Mundo PM | 06 July, 2007 Working Effectively: How You Can Make a Difference in Your Organization Leslie Martinich

Overview To be effective 1.Understand yourself 2.Understand your relationships 3.Understand your organization

1. Understanding Yourself A.What are your strengths? B.What are you supposed to contribute? C.How do you best perform? D.How do you learn? E.How do you best communicate? F.How do you solve problems? G.How do you plan?

A.Strengths=Talent + Passion + Skills Talents are part of the picture Passions are another part of the picture Skills are another part

What Do You Enjoy Doing? Swim Dance Solve Problems Cook Manage Teams Presentations Complete Projects

What Are Your Skills? PowerPoint Drive Software Development Speak Multiple Languages Manage Teams Presentations Manage Projects

Talents + Passions + Skills Combine talents, passions and skills to find strengths

What do YOU Enjoy? Take 5 minutes to write down 10 things that you enjoy They do not have to be work related _________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________ _______________________________________

What SKILLS do YOU have? Take 5 minutes to write down 10 skills that you have. They do not have to be work related. _________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________ ____________________________

Intersection Managing Projects Solving Problems Reading Literature Sports Managing Projects Solving Problems Speaking Multiple Languages Software Development Your Strengths PASSIONSSKILLS

B. What Do You Contribute? Who are your customers? What do they need? What can you provide within the next 9 – 12 months?

Your Customers The person in the next cubicle or office? Another department? Your manager? The end users of your products or services?

What Do They Need? Schedule? Quality? Features? Cost reduction? ?

Your Contribution Take 5 minutes to write down 1.Who is your customer? 2.What does your customer want? 3.What results have to be achieved in order to make a difference? 4.With your strengths, what can you do to contribute?

C. Peak Performance Different people perform better under different circumstances Some people prefer to work –alone –in groups –in large organizations –in small organizations

YOUR Peak Performance (1) Consider a time when you were very effective. Were you –Alone or in a group? –In a big organization or a small one? –Solving problems methodically or trying out quick ideas? How did you learn what you needed in order to be effective?

YOUR Peak Performance (2) I performed very well when _______________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________ ____________ The conditions for my peak performance include_________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________ _________________ Figure out where you can be the best at what you do! How can you differentiate yourself?

D. Learning Approaches People learn through different approaches Some people learn by –Reading the manual –Watching others –Trying things out –Thinking the problem through –Attending training –Asking questions

Learn to Learn Lifetime learning expertise What to learn –Significant patterns –Principles –Fundamental concepts Then build on those

Where to Focus YOUR Learning What are the fundamental concepts that apply to your industry? _______________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________ __________ How can you build on those? _______________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________ ____________

E. Communication Some people communicate directly Some people communicate indirectly Some people communicate verbally Some people communicate in writing Some people communicate using body language

My Preferred Communication Style Oral Direct TelephoneWritten Indirect Details Big Picture

Communication Styles Fill in the boxes with your preferred style and the preferred styles of others What is a good way for you to communicate with others? YouYour Manager Your Co-worker Your Customer

F. Problem Solving People have different approaches to problem solving Quickly try many ideas Methodically analyze problem

Both Problem Solving Approaches are Needed Methodical approach is good for solving problems that require deep understanding Rapid trial approach is useful for new, previously unseen problems that require quick action You need both types of problem-solvers on your team!! Are you a “careful planner” or a “quick responder” ?

G. Different Planning Approaches Careful, structured planning approach –Useful for well-known problems and projects Flexible, adaptable approach –Useful for unforeseen problems and novel situations BOTH occur in many workplaces!

What is YOUR Planning Approach? Take 5 minutes to consider the approach you are most comfortable with. In what situations is this approach useful? When might you want someone with the other approach? _______________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________ __________________

Understanding Yourself In order to be effective, you need to understand A.Your strengths B.Your contribution C.The conditions for your best performance D.Your learning approach E.Your preferred communication approach F.Your problem-solving approach G.Your planning approach

2. Understand Your Relationships With: –Co-workers –Customers –Managers –Employees –Other Departments They can be: –Collaborative –Contentious –Cooperative –Competitive –Close –Distant –Good –Bad

Relationships Types: –Peer –Mentor –One-way –Two-way –Multi-dimensional They can be: –Trusting –Mistrusting

Trust Are you able to hand off tasks that you once did, in order to take on new projects? An effective project manager cannot DO the entire project alone. He or she must be willing to trust others to do tasks.

Maintaining Relationships Understand others’ –Needs –Goals –Fears –Communication preferences Know where they are now Anticipate where they will be

Working Relationships Consider your manager’s (or co-worker’s) –Interests –Needs –Strengths Consider your own –Strengths –Contribution

Write Down What You Might Say I recognize that you need these particular results from me. This is what I am good at. This is how I can best contribute. These are the results I expect to deliver.

Example I know that you need accurate project schedules. I have shown that I am good at estimating schedules and work breakdown. I can best contribute by developing the project plan and managing the details, rather than managing the people. I can manage the schedule and provide you ACCURATE weekly project status.

Working Relationships _________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________ ____________________________ Write down: Your manager’s needs, your strength, your contribution, your expected results

3. Understand Your Organization What are your organization’s goals? How does your organization work?

What are your organization’s goals? Be the best in its market? Succeed through innovation? Succeed through efficiency? Succeed through customer service? These are different strategies. Do you know what yours is?

How Does Your Organization Work? Which parts of the organization are responsible for revenues? Which parts are responsible for quality? Which parts are responsible for innovation?

Organizational Balance Rely too much on empowerment Anarchy! Rely too much on control Loss of creativity!

Balance Requires Both For Future growth Innovation New Products You need Flexibility Empowerment Risk taking For Current revenues Efficient product or service delivery You need Schedules Predictability Control

Innovation S-Curve Need flexibility Need control and process

Where are YOU? Is your part of the organization focused on delivering current products more efficiently? OR Is your part of the organization focused on developing innovative products for the future? Do you need to focus on process improvement or on flexibility?

Alignment Understand your organization’s goals. Align your goals with your organization’s goals. Organization’s goals _______________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________ ____________ Your goals _______________________________________________________ ______

The Marketplace What skills, products or services are currently in high demand? –Within your organization –In the world in general This is the expertise for which you will be rewarded

The Golden Triangle Passions Marketplace Skills

Watch for Changes in the Marketplace Passions Marketplace Skills When the Marketplace changes, you need to adapt

Where SHOULD YOU Be? Given your strengths (talents + passions + skills) AND your contribution AND your peak performance environment AND your organization Where do you best fit? ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ ____________

Working Effectively! We need all types for effective problem solving, planning and product or service delivery! Challenge: figure out how to integrate all the pieces

Questions? Leslie Martinich or THANK YOU!!