Killing Them with Kindness…Corporate Kindness

We have all heard the saying: “kill them with kindness”…and what about one of my newest favorites: “don’t mistake my kindness for weakness…”

Quite frankly, and in my humble opinion (which we all realize isn’t so humble if I am voicing it here ) – kindness is often overrated!!! True kindness, like that which comes from a nun, priest or Mother Teresa – is not overrated – nor the small acts of kindness which come unexpectedly to us from those we love and who love us. Not overrated at all.

But there is a whole other society of kindness – let’s call it “Corporate kindness” which still has not come into its own. I have worked in the Corporate world, pseudo-Corporate world, and liaised with Corporate clients long enough to know that kindness is not well appreciated in these circles. Why? Perhaps because it may not have a place – as kind as you may be to a co-worker or colleague, let us not forget the reason everyone’s there: to earn a paycheck, meet deadlines, produce results, and stay away from trouble. Work = Work. Work ≠ Fun and Work ≠ Charity , otherwise we’d all call it ‘Fun’ or ‘Charity’, wouldn’t we?

Workplace kindness can and is often misplaced and misunderstood. Kindness, in fact, can become controversial in the Corporate environment. Some may mistake kindness for manipulation, others for competition, still others for weakness, and a vast majority for unprofessionalism.

Kindness is readily perceived as an attribute of a human being, not necessarily that of a solid worker, manager, director, VP or CEO. Kindness is a close sibling to compassion and character and associates nicely with respect and fair play – aren’t those key attributes of someone you would want to hire (?); yet it remains a step often left unwritten in employee handbooks.

But kindness can be just as easily cultivated as it is dismissed. It is a top down and bottom up trait. Those on the top who practice Corporate kindness can set the emotional tone, and those on the bottom can maintain it – thereby producing a reciprocity which could potentially filter throughout an organization and across departments and business units. I know , Crayola just invented a crayon the color of naïve, but I do believe it’s possible. In looking back on my own experiences, the superiors for whom I worked the hardest were inherently the kindest; and the employees to whom I was the kindest deserved it most for their character and work ethic.

Realize, however, that some in an organization may simply not possess the capacity to know, understand or be kind. They may continue to dismiss or look down upon the trait as weak or useless and proceed with their stoic/manipulative/scheming ways. But, wouldn’t it be great if they were the exception and not the rule?

Yes, work certainly is about getting things done, producing results and earning a living – but I would argue that kinder Corporate cultures cultivate more productive employees who, in turn, produce better results. If you take care of the emotions of those who take care of your business, your business may just take care of itself.

Try a little kindness….

Wishing You Success,
Natalya

If You Enjoyed This, You May Also Like:

1. Caring…With a Capital C
2. Employees Learn What Managers Live
3. Transparency vs. Authenticity: Which is More Powerful?

Your Second Calling

… So the graduations hang on the wall…But they never really helped us at all…
~Billy Joel, Allentown

Those iconic words by Billy Joel were intended for a far different audience, but have always led me to wonder about their inherent truth. Every so often, I read articles rating how much “X Degree” is really worth and how much a particular school’s graduates earn immediately upon graduation. School is certainly not cheap, and the costs go far beyond the bank to include the opportunity costs of time, mental and physical energy, stress and anxiety.

And, today, it’s not enough to have a College degree – even Masters degrees and PhDs can be trumped by the latest and greatest professional certification (the likes of which are very familiar to me). Children, pre-teens even, worry about their scores on national exams and which college they will eventually get into. Whether you have hailed from the Ivy League, have a steady job, are in the middle of a life transition, or have just been “downsized” due to the current economic climate and find yourself back in career-seeking mode, I have not met anyone recently who is immune to reflecting on their past paths and accomplishments and simply wondering what’s next. We’re all coming to terms with the seemingly unstable nature of the world around us and not knowing what we’re worth anymore or where our skills may fit in the changing landscape in which we live.

So where is the line drawn between focusing on success and following a directed path there… or having success result naturally from doing what you’re supposed to be doing?

These thoughts need not propel you into a life crisis; in fact, they can signal an opportunity. A grand opportunity to regain control, instead of blindly following a path which was clearly mapped out but is no longer relevant to you nor for you. Everyone of us brings value and purpose – to both tasks and people. The real work begins when we embark on discovering where to direct that value and in what direction we’re actually being called…

We do not have the luxury of simply sitting back, sipping tea and engaging in quiet contemplation of our heart’s deepest desires 24/7– not when there are mortgage payments to be made and mouths to feed and educate. But we do have the internal responsibility –to ourselves, if not to the rest of the world – to decide where our passions lie and where we expend our energies. It’s certainly not always black and white, either.

I titled this blog “Your Second Calling” because I am convinced we will all be invited to define one at some point – when our first set of life choices ends or screams out for change; if we are lucky, and we missed the first boat – this would be the opportunity to recalibrate. We neither have to accelerate into fifth gear and refinance our assets to get that MBA, nor do we have to resign ourselves and accept that our current job/position/career is where we will always remain. So, where’s the middle ground?

It seems as though every day, lately, I am asking myself :

• What are you good at? What would you like to be better at, and where are there opportunities to learn?
• Do I really need that second or third degree and am I willing to pay the financial and mental costs to obtain it, or am I better off improving upon what I already possess?
• Conversely, will taking the risk and making time to go back to school assist me in redesigning my life and redefining my strengths and contributions?

As humans, we evolve though we do not always like to recognize nor embrace the changes taking place within us. By slowing down, quieting the noise around us, and soliciting external input – we can linger long enough to allow our minds (and hearts) to engage in isolated identification of our strengths and deliberate decision-making about what our next steps will be.

If I have learned nothing else, it is that your second calling will shout more loudly than any other voice and, this time, it will be the voice of your heart. ~ N

Whether you lead a very successful life in the eyes of the world, or are struggling to find your place – try making it a priority to not only do what you have to, but also find what you’re supposed to do – so, then, the path becomes more of a journey and less of a struggle.

Are you in search of your second calling? Have you found it?

Wishing You Success,
Natalya

What Is Black, White and Varying Shades of Gray…?

What Is Black, White and Varying Shades of Gray…?

The tide of life…some may argue. Others may say it’s all only black and white; and still, others, may see it as entirely gray.

I recently purchased a build-your-own file drawer for my home office, and being as instructionally challenged as I am, could not figure out how the metal bars and supports combined to create the whole. Thanks to a handy friend of mine who made short work of it, the structure was soon in place. Now, all I needed to do was insert the plastic drawers that came with the product. When I purchased the set I thought I’d noticed a black and white alternating motif for the drawer colors, and the project manager in me immediately began mentally labeling each drawer for its future purpose! But as the building process ensued, I realized that there were more colors than I had initially noticed. In fact, the black and white ones numbered in the minority; plentiful were the gray drawers – and not just one shade of gray, either. There was a spectrum: dark gray, medium gray and light gray. All of a sudden, the build-your-own-drawer-set frenzy came to a halting stop as I drew the analogy between my initial vision of the drawers and the colored lenses through which I see life. Of course, when I made the purchase I noticed only the black and white drawers and concluded that that’s all there was. Upon closer examination, with an extra dose of patience and some outside support, the shades of gray materialized before my eyes and I had a completely different outcome [product] than I even knew existed.

When I am at work, I often have no choice other than to see the shades of gray. When ‘no’ is not an option, and the black or white solution which should be easily apparent, isn’t – but the job still needs to get done – creative problem solving must be invoked. I learned very early on in my career that ‘A’ is for attitude, and if I came to the table with a problem, I also needed a viable solution to go along with it! Sometimes, that solution simply meant opening up the issue for discussion and invoking the talents and experience of those also involved in the project/issue/department at hand. For example, I know I am not a marketing guru – but if a publication or piece I’ve helped create or edit isn’t reaching the target market, then it’s as much my responsibility as it is the client’s to ensure it gets where it’s intended to go! So, reaching out to those who touch the target market daily or someone with a talent for big picture marketing and creative approaches doesn’t mean I’ve failed at finding a black or white solution myself – it means I’ve recognized the need to delve into the gray. Funny thing is, the answers are often in the gray areas if you slow down and open yourself enough to find them.

In the same way, life will present both its challenges and opportunities; sometimes all the variables will fall into place and timing will be perfect. But most times, life happens and we have to modify our initial vision to include alternative approaches. It is not always easy to accept that there may be a gray solution to your black and white issue, and acquiring the patience it takes to allow that solution to unfold can be anxiety-provoking, but is almost always worth the wait.

As life and work present their challenges, be willing to swim past the black and white, and freestyle your way into the gray. Your solutions may just be floating there ready to find you, and they are often far from what you originally thought you would find.

Wishing You Success,
Natalya

A…B…C is for COMMUNICATION

Reprinted with the Permission of Workshifting,

A…B…C is for COMMUNICATION
By Natalya Sabga
July 16, 2010

We all think we know how to communicate, right? As children, we learn how to talk; as adults our vocabularies increase as does our knowledge of both verbal and non-verbal queues. To borrow from an overused cliche: “It’s not only what you say, but how you say it…” Wellllll…maybe, yes, ok. But what about when you say it, how much of it you say and to whom it’s said?

In the world of project management, communication is KEY. It’s so key in fact, it’s one of the Project Management Institute’s nine knowledge areas. And, as any well-seasoned project manager knows – and as any new PM will soon find out – communication breakdowns can spell a project’s certain demise. My mantra has always been, “when in doubt, OVERcommunicate.” We all have too many emails in our inboxes anyway; leave it to the recipient to decide if they need the information or not.

If there is relevant and timely information which pertains to a project, disseminate it!!! I have never had a stakeholder nor project resource tell me to stop bombarding them with emails about a project, but I have certainly been involved in instances whereby a simple FYI would have gone a long way toward keeping stakeholder’s anxieties at bay and resources and schedules on track.

In particular, if a project has met with any type of constraint ( be it a resource, budget or scheduling constraint) or dependencies are preventing a milestone from being met – communicating potential roadblocks will help a PM avoid having to ask forgiveness at best or admit project failure at worst. Although you do not want to instill unnecessary concerns or “cry wolf” if you will, when there is the definite potential for adjustments or parallel pathing, your stakeholders need to know.

Effectively, the art of project management involves delicately balancing a defined scope with identified deliverables, the resources involved in managing these deliverables, in order to ultimately reach milestones within an acceptable timeframe and budget. If any of these items stand to be affected, the three ‘Cs’ are your best friends: Communicate, Communicate, Communicate. Remember – one of the distinct advantages of being a project manager is the implicit trust you earn from those relying on you to steer a project to success; embedded in that trust is a willingness for your voice to be heard – so don’t be afraid to use it. It’s your “responsibility” !!!

At the same time, use the tools which have been created just for your project management pleasure – tools such as MS Project and Visio are invaluable visuals which can communicate the progress of your project and any changes therein. I vividly recall managing a dual datacenter build for a methodical Japanese client (who also happened to be the parent company!), and when faced with project roadblocks for which I could neither excuse nor prevent, my constant Visio timeline updates won me all the brownie points that I needed to overcome an inevitable shift in delivery date. If you’re not a techie, which I certainly am not, there are numerous tutorials and resources available to learn how to use these tools.

We all take comfort when uncertainties are minimized, and there is no better way to ensure that those who need to know are in the know than by communicating. And whether you are a professional project manager or managing a life project such as a new home purchase or renovation or enrolling in a new school, the same rules apply. A…B…C is for COMMUNICATION. You would not settle for mis-information so don’t settle for a lack thereof either.

Project Management for the NEW Home Owner

I’m often asked how project management can be used outside the boardroom or office cubicle, and more specifically, how I use project management in general and in life. And, until recently, I thought I’d been using it pretty darn well – so well, in fact, that I conceptualized and am in the process of creating an entire new book around it.

Well, I have President Obama to thank for proving me wrong. Enter the 2009-2010 new home buyer’s tax credit and watch my motivation to become a first time homeowner soar. Until…closing day. While most people would look forward to and celebrate this moment, I faced the closing table with no small amount of dread and an increased, intense Excel worksheet frenzy late into the nights. When all was said and done, and none of it had even begun yet (!), I had a worksheet with too-many-to-count carefully color-coded, columnized tabs – there was a tab for PRE-Closing steps and documents, AT Closing, POST-Closing, Change of Address Lists, Vendor Lists, Cable-Internet-Phone-FPL-Utilities-to-Connect&Disconnect Lists, Furniture-I-Own Lists, Furniture-I’d-Like-to-Own lists…..etc, etc.

Armed with Microsoft Corp. on my side, what could go wrong?! Well, fortunately, Excel aside, it was a textbook closing and all went well! Yet, instead of popping a bottle of champagne at the closing table, I needed a bottle of Advil. I could not wait to jump up and get home to update my spreadsheet. Strange, some may think , but not really – certainly not for me! The keys were mine, and renovations could commence – but more importantly, the real planning could proceed in all its glory! Project planning, that is….Microsoft Project and all of its delights were going to be my new best friends…deliverables, milestones, predecessors…I simply could not wait to identify and track them all! On my critical path: painting and flooring. The paint an obvious predecessor to the floors, and the floors with a ’start no earlier than’ paint constraint. Fortunately, these two items were the only items on the critical path to move-in day. So, once complete, I could set a move-in date.

I already had movers lined-up. Oh, and by the way, my current apartment had been packed up for 7 months, save for the daily essentials needed to live (anyone who knows me would not be surprised). I even had a genius friend map out my current furniture to scale of the new house (!!!) in VISIO (thanks again, Microsoft, we love you) so I knew where all of the pieces would fit in my new home.

So, what was the problem? I was wrought with anxiety, sweating the small stuff, and fearful of all things new-home-owner-centric. Regardless of how many lists I made, project plan deliverables met, and boxes packed – I did not feel ready. I felt overwhelmed and certain that any move-in date I set would not hit its target. Would my very own first home be the first project of mine to colossally fail?

Stepping back for a moment, and taking deep breaths, I had an epiphany. In that moment of clarity and temporary sanity, I stopped berating myself for how badly I was managing my own project, and forgave myself for trying to solve the move, instead of simply living it.

I did berate myself, however, for failing to recall two primary tenets of good project management:

1. Rolling Wave (not) Crashing - Rolling wave project planning (RWPP) is a phased, iterative approach to project planning and implementation. When done well, it balances structured processes with flexibility.* It was readily apparent to me that there was a clear imbalance between my project planning ( too strong) and project execution (weak and anxiety-ridden). If I continued on the path of everything-needs-to-be-done NOW and BY ME, my project would surely crash.
2. Resource Management - There is no ‘I’ in Project Team. Why? Because every project manager is only as strong as the resources assigned to his/her project. And, typically, the PM is not the one with the technical expertise – the resources all bring a special skill to make the project work as a whole. So, I had to not only recognize but also accept that I needed help – I reallllllyyyyy needed help – not only movers to move, but people I knew who knew more than I did about…landscaping, sprinklers, patio cobwebs, light fixtures, paint, and decor, and who were willing to jump in to help without even the promise of a sandwich or donut in return because I was just too busy to stop and feed them. And accepting that I needed help meant, in turn, accepting that I would need to let go of control and learn patience.

So, therein lies a prime example of good intentions gone awry. Instead of willing my new-home-project forward, I had to awaken to the truth that it would be a process not a finish line, and I should celebrate milestones along the way instead of stumbling over them to prove that the project could be closed.

Something tells me that I will be compiling the “Lessons Learned” from this project for a long, long time to come.

VERY SPECIAL THANKS to all those who assisted me during this process…in word and in deed. You KNOW who you are!!! They deserve a standing ovation for making this happen – not only the time and effort expended but for simply tolerating me during this time of anxiety and preparation. And, an extra thanks to a wonderful real estate agent who led me, after a year-long search, to a home better than any I could have dreamed, and to Dad for spotting the diamond in a housing market full of rocks. Stay tuned for my follow up post…”House Hunting as a Metaphor for Life…”

Wishing You Success,
Natalya

* RWPP definition credits: Gregory D. Githens, PMP, Catalyst Management Consulting

It’s Not Easy Being Green

It’s Not Easy Being Green
By Natalya Sabga on July 6, 2010 2:54 PM |Permission granted to reprint by Workshifting.

Traveling, whether by air, sea or land, truly opens a window to the world. In addition to the natural wonders of the Earth, travelling exposes us to new and different cultures as well as to the new and different ways our own culture operates.

On a recent trip to Seattle [Washington] from my home base of South Florida, I went in search of inspiration and productivity at every corner Starbucks. Unable to connect to any of the available wi-fi networks (a much dreaded reality for any freelance writer, consultant or the like who envisions the world as an office), I retreated to the only spa/salon I could find – in as desperate need of a mani/pedi as of a wired hot spot. Imagine my surprise when I not only realized that the sticker prices of these services were triple what I am accustomed to in South Florida, but also when I was informed that I would be treated to bona-fide organically “green” treatments! I felt indulged, special and strangely proud of myself for patronizing such an admirable organization. As I read over its literature, (Julep hopes to expand, coming to a city near you, soon!) I realized that the terms “green”, and “going green” are widely used – yet I was not certain how widely understood?

In simple terms, “going green” can be defined as the act(s) of adopting practices that “lead to more environmentally friendly and ecologically responsible decisions and lifestyles, which can help protect the environment and sustain its natural resources for current and future generations.”

As an independent consultant, my perspective on the gradual switch to a greener existence is very different from that of a large organization or conglomerate. A greener workplace can mean many different things and translate into various behavioral modifications, so I wondered how I could best implement my own measures in my home office…?

1. Transportation - well, this one should be quite easy. My office is 20 feet across from the other rooms in my home. I rarely and barely need to drive into an office or to see clients; but when office duties or client-facing meetings call – I am best served to allocate specific office hours on specific days of the week and maximize that time to cover as many face-to-face meetings as feasible. Consider this: as a workshifter, every appointment or contract you do take is one that you did not take. So you would choose and juggle projects and clients carefully, wouldn’t you? In the same way, every trip (by motor vehicle) you do take is one that could be combined or consolidated to produce a trip you don’t have to take…
2. Tree Hugging – be they palm trees like I have in Florida or Pines to the north, we have a unique opportunity to please the trees by veering closer to a paper-less existence.
   • With the onset of technology, smart phones and a plethora of online organizational tools, the need for hard copy calendaring systems and sticky note portraits is long gone. Although this may take some re-training of your mind if you are a sensual and visual worker who needs to see, feel and write – you may be surprised at the joy you receive from plugging in an appointment or task into your smartphone and having it magically sync with your work laptop or PC, or being able to color code your calendars and appointments… Welcome to the world of mindless, foolproof scheduling and tracking.
   • Similarly, long gone is the need for drawers upon drawers of files. Even doctors are going digital nowadays! Create a logical filing system in your ‘My Documents’ folder, learn how to archive your email and most importantly – invest in a smart backup software and external drive. Most are simple, easy-to-install and affordable. Then, the only file cabinet you need is a fire-proof one in which to store the external drive…
   • When you cannot avoid printing, make every effort to print double-sided. You will not only save yourself paper but also have smaller stacks to look at on your desk.
3. Power Struggle -Turn off your monitor/PC/laptop, set them to standby mode after 20 minutes of non-use, or – even better – unplug! Before you turn any shade of green, BE INFORMED and understand what you’re doing and what its effect will be. Did you know that if every notebook sold worldwide in 2006 was on standby 50% of the time… enough power would be saved on an annual basis to provide power to more than 45,000 households…? (citation) I was shocked to learn that equipment continues to leech power in the “off mode” when still plugged in. So at night, or when you’re away, it’s best to “unplug” in more ways than one.
4. Reduce, Reuse, Recycle – while these terms have been around as long as I can remember, they have not always been actively practiced. Turn the A/C down or the heat up where you work. Reuse office supplies for as long as they last. Recycle all paper and plastic products and buy recycled wherever it can be found. If your community does not have a recycling program, contact your local waste management authority and demand one! Don’t just think of yourself as an office of one, but rather as an army of one on a crusade to better the quality of the earth one less paper copy at a time..

So, no, it isn’t easy being green, and it may take a more conscious effort on your part to live and work in a more environmentally friendly fashion, but the planet will thank you and so will many future generations. You may even surprise yourself and discover that a greener life is a cleaner one – in mind, office and spirit, too!

What steps are you/your organization taking/have taken to be greener? What small steps have you adopted to make your life’s work more environmentally friendly?

Personal Branding: Stepping Out or Stepping Aside…?

Imagine a place where it IS all about you. Really. This place lives in the world of personal branding. You do not have to be a major market player, and it’s likely you’re not, to need a personal brand. Don’t you think the likes of Warren Buffet, Suze Orman, Donny Deutsch and others began with only the knowledge in their heads and a willingness to share it? So what made them grow into the household names they are today, aside from likability and knowledge? Who they are and what they know morphed into a personal brand which eventually made its way into our lives, and onto our bookshelves and TVs.

Having branched out myself in the past year, and examined the possibilities and constraints of selling “me”, I had to look closely at what being and becoming a personal brand really means. And, I will tell you what I determined rather quickly – you not only have to have an unabashed belief in yourself but more importantly you must not be TOO SHY to tell everyone – yourself – all about YOU! Particularly with the plethora of social media engines, there is ample opportunity for what I like to call “e-boasting.” From Facebook to Twitter to LinkedIn and online magazines, I was sure my name, my abilities and my expertise would practically swim themselves out into a sea of marketing opportunities. Oh my, I was so wrong. First of all, the term ’social media’ is not a misnomer!!! You really do have to be a social being to even want to use them. They’re not for the shy, introspective loner at heart. Even after one year, I still cringe every time I pen a new blog and force myself (yes, I repeat, force myself) to post the link to Facebook. But the good news is, the more you do it, the easier it becomes. And, of course – if you truly believe in your message and want to share it with others to somehow better their existence, you can chalk up the social anxiety to a greater good. And, as soon as you begin to receive comments on your blog posts or other social media mutterings, the theory proves itself.

If you want to go one step further (and I’d really rather not, but am trying very hard to convince myself), you venture into the world of public speaking, conferences with like minded professionals, promotional opportunities and perhaps even an agent.

Having said that, before you contemplate YOU too much:

1. Identify your core area(s) of focus – for the life of me, I do not understand consumers who buy coffee from McDonald’s. Somehow french fries and fresh coffee percolating just do not mix for me. Nor would I go near a slice of pizza if Dunkin Donuts ever added it to its line-up. By the same token, don’t try to know everything or have your brand encompass too much at first. You will learn, quickly, where you truly want and can direct your efforts with the most valuable outcome. And if it takes some time, try different projects until you’re sure about the ones that make you excited to get out of bed and off to work. I am still learning which “hats” fit me best, but it’s a really great feeling when you find one that’s snug
2. Know your product and be able to recite it to anyone who asks or may need to know – how can you “sell” what you cannot explain, especially if it’s YOU! (Reference item (1) above – you need to know your areas of focus before you can speak of them in a concise fashion.) For an exceptional article on “Elevator Pitches”, check out HR Bartender’s recent post…
3. Let your talents bloom. If you love something and know that the results of your efforts are good, or maybe even exceptional, explore how you can offer them to others! You may just create a brand without even trying and fulfill the needs of others. What begins as a fondness for tending to your garden may just one day become your own landscaping empire!
4. Award credit where credit is due – especially when it’s not due to you! One of the first and most valuable lessons I learned over the past year was to acknowledge my infancy in the world of personal branding and to applaud those who know more and do it better than I do. Although they say that “imitation is the sincerest form of flattery,” I am not completely comfortable mimicking others’ efforts nor walking in the footprints they’ve stamped in the sand ahead of me, but I do observe and watch and monitor and evaluate every opportunity I notice out there and decide which ones may fit my skill sets and comfort levels best. There’s no shame in offering your abilities where they may add value. There is room for everyone to shine! I also award credit to and for the inspirational influence on my work – doling out praise and credit where and when it’s due will pay dividends and may even result in the favor being paid back to you! As a result of recently attending a free webinar, I acknowledged the company in a past article and they soon contacted me to kindly offer me the honor and ability to audit their programs and provide them with feedback and expertise. Fun and flattering, I must say!
5. Look in the mirror - whether you are a professional, a student, a homemaker, ….we ALL project a personal brand to the world. Know what that is and be proud to sell it indirectly to those with whom you interact. And, most importantly, do what it takes to go to sleep at night with the assurance that you’d want to buy YOU yourself!

Author’s Note: As I venture into writing another book, knowing what I know now about releasing the first, I have to ask myself- am I ready for the world to read the words I kept between me and the keyboard for so long? Like it or not, your personal brand IS you – and if you choose to have one, be sure you want to display it on the world’s shelves.

Wishing You Success,
Natalya

“Sense”-ible Project Management

Re-print of my recent WORKSHIFTING* article:

As a certified PMP^®, one of the requirements I am held to is continuing education for my certification. Despite the costs, time and effort involved in earning “PDUs” (Professional Development Units) to maintain the certification, I welcome the opportunity – albeit involuntary – to learn new and enlightening facets of my field. Given the international recognition and proliferation of PMP^®s, many companies are offering webinars and other online learning opportunities to make PDU-acquisition that much less painful! I recently attended a free webinar entitled “A Sixth Sense for Project Management,” which spoke to the need for projects managers to find and invoke an intuitive “sixth sense” to overcome and identify that which empirical business acumen and planning simply cannot supercede.

And, so I began pondering….how we, as project managers, must essentially invoke ALL of our senses to manage projects and ensure success.

1. Sight : A good project manager not only “sees” the vision and scope for the project, as derived from stakeholder requirements, but also keeps the project “visible” throughout the organization and throughout the project life cycle.
2. Touch : In the world of project management, “touch” is synonymous with impact. Without a doubt, a project manager’s ability to lead and influence are paramount to a project’s success. Your priority is not only to capture requirements and obtain stakeholder buy-in from inception with a strong scope statement and kickoff, but also to continually “touch” the resources assigned to your project and on whom you rely for its completion. There’s a lot of meaning behind the phrase “All hands on deck!” when you need both stakeholder, resource and project manager cooperation to ensure a project’s timely and successful completion.
3. Hearing: It goes without saying that a project manager must have an acute sense of hearing in order to catch all of the requirements, scheduling constraints and deliverables which are part of every project. However, project managers need to be able to “hear” undercurrents of emerging risks, schedule constraints and resource apathy which will all adversely affect a positive project outcome. Tuning in to such inaudible signals is crucial so that you can avoid hearing stakeholders shout at the top of their lungs when a project gets off track.
4. Smell : A project manager does not need to be a bomb-sniffing dog to know when the wheels are stuck, rubber is burning, and a project is veering off track.
5. Taste : A good project manager must be able to taste for “done-ness” to know when requirements have been fulfilled and a project is fully ready for implementation. And much like a restaurant tasting, all members of the project team must agree on the level of “done-ness”. But then, when all is said and done, there is no sense a project manager likes more than this one and the taste of sweet success when milestones are met, schedules align, budget constraints are not exceeded and stakeholder expectations satisfied!

So, when managing a project, whether large or small, personal or professional, you need not be a certified PMP® like me to appreciate that you will engage 100% of yourself and your senses. It is important to recognize the relationship between a project manager’s “sense-ibilities” and the innate ability to initiate, drive, and guide a project to success.

What do you think?

*Reprinted with the permission of Workshifting, a division of New Marketing Labs, LLC.

A Pebble of Praise – The Power of Recommendations

I recently received a very unexpected recommendation from my colleague, Sharlyn Lauby on the professional networking site, LinkedIn. I urge you to check out her blog at hrbartender.com, for some of the most insightful, informative and well-executed thoughts that exist in the blogosphere.

Now, while I have been fortunate to enjoy a certain measure of accolades and praise in my professional career and been truly humbled by it, I very rarely stop to pay much attention to the recognition, if any at all. I do what I do because it’s what I want to do and how I need to do it. That means I treat my work, colleagues and deadlines with the respect they deserve, which often results [hopefully] in valuable output. Having said that, Sharlyn’s recommendation made me STOP. I appreciated her feedback, more so than any amount of praise and even more than other recommendations I’ve received, because I admire how she operates and the high level of quality which is part of everything she does. In that sense, her words about me forced me to recognize the level of quality and standards in my own work that I had failed to notice or appreciate myself.

So, whether you are in a professional setting or simply among friends, do not overlook the power of sincere praise and recognition. We all need it, whether we know it or not. And, particularly if you are a person whom your friends and associates like and respect, your acknowledgment of their contributions will be worth something to them – worth quite a bit, in fact.

Furthermore, the act of praise often has a domino effect: if you praise or recognize another, they will not only take greater pride in what they do, therefore enhancing their future output and contributions; but they will also be more likely to praise and recognize someone else.

If you simply stop and take the time to acknowledge someone who has made a difference, that small pebble of praise will have a ripple effect through infinite numbers of lives and levels of output.

If a pebble hitting the water in one location will affect the water on a much greater scale than one can comprehend, just imagine what your words of praise could do to the universe….

Wishing You Success,
Natalya

*Image courtesy of zaksiddons

Questions Floating In Your Head

Lately, my personal, professional and proverbial cup not only runneth over but my plate overflowth and my head near explodeth.

All of this may, in fact, sound positive – but it has had one negative effect: I cannot think coherently enough to make sound decisions, in the present moment, nor to allow creativity to flow. In simple terms, my blog entries have been fewer, but fortunately I do not blog for a living. In the larger picture, long-term decisions like career choices, personal travel plans and how and when I interact with others have all been compromised by this state of too mucheth.

Being the black-or-white person that I am, balance has eluded me much of my life, and no amount of superhuman organizational skills nor intellectual intuition have helped me overcome the extreme. In fact, they may have stood in the very way of the balance I used them to achieve. Over-organization led to over-analysis which led to over-thinking of the outcome, which led to …guess what??? Nothing that I can remember or have to show for all of that mental effort!

These exercises in futility have led me to two inevitable conclusions, which lend themselves to life lessons:

1. Accept who and what you are – Give up beating yourself up. Enough. The same skills which make you a success in a professional situation may turn against you in a personal one. Know your skills, their advantages and disadvantages and when to recognize that they may need to be toned down or heavily invoked for a particular instance.

2. Listen for, actively seek and find techniques which can assist you – work with you, in the times you need mental clarity most.

• When I am most frantic, in mind and body, what I need most is quiet time – to turn on my Ipod and let the words of a soothing Podcast or meditational tune calm my mind so that my actions will follow. Yet, it is during these fast and furious episodes when I am chasing after the hi-speed-car-chase thoughts in my head, that I would rarely stop and actually invoke this technique when I need it most. So, I keep a list of “relaxation” techniques close at hand, and on my fridge, as a blatant reminder that I must stop in order to keep moving…

• When my metaphorical desk is covered with projects large and small, multiple tasks, deadlines near and far, what I need most is to streamline those projects into priorities – keeping them all on the radar and within range of accomplishment – yet not necessarily all crowded at the front lobe of my brain. How to do this? There are many tools, technical and creative, which I invoke:

1. One of my favorites is a simple “responsibility assignment matrix” template which I created to compartmentalize my areas of responsibility. It acts as a visual taskmaster, illustrating what needs to be done in plain sight and guiding my brain, therefore, to where I will place my focus, or upon whom. I used this as a manager, having a compartmentalized “box” for each employee’s individual tasks which I needed to oversee, as well as an extra box in which I placed my own departmental deliverables. Today I use this same template to quantify my individual projects and clients as well as my own personal agenda items. I have even used it to itemize the rooms I needed cleaned, when I had hired a housekeeper.
2. Another tool I recently discovered, the “Action Book.” This is an actual paper product which has its own complementary software. The Action Book was designed to provide a flexible template to get the most out of what is in your head and which needs to be put into action. Its format cleverly encourages you to gather your thoughts/projects/responsibilities in the way which will most effectively boost productivity and make ideas happen. Fabulous gift for students and professionals, alike, by the way!
3. If you’re more electronically enlightened, the options are limitless – one I happen to enjoy is Microsoft‘s OneNote which allows you not only to create a virtual notebook, but also to individualize its sections and even to drag and drop websites, web-based articles and the like as reminders or pieces of inspiration. I am also a huge fan of Microsoft Outlook, but not in the typical sense – many swear by its calendaring and note features which create electronic pop ups and task reminders, and can be sync’d with IPhones and Blackberries etc – instead, I simply and religiously print weekly (or depending on how busy I am, daily) calendars from Outlook in which I map out my day’s/week’s/ or 6 months’ worth of upcoming tasks, meetings and reminders. Call me old fashioned, I just prefer to write things down, preferably in as many colors as there are color pencils in the box. But either way, Outlook is a very handy tool to use to keep yourself on time and on track.
4. Sometimes, you may just need a nap. So, listen to your body and mind if it’s tired, and sleep in just one extra hour. It may make all the difference you need.

So, when there are multiple thoughts, ideas or decisions floating in your psyche, swim against the current in your head and STOP for a moment to consider what techniques you need most at that moment to regain focus, practice being in the present and channeling your innermost most creative and productive self.

I plan to stop writing and do just that…

Wishing You Success,
Natalya

Breaking All the Rules

I am not good at everything and managing people is certainly no exception. Take that one step further, I am even worse at listening to employees’ needs when my desk is piling up with projects, deadlines and issues needing solutions. I would venture to say that I am not alone.

Over the course of the past 5 weeks, I was fortunate enough to participate in a Management & Leadership seminar conducted by a company called Third Level, held at my former full-time stomping ground. Part leadership training, part high-level executive coaching, and part professional therapy, “Third Level” is no misnomer; the talented leaders of that firm encourage their executive coaching clients to manage to those above, below and laterally AND to go to that next, i.e. “Third” level, in decision-making, intuition, when listening to others, and when listening to oneself. During last week’s class, the instructor introduced us to a study conducted by Buckingham and Coffman entitled “First Break All the Rules!” For all of us leaders and managers alike who fail to listen to what our employees really need, and who were not listened to when we performed in the role of someone else’s employee – this list is for YOU, and you, and you, and me, too….

First, Break All the Rules: What the World’s Greatest Managers Do Differently

Buckingham and Coffman set out, in Gallup poll style, to conduct interviews with 80,000 managers in over 400 companies – the largest study of its kind – resulting in discovery of the TOP twelve definitive questions to ask your employees that measure the strength of your workplace.

NOTE: the questions listed below fell statistically in the TOP TWELVE of all questions asked. You may be surprised….

1. Do I know what’s expected of me at work?

2. Do I have the materials and equipment I need to do my work right?

3. At work, do I have the opportunity to do what I do best every day?

4. In the last 7 days, have I received recognition or praise for doing good work?

5. Does my supervisor, or someone at work, seem to care about me as a person?

6. Is there someone at work who encourages my development?

7. At work, do my opinions seem to count?

8. Does the mission/purpose of my company make me feel my job is important?

9. Are my co-workers committed to doing quality work?

10. Do I have a best friend at work?

11. In the last six months, has someone at work talked to me about my progress?

12. This last year, have I had opportunities at work to learn and to grow?

Some of these questions may resonate more loudly with you than others, depending on your own experiences managing or being managed. For example, none resonated more loudly with me than number 3:At work, do I have the opportunity to do what I do best every day? Already a huge fan of Marcus Buckingham and his strength-based role-theory, when placed in a position (i.e., managing other people and playing politics) which does not utilize my greatest strengths and skills, I will jump ship lest I be set up to live a miserable existence at best and to fail or compromise my integrity at worst.

Take number 7: At work, do my opinions seem to count? How many times have we all not only worked tirelessly on a project, but also took it with us on our drive home, losing sleep and the ability to interact with our family in a human manner, in an effort to produce the best solution for the company – only to get to work the next day and realize someone else decided to do it their way, and all of your research and mental energies were for naught.

I could go on and on, but I won’t, as each question will mean something different yet surprisingly the same to each of you. This is why the questions above constituted the TOP TWELVE.

Be prepared to have your current thinking about what motivates or de-motivates YOU at work and in life, AND what really matters in the psyche of employees and us all, challenged if you choose to First, Break All The Rules.

Wishing You Success,
Natalya

2010 Words of Wisdom…New Year’s Resolutions and Saying Good-Bye to 2009!

So, I would be the remiss author of a blog if I did not pen an exit entry to 2009 and welcome in words of wisdom for 2010.

2009 has been a “different” year for me, full of decisions I have made which were different than what I would typically choose and challenges I have faced which were different than those I have ever had to face (or think of) before….and, what have I learned? I have learned that:

• Sometimes you DO need to step backwards ( and feel like you’re about to topple over) in order to move forward;
• That it is OK to SAY NO and be HONEST – especially if you’re being honest with yourself and true to your own truths;
• That multi-tasking is a myth and leads straight to a failure to focus; conversely, taking a mere 10 minutes a day to get some fresh air, listen to meditative music or a podcast can really clear a part of your mind and soul that needed the space;
• That, although time does not stop, it’s only man’s human conceptualization of time; ANY day (hour, minute, second) can be a new beginning…

I could go on and on….

2010 will be “different”, too, but my focus will be less on action and more in inspiration. Don’t get me wrong- I have a lot to accomplish and it all requires intense focus and tough choices, but my actions will be inspired by the energy which I use to complete these actions and less on their outcomes- i.e., “inspired action*.”

For example, a friend of mine who has been searching for the correct career path for over a year now recently told me that instead of giving up and sitting on the beach (not a bad thing if done for the purposes of bullet #3, above ), he will continue to learn as much about his chosen field as possible and apply this knowledge toward any major or minor project he has. In so doing, he believes that when the right opportunity is ready for him – he will be ready for it. He’s banking on the adage that “luck favors the prepared mind.” And, there’s really no gamble there. His words led me to an epiphany of my own:

If we allow our hearts and inspired minds to lead us, do work hard, and don’t give up reaching for our goals – despite the uncertainty of their outcome – we are attracting a positive outcome, i.e. goal attainment.

This IS inspired action.

What many people don’t recognize is that planning and taking inspired action towards one’s ultimate goals can actually help to enact the law of attraction in their favor. That’s because as you work toward achieving your goal, you’ll naturally visualize and imagine yourself achieving the goal. This helps you to get on the right vibrational level to attract and manifest your desires.
~Angela Atkinson

So, don’t just blindly resolve to make changes in 2010. Consciously choose to visualize your goals and desires and take inspired steps toward them.

Cheers!

Wishing Us All Success in 2010,
Natalya

* Inspired action is a term coined and used by Angela Atkinson. Special thanks to her for allowing me to borrow it. Special thanks to Stacy, and D, as well for their unwitting contributions to and inspirations for this blog.

Some other thoughts to re-visit as we exit 2009:

My Money Is Not On Multi-tasking Anymore
Productivity
Gratitude

Productivity 101: “Quieting the Noise”

Truth be told, I have been struggling with productivity and focus issues lately; and it’s no coincidence that – in less than one week – I have been presented with two messengers who are helping me to “quiet the noise.”

I read an article posted by fellow writer and renowned organizational expert, Paul H. Burton: “Focusing Your Message Requires Focusing Your Mind” and subsequently read the first chapter of his book _Quiet Spacing_. I became an instant fan and plan to purchase his book. If nothing else, I encourage anyone to download his free sample of chapter one and try Paul’s “test-drive exercise” – worth the price of admission alone!!! The exercise will encourage you to simulate calmness and instruct you how to focus on your task (one task) at hand to experience the amazing result.

I am fascinated by that approach, while at the same time plagued by the issues it addresses. As a project manager to both clients and immediate family , consultant and writer, I find that my days are consistently choppy like a bad airplane ride; I am searching for a way to decrease the noise and, in so doing, increase my mental acuity, focus, productivity, and peace of mind…

Which leads me to messenger #2. A simple nonfat latte at the local Starbucks with a wonderful friend and mentor led to a surprising revelation. While achieving professional productivity and focus is a feat unto its own and toward which we all strive, it may never feel like enough or even remotely rewarding if one cannot quiet the noise within…

I have often found that even the most challenging professional task or dreaded meeting feels like a day at Disney World when there is peace within and all feels right in [my] limited world; turn the tables, however, and with a personal, family or health issue looming, even the easiest task or most pleasurable event feels like torture and makes a filling at the dentist preferable.

So, in sum, regulating the mind occurs on two levels: one in the mind, and the other in the heart. Both must work together to create harmonious thought and true productivity and fulfillment.

Wishing You Success,
Natalya

My Money is not on Multi-Tasking Anymore

As a project manger, I have always prided myself on my ability to handle multiple, simultaneously occurring tasks and to track the status of any or all of them at any given point.

I can also do laundry, talk on the phone , watch TV , stretch in a yoga pose and read a book at the same time, too….

Am I proud of this? I used to be…until I saw up close and personal the mental toll it’s taken on my acuity. Some may call it adult ADD, but I know I am not alone…multitasking is pervasive in our society.

According to the John’s Hopkins School of Medicine:

When you multitask, you may think you are getting a lot done, but there’s a cost when the tasks compete for the same (and limited) cognitive resources (e.g., attention, working memory) and draw on the same brain circuitry. This is true, no matter how good you think you are at multitasking. There’s just too much competition for the same neural circuits and what you end up with is a compromise. Neither task is performed as well as it is when performed alone.

And…I would add to that, we become short-fused, lose focus and no longer able to engage in rhythmic thoughtfulness. By definition, we cannot live in the present, because we are trying to move faster and accomplish more than time allows.

Multitasking may actually be counterproductive. In the era of email, Twittering, Facebook, instant messaging, and smartphones, our brains never disconnect. Like any muscle, the brain will fatigue and not operate as effectively.

We ALL need to slow dowwwwwwn and focus more…perhaps the old adage “one thing at a time, one day at a time” still has its merits.

Wishing You Success,
Natalya

If you enjoyed this post, you may also want to visit/re-visit ” The In-Between “.