Tools - Best Practices for Report Cover / Title pages
12:03
A strong cover page sets the stage! Often, we leave it plain, cold & too formal. In a multimedia rich world we can avoid boredom and get excited about the content (cover page introduces you to this).
Unfortunately, humans have a tendency to have a first opinion within 30 seconds of seeing things and this will lead to a judgement or opinion that they form within their mind. So do not underestimate the value of spending extra time on that cover page.
The next part is for you to either reverse that judgement (if it is a bad one) or to enhance, foster and cement it (if it is a good one).
Thus, ensure you spend some time on that cover page and do not have a "one template fits all" attitude.
At a minimum, create a theme for your cover page based on the:
A sample cover page could include:
Other key things or guidelines include:
The items below depend on the size of the document (for small files you may incorporate them directly on the cover page or if a large document these types of things should be on the second page):
A final note, do not be afraid to have your cover page in a different font then the rest of the body. This also shows a bit of flair and can gain more attention.
A few links below touch on this topic, but surprisingly not a lot out there...
Title page creation in MS Word (visual)
Do's and Don'ts
Sample cover pages
Unfortunately, humans have a tendency to have a first opinion within 30 seconds of seeing things and this will lead to a judgement or opinion that they form within their mind. So do not underestimate the value of spending extra time on that cover page.
The next part is for you to either reverse that judgement (if it is a bad one) or to enhance, foster and cement it (if it is a good one).
Thus, ensure you spend some time on that cover page and do not have a "one template fits all" attitude.
At a minimum, create a theme for your cover page based on the:
- receiver,
- sender,
- content,
- presenting technology (if applicable),
- and constraints (e.g. time, money and quality).
A sample cover page could include:
- Header/Footer: this is variable, examples of what to include are: Title, website, sending company name, receiving company name, * Confidential * wording,
- Content: be short, specific, this is your landing page for the people you are trying to present something to, align the body of the document to the type of cover page you need to have
- Confidential or Proprietary Notice: depending on how confidential or how much IP is involved, have a simple one liner or include a legal statement
- Logos (do not need to be drawing attention, subtle logo in the right space is key (header/footer or embedded somewhere on the page)
- Diagrams - this is low hanging fruit, people are visual and seldom do I see an image, yet it is very easy to do, it can be a descriptive image that related to the content, or it can simply be a background image (eg. drops of water if the content is water management).
Other key things or guidelines include:
- Title
- Subject
- For (company and if possible a name)
- From
- Date
- Slogan (if applicable)
The items below depend on the size of the document (for small files you may incorporate them directly on the cover page or if a large document these types of things should be on the second page):
- Version Control
- Contact Information (address, tel, email)
- Controlling Author
- TM or copy right statements
A final note, do not be afraid to have your cover page in a different font then the rest of the body. This also shows a bit of flair and can gain more attention.
A few links below touch on this topic, but surprisingly not a lot out there...
Title page creation in MS Word (visual)
Do's and Don'ts
Sample cover pages
PMTip - Does a Project Plan bring value?
07:22
Immediately, the day you start to execute the plan, you will find that your plan has flaws. This is because your plan has become out-dated and incorrect as soon as it is put into play.
TRUTH: In a living interactive world full of human interaction - everything is changing, with and sometimes without logic and no person has the ability to 100% totally predict the future - and this is a constant we live with and try to get things done as best as we can.
QUESTION:
Thus one should expect things to not go exactly to the plan. But to continue to identify the multiple possible futures and multiple possible paths available to take us into the best future that we can estimate with the current information at hand.
One must find the path that best balances the objectives and available resources (e.g. people, time, money, equipment, materials, etc) and remember that each path will have a fork, and decisions must be made which fork in the road is to be taken.
This again is why it is so key to spend time up front, in early stages to really have the buy-in and support of the objectives and value that the project must produce.
4 Techniques to help manage this include:
1) Include in your project lifecycle more phases/stages that occur early on (few people with few resources spent). If following the PMI methodology, these would occur before "Initiation". In mature organizations it is common to have a:
- Concept Stage: identify the idea, identify value, talk through it and don't try to complicate or over analyze,
then also include a
- Proposal Stage: talk about feasibility at a high level, is this real, do you think we could achieve it, this is where the amount of resources spent to conduct the feasibility plan or even pilot, will be highly based on the risk threshold of the organization
Then after those two stages are complete (ensure you have gates and deliverables to close the gate), the project can move into the standard PMI lifecycle stages/phases which include:
2) Clearly know AND understand the different levels of objectives, from top executive sponsor role to the front line stakeholder and customer. Also it is key that the objectives have a simple definition of the associated value that will be produced.
3) When we face the unknowns we always have constraints (we will be limited in resources), thus decisions will have to involve "Trade-offs" and must always go back to the objectives. Ensure the project does not stray too far into a future path that is not recognizable from when the project was started.
4) As soon as the idea is hatched, bring in a PM to start the coordination of flowing through the project in a structured manner. Today we are so inter-connected, that there will be risks that simply cannot be foreseen. A project manager too often is hired and focused on managing the budget, schedule, scope and quality. But to truly get maximum value from a PM, enable them to focus on Integration and to coordinate the inter-connected variables that exist within the project - between all the diverse stakeholders. And it is ever so key to do this right from the start.
PS: just a quick reminder, don't think it is okay to throw the plan out the window, or minimize the importance of the plan. We always must plan, do and circle back with a continuous check. Follow as close as possible to the plan, and take corrective actions as needed. AND ensure things get recorded (what did not go according to plan) and plan the time for proper lessons learned after the objectives are achieved.
While in the midst of execution, emphasize working to achieve objectives, we need to change how we think about planning. There could be less emphasis about deliverables, since much of the scope will lack clarity and thus you are destined to not go according to the plan. But ensure if you have a collaborative, creative team, then know your journey and you will achieve your objectives (thinking about the solution, not the parts).
TRUTH: In a living interactive world full of human interaction - everything is changing, with and sometimes without logic and no person has the ability to 100% totally predict the future - and this is a constant we live with and try to get things done as best as we can.
TRUTH: We can sometimes be arrogant with our plan and think it is SO good that there will be a "Single Optimal Future" that must be achieved.
TRUTH: In the real world of a project, there will be "Multiple Possible Futures" and you will never know all the influencers, so you must be managing your project from start to finish and try to be a close as possible to your original plan.
TRUTH: In the real world of a project, there will be "Multiple Possible Futures" and you will never know all the influencers, so you must be managing your project from start to finish and try to be a close as possible to your original plan.
QUESTION:
So why do we get so stressed when things do no go according to plan? Why do we Curse the Plan?
ANSWER: ha, ha, there is no single answer, and never will be, this is so complex and is essentially part of a journey - not a race!
Continue to chip away and "Stay the Course". We must be able to manage our stress when we have to conduct "Decision making with levels of uncertainty".
ANSWER: ha, ha, there is no single answer, and never will be, this is so complex and is essentially part of a journey - not a race!
Continue to chip away and "Stay the Course". We must be able to manage our stress when we have to conduct "Decision making with levels of uncertainty".
The higher level of project risk that exists
(e.g. complexity and uniqueness), the higher the level of unknowns.
Thus one should expect things to not go exactly to the plan. But to continue to identify the multiple possible futures and multiple possible paths available to take us into the best future that we can estimate with the current information at hand.
One must find the path that best balances the objectives and available resources (e.g. people, time, money, equipment, materials, etc) and remember that each path will have a fork, and decisions must be made which fork in the road is to be taken.
This again is why it is so key to spend time up front, in early stages to really have the buy-in and support of the objectives and value that the project must produce.
4 Techniques to help manage this include:
1) Include in your project lifecycle more phases/stages that occur early on (few people with few resources spent). If following the PMI methodology, these would occur before "Initiation". In mature organizations it is common to have a:
- Concept Stage: identify the idea, identify value, talk through it and don't try to complicate or over analyze,
then also include a
- Proposal Stage: talk about feasibility at a high level, is this real, do you think we could achieve it, this is where the amount of resources spent to conduct the feasibility plan or even pilot, will be highly based on the risk threshold of the organization
Then after those two stages are complete (ensure you have gates and deliverables to close the gate), the project can move into the standard PMI lifecycle stages/phases which include:
- Initiating
- Planning,
- Executing,
- Monitoring and Control,
- Closing
2) Clearly know AND understand the different levels of objectives, from top executive sponsor role to the front line stakeholder and customer. Also it is key that the objectives have a simple definition of the associated value that will be produced.
3) When we face the unknowns we always have constraints (we will be limited in resources), thus decisions will have to involve "Trade-offs" and must always go back to the objectives. Ensure the project does not stray too far into a future path that is not recognizable from when the project was started.
4) As soon as the idea is hatched, bring in a PM to start the coordination of flowing through the project in a structured manner. Today we are so inter-connected, that there will be risks that simply cannot be foreseen. A project manager too often is hired and focused on managing the budget, schedule, scope and quality. But to truly get maximum value from a PM, enable them to focus on Integration and to coordinate the inter-connected variables that exist within the project - between all the diverse stakeholders. And it is ever so key to do this right from the start.
PS: just a quick reminder, don't think it is okay to throw the plan out the window, or minimize the importance of the plan. We always must plan, do and circle back with a continuous check. Follow as close as possible to the plan, and take corrective actions as needed. AND ensure things get recorded (what did not go according to plan) and plan the time for proper lessons learned after the objectives are achieved.
While in the midst of execution, emphasize working to achieve objectives, we need to change how we think about planning. There could be less emphasis about deliverables, since much of the scope will lack clarity and thus you are destined to not go according to the plan. But ensure if you have a collaborative, creative team, then know your journey and you will achieve your objectives (thinking about the solution, not the parts).
Thoughts - Think about your decisions, but not too long!
08:35
Don't get caught-up in over-analysis - Yes easier said than done!
Depend on your team to address the risks as they arise. But continue to move forward and respect innovative discussions - those are the sources of the game changers.
Good reminder below....
We all sometimes sit on the fence tooooo long before we make a decision.
This does not mean to rush into things..... you need to have information at hand before you make a decision. Validate the credibility of the information and understand the capability of the people that gave you the information. Then check the info as soon as you act and adjust accordingly, refer to a popular lifecycle from Deming if needed:
Plan - Do - Check - Act
Build the trust, bring your team into the justifications and logic around the decision since they will also need to be there to handle the risks and unknowns - that surely will be present once you start to act on the decisions.
Remember, businesses and technologies are changing every day/week/month and the globe is so interconnected that you can be impacted. If you are afraid to act, firm up your risk management and change control process, often failure to act costs more in lost opportunities and integration/procurement costs (others are waiting and being impacted) - so take that into consideration.
Buckle up - the world will only get more interconnected. Be timely in your decisions.
Depend on your team to address the risks as they arise. But continue to move forward and respect innovative discussions - those are the sources of the game changers.
Good reminder below....
We all sometimes sit on the fence tooooo long before we make a decision.
This does not mean to rush into things..... you need to have information at hand before you make a decision. Validate the credibility of the information and understand the capability of the people that gave you the information. Then check the info as soon as you act and adjust accordingly, refer to a popular lifecycle from Deming if needed:
Plan - Do - Check - Act
Build the trust, bring your team into the justifications and logic around the decision since they will also need to be there to handle the risks and unknowns - that surely will be present once you start to act on the decisions.
Remember, businesses and technologies are changing every day/week/month and the globe is so interconnected that you can be impacted. If you are afraid to act, firm up your risk management and change control process, often failure to act costs more in lost opportunities and integration/procurement costs (others are waiting and being impacted) - so take that into consideration.
Buckle up - the world will only get more interconnected. Be timely in your decisions.
Tools - Checklist for Project Kick off - focus on non PM roles
07:59
You are kicking off a project, majority of people
on your team are not project managers, so ensure everyone is on the
same page to get the work done. We all
need to understand what is a project framework – essentially – the platform
from which we all stand upon and follow and work together to achieve objectives and deliverables.
Below is a basic checklist to
help stakeholders not experienced in PM. It helps identify areas that may need additional
support to get up to speed and enhance their PM
understanding - so we all are on the same page :-)
- Do you understand how to link the project with business value-add
- Is it clear to separate between the project vs operations vs strategy
- Do you understand how the project fits into the “real work world” once it is done
- Do you understand the support systems to help manage priorities, accountabilities, risk, change & stress
- Is it clear how the team and company will initiate the project in a formalized, structured format that also follows globally accepted best practices
- Does everyone understand the project lifecycle and how you will flow through the project start to end (initiate, plan, execute, monitor, control and close a project
- Is the project plan broken down into clear knowledge areas (Scope, Time, Cost, Quality, HR, Communication, Risks, Integration, Procurement, Stakeholders, Safety, Claims, Environment, Financials, Records, Relations)
- Is it clear who the client is and how to manage that relationship
- Do you understand how to clarify priorities and then when there is conflict how to manage the trade-off decisions
- Do you have a system to help manage influencers (risks, assumptions, constraints, dependencies)
- Is there a system to help identify future solutions that are aligned with the business to further maximize value (future strategies, lessons learned)
- Is there a understanding of the learnings you will get from this project and how it will also align with your career path
- Is it easy, clear and prepared so you can leverage templates for the project
- Is it easy, clear and structured so you can understand how the work will follow/fit within a management system (overall way that the project will be started, delivered and ended)
- Do you know of other systems, templates, methodologies that you can also bring to the table to help this project have a higher probability of success (we are all part of the success factor and each project is unique)
Often we spend so much time training our PMs and
ensuring they have all the tools, but don’t forget the other 99% of the team that
also needs to understand project frameworks and methodologies. The trick is to
find the balance as to what level of detail do they need to know. Today we have flatter organizations and also stakeholders that want to be more empowered and take a more active role. Checklists help narrow down the areas that can be addressed or enhanced asap.
PMTip - Is PM Training all the Same? What is Project Management?
22:24
When someone talks about continuous PM Training - often a Manager/Exec states the company does not need it, since they already did the PM training.
Often I hear PMs telling me, they took a PM training course, but then are not allowed any more. They tend to hear " all PM training is the same, and especially when it leads to certification (e.g. PMP) and thus we don't need more of the same thing".
I fully agree to not duplicate things, but, wow, PM is so diverse, and every few years the profession has major advancements - since it is an enabler of business (which is constantly evolving). One thing for sure, you want success in business, you must be open to creativity, critical thinking, communication, collaboration and the ability to evolve and continue to learn.
PM is an incredibly tough profession. Mostly because everyone can rightfully say that we are all Project Managers and we all do Project Management. Thus we can also technically say we are already doing it so do not need training, or we already know so much we do not have time for more, or there is not enough value to take a class since it is too subjective (not enough immediate, tangible results).
Project Management is extremely diverse, unique, complex full of risk and varies greatly depending on the:
Thus the type of training, or education or coaching/mentoring and delivery approach can also have tremendous variances based on different instructors, methodologies, learning approaches, technologies, experiences, knowledge, tools, certifications, etc.
I like to think if you really wanted to get a few degrees to help master Project Management, in no order of importance, I recommend getting: business, commerce, engineering, psychology, sociology, law, science, drama, physiology, computer science, statistics, math, education, HR, marketing, etc.
So how can we define Project Management then???
Often I hear PMs telling me, they took a PM training course, but then are not allowed any more. They tend to hear " all PM training is the same, and especially when it leads to certification (e.g. PMP) and thus we don't need more of the same thing".
I fully agree to not duplicate things, but, wow, PM is so diverse, and every few years the profession has major advancements - since it is an enabler of business (which is constantly evolving). One thing for sure, you want success in business, you must be open to creativity, critical thinking, communication, collaboration and the ability to evolve and continue to learn.
PM is an incredibly tough profession. Mostly because everyone can rightfully say that we are all Project Managers and we all do Project Management. Thus we can also technically say we are already doing it so do not need training, or we already know so much we do not have time for more, or there is not enough value to take a class since it is too subjective (not enough immediate, tangible results).
Project Management is extremely diverse, unique, complex full of risk and varies greatly depending on the:
- sponsor,
- project manager,
- team,
- risk thresholds,
- stakeholders,
- culture of the organization,
- tools available,
- clarity of success,
- etc, etc, etc.
Thus the type of training, or education or coaching/mentoring and delivery approach can also have tremendous variances based on different instructors, methodologies, learning approaches, technologies, experiences, knowledge, tools, certifications, etc.
I like to think if you really wanted to get a few degrees to help master Project Management, in no order of importance, I recommend getting: business, commerce, engineering, psychology, sociology, law, science, drama, physiology, computer science, statistics, math, education, HR, marketing, etc.
So how can we define Project Management then???
In its essence, PM is a structured approach on how to successfully deliver business.
We must remember, business is fluid and there is no perfect answer as to how to do it (not like math or science). We must always try to apply specific science around it (process and workflow and tools and templates) however one must be adaptable since each scenario will carry a level of uniqueness around it (so can be very different based on the situation) and has subjectivity since it will involve many human interactions and expectations.
Couple more points of interest, included below are definitions of Project Management from leading organizations:
- PMI: Application of knowledge, skills, tools and techniques to project activities to meet the project requirements.
- ISO: Note: now has a PM set of standards called ISO 21500:2012, best definition I found was: Application of methods, tools, techniques and competences to a project, includes the integration of the project life cycle accomplished through processes.
- Prince 2 Definition: Planning, monitoring and control of all aspects of a project and the motivation of all those involved in it to achieve the project objectives on time and to the specified cost, quality and performance.
- Wikipedia: The discipline of carefully projecting or planning, organizing, motivating and controlling resources to achieve specific goals and meet specific success criteria.
- Merriam-Websters Dictionary: believe it or not, this dictionary does not have the word project management defined
Thoughts - Project Design Perspectives (solution focus vs requlatory focus)
10:58
Just attended Weftec (worlds largest Wastewater Conference, over 20,000 people).
Is amazing when you discuss project solutions and ask for diverse perspectives from multiple areas of expertise.
When I discussed wastewater (sewage) projects, the majority of the time people that worked the booths (vendors) raced to the technical side of things. They would ask what do the regulators require, and that their solution will meet or better those parameters of treatment.
I am an Agrologist with a huge passion about water. I look at it very differently; asking what can we do with the clean water after it is treated, identify concepts/options, then work backwards from that to a category of treatment, then continue to go from there (e.g. MBR, SBR, MMBR).
The regulatory guidelines must be met, however, they should not drive the project objectives. They can be seen more as deliverables.
The End-Users (people that pay and receive the value) generally want an integrated solution - water is complicated so solutions must be understood at all stages of planning.
Often regulations, permits and the technology recommended is based on traditional, legacy ways of doing things - this gives us comfort. People that bring new perspectives are seen as dangerous, or naive.
However, the legacy approach (recommend what has been done 100 times before) is not meeting standards of "up and coming communities" that are growing and also have educated, active, involved, progressive Mayors, Councilors and Citizens.
Often when talking with the end-users (town officials looking for solutions) they wanted to discuss the entire treatment cycle with a focus on the water. They did not have a focus on regulations since many thought that Canada is lagging in that area when compared to rest of the world.
I was quite surprised at this, our culture can change quickly so be adaptable on how you manage your project planning.
Once again, if you were designing a sewage plant, imagine how different the approach becomes and who is involved in the planning if you looked at these two perspectives:
A) - mechanical design of the sewage technology that meets existing government regulations (Mechanical/technical perspective)
B) - solution design starting with understanding what can you do with the clean water once it is treated, then work backwards from there, involve the right people first, then get to the details second (Agrologist/water/soil/holistic perspective)
On your project, don't be afraid to involve people that are not normally involved in your project planning.
Work backwards and identify if their expertise can play a major role to give you new perspectives, then involve them more and focus on objectives before the deliverables.
Come up with solutions that help the end-user, not just systems that are driven by regulation. Diverse opinions drive innovation, both mechanical and Agrologist perspectives are needed but be patient and get feedback from each, and ensure you know when to involve them within the project planning lifecyle and steer the feedback in accordance with the objectives.
Is amazing when you discuss project solutions and ask for diverse perspectives from multiple areas of expertise.
When I discussed wastewater (sewage) projects, the majority of the time people that worked the booths (vendors) raced to the technical side of things. They would ask what do the regulators require, and that their solution will meet or better those parameters of treatment.
I am an Agrologist with a huge passion about water. I look at it very differently; asking what can we do with the clean water after it is treated, identify concepts/options, then work backwards from that to a category of treatment, then continue to go from there (e.g. MBR, SBR, MMBR).
The regulatory guidelines must be met, however, they should not drive the project objectives. They can be seen more as deliverables.
The End-Users (people that pay and receive the value) generally want an integrated solution - water is complicated so solutions must be understood at all stages of planning.
Often regulations, permits and the technology recommended is based on traditional, legacy ways of doing things - this gives us comfort. People that bring new perspectives are seen as dangerous, or naive.
However, the legacy approach (recommend what has been done 100 times before) is not meeting standards of "up and coming communities" that are growing and also have educated, active, involved, progressive Mayors, Councilors and Citizens.
Often when talking with the end-users (town officials looking for solutions) they wanted to discuss the entire treatment cycle with a focus on the water. They did not have a focus on regulations since many thought that Canada is lagging in that area when compared to rest of the world.
I was quite surprised at this, our culture can change quickly so be adaptable on how you manage your project planning.
Once again, if you were designing a sewage plant, imagine how different the approach becomes and who is involved in the planning if you looked at these two perspectives:
A) - mechanical design of the sewage technology that meets existing government regulations (Mechanical/technical perspective)
B) - solution design starting with understanding what can you do with the clean water once it is treated, then work backwards from there, involve the right people first, then get to the details second (Agrologist/water/soil/holistic perspective)
On your project, don't be afraid to involve people that are not normally involved in your project planning.
Work backwards and identify if their expertise can play a major role to give you new perspectives, then involve them more and focus on objectives before the deliverables.
Come up with solutions that help the end-user, not just systems that are driven by regulation. Diverse opinions drive innovation, both mechanical and Agrologist perspectives are needed but be patient and get feedback from each, and ensure you know when to involve them within the project planning lifecyle and steer the feedback in accordance with the objectives.
Thoughts - Top Traits of PM and Business
15:16
Understand and incorporate these qualities / skillsets into your work everyday!
Note: They have evolved over the past decade. Long ago, top qualities were all technical, then the focus became systems and communications. More recently, see below a list of the top 6 traits for today's successful business and project manager:
Note: They have evolved over the past decade. Long ago, top qualities were all technical, then the focus became systems and communications. More recently, see below a list of the top 6 traits for today's successful business and project manager:
1) Empathy
Tricky word to understand, becoming integral in the work place,
especially with new generations, every single one of us wants it but the work
place seems slow to adopt it (until now), merriam-webster defines it as:
- the action of understanding, being aware of, being sensitive to, and vicariously experiencing the feelings, thoughts, and experience of another of either the past or present without having the feelings, thoughts, and experience fully communicated in an objectively explicit manner; also: the capacity for this
In a world where we tend to think of business in terms of the bottom
line and financial metrics, a discussion of the role of empathy in business
seems like an indulgence. But is it really an indulgence, or is it a
marketplace imperative instead? We now
have studies that show how organizations with happy employees, strong
organizational health, empathetic leaders, and maybe even a social mission,
outperform their peers. See a good link
from Forbes on this:
2) Trust
A word we often over-look and take for granted, hard to earn and
easy to lose, merriam-webster defines it as:
- assured reliance on the character, ability, strength, or truth of someone or something, one in which confidence is placed
Success in projects and business unquestionably requires some
willingness to cooperate with and have faith in others. The question is, how
much faith and in whom? When your project budgets, finances and resources are
on the line, how can you do a better job of gauging trustworthiness and thereby
improve your likelihood of success? See
a good article from Harvard Business School below:
3) Communication
A word we humans have a tremendous level of variance in terms of how
we understand what this is and how it should be provided or received (huge risk
around successful delivery), merriam-webster defines it as:
- an act or instance of transmitting, information transmitted or conveyed, a process by which information is exchanged between individuals through a common system of symbols, signs, or behavior; also : exchange of information
The ability to communicate with people at all levels is almost
always named as the most important skill by project managers and team members.
Project leadership calls for clear communication about goals,
responsibility, performance, expectations and feedback. There is a great deal of value placed on
openness and directness. The project leader is also the team's link to the
larger organisation. The leader must have the ability to effectively negotiate and use persuasion when necessary to ensure
the success of the team and project. Through effective communication, project leaders
support individual and team achievements by creating explicit guidelines for
accomplishing results and for the career advancement of team members.
4) Cool Under Pressure
In a perfect world, projects would be delivered on time, under
budget and with no major problems or obstacles to overcome. But we don't live
in a perfect world
This type of skill must be practiced – and that environment is not fun. But you need to create an approach so when it occurs, you become systematic and grow and improve each time. Some good tips include:
- Do a dress rehearsal before the event (if you can predict it, go through it in your mind, prepare and visualize)
- Address most urgent need first (prioritize and attack in sequence)
- Listen (adrenaline will be flowing, people will want to run and shout, slow the pace, get multiple perspectives)
- Know when to take a breather (respect the stress you and others are under)
- Block out the white noise (anything unnecessary must be put to the back burner)
5) Collaboration
A word that we need to see the value that it brings, it is the true
skill that makes our earth move to the next level, merriam-webster defines it
as:
- to work jointly with others or together especially in an intellectual endeavor, to cooperate with or willingly assist an enemy of one's country and especially an occupying force, to cooperate with an agency or instrumentality with which one is not immediately connected
The most successful initiatives are driven by internal collaboration
across organizational divisions as well as partnerships with external
stakeholders to share mutual goals. "The more allies you have, the better," said David London,
senior director for US government relations at eBay, which is the group
responsible for the company's energy policy.
For more tips, see link below:
6) Problem Solver
One of the more traditional traits, still required in the PM field,
can have multiple definitions, Wikipedia defines it as:
- consists of using generic or ad hoc methods, in an orderly manner, for finding solutions to problems. Some of the problem-solving techniques developed and used in artificial intelligence, computer science, engineering, mathematics, medicine, etc. are related to mental problem-solving techniques studied in psychology.
Problem solving and decision-making are important skills for
projects, business and life. Problem-solving often involves decision-making,
and decision-making and there are processes and techniques to improve
decision-making and the quality of decisions.
See link below to learn several techniques that are always helpful:
Challenge yourself to practice these traits every single day?
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