stores.yahoo.net/bookbylourus.html , enter the discount code JUNE07, and receive free shipping, signed books until the 4th of July!

Trivia Questions:

  1. What are the names of the three pigs?
  2. Where do they live?
  3. What is the difference between a project and a task?
  4. List two benefits of a repeatable project management process.
  5. How does the role of the project manager differ from the role of a project sponsor?
  6. How can you juggle your work when you are both the developer and the project manager?
  7. What does DPMR stand for?
  8. What is one way you can engage a project sponsor?
  9. What project of mine did I use to illustrate the difference between a project and a task?
  10. How do you spell PMBOK?

Need Help?  Download a free chapter at:

http://www.astd.org/astd/Publications/books/astd_press_books  

The Pigs Have a Workshop

Interested in doing the 10 Steps to Successful Project Management workshop?  Contact Margie at mbrown@russellmartin.com.  This 1 day workshop (available as a keynote, live or online) will jumpstart your employee’s ability to deliver successful projects.

Career College Association: Party in New Orleans

In two weeks, Margie and I will head to New Orleans for the CCA annual conference.  I am honored to be giving two presentations: Accelerating Learning for Improved Retention and Recruitment Olympics: Developing Gold Medal Recruiters.  I will also be playing in the golf outing. Both Margie and I will be attending the gala on Friday evening.  Most exciting, we will have a booth (#146).  If you are going, please stop by and visit – we’d love to see you!

Hello to ERICSA, USOPM, Dayton Miami Valley PMI, Mid-Nebraska PMI, Greater Cincy ASTD! 

I had a blast this month sharing project management, leadership and learning organization nuggets with people all over the country.  Thanks so much for the time you spent with me, and the tremendous support of the organizations that sponsored my time.

ASTD ICE in Atlanta Next Week  - See You There 

If you are attending the ASTD ICE conference in Atlanta next week, give me a shout and let’s meet for a cup of something.  I will be doing: 

  • An author session and book signing at noon on Sunday on the 10 Steps book.
  • An author chat in the bookstore at 2:15 on Monday.

I’m never far from my email … lou@russellmartin.com.  You can call or text me at 317/409-3464. 

Accelerating Business Learning 

One of the reasons your teams may be overwhelmed is their inability to deal effectively with the mountains of new information bombarding them every day.  How can you help them learn more quickly and with less stress?  Check out my recent article in the Indiana Chamber of Commerce “BizVoice” magazine:

http://www.bizvoicemagazine.com/we-accbuslearning.htm

RMA has a “Learn to Learn” workshop for your staff to help them be more effective learners, growing their resiliency.  Contact Margie at info@russellmartin.com for more information.  

Projects in June in Boston – What Could Be Better?

Join me at ProjectWorld & The World Congress for Business Analysts Regional,

June 19-22, 2007 at the beautiful Marriott Copley Place, Boston, MA

This has always been a favorite conference for me, and I’m excited that for the first time a regional version is in Boston.  This event is geared to the overall discipline and rigor of project management and business analysis at both a micro and macro level. Also, I highly recommend fried clams at Legal Seafood… yum.  Join me for my full day workshop on Tuesday, June 19: Leading Difficult and Unruly Project Teams and my session on Thursday, June 21 Quick and Dirty Project Chartering.  Use RMA’s speaker discount priority code SPKRM1910LR when registering and you’ll save 15% off the current price tier!  For more information and to register, please visit the conference website: www.projectworldregional.com.  

Top Business Challenges Ahead

The Ken Blanchard Companies has just released the results of its 2007 Corporate Issues Survey: A Five-Year Look at the Trends and Issues Organizations and Leaders Face.

At the organizational level, respondents identified increasing competitive pressure (62%), growth and expansion plans (52%), and a lack of workers with needed skills (51%) as the three top challenges they expect to face in the years ahead. 

At the managerial level, respondents identified selecting and retaining key talent (64%), developing potential leaders (56%), and building customer loyalty (44%) as the biggest challenges looking ahead over the next three years. 

At the employee development level, respondents identified three critical skills that they feel will be most important in 2010; managerial skills (63%), customer service skills (49%), and interpersonal communication skills (44%). 

Good interpersonal communication was identified as a key skill all managers and supervisors needed because everything else flows from success or failure in this area. Anecdotal comments show that conflict resolution, emotional intelligence, and basic communication skills are all important components supporting the development of interpersonal skills. Also identified as an emerging issue was the lack of communication skills among younger workers, and the new challenges posed by technology-influenced communication styles. 

Need help with these?  Learn about innovative leadership, team and communications improvement by chatting with Margie at mbrown@russellmartin.com.

Customer Self-Service Conference

You are engaged in developing, preparing and executing your organization’s customer self service strategy. This means ensuring the best experience for your customers while meeting the top and bottom line expectations for your business. Turn this business imperative into an action plan by attending Shared Insights Customer Self Service Conference, August 21-23 in San Diego, where I will be speaking and doing a workshop.

Key issues to be addressed:

  • With the demand for a seamless multi channel customer experience, how can you possibly manage your operation and keep your costs in check?
  • Can you create cross and up sell opportunities from the additional touch points you offer your customers?
  • Can you prove to your CEO that the ROI for customer self service is there, given the complexity of integrating the technology?

Join me at this one of a kind conference designed to help you start, fix and revamp your strategy! For more information visit the event website at:

http://www.sharedinsights.com/events/conferences/overview.aspx?e_id=C877CA10CCAB4D45913A29BA14B18EF7

Leadership is Stressful 

Leadership promotions rank first among life's most stressful events, according to Development Dimensions International's Leadership Transitions Study of 385 U.S. leaders and 400 global leaders in frontline, operational, and strategic roles. When rating life challenges in order of difficulty, 19 percent of all U.S. leaders rated being promoted as the No. 1 greatest challenge, superseding personal stressors such as coping with bereavement, divorce, and relocation.  If you are responsible for growing leaders, check out the RMA resources including the books IT Leadership Alchemy and Leadership Training and talk with Margie about our online and live retreats mbrown@russellmartin.com.

Business Impact Drivers

Coaching (formal and informal) is among the top 22 processes that drive business impact, according to Bersin & Associates. The study, "High-Impact Talent Management: Trends, Best Practices, and Industry Solutions," was based on input from more than 750 organizations and 15 vendors, as well as interviews with 55 senior human resources executives. The full list of top business impact drivers is available at http://bersin.com/top22.  Did you know that RMA has a team of professional coaches available for phone or in person coaching?  Give Margie a shout at mbrown@russellmartin.com.  

How Can I Learn to Trust? 

Clearly, leaders who do not trust their people are rarely trusted by these team members.  Lack of trust influences leadership choices like communications, selection for project work and all interactions.  But how do you make yourself trust someone that you really don’t trust?  You can’t, but you can behave as if you trust a person, and this will eventually influence your trust level as the person trusts you and grows performance through that trust.  Here’s what trust behavior looks like:

1. Rewarding the truth

When one of your staff challenges you or tells you something that is upsetting, what do you do?  What are you teaching people to do with this behavior?

2. Build shared, measurable performance goals

Vague accountability and lack of management can lead to miscommunication and distrust.  Get specific and get organized.

3. Give them the authority and autonomy to do the work

Avoid micromanaging and hoarding power.  Spread the wealth.

Learn more about leaders and trust in RMA’s Leadership Alchemy Academy by contacting Margie at mbrown@russellmartin.com .  

Knowing Leadership vs. Doing It

From an article by Marshall Goldsmith: “The consistent and ongoing misassumption of almost all leadership development programs is, "If they understand, they will do." This assumption is not valid in any aspect of our lives, and leadership development is no exception.

Companies have invested millions of dollars to develop profiles that describe the desired behavior for leaders of the future.  Most corporations know what their leaders should do, and they effectively communicate this message. Some leaders, however, do absolutely nothing as a result of receiving feedback and attending training, and as a group they were seen as improving no more than can be attributed to random chance. Amazingly, the leaders who did nothing rated the value of the programs just as highly as the leaders who executed. The did-nothings not only understood what to do, but they also saw the value in doing it. 

Long-term change in leadership effectiveness takes time, follow-up and discipline, not just understanding.  Why didn’t these leaders do what they said they were going to do?

“You know, I am incredibly busy right now. In fact, I feel about as busy today as I have ever felt in my life. I think that the worst of this will be over in four or five months. After that, I think I will take a couple of weeks and begin working on my leadership development”.   Develop a disciplined plan and stick to it.  Make someday happen now.”   From Workforce Management Online, May 2007

RMA’s Leadership Program is available in-house and public.  Provide your leaders with the tools AND motivation to improve their leadership by contacting Margie at mbrown@russellmartin.com.  

The Blind Spot

 Dr. C. Otto Scharmer is a senior lecturer at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and the author of Theory U: Leading from the Future as It Emerges (SoL, 2007). ”The blind spot is the place within or around us where our attention and intention originates. It's the place from where we operate when we do something. At least three perspectives are possible: 

  1. Look at what leaders do. Tons of books have been written from that point of view.
  2. Look at the how, the processes leaders use.
  3. Systematically look at the leaders' work by asking ‘What sources are leaders actually operating from?’”

The RMA Leadership Academy focuses on three core areas: self-awareness, working with others, and alignment, lining up nicely with Dr. Scharmer’s research.  Contact Margie at mbrown@russellmartin.com for more info.

Spamalot Game: And Now For Something Completely Different 

I’m not dead yet! Check out this silly game…

http://www.spamspamspamspam.co.uk/go/game/  

Conflict Kills: Seek First To Collaborate 

Sometimes the way you say something is even more important than what you say. This is especially true when delivering criticism, whether written or spoken. When you need to make a negative comment about performance, for example, put a non-accusatory spin on it. Instead of saying, “You didn’t perform well,” consider saying, “I was disappointed in the outcome,” which focuses on the result, not the person. People who are treated with respect are happier and more productive. Learn to use ‘I’ language and avoid ‘you’ in coaching and project management.  To learn more about improving your relationship building skills, contact Margie Brown at mbrown@russellmartin.com.

Are you Liable or Libel?

Liable refers to legal responsibility, or being exposed to an adverse reaction.

Due to his admitted negligence, the defendant was liable for all damages.

Libel, while also a legal term, refers to a false negative statement written or printed about someone. (Note that a verbal negative statement is called “slander.”)

When Julia read the lies printed about her in the paper, she immediately began a libel suit against the columnist. 

Did you know that RMA has a workshop called “Writing to Be Understood”?  This course is available live or online – contact (who else?) Margie at mbrown@russellmartin.com.

Getting Great
Your employees could be smiling--and producing--more, and it doesn't have anything to do with Six Sigma or Lean Management. According to San Francisco-based Great Place To Work Institute, Inc., the happiest workforces are also some of the most successful. Jennifer Robin, Ph.D., consultant for the institute, and her colleague, business development manager Meghan Johle, offered "Great Workplace" pointers:

  • The best workplaces are supported by: a strong commitment from the CEO and senior management to preserve the ‘special’ corporate culture; a genuine belief that workers are indispensable to the success of the business; and active community forums between employees and managers.
  • At these "Great Places," everybody knows his or her responsibility and acts on it.
  • Focus on what you already do well for your employees, and do more of it. If your CEO needs to be convinced to be part of the effort, figure out what he or she most likes to do.
  • Show your CEO how a great office links up with profit, customer experience, and adding to the bottom line, but also point out that the advantages of a happy work environment are incalculable.

RMA has a new survey called “Clarity” developed by Dr. Stephen Curtis, PhD, Indiana University.  This survey can help you understand how your employees feel about your workplace. Contact Margie at mbrown@russellmartin.com for more info.

What Workers Want

Despite worker shortages throughout North America, a recent survey by international staffing firm Express Personnel Services shows employees today want to stay on the job long-term. The firm surveyed a cross section of 788 business owners, managers, and employees. Nearly half, or 48 percent, say they never plan to leave.


Is It OK to Check E-Mail During Meetings?

Wondering if it's OK to check e-mail during meetings? A new survey of 150 senior executives by Robert Half Management Resources shows the verdict is still out, though many executives are doing it. Eighty-six percent of respondents say it is common for professionals they work with to read and respond to e-mail messages during meetings. But close to one-third (31 percent) disapprove of this practice. Thirty-seven percent say it’s OK to respond to e-mail as long as the message is urgent, but 23 percent say professionals should excuse themselves from the meeting before doing so.

Lou Russell 

President/CEO

www.russellmartin.com