Reflecting on our conversations and especially the most recent one, I note a few points for discussion.  Some points involve the form or the intent of these meetings.  Some points are the content, especially from the last meeting.

On Form:

Validation

Conversations with dear friends you respect are key to maintaining a realistic perspective.  These conversations either validate what you are thinking or feeling or they can disclose quickly the invalidity of your thinking.  Of course, it does help to have a trusted and trusting friendship.  Superficial discussion will not be very productive.

Perspective

Conversations with Steve always offer another perspective.  In these discussions, we will discuss one of our situations and invariably the other will provide a different interpretation of the facts, make a different set of assumptions, and suggest a different perspective for consideration.

Synergy

I  have spoken of synergy before in these pod-casts.  These conversations invariably result in something that goes beyond either of our insight or understanding, as if a third person distilled the essence of our thoughts and formulated a thought greater than either of us considered.

On Content:

The Problem

Steve and I covered some interesting topics in our last meeting.  One was the economy.  We talked about  the economy, the fallen stock market, the failing banks, the failed corporation, asteroids, the unemployment rate.  We went down multiple paths of discussion on each and several times asked the question, “What’s the solution to the …… situation?”  We discussed multiple alternatives and the ineffectiveness of each.

Steve then identified the real issue, “I don’t think we know what the problem is.”  It certainly does seem that governments, corporations, and enterprises worldwide are taking actions to address a problem that is not clearly defined.  Otherwise, it seems to me that some evidence of progress would exist, rather than a reliance on the argument that “things would be worse of we had not done (fill in the blank)”.

True Value

With stock markets failing, 401K accounts at 50% to 60% of their value within the last year, with corporations and employers significantly reducing costs daily to survive, and with a future significantly more uncertain than 1 year ago, I raised the point that the only things we could really count on are the family, the friends, and the relationships we maintain.

The Management Message

Above, I spoke of validation, perspective, synergy, precise identification of the problem, and true value.  In our management role, we need to form relationships with our business associates that provide us true value, providing us validation, a perspective, and a synergy as we address our objectives, solve our problems.  And most importantly, we need to be able to precisely identify our problem.

“The best laid schemes o’ mice an’ men / Gang aft a-gley.”

We all know this one as, ” The best–laid plans of mice and men often go awry” but i am a romantic and prefer the older language.

But the fundamental truth here is that no matter how carefully we plan and execute our projects, occasionally situations arise when, in spite of our best efforts, plans and projects fail. This happens for one or more of many reasons, but I think it comes down to this distillation.

• We did not know all of the parameters necessary to construct and effective plan. We did not have all of the necessary information.
• Our assumptions were erroneous.
• We had a faulty plan.
• We did not have control of the environment in which we executed the plan.
• We did not have contingencies in place to deal with deviations from plan.
• We do not have enough time (or other resource) to respond.

I am sure the list goes on and I missed a big one, so if I did please comment to this blog and we can start an aggregate list.

What do we do when a project does fail?

• Realize that life is an ebb tide and a flood tide. There will be more failures and more successes in life, and no one event is totally life changing.
• Look for the solution. From every failure comes the opportunity to learn and to achieve a greater success. The cause of he failure, when analyzed, will demonstrate significant opportunity for contribution. Entrepreneurs thrive on identifying failures and problems in processes and systems, and they benefit and succeed when they provide solutions.
• Examine what you could have done. We all have a circle of influence, to borrow from Covey. Often the cause of the project’s failure occurs outside of our circle of influence, and consequently we have no way to exercise control over the situation leading to the project’s failure. If the situation was in your circle of influence, reflect on the issue in the project review.
• Always conduct a project review, a post mortem. The purpose of this exercise is not to place blame but to identify real issues that we can correct, escalate for correction, or provide contingencies should they occur again. Our focus is creating a blueprint for a better plan and a successful project next time. Before you start the project review, review the following list with the review team and brainstorm other questions and tasks you want to add to the list.
  • Identify what went right with the project.
  • Identify what went wrong with the project.
  • Identify assumptions that were invalid.
  • Identify defects in the plan, its execution, and/or the project’s control systems.
  • Identify what was our of our control that contributed or caused the project’s failure.
  • Identify resource deficiencies and shortages.
  • Identify communications issues.
  • Identify structural issues and organizational aspects that contributed to the project’s failure.
  • Have each participant relax, clear their minds, and intuitively sense why they feel the project failed, list these observations, and discuss them

  From this exercise, produce a succinct report listing items that people can take action upon, identify the importance or priority of each item, and identify the person or organization best capable of resolving the issue. Publish this report to your management team, then to those who have action items to accomplish.

• I think the most important thing that allows us to deal with project failure is to maintain a realistic and healthy view of life. There are no successes or failures in our lives, just outcomes. Some are positive outcomes and some are negative. We will experience both outcomes several times in our lives. We need to view both our successes and our failures with this perspective and realize that we are not our failures, nor are we our successes.

Plan the meeting.

• Define what the desired outcome of the meeting is.  Too many meetings occur without an end objective.  Consequently, few of these meetings achieve the intended result.
•  Identify the meeting participants who are capable of making the desired outcome a reality. Avoid inviting spectators.
• List the minutes of any previous meetings that have been held to achieve this outcome.  Occasionally, it is necessary to frame the problem for the participants in a meeting, then meet again to reach an agreement.  Recalling the minutes of previous meetings hopefully prevents addressing issues that have already been decided.
• Define the meeting duration.  Keep the meeting as brief as possible.  Like work, meetings tend to expand to fill the time allocated to them.
• Construct an agenda that states the desired outcome and includes references to the previous meeting minutes. Include a list of the meeting participants.
• Schedule the meeting at a convenient time and place for all participants.  Be sensitive to time zone differences for dial-in participants.
• Send out the invites.

Conduct the meeting.

• Start on time and end on time.
• Begin the meeting by stating the desired outcome.
• When discussion drifts from the desired outcome, gently bring the discussion back to the stated outcome.
• Work for synergy within the meeting participants.  Encourage discussion.
• Reserve time at the end of the meeting to summarize the meeting to assess the success of the meeting in accomplishing the desired outcome. Obtain agreement that the outcome was achieved.
• If the outcome was not achieved, list the issues and obstacles that prevent accomplishing the outcome, identify and owner for each issue, and agree to meet again.
• Conclude the meeting on time.

After the meeting

• Write up the minutes of the meeting and send to all participants.
• Include in the minutes those items that have been agreed upon and resolved.
• List items requiring further action and the owner of each.
• Send the minutes to all participants.

Rinse and repeat.

There will be no show notes for this podcast.

? ? How do you know when you have done a good job?
? ? We have asked this question in the past, re establishing plans.
• ? We contribute to the definition personally.
• ? Our boss contributes to this definition.
• ? Our users and customers do.
? ? Have to be able to quantify status and progress.
• ? gut feelings about status is wishful thinking.
? ? The measurements that matter.
? ? Identify the important measurements.
• ? Quality
• ? Financial: ETC, EAC, cumulative planned, cumulative actual.
• ? Satisfaction measurements
• ? Progress measurements
• ? Establish a mechanism to collect the data for these measurements
? ? Construct appropriate visual presentation of the measurements
• ? Spider charts, especially for targets vs actuals. Can present several measurements on one chart. The shape of things.
• ? Line charts and Bar charts, especially over time
• ? Pie Charts, especially for percentages.
? ? One Page Management
• ? Assemble visual presentation on one page.
• ? Produce religiously.
• ? Product periodically. The same time every day, week, month, whatever timeframe is appropriate.
• ? Make it visual
• ? Post it
• ? Use it everywhere.PSM 16: One Page Management Notes

? ? How do you know when you have done a good job?
? ? We have asked this question in the past, re establishing plans.
• ? We contribute to the definition personally.
• ? Our boss contributes to this definition.
• ? Our users and customers do.
? ? Have to be able to quantify status and progress.
• ? gut feelings about status is wishful thinking.
? ? The measurements that matter.
? ? Identify the important measurements.
• ? Quality
• ? Financial: ETC, EAC, cumulative planned, cumulative actual.
• ? Satisfaction measurements
• ? Progress measurements
• ? Establish a mechanism to collect the data for these measurements
? ? Construct appropriate visual presentation of the measurements
• ? Spider charts, especially for targets vs actuals. Can present several measurements on one chart. The shape of things.
• ? Line charts and Bar charts, especially over time
• ? Pie Charts, especially for percentages.
? ? One Page Management
• ? Assemble visual presentation on one page.
• ? Produce religiously.
• ? Product periodically. The same time every day, week, month, whatever timeframe is appropriate.
• ? Make it visual
• ? Post it
• ? Use it everywhere.
? ? Uses
• ? Periodic status reporting
• ? Ad hoc queries
• ? Personal guidance for assessment and change
• ? Keep historical pages for post-mortems, etc.
? ? Ref: One Page Management: How to Use Information to Achieve Your Goals by Riaz Khadem and Robert Lorber
• ? I never read the book but did grab onto the title’s concept and set out to solve the problem in my life.

? ? Uses
• ? Periodic status reporting
• ? Ad hoc queries
• ? Personal guidance for assessment and change
• ? Keep historical pages for post-mortems, etc.
? ? Ref: One Page Management: How to Use Information to Achieve Your Goals by Riaz Khadem and Robert Lorber
• ? I never read the book but did grab onto the title’s concept and set out to solve the problem in my life.

The podcast notes are here.

The notes from the podcast are available here.

• Negotiations
  • We negotiate every day of our lives.
    • Are all relationships continuing negotiations?
  • Examples
    • John Grinder: win/win or no deal.
    • Stephen covey: Think win-win.
  • Negotiation is trying to solve the same problem from different perspectives.
    • On the surface, it often appears that the objectives are different.
    • There is a level at which both aspects are part of the same problem.
  • This common area needs to be identified and used as the basis for negotiation.
  • Then the mindset
    • Realize that the problem is a common one.
    • Realize that you will collectively solve the problem.
    • Value the other pseron, his needs, his views and urgencies.
    • Seek win-win rather than win-lose. Covey and Grinder.
    • You can not solve the problem you think someone has until you solve the problem he thinks he has. Timberlake.
    • Understand the need that the other one has.
    • Seek first to understand, then to be understood. Covey

The podcast notes are available here.

• What the manager thinks about his organization matters.
• Request from reader to discuss the Hawthrone experiments
  • Western Electric Company, Chicago
  • 1924-1933
  • change in working conditions had unexpected effects
  • belief that change occurred because subjects knew they were being measured for the effect
• Observer Effect
  • Schrodinger’s cat
    • observation creates meaning
  • can not observe [measure] something without affecting it
    • tire pressure
• Subject expectancy effect
  • subject expects a result and unconsciously manipulates the situation to produce the result
• Observer expectancy effect
  • observer expects a result and unconsciously manipulates the situation to produce the result
• Placebo effect
  • probably Subject Expectancy effect
  • I will please. [latin]
  • the ‘drug’ has no medicial value
  • the patient’s expectation creates positive or negative results
• Pygmalion effect, Roesnthal Effect
  • Teacher expectation of students enhanced student behavior
• Commonality
  • Expectation
    • What the manager expects influences what he gets as a result
    • What the employee expects influences what he produces as a result
  • We can not intact with the organization without affecting it in some way.
    • positive
    • negative
  • People react to a manager’s attention
    • Ph.D. Kenneth Blanchard, M.D. Spencer Johnson: The One Minute Manager
      • one minute praises
      • one minute reprimands
  • our regard for our organization and the individuals in it becomes a self fulfilling prophesy.
  • The subconscious mind does not differentiate between a fact and a belief
    • placebo effect
    • mental images
      • Elston Howard and Warren Spahn
    • manager’s motivate beliefs
• Manager’s action items
  • expect the best from everyone
  • regard everyone as a valued contributor
  • promote an environment where people expect the best from themselves
  • be an active participant in the organization
  • promote positive mental images of success
  • discourage negative thinking
  • remember fear and faith
    • fear: mental images of what you don’t want to have happen
    • faith: mental images of what you do want to have happen
  • be authentic, sincere, and legitimate
    • avoid manipulation
      • Hawthorne experiments
    • mind games