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Author: Lisa Anderson

Deliver Project Results by Engaging Employees

Written by Lisa Anderson on . Posted in Articles. 5 Comments on Deliver Project Results by Engaging Employees

FeatureAug10In today’s new normal business environment, sales are lackluster, cash is tight and material prices are squeezing margins.  Thus, those projects which will increase sales, reduce costs and/or improve customer service levels/ loyalty are quickly becoming #1 priority within the organization.  The companies who can deliver project results consistently will succeed.  And those who can accelerate the results while maintaining the quality of results will have the opportunity to leave the competition in the dust.  

What is the secret to success?  Engaged employees!  Have you noticed that those organizations with engaged employees not only perform better than the competition but attract top talent?  What could be more important in the new normal but to have engaged employees leading your projects – and to have access to top talent during the timeframe when long-standing talent is leaving the workforce as the baby boom generation begins to retire?

So, what are a few strategies to effectively engage employees?  The top three include:  1) A compelling vision.  2) Translate the vision into individual goals.  3) Become a feedback fanatic.

  1. A compelling vision – Engaging employees must begin with a compelling vision.  Although a paycheck is required, it is by no means a motivator.  So, what motivates employees to engage beyond the minimum requirements of their job or latest project?  It begins with the vision. 

For example, does the company help improve the human condition in some respect?  If you work for an adult diaper manufacturer, could the diaper you produce or ship more efficiently be delivered to your grandmother?  Or, if you work in aerospace, does your project somehow contribute to the successful flight of an F-17?  However, even if the vision is compelling, it is useless if not communicated effectively.

Of course, there will be industries that seem less obvious in terms of benefits yet there is always a reason for being in business – find out and make sure to communicate it.  Your employees want to be involved with a company and a project team that is going somewhere and provides value.  Begin with a clear and well-articulated vision.

  1. Translate the vision into individual goals – Once the vision is in place and communicated, employees will feel better about where they work but will not be engaged.  The next critical strategy is to translate the vision into individual goals.  This is much easier said than done – leadership is vital to success. 

It is not always obvious how each person on the project team can contribute to the vision yet this is where the “rubber meets the road”.  Begin at the high level as it’s always easier to tie the vision to high level objectives.  Expand from there.  Dig into how each person’s core responsibilities can affect the next level objectives.  There has to be a purpose for your project; otherwise, you should stop doing it.  Then, similar to the vision, it is useless if not communicated.  Make sure each person understands how he adds value and contributes to the vision.

  1. Become a feedback fanatic – As simple as this sounds, providing feedback rarely occurs.  The best practice for providing feedback is to give consistent and immediate feedback – both positive and constructive.  Do not wait for the end of the project or the annual performance review!  Who remembers so far into the future?  No one.

Be visible and proactive.  Look for opportunities to provide positive feedback.  Amazingly, I’ve yet to find an example where well-thought out and specific positive feedback doesn’t motivate employees more than a raise or bonus.  Don’t forget to say thank you!  Simple yet often missed.  And, do not put off constructive feedback.  Be respectful and collaborate with the employee on how to improve.  Sometimes constructive feedback can motivate more than positive feedback as the employee understands you are invested in his success.

Engaged employees will deliver dramatic project results.  Have you ever seen unhappy employees deliver exceptional customer service?  It requires zero capital investment yet can have a profound impact.  Give the top three strategies a try, and watch your employees become engaged.

Don’t forget to leave your comments below.

Project Management Tips

Written by Lisa Anderson on . Posted in Articles. 2 Comments on Project Management Tips

Project management has become an urgent priority!  In the last few years, I’ve yet to see a client or talk with a business contact who hasn’t been concerned about achieving the results of key projects – on time, on budget and on target with expected results.  Undoubtedly, there has never been a more important time than today’s new normal business environment to deliver project results – increase revenues, decrease costs, partner with customers, etc. 

Gone are the days of the last decade when we saw examples of 10% sales growth achieved solely by picking up the phone. Unemployment levels remain high and there are limited opportunities for growth.  Who knew business executives could be so excited over 1% growth?  If that wasn’t enough, customers’ expectations are elevated (suddenly, they want more for less too) and resources are scarce.  Thus, the time to deliver successful projects is now!

In my 20 years of experience as both a former VP of Operations of a mid-market manufacturer and as a business consultant and entrepreneur, I’ve led and participated with hundreds of project teams across multiple industries, multiple business functions and globally.  Those companies who have been successful utilize many of the same tactics.  The top tips include: 1) Form a team.  2) Remove the slack.  3) Focus on the critical path.  4) Celebrate “small wins”.  5) Follow-up!

     1. Form a team: Although this seems obvious, it is rarely achieved. The definition of a team is a group of people working together with a common goal. If one person on a team can succeed while the others fail, it is not a team. You’ll dramatically increase your chances of success with a true project team.

     2. Remove the slack: Estimate the time to complete tasks aggressively. This might seem counterintuitive to those that want to make sure they are successful (accomplish tasks on time). However, for example, if you have 30 tasks and every person adds a cushion to their task time, is it possible the project could take 4 or 10 times longer than it should? Definitely! If you have 5 days to complete a task that could be completed in 1 day, does the extra time yield better results? No. I’ve found that people usually start working on the task on day 4.

Instead, it is important to make reasonable estimates of time and stick to them. Why is this important to larger topics such as profit/ competitiveness? As an example, let’s assume that you are on a project team to reduce lead-time to customers from 10 days to 5 days, and that your competition delivers in 6 days. Do you think it will make a difference if this project is completed in 3 months vs. a year?

     3. Focus on the critical path: It is easy to get buried in the details of a million tasks within a project plan. Instead, find out which tasks are on the critical path (they must be completed before another task can begin and it is a task that is required for the project to be considered a success). Typically, it will be a small fraction of the total tasks. Then, as a project leader, focus and follow up on only those tasks. Suddenly, you have rigorous attention on your priorities.

     4. Celebrate “small wins”: Don’t wait for the end of the project. Celebrate successes along the way, especially those on the critical path. This will help keep the team focused and working as a team.

     5. Follow-up:  Last but not least, follow-up.  Proactively remind project team members of upcoming tasks on the critical path.  Make sure roadblocks are removed.  Ask about potential issues.  Value progress.

As projects are a priority for every organization, it makes sense to evaluate what will ensure success.  In the new normal, it is even more critical as organizations are struggling to grow market share.  Try a few proven tips, and project results will follow.

Don’t forget to leave your comments below. 

Project Management Priorities

Written by Lisa Anderson on . Posted in Articles. 5 Comments on Project Management Priorities

PTimes_June22_FeatureIn my 20 years of experience both as a former VP of Operations and a business consultant and entrepreneur, I’ve run across many different companies in different industries with different people, different processes and different systems, and yet they all typically have the same challenge – successful project management. There are too many priorities yet too little time!

Since project management typically cuts across functional departments, the projects typically are critical to the company’s sales revenues (such as a product line introduction or marketing initiative), operational costs (cost reduction projects, freight programs), cash flow (inventory reduction programs), or the profitability and/or business viability (merger, acquisition, new business opportunity, etc.). What could be a more important topic!  Thus, how should we prioritize?  A few top priorities include: 1) Define objectives & team.  2) Take the time to plan.  3) Execute

1.     Define objectives & team: The first key to success is to define the project and put together the appropriate team. Although this sounds incredibly easy, it is often overlooked in importance. Has anyone been assigned to a project, not understanding the objectives of the project and the amount of time required for the project? Of course! This step will solve those issues.

The critical success factor is to define the project so that it can be clearly communicated to the project team and the organization. It doesn’t have to require a complex project charter that buries the team in paperwork. Instead, keep it simple – define in understandable terms what the project is about, what it will accomplish, and why the company chose to pursue the project. Make sure that the team fully understands the project and how their participation relates to the success of the project. And, finally, do not forget to communicate to the organization, as this is often an overlooked, yet fatal error – the organization will need to support the project with resources, information, etc.

2.     Take the time to plan: I’ve found that although most companies have good intentions to plan, it is rarely executed, due to other priorities and crises. Instead, it is key to take a step back and put together a plan. It doesn’t have to be complex and time consuming. It doesn’t have to utilize the latest project management software and consider complex equations for calculating resource times. Again, keep it simple. A scratch piece of paper is ok, if it is understood and communicated. The most important point is to decide what steps need to be completed, in what order (if order is important), how long the steps will take if x number of resources are dedicated to the task, and which steps are dependent on other steps. You will now be ahead of the majority of companies – you have a plan!

3.     Execute: The third key to success is to execute the plan. In my experience, I’ve found this step to also be often overlooked since it seems simple now that the plan has been developed and the people assigned. Typically there are a few critical steps for success in the execution stage – the critical path, follow-up and communication.

Instead of focusing on every step, focus almost exclusively on the critical path (the sequence of steps that must be completed on schedule for the entire project to be completed). This seemingly simple focus works wonders in keeping your project on track. Second, follow up on those critical steps. For example, instead of waiting for the time when a critical step is scheduled to start, begin focusing on the step in advance. Make sure the resources are available, review the plan for those steps, etc. Lastly, remember to constantly communicate progress, roadblocks, etc. With these few simple steps, I’ve yet to see a project management execution failure.

Projects can range widely in their scope and impact on the organization, so it is achievable to learn on a small project and expand with success. No matter your role in a project, you can begin to implement these priorities – and you’ll deliver bottom line results!

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Project Requirements Documents – Why bother?

Written by Lisa Anderson on . Posted in Articles. 2 Comments on Project Requirements Documents – Why bother?

In today’s new “normal” business environment characterized by lackluster sales and strained liquidity with elevated customer expectations, there is no room for project failure.  Companies need every dollar of increased sales or reduced costs in order to succeed.

For example, one of my clients in the aerospace metals industry had just started to implement a new ERP system when the recession hit.  Suddenly, each dollar was more precious, and the requirements had to be perfectly aligned with what was needed to ensure project success. As the new implementation gobbled up resources, there was no time, no people and no cash to spare.  Could the requirements documents ensure success?  It depends!

In my experience with hundreds of projects across multiple industries and globally, I’ve found that there can be immense time wasted on requirements documents; however, on the other hand, the “right” requirements documents can yield substantial returns.  How can you tell which is which?  1) Do not get sucked into the vortex of endless requirements documents.  2) Focus your 80/20 on the critical success factors.  3) Build in flexibility / revise as appropriate. 

1.   Do not get sucked into the vortex of endless requirements documents – If there is a common mistake in project management which is especially applicable with software implementations, it is getting lost in requirements overload.  Interestingly, it seems as though everything is important, and suddenly, you are lost in a sea of requirements.

For example, I’ve been involved in multiple system selection projects, and I’ve yet to find a team that doesn’t seem to get sucked into the abyss.  From personal experience, I find that it’s easy to do.  Here’s a tip I’ve found to be helpful as you see that you’re heading for requirement overload:   Take a step back.  Could you explain it to your 16 year old?  Can he make sense of it?  If not, think twice.

2.   Focus your 80/20 on the critical success factors – Without fail, I’ve found that having a razor-sharp focus on critical success factors is the key to success.  First, being focused provides a structure for ensuring success.  In my experience, those projects that wander (where decisions are not made or the direction changes frequently – perhaps with the latest management fad) are a recipe for disaster.  Second, thinking about the core critical success factors leads to a significantly better chance of success.  Why not increase your odds of success?

For example, my client in the aerospace metals industry got caught up in the typical system selection process with an overload of what seemed like important requirements.  Of course, each of the requirements was important to a particular function; however, from an 80/20 standpoint, they were base requirements for good manufacturing, distribution and accounting systems.  Yet, the critical success factors were lost in the shuffle, as they seemed to be one of many important factors.  When it came time to implement, they popped up like ugly ducklings. 

3.   Build in flexibility/ revise as appropriate – Last but not least, build flexibility into your projects.  In today’s new “normal” business environment, it is vital to be on the leading edge in order to stay ahead of your competition or to be ready to take advantage of an opportunity to leapfrog your competition.  Thus, it’s important to remain agile. 

Building in flexibility can be misunderstood.  By no means does it make sense to constantly change directions due to the latest fad or based upon internal politics.  Failure here we come!  On the other hand, if flexibility is built into the project in a smart way, the project can remain agile for changing market or external conditions which affect one of your critical success factors.

Too many projects fail to deliver the intended results.  For example, merger and acquisition integration projects typically succeed 20% of the time.  It might be tempting to become enamored with requirement overload as what seems like a reasonable method to avoid the 80% failure rate; however, that will lead straight to failure.  Instead, focus in on the critical success factors to ensure you’re part of the 20%!

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How Do You Know If Your Project Is on Track?

Written by Lisa Anderson on . Posted in Articles. 4 Comments on How Do You Know If Your Project Is on Track?

Anderson_Feature_May4In my recent speech to a project management special interest group in Silicon Valley, a few participants raised some intriguing questions about how to ensure your project is on track.  As it’s a timeless topic yet vital to success, it seemed appropriate to discuss a few key strategies to tracking project progress.

There’s no doubt that those companies who successfully execute projects will be in a dramatically superior position to their competitors.  In today’s new normal business environment, there is no margin for error; you must deliver project results on time, on budget and with exceptional customer service.  So, what are the keys to success?  1) Rigorously track the critical path.  2) Track objectives AND milestone metrics.  3) Ask questions. 

1.  Rigorously track the critical path – Undoubtedly, the best and most common way to ensure success is to track progress on the critical path.  Not all tasks are created equal.  So long as the critical path remains on track, the project will remain on course.  In my experience, if you spend the 80/20 of your time tracking the critical path, you’ll deliver results. 

Once you’ve identified the critical path, it isn’t important to be a project software tracking guru.  I’ve found that simple “works”.  Check in with critical path task owners ahead of schedule.  Remind them of the importance.  Remove roadblocks.  Follow up.  Protect the critical path as your prized possession. 

2.  Track objectives AND milestone metrics – It’s quite common and relatively simple to track project objectives/ outcomes; however, it is not enough.  By the time the project team figures out there is a problem in achieving the objective, it is often too late to resolve.  Instead, focus attention on determining milestone metrics.

Now the challenge – often, it is not easy to determine how to set milestone metrics.  For example, in many of my clients’ projects, the objectives are crystal clear: launch a new product, reduce inventory by 50%, implement organizational change without customer impact, etc.  And, once progress begins, it is obvious as to how to track progress – if we’ve reduced inventory by 10%, we are 1/5 of our way to our goal.  The issue arises in the timeframe prior to tangible progress. 

For example, in inventory projects, there can be 4-12 weeks prior to tangible progress.  So, how do you know whether you’re on track?  Typically, I’ve found that asking the folks involved in the day-to-day process and/or tracking of the project outcome yields milestone metrics.  They might not realize they have the answer but they do!  And, if they still are unsure, provide guidelines and/or categories based on best practices related to the project topic, and it will spur ideas.  Milestone metrics will emerge.

3.  Ask questions – If you manage the critical path with rigor and develop milestone metrics, you’ll almost ensure success.  The only missing link is to ask questions of the subject matter experts.   

For example, half way between milestone metrics, ask the subject matter experts about progress.  It is amazing how accurate their perceptions can be about progress.  If a subject matter expert is uncomfortable with progress or thinks there might be a better path, listen!  Even if they are not correct 100% of the time, the worst case scenario is that you’ve minimized risk by taking notice.  I’ve found that once they see that you value their opinion and are listening to their concerns, you’ll not only get more feedback but you’ll also make quicker and smoother progress. 

Too many projects fail to deliver the intended results.  For example, merger and acquisition integration projects typically succeed 20% of the time.  Thus, it makes sense for us to not only become a metric fanatic but to also be smart in tracking the “right” metrics to ensure we’re part of the 20%!

Don’t forget to leave your comments below.