Monorails and Project Management

I was fascinated by the documentary on monorails on TV yesterday afternoon. The Schwebebahn (Monorail) in Wuppertal, West Germany was built over 100 years ago and continues to demonstrate the following significant advantages of monorail transportation:

1. It is unobtrusive to traffic. Urban monorails run above the traffic, unlike buses and trams. They reduce traffic instead of adding to the congestion.
2. Provide inexpensive and safe public transportation which is a big advantage over buses and trams.
3. Is a tourist attraction.

Other monorails offer additional benefits.
1. They can be fully automated
2. They run silently, therefore can run close to urban housing, such as high-rise apartments in cities without the noise from heavy traffic.

Obviously, monorail transportation is an under-utilized form of public transportation and we should be erecting more monorail systems.

The purpose of this post is not about the benefits about monorails. It is about the lessons we can learn from monorails for project management.

Status reports are a part of project management. The amount of time and energy consumed to produce scorecards, dashboards and PowerPoint slides varies on your organization, and can be a significant drain on your resources.

However, think about the Schwebebahn as you go about reporting status on your projects this week. How can you make your weekly project reporting process:
1. Above the traffic? (Get the reports out, without congesting the resources doing the work?)
2. Fully automated? (Without manual copy-and-paste from Excel to PowerPoint?)
3. Inexpensive? (Outcome of point 2)
4. A tourist attraction? (OK - Maybe this objective is a little far-fetched, for a status report)


Look up the Schwebebahn on Google and learn about this amazing world of monorails. Then you will see the benefits of applying monorail concepts to your project management services.

Winterfest 2010

Photos from the trip to Winterfest in Jaffrey, New Hampshire this past weekend with boy scouts. Wonderful experience where the mounds of snow were welcome.

I always wonder about the poor souls who go to so much effort in vain attempts to catch a few elusive ice fish, (while ice fishing)

Mainfold tips for project managers and Toastmasters

Hot off the press - my March 2010 Newsletter containing tips for project managers and Toastmasters went out yesterday. Already received compliments for the value of the tips.

Manchester Honda excels again

Manchester Honda in Manchester, CT, continues to deliver better than best customer experiences.

Last night at my Rotary club, Manchester Honda made a generous donation to the South Windsor Rotary club auction.

Guess where I am purchasing my next Honda - and telling all my friends about the incredible experiences.

Manchester Honda - Sets the example in customer service

Preparing for a weekend trip with the Boy Scouts, to go ice fishing in New Hampshire, I decided to replace wiper blades on my Honda Odyssey. I figured it would take about 15 minutes and cost about $50. I stopped at an auto parts store and was about to purchase replacement blades, when I remembered that Manchester Honda offer a blade replacement service. (Customer service people have reminded me of this on prior visits to service my Hondas)

I turned around and drove in to Manchester Honda, to confirm their offering for wiper blades. The pleasant surprises started at the door, and only got better. Firstly, I was quoted about $20 to replace the blades, and told it would take about 20 minutes. I suggested an oil change before the long trip this weekend, and was told that the oil life time of 60% doesn't require an oil change now. I can live with this arrangement, and gladly handed over the keys.

Within no time at all the van was returned, with new wiper blades and a complimentary car wash. All of this at no cost, because I am a regular customer. Now, I am a regular and delighted customer.

The reason I am a repeat customer is because Manchester Honda sets the example in customer service. Is there any mystery in this situation? I will keep on taking the time to drive to Manchester Honda as long as they keep on taking care of me. What are you doing to delight your customers today?

**
On a side note. Honda have still not issued a conclusive recall on the fading brake pedal issue on the 2007 Odyssey. It seems that it will take a Toyota scale scandal for Honda to pick up the ball and fix this issue where the brake pedal fades away due to air in the breaking system. I have had my van repaired twice under warranty and still experience this disturbing behavior. Let's hope Honda picks up the pace on this before it causes more accidents. Do a google search to see how many Odyssey drivers have complained about soft and fading brake pedal issue)

Stop thinking outside the box

Reviewed a presentation today, with multiple presenters. What a surprise - PowerPoint was abused (again). I wrote "Dodging the Bullet Points" which has helped many presenters raise their presentation standards, to avoid exactly these sort of painful experiences.

Anyway, rather than bore you by discussing the usual amateurish visuals, the real lesson is from the accompanying speeches.

Presenters used well-worn (worn-out?) buzzwords and phrases as if they were on the leading edge of management theory. "Thinking outside the box", and quoting Steven Covey isn't cutting it for me any more. It doesn't matter how convincingly you say it.

Where on earth have you been for the past ten, fifteen or more years, if you still think that "Thinking outside the box" is going to impress your audience?

Therefore, in your next speech:
1. Take some time to select contemporary quotes from the media or Internet.
2. Read a book published in this century.
3. Ask a trusted advisor to review your slides, to make sure that you are not still "Thinking outside the box"

Needless to say, most of the presenters were oblivious to the time restrictions on the presentation, and kept on quoting Old Dead White Guys (like Churchill) to a young, multi-cultural audience long after their allotted time had come and gone.

The only saving grace was the final presenter who acknowledged the time and cut short her segment of the presentation in an attempt to get the show back on the road. This is what speakers should do - paraphrase your segment of the presentation without making a big deal of it.

SNEC-PMI Job Fair = Huge Success

Linda Benedict organized a hugely successful event yesterday for job seekers in Cromwell yesterday. I contributed my time to support this event. Linda sets the example for planning, leading and coordinating an outstanding event.

Take a look at this clip from Fox news.

Snow again

After all these years in New England, we still marvel at the beauty and serenity of a snowfall.

Slaughter the sacred cows that drag down your project

Do you have reports, procedures or norms in your projects that are never questioned? Is the format of your status report obscuring it's very purpose of providing status to enable good decision making? How open are you to suggestions for improvement by looking your project's "sacred cows" in the eye, and taking the bull by the horns when needed?

I am currently working on a project where the department heads insist on using a weekly status report format that takes 20% of the project administrative resources each week to produce. This is in addition to the plethora of dashboards and status meetings which have mushroomed on the overstaffed project team. I will call the status report in question a "milestone plan" for easy reference.

This milestone plan has an unknown ROI. No one on the team can explain who uses the milestone plan or quantify the value of this milestone plan. The department head insists that the milestone plan be up to date at all times, and any team member who dares to pose a reasonable question regarding this milestone plan earn demerits on their annual review. Every team member has been subjected to this punishment in an attempt to raise awareness around this irrational waste of shareholder money. This has lead to an unwritten policy of "don't ask questions - keep doing what you are told to do".

Of course, I can't right all wrongs in the world. Despite my efforts, the milestone plan will continue to exist long after I leave this department.

However, the lesson for readers of this blog are:
1. Be aware of sacred cows on your project. Try to find out the unwritten rules that you and your project team operate in. Don't slaughter the sacred cow in your host village - the chief will run you out of town for not observing his rituals.
2. Ask trusted advisors to speak the truth to you. Find a few intelligent advisors such as your professional coach who speak up to help you avoid pitfalls. Do everything you can to not create your own sacred cows which impede project success.
3. Always question the ROI of status reports on projects. Mindless creation of status reports, without frequent evaluation of the ROI, is arguably the largest waste of project resources known to man.

Now, go ahead and ask your project team "What did this report cost to produce, and who is using it?" Would you invest your mother's retirement fund in this project with this ROI?

Professional Adventures

When last did you try something new? Obviously, I expect that you try new flavors of coffee every now and then, read a book on a new topic by a new author and read articles about project management that you don't normally read.

However, in addition to these adventures, when last did you look at facebook and consider the benefits of facebook to develop relationships with team members and stakeholders? I am posting one topic of project management advice on facebook every day and getting feedback that people enjoy reading my postings. I also find that I know a lot more about project management that I typically have opportunity to disclose in day-to-day interactions. Facebook provides me with the opportunity to teach team members about project management in the informal setting of their own facebook account.

Facebook is the undiscovered tool to build informal relationships and teach project management to the benefit of project success. I find that building relationships with project stakeholders and team members on facebook is improving project communication on my projects due to the fact that team members have a stronger relationship with me as result of communications on facebook.

Therefore, my advice is "Review your facebook account and use it for informal communications to have better project outcomes".

In the same vein - what other professional adventures have you undertaken recently? Please don't tell me that you are doing the "same old, same old" and still filling out the same stupid spreadsheets that you were using five years ago.

Review how much effort you are putting in to manage your projects and think of ways to:
1. Reduce your labor intensity. (How can you get the same results with less effort and time?)
2. Get better results for the same time investment.
3. Identify tasks that don't need to be done. (This is the fastest way to free up time - stop doing what doesn't need to be done).
4. Review the status reports that you are creating manually, and investigate the ROI of implementing a computer system to generate regular status reports.

Variety is the spice of life. Your career needs professional variety. Take new views on your project activities, and add in some spice. Project management is only a bland profession, if you choose to make it so.

What is the business of Project Management?

Latest free newsletter discusses the business of project management and comes with money-back guarantee if you don't see your organizational project management service in a new light after reading it.

What is the value of your project management service? (Hint - your value is probably not reflected in your paycheck).

Project management service has value that is usually not defined nor marketed. You need to see the value and market the value of project management services if you are to prosper. You must help sponsors to distinguish valuable project management services from bureaucrats calling themselves project managers. Otherwise you will continue to be a commodity.

Graduated from Core Essentials Program

Recently received my certificate after graduating from the Core Essentials Program at Coach University.

I am proud as punch to now offer an even higher level of coaching services to my clients. As always, if you know anyone who is stuck trying to reach an elusive goal, then please pass my name along.

Systems Theory and Constraints

Great presentations at SNEC-PMI Chapter meeting in Cromwell, CT last night. Good speakers and thoroughly enjoyed talking shop with a long-time acquaintance who has taken a new position as an Enterprise Project Manager.

The main speaker - Michael de la Maza - facilitated a memorable presentation. Michael spoke about systems theory and constraints. If you have read Eli Goldratt's book "The Goal", then you understand systems theory. I read it years ago when we still lived in South Africa, and recall parts of the novel, but had forgotten the details.

On point that stuck with me from last night's event is this "It doesn't matter where you start, as long as your team continues to identify and work against the constraints in a system, you will improve. You create a learning organization. If you can learn at a faster rate than your competitors, then you will dominate your industry". For example, Toyota and Hyundai.

Therefore, your goal should be create learning organizations in your project teams. This means that you must foster anyone who identifies constraints and help them to work against the constraint to increase throughput. If you can iteratively remove constraints, then it doesn't matter where you started off, your systems will continue to improve and you are streets ahead of non-learning environment teams.

Michael's presentation was thought provoking and a lot of fun.

Remember "It is not where you start that matters in system theory, it is how fast you identify and work against constraints that matters". Sounds like a good motto for success in life as well.

Anniversary of landing in the USA

Today we celebrate 9 years in the USA. On January 20, 2001, our flight landed at JFK and brought my family to the land of opportunities. We had $400 in cash with us, six suitcases and our hearts were full of hope.

I am pleased with what the USA has already provided for us, and the many new opportunities that have opened up this year.

I am looking forward to a fabulous future in the coming years in the USA.

How to be a good Director on the Board

You should serve on the board of directors for the non-profits that you believe in. As a project manager, you should be involved in your project management association and serve on the Board of Directors for your local chapter, at the least.

The Board of Directors is the responsible entity to govern the association and serve the members of the association. You should volunteer to serve your profession as a Director for your association.

If you are wondering how to fill a Directorship role, without being Bored in the Boardroom, then read my latest article listing the 16 Top Tips to keep Boredom out of the non-profit Boardroom.

Below Zero, and more snow

The view at noon on January 3, 2010.

Voorspeodige nuwe jaar vir Afrikaners

Ek luister na "Rock Daai Lyfie" (Nicholis Louw) en "De La Rey" (Bok van Blerk) op CD wat ons gekoop het terwyl ons in Suid Afrika was in 2009. Ek is glad nie lus om uit te gaan nie want dit sneeu alweer hier in Connecticut. En toe besef ek dat ek nog nie Voorspoedige jaar gewens het vir Afrikaanse lesers.

Ons se baie "Dis 'n klein wereld". Eintlik was dit nog altyd 'n klein wereld. Terwyl ek saam met die Boy Scouts gekamp het in 2009, het ek 'n ou oom ontmoet. Hy het onmiddelik die aksent opgetel en gevra of ek ex-Suid Afrikaner is. Hy vertel toe dat sy oupa in die Boere oorlog baklei het. Sy oupa was 'n khaki en die oom vertel hoe hy stories gehoor het van die ander kant van die boere oorlog - soos wat die khakis dit gesien het. Interesante insig terwyl ek na woorde van "De La Rey" luister.

In elk geval - ek wens almal a voorspoedige 2010. Met of sonder sneeu.

New Year Revolutions

As I enjoy the last day of the New Year long weekend, reflecting on the activities of the past year and decade, my mind considers what can be achieved in the coming years. We overestimate what we can accomplish in the coming year, but severely underestimate what we can accomplish in the coming five years.

Here is food for thought on how we can revolutionize project management executions in the next five years.

1. Find innovate ways to communicate project status. Instead of the nauseating Green, Yellow, Red status on spreadsheet columns and 34 page PowerPoint status decks attached to three page status emails, lets find ways to automatically update project status from MS-Project to stakeholder iPhones for real-time status, and offer a the project manager's commentary on implications of status via MP3 for an executive to be informed of status on the daily commute or while working out in the gym. In other words, lets use innovative technology to mange innovative technology programs.

2. Focus on developing project leaders through professional coaching and mentoring. Stop relying on classroom style training and passing a text-based project management exam to develop exemplary and prosperous project leadership behavior. Archaic project management training programs and sorely lacking real-world effectiveness in developing project leaders of the future.

3. Educate project managers to manage their own time and set the example. Project managers should never complain that they "Have too much work and not enough time". If a project manager cannot schedule his/her own time, then how can he/she be scheduling tasks and durations for project team members with any credibility?

4. Train project leaders to identify and sell the value of their services. Project leaders should say "This project is worth $2 million dollars. The value of my management service is a mere $150,000. If you choose to manage it yourself or allow a bureaucrat into the building, then it will probably go over schedule and over budget, and ultimately cost you $3 million before you cancel the project. I recommend that you use my services, as other clients have wisely chosen to do". It is beyond amateurish to inform a project sponsor that you have no idea what it costs to manage a project successfully, but that appointing three full-time project managers working 50 hours a week will lead to a successful project. How can a project sponsor measure efficiency in this situation? How will you defend your position if a project sponsor receives a proposal from an outsourcing vendor promising to deliver the project with only two full time project managers in India? Project leaders need to understand and market the value of our services.

There you have it - let's see which of these New Year Revolutions can become reality over the next five years. Keep this posting and remind me to report back in 2015, via our portable hologram devices.

Compendium of study tips when preparing for your professional exams

After many requests to share my exam-preparation techniques, I have compiled them into an article. Hot off the press - get your copy today. Don't take your professional exam until you have reviewed this list of tips.

This is "Wayne's way to prepare for your professional exam", based on my decades of experience as student and instructor helping hundreds of adult students acquire professional education.

I encourage you to read Tony Buzan's books and work on use of mind-maps for exam preparation and also purchase a memory-improvement audio CD program.

Lessons from the ancient pygmy tribe in Africa to improve your 2010

Just posted January 2010 newsletter, with advice to improve your experience of 2010.

Read what the ancient African pygmy tribe's theme is 2010 and remove tolerations from your life.

How are you doing?

At the end of 2009, and planning for 2010, how are you doing? Have you developed new skills that make you a better project leader? What skills should you focus on developing in 2010?


Read my latest article to find out, and take the assessment to see which demonstrable project management behaviours influence positive project outcomes.

Announcing Mentor Program

People frequently ask for my advice on professional speaking, creating audio products and authoring their books. Although I willingly help out where I can, it has become too time consuming.

Therefore, I have created a mentor program now with two options to help people access my value in a way that provides equitable compensation and a win/win situation for both of us.

You can join the brand new mentor program here.

Thrive! by Alan Weiss

I received my autographed copy of Thrive! by Alan Weiss yesterday and read it last night. Everything that describes Thrive! on Alan's website is true - I am not going to repeat it here.

Take my word for it - you need a copy of Thrive! for your bookshelf.

Best Wishes for holiday season

With best wishes from Botha family in Connecticut - hoping that you have a great holiday season and prosperous New Year.

p.s. This is the first blog posting from my Christmas gift to myself - the Samsung NC10 Netbook. (Did I mention that I am thrilled with this device?)

Professional Networking Tips for Project Managers

Hot off the press is my latest article. This is the first value provided from my new Samsung NC10 Netbook.

I am thoroughly impressed by this Samsung NC10 Netbook. It is an innovative development in the world of portable PC devices and has made notebooks obsolete. Who wants to lug around a 15 inch notebook when you have more power in a portable 10 inch netbook? My notebook has already been relegated to the basement for storage while the Samsung NC10 is the vehicle of choice to provide written value to all the project managers in the world seeking prosperity.

So, without further ado, here are the Top Networking tips for Project Managers. Read this article before hitting the vacation parties over the next week and get your professional network off to a super-start for 2010.