Flipping the Triple Constraint
2 years 35 weeks agoProject management theory established the Triple Constraint (aka, the Iron Triangle) as the key to project success. If the scope is known and fixed, then the schedule and cost must adjust to accommodate scope changes.
The simplicity of this proposition is appealing. At the beginning of the project, all requirements are documented, the design is approved, and
Busy, But Not Productive
2 years 39 weeks agoEveryone tells me they are busy. They are on video or conference calls from morning until evening. On average, workers receive over 100 emails per day and send at least 40. A common complaint is, “I spend my entire day meeting and doing email; and have no time for my
Unlock Potential: Push Decision Making Down
2 years 43 weeks agoModern management theory is built on the premise of trust. If management creates a values-based culture, employees will make the “right” decisions. Douglas McGregor described Theory X (not trusting) and Y (trusting)managers. The 1950s were an inflection point where the nature of
Unlock Potential: Push Decision Making Down
2 years 43 weeks agoModern management theory is built on the premise of trust. If management creates a values-based culture, employees will make the “right” decisions. Douglas McGregor described Theory X (not trusting) and Y (trusting)managers. The 1950s were an inflection point where the nature of
Empowering Your Teams
2 years 47 weeks agoThe virtues of high-performing teams are well documented. They are 50% more productive. They are more creative, and members are 76% more likely to be engaged.
Optics: The Good, the Bad, & the Ugly
3 years 2 days agoThe traditional definition of optics is the scientific study of sight or light. An alternative description relates to politics and refers to the perception of a situation. The political origin dates back to the Carter Administration when a
Better Zoom Meetings
3 years 4 weeks agoIn one of my training classes, there is an exercise to conduct a daily stand-up meeting. The meeting should be no longer than 15-minutes and be well structured. In class, we challenge the leader with common distracting and unproductive behaviors. Watch the clip, the results are often hilarious.
Project Tools: Which to Choose?
3 years 9 weeks agoThere are many tools to help project teams manage their work, collaborate, and track performance. The number of options is overwhelming—Capterra has published over 900-project management tool reviews.
I teach project management classes and am often asked, “Which tool should we use?” My
“Keep in Touch”
3 years 13 weeks agoI called an old colleague just to say “hello” and see how he was doing. We have worked together at different companies over the past dozen years. He is an inspirational finance executive and counted on me to implement his vision.
After salutations, he remarked, “You’re that guy! You are so good at keeping in touch.” I brushed off
A Personal Retrospective
3 years 17 weeks agoThis year was like living through a 500-year storm. COVID has infected 1 in 20 Americans, and 1 in 1,000 have died of the disease. Nearly 15 million people are still out of work. Thirty-three million have been remote
