Implementation The Catalyst Of Change For Management To Reach That Next Level Of Success

Writen by Leanne Hoagland-Smith

From the personal and professional experiences of other colleagues and myself, one of the more critical success factors for management is implementation. Through my observations, I have discovered that people and organization spend a great deal of resources including time, dollars and the cumulative total of the energy generated from these efforts to create business or strategic plans. Yet, these very same costly plans languish in a manager's desk drawer or on an executive's shelf. The incredible inspiration power within these plans lay untouched because few individuals understand how to implement the plan.

Implementation is multi-faceted. This action requires a combination of consistently applying knowledge and skills including communication, decision-making, delegation, goal setting and goal achievement, prioritization, time management and working with the psychology change. However without steady and demonstrated values by all involved, especially those initiating the plan, implementation will falter and succumb to the inertia of indecision and procrastination.

By respecting everyone's needs, the management begins to build What's In It For Me (WIIFM) leading to What's In It For Us (WiIFU). When working on plans whether strategic or departmental, I have learned to validate current behaviors by asking the following question: What do you need from me so that you can successfully implement this plan? This question builds a bridge between management and the team where all now are the catalysts for change.

Successful implementation of change happens when we embrace a clear purpose, attitudes of partnership and steadfast demonstration of core values. Then, everyone can be a "Catalyst Champion" to change.

Leanne Hoagland-Smith, M.S. President of ADVANCED SYSTEMS, is the Process Specialist. With over 25 years of business and education experience, she builds peace and abundance by connecting the 3P's of Passion, Purpose and Performance through process improvement. Her ROI driven process solutions affect sustainable change in 4 key areas: financials, leadership, relationships and growth & innovation with a variety of industries. She aligns the strategies, systems and people to develop loyal internal customers that lead to external customers. As co-author of M.A.G.I.C.A.L. Potential:Living an Amazing Life Beyond Purpose to Achievement due for June 2005 release, Leanne speaks nationally to a variety of audiences. Please call Leanne a call at 219.759.5601 or leanne@processspecialist.com if you are seeking amazing results.

Copyright 2005(c) Leanne Hoagland-Smith, http://www.processspecialist.com

Permission to publish this article, electronically or in print, as long as the bylines are included, with a live link, and the article is not changed in any way (grammatical corrections accepted).

The Need For Project Management

Writen by Eric Gurr

First, all projects must have a goal. What needs accomplished? Building a deck? Restoring a car? Planning a company move? Without a clear goal you cannot expect a successful outcome.

Sponsor
To begin, the project must have a sponsor. Someone or some group that wants something completed. The sponsor will help procure necessary resources and the support needed to complete the project.

Manager
Someone responsible for completing the project needs to be identified. This person may be the sponsor or it may be someone hired specifically to complete the goal. He will be the project manager. The project manager's role will be to plan the project, ensure the project stays on track, and ultimately accomplish what the sponsor wants.

Planning
The project manager should begin by understanding what the sponsor wants. Does the sponsor have a time window to meet? The project manager can then begin the task of sorting through what resources are available and what resources are needed.

Next will be the task of planning the project. The project manager will conduct research and use existing resources to help plan the various task required to complete the project. Most projects need tools for keeping up with the project. These tools may involve formal project management tools or a simple spreadsheet. A gantt chart may be used to track the status of the tasks and time line. A spreadsheet may be used to outline and manage the budget. Problems that are encountered also need to be tracked and resolved. Regardless of the tools, keep it simple. Over planning or complex tracking systems can impact the completion of the project by draining the use of valuable resources.

Managing
Once the project is planned, the Project Manager needs to get the project moving in order to meet the expected time line. He has to keep up with the resources, update progress on the tasks, and quickly resolve problems that arise

Communication
The project manager must always communicate well with the team members, the sponsors, and other interested parties. This communication will come in various forms like summary project reports, gantt charts on the key milestones, and fiscal status. A lack of effective communication usually leads to major problems with most projects and even possible project failure.

Post Mortem
Regardless if a project is complete successful or failed miserably a GAP analysis on the project should be performed to evaluate the sponsor's original goal versus the final results. This is also the time to review the life of the project, what went well and what didn't go well. An honest post mortem will help improve future projects your organization may undertake.

Success
Celebrate your completion of a successful project and recognize the team.

Mark Combs is a partner with IntraLink, a Cincinnati Ohio based consulting company. He can be reached through http://www.intralinkinc.com. A Cincinnati Ohio based computer consulting and website design, search engine optimization business since 1994.

Most Meetings Should Last Less Than An Hour

Writen by Greg Ballard

There are not many bigger wastes of time than meetings, unless you plan them well. Meetings on a particular topic or periodic informational meetings are fine as long as there is a format that is strictly followed and chatter is kept to a minimum. These types of meetings may last no more than ten to fifteen minutes or may last up to an hour. If they routinely last an hour or longer, then you want to re-examine your format or the purpose of the meeting.

For a meeting to discuss a particular topic, send out preliminary information to be read prior to the actual meeting. Ensure they read it (yes, ask them beforehand if they have read it); this will focus everyone. Have an agenda that you pass out at the beginning of the meeting and stick to it. Encourage everyone to participate to get the best ideas; this will also help your future meetings as everyone will feel they have a stake in the decision-making process. However, rein in chatter that is getting off topic.

For a routine informational meeting, send out the agenda ahead of time (normally two working days is fine) and also bring copies of the agenda to the meeting. Stick to the agenda, rein in chatter, and do not allow the meeting to become a drawn out bull session.

If you have scheduled a one hour meeting and you are finished in fifteen minutes, that is perfectly fine. Do not drag out the meeting just because you have scheduled more time.

When you have the information you need, dismiss the meeting. Let whoever wants to linger to do so, but let those who must go depart the meeting at a definite ending point. After a few meetings like this, your people will become familiar with the format and your expectations. You will actually get more input because your smart, hard-working people will know they will not be there indefinitely, and therefore will not be afraid to contribute ideas.

Sometimes there are major decisions that may require more than an hour for a meeting; however, these meetings should be the exception, not the rule.

Do not confuse these suggestions about meetings with brainstorming sessions. Brainstorming sessions should be freewheeling. The information above relates solely to meetings to discuss a particular topic and routine informational meetings.

Drawing on his experiences in the U. S. Marines, in the corporate world, and as a small business owner, Greg Ballard has published his book Small Unit Leadership, a concise, yet definitive guide for new, junior, and middle level leaders. His accumulated knowledge and insights greatly benefit not only individuals in positions of responsibility, but also those companies or organizations that have multiple levels of leadership. His website is smallunitleadership.com

Managing New Managers Are Usually Too Hard On Themselves

Writen by Helen Wilkie

Moving from staff into management for the first time is exciting—but it can also be scary.

There's so much you don't know. Somehow managing looked so easy from the outside, but now that you actually have to do it, you realize it's more complicated than you thought. Before, you had certain tasks to accomplish and you knew you had the skills to do them. You still have responsibility for those tasks, but now you have to see that the work is done effectively by other people. That's a whole new task in itself, and you're not sure you're up to the job.

You also find that it's hard to concentrate on the planning that is such an important part of managing, because emergencies large and small seem to arise all the time and people keep running to you to resolve them. The expression "When you're up to your neck in alligators, it's hard to remember you were trying to drain the swamp" might have been written for new managers!

In these early days, you must learn not to be too hard on yourself. Management skills are not built into our human DNA—we have to learn them as we go. Promise yourself you'll learn at least one management lesson every day. Set aside a few moments at the end of each day to think about that day's lesson and how you'll use it to improve your management skills. Sometimes these lessons will be hard, but each one will give you something to build on if you are willing to learn.

Each day will bring you new challenges, new experiences—and new successes. It's easy to forget the successes and focus on all the things that didn't go so well, so I recommend you keep a diary of all your new experiences. Then, on those days when you think becoming a manager was all a horrible mistake, you can read over your diary and remind yourself just how far you've come.

Becoming a manager is a journey. Like any journey, it offers both good and bad experiences, enjoyable and not-so-enjoyable aspects, positive and negative events. Just take it one stage at a time, learn from each experience—good or bad—and you'll gradually find yourself becoming more and more comfortable in your management role.

Helen Wilkie is a professional speaker, trainer, consultant and author who has worked with hundreds of newly appointed managers and understands their special challenges. Visit http://www.TheManagersJourney.com and sign up for her series of free management skills teleseminars.

The Power Of Talent

Writen by Mike Myatt

I recently read a blog post on all the reasons not to hire "superstars" and I could not have disagreed more with what I read. I have always subscribed to the philosophy that the quality of an organization's talent will have a direct correlation to their success...In other words the better a company's talent the more successful the enterprise will be. In today's blog post I will discuss the benefits of hiring Tier-One talent.

I so vehemently disagreed with the blog post I noted above that I decided to put forth a point-by-point rebuttal below for your consideration in hope that you won't fall prey to the flawed logic espoused by who for sake of this post shall remain a nameless blogger (I'm feeling kind today):

Point: "Superstars = Expensive. Seek a superstar, and expect to pay a bundle. Financially, and the other stuff: feelings of entitlement, benefits, environment necessities, yadda, yadda, yadda."

Myatt's Counterpoint: To put it bluntly, you get what you pay for...Real talent produces real results and is worth the investment. I'll take a proven performer over a want-a-be performer eleven times out of ten.

Point: "You demotivate your current crop of talent. Jimmy's been working his butt off for your company. Instead of promoting him, you bring in a superstar — give him power, authority, extra resources and benefits. What does that signal to Jimmy? Importantly, what does that signal to your other employees?"

Myatt's Counterpoint: I have absolutely nothing against promoting from within, however if you have the ability to attract a "superstar" and you don't do it, shame on you...Inserting a bonafide superstar into your business makes the statement that your company values talent and will raise the chinning bar for all employees. There is an old saying: "Talent Begets Talent" and I wholeheartedly believe this to be true. Moreover, my definition of a superstar does not mean primadonna, rather it means team player. I expect our top talent to mentor our up-and-coming superstars.

Point: "The people became superstars elsewhere because they thrived in the right environment; they became superstars because they had fit the mold, the structure, and the culture of their organization. Since your company won't have the same environment, superstars probably won't achieve the same results in your company."

Myatt's Counterpoint: The issue described above has nothing to do with talent, but rather it describes a lack of discernment on the part of the leadership and/or management doing the hiring. A superstar by definition is a proven performer and it is up to the leadership and/or management doing the recruiting to determine if the company can create an environment that will allow the proven performer to flourish prior to making the hire. If you properly support great talent you'll receive great rewards...Moreover, the point noted above would also hold true for a junior hire as anyone regardless of talent will fail if not supported. That being said, superstars have a better chance of successfully navigating a challenging environment than someone less talented.

The following quote is something taken from an article I authored some time ago on the topic of talent and I believe it accurately summarizes my feelings on the subject at hand: "Quality human capital is a catalytic asset that can be effectively leveraged across the enterprise to generate creativity, collaboration, momentum, velocity, client loyalty, a dynamic corporate culture and virtually every other positive influencing force in the corporate universe. It is quality talent that designs best practices, understands the value of innovation, overcomes obstacles, breaks down barriers, creates growth and builds a lasting brand."

The bottom line is that if you follow the advice of the unknown blogger quoted above with regard to talent you will have a mediocre company doomed for failure. My advice...Hire the best talent you can find!

Mike Myatt is the Chief Strategy Officer at N2growth. N2growth is a leading venture growth consultancy providing a unique array of professional services to high growth companies on a venture based business model. The rare combination of branding and corporate identity services, capital formation assistance, market research and business intelligence, sales and product engineering, leadership development and talent management, as well as marketing, advertising and public relations services make N2growth the industry leader in strategic growth consulting. More information about the company can be found at http://www.N2growth.com or by viewing http://www.N2growth.com/blog