Monthly Archives: September 2019

Random thoughts – keeping you on your toes

Project Management / Business Analysis

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For me, the role of project management (PM) is intricately tied with that of business analysis.    The PM leads a team focused on achieving a specific outcome in a specified time frame.

The business analyst role is a key component of the project.  For a project to complete successfully the expected outcome must be crystal clear. Business analysis is about providing that clarity.

What are we doing?

A project can start with a high-level statement of the goal.  For example, build a house or host a wedding.  This statement of what we are doing only draws a loose boundary.

Houses can widely vary in size and quality and although not specifically part of the build, location matters a lot.  The same applies to a wedding.

In fact, most project goals start with a broad statement of intent.  Moving to a detailed level of specificity (the scope of the initiative) is always a key step in the project.

Filtering the Wheat from the Chaf

A wide variety of stakeholders can contribution information, ideas and desires toward advancing the objectives of the project and ultimately contributing to the overall goal.

The business analysis function is to gather, process, structure and present evidence and recommendations for the project scope.  The scope can be determined collaboratively by consensus with full buy-in.

This is the most efficient and streamlined approach to achieve the project goal, although figuring it out as you go along could work it just is not an optimal approach.

 

Random thoughts – keeping you on your toes

Working Smarter not Harder

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My favorite catchphrase (not) came up in a discussion the other day.  The topic was getting more things done at a lower cost.  Typically salary costs are the greatest expense whether its a contractor you hire or employees of your business or organization.

Charitable organizations get around this cost somewhat by using volunteers but many still have a lot of paid employees which inflate the ongoing operational expenses of the organization.

Do more with less

For a vibrant organization (or even just from a personal or family perspective) if you can get more or even the same at less cost, well, go for it.

Doing less should cost less but cutting product quality or services does have negative impacts.  Hence the catch phrase, everybody needs to work smarter not harder.

Sneaky eh.  Basically the theme is we will reduce our resources so we have less to work with  but because you are smart you will be able to do more without increased effort.

Really! It is a bit insulting to think I am not smart yet nor have been smart in the way I work.  Due to cost  cutting I will suddenly become smart enough to do more with less.   What does that say about my work right now, ouch.

Overspending comes home

In the case of governments spending cuts often are tied to service reduction.  For other organizations who need to balance budgets to survive working smarter not harder becomes a mantra.

Squeezing the lemon for everything is the approach.  Unfortunately cost cutting usually is heightened in times of recession and high unemployment so we workers just put up with the squeezing.

We work harder all the time being told we are just being smarter.

 

Random thoughts – keeping you on your toes

Personal Accountability

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Nobody’s fault but mine.  I heard this song by Led Zeppelin today.  The  Zep were a top tier classic rock act founded in the late nineteen sixties, who broke up in the early 1980’s when their drummer died.

It occurred to me the song title was actually a fabulous mantra for personal accountability.  The sentiment is much easier to voice or sing than to actually practice, but for me it really resonates.

You Made Me

One of my pet peeves is how easily we attribute cause to others.  I do this too although I try very hard not too.  In truth comments like “that driver makes me nuts” just are not true.

No one can make you feel crazy, frustrated, angry ,disappointed, etc. External factors can influence how you feel and behave however the fact is the choice is yours and yours alone.

If you experience road rage and choose to act on your feelings, it is absolutely your choice alone, it is nobody’s fault but yours.  In point of fact the other driver as annoying as they may be can not take control of your brain.

Recognize, you own it

One of the real benefits of being able to fully accept accountability is your actions are measured and far less likely to be precipitous.  Knowing all blame lies with you leads to second thoughts before acting in ways you will ultimately regret.

Believing you will not being able to absolve yourself using a scapegoat or an excuse, that is accepting full accountability results in exemplary personal behaviour.

Give it a try, people will admire you and you will feel good.

Random thoughts – keeping you on your toes

Freedom of Expression

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For residents of democratic nations, a key tenant is to enable everyone the freedom to discover, disseminate, and apply knowledge for the benefit of themselves and everyone else is freedom of expression.

This open exchange of ideas and concepts relies on enabling rigorous inquiry and the robust expression and discussion of ideas – within our local, provincial, national, and global communities.

Limitations

Unfortunately, unlimited ability to express any ideas leads to some challenges.  There will always be ideas considered by some,  or perhaps even everyone,  offensive, unwise, immoral, or misguided.

Our societies define these boundaries through democratically created laws.  We are thus limited by the law as to how far we can go.  We have freedom of expression but our elected officials are allowed to restrict it.

And there lies the rub.  Of course, it seems logical we should have some restrictions but in essence, these restrictions are censorship. Censorship intended for the good of all,  but still, censorship.

The suppression or prohibition of all or parts of information whether it be books, films, news,  speech because they are considered obscene, politically unacceptable, or a threat to security is unfortunately subjective.

A Walk Through History

Our societies moral perspective morphs over time.  For example in the United States circa 1950, swearing in public or discussing lewd topics (whatever that is) was considered the criminal subject to a fine or even jail time.

Today while swearing in public might still be frowned upon by some it certainly is not against the law.  In fact, the language in the entertainment industry is much less restricted than it was 50 to 60 years ago.

I applaud free expression and constantly question the boundaries, but recognize there are limits, it’s just not clear where they should be drawn.

Random thoughts – keeping you on your toes

Perspective can change your life

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Problems and issues are bothersome.   Challenges give us pause and often motivate procrastination.  We perceive problems and issues as unwelcome or harmful and needing to be dealt with and overcome.

Challenges are generally viewed as competitive and requiring effort to overcome.  Our perception tends to influence our behaviour when it comes to issues, problems and challenges.

Take another look

How we perceive things is within our control.  Often the default behaviour comes from our environmental and cultural influences.  We are taught to recognize problems and issues and behave accordingly.

But, does it have to be that way?  What if we trained ourselves to treat problems, issues and challenges as opportunities.  Opportunities to experience great enjoyment.

Why have a negative spin on things that can actual invigorate us and provide a thrill.  Here is an opportunity to excel, and if you don’t while it was a problem or challenge anyway, at least you had fun with it.

Perspective Matters

Entering a situation feeling reticent and pessimistic sets the wrong tone.  It can exasperate everything and simple problems suddenly become scary and complex.

Viewed as opportunities from the get go positions us for achievement.  Just by perceiving the situation differently changes the way we will behave.

Optimism is far more motivating then pessimism.  Why treat something as a problem, that is to what advantage.  Nothing springs to my mind.

Your determine how to perceive any given situation.   What harm is there in proceeding as if it is an opportunity? Really there is no downside.

Random thoughts – keeping you on your toes

Organize for Performance

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While not an original nor innovative concept, how we organize the work we do, from individual tasks, teams to enterprise structure makes a big difference to the cost, efficiency, and quality of the outcomes.

Success can be achieved through organizational optimization.  This is a continuous process, ongoing change is inevitable and how we are organized to address external and contextually change needs to reflect the current and forecast future situations.

What is Organization?

Organization is the act of getting people, places or things arranged in a systematic way, whether on a large or small scaled getting things organized in a way that the goals and objectives will be achieved with as much ease as possible.

This is not only about efficiency though, organization is how we can ensure the right things get done by the right person (or persons) at the right time.

Often we take the organization of things at the status quo and just carry on.  Why challenge what is working?  Unfortunately effective organization is integrated with a multitude of environmental factors.

As the environment changes so does the organizational effectiveness.  To attain the best results your routine needs to adapt to the changes.

For Example

You have organized your morning wake-up and get ready for the day in a particular day.  Maybe you get up at a set time and complete a defined set of activities from washing, shaving, dressing to eating before considering yourself ready.

The question becomes, is the same morning activity organization as effective today as it was the first time you practiced it?  Without altering your routine  to adapt to changing life events (e.g., getting married, having children, changing jobs, moving locations, etc.) it is highly likely the outcomes will have suffered.

Pay attention to how you and the things around you are organized, it matters.

 

 

Random thoughts – keeping you on your toes

What a Mess!

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The major worldwide events of the past month give me pause for concern.  Throughout my life, there has always been some level of upheaval worldwide.

These include significant weather events, trade disputes, civil unrest and national aspirations (revolutions, border skirmishes, etc). I have been wondering if there was a boiling point when the number of events would become overwhelming.

What’s Up

Here is my list of key events that are currently roiling the planet.  While the impacts are localized primarily to countries and regions the world wide impact is real and increasing.

  • Hurricane Dorian – the category five storm has devastated the Bahamas and is rampaging the US east coast from Florida up to the Canadian cost past Newfoundland.
  • Chinese/US trade war – the worlds two largest economies continue to become more insular (it’s all about me).
  • Brexit –  The European Union is about to have a serious shakeup as is the British economy
  • Hong Kong protests – Is the city-state about to experience martial law.
  • India annexes Kasmir  – Is a conflict brewing that will involve China and Pakistan?
  • Israel and Lebanon exchange missile fire – is the middle east conflict heating up?
  • World wide recession – is a large hit to the world economy on the way, the bond rate inversion says it is.

Stay Optimistic and Carry on

It does seem as if the current state of world affairs is highly turbulent.  Clearly there is a lot of unrest and pain being experienced worldwide.

For me, we have been here before but over longer periods of time.  It seems like major issues and events are surging together.   My hope is all will pass without integrating into a powerful whole that creates mass disruption around the globe.

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Random thoughts – keeping you on your toes

Telling the Story

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When communicating with others the most important objective is for your message to be received and understood the way you intended.

Implicit in this objective is getting the attention of the person or persons you are sharing with.  A critical aspect of attracting and maintaining attention is how you tell the story.

What’s the Story

Whether your tale is an account of imaginary or real people or and events the key aspect of a story is the fact it is told for entertainment.

By definition, entertainment is about enjoyment.   If you are enjoying yourself it’s far more likely for you pay attention, absorb the content and even participate in the stories discussion (e.g., via questions or your own anecdotes).

Turning your communications into stories means they are more likely to be enjoyed by the recipients, this should ultimately create a better chance that your narrative will lead to understanding or at least follow up to create understanding.

What makes it a story?

Stories are well organized.  They should always contain the following six elements, however, the one that really gets and retains attention is “conflict”

  • Setting – provide the background and context.  This sets the tone of the entire communication helping to avoid confusion.
  • Character/Subject – The key components of the story are who or what it is about, without this being clear, confusion reigns.
  • Point of View – Determine from whose or what perspective you are going to tell the story and make that is embedded throughout consistently.
  • Conflict – This is the suspense part of the story.  Some sort of conflict is needed so others wonder what is going to happen.  This will get their attention.
  • Plot – The story needs to flow cleanly from beginning to end.  Map this out yourself before starting to tell others the story.
  • Theme –  This is the purpose of the story, why you are telling it in the first place.  It is important to know before relating the story to others.

 

Random thoughts – keeping you on your toes

Setting Your Bar

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For many years I worked for organizations that focused on driving excellence by regularly increasing performance expectations.

In essence, great achievement or success from the past became only mediocre in the present and perhaps even below expectation in the future.

Resting on your laurels

Having one successful book or a hit record or implementing the most complex project does not make for success.  True greatness requires continually performing at a higher level.

Like the concept of infinity, raising the performance bar is never-ending.   This applies even as you move through various stages of life.

For example, a student to professional to the leader and then retired, the quest for improvement and excellence does not need to end, in fact, should not end.

You Can Do It

When I was younger, I was engaged in competitive track and field. Two of my favorite events were high jumping and pole vaulting.  In both cases, you attempted to jump over a bar without dislodging it.

Each successful attempt led to another after the bar had been raised of course.  Ultimately the bar reached a height I could not jump over at that point.

This led to more training and preparation.  At the next meet, I always beat my height by at least one raise of the bar.  Until I stopped competing (admittedly there probably was a maximum height I could jump).

Challenging myself, proving I could do it was both motivation and a thrill (the thrill of success).  From an early age, this taught me the value of pushing the bar.

Random thoughts – keeping you on your toes

Get it done sooner

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Getting something done soon simply means within a short time.  This is, of course, a subjective measure and arguably depending on your perspective could be minutes, hours, days, months, etc.

The term is relative and so if the task would normally take a century, the term soon could refer to getting it done in half a century.  That is earlier (or soon) relative to the normally expected time.

Sooner

The comparative adverb of soon is sooner.  While still a subjective measure there is an implied baseline.  In essence, the expectation is the task would be completed before the initially selected duration.

Logically though, with the term sooner there is a bit of a paradox because any moment of time before another moment of time is sooner so the soonest time does not exist because there is always a sooner time (considered on an absolute basis).

Getting it done earlier

Finishing an activity or achieving a goal before the accepted duration could be sooner but it is not necessarily faster.  Doing it sooner is about reduced duration.

It can be achieved by doing less work but still attaining the same outcomes.  That is working smarter not harder.   Getting it done sooner does raise the question as to why it was not scheduled soonest in the first place.

This is not a question I ask when dealing with bureaucracy.  There is really no point.  The culture in these situations is largely focused on process versus urgency.  (In many cases mindless process).