Crisis Thinking, Project Management and Change Leadership.

I was recently asked about the difference between project management and project rescue and got to thinking that perhaps more projects should be done in crisis mode.

CONVENTIONAL THINKING

Most thinking is either based on structure and systems (roles, controls, tasks, budgets) or hearts and minds (people, passion and performance) or perhaps a combination of the two. The former is more akin to traditional project management and the latter to change leadership.

The first approach may articulate mission and goals with clear critical success factors and key performance indicators. The second approach may espouse vision and values with a cultural emphasis on competencies, behaviours and team-work.

These have their place in all forms of management and most project methodologies like Agile, PRINCE2 and many others.

CRISIS THINKING

In a crisis you immediately de-clutter all your thinking, you abandon the bureaucracy and the protocol. You may also abruptly abandon courtesy and manners as your instinct becomes fight or flight. You examine your immediate useful resources and quickly decide between your immediate choices.


LESSON 1 - Focus on Essentials

CaseStudy in the Boat:
I am a keen rower and my rowing partner and I have been caught out in conditions which are scary and threatening. A boat is unstable when it looses momentum so stopping for a discussion both increases risk and extends the period you are at risk. The only immediate choices are speed and direction, and the sensible thing is not to head home, but head to the nearest safety. Once safe, you can contemplate home!

CaseStudy in the Business:
I was asked to 'project rescue' a client facing a multi-million pound penalty for project over-run. I quickly separated the must-do tasks from the nice-to-have, with emphasis on those that effected the penalty. Get Phase1 done and worry about Phase2 later. This helps both focus, generates confidence (in smaller bite-size tasks) and creates momentum.

Conclusion
Prioritise what is essential. If subsequently you have spare time, energy or money then that is a bonus and cause for celebration. Over-extending yourself and failing may cost you your job or worse. However each small success may reward you with another opportunity.

LESSON 2 - Work side-by-side

CaseStudy in the Boat:
There only two of you, just get it done and discuss the plan as you go and the situation dictates.

CaseStudy in the Business:
We simply didn't have the time to procrastinate and whilst one of the clients' management team wanted to document the tasks and failures of the IT Team I instead sat with them, asked them the best solution and rewarded the with a case of beer for their efforts.

Conclusion
Working collaboratively (side-by-side) de-clutters thinking, removes bureaucracy and speeds up both decision making and delivery, not least because there is clear ownership which isn't defrayed across a complex heirachy of authorisations and approvals.


LESSON 3 - Conversation, consensus and commitment precede documentation

CaseStudy in the Boat:
We got ourselves to safety without any agendas, minutes or meetings. But we never stopped communicating. If a wave rose up and smashed over our heads we'd shout "You OK!?" and maybe offer feedback, "More left!" or "More right!" There were lots of lessons, but these were discussed later and the notes, stories, and bravado happened after the work, not instead of the work.

CaseStudy in the Business:
Nobody has time to write memos that nobody else has time to read. Mindless note taking, risk logs, and audits are pointless. Time spent evidencing actions is not the same as implementing actions! Instead I got everyone in a room (with conference call) 8:30am every morning and took a "war-room" approach of "what are YOU going to do today". emails, memos, reports were replaced by conversation. There was follow-up paperwork, but these were bullet lists and aide memoire to recorded output and decisions.


Conclusion
The process of emails, memos, reports wastes time. Their exchange fuels conflict. Conversation eliminates both. Who goes to the pub and presents a memo to their buddy? Who writes a report to their spouse about which house, car or holiday they should buy? In real life we discuss first and then document (with contracts, agreements, payments) after.

RECOMMENDED STEPS

LESSON 1 - Focus on Essentials
Prioritise what is essential: It's essential if it will cost you your job or your life. If it isn't a personal priority there will not be sufficient drive to overcome the challenge.

LESSON 2 - Work side-by-side
Work side-by-side with the people who will decide and deliver the difference. Make sure the hierarchy either delegates the decision making or rolls up their sleeves to does the work. Spectating or presiding are not an option, throw them over-board!

LESSON 3 - Conversation, consensus and commitment precede documentation
The fastest route from discussion through decision to delivery is through dialogue not documentation. Documentation is secondary, and a ratchet or lesson to stop you going backwards.

A chef does not use every ingredient or a carpenter every tool.

Project management, like being a carpenter or a chef is not about using every tool or every ingredient for each project.  The skill in project management is knowing what tools to use and when to use them and this is often based on circumstances which are best judged by experience.

SIMPLICITY IS AN ART-FORM

Project management is more an art-form than a science since the latter could guarantee success based on a formula and there is considerable evidence that despite all good intentions most projects fail to achieve their intended outcomes. This is not a failure of science, this is often a failure of management and leadership and why were revere the art of leadership.

There are many different project methodologies: PRINCE2, Agile, ADAPT, and plenty more outlined in book texts, course materials and on the internet. Indeed there are possibly as many approaches as there are types of project from that the tangibles which may design, build, test, and deliver IT Systems to those intangibles that deliver corporate, individual or social change.

However at their heart projects have the following

    Some form of governance, organisation, or control (governance)
    An idea of what it is there are trying to deliver (scope)
    Some activities, tasks, products, outcomes or outputs (results)
    There will be a need to communicate and co-ordinate (people)
    There will be risks, issues and opportunities that need to be dealt with (issues)
    An indication of time-scale: at least a begining, middle and end (lifecycle)
    Some element of budget, cost or funding (funding)

They are principally about managing resources and getting people to do tasks, to achieve outcomes. This is not significantly different from the role of working mother in the average household who must do all these things on a daily basis. Watch any family help their nursery child do a project for school and you’ll see full blown project management, usually in a highly stressful environment and against a very tight deadline!

DE-CLUTTER YOUR THINKING

I was recently asked by a student on a management course to help them with their assignment on Project Management. The candidate intuitively understands project management, but like many students faced with an assignment her head fills with every example, of tools knowledge and experience, chart, graph, model as well as text book, guide and website and they became unable to articulate their experience and expertise.

Whilst different project methodologies might use different terms, success is about articulating clear concepts. So whilst we might talk about Approval, Initiation and Planning stages we could translate that into Beginning.  Similarly Design, Build and Test could be Implementation or Execution. Whilst some might snobbishly expect you to use the jargon, it is just jargon and less important than the concept and understanding for which it is the title.

PEOPLE TRUST WHAT THEY CAN UNDERSTAND

Suppose you visited two doctors about your dodgy knee. Doctor A said “let’s look at the knee” asked some simple questions and then offered some simple advice. He might mention a technical term, and then immediately explain it in simple terms that are relevant to you, your job, your lifestyle and importantly you knee.

Doctor B by contrast told you about every anatomy class he ever attended. He talked about every technical term, and pointed to the rows and rows of books, journals and certificates that testify to his knowledge and passion.

You might be impressed by Doctor B, but it is my experience that Doctor A’s more simple, personal and easy-to-follow approach is more likely to win trust, belief and behaviour change than Doctor B.

CONTACT

Tim Rogers is an experienced Project and Change Leader, with a background in Technology and Business Analysis. He was Project Manager for the commercialization of a major public utility and responsible for Operations Change and Sales Support for one of the ‘big four’ banks. He is also Commonwealth Triathlete and World Championships Rower with a passion for teaching and learning and is a Tutor/Mentor on the Chartered Management Institute courses.

Tim’s current project is for the Incorporation (commercialisation) of Ports of Jersey, which is recognised as one of the most significant and complex aspects of government modernisation ever undertaken by the States of Jersey.

Tim HJ Rogers
Email: TimHJRogers@AdaptConsultingGroup.com
Mob: 07797762051
Skype timhjrogers
Web: www.ciChange.Org
ciChange is sponsored by Total Solutions Group http://www.tsgi.co/

Forget resolutions, think evolution or revolution

Event : Forget resolutions, think evolution or revolution
Date/Time: COMING SOON - DATE TO BE CONFIRMED
Venue: Grand Jersey
Topic: Corporate and Individual Change – it starts with YOU, and NOW.

at 08:00am Welcome and Introductions

at 08:10am Mark Baker – Mark Baker International

Empowering audiences worldwide, Mark has a reputation as an outstanding speaker, his presentation style is engaging, dynamic and humourous, always leaving the audience with a deep sense of the great possibilities that lie within them, and the tools they need to realise their potential.

http://www.markbakerspeaks.com/


at 08:25am Questions and Answers

at 08:35am Paul Burrows – Adventurer

Paul’s story is both inspirational and interesting. He turned himself from a 17stone “couch potato” into an adventurer who having run across the Sahara now regards a 100 mile run as nothing exceptional. His story is not just about personal transformation but is really interesting given the places he has been, the experiences he has had and the lessons he has to share.

http://outdoorbuzz.net/marathon-des-sables-2-4431
http://paulinthelongrun.blogspot.com/

at 09:05am Questions and Answers

at 09:30am Close

Building Team Jersey – thoughts for Commonwealth Games 2014

Building Team Jersey – thoughts for Commonwealth Games 2014

Building a high performance team is one of the greatest challenges of management, leadership and change. The Commonwealth Games 2014 provides a unique opportunity to apply the best in current thinking to create the very best in people, performance and perception building a community of outstanding individuals and unbeatable team spirit. Below are some of the topics that I will be exploring over the next six months as we approach Glasgow 2014.

MISSION, VISION VALUES AND CULTURE

Building a high performance team perhaps starts with some form of mission or vision statement and must inevitable discuss values and culture. These are all hot topics in management, leadership and change, and there are some really good case studies (of success and failure) in business and in sport. Perhaps the most recent example is the Olympics and London2012, which for the host nation was a fantastic success, but for others presented some challenges which impacted team morale and individual performance.

STAKEHOLDERS

The Commonwealth Games is athlete centred, but there is an awful lot that needs to happen to be athlete centred. Most people like the simplicity of an iPad, but the amount of thinking, design, technology and research that goes into making something simple is actually very complex. The same is true of being athlete centred. A lot of work needs to be done by team, coaches, managers, officials, supports and sponsors as well as the community to create the conditions which will reward all the stakeholders with outstanding performance.

Outstanding performance isn’t just about coming 1^st in an event; it is about the improvements made between the start point and the end point. It applies to coaches, managers, officials, supports and sponsors as well as the community, and is central to London2012 approach toward legacy and building a better future for everyone.

PRIDE AND LEGACY

This idea of doing something BIG is very important. Nobody will make sacrifices or contributions to something that is insignificant, meaningless or small. Commonwealth Games 2014 will be attended by 200 world leaders, 7000 athletes and watched by over 5 billion people. In terms of social media it may be the biggest event ever, bigger than Olympics and London2012.

For athletes it may be the biggest challenge of their life, and for some  it may define them as a person and be something that sets a new course for the rest of their life. Similarly for coaches, managers, officials, supports and sponsors this is a unique opportunity to be with and learn from the best and most talented of people in their fields.

Having a sense of purpose, having pride, creating something for yourself, others and the next generation is central to humanity and inspires art, music, sport, architecture and many other things which will out-live the event. Change Leaders are able to inspire this in people, and we remember the best business and community leaders only because they have done this. Those who have not are simply spectators and administrators are quickly forgotten.

I CAN DO THAT HERE

I have long been inspired by Robert Dilts and a key phase “I can do that here” or indeed “I can’t do that here” because it breaks down some of the key components of values and culture into things we can easily understand and manage.

I – Is about me, myself, my core belief, my talent. (Individual)

Can – Is about capability, competence, and capacity. (Belief)

Do – Is about action, permission, freedom, responsibility. (Capability)

That – Is about values, culture and behaviour. (Behaviour)

Here – Is about place, environment and timing. (Environment)

Now what is interesting about this model is that whilst ostensibly it starts with the individual who thought a step-by-step process might change the world, it also suggests (going in the opposite direction) that the world might step-by-step change the individual.

This is an essential piece of information for any coaches, managers, officials, supports and sponsors as well as Business and Change Leaders!

COMPONENT NO1: ENVIRONMENT

Having the right environment is very important. There are many case studies which show that office workers who are able to shape their environment are much more productive. This is more than eliminating distractions and having everything laid out in an ergonomic way. It is also about colour, music, and atmosphere. The things that make your home different from anyone else’s’ home!

There is a world of difference training in a 50 meter pool rather than a 25 meter pool. A running track is better than a grass track. A massage is better than just stiffening up. There are so many things that we can do to shape our environment and it will have an impact on us and others.

The right environment encourages the right behaviour. Broken tools, shoddy kit, wrong information, bad management and poor communication all undermine the positive attitudes and behaviours for high performance.

For the Commonwealth Games I have invited “Team Jersey” to come up with ideas and activities which will create an environment both before and at the Games which will help build “Team Jersey” and outstanding individuals and unbeatable team spirit. Already people have suggested a games room of play-stations to unwind and quiet areas to relax, notice boards to keep people informed.

I would like the accommodation to have 200 tons of sand, a surf board, a VW Combi, palm trees and Nerina Pallot. I would like “Team Jersey” accommodation to be the envy and interest of 200 world leaders, 7000 athletes and watched by over 5 billion people.

COMPONENT NO2: BEHAVIOUR

Having commonly agreed mission or vision statement and values and culture will help create consensus and necessary compromise over behaviour. Agreeing how we treat each-other, how we communicate, co-ordinate, collaborate are essential to trust which is a pre-requisite to performance. 

This can include agreeing the uniform (what we wear), the language (what we say and how we say it) and those little non-verbal actions which speak loudest of all – turning up late to meetings, distracted by mobile phones etc.

COMPONENT NO3: CAPABILITY

So often I see talent that isn’t best used because people feel that they cannot express an opinion, or it isn’t their responsibility or authority to do something. 

Clearly if you have the right environment and you and others have the right behaviours it creates the circumstances where action, permission, freedom, responsibility all align to all the individual and team to be capable of achieving the target, goal, aim or mission.

Often breaking things into simple steps can make even the most complex tasks sufficiently straight forward that they can be done. Athletes and Coaches do this all the time with drills and rituals which help then break-down components into simple tasks and then bring them together to create a symphony of movement and performance.  

COMPONENT NO4: BELIEF

If the above are all achieved then it is inevitable that there will be an increase in self-confidence based on developing capability, positive and supportive behaviours and a nurturing environment.

In Melbourne 2006 I attended a talk by Team Canada which discussed the importance of athletes and athletics in developing self-respect, self-worth and self-believe in people and communities which had an overall beneficial impact beyond sport.

One of the legacies of Olympics and London2012, was not just that more people took up sport, but that the economy picked up as a result of increased confidence.

It is worth remembering that belief in the form of religion often uses the above components to promote, encourage and support believe. The churches, synagogues and temples provide the ENVIRONMENT, the bible, Koran or other scriptures guide the BEHAVIOURS and by following tasks and rituals people become more CAPABLE at the things which are important to them, and respected for that capability.

COMPONENT NO5 : THE INDIVIDUAL

If the above are all achieved then it can transform people, families and communities. 

There is so much talk about the importance of nature (attributes we inherit by birth) and nurture (things we learn by experience) in the development of people. The above are all examples of things that influence and nurture, and this surely is our role as coaches, managers, officials, supports and sponsors: to nurture outstanding individuals and unbeatable team spirit.

CONCLUDING /SUMMARY POINTS

The above are just some of the topics that I will be exploring over the next six months as we approach Glasgow 2014. If you have any comment, queries or suggestions please don’t hesitate to get in contact.

CONTACT

Tim HJ Rogers

Athletes Representative

Email TimHJRogers@Hougue.Com

Mob 07797762051

Assistant to General Team Manager & Chef de Mission

Commonwealth Games Association Jersey

CGAJ Website http://www.cgaj.org/newsite2012/

CGAJ Facebook https://www.facebook.com/CommonwealthGamesAssoc.Jersey?fref=ts

Zeus System https://cgajey.amo-sport.com/admin/Login.aspx

Athlete’s Rep Blog http://cga-jerseyathletesrepresentation.blogspot.com/

Glasgow 2014 http://www.glasgow2014.com/

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