Jessica Lee .ca

How 2 Get Things Done

It's been a long time since my last blog post. I decided to do a very short one about how to get things done.

I'm famous for "getting things done" so I get a variety of projects landed at my desk. So, how do I get things done with the limited number of hours in a day? I only have two tips - TWO is a good number, don't you think?

#1 - Be Picky! Choose the right ideas to work on and be okay about the things you are not working on! That's so Zen! ;-) Well, the truth is that it helps you stay focused on the high-return projects. Always jump on the high return on investment type of projects first!

#2 - Be Positive! The attitude and energy will influence everyone on your project to be more productive.

Done!

 

Five Ways to Ensure a Project Disaster

With every new project, it can be tempting to envision everything going right. However, an optimal outcome is usually only possible as the result of some really hard work. Not everyone has mastered this pathway to success. In fact, there are plenty of project managers who seem to be on the fast track to failure. Here are some common attitudes and actions that lead to disaster:

Scope-less is Hopeless

An issue has come up in your project but you simply don’t have time to investigate it in detail and create a plan for resolution. Can’t you just throw some money at it and make the problem go away?

That doesn’t work too well when the government does it – and you won’t have any better luck. Putting in the time to delve into the true scope of a project or problem means you can save both money and time over the long term.

Flawed Priorities

Your company is operating on some really tight margins. It’s essential to focus on time and cost. Quality can take a back seat. Your team needs to get this done yesterday. You’ve also got to watch your employees like a hawk to make sure they aren’t spending money (or wasting valuable time double-checking anything).

Quality control should be built in to every project from the start. If your company’s financial future is on the line, this is more important, not less important. Can you really afford a spectacular failure right now?

Know It All

You’re the project manager because by golly you are the only one with the brains to get the job done! You always know the right thing to do. Fortunately, this means you don’t need to analyze problems or listen to “experts”. And don’t even get started on trying to find out what the customer thinks – what do they know?

Ignoring advice and suggestions from others is a waste of an invaluable resource. Even worse, your peers will eventually be so alienated that they will stand back and cheer when you fall flat on your face. Clients will take their projects elsewhere when you demonstrate that you don’t care about their feedback. Actively seek out the opinions of others to ensure you aren’t overlooking ways to make your project easier and more successful.

Crack the Whip

You don’t expect to be patted on the head for doing your job. Why should you be expected to show gratitude to your team for their efforts? They’re getting paid to do the work and just need to be pushed harder to meet their targets. Plus, they keep taking up your time with all their inane questions. They are professionals who should know what to do without being told – and they need to get it done NOW or there will be consequences.

Being a workplace tyrant, failing to communicate thoroughly/often, and treating your team members with contempt will always backfire. When employees become disengaged from their work, you can expect to see more mistakes, delays, and inefficiencies. Learn to give honest feedback that focuses on what people are doing right to encourage continued improvements in performance.

Constant Crisis Mode

You never seem to get anything done because there’s always some disaster you have to deal with instead of focusing on your project goals. It’s not your fault that all your projects fail. If you weren’t constantly on guard to put out fires, the whole company would collapse. You simply don’t have time to spend on seeing a project through to the finish.

If this situation describes you, your first project should be figuring out why you are functioning in a constant state of crisis. This is NOT normal and indicates underlying issues with the way your company operates. Or, you may simply be blowing little things out of proportion when you should be delegating. Get your house in order so you can turn your attention to meeting your project objectives without interruption.

Project Management's 4 C's

A friend has been shopping for a diamond ring lately.  She reminded me the 4 C's which are four variables that are used to calculate the value of a diamond - Clarity, Color, Cut, and Carat.  Then, I thought... project management also has 4 C's which are Complexity, Communication, Collaboration and Coordination!

To tackle a project's complexity, we need the other 3 C's:

Communication 

Once you've gotten rid of complexity, you can be sure it will try to find its way back in. Open and regular communication will allow you to identify it before it takes hold.

Collaboration 

Silos are the enemy of simplicity. Work across the organization to identify where the complexity is and together improve the way business is done. 

Coordination

Smooth coordination is critical to finding simple solutions to the problems you're trying to solve. 

 

6 Ways To Keep Your Project on Track

As a manager, you know that a team project takes a lot more work than meets the eye.  Keeping everything running smoothly requires ongoing effort from everyone involved. 

Focus on these “behind the scenes” areas to improve your project execution: 

1. Support a Team Spirit 

At the outset of your project, match team members up in pairs so everyone has someone to turn to when they face an obstacle.  Ideally, when any issue comes up, they will work as a team to come up with proposed solutions instead of just bringing all their problems to you to solve.  This will give them a greater sense of accomplishment and build team cohesion. 

2. Work Step By Step 

Create checklists that include small action items that may otherwise be overlooked.  The checklists can be used as a template and updated for the next similar project.  They help the team accurately perform routine project tasks  - pilots and surgeons use checklists to reduce mistakes!

3. Crosscheck All the Way 

Assign team members to review each other’s output (using established metrics whenever possible) to ensure that each task is executed properly.  That way, you can perform spot checks but won’t have to spend all your time doing quality control. 

4. Keep Your Eye on the Prize 

Start each group meeting with a recap of your overall project goals.  Then, you can more readily see if a suggested course of action will bring you closer to these objectives or take you off on a tangent. 

5. Have a Backup Plan 

Identify the most likely project disruptions in advance and plan for how to deal with these.  Also, remain flexible enough to handle the unforeseen.  Add contingency resources (e.g. time and expenses for re-work) to your estimate of how long and how much a project will take to complete. 

6. Don’t Become Overwhelmed 

Task saturation occurs when your team members don’t have the time or the resources to get their jobs done.  Combat this by frequent communication.  That way, you can identify people who are overwhelmed before they simply start shutting down.  Use project management or time tracking tools to evaluate performance and identify areas where you need to get more involved.

This post was inspired by an AfterBurner Flawless Execution workshop I attended.  Fighter pilots who had served in the Royal Canadian Air Force and U.S. Marine Corps taught me how to use their techniques in my business!