Developing Effective Leadership #pmot

To be an effective leader you do not necessarily need to be in a position of hierarchy. It is also possible to lead by example from a position of equal status within a peer group.

A suggested definition - Leadership means being influential on things that matter

There are 3 core issues which face any group or organization:-

• The ‘ends’ or strategic problem – what direction should we go in to maximize potential. (what path should we take)

• The ‘means’ or tactical problem – how can we follow the path which has been chosen.

• The maintenance problem – how do we maintain good working relationships whilst pursuing the organizations aims.

This view of leadership has three important implications.

1) A leader is not necessarily someone who has formal authority over the group or organization but someone who influences how the group understands the core issues and how these should be tackled.

2) A group may have more than one leader. Leadership may be focused (one or two) or dispersed (a greater number)

3) To tackle the ‘ends’ and ‘means’ problems of a group the leader needs knowledge of the wider environment and how it is likely to impact on the group.

Leadership is all about exerting “acceptable influence” In most situations persuasion is the most acceptable form of influence and effective persuasion depends on knowledge and expertise.

A key part of leadership is focusing people’s attention on the issues which the leader considers important. You are much more likely to do this if your deeds match your words.

To be an effective leader the following roles need to be deployed:-

• Initiator - The leader has to bring the problem to the group in the first place.

• Ambassador – The Leader often represents the group to the world around it.

• Standard Setter – It is to the Leader the group looks to get its standards.

• Focus – Groups need a center, a source of inspiration.

Above all the leader needs Integrity – without this key attribute confidence within the group will be lost and the seeds of dissatisfaction will be sown.

Effective Leadership is never easy but being aware of these key traits can only help.

TV manufacturer pulls plug.....

T.V manufacturer Toshiba pulled the plug on Britain's T.V manufacturing capability last week moving their production to Poland and making 270 British workers redundant in the process.

Once upon a time we manufactured lots of TV's in Britain and now there are none. Toshiba has gone the same way as Bush, Pye, Grundig and numerous others.

But should we really care ? While it is of massive concern to the individuals who have been sacked they will eventually find other jobs, although that will be difficult in the current climate. But, overall, should we care anymore than we care that people in Britain once worked in Cotton Mills, or went down mines at the age of 12.

Should we care anymore than in a quaint nostalgic fashion in the same way we care that we once made valves, or Cathode Ray Tubes, or we once dragged ploughs by hand and ate cheese and onions for lunch washed down with a flagon of Ale.

Maybe we should focus on the future and think about how we support a thriving and innovative electronics industry based on design and quality. There are hundreds and thousands of Innovative companies in the U.K who don't actually make much here. They do however provide thousands of high quality engineering jobs and deliver fantastic products which the consumer can buy for less than a weekly grocery shop.

Capitalism is a competitive, evolutionary system which, despite its problems, feeds, clothes and houses the vast majority of its Citizens at standards unsurpassed by any other system so far.

If you want to feel nostalgic about British TV manufacture keep that thought in mind next time you visit your High Street to buy your new TV set.

Project Managers are right Mytherers #pmot

There is a word which is used in this part of the world (Manchester, Lancashire) which I've not heard anywhere else. It's myther i.e to myther (to pester, to irritate, to annoy)
Someone who is irritated is said to be mythered and the irritant is described as a "right mytherer"

To be effective as a Project Manager you need to be a "right mytherer" you need to myther the team to get things done on time, you need to myther your suppliers and subcontractors to deliver on time, you need to myther your customer to close out the product spec, you also need to myther your boss for additional resource. You will probably need to myther other departments for their input and you will definitely need to myther your IT department from time to time.

That's why good Project Managers are "right mytherers", at least in this part of the world.

10 million followers guaranteed...

No thanks, I don't want 10 million followers, I don't want to know how I can make millions working from home, I don't want to look at your "naughty pics", I don't want to look at your family photos, I don't want to know what you did with your partner last night or what you'll be doing with him/her tomorrow. I don't want to know about "affiliate marketing programs" or what you had for breakfast. I don't want to know about your stock tips or any of your other money making scams - Thank You. PHEWW !!!

What I do want to hear about are, your interesting quotes, your Project Management tips, your interesting BLOGS, any REAL business opportunities, your philosophy, your views on current affairs, musings about life in general, management theory, business thinking, new scientific development, economic theories, views on the markets, art projects, nice places to visit, human development, man's enduring spirit, space exploration, psychology, new ways of thinking, Globalization, how we can connect across the globe to create a better world.......

AND I DON'T WANT TO HEAR ANOTHER THING ABOUT TEETH WHITENING !!

why #weloveNHS

Anyone who reads this Blog will find more articles including the Stars & Stripes than the Union Jack.
We Brits don't tend to shout about our own country much and those residing in other countries may misunderstand this and think we're not very patriotic or enthusiastic about our own country and it's achievements.

The speed with which the #weloveNHS campaign has been adopted on Twitter demonstrates just how much we do care. To hear our beloved National Institution described as "Evil" by some Moose shooting Loon ignited the campaign immediately. People from all spectrum's of society started sporting the #weloveNHS Twibbon and posted support for the NHS.
The NHS represents all that is "Great" about Britain - our sense of justice and fairplay, our care for our poor and elderly, our determination and sense of community. The underlying principle that healthcare should be free of charge at the point of use.
Yes the system has its faults, which system doesn't, but the strength of support for the NHS reminds us of all that is good about the UK.

That's why we love the NHS.

Greedy bankers & other phenomenon....

In his book "The Decisive Moment", which explores the workings of the human brain, Jonah Lehrer describes a number of Psychological experiments exploring the nature of the sympathetic brain. In one experiment two participants were paired and one was given $10. This person was then asked to divide the money as he liked. The only rule was, that if the offer was rejected, both participants got nothing.

The results surprised the organizers. They expected the proposer to offer the other participant a couple of dollars but in reality the division was nearly always 50/50.

The experiment was repeated many times in different locations but always with similar results. The proposer was sympathetic to the receiver's feelings and knew that if the offer were deemed to be unfair it would be rejected and both participants would leave with nothing.

The experiment was then repeated with the recipient in a different location out of sight of the donor.

The result was dramatically different. The donor now offered a significantly lower amount to the donor, his sympathetic response was significantly impeded.

Could this phenomenon go some way to explaining the greed and excess of those at the top of the banking system who's members clearly inhabit a different world to the rest of us.

When did you last see your CEO ?

Is there life on Mars..?

Now the celebrations about the Apollo Moon landings have died down the question is now being raised about sending a Man (or Woman) to Mars.

Considering the original cost of the Apollo programme has been estimated at 23 billion dollars is this really the right time to even consider sending a human being to Mars. With current U.S debt at a staggering 11.6 TRILLION DOLLARS (see below)

Visit the U.S. National Debt Clock

and UK national debt at a mind boggling 800 BILLION POUNDS !

the only people we should be even considering sending to Mars are politicians and bankers !

People hate change, right ?

Wrong !!!

People “enjoy a change”, go on holiday “for as change”, stay at home “for a change”
Go out for a beer “cos it makes a change”

People love change.

What they hate is:-

Change imposed upon them.

Change over which they have no choice

Change over which they have no control.

If you want to make changes within your organization there are key rules you should follow if you want that change to be effective & embedded.

1) Communicate the change.

Explain what needs to be changed, why it needs to be changed, who is going to be affected and who isn’t.

2) Manage the change.

Set up a steering committee to manage the change process, select team members from across the organisation, from all areas affected & from different levels within the organization.

3) Prepare for change.

Set out a clear timetable stating what’s changing and when it’s happening and communicate this to the whole organiszation.

Stress the positives and benefits but also listen to peoples concerns and acknowledge
that not everyone will benefit.

4) Make the Change.

Ensure that the previously communicated schedule is adhered to and that all aspects of the planned change are completed. Actively involve those whom the change affects.

5) Institutionalize the Change.

Old habits die hard, make sure that systems and procedures are modified to reinforce and institutionalize the change so that old ingrained habits can not be followed.

6) Review the change.

After a suitable period (typically 3 months) review the changes and the lessons learned. Any modifications should be introduced in the next change program.


Embrace Change - Life would be very dull without it !

Earth Rise

All this week we are celebrating the 40 th anniversary of the Apollo moon landings. This photograph is incredibly important as it represents the first time we were able to look back on Mother Earth and see our home from a different perspective. There are no political boundaries, this pearlescent sphere is the only living thing in the known Universe and floats in majestic spleandour gazing out across the vast emptiness of space.

What is most significance is the fragility of the atmosphere, draped over us like a gossamer veil it is the only thing which stops us being as dead and barren as the lunar landsape.

This image is probably the most important in the history of humankind as it awoken in us the realization of our unique and fragile position in space and time.



Chris@Amberhill.biz

One small step for a man......

.......but one heck of a project plan.

This week (July 20th) sees the 40th anniversary of the first moon landing, and if your old enough to remember you'll know what tremendous excitement that magnificent event generated.

The end of the sixties was a very positive and forward looking period when optimism knew no bounds and this was reflected in the public support the space program received from the general public.

Also hanging over the whole event was the black shadow of the "Cold War" and it could be argued that the race to the moon announced by Kennedy in 1961 was in direct response to the launch of Sputnik, the World's first artificial satellite launched by U.S.S.R in 1957.

We all know the name of the men who took those first tentative steps on another world but how many people know the name of the project manager (officially Flight Director) who led the Apollo team which put them there.

Gene Krantz, Apollo Flight Director at NASA throughout the Apollo programme (including the Apollo 11 mission) we salute you !

Happy Independence Day

On July 4th millions of Americans around the globe will be celebrating the American declaration of Independence marking that nations separation from British rule in 1776.

We applaud you all and hope you "have a nice day"

Lets also celebrate all those people around the world who have gained their own individual Independence. The small business owners who struggle on a daily basis to eke a living. The freelancers who sell their skills and abilities on the open market. The greens who have set up their own self sufficient communities. The mums working from home who have brilliant and original ideas. The entrepreneurs who have built up businesses from scratch.

Independents of the world we salute you.

outsourcing saves jobs.....

It is often assumed that outsourcing costs jobs. Whilst it is often the case that outsourcing key activities may get rid of some jobs it often creates others and remains cheaper overall.

Many companies are struggling to maintain profitability in the current economic climate and face possible extinction.

These are usually manufacturing entities which make everything in house.

However there are many companies which continue to thrive having outsourced the bulk of manufacture to cheaper third parties whilst retaining their support functions and, most importantly their Research and Development in house.

With engineering resource freed up to focus on product development and bringing to market high value, high margin cutting edge products, whilst the "cash cow" of production is outsourced to a competent subcontractor, the company becomes more profitable, innovative and efficient.

Consequently - outsourcing saves jobs.

Amberhill Associates can help you establish this model.

For more information email us at info@amberhill.biz

It's good to argue.......

Ever noticed that, in teams, there are always arguments & some individuals always seem to disagree with everyone else ?This is perfectly normal and studies have shown that Teams go through a number of key phases. In fact, in order to operate effectively, successful teams MUST go through these key phases before they can function effectively. Bruce Tuckman described this phenomenon in 1965.

Forming – this is where the team is chosen and first comes together, there is little consensus and the Leader must set direction.

Storming – this phase may be very disconcerting to the leader if she is not aware of the Psychology at play. During this stage team members vie for positions, opinions will be strongly expressed, leadership may be challenged – expect a rocky ride. It is however ESSENTIAL that this phase of the process is negotiated and all views aired. The Team Leader MUST seek the opinion of less vocal members of the group who may have important points to raise but may find it less easy to come forward and express their view. This is when all the dirty linen is washed in public.

Norming – this phase is a successor to the first two. This is where a consensus is agreed. Everyone has had their say, got it off their chest and at this point OBJECTIVES should be set for the whole team. I will devote a separate topic to objective setting but they must be clearly expressed, written down and concise. The objectives will be born from the Storming process.

Performing – with a clear set of objectives in place around which the whole team agrees then real progress can be made. This is the performing stage for the team. This doesn’t mean that no one should disagree with anyone else but the whole team should have bought into the agreed objectives and should be heading in the same direction.

If the Storming phase is not allowed to run its course and all views aired then discontent will rumble on into the following phases & factions will form affecting the overall performance of the team.

Recognition of the Forming, Storming, Norming and Performing stages of Team performance allows the leader to control and direct the final outcome leading to a successful and productive team.

If you want Performing you’ve got to have Storming !!!!

we can't afford training.......

You mean you can't afford not to be training !!
Many studies have shown that every $ spent on training returns at least $2 in terms of increased productivity. So if your company is reducing training spend as a way to combat the recession any savings made will be very much short term.

Amberhill Associates have a range of training courses for project managers at www.amberhill.biz/training.htm

Project Management Tip number 108 - Update that Plan

OK, so you slaved over it for weeks and you produced a perfect plan but then what do you do as the project progresses - you forget to update it - Duh !!

There is absolutely no point in having a plan if you do not update it regularly. The Project Plan is a living, breathing document which directly represents reality. If the project is 6 month long you need to be updating that plan on a weekly basis at least.

Another thing - any slippages in timescale need to be reflected in that plan. If you can then pull things back on track by re-scheduling or changing priorities that's great but make sure you reflect these changes in the plan.

The plan should mirror reality not fantasy.

Project Management Tip number 107 - teams

Getting the Team balance right is essential in order to deliver a successful project. Too many extroverts challenging for leadership will cause disruption and too many introverted intellectuals will lead to lots of clever ideas with little action. The key is to get the mix right. This can be achieved by measuring individual characteristics using psychometric tools but the best results will be obtained by a manager who knows her team members well and picks the best combination.
The project manager needs to balance the personalities and skills of her team to match the task at hand.

Innovation, Democracy & Progress

A recent article in Management Today ranks the worlds countries in terms of innovation...........

Rank Country Score*

1 US 5.80
2 Germany 4.89
3 UK 4.81
4 Japan 4.48
5 France 4.32
6 Switzerland 4.16
7 Singapore 4.10
8 Canada 4.06
9 Netherlands 3.99
10 Hong Kong 3.97
11 Denmark 3.95
12 Sweden 3.90
13 Finland 3.85
14 UAE 3.81
15 Belgium 3.77
16 Luxembourg 3.72
17 Australia 3.71
18 Israel 3.68
19 South Korea 3.67
20 Iceland 3.66
21 Ireland 3.66
22 Austria 3.64
23 India 3.57
24 Italy 3.48
25 Norway 3.48
26 Malaysia 3.47
27 Spain 3.38
28 New Zealand 3.35
29 China 3.21
30 Kuwait 3.14
31 Estonia 3.12
32 Czech Republic 3.10
33 Chile 3.03
34 Thailand 3.01
35 Slovak Republic 2.97
36 Hungary 2.88
37 Mexico 2.88
38 South Africa 2.87
39 Portugal 2.86
40 Brazil 2.84

Is it a coincidence that out of the first 28 only one is not a democracy (U.A.E) ? - Not in our view. The very essence of innovation requires an informed debate amongst equals where every one's view is respected and listened to. This ideal is not always easy to reproduce with an overbearing Senior Manager present or a colleague who is both verbose and loud but if we are to innovate successfully we need to engender such a culture. This is much easier when the political culture is democratic and inclusive.

As Project Managers it is in our vested interest to provide conditions to promote discussion and the free flow of ideas if we are to innovate with success.

Apprentice for hire

Tonight is the final of the popular TV show "The Apprentice". There is no doubt the show provides great entertainment but is it a true reflection of the modern business world ?

Does it encourage youngsters to enter the world of business or does the thought of working for someone like Sir Alan scare them witless.

Most people who work in business or industry would probably agree that Alan Sugar's style of leadership is archaic and past it and his bullying and intimidating style is hardly representative of our management ideal. At least that's the politically correct view.

But lets face it, how many Alan Sugars have we all come across in our careers and how many bosses have we truly respected as managers with integrity.

Maybe "The Apprentice" is just like real life after all.

Big Brother is watching.............. we hope

Big Brother returns to our TV screens tonight with another bunch of half wits in the search of celebrity.

I watched it about 10 years ago when the idea of locking 10 strangers in a house and observing their behavior seemed vaguely interesting.

Things have changed a bit since then. Now we plaster our private lives all over Facebook or mySpace in the vague hope that our otherwise dull lives might appear interesting to others. We tweet away endlessly vying for attention with our other "followers" like demented battery hens. We attend seminars about the need to network and connect with anyone we bumped into in the dim and distant past.

Our consciousness is constantly intruded by beeps and rings as we respond to mobile phone calls, text messages, emails, tweets etc etc

We are forever connected in a telecommunications spaghetti of banality.

Yes, like Winston Smith, we all love Big Brother now.

Project management tip number 106 - Teams

When working with teams it is essential to take time out on a regular basis to review project progress. This meeting should be scheduled on a weekly or bi-weekly basis and should involve all members of the team so that everyone feels included. There should be a regular agenda and the meeting should take no longer than one hour. The meeting will be chaired by the PM and suitable items for discussion will be:-
a) Progress against plan - are there any delays and if so what is the cause and what can be done to bring things back on track.

b) Review of Risks - are there any new ones and have any old ones changed in severity.

c) Project cost - summarize expenditure to date and highlight any anomalies.

d) Quality - any issues with product or project quality ?

e) Any other issues which the wider team may be able to help with ?

Holding regular Project review meetings keeps the Team informed of project progress and builds cohesion and team spirit.

p.s It's always the PM's responsibility to provide the cakes.

Britain's got talent......

Yes, there's no doubt about it, Britain's certainly got talent. Although the weird Scottish one with the bushy eyebrows is probably bottom of voters Gallup polls at the moment with the European and local council elections looming this week we're all expecting a massive backlash after the MP's expenses row. In fact Labour are trailing the polls at an all time low.

We have all seen the undoubted talent of David Cameron to jump on a bandwagon and its only surprising he hasn't done it whilst juggling flaming batons and silmultanously riding his eco-friendly unicycle.

Nick Clegg has got his tuppence worth in as well but hasn't mentioned his talent for bedding young women in his liberal student daze and adding notches to his bed post.

Of course the minor parties have also got in on the act with their pathetic Party Political broadcasts filmed on a flip video in some dark corner of a dodgy housing estate, with crumpled crosses of St George fluttering in the barbeque smoke.

However, its never over untill the fat lady sings and with house prices showing some positive signs, shares on the up, inventories at an all time low and the price of oil creeping up once more we might avoid the shrill tones of the wee Scottish lassie until after the next General Election.

So who's fault is it...?

At the end of a project it's always a good idea to have a Project Review Meeting. This is sometimes called a post mortem for obvious reasons and should be used to identify what went wrong with a project and what were the reasons behind it going wrong. This is particularly appreciated by Senior management who like to demonstrate that no stone has gone unturned. Of course it is also an opportunity to identify what went right and why. Project managers should always take the opportunity to accept credit for what went right and to shower praise on members of the team who exceeded expectations. Things which went wrong, of course, are rarely any individuals responsibility and tend to be systematic or process errors for which the team have identified a solution. Even the worst situations can have a positive outcome.

Champions League Final

Tonight it's the Champions League final between Manchester United and Barcelona and millions of football fans around the world will be glued to their T.V sets cheering on their adopted team.
So what's all this got to do with project management or business..? you might ask. Well, it could be argued that Sir Alex Ferguson is the ultimate project manager - he plans things to the n'th degree, he identifies and manages risk, he gets the most out of his team, he always delivers on time, he manages cost and his customers love him !!!

In other words he's just like your typical project manager. Enjoy the match whichever side your on.

Minimize product cost at the design stage

Once the product spec is agreed with the customer the product design stage can begin. It should be noted that this is the key stage for minimizing product cost. At every point the design engineer should reference the product spec in deciding what components to use and what tolerances are required. The design should take into account component and material cost and every effort will be made to minimize cost. If the spec can be exceeded without impacting on cost then this should be done but not if there is a negative impact on cost.
The design should be maximised for efficiency and manufacturability and costs minimized before moving on to the prototype stage.
Every cent saved at the design stage will be a saving throughout the product life cycle whereas every additional cent lost in design will require an expensive redesign in order to be recovered.
The design stage is the key stage to minimize product cost.

what does your customer really want..?

Before you can decide whether your product quality is up to scratch you need to know what your customer really wants.

This is done via the product spec. Before the project timescales are defined and before the development stage the product spec needs to be defined and agreed with the customer. This needs to be done using a controlled document which is signed off by both parties. Following this any proposed changes from either side has to be agreed in writing.
This has a number of advantages:-

1) The customer defines exactly what they want.

2) The supplier clarifies its limitations.

3) Any ambiguity is removed from the process.

4) Spec creep is minimised; this is where the customer regularly tightens up or expands the original spec.

5) The project timescales are defined by the agreed spec.

This process is earier said than done and it is the Project Managers responsibilty to ensure the spec is agreed before development starts.

Reduce costs not quality....

"Everybody wants to reduce manufacturing costs but not at the price of quality"....this is what a senior CEO said to me last week.

"Who said you had to reduce quality ?"

This is a common misconception, that by reducing cost you automatically reduce quality.

But first we have to define "quality" - what is "quality" ?

1) Is it something which is rare ?

2) Is it always expensive ?

3) Is it perfect in every way ?

4) Is it something which exceeds the customers expectations ?

YOU DECIDE by completing our poll ................................

When will the economy recover ?

Today we're running a poll on when the economy will recover. There has been much talk recently about the "green shoots" of the economy both here and in the U.S so lets find out what you think ?

I'll put my neck on the line by gazing into my silicon ball and forecasting the following:-

1) Stock markets - the current rally is a bear rally. Markets will generally decline by early June 2009 to rise again in the next Bull market in October 2009.

2) Unemployment will contine to rise surpassing 3 million in 2010.

4) House prices will turn around in spring 2010.

5) Economic growth will turn positive in Q2 2010.

That's my view so let's hear yours.

Outsourcing saves jobs

It is often assumed that outsourcing costs jobs. Whilst it is often the case that outsourcing key activities may get rid of some jobs it often creates others and remains cheaper overall.

Many companies are struggling to maintain profitability in the current economic climate and face possible extinction. These are usually manufacturing entities which make everything in house. However there are many companies which continue to thrive having outsourced the bulk of manufacture to cheaper third parties whilst retaining their support functions and, most importantly their Research and Development in house. With engineering resource freed up to focus on product development and bringing to market high value, high margin cutting edge products, whilst the "cash cow" of production is outsourced to a competent subcontractor, the company becomes more profitable, innovative and efficient.
Amberhill Associates can help you establish this model.
For more information email us at info@amberhill.biz

Project Management Tip No 105 - Risk Management

Managing Risk is a key part of project management. In order to manage risks effectively it is essential to prioritize action. We suggest the following approach.

1. Identify the severity of each risk and give it a score between 1 and 10.

2. Assess the urgency of action and score 10 immediate to 1 not urgent.

3. Assess the financial impact of the risk and score 10 Major to 1 minor.
4. Calculate overall score = severity x urgency x cost

5. Use these scores to prioritize Action starting with the highest.

6. For each risk identify a mitigation which will minimise risk whilst allowing you to fix the root cause.

7. For each risk identify the root cause and an appropriate corrective action which should then be built into your overall plan.

8. Build all this into a spreadsheet to help track progress.

9. Review on a regular basis.

Need more help ? Contact me - chris@amberhill.biz

At whose expense..??????

No matter which way you cut it, the row over MP's expenses stinks. These people have been elected to office to represent the people and all the indications are that they have been manipulating the system for their own benefit and greed. "Greed is good" you might argue like Gordon Gekko in the movie Wall Street but the difference is these people actually MAKE THE RULES and lecture the rest of us about obeying the law and paying our taxes. How can society function properly when the very people who should be showing leadership are grabbing all they can. MP's have consistently opposed transparency until they were forced to do so under the Freedom of Information Act, under pressure from campaign groups and concerned individuals.

There is an old saying that, in a democracy you get the politicians you deserve. Now that we know what they've been up top there may be a few politicians looking for a new job following the next election.

However, there is another side to all this. The MP's salary was introduced to allow the poor to be elected. Previously only the rich could afford to be represented and we must never revert to that situation. What we need is:-

1) An independent commitee to establish a fair and reasonable salary for MP's comparable to the private and public sector.

2) A fixed annual expense allowance for travel and overnight stays.

3) No second homes allowance; if they need somewhere to stay in London on a regular basis then they can rent or stay in a hotel.

4) The creation of a fully equipped and serviced MP's hostel near Westminster.

5) Full transparency of MP's earnings and expenses.

In order to preserve our Democracy and restore the faith of the electorate we demand nothing less.

Project Management Tip No 104

Project Management Tip No 104

The Project Manager should spend 70% of their effort planning the project and 30% executing it.

Think about it. This may appear counter intuitive at first but the more effort put in to planning the project at the start the easier the execution will be. It is always tempting to run with the project before the planning is completed but this will only end in disaster. If the project is not thoroughly planned out the team will waste a massive amount of effort going down dead ends.

70% planning, 30% execution.

Project Management Tip No 103

"Who is your number one customer ?" I was asked at a recent Business seminar. Hmmm, I began to reel off a list of OEM's when I was brusquely interrupted....

"Your number one customer is your boss !!"

The more I thought about this the more it made sense, or for those of us in the service industry, the number one customer is the client.

So treat your boss (or your client) as your number one customer and you won't go far wrong.

(Of course those of you who answered "Spouse" are probably right too !

Thatcher memories.........

Thirty years ago this week on the 3rd May 1979 Margaret Thatcher was elected as Prime Minister of Great Britain as leader of the Conservative party.

Were you around then ? I was. I was in the 6th form at school facing a gloomy future of mass unemployment and industrial strife.

The late '70's was a grim time in Britain with mass strikes and an industrial culture which was well recognised as the "sick man of Europe"; Thatcher changed all that battling the Unions head on and introducing legislation regarding secondary strike action which has still not been repealed today.

The pinnacle of industrial strife was the miners strike of 1984 - 1985 which ended with the defeat of the mineworkers and the closure of the vast majority of pits.

I was brought up in a mining village and remember well the despair and poverty that resulted, those communities would never be the same again.

However, I also remember some other things, how, for the first time, working class people were allowed to buy their own homes from the council at a knock down rate and how those homes were improved by their proud owners, new windows and doors, hanging baskets, painted railings, small things which gradually improved the appearance and standards of the area.

Years later I would read about the poverty of common ownership with understanding.

Thatcher's policies created a spirit of entrepreneurship and competition which fuelled more than a decade of economic growth in which we all shared and prospered. Tony Blair was Thatcher's natural air. Sure, we're all paying the price now with the "Credit Crunch" but let's not get all maudlin and blame the bankers for everything, after all Capitalism is a cyclical system so what do you expect, the thing is whats the alternative, Communism ? Socialism ? Anarchy ? Ha !

Who can forget her leadership too, when the Falkland Islands were invaded by Argentina Thatcher had no qualms about setting up a task force to recapture the islands flying in the face of weak National and International opposition. We can all question that decision but first ask the Falkland Islanders what they think.

Whatever your memories of Margaret Thatcher there is no doubt - the Lady was not for turning !

Time to Market - the real cost of delay.

Anyone involved in New Product Introduction (NPI) knows how critical time to market is but do they know how to quantify it?

If a product has a predicted lifecycle of two years the assumption must be made that sales will cease 2 years after product launch i.e at product "death".

If the launch date is delayed by 2 months the original product "death" should remain the same. Any product will only be viable until its successor is released by its originator or the competition. The result is a loss of 2 months of sales which will have a real monetary value. This is a perfectly reasonable proposition as there is no logic in assuming that the competitors next product will be late just because yours is !

This enables us to quantify project delays in terms of real dollars. Great news for Senior Management but also good news for the project manager as it allows us to justify additional project resource or equipment in order to meet the original project timescales.

Remember - if your Senior Management has not provided the resource you budgeted for to bring the project in on time quantifying time to market losses in monetary terms is a great leveraging tool.

Grand National Economy

Today at 4.15 BST at Aintree racecourse in the North West of England forty horses set off in one of the greatest sporting spectacles on earth. Millions will watch world wide hoping and preying that their horse will cross the line first and their investment will be rewarded.

This race is (in)famous for the number of fallers which occur throughout the race and it is not uncommon for two thirds of the starters not to finish. It is ferociously competitive and the jockeys are fearless as they soar over the huge fences without knowing what lies on the other side.

The roar of the crowd propels the riders on until the field is strung out and the final few battle it out up the final rise towards the finish line.

Its all a bit like the economy with competing firms thrashing it out over the ever undulating financial landscape. Many of the jockeys of these steeds appear to be blind as they leap into the unknown and many will fall over the course of events but some will prevail to bring home the bacon for their investors.

In hindsight how many will prevail because of good planning, excellent management, customer focus and quality product and how many through pure good fortune.

Whatever race your in - Good Luck !!

No longer a teenager......

The world wide web is twenty years old today - wow !!

As someone over the age of 40 I can remember when I first encountered email about 15 years ago and when I developed my first website on a 386 Mz laptop with 4M RAM !!

Of course my kids take it all for granted & I bore them all to death explaining how a hyperlink works.

But just take a few moments to think about the revolution which has occurred over the last 20 years. The information which is available at the click of a mouse, the ability to send instant messages to someone on the other side of the world, the ability to publish and be damned.

The international barriers to communication will never be erected again, the progress to democracy is inevitable, the freedom to publish and debate can never be censored.

Of course not everything about the web is great, we all know the dangers it can present to sensitive minds and like everything else can be a force for evil as well as good. (& I choose those terms deliberately)

When I've finished this article I will place a link on Twitter & hopefully some of you out there will read it and ponder.

Happy Birthday World Wide Web !!!!!

10 reasons you should be a project manager..........

1) You schedule everything.......including your sex life.

2) You can make a cup of tea, butter toast & put your tie on simultaneously (female project managers can do even more!)

3) Your thoughts are constantly 6 months in the future.

4) You can claim credibility for the actions of your team members with a totally clear conscience.

5) Your partner doesn't understand what the hell you're talking about.

6) People ask you what a Project Manager does and you struggle to answer.

7) If a project goes really, really well everyone wonders why.

8) You know what its like to be the sh*t in the sandwich.

9) Your a jack of all trades and master of none.

10) You're so thick skinned you could be a rhinoceros.

Zen and the art of Project Management...

(with apologies to Robert M Pirsig)

In a previous role I was a Project Manager on a complex electronics product which had a number of unique features, it was the first product to use an external wafer fab and it was also packaged in a new SOT pack never used before by our company. The team comprised design engineers, marketeers, quality personnel, test engineers and various others with an interest in the product. Quite a challenge and one which I thoroughly enjoyed.

After 9 months hard work by everyone involved the project was delivered within the agreed timescales. A fantastic achievement for all the team.

A couple of weeks later I was at a Senior Management shindig when a very Senior guy in the company commented that the project had went very well and came in on time, which was fantastic but did I have any idea why ?

Not wishing to blow my own trumpet I suggested that perhaps the project manager had done a good job.

This was met with a perplexing look followed by muted congratulations and a swift exit.

It made me think that the more effective the project manager the more invisible he/she becomes.

A Zen moment indeed.

Is it time to reduce outsourcing .......???

As the credit crunch increases its grip on the world economy is it time to review your outsource strategies ?

Over the last decade we have seen increasing levels of outsourcing in the U.K to the point where very little of our electronic goods are actually manufactured in the U.K. This has led to a loss of manufacturing jobs, the impact of which is being felt particularly harshly at the moment. However it could be strongly argued that many more R&D jobs would have been lost had outsourcing of manufacture not been widely adopted.

The U.K (& indeed the U.S) still remain major centres for R&D in the industry and we lead the world in innovative solutions.

There is no doubt also that the outsourcing of manufacturing activities has greatly benefited the consumer, just look what you can get for your money in terms of mobile phones, digital cameras, widescreen T.V's, etc etc

This is a good time to review our outsourcing strategy and every company will have a different response, what you outsource depends on your core skills and capabilities, your views on IPR and the needs of your customers.

In our view outsourcing remains a key fundamental strategy bringing benefits to the OEM and the consumer.

British jobs for european workers !

The widespread wildcat strikes which are sweeping the UK are an understandable response from British workers whose jobs are under threat during this severe economic recession. However, it should be understood that under EU law the government cannot restrict migration from other member states and, more significant here, companies cannot discriminate by nationality among EU nationals. The Government must ask at the very highest level why, if not for economic reasons, would a company discriminate by employing one nationality rather than another. Is it any coincidence that Portugese construction workers earn, on average, one third of their UK counterparts. This is the real question which must be raised in the corridors of Brussels.

These issues MUST NOT allow support to develop for the far right who will exploit every situation for their own pernicious ends and Gordon Brown should not fall into their trap by spouting meaningless slogans like "British jobs for British workers"

The greatest danger in a recession is that we start erecting national boundaries to labour and more importantly Capital. That will surely lead to the biggest depression since the 1930's.

British jobs for european workers and european jobs for British workers isn't quite as catchy !

subcontractors are a pain in the ass....!!!

"Subcontractors are a pain in the ass !!!" - how often have you heard similar comments made about subcontractors, but are you sure your requirements are clearly defined ???

When dealing with subcontractors, especially in different geographic locations, it is absolutely essential that your requirements are clearly stated & understood.

Here are some tips:-

1) Once you have identified your subcontractor arrange a face to face meeting; it is absolutely essential to your success to establish face to face contact which will be invaluable in the coming months.

2) Put your objectives in a Statement Of Work (S.O.W) which should set out your exact requirements in terms of delivery milestones and timescales.

3) Formalise your agreement in the form of a contract which should stipulate who is responsible for what.

4) Arrange a regular conference call to discuss project progress & any issues.

5) Be aware of cultural differences to minimise misinterpretation.

6) Arrange face to face meetings at key points in the project.

7) If difficulties arise pick up the phone - this is less open to misinterpretation than email.

By making your objectives clear and unambiguous and maintaining good communication you are much less likely to hear derogatory comments about subcons - Good Luck !