- Procter & Gamble
- Shell Oil
- Visa
Wednesday, December 20, 2006
ITIL V3 Books coming soon...
Vol I Introduction to ITIL
Vol II Service Support
Vol III Planning to implement Service Management
Vol V ICT Infrastructure Management
Vol VI Application Management
Vol VII Security Management
VolVIII Software Asset Management
Vol IX Business Perspective
Vol X ITIL Small-Scale Implementation
Vol I Introduction to ITIL
Vol II Service Support
Vol III Planning to implement Service Management
Vol V ICT Infrastructure Management
Vol VI Application Management
Vol VII Security Management
VolVIII Software Asset Management
Vol IX Business Perspective
Vol X ITIL Small-Scale Implementation
Thursday, December 07, 2006
Money Magazine Corporate Ladder Quiz
1. You've just taken a new job in an unfamiliar organization and are anxious to make a good impression and rise quickly. The best way to do this is to:
Results: The best answer is b, because people who solve problems get noticed for all the right reasons. Ignoring the political climate altogether as in c, is unwise, because you'll never be able to anticipate an enemy you don't see. Meanwhile, a is even riskier. Become too embroiled in office intrigue and you tend to overlook a crucial fact: The people who have clout now may not have it later, or vice versa. Why choose sides now?
2. You've come up with a great idea for cutting costs, boosting efficiency, or improving customer satisfaction, but you've described it to your boss, and she just doesn't seem interested in pursuing it. You:
Results: The best answer is c -- not only is it the most likely to persuade your immediate boss, but even if she tries the idea and it flops, the approach makes her an ally you could keep for life. Don't go with b; it's just an excellent way to shoot yourself in the foot. And a shouldn't even cross your mind: Power is never achieved without a quality Reardon calls "relentlessness" -- an unwillingness ever to take "no" for a final answer.
3. A manager one level above you does you a very big favor--for example, saves you from a layoff or puts in a good word for you that helps you get your dream job. Your response is to:
Results: If you chose b, you're well on your way to understanding the secret handshake: People in power rarely get there, or stay there, by losing sight of who helped them along the way. That's why a is just not sufficient. As for c, it's downright dangerous: Never let anyone pressure you into returning a favor, even a very big favor, if it involves an ethical or moral lapse or could otherwise damage your career or reputation.
4. In a meeting with several of your peers and a few people more influential than you are, someone makes a pointed remark that might--or might not--be construed as a significant criticism of your work. You:
Results: By far the most effective way to handle this is b, but make sure to keep the conversation brief, brisk, and businesslike, and listen carefully without getting whiny or defensive. The only way c will help is if your peers know more than you do about what's going on and whose stock is up or down -- and if they do, that's a bad sign right there. And, to be frank, a is for losers.
5. You're a middle manager now, but you hope someday to be CEO. Your natural inclination is to base your decisions on the consensus of the group. In order to prepare yourself to move up, you:
Results: The best answer here is a, followed by b. In her book, Reardon identifies and describes in detail four distinct leadership styles, with most managers having some characteristics of each. In some companies, she writes, "the most effective leader is one who doesn't appear to be leading at all." Figure out what is the most widely respected style in your particular organization -- and, if the people at the top approach leadership in a radically different way than you do, consider moving to another company. Square pegs do occasionally fit into round holes, but the higher you go, the less likely that becomes.
Top 10 "Boss Gifts"
* Let friendship develop, don't force it
* allow employees to demonstrate reliability without oversight
* address conflict
* remain modest
* be decisive
* reflect before making decisions
* delegate
* maintain steady energy level
* be open to influence
* be professional
Then emphasize how many of the traits on the surveyed employees' "wish" list that your boss does possess:
* Trust in one's employees
* Honesty/authenticity
* Great team-building skills
* Effective coaching skills
* The ability to say "no"
* A broader perspective
* Patience
* Decision-making skills
Career Advancement Without Experience
| Published: | August 9, 2006 |
| Author: | Julia Hanna |
http://hbswk.hbs.edu/item/5471.html
Stretch work strategies
The researchers identified four successful tactics for obtaining stretch work that were common to both groups:
- Differentiate competence. Anyone hoping to advance must distinguish his or her performance on the job. This is particularly true, however, for contract workers—because they are paid for each short-term job, their employers are likely to subject their work to close, frequent evaluation.
- Acquire referrals. Because high-tech contractors tend to work with a number of clients, brokers, and fellow contractors, they enjoy a broader social network from which to draw referrals than most permanent employees. In the film industry—where most hiring is done based on a production manager's previous experience with an individual—referrals are a vital aspect of getting any job, particularly if it stretches a worker in a new direction.
- Framing and bluffing. "This is one of the most creative attributes for obtaining stretch work," O'Mahony notes. "People who are good at presenting their prior experience in a way that allows for an easy translation to the desired job can narrow the gap between their past experience and future capabilities." Adopting a hybrid job title to identify oneself—"director-screenwriter," for example—can also help establish authority in more than one area.
- Discounting. Accepting pay below the market rate is a temporary disadvantage some contract workers are willing to accept, if it means gaining the experience and exposure that will lead to a new position. One technical writer put it this way: "I turned down solid offers from three companies, all paying over $100K a year…I would take a job at $55K if they're using a totally new technology so I learn something…It's like playing pool…You hit the green ball with the white ball, and the point is to place the white ball to get the next shot. So I take that job in order to learn skills for my next project."
Creating a Positive Professional Image
| Q&A with: | Laura Roberts |
http://hbswk.hbs.edu/item/4860.html
Q: What are the steps individuals should take to manage their professional image?
A: First, you must realize that if you aren't managing your own professional image, someone else is. People are constantly observing your behavior and forming theories about your competence, character, and commitment, which are rapidly disseminated throughout your workplace. It is only wise to add your voice in framing others' theories about who you are and what you can accomplish.
Be the author of your own identity. Take a strategic, proactive approach to managing your image:
Identify your ideal state.
- What are the core competencies and character traits you want people to associate with you?
- Which of your social identities do you want to emphasize and incorporate into your workplace interactions, and which would you rather minimize?
Assess your current image, culture, and audience.
- What are the expectations for professionalism?
- How do others currently perceive you?
Conduct a cost-benefit analysis for image change.
- Do you care about others' perceptions of you?
- Are you capable of changing your image?
- Are the benefits worth the costs? (Cognitive, psychological, emotional, physical effort)
Use strategic self-presentation to manage impressions and change your image.
- Employ appropriate traditional and social identity-based impression management strategies.
- Pay attention to the balancing act—build credibility while maintaining authenticity.
Manage the effort you invest in the process.
- Monitoring others' perceptions of you
- Monitoring your own behavior
- Strategic self-disclosure
- Preoccupation with proving worth and legitimacy
PM Network Vol 20 Notes
PM Network Vol 20, 4: April 2006 p. 24
Behavioral interview
- ‘past behavior is the best predictor of future success’
- Themes like success failure and focus on topics such as persuasion, conflict management and interpersonal relations.
- Create story around accomplishments
- Beginning (restatement of prob) middle (actions you took) and end (result)
Panel interview
- Prioritization and demands
- Answer in order
- ‘I’d be happy to answer but if you don’t mind, I’d like to answer this other question first.’
- Expect follow up questions
Case interview
- Analyze business problem, hypothetical
- Define problem and explain process for solving it
PM Network Vol 20, 4: April 2006 p. 39
| More persuasive | They’re able to argue and convince others of a particular viewpoint |
| More outgoing | They’re more talkative and noisy |
| More innovative | They’re ready with lots of ideas |
| More achieving | They set higher goals for themselves |
| Less modest | They’re ready to talk up their own achievements |
| Less conventional | They want to do things differently. |
PM Network Vol 20, 4: April 2006 p. 46
Change Management activities
Quantitatively benchmark the assumptions so that progress made toward setting realistic expectations can be measured. Rate the problems by strongly disagree to strongly agree
_ the implementation will be difficult
_ my job will be easier after the implementation
_ the project change will make my job more secure
_ I expect a few problems in the first few weeks
_ consumers will see the change’s benefit almost immediately
_ we will not have to work as much overtime
_ we will be more confident that stock is available when we take an order
_ the changes have nothing to do with me
PM Network Vol 20, 4: April 2006 p. 64
Inverted pyramid style of communications for update
Punch line: Most critical concern is stated, “Eighty five percent of the testing worked”
Current status: “The project is 10 days behind”
Next steps: tell not only the problem but the solution. “We can recover three days of the delay but not all five if Bill Smith works overtime for a week.”
Explanation: “We did the tests but it didn’t work as planned.
PM Network Vol 20, 4: April 2006 p. 66
Ask the right questions in beginning or evaluating a project
- What specific corporate strategy or business initiative is the project linked to?
- What value does the project provide?
- What are the measures for quantifying the success of the project?
- What are the shutdown conditions of the project?
- What are the implications of doing nothing?
PM Network, Vol 20, 5: May 2006 p. 20
Building a better relationship with authority
- Listen to your leader’s heartbeat; hallway conversations & dreams personally and professionally.
- Know your leader’s priorities
- Catch your leader’s enthusiasm; promote their dreams and visions
- Connect with their interests
- Understand their personality; opposite opinion is OK as long as goals and values match up.
- Earn their trust; positives fund the account, negatives detract.
- Work with their weaknesses; identify these and provide a balance to them.
PM Network, Vol 20, 5: May 2006
Risk management
Is it financially stable and secure? Look at balance sheet for risk tolerance.
Can current business operations continue alongside forward-looking project work without substantial disruptions to either? Evaluate project on impact to other projects and ongoing operations.
What are the to-level execs tolerance for risk and commitment to completion? Support of sponsors who are likely not to leave or strong, multi-exec support.
PM Network, Vol 20, 5: May 2006 p. 76
Leader of the Pack
- How do you interact with people on a regular basis?
- Are you negative or critical?
- Do you empower others or try to micromanage and control?
- Do you try to develop and support people?
Monday, November 20, 2006
ORFALEA CENTER FOR GLOBAL & INTERNATIONAL STUDIES SPECIAL EVENT: Former President William J. Clinton and Entrepreneur Paul Orfalea
For those that are interested, this was a rather interesting conversation on globalization and you can watch the web-cast as a replay. This is a good conversation on many things about global business and U.S. relationships. While I try not to be political here, had this conversation occurred prior to his campaigns, I would have voted for him... Ofcourse, President Clinton would not have had the knowledge or foresight to discuss these topics without this experience.
The best I can do here is paraphrase him until I am in a place where I can rewatch the broadcast but the statement was something to the effect: Do not overlook philosophic thought and possible facts due to your blind grasp on your ideology. Thank you, thank you, thank you for somebody in the political world finally saying it is OK to change your position if the facts in front of you have changed. This should hold for most things in your life as well.
All professionals should be encouraged to change their minds and be able to relay the reasoning for such a decision. An unchanged position submerges an individual to far into their ideology to think clearly about advancement. While changing your mind is a good think, you must be able to provide the reasoning for it as well. If you can not provide a process logic to reach the new destination the philosophical logic is not sound and a lack of supporting evidence makes your perspective easily dismissable as ideological fodder instead of deductively reasoned logic.
For those that are interested, this was a rather interesting conversation on globalization and you can watch the web-cast as a replay. This is a good conversation on many things about global business and U.S. relationships. While I try not to be political here, had this conversation occurred prior to his campaigns, I would have voted for him... Ofcourse, President Clinton would not have had the knowledge or foresight to discuss these topics without this experience.
The best I can do here is paraphrase him until I am in a place where I can rewatch the broadcast but the statement was something to the effect: Do not overlook philosophic thought and possible facts due to your blind grasp on your ideology. Thank you, thank you, thank you for somebody in the political world finally saying it is OK to change your position if the facts in front of you have changed. This should hold for most things in your life as well.
All professionals should be encouraged to change their minds and be able to relay the reasoning for such a decision. An unchanged position submerges an individual to far into their ideology to think clearly about advancement. While changing your mind is a good think, you must be able to provide the reasoning for it as well. If you can not provide a process logic to reach the new destination the philosophical logic is not sound and a lack of supporting evidence makes your perspective easily dismissable as ideological fodder instead of deductively reasoned logic.
Time Off and Representing Yourself
While I have been absent, I have not forgotten about my blog. There was a bit of complication regarding my M.B.A. and I had to retake a class which occupied time so I could not read anything recently.
Next1Up's advice for people, remember that all your text on the internet will eventually become searchable. Remember to represent yourself in the best possible light by expressing yourself professionally and supporting arguments if you want to state a contrary opinion. Most of the people in this make-up class were remedial enough in their writing that it would be hard for me to grant any of them an interview. Limited knowledge of a topic, lack of supporting information and failure to abide by the rules of grammar made philosophical discussions with them impossible. I wish them the best and I hope they grow in their respect for themselves to improve their professional image.
Speaking of professional image, the holidays are hear and my advice is watch your consumption. Company/Customer Holiday parties are not the place to get drunk, go to the bar afterward with a group if that is your desire but regardless of what you hear, these impressions stay with people. This goes the same for anybody that accompanies you. My advice extends into the food as well. Eat something before you get there so you can spend your time talking with everybody instead of shoving your face with appetizers made of contents you have not heard of.
While I have been absent, I have not forgotten about my blog. There was a bit of complication regarding my M.B.A. and I had to retake a class which occupied time so I could not read anything recently.
Next1Up's advice for people, remember that all your text on the internet will eventually become searchable. Remember to represent yourself in the best possible light by expressing yourself professionally and supporting arguments if you want to state a contrary opinion. Most of the people in this make-up class were remedial enough in their writing that it would be hard for me to grant any of them an interview. Limited knowledge of a topic, lack of supporting information and failure to abide by the rules of grammar made philosophical discussions with them impossible. I wish them the best and I hope they grow in their respect for themselves to improve their professional image.
Speaking of professional image, the holidays are hear and my advice is watch your consumption. Company/Customer Holiday parties are not the place to get drunk, go to the bar afterward with a group if that is your desire but regardless of what you hear, these impressions stay with people. This goes the same for anybody that accompanies you. My advice extends into the food as well. Eat something before you get there so you can spend your time talking with everybody instead of shoving your face with appetizers made of contents you have not heard of.
Tuesday, September 05, 2006
Book Review: Brag!: The Art of Tooting Your Own Horn without Blowing It
Brag!: The Art of Tooting Your Own Horn without Blowing It by Peggy Klaus
OK, a book with a few hints and tips that helps you refine your elevator speach and reminds you that every conversation is a pitch or ad requesting interest. Really, not that bad of a thing.
Any office hall way, any two people, the first says, 'how's it going?' as they cross in the hall. Possible responses...
grunt : Person is having a bad day, or does not care much about the day.
'hi' : I have seen you before but your name escapes me.
'hey naaammmeee' : I know who you are but have nothing interesting to tell you.
'super day!' : To excited to be trusted.
'Exciting, new movement means the project is expanding, looking up to the new challenge. You?' : Damn straight I know what is going on here, where I am needed and where I can help & grow. Can you play the game or waste my time with little hallway chat?
That is the value of "Brag!", you learn techniques for when you find yourself on the elevator with the CEO and every other a-hole tells him/her about the weather. This also serves in developing your opener at parties and building the intro other people use for you.
In my classification of books this is a 'Library' class book. Worth the cash, maybe, but you want to know where to get it when you want it... like your local library.
Brag!: The Art of Tooting Your Own Horn without Blowing It by Peggy Klaus
OK, a book with a few hints and tips that helps you refine your elevator speach and reminds you that every conversation is a pitch or ad requesting interest. Really, not that bad of a thing.
Any office hall way, any two people, the first says, 'how's it going?' as they cross in the hall. Possible responses...
That is the value of "Brag!", you learn techniques for when you find yourself on the elevator with the CEO and every other a-hole tells him/her about the weather. This also serves in developing your opener at parties and building the intro other people use for you.
In my classification of books this is a 'Library' class book. Worth the cash, maybe, but you want to know where to get it when you want it... like your local library.
Wednesday, August 23, 2006
Book Summary: How to Become a Rainmaker
How to Become a Rainmaker: The Rules for getting and keeping customers and clients by Jeffrey J. Fox.
Rainmaker’s Credo
• Cherish customers at all times
• Treat customers as you would your best friend
• Listen to customers and decipher their needs
• Make or give customers what they need
• Price your product to its dollarized value
• Show customers the dollarized value of what they will get
• Teach customers to want what they need
• Make your product the way customers want it
• Get your product to your customers when they want it
• Give your customers a little extra, more than they expect
• Remind customers of the dollarized value they received
• Thank each customer sincerely and often
• Help customers pay you, so they won’t be embarrassed to go elsewhere
• Ask to do it again
Killer Questions
1. Do you have your appointment book handy?
2. Will you look at the facts and decide for yourself if they make sense?
3. Would you like to know our differences? (when discussing competitors)
4. We can give you a demonstration, is there anything else inhibiting you from going ahead? (unresolved customer issues or leads to a closing)
5. Why don’t you give it a try? (try, dependant, see benefit)
6. What questions should I be asking that I am not asking? (give them chance to voice concerns)
“Don’t waste your time trying to convince dairy farmers to by horseshoes.”
Rainmakers sell money, not windows or software or shoes.
Dining: Your back to the wall, do not let the customer be distracted during the meeting.
Objections: Welcome them because they are how customers express their desires.
Preparation: Always taste the wine before the wine tasting. Confirm any variable possible.
Ask dumb questions to understand their functionality
Investment return analysis: Prepare this so the customer can sell the product within their organization. There are usually 8-12 decision makers behind the scenes.
Customers do not care about what is making it hard to do your job.
Break the ice at the end of a meeting, ensure time for business.
Show the chain, sell the first link. (explain the process to the customer, get them into the first step)
Be the best dressed person you meet today. No coffee before a meeting.
NEVER
• You are never in a meeting – resolving a customer’s issue
• You are never sick, you are traveling
• Vacation – traveling
• Left for the day – out of the office
• Out to lunch – meeting with a client
• Not in the office yet – at a breakfast meeting
Negotiation:
• Give a sample, get an agreement to test
• Give a demo, get agreement to buy if works as claimed
• Give a brochure, get an appointment
• Give a discount, get more volume
• Give a free drink, get a dinner meeting
• Give a favor, get a due bill
• Give a solution, get paid
Point system (strive for 4 pts per day)
1. lead referral intro
2. appointment to meet decision maker
3. face-to-face meeting
4. commitment to close or action toward close
Voicemail
• Prepare it in writing
• Use third-party reference where you can
• Practice your message
• Be ready for a pick-up
• Speak slowly, clearly
• Introduce yourself first
• State how long message will be
• Purpose of your call (dollarized opportunity)
• Benefit and dollared value
• Suggest a meeting time
• Telephone number AREA CODE 815 888 3333, then repeat
• Thank them and advice you will follow up
• The beauty of voice mail is they will listen to it at their leisure and with their full attention.
10 things to do today to get business
1. Send a handwritten note
2. Clip and send an article of interest.
3. Talk to a satisfied client and ask who else you might help
4. Send a thank-you give to someone who referred you.
5. Give your business card to someone with influence.
6. Send a letter to the editor of a magazine your customers read.
7. Add 15 people to your mailing list
8. Leave a compelling voice mail.
9. Make an appointment
10. Call a client you haven’t talk to in 2 years
Recognize a Rainmaker
• Is organized
• Calls only on decision makers
• Does detailed pre-call planning
• Always has a written sales call objective
• Asks preplanned questions
• Listens
• Is empathetic with customers
• Encourages and appreciates objections
• Always dollarizes the value of a product
• Asks for customer commitments
How to Dollarize
1. Determine the competition price
2. State benefit
3. Quantify that benefit
4. Dollarize the benefit overall (avoided warranty claim x cost per claim = overall cost saved)
5. Reduce benefit to per unit (total savings / # units = savings per unit)
6. Demonstrate the true net cost of your products (price – savings per unit = true price per unit)
How to Become a Rainmaker: The Rules for getting and keeping customers and clients by Jeffrey J. Fox.
Rainmaker’s Credo
• Cherish customers at all times
• Treat customers as you would your best friend
• Listen to customers and decipher their needs
• Make or give customers what they need
• Price your product to its dollarized value
• Show customers the dollarized value of what they will get
• Teach customers to want what they need
• Make your product the way customers want it
• Get your product to your customers when they want it
• Give your customers a little extra, more than they expect
• Remind customers of the dollarized value they received
• Thank each customer sincerely and often
• Help customers pay you, so they won’t be embarrassed to go elsewhere
• Ask to do it again
Killer Questions
1. Do you have your appointment book handy?
2. Will you look at the facts and decide for yourself if they make sense?
3. Would you like to know our differences? (when discussing competitors)
4. We can give you a demonstration, is there anything else inhibiting you from going ahead? (unresolved customer issues or leads to a closing)
5. Why don’t you give it a try? (try, dependant, see benefit)
6. What questions should I be asking that I am not asking? (give them chance to voice concerns)
“Don’t waste your time trying to convince dairy farmers to by horseshoes.”
Rainmakers sell money, not windows or software or shoes.
Dining: Your back to the wall, do not let the customer be distracted during the meeting.
Objections: Welcome them because they are how customers express their desires.
Preparation: Always taste the wine before the wine tasting. Confirm any variable possible.
Ask dumb questions to understand their functionality
Investment return analysis: Prepare this so the customer can sell the product within their organization. There are usually 8-12 decision makers behind the scenes.
Customers do not care about what is making it hard to do your job.
Break the ice at the end of a meeting, ensure time for business.
Show the chain, sell the first link. (explain the process to the customer, get them into the first step)
Be the best dressed person you meet today. No coffee before a meeting.
NEVER
• You are never in a meeting – resolving a customer’s issue
• You are never sick, you are traveling
• Vacation – traveling
• Left for the day – out of the office
• Out to lunch – meeting with a client
• Not in the office yet – at a breakfast meeting
Negotiation:
• Give a sample, get an agreement to test
• Give a demo, get agreement to buy if works as claimed
• Give a brochure, get an appointment
• Give a discount, get more volume
• Give a free drink, get a dinner meeting
• Give a favor, get a due bill
• Give a solution, get paid
Point system (strive for 4 pts per day)
1. lead referral intro
2. appointment to meet decision maker
3. face-to-face meeting
4. commitment to close or action toward close
Voicemail
• Prepare it in writing
• Use third-party reference where you can
• Practice your message
• Be ready for a pick-up
• Speak slowly, clearly
• Introduce yourself first
• State how long message will be
• Purpose of your call (dollarized opportunity)
• Benefit and dollared value
• Suggest a meeting time
• Telephone number AREA CODE 815 888 3333, then repeat
• Thank them and advice you will follow up
• The beauty of voice mail is they will listen to it at their leisure and with their full attention.
10 things to do today to get business
1. Send a handwritten note
2. Clip and send an article of interest.
3. Talk to a satisfied client and ask who else you might help
4. Send a thank-you give to someone who referred you.
5. Give your business card to someone with influence.
6. Send a letter to the editor of a magazine your customers read.
7. Add 15 people to your mailing list
8. Leave a compelling voice mail.
9. Make an appointment
10. Call a client you haven’t talk to in 2 years
Recognize a Rainmaker
• Is organized
• Calls only on decision makers
• Does detailed pre-call planning
• Always has a written sales call objective
• Asks preplanned questions
• Listens
• Is empathetic with customers
• Encourages and appreciates objections
• Always dollarizes the value of a product
• Asks for customer commitments
How to Dollarize
1. Determine the competition price
2. State benefit
3. Quantify that benefit
4. Dollarize the benefit overall (avoided warranty claim x cost per claim = overall cost saved)
5. Reduce benefit to per unit (total savings / # units = savings per unit)
6. Demonstrate the true net cost of your products (price – savings per unit = true price per unit)
Interesting Blogs: Small Business Owners
This is interesting reading that I am going to review regularly. Most importantly, if you are looking for small business ideas.
Six Disciplines
This is interesting reading that I am going to review regularly. Most importantly, if you are looking for small business ideas.
Six Disciplines
Book Summary: Kaizen: The key to Japan's Competitive Success
Book summaries are a little different because they are only the information I find useful from a book and less commentary than a review.
Kaizen: The key to Japan’s Competitive success
By Masaaki Imai
“Gentlemen, our job is to manage change. If we fail, we must change management.”
Kaizen: Ongoing improvement, including everybody from management to floor worker in work, social and home life.
Design > Production > Sales > Research
Sumo awards: outstanding performance, skill and fighting spirit award.
Process oriented manager
Discipline
Time Management
Skill development
Participation and involvement
Morale
Communication
An infusion of capital is no substitute for this investment in time and effort, it means investing in people.
Kaizen best suited for slow growth economy.
Western managers often refuse to establish rapport with workers which is needed for Kaizen.
Japanese axiom: Quality control starts with training and ends in training
When you see data, doubt it. When you see the measuring instruments, doubt them.
Do stage: morale is improved through Kaizen activities as everybody masters the art of solving immediate problems.
American suggestions based on economic benefits and financial incentives. Japanese stress morale-boosting benefits of positive employee participation.
Suggestions fill the gap between the workers capabilities and the job.
Prerequisites for policy deployment:
1. There must be a clear understanding of role of each manager in achieving the predetermined business result and improving the processes.
2. Managers of different ranks must have a clear understanding of the control points and check points established to realize of goals.
3. The system of routine management must be well established in the company.
Before coming to Washington, I stopped off in Chicago to see the CES. There were many comp products on display at the show. When they arrived packed in crates it was the work of the carpenters union to remove nails from the crates. However, simple taking out the nails was not enough to remove the entire wooden frame, since there were some nuts and bolts remaining. The man from the carpenters’ union said that is was not his job to remove the nuts and bolts and that he would not do it. Finally the frames were removed, but again the work stopped because the rest had to be done by a worker from another Union. Then we learned that pamphlets ordered from Japan had arrived. I went to see about them but there was nobody there from the right union to unload the packages. We waited for two hours, but no one showed up. Finally the truck driver who had delivered the packages gave up and went back, with the pamphlets still on board.
We call some societies primitive because of their desire to remain in the same state in which gods or ancestors created them at the beginning of time, with a demographic balance which they know how to maintain and an unchanging standard of living protected by their social rules and metaphysical belief.
While this book was primarily focused on production lines and warehouses the management logic is not that hard to adapt to executive team management. The core principle is to look at wasted efforts, continual improvement and what each individual can contribute to make the entire organization function better. In my environment this is better monitoring tools and communications software.
Book summaries are a little different because they are only the information I find useful from a book and less commentary than a review.
Kaizen: The key to Japan’s Competitive success
By Masaaki Imai
“Gentlemen, our job is to manage change. If we fail, we must change management.”
Kaizen: Ongoing improvement, including everybody from management to floor worker in work, social and home life.
Design > Production > Sales > Research
Sumo awards: outstanding performance, skill and fighting spirit award.
Process oriented manager
Discipline
Time Management
Skill development
Participation and involvement
Morale
Communication
An infusion of capital is no substitute for this investment in time and effort, it means investing in people.
Kaizen best suited for slow growth economy.
Western managers often refuse to establish rapport with workers which is needed for Kaizen.
Japanese axiom: Quality control starts with training and ends in training
When you see data, doubt it. When you see the measuring instruments, doubt them.
Do stage: morale is improved through Kaizen activities as everybody masters the art of solving immediate problems.
American suggestions based on economic benefits and financial incentives. Japanese stress morale-boosting benefits of positive employee participation.
Suggestions fill the gap between the workers capabilities and the job.
Prerequisites for policy deployment:
1. There must be a clear understanding of role of each manager in achieving the predetermined business result and improving the processes.
2. Managers of different ranks must have a clear understanding of the control points and check points established to realize of goals.
3. The system of routine management must be well established in the company.
Before coming to Washington, I stopped off in Chicago to see the CES. There were many comp products on display at the show. When they arrived packed in crates it was the work of the carpenters union to remove nails from the crates. However, simple taking out the nails was not enough to remove the entire wooden frame, since there were some nuts and bolts remaining. The man from the carpenters’ union said that is was not his job to remove the nuts and bolts and that he would not do it. Finally the frames were removed, but again the work stopped because the rest had to be done by a worker from another Union. Then we learned that pamphlets ordered from Japan had arrived. I went to see about them but there was nobody there from the right union to unload the packages. We waited for two hours, but no one showed up. Finally the truck driver who had delivered the packages gave up and went back, with the pamphlets still on board.
We call some societies primitive because of their desire to remain in the same state in which gods or ancestors created them at the beginning of time, with a demographic balance which they know how to maintain and an unchanging standard of living protected by their social rules and metaphysical belief.
While this book was primarily focused on production lines and warehouses the management logic is not that hard to adapt to executive team management. The core principle is to look at wasted efforts, continual improvement and what each individual can contribute to make the entire organization function better. In my environment this is better monitoring tools and communications software.
Monday, August 14, 2006
Book Review: The Effective Executive
The most important thing I can say is read this book with an open mind. Yes, the examples are outdated but they are significant, not to mention it is nice to read about events we have seen the ongoing impact of. Yes, the beginning sounds like a pep speech to daily office workers but where do you think the speakers pulled their content from? Yes, he is overly liberal in defining executive.
These two alone almost caused me to put the book down but I picked up a highlighter, more as a bookmark, and read on. I do not thing I have ever highlighted more of a book than I have here. I have found that texts follow a divergent, convergent pattern and it is the convergent literature that is concise and most time tested. This text encompasses what we know about business and productivity, avoiding reading multiple volumes on each topic.
This book is part practical advice, part motivational fluff for Drucker’s knowledge worker that encompasses many educated people and those skilled in intangibles. This is significant, as we see products all around us which are made by somebody and when people ask what we do our response is somewhere around ‘computer stuff’. It is the final chapter that solidified my belief in the motivational fluff, it discusses why managers should encourage their staff to read it. The problem with discounting fluff is it is the cornerstone of reawakening the driving spirit in the intellectually skilled, which need to be reminded of the answer to, ‘Why do I do this every day anyway?’
My father-in-law can drive around Chicago, point out buildings telling everybody he helped build them, I have been in the car enough now that I can give this tour… It seems like human nature that we want to leave a legacy that will outlive us and we are grappling with this as knowledge workers. There are significant planning guidelines and recommendations in this text and now more highlighting than most any book I own.
This has now been added into my rotation of gift/career cycle books:
Fresh out of school / new focus: how to Win Friends and Influence People
Feeling a lull in life / need meaning to your career: The Effective Executive
Need to identify the change needed: What Color is Your Parachute
Recovering from unplanned change: Who Moved My Cheese
The most important thing I can say is read this book with an open mind. Yes, the examples are outdated but they are significant, not to mention it is nice to read about events we have seen the ongoing impact of. Yes, the beginning sounds like a pep speech to daily office workers but where do you think the speakers pulled their content from? Yes, he is overly liberal in defining executive.
These two alone almost caused me to put the book down but I picked up a highlighter, more as a bookmark, and read on. I do not thing I have ever highlighted more of a book than I have here. I have found that texts follow a divergent, convergent pattern and it is the convergent literature that is concise and most time tested. This text encompasses what we know about business and productivity, avoiding reading multiple volumes on each topic.
This book is part practical advice, part motivational fluff for Drucker’s knowledge worker that encompasses many educated people and those skilled in intangibles. This is significant, as we see products all around us which are made by somebody and when people ask what we do our response is somewhere around ‘computer stuff’. It is the final chapter that solidified my belief in the motivational fluff, it discusses why managers should encourage their staff to read it. The problem with discounting fluff is it is the cornerstone of reawakening the driving spirit in the intellectually skilled, which need to be reminded of the answer to, ‘Why do I do this every day anyway?’
My father-in-law can drive around Chicago, point out buildings telling everybody he helped build them, I have been in the car enough now that I can give this tour… It seems like human nature that we want to leave a legacy that will outlive us and we are grappling with this as knowledge workers. There are significant planning guidelines and recommendations in this text and now more highlighting than most any book I own.
This has now been added into my rotation of gift/career cycle books:
Fresh out of school / new focus: how to Win Friends and Influence People
Feeling a lull in life / need meaning to your career: The Effective Executive
Need to identify the change needed: What Color is Your Parachute
Recovering from unplanned change: Who Moved My Cheese
Book Review: Getting Things Done: The Art of Stress-Free Productivity
One of the biggest contributions from this book is the context prioritization. I have updated my organizer to include categories of office, home, anywhere, car that way I can be productive at any point. Big picture wise, the weekly planning helps you remember things you really want to do and refocus your efforts. Finally, I swear by his concept of 'always have something to read'. There are times when we are waiting for people to get to a meeting, a few minutes inbetween eating dinner and my son waking up or sitting in a doctor's waiting room that having something I want to read handy is beneficial.
Great book on organization, much easier than the Franklin Covey planning system... and cheaper. check out www.davidco.com for related planning documents.
One of the biggest contributions from this book is the context prioritization. I have updated my organizer to include categories of office, home, anywhere, car that way I can be productive at any point. Big picture wise, the weekly planning helps you remember things you really want to do and refocus your efforts. Finally, I swear by his concept of 'always have something to read'. There are times when we are waiting for people to get to a meeting, a few minutes inbetween eating dinner and my son waking up or sitting in a doctor's waiting room that having something I want to read handy is beneficial.
Great book on organization, much easier than the Franklin Covey planning system... and cheaper. check out www.davidco.com for related planning documents.
Book Review: Good to Great: Why Some Companies Make the Leap... and Others Don't by Jim Collins
All too often a message has promise, but the messenger misinterprets it. That is often the case with this book, partly due to the author’s thoroughness in introducing his first concept of ‘getting the right things/people in the right places’. This concept is so extensively covered in the first half of the book that, I believe, most people assume this continues into the second part of the book and quit reading. (Or, this is enough to make conversation around an executive lunch table and so they drop it for another hot conversation topic.)
In fact, the second part is significantly different and discusses what happens once everything is in place… momentum. Since most read the first half of the book and quit, I will cover the second half first.
Momentum and incremental improvements are the key to ‘radical breakthroughs’, which, if done right, can not be recognized until well after they happen. This hurts the quick-fix consultants out there, but there is no effective way to have long lasting impact with a significant shift of direction. A quick shift requires readjustment by everybody and does not put an organization on stable ground to continue their momentum. Rather, small changes will amass into a significant step at some point but none of these alone will change the playing field or greatly move organizations position in it.
Most important about this is FOCUS, each of these changes comes with understanding the world around you but focusing on how you can make a difference. The problem comes when the scope of vision becomes to wide and, marketing is concerned with the testing results the QA department got on beta build 3, support is talking about who in sales is making their quota and sales is talking about where the executive team held their last off-site. Keeping each team focused on contributing toward the goal and feeling the energy build as they make progress is the key.
Now for the first part, get resources where they belong, even if this includes placing them in the trash. Collins describes an organization as a bus. First, get the right people you need for the journey on the bus, get the wrong people off. Yes, there are some people who are not right for the organization, it would be a disservice to the others on the team and hurt that person’s future if you did not help them get off the bus. Second, put the right people in the right seats. Great! Now that everybody is where their skills are best applied look at the tools you have and do the same. If the ticket system is garbage, replace it with something that meets your needs, money spent now will save you operating costs in the future. Monitoring application working adequately, find somebody who can make it work right.
If you are going to read this book, commit to reading the entire book, it can be worth it. The misinterpretation of G2G is partly the fault of the media, which enjoys sensationalizing that Jim Collins is advocating firing people that are not immediate contributors to the team and a fit for the culture. So learn about momentum and be comfortable with your organization not holding huge release parties for new products and be able to look back and say, ‘I was part of something great.’
All too often a message has promise, but the messenger misinterprets it. That is often the case with this book, partly due to the author’s thoroughness in introducing his first concept of ‘getting the right things/people in the right places’. This concept is so extensively covered in the first half of the book that, I believe, most people assume this continues into the second part of the book and quit reading. (Or, this is enough to make conversation around an executive lunch table and so they drop it for another hot conversation topic.)
In fact, the second part is significantly different and discusses what happens once everything is in place… momentum. Since most read the first half of the book and quit, I will cover the second half first.
Momentum and incremental improvements are the key to ‘radical breakthroughs’, which, if done right, can not be recognized until well after they happen. This hurts the quick-fix consultants out there, but there is no effective way to have long lasting impact with a significant shift of direction. A quick shift requires readjustment by everybody and does not put an organization on stable ground to continue their momentum. Rather, small changes will amass into a significant step at some point but none of these alone will change the playing field or greatly move organizations position in it.
Most important about this is FOCUS, each of these changes comes with understanding the world around you but focusing on how you can make a difference. The problem comes when the scope of vision becomes to wide and, marketing is concerned with the testing results the QA department got on beta build 3, support is talking about who in sales is making their quota and sales is talking about where the executive team held their last off-site. Keeping each team focused on contributing toward the goal and feeling the energy build as they make progress is the key.
Now for the first part, get resources where they belong, even if this includes placing them in the trash. Collins describes an organization as a bus. First, get the right people you need for the journey on the bus, get the wrong people off. Yes, there are some people who are not right for the organization, it would be a disservice to the others on the team and hurt that person’s future if you did not help them get off the bus. Second, put the right people in the right seats. Great! Now that everybody is where their skills are best applied look at the tools you have and do the same. If the ticket system is garbage, replace it with something that meets your needs, money spent now will save you operating costs in the future. Monitoring application working adequately, find somebody who can make it work right.
If you are going to read this book, commit to reading the entire book, it can be worth it. The misinterpretation of G2G is partly the fault of the media, which enjoys sensationalizing that Jim Collins is advocating firing people that are not immediate contributors to the team and a fit for the culture. So learn about momentum and be comfortable with your organization not holding huge release parties for new products and be able to look back and say, ‘I was part of something great.’
BookReview: Hardball by George Stalk & Rob Lachenauer
I picked this book up as part of a package for attending a speech by Mr. Stalk who is VP at the influential Boston Consulting Group. More so than his book, his speech was jaw dropping, hard-line, 80’s corporate raider stuff... all based on a core principle that makes sense, businesses have a primary objective of meeting the needs of their customers and shareholders. Beyond this simple concept, everything else is good will to the community.
This ongoing principle was easy for me to accept and I have to say I reflected on some of my opinions of different businesses (WalMart, Starbucks). That being said, the majority of this book is written to CEOs and their advisors with influence over an organization’s objectives. This was where I was confused on being invited to this speaking engagement, this is subject matter that is higher up the chain than I can influence right now. However, I did take away some understanding of why corporate leadership makes the decisions they do and am tossing around how these concepts can be scaled down to the departmental level.
I picked this book up as part of a package for attending a speech by Mr. Stalk who is VP at the influential Boston Consulting Group. More so than his book, his speech was jaw dropping, hard-line, 80’s corporate raider stuff... all based on a core principle that makes sense, businesses have a primary objective of meeting the needs of their customers and shareholders. Beyond this simple concept, everything else is good will to the community.
This ongoing principle was easy for me to accept and I have to say I reflected on some of my opinions of different businesses (WalMart, Starbucks). That being said, the majority of this book is written to CEOs and their advisors with influence over an organization’s objectives. This was where I was confused on being invited to this speaking engagement, this is subject matter that is higher up the chain than I can influence right now. However, I did take away some understanding of why corporate leadership makes the decisions they do and am tossing around how these concepts can be scaled down to the departmental level.
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