Tool Softener

"When the only tool you have is a hammer, everything starts to look like a nail."  --Abraham Maslow.

One of the surest ways to create an "office holy war" is to get dogmatic about which tool or technique is THE BEST WAY to solve a problem.  I was reading Kevin Brady's post about Fools and Their Tools.  His tongue-in-cheek assessment of "high gain no pain" promises from project management tool pushers (software, training, templates, consulting) rang so true.

I have one colleague who enjoys "going to the mat" with me over which project management software tool is better:  MS Project or Niku Workbench (now CA Clarity).  I've always been a "Project" guy and have never really embraced the superfluous overhead that Workbench promises; nevertheless, we've come to respect each other's views and have turned our disagreement into playful banter when we see each other.

Recently, a former client of mine contacted me with news that the CEO, after having read my book, is now requiring his management team to provide him weekly reports using a modified version of the SHARP status report.  I emphasize the word modified because he is not requiring Statistics or Highlights; only Accomplishments, Risks, and Projects... I guess that would make it an ARP status.  Regardless, I was thrilled that a busy executive found something in the book that he could modify and make it his own.

However, there are those who think that their one tool or process is the best way.  I've learned how to be polite yet firm with dogmatic types.  After all, dogma is simply passion without all the information.  Asking questions like "Why do you believe that?" and "Have you ever considered...?" at least gets the person to pause and consider why s/he has vested so much passion in ONE BEST WAY.  Sometimes they budge; sometimes they don't.  It's one thing to have preferences (like the project software mentioned earlier); but to allow those preferences to become the perceptual filter that blocks out any other possibility is downright dangerous.

No tool is a silver bullet.  Carpe Factum is not built on dogma.  If there is no flexibility in adapting a tool or process to your environment, your projects, your processes, and your people, then run ... run away... away from the tool, from the consultant, or from the company that is attempting to force their ONE BEST WAY down your throat.

Technorati Tags: Tools, Project Management, Turf Building, Kevin Brady, Dogma, MS Project, Niku Workbench, CA Clarity, Project Software, Pivotworks, SHARP Status Reports

Couldn't See That One Coming

Every year, Iowa hosts one of the nation's premier bicycle enthusiast events, the Register's Annual Bicycle Ride Across Iowa (RAGBRAI).  This year, we even have Lance Armstrong joining the ride for a couple of days (with the whole Tour de France thing under his belt, he must have felt compelled to try a real bike ride for once).  Over the course of one week each July, riders make their way across the state of Iowa, staying in a different town each night (generally camping out in tents).  While I enjoy cycling, I've yet to participate in this Iowa phenomenon, although I've heard from others that it is quite the experience.

Host towns go to great lengths to ensure that riders are treated well and that they have good memories when they leave.  Being selected as a host town is a big deal in Iowa, and it is our state's equivalent to being selected as a site for the next Olympics.  Many hours of planning go into preparing the venue for the overnight stay.

Last night, the riders were staying in the neighboring suburb of Waukee.  A big thunderstorm blew through last night.  While July thunderstorms are nothing new to RAGBRAI riders, this one (according to news reports this morning) evidently short circuited the sound system in Centennial Park, causing the school fight song to blare out over the campgrounds where many of the cyclists were staying... all night long.  Yup, that'll be a memorable stay.

You can rest assured that the Waukee planners were probably prepared for most risk events, but this one probably didn't even hit their radar screen.  But I bet it gets filed under "lessons learned" for the next time Waukee is selected to host.

As project managers, we have to plan for risks.  But there are some risks we could never begin to fathom in a million years... things that blindside us so badly that we're left standing there dazed and confused.  That's where documenting our assumptions (REMEMBER:  "Undocumented assumptions resurrect as excuses")and building in logical contingency help us keep our credibility.  It is so much easier to go to stakeholders and say "Our assumptions were violated" than it is to say "We didn't see that one coming."

And if that doesn't work, repetitively playing your project's fight song might help.

Technorati Tags: RAGBRAI, Iowa, Waukee, Lance Armstrong, Project Management, Risk Management, Assumptions

Satan's Chihuahua

Occasionally at work, we have to deal with people who are thoroughly evil... just mean-spirited individuals who like to exercise their sadistic muscle.  Also at work, there are people who are downright annoying... irritating gnats that we must endure in our quest to Carpe Factum.

Then there are the people who fall into the "Satan's Chihuahua" category... that scary cross-section of both evil and annoying.  On a past project (a long time ago in a galaxy far, far away), we dealt with an administrative assistant who exerted way too much power.  She worked for a weak executive who was overextended and distracted... paving the way for her to get away with her behaviors.  She would block critical meetings with the executive (overruling his own directives) just because she didn't like the people who were attempting to schedule the meetings.  She would also park herself at various project resources' cubicles... just to make small talk.  Hints to go away usually went unheeded.  If she did get the hint, the person then went on her "bad list."  She was just an unpleasant person to handle, and the feedback from the project team was beginning to elevate.

Some simple strategies served us well in handling Satan's Chihuahua:

1. There's safety in numbers - a group of us on the project management team met with the executive and objectively listed the behaviors we were observing and how they were impacting the project team.  He had deflected individual feedback on her behavior, but when faced with multiple people at once, he could not ignore it.  We left the meeting with action items that he needed to address with this person.
2. Set boundaries - all of us had to set boundaries in our interactions with this person... with respect to schedule, authority, responsibilities, and communication.  She had to know the scope of what she could and could not get away with.
3. Be clear - annoying people have a tendency to miss the point.  "Do you understand?" is a good question for follow up.  Ensure that this person is accountable for directions, facts, and issues.  Thinking in terms of Murphy's Law, consider all of the things that can possibly go wrong and mitigate the communication proactively.
4. Provide objective feedback - keep emotion out of it when things get off course.  Focus only on observable behaviors and statements that are irrefutable.

These are easier said than done when dealing with Satan's Chihuahua.  People who annoy others with a mean-spirited nature can be very challenging and very political.  We tend to forgive people's short-comings if they are nice or if they are competent.  If both are lacking, the patience level drops.  Take a deep breath, look at the bigger picture, and work to improve the situation.

What are your thoughts?  How would YOU handle Satan's Chihuahua?

(NOTE TO ALL CHIHUAHUA OWNERS:  Sorry for the use of imagery here, but it was just too easy to pass up.  Satan's Beagle just didn't have the same ring to it.)

Technorati Tags: Satan's Chihuahua, Office Politics, Annoying Personalities, Project Management, Communication, Carpe Factum

Race Through The Forest Update

I've heard from many of you that ordering from Amazon just "isn't your thing" and you prefer to buy books off the shelf.  Beaverdale Books, a small independent book store that just opened in Des Moines (2629 Beaver Avenue Suite 1), will be carrying Race Through The Forest.  Even if you don't go in to buy my book, go in, browse, buy something, and support the small business owner (Alice Meyer).  Thank heavens for independent book stores!  I've been in her shop already, and there is an impressive selection and a very nice, relaxed atmosphere.  Carpe Factum, Alice!

The Book Store in the Equitable Building downtown (606 Locust) continues to carry Race Through The Forest as well.

Technorati Tags: Beaverdale Books, Alice Meyer, Race Through The Forest, Independent Book Stores

I Guess I'm Stuck With You Now

Was I ever nervous.  First of all, I had just spent more money on a single purchase than I'd ever spent in my life (outside of buying a house or a car).  Second, I hadn't told her I was buying the ring or that I was going to pop the question that night.  We had simply talked about engagement in nebulous, hypothetical terms.

So, there I was... standing inside her apartment, the diamond ring in my back pocket... figuring out the transportation model to get it moved effectively from my backside to her ring finger.  She was scurrying about her kitchen making spaghetti for dinner, already running behind schedule yet wanting things to be just right, but also not wanting to run late for the always-famous-Valley-vs.-Dowling football game that night.  After all, some things really are sacred.

Finally, she stopped her hustle and bustle of activity just long enough to walk over and give me a quick kiss hello before going back to tend to her pots and pans.

"Hey wait a second!" I interjected as she started back to the kitchen.  "I learned a new facilitation trick today at work and I want to try it out on you."  (Lame, Tim... very, very lame... but, whatever... you've already started down this path... you may as well see it through.)

After some quick back-and-forth about her not having time for this and a couple of "aw, come on" coaxes, I talked her into standing with her arms stretched in front of her and her eyes closed tight.  As I was pulling the ring from my pocket and was about to slip it onto her finger, she declared forthrightly, "You know, I think I've had this exercise done to me before."  I paused to enjoy the irony of that statement before slipping the engagement ring on her finger.

She screamed in disbelief as her eyes flew open (she's not a screamer by nature, so it completely startled me).  When I regained my bearings, I got down on one knee and asked her if she would marry me.  As she was staring at disbelief at her newly acquired piece of jewely, the only answer she could stammer was, "I guess I'm stuck with you now."  What a great response!  Any woman could have gushed "Yes, I love you" but this one said it in her own way with panache!

We've been married twelve years today.  Given all of the distractions, distortions, and detours that marriages can take (and ours have had a few of those, too), twelve years and two kids later is quite an accomplishment.  Carpe Factum and Happy Anniversary, Shannon!  I love being stuck with you, too!

Technorati Tags: Engagement Ring, Diamond, Anniversary, Carpe Factum

Shooting Holes

It's fun to go "trolling for blogs."  Just doing a Technorati search on any ol' topic that comes to mind and see what pops up.  With my new focus on office politics, it seemed like a good idea to see what was already on the blogosphere.  Consultant Edward B. Toupin posted an article entitled "The Fairness of Office Politics...Integrity and Political Motivation" on Fishing Mastery (unless there's one heckuva lure I don't know about, I'm not sure why he posted an article on office politics on a blog about fishing... but that's another story).

Regardless, Toupin managed to get under my skin by touting one of the oldest myths of office politics (in his own words):  "I have to say that the words integrity and politics do not belong in the same sentence.  This is in no way an insult to corporate politicians, but politics is not a reflection of the integrity of the individual."

So many holes to shoot in his article... so little blog space.

First, based on what I read, it appeared as though Toupin was using integrity interchangeably with ethics and morals... to which I say, "Knock if off, Ed!"  The way in which people play politics is a complete reflection of their integrity.  Integrity is the consistency of behavior and values, not the quality of them.  I've known complete jerks who are jerks 24-7... equal opportunity offenders.  That's still high integrity in that they don't change their behavior or values situationally.

Second, he appears to lump all office politicians (and their behaviors and motivations) equally.  In future posts, I will dig into this topic in more depth, but there are actually three general categories of politicians:

• Snakes - the backstabbers only out for their own gain and glory who will do whatever it takes to win
• Ostriches - the avoiders who do not wish to engage in politics but withdraw completely, sometimes to their (and others') detriment
• Bears - the sensible policians who engage in politics for the greater good of the team, department or company and know when it makes sense to play defense vs. offense.

Third, he appears to be saying "ethics be damned - if you need to play politics then just do it."  That assumes that ethics, morals, and values are mutually exclusive of political behavior.  Steve Farber just completed a couple of posts on the Golden Rule.  If we take the Judeo-Christian stance a little further, it does not take much effort to see the Bible full of politicians (again... so many examples... so little blog space... I'll have to do a future series just on Bible characters as office politicians).

Fourth, he separates the behavior of the individual from the behavior of the organization, almost removing personal accountability for political behavior as a by-product of corporate culture.  I've worked in very political organizations, and I will not argue with him that some corporate cultures take on a life of their own with respect to politics, but that does not excuse the individual choices each of us makes to contribute to or refute a culture that does not align with our personal values.

Over the last five months, I've tried to be polite with other bloggers when I don't agree with them.  This one I can't ignore.  It's because of philosophies like the one in Toupin's post that office politics has developed such a stigma.  My goal is cast office politics in a new light.  If Mr. Toupin reads this and thinks I've misrepresented his views, I certainly invite him to weigh in; if I've incorrectly stated anything, I'll happily correct and apologize.

So... what do you think?  Are office politics mutually exclusive of integrity, ethics, values, and/or morality?  (Hey, I warned you to strap yourselves in for this topic.)

Technorati Tags: Edward Toupin, Office Politics, Steve Farber, Integrity, Values, Morals, Corporate Culture, Accountability

Testing the Waters

Are you frustrated with all of the acronyms and lingo on your projects?  Are you going to scream if you hear somebody talk about "QA-ing the DEV and SIT" or asking for an "FYI on the EAC to CYA"?  Then it's time to fight fire with fire.  Recently in a project meeting, we were hashing out the details of User Acceptance Testing (UAT) in our project.  It was decided that we needed to have an additional 2-3 week "preliminary" UAT phase to focus on specific elements of functionality in the system.  Somebody asked the project manager what we're going to call this new phase of UAT so we won't confuse it with the plain-old-generic-run-of-the-mill UAT.  The project manager turned to me for assistance.  There are times the "mischief gene" in my brain works overtime, and unfortunately this was one of those times.

"Why don't we call it 'Subject Quality User Acceptance Testing'?" I asked innocently, and before he could think it through, the project manager wrote the new acronym SQUAT on the board.  And it has stuck.  Now we have people asking questions like "Who's working on SQUAT around here?" and "When are we going to do SQUAT on this project?"

Hey!  If you're not having fun on your project, you're not doing it right.

Technorati Tags: Acronyms, Lingo, Project Management, User Acceptance Testing, Testing, Communication, Fun

Out of the Mouths of Babes

When my older daughter was not quite three, I was giving her a bath before we headed off to church one Sunday morning.  In the midst of bubbles and squeaky toys, she announced to me that she would be wearing a dress to church that day.  I confirmed her fashion aspirations, to which she added, "Mommy is wearing a dress to church, too."  Not really sure where this wardrobe-inspired conversation was headed, I replied that I thought her forecast was correct.  Then with extreme scrutiny, she eyed me over and simply summarized, "Daddy, you don't have the legs for a dress."

And there it was, the stinging truth about my body from my daughter.  Most two-year-olds would make an innocent generalization that daddies don't wear dresses.  Mine felt the urge to add color commentary.  It's one of those funny stories that lives in the folklore of our family now, but it brings up some great points about providing feedback.

In many of our jobs, providing (and receiving) feedback in a professional manner is critical to our relationships, to our progress, and to the spirit of Carpe Factum.  I've learned some lessons (some of them the hard way) about the do's and don't's of providing feedback.  Really, all you have to do in providing feedback is remember the acronym THIRD.  Ask yourself the following:

1. Is your feedback TIMELY?  If you cannot provide feedback to a colleague in a timely fashion, then you are robbing them of opportunities to make course corrections and fix things.  Some of the biggest corporate criminals are those who hoard feedback about an employee and dump it all on them once a year in that sadly comical event known as the "annual performance review."  Feedback has a shelf life, and the sooner you can tell the person what s/he did right or wrong, the stronger the message will be.  Still, there is a time and a place for providing feedback, and if you can tell that the person is not in the right mindset to hear what you have to say, consider holding off a while.
2. Is your feedback HONEST?  There's a fine line balancing tact and forthrightness.  I've seen managers water down feedback to the point where the original message is totally lost... because they do not want to upset the other person.  Certainly, there are people whom I must handle with "kid gloves" because of their sensitivity, but I try to ensure the message gets through.
3. Is your feedback IMPROVING?  Does your message provide constructive criticism or are you only trying to hurt the other person and make them feel bad?  In twelve years of teaching college courses, I've only had one course review that I considered just ugly.  Don't get me wrong, there have been students throughout who have not liked some aspect of the course or my teaching and have provided suggestions on how to improve.  This one was a purely personal attack on me and my family (they even included my dog... how "witch of the west"), and they ended by saying they didn't learn a thing about management.  How sad for them... and for the people they'll work with.  Provide feedback in the spirit of improvement... not for tearing down.
4. Is your feedback RELEVANT?  I've seen laughable feedback provided to people that has no meaning to the bottom line or to their personal values.  My first job out of college was with a major insurance company.  If they did not like an individual, supervisors were coached to fabricate "areas of improvement."  One woman in my group of new employees shared that her supervisor dinged her for making her checkmarks backwards.  Is the individual going to care about your feedback?  If not, maybe you should keep your feedback to yourself.
5. Is your feedback DIRECT?  Few things irritate me more than hearing, "Some people came to me and asked me to share some things with you...."  Anonymous lynch mobs have no room in our professional settings.  While there are avenues for providing anonymous feedback (class evaluations, for one), playing the game of telephone to provide feedback robs the receiver of context, and it undermines relationships.  When I provide feedback, there are times I must decide if it's going to be one-on-one or if other people need to be involved.  Urgency and the role of the others are factors in deciding how to approach this delicate issue.

So there you have it... bump up the quality of your feedback by a THIRD.  We'll all be happier in the long run.  Now... about my legs...

Technorati Tags: feedback, performance evaluations, carpe factum, communication

Shifting Gears

You may notice a small shift in topics on Carpe Factum over the next few months.  In addition to posting on relevant Project Management topics, I'm also going to be spending some energy on Office Politics.  My second book is entering the final stages of editing; it is also a business fable and deals with tactical management of office politics.  This is a topic that tends to plague everybody, and it can make or break the Carpe Factum in your organization.  Soooooo... strap yourselves in and hang on.... could be an interesting ride.

P.S.  Don't worry, I'm not abandoning project management altogether, nor will the occasional human interest piece disappear.  They are still relevant to the Carpe Factum philosophy.

Technorati Tags: GUST, Office Politics, Carpe Factum

Do You Own Your Project?

My blog buddy, Phil Gerbyshak, is moving into his new house today after years of apartment dwelling.  Congratulations to Phil and Kim for taking that big leap into home ownership, and I wish you both many years of happiness and prosperity as you "make it great" at home!

Phil's move from renter to owner started me thinking about project managers and other project team members.  How many people on projects are "just renting space" rather than actually owning their projects?  Ownership is at the heart of the Carpe Factum mentality.  One cannot seize an accomplishment if one doesn't have a feeling of ownership over the results and the process to get there.

Borrowing a page from Mike Wagner's play book on brand ownership and also looking at the four phases of the project life cycle, let's see how well you're doing on project ownership.

1. Is your Project Initiation RELEVANT?  Have you done the due diligence to select a project that is important enough to the organization to be on the books?  Many organizations have a lot of "really swell ideas" that are merely renting space on the project radar screen but nobody seems to care because they don't contribute to the organization's mission and strategy.  Make sure that your project fits BEFORE it becomes a project.
2. Is your Project Planning DIFFERENT?  Too many project managers and executive sponsors rush into the execution phase, barely armed with a task list because the perceived pressure to get things done is so great.  When writing Race Through The Forest, much energy was spent detailing the initiation and planning phases.  If a robust project plan is created, a strong risk management structure is implemented, and a mature infrastructure of documentation and standards and change management is communicated and followed, your project will be noticed for being different from the others.  You'll be managing your project instead of merely reacting to it.
3. Is your Project Execution TRUTHFUL?  Because few people spend time on adequate planning, considerable fiction-writing talent is wasted on project issues logs and status reports.  A true project owner will admit when things are not going well, not to "indict the guilty" but to identify the problem and solve it.  Be up front with your project stakeholders; your integrity and reputation depend on it.
4. Is Your Project Closure INVITING?  You and your team have spent all this time managing the project and now it's time to implement it.  Have you adequatly involved the users and stakeholders of this project solution so that they feel involved and invited to indulge in the bounty of your efforts?  Many projects fail during this phase because the project team forgot to invite those who would be using the project solution by providing change management, communication, and training.

Is Your Project YOURS?  Do you own it?  Or are you merely renting space in a cubicle until something better comes along?

NOTE:  Mike Wagner will be presenting a workshop on Owning your Project Brand at the Project Management Institute Central Iowa Chapter's Professional Development Day on October 20, 2006.  I would highly recommend you register for the event and come and hear him and many other great speakers.

Technorati Tags: Phil Gerbyshak, Make It Great, Mike Wagner, Own Your Brand, Project Management, Project Branding, Race Through The Forest, Project Initiation, Project Planning, Project Execution, Project Closure, Different, Inviting, Relevant, Truthful, Project Management Institute, Central Iowa Chapter, Professional Development Day

Carpe Factum Gone Bad

One person dead.  Another injured.  And the state's biggest project - the engineering feat that had them all cheering - is now the center of political black eyes and serious accusations.

Massachusett's Governor Mitt Romney has a problem.  He's the top dog in the state, and his big project - The Big Dig - has just had a very visible failure.  And now he wants Turnpike Authority Matt Amorello's resignation.  And he wants an indepth investigation.

For those not familiar with the Big Dig project, it really is a marvel.  Miles of highway and interstate now buried deep beneath the ground (and beneath the harbor) instead of uglying up the Boston skyline.  We were in Boston last summer and it was an impressive drive from the airport to downtown, and it was refreshing to see parks springing up where elevated highways once stood.  But questions of quality persisted throughout the project.  And now, part of the the tunnel has collapsed, killing one motorist and injuring her husband.

OK, so now what?  Governor Romney wants heads to roll.  And he wants investigations underway.  And he wants answers.  Why don't we hop in our time machine and jump back a few years?  It  doesn't take a lot of effort to find stories of the governor's office pressuring the project to move faster.  There was political capital on the line.  So... the project moved faster.  Quality shortcuts were inevitably taken.  And now Mitt Romney wants to know where the blame lies.  Am I missing something on the cause-and-effect graph?

Hmmmm... haven't seen that one take place in any of our companies, have we?  Sometimes, executive stakeholders can be a project's biggest risk.  In their pressure to carpe factum, to seize the accomplishment, they forget that each accomplishment comes at a cost... a cost of time, of quality, of money, of energy, and of effort.  Knowing what to trade off and when is the core of solid project management.  And being able to "politely push back" when overzealous executives get too pushy is what keeps projects out of trouble... after implementation.

At least in most of my projects, people don't lose lives.  If there's a failure, someone may wait an extra 15 minutes in a call center queue, or a programmer may spent a few late night hours fixing some code.  That doesn't mean I work any less to ensure that those things don't occur.  So, what is the cost of your Carpe Factum?  And what are you doing to impact those trade-off decisions?

Technorati Tags: The Big Dig, Boston, Massachusetts, Governor Mitt Romney, Tunnel Collapse, Project Management, Project Failure, Carpe Factum

July's Collective Genius

Curt Rosengren of Collective Genius has a really fun site.  Each month he develops a topic and invites bloggers to weigh in on that topic.  This is my second month of contributing.  July's Topic?  Overcoming the Fear of Failure and Fear of Looking Like a Fool.  My answer?  We need more Court Jesters.  Read it here.  There are also a number of other essays on this topic from tremendously, powerfully expressive bloggers, so read and enjoy.

Technorati Tags: Curt Rosengren, Collective Genius, Fear of Failure, Court Jester

The Czech's in the Male

Once in London, during one of the many rides on the Underground, my wife and I sat across from a young man and a young woman.  Based on their body language, these two were completely unacquainted with each other.  He appeared to be very studious, his nose buried in a book.  She seemed to be a little more vivacious, and she was carrying a sign which she appeared to be transporting to her destination.  The sign simply said, "Czech Dance Party" with a large arrow... pointed directly at her neighboring bookworm.  I had to chuckle at her unintended communication toward her subway buddy.

It reminded me of a project from a few years ago.  One component of the project was sending out letters to claimants, and the process was horribly messed up.  All mailings were halted because of complaints from the claimants about the content and timing of the correspondence, and the letters were piling up all around the mail room department.  One day after the crisis was supposedly fixed, the program manager was touring the department and told the mail room supervisor to "get rid of these letters."  His intent was that they be destroyed.  Her interpretation was that it was OK to mail them all.  And a new tidal wave of complaints and headaches ensued.

Just a good lesson to be very clear about what we communicate.  David Lorenzo of Career Intensity had a great post about a month ago, referencing an article in Fortune about unintended communication from job applicants on their resumes.  Miscommunications can happen in many ways, and it almost always leads to fingerpointing about who said what and who misunderstood.  Keep in mind that 70-90% of a project manager's time should be spent in communication.  Over the years, I've learned how to re-read and re-re-read my emails before hitting the send button.  After twelve years of marriage, I'm still learning how to communicate effectively with my spouse.

At least I've not unintentionally directed anyone to book-minded individuals for an Eastern European celebration.  That's progress, I suppose.

Technorati Tags: Czech Dance, Communication, Misunderstanding, David Lorenzo, Career Intensity, Fortune Magazine

We Hold These Truths To Be Self Evident

Here in the U.S., it's the Independence Day holiday.  We celebrate our hard-fought-and-won freedom from the British 230 years ago (it's cute how some of them STILL refer to us as "that wayward colony").

In our Declaration of Independence, there is a phrase that says, “We hold these truths to be self evident: that all men are created equal; that they are endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable rights; that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness...”

The equality of the human race is not the issue I'd like to focus on (that gets a lot of attention in the media through various channels), nor the inalienable rights part.  Certainly not the "pursuit of happiness."  What I'd like to focus on is the first part of the phrase.  "We hold these truths to be self evident..."  What a powerful statement for our founding fathers to make.  Essentially, they are telling every man, woman, and child - present and future, "Duh!  We shouldn't even have to spell this out for you!"  They made it very clear that our freedom, our very independence from any other country should be so obvious that it trumps any and every other "truth" that might be out there.

The founding fathers risked a lot by drafting and signing that piece of paper.  To make the statements they made in the Declaration of Independence was nothing short of treason in Britain's eyes.  But it was a risk well worth it to state "self evident truths."  Sometimes it takes a lot of courage to state the obvious.  So as you're grilling your hot dogs and hamburgers, as you're watching your parades and fireworks, and as you're laughing and talking with family and friends, take a moment... just a moment... and think about the sacrifices others have made over the past 230 years that allow you to enjoy this moment.  Yeah, the truth is pretty self-evident.

Happy Independence Day!

Technorati Tags: Declaration of Independence, Independence Day, Founding Fathers, Truths to be Self Evident

The Project of College Instruction

Recently, my good friend and colleague, Delaney Kirk of Drake University, asked me to write a post on project management as it applies to college instruction.  (For those who don't know, she is a pioneer in the field of college classroom management and I strongly recommend her book, Taking Back The Classroom.)  I appreciate her out-of-the-box thinking, as she recently asked Mike Wagner to write a post on branding in the college classroom.

I've been teaching college classes for twelve years (part time).  Half of those years have been at the graduate level.  Tonight is the first session of my summer semester class, Management of Organizations, so the topic of delivering a class is at the forefront of my radar.  Preparing a class to teach it the first time is a monstrous project, and any instructor at high school or college who has a "new prep" has my admiration and sympathy.

The core of any project is the triple constraint, which represents the tension and balance among three things:

• performance (AKA scope - how much are you going to do)
• time (AKA schedule - how much time do you have to do it)
• cost (AKA resources - what do you have at your disposal to make it happen)

In projects, you cannot impact any one of these things without affecting the other two.  Often, one of these constraints becomes a "lead constraint" (i.e., one that cannot budge); when this happens, it is critical to look at the other two to negotiate the needed "wiggle room" to make your class execute effectively.  When looking at class planning as a project, each of these comes into play.

Performance/Scope:  The first thing any great instructor does is to determine the goals of the class.  Since I teach MBA classes filled with non-traditional students who have "day jobs" I try to view these goals from their perspective.  What skills and knowledge do they need to possess at the end of the semester that will add value to their careers?  When they fill out their class surveys at the end of the semester, how will they complete the sentence, "This class was successful because...."?  Still, there are some parts of the curriculum that they may not realize they need to know, and that's where my experience as an instructor comes into play.  If I let the curriculum be driven totally by the students, the classes would be 15 minutes long, there would be no exams, and everybody would get an A.

Cost/Resources:  What exercises, stories, guest speakers, individual/team projects, exams, and lecture content do I need to include in order to achieve the goals defined in the scope?  If I don't have the resources available, can I obtain them or do I need to modify my scope accordingly?  Each semester, regardless of the class I teach, I attempt to bring in at least one guest speaker to provide outside perspective.  For every class, exercises are assessed to determine which ones my class will enjoy and find valuable.  When I taught the class on Creativity in Business, I actually "dressed the part" for certain creative roles.  The point here is to procure the right resources needed to make the class relevant and meaningful for the learning environment you are trying to create.

Time/Schedule:  There are only so many class meetings in a semester.  This requires the instructor to prioritize the scope and resources accordingly.  When will exams occur?  How much contingency time is needed to build into the schedule for the unexpected?  What topics build on other topics and need to be scheduled in a specific order?  How do topics need to be sequenced effectively?  How is the class structured?  (NOTE:  This is becoming a big topic, as the typical 15-week semester is being replaced by weekend classes, fast-track programs, and virtual classrooms).  This fall, the project management class I've taught for five years as a one-night-a-week class is being offered as a weekend course over three weekends.  I'll be looking at collaborative tools such as a class blog to maximize learning opportunities.

The classroom as a project is a topic many instructors could stand to explore more.  I know many instructors who have taught the same class the same way since 1972, not realizing that students, technology, and information available have changed dramatically.  Being an adjunct forces me to combine real world seamlessly with the theoretical.  As I start to teach my class tonight, it should be another simple project execution, but I'll be prepared for the new and unexpected all the same.

Technorati Tags: Delaney Kirk, Classroom Management, Drake University, Mike Wagner, Branding, Project Management, Triple Constraint

The Carpe Factum of Coaching

On the heels of my London trip, this week was spent in Louisville with a team of 7th and 8th graders from my church that I've been coaching for the past two years.  They compete in a Bible quiz program called Bible Bowl.  I was recruited to coach them when some people in our church found out that I had competed in the same program in junior high and high school, and the parents of those in the program asked me to create a strong Bible Bowl program for our church.  Interestingly enough, there are quite a few parallels between coaching this program and the work I do for my corporate clients:

1. Define the Goals of Coaching - Before I coach anyone, we sit down and define where it is they want to go.  Do they want to manage projects better, change behaviors, or learn a new skill?
2. Set the Model for Success - What does a win look like?  For some people, it's managing a project within the triple constraint.  For my church team, it meant finishing in the top 8 teams nationally in their division.
3. Lay Out The Path - Coaching to success is a process.  If it were instantaneous, nobody would need coaching.  I've mentored some people for months before they changed their behavior to achieve success; others made the leap within a few weeks.  This was my second year of coaching Bible Bowl, and it was this year we made the top 8 (6th place, to be exact).  Success takes time, and as a coach, you have to be willing to invest that time.
4. Give Them Tools - I'll never send somebody off to manage a project without providing them with some basic templates, nor will I let them proceed without ensuring that they are proficient on at least one project management software tool.  So it was with my church team.  I provided them with lists, software, and information on the book of Acts (the text for this year's competition) that facilitated success.
5. Understand That Some People are Uncoachable - "Ya gotta wanna" is the key to anyone who is being mentored or coached.  Dealing with Junior High kids, I've dealt with my share of adolescent apathatic defiance (which is why God asked Abraham to sacrifice Isaac when he was still young instead of waiting until he was a teenager....).  No matter how badly some people need to be coached, they may not think they need it.  That horse won't drink.
6. Let them Fail - Failure is the best teacher for success.  There are clients and friends that I've coached that I've allowed to make bad decisions, knowing full well what the outcome would be.  I challenged their thinking with strategically placed questions before I let them execute, but I realized that the best thing for them would be to fall flat on their face.  My church team has had a few months where they've returned from their monthly round robin meet with egg on their face.  And they knew it.  And it motivated them to try harder.
7. Celebrate Their Success - When they have a win, make a big deal out of it.  Tomorrow is Sunday, and I'm confident that our congregation will recognize these young people for their accomplishment.  It's a very big deal to place at the national tournament.  When you're coaching somebody and they hit a milestone or create a high quality deliverable, whoop and holler and cheer.  According to Thorndyke, "behavior that is rewarded tends to be repeated."

So congratulations to my 2005-2006 Bible Bowl team on their national junior division 6th place finish (and to all the other teams who finished well).  I'm proud of you all.  Carpe Factum!

Technorati Tags: Bible Bowl, Success, Coaching, Carpe Factum