Lean Tips Edition #167 (#2716 - 2730)

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Lean Tip #2716 –Communication is the Key for Any Project

To run a project smoothly, consistent effective communication needs to take place between the stakeholders and clients and new changes should be communicated to the team members to avoid ‘surprise attacks’. Being a project manager, the best thing you can do is to ensure that the communication lines between you and the team members are always open so that anyone can walk up to you without any second thoughts.

Ineffective communication often leads to the failure of the projects. So, make sure everyone has the required information to make decisions and proceed with the project. Project status reports are a good way to keep everyone on the same page by keeping them updated about new developments in a project.

Lean Tip #2717 – Tap Into Team Members Strengths and Weaknesses

The success of a project largely depends on skills of the team members. An effective manager will always make an effort to get to know about his team members inherent strengths and weaknesses so that he can allocate work accordingly. As someone’s strength is someone else’s weakness thus an effective manager will make sure the work is given to the team member who is inherently competent and faster at completing it.

Tapping into the strengths of team members will definitely ensure faster task completion and better time management. With everyone in a team putting their best foot forward and making the most of their strengths, the project will be nothing less than a success.

Lean Tip #2718 – Manage Potential Risks

Risk management being one of the imperative project management practices today is essential for project success. Risks are the potential threats that can creep anytime and can jeopardize the whole progress in a project. To make sure your project is successful, potential risks need to be identified beforehand so that effective measures can be taken if they arise in the need of the hour.

With considerable experience and expertise with similar projects, you will be able to foresee when the risk is imminent and when corrective measures need to be taken. After realizing the importance of risk management, many organizations are now paying special attention to it so that it doesn’t come in the way of the success of a project.

Lean Tip #2719 – Evaluate the Project Afterward

Each project can be a learning tool. An effective manager will always review the project as a whole, as well as analyze various project components. By doing so, he can note down the successes in a project, what went wrong in the project, and what can be improved for future projects.

Evaluating every aspect and the nitty-gritties in a project can be resourceful to ensure success for future projects as well.

Lean Tip #2720 – Stay Ahead of Problems.

A wise project manager once told me, "If 'everything's fine,' keep digging." When people report no problems, you can follow up with, "That's great to hear, but, really, there are no issues at all?" Team members may be hesitant to share problems, especially when they're small and still solvable. A project manager's job is to uncover small problems to help solve them or accommodate them instead of letting them grow into bigger problems.

Lean Tip #2721 – Understand the Right Problem

“If I had an hour to solve a problem I’d spend 55 minutes thinking about the problem and 5 minutes thinking about solutions.” – Albert Einstein

I know it sounds very simple and philosophical but believe me; many problems remain unsolved because there has not been a focused effort to really understand the problem itself. I still remember solving math problems when I was young and every time I couldn’t solve a problem I would ask my Dad for help. He would never provide me a solution straight away, but instead ask me to go and read the question again at least three times. I used to feel frustrated, but invariably, half of the time, reading the question properly would lead me to the conclusion that I had actually been trying to solve the wrong problem. The minute you identify the correct intent of the problem, the right solution will follow. So ask yourself the fundamental questions about the problem and spend some time understanding the real problem with your team in order to solve it.

Lean Tip #2722 – Get Out of the “I Know Everything” Mentality

Try and understand the fundamentals of the process pertaining to the problem area. Confirm how it works or exists in its very basic and current form. Get out of the mind-set that you know everything, because if you did, you would know the problem area, cause and its solution as well. Understand the nuances of the techniques which exist in the process. Ask all the basic questions to really understand the problem and note significant points of the process which would then bring immense clarity to the part of the problem you are attempting to solve.

Lean Tip #2723 – Visualize the Problem

Try and document a picture of the process depending on the problem. This may or may not be relevant, but we all know pictorial representations often help. Draw a simple diagram without worrying about technical conventions, specific constraints etc. A simple picture diagram can help visualize the most complex of problems in any area. Use any simple tool like PowerPoint, white boards, sheets, and papers and never shy away from starting to draw these on the fly if understanding a problem is becoming a challenge.

Lean Tip #2724 – Be Simple But Creative in Your Solution

Building a simple solution does not mean trivializing the problem which you are looking to solve. The majority of the time, complex solutions are devised for a problem if the above points i.e. understanding the right problem, understanding the fundamentals of the problem, articulating the problem and focusing on the root cause, are not considered.

Be creative in your problem solving. This has got nothing to do with how much creative ability you have, it’s basically about thinking of solutions from a different perspective rather than a perspective with which the problem you are looking to solve was built or on how the problem came into existence.

Lean Tip #2725 – Find the Opportunity And/or Lesson Within the Problem.

I have found that there is almost always a positive side to a problem.

Perhaps it alerts us of a great way to improve our business or relationships. Or teaches us how our lives perhaps aren’t as bad as we thought.

Finding this more positive part of the problem reduces its negative emotional impact. You may even start to see the situation as a great opportunity for you.

When you are faced with a problem ask yourself:

• What is the good thing about this?
• What can I learn from this?
• What hidden opportunity can I find within this problem?

Lean Tip #2726 – Make it Clear Collaboration is Expected

It may seem like a no brainer in today’s workplace, but some team members might need a gentle reminder that collaborating is the default setting for the company. Some people may work faster and do their best work alone, and that’s great for when actual work needs to be done. But there are other parts of work where working together is crucial. Set that expectation and people will get behind it.

Lean Tip #2727 – Don’t Use Meetings for Status Updates

A collaborative manager avoids using meetings for status updates. They use meetings to address issues that apply to all attendees, so no one’s time is wasted. Use strict agendas to keep the conversation on point and the pace quick. Again, structured, time-compressed meetings are the most effective.

Lean Tip #2728 – Over-Communicate

Collaboration, at its core, is effective work communication. To clarify, this doesn’t mean we should interrupt each other whenever we have a thought about something. We should still use communication etiquette and boundaries.

But, as we work, team members and managers can rarely trust that information is shared in an effective and timely manner among team members. This issue is so widespread among enterprises that, according to one survey, 57% of project managers cited poor communication as the leading cause of project failure. The solution is better, frequent communication.

Lean Tip #2729 – Don’t Automate Bad Processes

Not everything should be automated. Examine current manual processes to make sure you’re doing it the right way to begin with. Automating a poorly designed process with a work management platform won’t make it easier to work with others, it will only make it worse. The right kind of automation facilitates collaboration by freeing up time to align and brainstorm about critical work.

Lean Tip #2730 – Measure What Matters

The only way to know if what you’re working on together is working is to focus on the metrics that matter to the efforts you’re all putting in. Avoid focusing on vanity or busy-work metrics. Focus instead on milestones or engagement for example.

 

Lean Quote: 99% of Failures Come From People Who Make Excuses

On Fridays I will post a Lean related Quote. Throughout our lifetimes many people touch our lives and leave us with words of wisdom. These can both be a source of new learning and also a point to pause and reflect upon lessons we have learned. Within Lean active learning is an important aspect on this journey because without learning we can not improve.

"99% of failures come from people who make excuses."   —  George Washington

Presidents’ Day, celebrated every third Monday in February, was originally intended to remember George Washington’s birthday. It has since become an occasion to celebrate all American presidents. Great lessons can be learned from looking back through history and many leadership principles are timeless.

As mature adults, we all understand how difficult it can be finding success when we keep making excuses.

After reading many studies and articles on the subject, I’ve come up with these conclusions:

1. It’s easier to feel acquitted of our failure, if we can come up with a good enough excuse.

2. It’s psychologically easier to live with our past, if we have justifiable reasons for our failure.

3. It’s easier to get people to overlook failure, if we come up with an acceptable excuse.

4. It’s so much easier to shift the blame to something else, rather than accept it as our own.

It seems to me that the more we make excuses for ourselves, the more we will NOT build a positive self-image. Self-image is not built by success at every turn. Our self-image is empowered by accepting, and then dealing with our own short comings and failures.

Making excuses may make us feel better, but they will not make us become better!

If we want to fail at every turn, then we should go on making excuses for ourselves and those around us. However, if we want to succeed, we must be willing to stop the blame game and personally accept accountability for our own actions. Sometimes we need to squash those excuse ridden thoughts and emotions.

6 Ways To Earn Respect As A Leader

In order to be a good leader, respect is essential. Don’t take it for granted that your status will automatically earn you the respect of your colleagues, as it is something that must be earned over time and without it, it’s likely that you will have little authority and your colleagues will feel less inclined to place their trust in your ability to lead the team.

Great leadership creates a climate of respect, an environment that sets high standards and supports everyone in doing their best. Here are six tips to help you be the leader who earns respect rather than just demands it.

1. Be consistent.

If you find you lack credibility, it’s probably because you are saying one thing and doing another. People do pay attention to what you say until you give them reason not to by doing the opposite. You don’t have to be predictable, just don’t be a hypocrite.

2. Be punctual.

Nothing makes me lose respect for someone faster than being made to wait. Time is the most valuable commodity for successful people. Missing appointments or being late demonstrates a total disregard for the lives and needs of others. Get control of your calendar.

3. Be responsive.

The challenge with contact management today is there are too many ways to communicate. Between Twitter, Facebook, Messenger, text, phone, Skype, and Facetime, people are in a quandary over the best way to reach you. And even with all the channels, some people still don’t respond in a timely manner, leaving colleagues hanging or chasing them. Limit your channels and respond within 24 hours if you want to appear communication worthy.

4. Be right most of the time, but be comfortable being wrong.

The simple way to be right is to do your homework and state facts that are well thought out. You may have to make a best guess now and then even when information is too scarce to know for sure. Take it as a qualified risk, manage expectations, and if you’re wrong, smile and be happy you learned something that day.

5. Forgive others and yourself for mistakes.

If you’re not erring, you’re not trying. Healthy leaders encourage experimentation and create environments of safe failure. Encourage people to take mitigated risks, and set an example for how to shake off a failure and bounce back.

6. Show respect to others when they are wrong and right.

Disparaging people who make errors will reflect worse on you than those who err. On the flip side, any jealous tendencies toward those who succeed will surely be noticed by others. Live as if in a glass body. Assume everyone can see inside your heart.

Too many people today assume leadership positions without consideration for their impact on others. The leadership vacuum in business today allows them to stay as long they manage acceptable results. Ultimately, your personal leadership legacy will not be remembered for your MBA, your sales numbers, or the toys you acquired. Most likely, it will be the positive, personal impact you created, one follower at a time.

President’s Day: 5 Leadership Lessons From Past Presidents

Past leaders can teach us a great deal about how we can become leaders today. Biographies, memoirs and documentaries abound which underscore the achievements and abilities of the numerous outstanding leaders who came before us. The history of the United States in particular is filled with past presidents who are excellent examples of great leaders. Their various qualities and characteristics are often cited as the key to their leadership abilities, and these qualities are often emulated by others.

Anyone can learn to be a leader. After all, the often quoted phrase says “leaders are made, not born.” This is in part because leadership is not a single trait, but it is an over-arching skill set comprised of multiple abilities. As such, the lives of different leaders exemplify different elements of leadership. Elements of leadership include the ability to take criticism gracefully, to communicate well with those around them and to have a clearly stated goal or vision. These elements of leadership can be learned through studying the lives of past leaders who used these elements to alter or redirect the course of history. Here are five leadership lessons from past presidents which highlight a particular skill used during their time in office.

1. Abraham Lincoln imagined what could be and made it happen with civility. When Lincoln set out to create the Emancipation Proclamation, he imagined a reality that so many couldn’t, and one that many refused to. Not only did Lincoln change the course of history through this movement, but he did it with such grace against great opposition.

Historian Doris Kearns Goodwin writes of Lincoln in her book “Team of Rivals,” that in the days leading up to the Emancipation Proclamation the president would often say, “To win a man to your cause you must first reach his heart, the great high road to his reason.”

As a leader, Lincoln showed us how to see through a conviction with grace and civility.

2. Franklin Roosevelt possessed financial wisdom. Roosevelt was our longest-serving president, leading our country through a tumultuous era. Roosevelt was elected during the Great Depression and remained in office until his death, just months before the end of World War II in 1945.

Even during our country’s most vulnerable seasons, Roosevelt discovered ways to strengthen our financial protection by increasing the role of the federal government and instilling programs such as Social Security.

It was Roosevelt’s financial stewardship and wisdom that helped America to rise from such a trying season.

3. Thomas Jefferson remained innovative. Most widely known as the author of the Declaration of Independence, Jefferson is also remembered as a creative. Some even refer to Jefferson as “the last Renaissance man.”

Having mastered six languages and playing the violin, Jefferson also designed the architecture of his home. Jefferson’s innovative and renaissance spirit shaped much of what America is today. He paved the way for many new steps in America and all the while continued to never lose interest in learning, growing and trying new things. Jefferson once said, “I like the dreams of the future better than the history of the past.”

An innovative entrepreneurial spirit can lead a nation or a company where it’s never been before.

4. Ronald Reagan embodied constant character. Although presidents of the past have led with character as well, Reagan may be most remembered for possessing this vital leadership trait during trying times.

In an essay, Peggy Noonan wrote on the courage Reagan held to reinstate a conservative nation following a wave of more widely-accepted liberal leadership. Noonan wrote, “Yes. At the core of Reagan's character was courage, a courage that was, simply, natural to him, a courage that was ultimately contagious. When people say President Reagan brought back our spirit and our sense of optimism, I think what they are saying in part is, the whole country caught his courage.”

Reagan’s spirit influences leaders and even politicians today that staying true to your values and vision requires courage and character.

5. George W. Bush led with empathy. Many may have considered Bush’s emotional tendencies as a negative trait, but his passion and empathy were strengths he possessed as president.

Bush often wore his heart on his sleeve and embodied a great passion for people during some of America’s darkest days. Leading the nation through the terror and tragedies of 9/11, Bush’s empathy brought peace to America at a time when little would. He put himself right on the scene in New York City and cared for the people impacted by this event.

While it may take you out of your comfort zone at the time, lead the people around you with compassion and empathy.

There is no doubt that something is to be learned from each man who has led our nation, but some men simply stand out above the rest. It’s not based on their religious beliefs, their party affiliations or even their charisma, but it is based on how they chose to lead.

Lean Quote: Letting Go; Delegation to Empowerment

On Fridays I will post a Lean related Quote. Throughout our lifetimes many people touch our lives and leave us with words of wisdom. These can both be a source of new learning and also a point to pause and reflect upon lessons we have learned. Within Lean active learning is an important aspect on this journey because without learning we can not improve.

"No man will make a great leader who wants to do it all himself or get all the credit for doing it."   —  Andrew Carnegie

Delegation is often taught as a time and task management tool, and it's a pretty good one of those; but it's also the first practical step toward putting empowerment to work - and, if done right, a purposeful stride down the road to servant leadership. To delegate in a way that results in empowerment, it's important to first understand the difference between the two.

Delegation is essentially about task and process - you assign a duty or action to someone else, giving responsibility - and perhaps some authority - over to them, then you hold them accountable to deliver. Empowerment is different. Empowerment means you put someone else in charge - giving both responsibility and authority over to them, but you stay engaged in a supporting role.

To empower a team the leader should delegate with these six behaviors:

1.     Offer Guidance - Give your teammates the training necessary; cast the vision and educate them on the purpose of the assignment. Understanding the context of their work will enable them to innovate and find alternate solutions to problems themselves. It's also likely you'll need to provide some course correction along the way.

2.     Provide Resources - Don't assume your team has the knowledge and access to get what they need. Your perspective, and perhaps position, may allow you to see more of the landscape; anticipate potential needs and acquire what's needed.

3.     Lay out the Timeline - Establish a deadline and milestones along the way for which the team will be accountable to you, with the understanding that ultimate accountability for success remains with you.

4.     Mitigate Barriers - Your team will encounter problems along the way. Issues with organizational processes; conflicts with other interests and internal friction are just a few of the realities your team may need you to address.

5.     Demonstrate Confidence - If you believe in your folks, they'll believe in themselves. Your team will also be keenly aware of how you feel about the value of the initiative and whether you are confident about success.

6.     Acknowledge and Support Efforts - Keep pace with your team's progress with appropriate recognition and reward along the way. Genuine and specific acknowledgement of milestone achievements will encourage more of them.

Without these six actions, any intended empowerment is really just delegation.

Business leaders may think that it's easier and faster to get things done themselves. But delegating to your team is not only essential for growth—it helps empower employees and connects them to the bigger picture.

Guest Post: 6 Leadership Hints for Digital Workforce Management

Running a business and a team has a lot of challenges, and monitoring a workforce is one of them. It does not matter if it’s a group of only five to six people or hundreds; keeping track of everything is essential. Someone has to be in charge of everything and overlook the progress their team has been making.

Workforce management is very important because you have to keep an eye on every project, the productivity of every single employee, their attendance, and all the other records. It helps keep everything in its place and helps you maintain an exceptional workplace environment.

However, due to the global pandemic, most of the workforce had to start operating online. To help leadership manage this sudden digital landscape, here are a few tips to help you with digital workforce management:

1.     Communicate Frequently

We all have heard that communication is key, but you’ll be surprised how important it is to communicate regularly with your workforce. Running a team means so much more than just assigning tasks and overlooking your company’s progress. If you want to accomplish certain goals, you need to be in touch with your workforce.

Keep in touch on a daily basis and keep them interested in the company’s overall growth. A business is nothing without its workforce and staff members. All of them need to be on the same page and working towards the same goal.

The digital domain is unknown and full of potential errors and mishaps. To manage everything effectively, you need to communicate with your team. You’ll need to follow a proper strategy, and your only way is to share every detail and concern with the employees and make sure you’re all moving ahead.

2.     Keep Up Transparency

You must always practice transparency as a company because the ideal way to work as a team is to keep everyone updated about what’s going on. This does not mean that you need to share every detail with them but give them a general idea of how the business is doing in terms of the competition around them.

Due to the pandemic, there’s no workplace environment to help the employees feel connected to each other, so informing them about the company’s accomplishments can help them stay in the loop. When it comes to the digital workforce, the important step is to make everyone feel more involved, as it’s quite normal to feel disconnected.

It will help build a trust level between the employers and employees, and they will feel like they’re a part of the team. Nothing gets you more motivated than knowing you’re contributing to a cause, so encourage your workforce by telling them how they’re making a difference.

3.     Visualize Your Goals

 

Nowadays, it’s possible to get lost and don’t see any purpose because of the uncertainty revolving around the current events. People have a lot on their plates and adapting to the change in their daily routine. There’s a new normal now, and it can be hard adjusting to the rapid change in everything.

As a workforce leader, it’s important that you show resilience so your team can count on you and feels motivated to keep working. In times like these, it’s important to visualize your goals as a company, to remind your employees why they chose a particular field. It’s normal to stop seeing the bigger picture, but you can keep the staff morale up by setting daily or weekly goals.

You can express your core values and vision on different digital platforms, so the workforce works hard to improve their progress and have better relationships with all the clients.

4.     Let Employees Have Freedom

The times have changed a lot, and you no longer feel the need to micromanage every task your workers do constantly. It’s important to let your employees have some freedom and autonomy to go about their day. The growth of your company depends solely on your workforce because they are the ones doing all the labor.

To manage a digital workforce, you need to give them the space to work in a way that makes them feel comfortable. You can be flexible and let them voice their concerns so you can deal with every issue and move ahead. There’s no physical office space, so you let them know they are free to work during their work hours.

5.     Value Team Work

As mentioned above that during these times, it’s normal to feel detached from your goals, but you need teamwork to accomplish goals as a company and stay on top of the game. It’s important that you and your employees both resonate with the company’s vision so you all can work together as a team.

In times of crisis, teamwork and staff morale should be valued, so your employees feel positive and ready to take on daily challenges,

6.     Make Required Changes

To make this sudden shift in daily lives less stressful, you can opt for effective digital platforms and software to help your workforce adjust properly. You can use different strategies to utilize all your time and work towards the goal.

For instance, you may try applications and software to keep track of business operations, e.g., mobile apps development where you can store valuable data. It’s essential to make the required changes as a leader to set up a good example for your employees and help them achieve what they need.

Takeaway- Manage Your Digital Workforce More Efficiently

As a leader, it’s your responsibility to boost team morale and encourage productivity among your workforce. You can’t stand out from the crowd if you’re not running a team smoothly and generating better results. Having a digital workforce helps you cut down on extra expenses, but you still need to grow as a company.

Your employees are the backbone of your business, and if you set up the right environment for them, they will feel be able to work in a better way. Therefore, these leadership tips will help you make the most out of your employees’ efforts and improve customer satisfaction as well. 

About the Author: 

Arslan Hassan is an electrical engineer with a passion for writing, designing, and anything tech-related. His educational background in the technical field has given him the edge to write on many topics. He occasionally writes blog articles for Apcelero.