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The Leadership Gap and You
| SHRM summarizes a study where 60 HR executives in 700 organizations are interviewed, and finds that the top three talent challenges do not include the pending loss of millions of boomers from the workforce, which has been the subject of many news report of late. Rather, it turns out that two of their topmost worries are
You may have experienced leadership retirements in your own organization, or perhaps read recent news of organizational leaders leaving for positions in other companies. This will become increasingly more common.
What should you do? If you eventually want to move up to a leadership position, chances are that opportunities will arise. Successful project management experience and expertise will be extremely useful in that endeavor. Start honing your skills intensely now! Take advantage of all resources on this site! (There is another reason for this that will be the subject of a subsequent post.) |
Posted on: April 11, 2007 06:47 AM
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Left in the Lurch
| In my last entry, I noted the good news that communication has been proven to improve performance. Now it’s time for the bad news. First, a question. Do you remember getting support for your project communications recently? Special training? Targeted coaching from specialists? Probably not, according to the study.
That’s too bad because the same study mentioned in my last entry also showed that more and more major communication responsibilities are being delegated down the organizational hierarchy, potentially to project managers. Maybe you have experienced this.
Let’s put it together now: Effective communication has been shown to improve performance and lower turnover. Simultaneously, responsibility for communication is being delegated down the hierarchy, without the proper preparation of those who are doing the communicating.
That, my friends, is a loss of opportunity. |
Posted on: April 09, 2007 08:38 AM
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Communication – The Magic Bullet
| You could call it a magic bullet. One that increases employee engagement and reduces turnover. A study conducted by Watson Wyatt showed effective use of this so-called magic bullet - communication - created extremely good corporate financial performance as well.
Fine, you say, but what does this mean to me a project manager?
It means that you can use the same bullet to generate more engaged workers, lower turnover, and a workforce aligned more closely to your project objectives. If this sounds good to you, then concentrate on improving your ability to manage that communication function – even if your company doesn’t provide the best example. One way to be effective is to cover the many areas of project communication, including:
Every incrememnt of improvement you make in your ability to manage the communication function is worth your trouble. |
Posted on: April 09, 2007 08:08 AM
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Not Letting the Difficult Worker Take You Down Too
| When supervisors or leaders look back on how they responded to certain difficult worker behaviors, they often cringe. They recall how they responded in a way that was unconstructive – to put it mildly.
No matter when you get “hit” by that difficult employee, you have to make sure you don’t make the situation worse. No matter how loud the person gets you can’t match the loudness. No matter how confrontational the worker gets you can’t get defensive. No matter how passive-aggressive the worker gets, you cannot get sneakier.
Two reasons. First, the difficult employee may just be looking to get a negative reaction. You don’t want to help that tactic. The main reason is that by “losing yourself” you can be trapped into a situation that can only end negatively for you. You will look bad to other workers and those you report to. You will lose respect and appear petty.
So when that difficult employee does it again, keep your cool! |
Posted on: April 05, 2007 07:31 AM
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Workers Just Want To Have Fun
| It’s not just you. Most workers are unhappy in their jobs. A recent study by Careerbuilder.com and The Walt Disney Company tells us why. Salary you say? Nay. Three times more people said their dream job would have more fun.
So maybe there is something you can do rather than wait for workers to become irritable then angry then leave. Maybe you can look for ways to have fun. Ask the workers first – part of the fun is thinking of things to do. Give them time to come up with a lot of ideas, even crazy ones. Then let them figure out how to do them. There will be barriers to some of the ideas, so make sure they get started on some fun activities right away. If you resist this as wasted time and believe it will reduce productivity, then you have become one of the managers you always dreaded having. |
Posted on: April 03, 2007 07:25 AM
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