It's hard to believe, but summer is nearly over. Yes, just a few more weeks and the young ones will be back to school. If you haven't already picked up school supplies, you may want to consider getting them fairly quickly - it's been my experience that waiting until the weekend before school returns is not a good time to expect selection, or that anything is left for that matter!
Getting ready to return to school is a mini-project and can be done over a few days or all in one shot. Mom's are an extraordinary example of project managers! Before any project, always read through the 'instructions' and plan first so that you know what to expect and prepare for. For example, task number 3 below suggests that you'll need storage containers. If you don't have any, you may want to grab them while you're executing task number 2. Also, do you need help with anything (carrying bins or getting them to storage); find out when those helpers are available and reserve the time.
1. Schedule 1 hour of time. Pull out last year's supplies; are there any left over that can be used or can one child's supplies be transfered to another? What pieces worked well and what did your child not like (when my son was in elementary school, he was fussy about his ruler - he liked that plastic one that he could see through rather than the wooden one that was on the supplies list). Quickly blast through clothing and determine how much life is left in them. Put clean 'give aways' in a plastic garbage bag or Rubbermaid storage bin and leave at the front door to take to your car.
2. Schedule 2 hours of time and have someone mind the child(ren). It has been my experience that shopping for supplies on my own allowed me to be focused and therefore reduce my shopping time, stay within my budget (because I felt less pressured to buy trendy items that were not on the list) and when I got home I didn't feel drained from the experience because I wasn't saying "no" the entire time! When I got home, my son happily examined the supplies and put his name on everything.
3. Schedule 3 hours of time and arrange a play date (I did this further towards the end of September or early October). Now is the time to start removing the clutter of summer (sad, but true) and again, you'll appreciate being able to do it alone. Quickly go through your home and grab all the evidence - sunblocks & lotions, beach toys, etc. - and put them in the storage bin(s). Once you have everything collected, go through the bin and either put the item in it's "real" home or leave it in the bin! Label the bin and put it by the door to take to storage or the attic.
My son and I used to have back-to-school celebrations; we'd cook dinner together and talk about the best parts of summer and he'd share who he was looking forward to seeing in school, his favourite teachers from last year and classes he liked. It was a good transition. He's in highschool now and doesn't need his name on supplies (ha, ha) but he is sure good at carrying the heavy bins!
Monday, August 24, 2009
Thursday, July 30, 2009
MyPROJECT is...running
Anything can be a project, even running (except of course, in 41 degrees!). I tried to run the other morning and had to stop at 30 minutes because I could feel my face was turning purple and I thought I was going to be sick! That's called risk, probability and impact assessment.
Let's look at running as a project.
The objective (or goal) is to be healthy. Well, what does 'healthy' look like and how will I know when I'm healthy? For this stakeholder, it's a strong heart beating at 177 bpm maximum (I just gave away my age if you know this calculation), increased muscle mass, feeling well-rested and energetic upon waking and a general feeling of happiness and well-being throughout the day.
To measure my success, I:
- have increased / measureable muscle mass noteable on machines and I can visually see and feel the muscle tone
- am sleeping through the night, with reduced toss n' turn
- have friends and family who want to spend time with me and don't cower when I enter a room
Define the constraints: any potential challenges such as knee, joint, lower back, orthotic, cardiovascular, diabetes issues? What are the other constraints? Know them well and plan a way to manage them (ie, see your doc before running). Think about things that can stand in the way of your success and be ready with contingency plans.
Define the "by when": in other words, when do I want to have a healthy heart, see muscles forming and be well-rested in the morning? Let's try August 31.
Take a quick inventory of the tools you'll need. Do you have good running shoes and clothing?
Now start planning backwards from August 31. If you're a first time runner and have any physical constraints noted above, see your doc for the ok. How long will it take you to get into the office? If you can't get in for a week, then you're down to 3 weeks to meet your goal. Re-evaluate the timing of your goal.
Talk to an experienced runner (go to Running Room, Forerunners or The Right Shoe for example), consider joining a club or clinic to learn basic strategies, safety and to find a running partner for motivation and support. WOW, that took another week. Now you're down to 2 weeks to accomplish your goal. Re-evaluate the timing of your goal.
Know who will be impacted by this project (stakeholders); for example your partner, children, friends, colleagues, dog.
Know the impacts on these stakeholders: will the kids benefit, will the dog get more exercise, will you be home for dinner with everyone each evening or will the time of your running club need to be changed? Will you have support or challenges with these stakeholders?
Re-set your target date: now it's September 14.
Establish the timing of your measurements: perhaps you could make appointments at the gym or doctor's office to measure muscle mass, keep a sleep diary and note how your feeling each morning and talk to your friends and family to find out if your energy and disposition has changed.
Two weeks before reaching your goal date, start considering how you will continue to run without getting bored or injured and don't forget to plan for weather!
Let's look at running as a project.
The objective (or goal) is to be healthy. Well, what does 'healthy' look like and how will I know when I'm healthy? For this stakeholder, it's a strong heart beating at 177 bpm maximum (I just gave away my age if you know this calculation), increased muscle mass, feeling well-rested and energetic upon waking and a general feeling of happiness and well-being throughout the day.
To measure my success, I:
- have increased / measureable muscle mass noteable on machines and I can visually see and feel the muscle tone
- am sleeping through the night, with reduced toss n' turn
- have friends and family who want to spend time with me and don't cower when I enter a room
Define the constraints: any potential challenges such as knee, joint, lower back, orthotic, cardiovascular, diabetes issues? What are the other constraints? Know them well and plan a way to manage them (ie, see your doc before running). Think about things that can stand in the way of your success and be ready with contingency plans.
Define the "by when": in other words, when do I want to have a healthy heart, see muscles forming and be well-rested in the morning? Let's try August 31.
Take a quick inventory of the tools you'll need. Do you have good running shoes and clothing?
Now start planning backwards from August 31. If you're a first time runner and have any physical constraints noted above, see your doc for the ok. How long will it take you to get into the office? If you can't get in for a week, then you're down to 3 weeks to meet your goal. Re-evaluate the timing of your goal.
Talk to an experienced runner (go to Running Room, Forerunners or The Right Shoe for example), consider joining a club or clinic to learn basic strategies, safety and to find a running partner for motivation and support. WOW, that took another week. Now you're down to 2 weeks to accomplish your goal. Re-evaluate the timing of your goal.
Know who will be impacted by this project (stakeholders); for example your partner, children, friends, colleagues, dog.
Know the impacts on these stakeholders: will the kids benefit, will the dog get more exercise, will you be home for dinner with everyone each evening or will the time of your running club need to be changed? Will you have support or challenges with these stakeholders?
Re-set your target date: now it's September 14.
Establish the timing of your measurements: perhaps you could make appointments at the gym or doctor's office to measure muscle mass, keep a sleep diary and note how your feeling each morning and talk to your friends and family to find out if your energy and disposition has changed.
Two weeks before reaching your goal date, start considering how you will continue to run without getting bored or injured and don't forget to plan for weather!
Being informed with the help of SME's (subject matter experts) and in control of how this all plays out (by planning) increases your probability of success - period. There is no such thing as 'planning paralysis' unless maybe you're scared of success.
Before you begin running you will already know and feel your success. You will be motivated because you know what to expect!
Monday, July 27, 2009
Building Business: The CEO Way
Last week I talked about getting the best bang for your buck by hiring SMEs (subject matter experts). Rather than spending hours trying to figure out how to blog and tweet, why not hire a SME, pay the nominal fee and spend 2 hours being trained instead of 2 days researching?!
It gets me thinking: how do you value YOUR time? If you were to hire yourself out, what would you charge? Do you place a $$ value on your time or do you make a 'to do' list and just blast your way through it? Does each activity have a cost or return associated with it?
Consider that your time is just as valueable as a SME's time. You ARE an expert. You are the Owner who knows more about your business than anyone else - why not give yourself the value you deserve and delegate appropriately, freeing you up to make the most impact and create success for your precious company?! It goes without saying, of course, that we are monetarily immeasureable in the human sense, but if say your worth is $100/hr, then doesn't it stand to reason that you should be working ON your business - not dusting the shelves, tidying and organizing stock and trying to figure out how to use the POS? Consider that your time might be best spent working on developing the processes and operations of your business, setting corporate goals and establishing strategies - really understanding the direction and vision. Every entrepreneur has read The E-Myth, right?
Delegating doesn't mean "giving it away". It is actually effective management, plain and simple - leaving you to do what CEOs do (that's you, the CEO!), which is to create the strategy and vision of the company, build teams and encourage culture. BE the company culture and BE a leader not a manager (micro-). Having put in place objectives and monitoring metrics, your job is to monitor the progress of others.
Surround yourself with SMEs, outsource appropriately and monitor everything, Ms. CEO.
It gets me thinking: how do you value YOUR time? If you were to hire yourself out, what would you charge? Do you place a $$ value on your time or do you make a 'to do' list and just blast your way through it? Does each activity have a cost or return associated with it?
Consider that your time is just as valueable as a SME's time. You ARE an expert. You are the Owner who knows more about your business than anyone else - why not give yourself the value you deserve and delegate appropriately, freeing you up to make the most impact and create success for your precious company?! It goes without saying, of course, that we are monetarily immeasureable in the human sense, but if say your worth is $100/hr, then doesn't it stand to reason that you should be working ON your business - not dusting the shelves, tidying and organizing stock and trying to figure out how to use the POS? Consider that your time might be best spent working on developing the processes and operations of your business, setting corporate goals and establishing strategies - really understanding the direction and vision. Every entrepreneur has read The E-Myth, right?
Delegating doesn't mean "giving it away". It is actually effective management, plain and simple - leaving you to do what CEOs do (that's you, the CEO!), which is to create the strategy and vision of the company, build teams and encourage culture. BE the company culture and BE a leader not a manager (micro-). Having put in place objectives and monitoring metrics, your job is to monitor the progress of others.
Surround yourself with SMEs, outsource appropriately and monitor everything, Ms. CEO.
Thursday, July 23, 2009
SME's or ME's?
I wonder, how many entrepreneurs understand the value of including subject matter experts (SME) in running their business? Have you consulted with a business coach, marketing guru, web developer or a social media expert? Gosh, I didn't even know such a wonderous person existed until recently (let's keep that on the down-low).
Consider that what you're playing with is your life; this is your vision and dream, your baby. Why NOT incorporate experts into the budget and save yourself time AND money!? I'm not going to admit how much time I spent (not including the dream-state-thinking) on trying to figure out how to set-up my blog page, actually create a blog, tweet (yet to be attempted!) add images, and so forth. There is so much information and so many options. Just talking with someone about etiquette and automation was worth it.
I went ahead and hired an expert at Out-smarts. I was so relieved; Mhairi (pronounced Va-ri) and I spent focused time in one-on-training and I was immediately able to apply my new skills. Now I must keep up to my blogging commitments!
Our projects are worth incorporating SME's (and the ME's are not on the team!) - so why not put a SME to great use on you?! It frees you up to tackle the rest of the list...or go for a run.
If time is money, then entrepreneurs are worth zillions!
Consider that what you're playing with is your life; this is your vision and dream, your baby. Why NOT incorporate experts into the budget and save yourself time AND money!? I'm not going to admit how much time I spent (not including the dream-state-thinking) on trying to figure out how to set-up my blog page, actually create a blog, tweet (yet to be attempted!) add images, and so forth. There is so much information and so many options. Just talking with someone about etiquette and automation was worth it.
I went ahead and hired an expert at Out-smarts. I was so relieved; Mhairi (pronounced Va-ri) and I spent focused time in one-on-training and I was immediately able to apply my new skills. Now I must keep up to my blogging commitments!
Our projects are worth incorporating SME's (and the ME's are not on the team!) - so why not put a SME to great use on you?! It frees you up to tackle the rest of the list...or go for a run.
If time is money, then entrepreneurs are worth zillions!
Sunday, June 28, 2009
Iteration is Best
We're on one side or another...iteration or long range planning. Which do you prefer?
I prefer iterations of no more than 4 weeks. I'm not the Almightly and no matter how much experience one has at managing projects, I cannot imagine and would not dare to presume that I can predict everything and understand every risk - no matter how fantastic the team is. Why not guarantee success through shorter iterations?
In order to create a heathy and manageable plan with a greater probability of success, consider breaking your project down into phases that can be completed quickly and then blast through them using lessons learned from the previous phase and current "right now" information. Once you try it a few times, get your systems in place and operations in check, I bet this style will become your preference.
Another consideration is that teams will remain on board and motivated because of the frequency of team planning meetings - more involvement in the planning, more often throughout the entire project. Like mini hits of project success - not just milestones.
More action and involvement during the trip makes the trip more interesting, and that makes it seem like a shorter trip! Ask my son, he loves our road trips.
I prefer iterations of no more than 4 weeks. I'm not the Almightly and no matter how much experience one has at managing projects, I cannot imagine and would not dare to presume that I can predict everything and understand every risk - no matter how fantastic the team is. Why not guarantee success through shorter iterations?
In order to create a heathy and manageable plan with a greater probability of success, consider breaking your project down into phases that can be completed quickly and then blast through them using lessons learned from the previous phase and current "right now" information. Once you try it a few times, get your systems in place and operations in check, I bet this style will become your preference.
Another consideration is that teams will remain on board and motivated because of the frequency of team planning meetings - more involvement in the planning, more often throughout the entire project. Like mini hits of project success - not just milestones.
More action and involvement during the trip makes the trip more interesting, and that makes it seem like a shorter trip! Ask my son, he loves our road trips.
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
Super Human Practical Management
During the last several days, I've been in conversations where the other party has used the term "super human" - which in and of itself isn't necessarily unusual, except that I had been thinking of the term just as the other party said it.
Maybe I'm psychic? HA! Wouldn't that be nice?!!
Got me thinking though...from a project manager's perspective, being super human means being on top of everything all the time, keeping our eye on the ball while watching and managing all the wee details. Come to think of it, it's exactly the same as being a Mom.
Now, being super human certainly doesn't mean that we are not apt to making mistakes. We all do, no matter what role we're playing. However, when we gather as much information as possible (chrystal-clear scope and absolute stakeholder requirements, for example), pull together the most appropriate team, communicate effectively with the best intentions / assuming the best intentions, having identified and planned risks, and then roll with the punches...you are guarantee success. Really. Think about it. Even the best laid plans, with the most experienced teams and leaders, have failed - some miserably. What went wrong then? Well...maybe we aren't gods, maybe we're just super humans trying to be gods.
Project management is no guarantee - it raises the probability of success. Maybe we should start calling it Practical Management instead?
It is interesting to me that the value of project management is now being studied. In some cases, even in projects that 'fail' from a product output perspective, when the team is managed respectfully and is engaged throughout, and processes are managed appropriately, everyone considers the project a success.
Of course, they weren't managing the corporate budget! HA!
Maybe I'm psychic? HA! Wouldn't that be nice?!!
Got me thinking though...from a project manager's perspective, being super human means being on top of everything all the time, keeping our eye on the ball while watching and managing all the wee details. Come to think of it, it's exactly the same as being a Mom.
Now, being super human certainly doesn't mean that we are not apt to making mistakes. We all do, no matter what role we're playing. However, when we gather as much information as possible (chrystal-clear scope and absolute stakeholder requirements, for example), pull together the most appropriate team, communicate effectively with the best intentions / assuming the best intentions, having identified and planned risks, and then roll with the punches...you are guarantee success. Really. Think about it. Even the best laid plans, with the most experienced teams and leaders, have failed - some miserably. What went wrong then? Well...maybe we aren't gods, maybe we're just super humans trying to be gods.
Project management is no guarantee - it raises the probability of success. Maybe we should start calling it Practical Management instead?
It is interesting to me that the value of project management is now being studied. In some cases, even in projects that 'fail' from a product output perspective, when the team is managed respectfully and is engaged throughout, and processes are managed appropriately, everyone considers the project a success.
Of course, they weren't managing the corporate budget! HA!
Saturday, June 13, 2009
Strategic Thinkers
Strategy was once defined as "the art of planning and directing large military movements..." In business, a strategy clearly shouldn't be about managing miltary, but rather about how you will (in a friendly way!) bring your product to life, get it all done and still be home for a hot meal once in a while.
Strategic thinkers are big picture thinkers and tend to have particular qualities: they enjoy being part of a team, they see problems as opportunities, they balance short and long-term goals, they stay calm in crisis and unexpected events, and are generally very good communicators. The difference between analytical thinkers and strategic thinkers is that the latter moves from analysis into action. We've all heard of "analysis paralysis". Strategic thinkers also tend to be one step ahead, great forecasters and quite often accurate in their predictions - perhaps due to "fall off, get back up and do it again" experience! A strategic thinker will incorporate processes and never, ever reinvent the wheel. In fact, the first question when embarking on a new project is always "who has done this before and should I get in touch with them?!"
So...we've just arrived in Oliver to spend a few days with family, eat more than usual and relax (ie, sleep on the dock all day until the next trough-run). During the drive up I got to thinking about 'thinking'. My husband jokes about the fact that I don't have an "off" switch - I am in fact always 'on'. I like thinking, strategizing, juggling and figuring. For me, life is much more interesting when I'm wiggling strategy into managing my way through more than I can handle. I am very left-brained, but find that I am actually tapping into my right brain (creativity) when I'm strategizing. Who said I couldn't paint!
Perhaps you could try: life as a project. For starters, break your professional daytime into units (I use 1 hour blocks). Each unit will now have a value depending on what I'm working on; revenue-generating activities (ie, bigger value), dreaded filing or invoicing, professional volunteering, networking, refreshing my education, etc. If you think of time in units you're able to quickly distinguish the real value of each activity, which makes delegating tasks much easier and gives you the freedom to focus on activities that require your expertise. At the end of the day, you have strategically (maybe unknowingly!) aligned your activities with your business plan and have likely experienced less subjectivity and more efficiency (this translates into less emotion and more energy). Life is supposed to be easy.
Strategic thinkers are big picture thinkers and tend to have particular qualities: they enjoy being part of a team, they see problems as opportunities, they balance short and long-term goals, they stay calm in crisis and unexpected events, and are generally very good communicators. The difference between analytical thinkers and strategic thinkers is that the latter moves from analysis into action. We've all heard of "analysis paralysis". Strategic thinkers also tend to be one step ahead, great forecasters and quite often accurate in their predictions - perhaps due to "fall off, get back up and do it again" experience! A strategic thinker will incorporate processes and never, ever reinvent the wheel. In fact, the first question when embarking on a new project is always "who has done this before and should I get in touch with them?!"
So...we've just arrived in Oliver to spend a few days with family, eat more than usual and relax (ie, sleep on the dock all day until the next trough-run). During the drive up I got to thinking about 'thinking'. My husband jokes about the fact that I don't have an "off" switch - I am in fact always 'on'. I like thinking, strategizing, juggling and figuring. For me, life is much more interesting when I'm wiggling strategy into managing my way through more than I can handle. I am very left-brained, but find that I am actually tapping into my right brain (creativity) when I'm strategizing. Who said I couldn't paint!
Perhaps you could try: life as a project. For starters, break your professional daytime into units (I use 1 hour blocks). Each unit will now have a value depending on what I'm working on; revenue-generating activities (ie, bigger value), dreaded filing or invoicing, professional volunteering, networking, refreshing my education, etc. If you think of time in units you're able to quickly distinguish the real value of each activity, which makes delegating tasks much easier and gives you the freedom to focus on activities that require your expertise. At the end of the day, you have strategically (maybe unknowingly!) aligned your activities with your business plan and have likely experienced less subjectivity and more efficiency (this translates into less emotion and more energy). Life is supposed to be easy.
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