Category Archives: project management

Those Magical Two Words

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There are two types of people who are working your projects. Lazy people don’t count.

One type just wants the job to be over and is trying to find the quickest possible exit. The other type are those who are on the look out for how to make your project remarkable. Both have their place as long as they are working, but I’d rather have the person who is in pursuit of excellence. You know you have found one of these types when they include the glorious little phrase “and also” into sentences.

“I finalized the contract and also was able to save us 10%.”
“We finished the code and also found a couple of ways to make the site more user friendly.”
“I wrapped up the work outlined for this week and also had time to get ahead on next week’s items.”

‘And also’ hints at a person’s willingness to work hard and also their capacity to see what’s ahead and take initiative. Do you have people on your team like this?

Facebook Could Rule the World of Project Management

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In my spare time I am a recreational project management hack. I enjoy starting teams of people (mostly volunteers) to do good in the world. Currently I am heading a new leadership team and experimenting with project management through Facebook. (If you are doing or trying the same thing on Facebook, then I would be curious to hear how you run project teams with the tools that already exist there.)

If Facebook wanted to, they could rule the world of Project Management.

Here is what Facebook already has:

  • Lots of People: Obviously this is key for project management.
  • Lots of People who already know the program. The less you have teach people how to use a new system the better participation you will get.
  • Groups (private & public) — this is key — I don’t want everyone to see my project and leadership team thoughts, notes, debates and content.
  • Postings & Comments. These are important for creating dialogue.
  • Documents
  • Pics & Albums
  • Calendars and Events
  • Email, group email and emailing to the project
  • Chat.

Here are critical features that Facebook is still needing to develop:

  • ToDo list with assignments
  • Time tracking. I bet Facebook is already tracking how much time we spend on each section so now they could just make that public for each of our projects (a timer).
  • Milestones
  • Dynamic document updating
  • Screen sharing, audio & video conferencing.

Most importantly here’s how Facebook could make money … (and believe it or not, for us also, not that they need me to figure this out for them). Facebook could run a basic version for free like everyone else does. Then run a pro version with a few more widgets &/or more volume of projects. Put ads on the side that directly relate to the type of project being run. (They already this in other areas. For a FEE let me turn OFF the crap I don’t want to see on my company project management tool. Also for a fee let me eliminate some of the social play crap that I wouldn’t want my employees to be goofing around on at work.

Yes, I understand that Google does most of this stuff already. But let’s face it, most people who you try to get to use Google Docs and features who aren’t using them already have a really hard time learning and adopting them. The experience isn’t as intuitive as it needs to be to be adopted by the masses.

Lead Duck

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My friend Sarah leads some pretty sweet events at U.S. Airways Center in PHX. She shared with me her axiom of leadership during crunch time with large events, national headline concerts, WWE extravaganzas and NBA playoff runs. It might sound a little silly, but of her aims during these high pressure events is to “lead like a duck… Be cool and smooth on the surface and work really hard behind the scenes.”

In your leadership, it matters what others see and experience in you on the surface. Are you smooth, cool and calm? Do you carry with you grace, patience and a calming chill along with your clear direction, decisive nature and paced rhythm?

Then of course there is what is going on behind the scene or ‘under the surface of the water’. Be the event is awesome and it matters, you be working hard and giving it your very best. Did you adequately prepare ahead of time? Are you constantly thinking through the event? Is every

Paper and Pause

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The power of paper, pause, prayer and a simple process can give you clear direction for your day. These simple things done in 15 minutes or less can revolutionize your productivity, energy and outlook.

1st, get a sheet of paper.
Divide the paper into 2 columns
Left half = list the things that are stressing you out; your right now life challenges & problems.
Right side = list out items that you need to get done; personal, work, spiritual, for others
Bounce back and forth between the 2 sides.
Check your email for work (work only!) that needs to get on your list.

[pause... right now!]
- pray (if you do that).
- slow your mind.
- process what is truly important for today.

Take a 2nd sheet of paper.
Make an ACTION LIST for TODAY only from your first list.
# the items in priority order.
Don’t exceed putting 2 really big things on your list.
Start at the top and just get going on them NOW!

Rinse & repeat for tomorrow.
Try this for 5 days.
Stay focused when you work — don’t do things that aren’t on the list.
HOLD email and calls for your last hour of the day UNLESS they are related to the list.

No Connection Productivity

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You want to be extremely productive with your day?
Turn off your phone.
Turn off your internet connection.
* You can still use your computer, it does still function very well without being connected to the web.
NOW, go to work and focus on your 2 biggest projects.
Try this for 2 whole hours… straight!

EXTREMELY PRODUCTIVE time can be found in dis-connectivity.

Ask any working person who flies regularly. They will tell you how great their time on an airplane is for getting caught up and also getting way ahead. The world continues to function. Earth and all of it’s joys and heartaches will still be here when you plug back in. There was an era where we were highly functional human beings without the drugs of facebook, twitter, email, text and calls… there really was.

It’s as simple as it sounds OR you become addicted to the internet.

3 Month Pathfinder

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Don’t let your big dreams or your ambitious project overwhelm you. Try some of these tricks to keep yourself moving toward your big goals.

Pick a milestone. Set your sights fully on a major accomplishment that you REALLY want to have come to fruition 3 months from now. Look at it as biting of a slice of the larger whole. Try to  put the more daunting mountain of a dream within your grasp by focusing on this piece.

Dump your brain. Get out everything that you can think that has to get done or that you want to get done on your project over the next 3 months. If you don’t like computers that much, get a pile of sticky notes and a fresh wall…. every time you think of an item or a to-do put it up there.

Walk backwards from your goal. What will have had to have happened in order for you to end up where you want to be? Do you have to raise money? Create a budget? Recruit a team? Find a needed resource?

Think in containers. Try to find 4-8 master categories. Ask yourself what some things have in common with each other. A few usual suspects  are: money, people, needs

Create stages. “Month 1, 2, 3″ — “Prep, Action, Wrap up” — “Beginning, Middle, End”. Use something that inspires, seems creatives, or helps you visualize the process. Take the to-dos and give them a stage so you know ‘when’ to get to each item in the proper order.

Start fast and easy! Everyone likes easy stuff. So, if it helps you get excited and see progress, ignore every other things I have said and start with those things. Another trick I like to do is outsourcing items that I hate doing or that slow me down… making reservations in among these things.

Take the necessary time. Most big plans fail for lack of time and planning. Make your goals reasonable. Block out a portion every work day to do the project of your dreams and desires. FOCUS!