Michele Jackman

If you are just tuning in, this week of blogs was about creating harmonious multi-generational communication, and better training. Rather then stereotyping people, it has been my experience that understanding needs and expectations of different age groups only enhances team efforts, especially in difficult times. This series was based on a true story of successful [...]

He decides to set up an “action learning” session to solve schedule issues. By focusing on the solution rather than problems, he moved the group into thinking differently in an ageless way. The goal was to appreciate what was working with scheduling and how to make it easier and easier. All members of his team [...]

Called the “Digital divide” when referring to countries, it can be even worse in projects. Today let’s explore how to build some bridges across troubled waters and the best ways to improve not increase communication. Tomorrow, we will talk more about individual communication issues as we age in our roles.
You cannot really achieve desired results [...]

Can you REALLY teach OLD DOGS new tricks? The answer is YES.         This piece contains the best ways to make TRAINING meaningful to all generations.    Welcome to part 2 of the series on generational factors in managing your project team. First, let’s get some facts straight according to Dept. of Labor stats, and other research [...]

This week we will assist Herman the wonder PM adapt to different age groups on his project.  Note:  Individuals may fit into these groups for non-age related reasons, but let’s visit the research that characterizes them this way.
Is your project Leadership or influence style REALLY multigenerational?

Yesterday’s Wall Street Journal had an article on job stress that says that being expected to do more with less, a familiar mantra can cause serious heart disease.
I can actually name several very brilliant project managers who have left work in an ambulance, some never to return.   
 
Herman the PM is not surprised:  The message that [...]

One of my favorite activities as a Consultant/Coach is fostering the use of “questioning” to really liberate people from their “dreads” and worries about the projects they manage. Project managers need more training in this technique, as they often think they have to have a ready answer to the questions of others. The goal is [...]

Fact: Project schedules or budgets seldom include “meeting” time costs which often exceed 35% of time available to work on a project. Include them and be surprised!  
Yes, it  is getting more difficult to meet because everyone is doing other (ghost) jobs that management didn’t realize needed doing on the project..
 
Imagine this scenario (real):  After [...]

First Branding:
Herman: I am not in marketing or sales!  How can branding my Project save ME time with stakeholders?
 
Answer:  You have to Advertise what you are ACHIEVING and NOT Achieving even it is only mystery and frustration.  Most projects are NOT well understood, EVEN by the managers that conceive them. The art of “internal” branding   [...]

Read this week’s blogs and SAVE at least 3 project days a year of time wasted:
This week’s blogs help you change the way people use and waste your time. Let’s share the truth about WHAT and WHO is really killing you.   Good news:  it is ALL small stuff.  This week’s focus is project housekeeping:   Email, [...]

When I was a kid, I got so excited about the Easter basket, only to find the big chocolate bunny was HOLLOW inside. I just went for the jelly beans instead.
Likewise, the thing I loathed the most in MY own project work was staff with no crisis skills –those skills of coping, creative leadership, [...]

Everyone wants to be a leader, but observe how leaders are increasing questioned, their professionalism challenged, and reputation ruined! Take one Olympic swimmer and place them in mud. This obsession with the belief the LEADER IS ABLE TO LEAD causes most project nightmares. It is the MUD of bureaucratic thinking [...]

(Posted on behalf of Michele Jackman, PM Consultant extraordinaire) I recently gave a UCSC presentation on the “art and science” of making SENSIBLE decisions under pressure. The greatest challenge is not the rational/analytical process. That’s the easy part.

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