motivation

One of the reasons I got into Project Management in the first place is that I’ve always been interested in people – their personalities, where they are from, what makes them tick.
Growing up overseas in Japan, I attended an international school for foreigners, and there were kids from all over the world – kids whose [...]

As Project Managers, I’m sure we’ve all seen the kind of scenario where there is a project team member who is generally uncooperative or can’t seem to get the tasks done on time – and the different approaches you can take in order to solve this problem. You can take the dictatorial “Do as I [...]

B. W. Tuckman discovered that teams go through development stages beginning with the forming stage and ending with the adjourning stage. Just after a new team is formed it usually migrates into the “storming” stage where conflict develops over how it is going to reach its team goal, how its members are going to work together efficiently, and [...]

Some people in the corporate world still believe that people work for money.  But with a growing number of examples of people doing all kinds of work for free, it’s getting more difficult to adhere to that view.  Take Wikipedia, for example.  According to Wikinomics, by Tapscott & Williams, Wikipedia is the largest encyclopedia in [...]

As a project leader, part of your job is to inspire people to persevere in pursuit of seemingly impossible goals.  In my work, it’s not part of my job . . . that’s pretty much all I do.  A decade leading projects was the perfect preparation for this work.  Lately I’ve been spending about half [...]

It’s my birthday.  It’s also the day we inaugurate our Presidents.  We’ve been doing it on January 20th for as many years as I remember (and that’s too many!) 
So why the hype now?  Are we all caught up in the fervor of hope?  Of a new beginning?  Of change?  Of pomp and circumstance?
There’s a message [...]

Hi, It’s my time to blog again – and this is my birthday week – so I am going to take advantage of it and have some fun.
Just to let you know:  I am currently teaching at Keller School of Management.  Teaching several MBA courses which include Leadership & Organizational Development, Business Planning, and International [...]

Accidental Project Manager Series
Part 1 / Part 2 / Part 3 / Part 4 / Part 5 / Part 6
I was attending a dinner at the Northern California Airman’s Club where Eileen Colleens, commander of the a US space shuttle flight was speaking. Before she spoke, three college students received scholarships. They as a group [...]

In classrooms all over the world little children are taught the importance of coloring within the lines.  Indeed, they are often called names like “sloppy” or “careless” if they don’t conform.
In some cultures conformity to the norm (tradition) is everything.  Everyone must toe the line and behave appropriately.  Those that deviate from the norm are [...]

As I write this, the US is in a presidential transition.  President-Elect Obama won, at least in part, on a platform of hope and the rallying cry, “Yes We Can.”
Hope?  In the face of all the obvious difficulties?  Yes we can?  Really?  Aren’t they just fuzzy words?
As a project manager, part of me is [...]

Just about every project management job description entails “motivating people who do not report to you”.  It’s clearly important, but how can you do it well?  The key is encouraging rather than squashing your team’s inherent self-motivation.  

Technorati Tags: appreciation, motivation, Team-building

In an article at Projects@Work, Tom Mochal discusses how enhancement work not directly related to a project should be added to the managed portfolio. This way, the business can ensure that the dollars are being spent in the most effective way on these non-project activities.
I agree with what Tom is saying. A point I’d like [...]

For the last installment in the PM Network extravaganza, there is an article on keeping project teams motivated that caught my attention, written by Simon Kent.
The article reminded me of a previous post I wrote back in February, 2007 titled Motivational Theory in Project Management where I laid out some of my thoughts on the [...]

Hi everyone, this is the end of my tour of duty as guest blogger.  I wanted to end with some thoughts about the importance of the relationships we develop with peers, bosses, customers, vendors, team members and anyone else with whom we have contact.  It’s all about how people feel they are being treated by [...]

This week I’m working with an R&D team in a company that makes bathroom fixtures. As I walked into their lobby I encountered a 4 foot diameter glass ball containing a toilet, one of their products. They also have a papier mache lighted toilet that was built for a festival right next [...]

Some parts of a project are just: slam dunk. They’re straightforward, sweet, smooth and easy. Everybody knows what to do, does it, and it works: with no blood left on the floor. Then there are the issues that make everyone roll their eyes: areas that are high risk. But not just [...]

It’s that time of year: the break room tables are piled with boxes of candy and littered with crumbs. Workplace nourishment is taken every hour from 9 am to 7 pm. Foods are served that might not see the light of day at any other time of year. Not only are the [...]

I know it’s just a movie, and everybody has already COMPLETELY covered this subject, but can you believe the leadership qualities exhibited by Jack Black in “School of Rock”?

Technorati Tags: best-practices, Leadership, motivation, project-management, Risk, wisdom

I am, at heart, an analyst. There is nothing that would please me more than being able to shut my door and do some thinking and come up with plans and processes — then wait for the good results to come in. Of course, there is a major flaw: people. No, the people aren’t flawed [...]

Recognizing and appreciating your project team members is an important part of project leadership. But some people wield it like a 6-year-old who just found daddy’s gun. This is posted on behalf of a colleague who wishes to remain anonymous.  So many bridges to burn . . . so little time! – Kimberly [...]