We've all been there before. A discussion is started or a question asked and you're either on the "To:" list or the "CC:" list. Somewhere along the way, 5 or 10 replies deep, you realize there has been no solution, no decision, no end in sight. Apart from the frustration of not reaching a conclusion, you should ask yourself when is it time for written communications to transition into verbal.
I generally use the rule of 3; An e-mail volley tossed back and forth 3 times indicates this topic will not be concluded as it should. It's easy to see why. A question is asked, someone responds with an answer which spawns another question resulting in further clarifications. And very quickly the thread spirals. At this point, a simple statement is needed asking for a face to face discussion (or via phone if appropriate) in order to finalize the topic. A 10 minute group discussion can resolve most of these situations avoiding unnecessary e-mail traffic and burden.
With the number of mails crossing my inbox on a daily basis, I look for any opportunity to reduce the volume. Of course, the most obvious benefit to halting a lengthy email thread is efficiency and productivity.
So next time, try the rule of 3 when you are involved in a lengthy e-mail discussion.
\Mike
Monday, March 30, 2009
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
Executive Presence
The other day I attended the monthly meeting of the local ExecuNet group. It is a group of executives that meet monthly with the purpose of making introductions, helping each other with career search activities, and an opportunity to listen to key note speakers on a variety of topics.
Our speaker, Paula Lyons from Bates Communications, inspired us with a great presentation on Executive Presence. I thought it worth repeating some of the main points , but I encourage you to read here for more in depth articles.
Executive Presence
It's an undeniable feeling and look about an individual that commands us to pay attention and take notice. Anyone can learn the techniques to harness this magic. But it takes work and effort, and a conscious willingness to change.
According to Bates Communication, the 7 elements of executive presence you need to be aware of include;
Good Luck!
\Mike
Our speaker, Paula Lyons from Bates Communications, inspired us with a great presentation on Executive Presence. I thought it worth repeating some of the main points , but I encourage you to read here for more in depth articles.
Executive Presence
It's an undeniable feeling and look about an individual that commands us to pay attention and take notice. Anyone can learn the techniques to harness this magic. But it takes work and effort, and a conscious willingness to change.
According to Bates Communication, the 7 elements of executive presence you need to be aware of include;
- "Substance - Whether in verbal or written communication, make sure your message and language are clear, concise, interesting, informative and intelligent.
- Personal Style - Your wardrobe and grooming speaks volumes about your leadership presence. Make sure you dress in a polished, appropriate manner and set the standard for your organization.
- Physical Presence - If you've ever received bad news from someone who is smiling, you know how important body language and facial expressions are to clear communications. Align your non-verbal and verbal messages, and be sure to demonstrate energy, vitality, confidence and ease.
- Vocal Skill - Like body language, the way you use your voice will dramatically impact interpretation of your meaning. Control the way others receive your message through tone, pace, volume and inflection. Maintain a clear, pleasant, expressive and confident tone.
- Manners/Etiquette - Have you ever noticed how great leaders seem to demonstrate elegance, finesse and ease regardless of the challenges they deal with? They understand the rules of business etiquette, and they respect those rules. They are gracious, grateful, generous and thoughtful.
- Listen, listen and listen more - Be receptive to new information, listen attentively and make yourself available. Encourage expression by engaging when others speak and listening without judgment.
- Workspace - Consider the impact of your own personal space - if you're suit is custom tailored, your car is a fine European model, but your desk is a cluttered mess, what will be remembered most? Your building, office and desk should be clean, organized, pleasant and inviting, reflecting your professionalism. "
Good Luck!
\Mike
Sunday, March 22, 2009
Public Speaking
Let me set the record straight. I am not a professional public speaker, I do not write books or teach public speaking classes. I can honestly say that I have not taken a public speaking class in the last 25+ years since graduating from college (shame on me! )
Having said that, I know when I am listening to a BAD speaker. And I'm sure you do to. Whether at conferences, your company events, other engagements. There are those of us that feel comfortable and natural in front of an audience, and those that don't. If you are at any level of management, not just the Director and above, this is an absolute must have skill.
Think about the last time you spoke in front of a large group. If you were in the audience, what would say about your talk? Engaging, animated, mono-tone, hands flying all over the place, pacing like a nervous mouse ?
All I can tell you, is there is a wealth of great information. For example, I found this great blog site by Andrew Dlugan;
http://sixminutes.dlugan.com/. You can also follow him on Twitter @6minutes.
Trust me, there is nothing worse listening to an "expert" speaker or presenter that is unable to keep his/her audience interested and involved. I have been known to address such presenters quietly after a speech and provide constructive feedback.
If you ever listen to me, I would ask you do the same. One should always be willing to make changes and take criticism.
\Mike
Having said that, I know when I am listening to a BAD speaker. And I'm sure you do to. Whether at conferences, your company events, other engagements. There are those of us that feel comfortable and natural in front of an audience, and those that don't. If you are at any level of management, not just the Director and above, this is an absolute must have skill.
Think about the last time you spoke in front of a large group. If you were in the audience, what would say about your talk? Engaging, animated, mono-tone, hands flying all over the place, pacing like a nervous mouse ?
All I can tell you, is there is a wealth of great information. For example, I found this great blog site by Andrew Dlugan;
http://sixminutes.dlugan.com/. You can also follow him on Twitter @6minutes.
Trust me, there is nothing worse listening to an "expert" speaker or presenter that is unable to keep his/her audience interested and involved. I have been known to address such presenters quietly after a speech and provide constructive feedback.
If you ever listen to me, I would ask you do the same. One should always be willing to make changes and take criticism.
\Mike
Thursday, March 19, 2009
Planning the Plan
Which is more important to you; having a plan, or going through the planning process?
I have recently taken on the role of championing some development process changes in my Software organization. Among them, I have started to get the team going on Agile Methodologies. In the learning process, I analyzed the many obvious differences between the typical "waterfall" style versus Agile. After completing Mike Cohn's book Agile Planning & Estimating, I was struck by the magnitude of what I would be up against in our current Project Management culture. Amongst the hurdles that would be faced, we needed a shift to focus on making the plan with the iterative and constant re-planning Agile demands.
Admittedly we have been trained to demand a good plan. And why not? Without a plan how could we possibly make informed decisions? What are the release dates, how will you get it done, show me the Ganntt chart.....ok, go do it and stay on track. Subsequently, several months later, as progress is tracked against the committed plan, we find ourselves upset, angry, disappointed that the team could not adhere to the plan. How could this be?, you ask. We had a plan, didn't we? This is where you can soul search your current product life cycle and see if Agile can fit.
Now don't get me wrong, I do not for a minute think that Agile (ie; Scrum in this case) is the panacea for the woes of the development process. Like all else in life, everything in moderation ! There is certainly a time and place for many methods to co-exist in product development. But, there are some interesting changes that you can make in corporate culture that transcend traditional methods. I personally found that Agile would provide a much needed ingredient to our product delivery problems.
By focusing on how the project is planned rather than what the plan will be, I think you will discover a new road getting to the same destination.
\Mike
I have recently taken on the role of championing some development process changes in my Software organization. Among them, I have started to get the team going on Agile Methodologies. In the learning process, I analyzed the many obvious differences between the typical "waterfall" style versus Agile. After completing Mike Cohn's book Agile Planning & Estimating, I was struck by the magnitude of what I would be up against in our current Project Management culture. Amongst the hurdles that would be faced, we needed a shift to focus on making the plan with the iterative and constant re-planning Agile demands.
Admittedly we have been trained to demand a good plan. And why not? Without a plan how could we possibly make informed decisions? What are the release dates, how will you get it done, show me the Ganntt chart.....ok, go do it and stay on track. Subsequently, several months later, as progress is tracked against the committed plan, we find ourselves upset, angry, disappointed that the team could not adhere to the plan. How could this be?, you ask. We had a plan, didn't we? This is where you can soul search your current product life cycle and see if Agile can fit.
Now don't get me wrong, I do not for a minute think that Agile (ie; Scrum in this case) is the panacea for the woes of the development process. Like all else in life, everything in moderation ! There is certainly a time and place for many methods to co-exist in product development. But, there are some interesting changes that you can make in corporate culture that transcend traditional methods. I personally found that Agile would provide a much needed ingredient to our product delivery problems.
By focusing on how the project is planned rather than what the plan will be, I think you will discover a new road getting to the same destination.
\Mike
Monday, March 16, 2009
Motivating your team in today's economy
One of the hardest parts of executive management is motivating your team. Large or small, teams need to feel good about what they do, good about their work, good about the company they work for and, here's the kicker, they need to feel safe and secure. We were doing okay until that last part.
The world is a different place than it was even a year ago. Few managers can look our employees straight in the eye and say "We're ok. There's nothing to worry about". If you have that luxury, hold on to it as you would a precious stone. The fact is, almost all workers are worried about losing their jobs....even executives! But what tangible actions can you do to maintain a positive atmosphere in the shadows of the present economic situation?
You need to provide your own "stimulus package". So, here are a few of my techniques that won't get the finance department breathing down your neck; Please share with us what you have been doing to keep up morale;
Walk around and Talk .....to everyone
This is no time for Management from the Ivory Tower. Get out on the floor and talk to the people. Is there an employee walking down the hall you don't really know that well? (In some larger companies you may not even know who the employee is!) Our job is to reach out to everyone and connect. Talk about the company, talk about sports, talk about politics. Just get out there and talk. Reaching out to the team is vital. If you are uncomfortable doing this, or don't know how, maybe a re-read of the One Minute Manager is in order.
Get some movie tickets and randomly give them away;
In a budget constrained environment, a few dollars can go a long way in making a difference to your employees. Go online, bulk purchase movie tickets at $7.50 apiece. Keep them in your drawer. Every so often, hand out a pair of tickets to an employee and tell them to take a wife/friend/significant other out on a date. The positive energy you create with such a small gesture can go a long way.
A free day off
Yes, you read it right. I have used this technique for years. At company events (Picnic, Holiday Parties, Department events, etc.) I would raffle off a "Free Vacation Day". This is always a big hit. I would have 10 Certificates printed up. Now, subject to the employees direct supervisor approving the day depending on work schedules, deadlines, etc. this works really well. Yes, I realize in some corporate environments this may be difficult to do. But here's where you can try something new and creative to make a difference to take the edge off.
Communication Updates
If you don't do this already, consider writing a short weekly or bi-weekly update to the group. It can take the shape of an e-mail or even a blog posting. It doesn't have to be much. But let everyone in on what you can without giving up sensitive information. Favorite topics are customer updates (wins and losses), product development milestones, upcoming events, etc. There are many benefits to this - among them you get the employees engaged and motivated on company topics, and you build trust with the team.
These are just a sample of the many variations I have used in some way or another to keep teams motivated. Today more than ever, the need for management connection is greater than ever. You have the power to reduce some of the stress around the office in these uncertain times. Take advantage of that power in a positive way.
\Mike
The world is a different place than it was even a year ago. Few managers can look our employees straight in the eye and say "We're ok. There's nothing to worry about". If you have that luxury, hold on to it as you would a precious stone. The fact is, almost all workers are worried about losing their jobs....even executives! But what tangible actions can you do to maintain a positive atmosphere in the shadows of the present economic situation?
You need to provide your own "stimulus package". So, here are a few of my techniques that won't get the finance department breathing down your neck; Please share with us what you have been doing to keep up morale;
Walk around and Talk .....to everyone
This is no time for Management from the Ivory Tower. Get out on the floor and talk to the people. Is there an employee walking down the hall you don't really know that well? (In some larger companies you may not even know who the employee is!) Our job is to reach out to everyone and connect. Talk about the company, talk about sports, talk about politics. Just get out there and talk. Reaching out to the team is vital. If you are uncomfortable doing this, or don't know how, maybe a re-read of the One Minute Manager is in order.
Get some movie tickets and randomly give them away;
In a budget constrained environment, a few dollars can go a long way in making a difference to your employees. Go online, bulk purchase movie tickets at $7.50 apiece. Keep them in your drawer. Every so often, hand out a pair of tickets to an employee and tell them to take a wife/friend/significant other out on a date. The positive energy you create with such a small gesture can go a long way.
A free day off
Yes, you read it right. I have used this technique for years. At company events (Picnic, Holiday Parties, Department events, etc.) I would raffle off a "Free Vacation Day". This is always a big hit. I would have 10 Certificates printed up. Now, subject to the employees direct supervisor approving the day depending on work schedules, deadlines, etc. this works really well. Yes, I realize in some corporate environments this may be difficult to do. But here's where you can try something new and creative to make a difference to take the edge off.
Communication Updates
If you don't do this already, consider writing a short weekly or bi-weekly update to the group. It can take the shape of an e-mail or even a blog posting. It doesn't have to be much. But let everyone in on what you can without giving up sensitive information. Favorite topics are customer updates (wins and losses), product development milestones, upcoming events, etc. There are many benefits to this - among them you get the employees engaged and motivated on company topics, and you build trust with the team.
These are just a sample of the many variations I have used in some way or another to keep teams motivated. Today more than ever, the need for management connection is greater than ever. You have the power to reduce some of the stress around the office in these uncertain times. Take advantage of that power in a positive way.
\Mike
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