WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:02.439 Efficiency is key in today's fast -paced environment, 00:00:02.740 --> 00:00:05.480 but it's not just about getting things done faster. 00:00:05.620 --> 00:00:08.720 It's about doing so without sacrificing the well 00:00:08.720 --> 00:00:12.460 -being of our team members. A great work -life 00:00:12.460 --> 00:00:16.780 balance isn't just a perk. It's a necessity for 00:00:16.780 --> 00:00:20.960 sustained success. And project leaders must take 00:00:20.960 --> 00:00:23.359 a hard, critical look at how they've handled 00:00:23.359 --> 00:00:26.239 projects in the past and be willing to make the 00:00:26.239 --> 00:00:30.519 necessary changes. no matter how painful, to 00:00:30.519 --> 00:00:34.420 achieve incredible results. Let's explore how 00:00:34.420 --> 00:00:37.979 we can refine our project processes to not only 00:00:37.979 --> 00:00:41.539 meet our goals, but exceed them while keeping 00:00:41.539 --> 00:00:45.880 our teams happy and productive. I'm Wayne Robertson, 00:00:45.880 --> 00:00:49.700 and welcome to Ignoring the Rules, the podcast 00:00:49.700 --> 00:00:53.200 where we challenge the status quo and redefine 00:00:53.200 --> 00:01:20.159 how to get projects done. In this episode, I 00:01:20.159 --> 00:01:23.319 want to dive deep into the essential but often 00:01:23.319 --> 00:01:26.379 uncomfortable process of examining the rules 00:01:26.379 --> 00:01:30.840 that guide our project methodologies. The pandemic 00:01:30.840 --> 00:01:34.299 forced us all to revisit and rethink the way 00:01:34.299 --> 00:01:37.260 we approach our work, shining a spotlight on 00:01:37.260 --> 00:01:40.780 the inefficiencies and outdated practices that 00:01:40.780 --> 00:01:43.640 were holding us back. It's time to eliminate 00:01:43.640 --> 00:01:47.150 the rules that no longer serve us. modify those 00:01:47.150 --> 00:01:50.189 that need adjustment, and double down on what 00:01:50.189 --> 00:01:53.510 truly works. I want to meticulously scrub project 00:01:53.510 --> 00:01:57.069 plans to uncover what works, what doesn't, and 00:01:57.069 --> 00:02:00.109 how we can streamline every aspect to achieve 00:02:00.109 --> 00:02:04.390 maximum efficiency, outstanding results. But 00:02:04.390 --> 00:02:08.430 it's not just about the plan. It's about the 00:02:08.430 --> 00:02:13.629 people. How your project team is organized, treated, 00:02:13.810 --> 00:02:18.919 and led. can make or break your success. And 00:02:18.919 --> 00:02:21.699 so in this episode, I want to focus on project 00:02:21.699 --> 00:02:24.599 leaders and exploring how they can implement 00:02:24.599 --> 00:02:27.900 changes that propel the teams to new heights 00:02:27.900 --> 00:02:31.800 of success. Whether you're managing a small team 00:02:31.800 --> 00:02:35.539 or overseeing a complex multi -layered project, 00:02:36.039 --> 00:02:38.699 this episode will provide you with actionable 00:02:38.699 --> 00:02:43.340 ideas to drive your project forward faster, with 00:02:43.340 --> 00:02:45.840 greater quality and accuracy than you've had 00:02:45.840 --> 00:02:49.659 before, probably. Let's dive in and discover 00:02:49.659 --> 00:02:53.319 how ignoring the rules can lead to extraordinary 00:02:53.319 --> 00:02:57.360 success. How can we ignore the rules? Well, it 00:02:57.360 --> 00:02:59.939 started many years ago when I struggled to get 00:02:59.939 --> 00:03:03.460 technical projects completed on time and meeting 00:03:03.460 --> 00:03:06.020 the goals. After several years of working with 00:03:06.020 --> 00:03:09.020 team members and management, I slowly developed 00:03:09.020 --> 00:03:12.810 new methods of handling projects. It was a long 00:03:12.810 --> 00:03:16.530 process of trial and error, but eventually some 00:03:16.530 --> 00:03:20.889 clear tactics became obvious. If you are working 00:03:20.889 --> 00:03:24.150 on any kind of project, you can benefit greatly 00:03:24.150 --> 00:03:27.969 from the ideas in this podcast. I spent almost 00:03:27.969 --> 00:03:31.110 40 years working in technology and leading projects, 00:03:31.409 --> 00:03:35.150 and really enjoyed those many projects for large, 00:03:35.349 --> 00:03:39.689 medium, and small companies. Hey, picture this. 00:03:39.789 --> 00:03:42.509 You're at work sipping your coffee when suddenly 00:03:42.509 --> 00:03:46.330 your boss drops a bombshell project on your desk. 00:03:46.930 --> 00:03:50.310 And you look at the timeline, and you wonder 00:03:50.310 --> 00:03:53.090 if they're secretly auditioning you for a role 00:03:53.090 --> 00:03:57.490 in a comedy show. Because, let's face it, that 00:03:57.490 --> 00:04:01.750 schedule is a joke. But fear not, because here 00:04:01.750 --> 00:04:04.389 on Ignoring the Rules, we're going to find ways 00:04:04.389 --> 00:04:07.509 to turn your project nightmares into success. 00:04:08.359 --> 00:04:12.659 Faster than you can say budget overrun. But now 00:04:12.659 --> 00:04:16.100 you might be wondering, what qualifies you to 00:04:16.100 --> 00:04:20.600 comment on this? Well, let me tell you. I have 00:04:20.600 --> 00:04:24.139 survived more project disasters than I care to 00:04:24.139 --> 00:04:28.519 admit. Even a few I caused. From missed deadlines 00:04:28.519 --> 00:04:32.220 to huge budget blowouts. I've seen a lot of it. 00:04:32.819 --> 00:04:37.420 But, you know, every scar tells a story. And 00:04:37.420 --> 00:04:39.779 if there's one thing I've learned, it's that 00:04:39.779 --> 00:04:43.920 laughter is the best medicine. Of course, followed 00:04:43.920 --> 00:04:48.560 closely by a well -executed project plan. So 00:04:48.560 --> 00:04:51.199 grab your hard hats, folks, because we're about 00:04:51.199 --> 00:04:54.060 to embark on a journey filled with sticky notes, 00:04:54.160 --> 00:04:58.319 status meetings, and more acronyms than you can 00:04:58.319 --> 00:05:01.379 shake a pert chart at. Whether you're a seasoned 00:05:01.379 --> 00:05:03.639 project manager or just trying to figure out 00:05:03.639 --> 00:05:06.240 how to keep your inbox from exploding, this... 00:05:06.509 --> 00:05:10.449 podcast is for you. Because when it comes to 00:05:10.449 --> 00:05:13.810 business project management, the only thing we 00:05:13.810 --> 00:05:16.790 take seriously is having a good laugh along the 00:05:16.790 --> 00:05:20.209 way. And I'm just trying very hard not to take 00:05:20.209 --> 00:05:24.209 myself too seriously at all times. The following 00:05:24.209 --> 00:05:27.550 story is fictional because I need to keep the 00:05:27.550 --> 00:05:31.490 actual experiences confidential. But it illustrates 00:05:31.490 --> 00:05:34.769 some key issues that arise in getting projects 00:05:34.769 --> 00:05:39.759 done. And this is the story of Jack, a project 00:05:39.759 --> 00:05:43.139 manager who was responsible for completing a 00:05:43.139 --> 00:05:46.639 highly complex technical project. At the outset, 00:05:46.779 --> 00:05:50.579 he followed all the conventional rules of project 00:05:50.579 --> 00:05:53.980 timelines and task allocations and strict adherence 00:05:53.980 --> 00:05:58.620 to company procedures. But despite his best efforts, 00:05:59.120 --> 00:06:02.879 the project began to crumble. Deadlines were 00:06:02.879 --> 00:06:06.839 consistently missed. Tasks were delayed, and 00:06:06.839 --> 00:06:09.399 the team was becoming increasingly frustrated. 00:06:10.040 --> 00:06:13.819 Morale was low. And to make matters worse, some 00:06:13.819 --> 00:06:17.180 valuable team members decided to leave for other 00:06:17.180 --> 00:06:21.500 opportunities. Realizing something had to change, 00:06:22.040 --> 00:06:25.439 Jack took a step back to analyze the situation. 00:06:26.259 --> 00:06:30.600 He scrutinized every aspect of the project, the 00:06:30.600 --> 00:06:34.829 team dynamics, and the company's culture. And 00:06:34.829 --> 00:06:38.829 through this introspection, he came to a very 00:06:38.829 --> 00:06:43.649 critical conclusion. The rules he was so diligently 00:06:43.649 --> 00:06:48.569 following were actually hindering progress. Those 00:06:48.569 --> 00:06:50.589 rules were more about maintaining the status 00:06:50.589 --> 00:06:54.990 quo than about achieving success. He understood 00:06:54.990 --> 00:06:58.730 that he needed to shift his focus entirely, away 00:06:58.730 --> 00:07:02.089 from the rigid rules, and toward the well -being 00:07:02.089 --> 00:07:06.800 and efficiency his team members. With a clear 00:07:06.800 --> 00:07:10.500 plan in mind, he started making significant changes. 00:07:10.779 --> 00:07:13.639 He identified which rules were merely habits 00:07:13.639 --> 00:07:17.220 and began ignoring them if they didn't directly 00:07:17.220 --> 00:07:21.500 contribute to the project success. He emphasized 00:07:21.500 --> 00:07:24.680 the importance of work -life balance, encouraging 00:07:24.680 --> 00:07:27.459 his team members to ensure they had enough time 00:07:27.459 --> 00:07:32.470 for their personal lives and families. And this 00:07:32.470 --> 00:07:35.329 was a radical departure from the company's usual 00:07:35.329 --> 00:07:38.550 approach, which often placed project demands 00:07:38.550 --> 00:07:43.149 above everything else. The initial implementation, 00:07:43.389 --> 00:07:46.970 I'll tell you, of these changes was tumultuous. 00:07:46.990 --> 00:07:50.810 The team was uncertain, and there was pushback 00:07:50.810 --> 00:07:54.509 from those accustomed to the old ways. But Jack 00:07:54.509 --> 00:07:59.009 persisted, and soon the results were undeniable. 00:07:59.780 --> 00:08:02.800 Tasks were starting to get done faster, with 00:08:02.800 --> 00:08:07.160 higher quality, and the team members were noticeably 00:08:07.160 --> 00:08:10.379 happier. The atmosphere on the team transformed 00:08:10.379 --> 00:08:15.100 and productivity soared. So word of this success 00:08:15.100 --> 00:08:18.079 began to spread throughout the company. Other 00:08:18.079 --> 00:08:20.079 employees, intrigued by the positive changes, 00:08:20.379 --> 00:08:23.540 started to request transfers to this project, 00:08:23.600 --> 00:08:27.449 eager to work under a manager. who prioritized 00:08:27.449 --> 00:08:30.149 their well -being and made their work easier 00:08:30.149 --> 00:08:34.610 and more fulfilling. Ultimately, the project's 00:08:34.610 --> 00:08:37.149 success caught the attention of upper management. 00:08:37.549 --> 00:08:40.549 They were impressed not only by the results, 00:08:40.769 --> 00:08:43.929 but by the innovative approach that Jack had 00:08:43.929 --> 00:08:47.350 taken. By ignoring the rules that didn't serve 00:08:47.350 --> 00:08:50.350 the project's goals and focusing on the team's 00:08:50.350 --> 00:08:54.029 needs, he had turned a floundering project into 00:08:54.029 --> 00:08:57.690 a remarkable success story. You know, they say 00:08:57.690 --> 00:08:59.330 the customer's always right, but if you're in 00:08:59.330 --> 00:09:01.570 project management, it's more like the customer 00:09:01.570 --> 00:09:07.169 is always rewriting the requirements. And you 00:09:07.169 --> 00:09:10.129 know you're in trouble when your project plan 00:09:10.129 --> 00:09:14.169 has more revisions than a Hollywood script. No 00:09:14.169 --> 00:09:18.370 thanks. Now, one of the steps I took was when 00:09:18.370 --> 00:09:21.990 I flipped the normal organization pyramid on 00:09:21.990 --> 00:09:25.559 its head. and putting the working team at the 00:09:25.559 --> 00:09:30.240 top and myself at the bottom. I've spent over 00:09:30.240 --> 00:09:33.059 36 years working in technology on a wide variety 00:09:33.059 --> 00:09:37.200 of projects, and this was one of the major changes 00:09:37.200 --> 00:09:41.919 I end up making. By the way, a side note here. 00:09:42.159 --> 00:09:46.419 The hardest part was telling my parents what 00:09:46.419 --> 00:09:49.379 I did for a living. My father was a mechanic, 00:09:49.720 --> 00:09:54.000 a farmer. He was in World War II. A hands -on 00:09:54.000 --> 00:09:57.299 person who could not understand how I could make 00:09:57.299 --> 00:10:01.019 a living without using my hands. I didn't have 00:10:01.019 --> 00:10:04.460 a wrench or a hammer. I told them I had great 00:10:04.460 --> 00:10:07.840 team members, and I gave them overall goals and 00:10:07.840 --> 00:10:11.279 helped out when there were problems. And when 00:10:11.279 --> 00:10:14.419 they asked what I did each day, the best I could 00:10:14.419 --> 00:10:17.539 come up with was I held meetings, talked on the 00:10:17.539 --> 00:10:21.559 phone, wrote many emails, filled out documents. 00:10:22.639 --> 00:10:27.399 And my father was stumped. He said I thought 00:10:27.399 --> 00:10:30.519 the team was professional and just knew what 00:10:30.519 --> 00:10:34.580 to do. And I had to explain that each team member 00:10:34.580 --> 00:10:38.919 has to be given information and goals as to what 00:10:38.919 --> 00:10:41.259 needs to be done. They don't just know them automatically. 00:10:41.980 --> 00:10:46.620 And it was very hard for him to understand. So... 00:10:47.100 --> 00:10:49.820 You know the standard project leadership shows 00:10:49.820 --> 00:10:52.059 the management at the top of the team pyramid 00:10:52.059 --> 00:10:57.200 However when I pondered this The most important 00:10:57.200 --> 00:11:00.159 people are those that are normally down at the 00:11:00.159 --> 00:11:03.840 bottom Those are the people that are doing the 00:11:03.840 --> 00:11:08.820 hands -on work by flipping the pyramid The most 00:11:08.820 --> 00:11:11.539 important team members the ones doing the work 00:11:11.539 --> 00:11:16.080 are at the top My job as a project leader was 00:11:16.080 --> 00:11:19.179 to support and take care of those team members 00:11:19.179 --> 00:11:21.919 and make sure they could get their work done. 00:11:22.519 --> 00:11:25.600 So, I want to mention that I don't have all the 00:11:25.600 --> 00:11:30.139 answers to project problems and sometimes I wonder, 00:11:30.240 --> 00:11:34.100 did you have any at all? But I want to present 00:11:34.100 --> 00:11:37.320 a whole series of ideas for your consideration. 00:11:38.039 --> 00:11:41.250 And if I do nothing more... then to get you thinking 00:11:41.250 --> 00:11:44.830 about how we get projects done, that will be 00:11:44.830 --> 00:11:50.470 fantastic. I've not been very good at following 00:11:50.470 --> 00:11:53.809 all the rules for projects. I remember the line, 00:11:53.870 --> 00:11:56.710 individualism is fine as long as we all do it 00:11:56.710 --> 00:12:01.769 together. Not for me. I was left standing out 00:12:01.769 --> 00:12:06.769 by myself. I did not follow. So in addition, 00:12:07.029 --> 00:12:10.269 over a number of years, And I've got to say, 00:12:10.389 --> 00:12:14.470 a lot of help from team members. I've been able 00:12:14.470 --> 00:12:16.950 to develop a number of new methods of getting 00:12:16.950 --> 00:12:20.970 projects done on time and in budget without harming 00:12:20.970 --> 00:12:26.370 the team members with 19 -hour days. And early 00:12:26.370 --> 00:12:30.590 on, I focused on several things that didn't work 00:12:30.590 --> 00:12:35.129 out too well. I'm taking myself too seriously. 00:12:36.269 --> 00:12:40.679 I'm not that important. Micro -management. That 00:12:40.679 --> 00:12:45.139 was pretty tough. I did that a lot. Single focus 00:12:45.139 --> 00:12:48.860 on deadlines and not anything else. I had bad 00:12:48.860 --> 00:12:52.039 time management. I didn't value team members 00:12:52.039 --> 00:12:57.940 enough. And I was a total mess -up on work -life 00:12:57.940 --> 00:13:02.000 balance. So there were a couple of good guiding 00:13:02.000 --> 00:13:04.639 principles that I wanted to follow in all of 00:13:04.639 --> 00:13:12.639 this. 0 .99 % of all employees want to do a good 00:13:12.639 --> 00:13:17.620 job. And the second guiding principle is people 00:13:17.620 --> 00:13:21.100 are the most important part of any project work. 00:13:22.639 --> 00:13:25.580 Many project leaders ask themselves what they 00:13:25.580 --> 00:13:27.519 were thinking of when they pursued this career, 00:13:27.720 --> 00:13:31.480 because projects are the cornerstone of business, 00:13:31.659 --> 00:13:36.070 and getting these done is so critical. This is 00:13:36.070 --> 00:13:39.669 also an area where humongous mind -busting problems 00:13:39.669 --> 00:13:44.669 can occur. And there are solutions. I'm going 00:13:44.669 --> 00:13:47.929 to give you ideas about changing methods of getting 00:13:47.929 --> 00:13:52.230 these projects done that, for some people, might 00:13:52.230 --> 00:13:57.169 seem revolutionary. And I know this is all a 00:13:57.169 --> 00:14:00.889 controversial topic, but have no fear. I'm happy 00:14:00.889 --> 00:14:05.409 to put my head down and charge into it. Regardless 00:14:05.409 --> 00:14:08.970 of your position in the project, whether it be 00:14:08.970 --> 00:14:11.529 at the working level, all the way up to chief 00:14:11.529 --> 00:14:17.110 executive, these ideas will apply. But I want 00:14:17.110 --> 00:14:18.649 to warn you that going through these examples 00:14:18.649 --> 00:14:22.389 will provide a new set of ideas that at first 00:14:22.389 --> 00:14:27.269 blush look crazy. All I ask, stay with me, and 00:14:27.269 --> 00:14:30.769 I promise it will make sense. Hey, before we 00:14:30.769 --> 00:14:33.450 dive into that, I want to start with a very... 00:14:33.740 --> 00:14:37.779 Interesting example. And I call it the Betty 00:14:37.779 --> 00:14:43.039 Crocker effect. In 1952, the newly developed 00:14:43.039 --> 00:14:46.759 cake mix was just add water. Women, and by the 00:14:46.759 --> 00:14:49.940 way, it was never men, added water and baked 00:14:49.940 --> 00:14:54.600 the cake. Presto. Just pouring the cake mix powder 00:14:54.600 --> 00:14:58.220 and water into a bowl, mix it, and then bake 00:14:58.220 --> 00:15:02.269 it magically resulted in a cake. But... sales 00:15:02.269 --> 00:15:07.769 were moderately successful. The recipe was reformulated, 00:15:07.909 --> 00:15:12.830 and the woman making the cake needed to add one 00:15:12.830 --> 00:15:20.870 fresh egg, and sales soared. Curious? Well, upon 00:15:20.870 --> 00:15:24.570 further investigation, they found out the housewife 00:15:24.570 --> 00:15:28.450 felt that she had an investment, and that she 00:15:28.450 --> 00:15:31.820 actually made the cake. And now when she said 00:15:31.820 --> 00:15:35.419 she made the cake, she felt she made an honest 00:15:35.419 --> 00:15:40.000 statement, no lie. Well, this issue is going 00:15:40.000 --> 00:15:44.820 to be a prominent part of this podcast. We need 00:15:44.820 --> 00:15:48.340 to involve each team member in the project and 00:15:48.340 --> 00:15:50.980 make sure they are not only contributing to the 00:15:50.980 --> 00:15:54.620 project, but they feel like they played a great 00:15:54.620 --> 00:15:59.500 role. Scoff if you will, but I've proved it in 00:15:59.500 --> 00:16:02.799 past projects and we'll discuss in depth in future 00:16:02.799 --> 00:16:06.940 sessions of how we can make this happen. I implemented 00:16:06.940 --> 00:16:09.159 many different methods of getting projects done 00:16:09.159 --> 00:16:12.980 and so I found out that there's a great need 00:16:12.980 --> 00:16:16.559 to make some changes and you're going to have 00:16:16.559 --> 00:16:19.460 troubles. Guess what? Not all are going to work 00:16:19.460 --> 00:16:23.440 out well. And my methodology provided maximum 00:16:23.440 --> 00:16:26.360 freedom to each team member. to get the work 00:16:26.360 --> 00:16:29.220 done while providing overall guidance on what 00:16:29.220 --> 00:16:32.019 needs to be done and supporting each team member 00:16:32.019 --> 00:16:35.899 daily. And I worked with a large number of very 00:16:35.899 --> 00:16:40.419 smart people. And they did heavy lifting in the 00:16:40.419 --> 00:16:44.299 work. And I was there to watch, to help, to assist 00:16:44.299 --> 00:16:47.840 wherever I could. And in the beginning, I was 00:16:47.840 --> 00:16:50.480 one of those horrible project leaders that caused 00:16:50.480 --> 00:16:54.340 so much grief to many. I came across this idea 00:16:54.340 --> 00:16:56.460 when I thought about who gets the work done. 00:16:57.740 --> 00:17:01.080 Because I realized when I was leading the teams, 00:17:01.139 --> 00:17:05.319 I didn't do any of the actual work. And therefore, 00:17:05.480 --> 00:17:08.859 that is why I flipped the organization chart. 00:17:09.259 --> 00:17:13.519 And you would not believe the grief I got for 00:17:13.519 --> 00:17:16.079 flipping that thing on its head. You would have 00:17:16.079 --> 00:17:18.279 thought I was asking project leaders to resign 00:17:18.279 --> 00:17:22.660 their position. Smart people that I highly respected 00:17:22.660 --> 00:17:27.099 fought me on this. But undaunted, I've gone ahead 00:17:27.099 --> 00:17:30.240 and been extremely happy with the results. But 00:17:30.240 --> 00:17:33.359 in the early days, I made many mistakes. And 00:17:33.359 --> 00:17:36.200 my goal here is not to just dwell on the mistakes, 00:17:36.220 --> 00:17:40.420 but I want to point out what can happen. The 00:17:40.420 --> 00:17:44.039 first one is procrastination. I'm the king of 00:17:44.039 --> 00:17:47.859 procrastination. I have to discipline myself 00:17:47.859 --> 00:17:51.890 to keep moving. Now, this type of project manager 00:17:51.890 --> 00:17:56.109 has never heard of the word punctual, sometimes 00:17:56.109 --> 00:18:00.289 not too bothered about it. When it comes to deliverables 00:18:00.289 --> 00:18:03.130 and schedules, these project managers always 00:18:03.130 --> 00:18:06.250 seem to miss the deadlines, and they push tasks 00:18:06.250 --> 00:18:10.390 further on for a later time. They fail to deliver 00:18:10.390 --> 00:18:14.369 on a routine basis, and don't seem to attain 00:18:14.369 --> 00:18:18.970 the results they were required to reach. Another 00:18:18.970 --> 00:18:24.269 problem is micromanaging. Because I felt no one 00:18:24.269 --> 00:18:27.769 did it the right way. And the right way just 00:18:27.769 --> 00:18:32.009 happened to be my way. Amazing. Well, this type 00:18:32.009 --> 00:18:36.269 of bad project manager doesn't mean ill, but 00:18:36.269 --> 00:18:39.230 tends to go the extra mile to look into the work 00:18:39.230 --> 00:18:43.170 performed by the project team members. This person 00:18:43.170 --> 00:18:45.130 looks through every piece of manageable task. 00:18:45.470 --> 00:18:49.809 Not a single detail is spared. And often this 00:18:49.809 --> 00:18:51.849 behavior can get project team members feeling 00:18:51.849 --> 00:18:54.970 a bit suffocated as they aren't allowed their 00:18:54.970 --> 00:18:59.309 space for creative or hard work. These managers 00:18:59.309 --> 00:19:03.309 want to be updated every now and then about each 00:19:03.309 --> 00:19:06.130 and every development that takes place over the 00:19:06.130 --> 00:19:10.650 span of a workday. And while they can try these 00:19:10.650 --> 00:19:14.569 ideas on new project team members, most often 00:19:14.569 --> 00:19:18.190 than ever, breathing down the neck of an experienced 00:19:18.190 --> 00:19:21.549 team member's throat can lead to dissatisfaction 00:19:21.549 --> 00:19:25.390 among team members who actually perform heavy 00:19:25.390 --> 00:19:29.789 -duty work. So, a high -level view of the tasks 00:19:29.789 --> 00:19:33.230 for the day or the week should be enough for 00:19:33.230 --> 00:19:36.910 a project manager to plan and to perform the 00:19:36.910 --> 00:19:40.579 allocations of tasks. But for bad project managers, 00:19:40.920 --> 00:19:46.339 this is not enough. Too sunny. Hey, I developed 00:19:46.339 --> 00:19:51.380 a new word. Super optimist. Everything is going 00:19:51.380 --> 00:19:55.660 to work out great. And this type of project manager 00:19:55.660 --> 00:19:59.440 loves feeling high and wants everyone on the 00:19:59.440 --> 00:20:03.359 team to feel the same too. And I agree, optimism 00:20:03.359 --> 00:20:08.240 is a good thing. But overly optimistic forms 00:20:08.240 --> 00:20:11.640 a whole new story altogether. This is most of 00:20:11.640 --> 00:20:14.480 the case with new project managers as they only 00:20:14.480 --> 00:20:17.400 like to see the bright side of things and refrain 00:20:17.400 --> 00:20:20.039 from addressing the pressure points or the pain 00:20:20.039 --> 00:20:24.339 points of a project. This can lead to a lopsided 00:20:24.339 --> 00:20:27.259 project and disrupt the real picture that the 00:20:27.259 --> 00:20:31.400 project team needs to look at. And so as a project 00:20:31.400 --> 00:20:33.859 manager, they will need to look at the project 00:20:33.859 --> 00:20:38.799 in a very real sense. and indulge in tough decision 00:20:38.799 --> 00:20:42.819 -making ventures. Sugarcoating is this bad project 00:20:42.819 --> 00:20:46.500 manager's forte, and not everything in life and 00:20:46.500 --> 00:20:49.079 business is a piece of cake. So if you're dealing 00:20:49.079 --> 00:20:51.200 with a bad project manager who has a perpetual 00:20:51.200 --> 00:20:54.299 smile and a hint of lunacy in believing that 00:20:54.299 --> 00:20:56.859 everything is perfect, then you're at the mercy 00:20:56.859 --> 00:21:02.680 of someone who is mad. The other side is everything 00:21:02.680 --> 00:21:06.720 is terrible and my new word is super pessimist. 00:21:07.059 --> 00:21:11.039 That's strikingly opposite of the optimist. This 00:21:11.039 --> 00:21:14.660 type of bad project manager might not even see 00:21:14.660 --> 00:21:18.339 the glass there, much less half full. While a 00:21:18.339 --> 00:21:21.160 pessimist can give you and your team a reality 00:21:21.160 --> 00:21:24.900 check on the project's activities, they will 00:21:24.900 --> 00:21:28.859 only worry and emphasize about the tasks yet 00:21:28.859 --> 00:21:32.519 to be completed. and the difficulties they might 00:21:32.519 --> 00:21:35.460 pose in the future. These project managers don't 00:21:35.460 --> 00:21:37.680 look at the team's and the project's past achievements 00:21:37.680 --> 00:21:41.460 and reward the team for that. There is no recognition 00:21:41.460 --> 00:21:45.079 or acknowledgement of any sort, and this routine 00:21:45.079 --> 00:21:48.119 work can be quite depressing and can push team 00:21:48.119 --> 00:21:52.279 members off track, even if they were doing a 00:21:52.279 --> 00:21:56.700 good job before. These pessimistic project managers 00:21:56.700 --> 00:21:59.420 will severely criticize the work that hasn't 00:21:59.420 --> 00:22:03.240 been done without paying attention to the excellent 00:22:03.240 --> 00:22:08.460 work that they do. Another problem is a grain 00:22:08.460 --> 00:22:13.440 to everything, and that was at one point my Achilles 00:22:13.440 --> 00:22:17.200 heel. This type of project manager will allot 00:22:17.200 --> 00:22:19.380 you to multiple tasks in a day and overburden 00:22:19.380 --> 00:22:24.450 you immensely, because they can't say no. This 00:22:24.450 --> 00:22:26.970 project manager is the yes machine of your team, 00:22:27.069 --> 00:22:30.150 and since the position is that of a leader, you 00:22:30.150 --> 00:22:33.349 can expect senior management cascading a lot 00:22:33.349 --> 00:22:38.430 of work down to you. And the main problem with 00:22:38.430 --> 00:22:41.809 this project manager is the fear of conflict. 00:22:42.069 --> 00:22:44.990 These individuals, they don't intentionally mean 00:22:44.990 --> 00:22:48.690 to cause a situation of work overload, but with 00:22:48.690 --> 00:22:52.259 the constant yes, they... don't realize that 00:22:52.259 --> 00:22:55.200 they are sabotaging the project plan as well 00:22:55.200 --> 00:22:57.539 as the peace of mind of project team members. 00:22:58.099 --> 00:23:02.279 They simply are afraid of confronting and putting 00:23:02.279 --> 00:23:05.000 their foot down in front of external clients 00:23:05.000 --> 00:23:10.140 or senior and top management. I was thinking 00:23:10.140 --> 00:23:13.059 the other day, but of course thinking is exhausting. 00:23:13.599 --> 00:23:17.589 I don't plan to do that too often. When I was 00:23:17.589 --> 00:23:20.210 a line worker in a project, the view was so much 00:23:20.210 --> 00:23:23.150 different when I became a project leader. The 00:23:23.150 --> 00:23:26.289 view from project leading is end -to -end. But 00:23:26.289 --> 00:23:28.809 as a worker on the project, I just cared about 00:23:28.809 --> 00:23:33.309 my activities. And, you know, looking back over 00:23:33.309 --> 00:23:36.049 my experience in life, I remember hearing from 00:23:36.049 --> 00:23:38.950 adults when I was a child. If you asked them 00:23:38.950 --> 00:23:40.769 how they were doing, they would say, meddling, 00:23:40.890 --> 00:23:46.160 just meddling. Well, life is too short. to be 00:23:46.160 --> 00:23:49.299 just middling. And while there are always some 00:23:49.299 --> 00:23:52.900 bad times, there are so many good times in life. 00:23:53.259 --> 00:23:57.359 And so I am dedicated to helping people to be 00:23:57.359 --> 00:23:59.720 the most successful they could be in their work 00:23:59.720 --> 00:24:03.259 and life in general. And my parents were those 00:24:03.259 --> 00:24:06.000 wonderful salt of the earth people that worked 00:24:06.000 --> 00:24:09.940 so hard. My father was a mechanic and a farmer. 00:24:10.420 --> 00:24:13.750 He worked so much harder than I ever will. And 00:24:13.750 --> 00:24:17.730 he was so concerned about me that I did not take 00:24:17.730 --> 00:24:20.549 to physical labor, put a hammer in my hands, 00:24:20.569 --> 00:24:23.210 and everybody and everything around is in danger. 00:24:23.829 --> 00:24:27.970 Turn me loose on fixing a car, and it may never 00:24:27.970 --> 00:24:31.849 run again. And I found farming to be a bore. 00:24:32.349 --> 00:24:36.130 But I did enjoy reading and learning new stuff. 00:24:36.349 --> 00:24:39.549 And this actually did happen. We had chopped 00:24:39.549 --> 00:24:41.990 the large tree into small pieces, then split 00:24:41.990 --> 00:24:44.269 those up into four smaller pieces with an axe 00:24:44.269 --> 00:24:48.150 to be burned in the stove, because we needed 00:24:48.150 --> 00:24:51.730 to keep the house warm in winter. I was reading 00:24:51.730 --> 00:24:55.410 a great book at the time, and was very intrigued, 00:24:55.450 --> 00:24:58.509 so I kept the book in one hand and carried one 00:24:58.509 --> 00:25:02.009 stick of wood at a time, and my father about 00:25:02.009 --> 00:25:05.940 had a stroke. At one time he was concerned and 00:25:05.940 --> 00:25:07.980 felt I would have a hard time earning a living, 00:25:08.059 --> 00:25:12.380 because for a man born in 1919, not being able 00:25:12.380 --> 00:25:15.099 to earn a living with your hands was a huge problem. 00:25:16.119 --> 00:25:18.859 My father knew I worked in technology, and he 00:25:18.859 --> 00:25:22.759 was not clear in what I did. If you didn't touch 00:25:22.759 --> 00:25:26.140 something, he didn't understand what was accomplished. 00:25:26.599 --> 00:25:29.559 You would ask me if I built computers? No. Do 00:25:29.559 --> 00:25:32.299 you fix them? No. Do you create software? Not 00:25:32.299 --> 00:25:36.190 anymore. I tried to explain that I work with 00:25:36.190 --> 00:25:38.789 smart people who did the work and I help manage 00:25:38.789 --> 00:25:42.230 the projects. And after a long pause, he then 00:25:42.230 --> 00:25:46.789 asked, do you get paid for it? Oh, yes. Well, 00:25:46.930 --> 00:25:50.390 okay, he said, at least someone sees value in 00:25:50.390 --> 00:25:52.910 what you do, whatever it is. It was just too 00:25:52.910 --> 00:25:56.890 hard for him to understand. He didn't understand 00:25:56.890 --> 00:26:00.029 the role of management. And he asked why people 00:26:00.029 --> 00:26:02.630 just didn't know what to do, and why they needed 00:26:02.630 --> 00:26:05.069 someone to lay out the requirements, because 00:26:05.069 --> 00:26:07.109 he had never worked in a project environment, 00:26:07.369 --> 00:26:10.750 as all of his work was repeated every day, and 00:26:10.750 --> 00:26:14.529 everyone knew what to do. Over the years I had 00:26:14.529 --> 00:26:17.509 the fantastic opportunity to work with a huge 00:26:17.509 --> 00:26:21.269 number of great people, both very senior experienced 00:26:21.269 --> 00:26:25.589 and new graduates. And I also let my fingernails 00:26:25.589 --> 00:26:27.750 grow longer so I could have something to chew 00:26:27.750 --> 00:26:30.430 on when everything went bad in a project, which 00:26:30.430 --> 00:26:35.230 was often, and that is normal in a project. If 00:26:35.230 --> 00:26:38.009 you want to have a job where everything goes 00:26:38.009 --> 00:26:41.130 smoothly without problems, I wouldn't recommend 00:26:41.130 --> 00:26:46.049 projects. I've found projects to have extreme 00:26:46.049 --> 00:26:50.049 lows and extreme highs, and sometimes on the 00:26:50.049 --> 00:26:54.029 same day. But it brought a special thrill. My 00:26:54.029 --> 00:26:56.950 family wondered if I was okay. And I want to 00:26:56.950 --> 00:27:00.130 tell you that I was very successful in projects, 00:27:00.349 --> 00:27:05.529 and I was. Eventually. But it took a long road 00:27:05.529 --> 00:27:08.549 to get there. It was horrible in the early days. 00:27:09.730 --> 00:27:12.730 But after long discussions with hundreds of team 00:27:12.730 --> 00:27:15.569 members over the years, I was finally able to 00:27:15.569 --> 00:27:18.230 come up with a few methods here that turned out 00:27:18.230 --> 00:27:21.690 to be successful. But I owe all of those people 00:27:21.690 --> 00:27:25.470 so much. as they gave me great feedback on how 00:27:25.470 --> 00:27:28.750 they felt about their work. And after endless 00:27:28.750 --> 00:27:32.029 questioning by me, I came to understand what 00:27:32.029 --> 00:27:35.009 they wanted and how they wanted to work. And 00:27:35.009 --> 00:27:38.069 that understanding helped me experiment on new 00:27:38.069 --> 00:27:40.309 methodologies of getting these projects done. 00:27:41.049 --> 00:27:44.630 Now, in the beginning, it was awful, and I was 00:27:44.630 --> 00:27:48.309 stumbling around. But after much experimentation 00:27:48.309 --> 00:27:51.990 and a lot of feedback from the team, there were 00:27:51.990 --> 00:27:54.630 a number of things that came obvious to all of 00:27:54.630 --> 00:27:57.849 us. Now, in addition to the team members, I was 00:27:57.849 --> 00:28:00.990 responsible to upper management. There I also 00:28:00.990 --> 00:28:03.329 stumbled around trying to find something to work. 00:28:04.049 --> 00:28:06.589 And after a number of bad days and meetings with 00:28:06.589 --> 00:28:09.410 upper management, there were some very kind executives 00:28:09.410 --> 00:28:13.769 who coached me on how to work with them. Fortunately, 00:28:13.849 --> 00:28:16.509 with the guidance of these executives, I focused 00:28:16.509 --> 00:28:19.609 on some methodologies that enabled me to work 00:28:19.609 --> 00:28:22.200 with them successfully. That does not mean it 00:28:22.200 --> 00:28:24.720 turned out perfectly. It just means the stumbling 00:28:24.720 --> 00:28:29.240 was less. And so over the years I've documented 00:28:29.240 --> 00:28:33.299 those elements that worked and didn't work so 00:28:33.299 --> 00:28:36.480 I could track some good ideas. And I want to 00:28:36.480 --> 00:28:39.059 tell you that many of these things I did went 00:28:39.059 --> 00:28:41.940 against the common thought of the day on how 00:28:41.940 --> 00:28:44.920 to get projects done. Well, let me tell you this. 00:28:45.000 --> 00:28:48.160 When I was a child, my parents were exasperated 00:28:48.160 --> 00:28:51.509 with me as I constantly questioned, Everything. 00:28:52.049 --> 00:28:55.430 And sometimes they took it personally. I adored 00:28:55.430 --> 00:28:58.410 my parents, but I was so curious at how things 00:28:58.410 --> 00:29:01.089 were done and why certain decisions were made. 00:29:01.150 --> 00:29:05.470 I was very inquisitive and just loved to learn 00:29:05.470 --> 00:29:08.930 about life. And while I was a continuous problem 00:29:08.930 --> 00:29:12.150 growing up, this actually turned out to be a 00:29:12.150 --> 00:29:14.910 great thing in my career as I looked at every 00:29:14.910 --> 00:29:17.950 work step I did, trying to figure out how this 00:29:17.950 --> 00:29:21.809 could be done better or easier. Now, my parents 00:29:21.809 --> 00:29:24.450 were frustrated with me because they would ask, 00:29:24.529 --> 00:29:26.609 why can't you just get the work done rather than 00:29:26.609 --> 00:29:29.650 trying to figure out how to do it better? And 00:29:29.650 --> 00:29:32.029 the stories I could tell you about my experience 00:29:32.029 --> 00:29:35.230 as my teens trying to do things better is endless, 00:29:35.430 --> 00:29:40.009 both good and bad. Hey, I may do that on one 00:29:40.009 --> 00:29:42.750 of the episodes because it may help others in 00:29:42.750 --> 00:29:46.750 similar situations. But I want to tell you about 00:29:46.750 --> 00:29:50.299 team members, starting with engineers. They were 00:29:50.299 --> 00:29:54.539 the unsung heroes of projects. They were the 00:29:54.539 --> 00:29:57.119 ones that turn our wild dreams into concrete 00:29:57.119 --> 00:30:00.500 realities, often with a sprinkle of duct tape 00:30:00.500 --> 00:30:04.079 and a whole lot of caffeine. Picture this. You've 00:30:04.079 --> 00:30:06.900 got a project deadline looming like a dark cloud 00:30:06.900 --> 00:30:09.660 over your head, and the clock is ticking, the 00:30:09.660 --> 00:30:12.200 pressure is mounting, and your engineers are 00:30:12.200 --> 00:30:14.619 huddled around the computers like a pack of wild 00:30:14.619 --> 00:30:17.400 wizards trying to conjure up a solution. And 00:30:17.400 --> 00:30:19.319 just when you think they're on the brink of a 00:30:19.319 --> 00:30:22.079 breakthrough, someone accidentally unplugs the 00:30:22.079 --> 00:30:25.420 coffee machine and chaos ensues because coffee 00:30:25.420 --> 00:30:29.799 is so critical. Now, let's talk about project 00:30:29.799 --> 00:30:33.759 planning. You've got your timelines, your budgets, 00:30:33.980 --> 00:30:38.240 and your meticulously crafted blueprints. Everything 00:30:38.240 --> 00:30:42.509 seems to be going according to plan. until someone 00:30:42.509 --> 00:30:46.130 points out a tiny detail that threatens to derail 00:30:46.130 --> 00:30:49.349 everything. Cue the engineers armed with their 00:30:49.349 --> 00:30:52.329 trusty spreadsheets. In an arsenal of that's 00:30:52.329 --> 00:30:55.309 -not -in -the -spec excuses, but hey, who needs 00:30:55.309 --> 00:30:58.410 a plan when you've got a team of engineers who 00:30:58.410 --> 00:31:02.990 can MacGyver their way out of a situation? And 00:31:02.990 --> 00:31:05.970 let's not forget about the joys of testing and 00:31:05.970 --> 00:31:09.130 debugging. You've spent months working on a project, 00:31:09.480 --> 00:31:12.119 pouring your heart and soul into every line of 00:31:12.119 --> 00:31:15.099 code and every circuit board, but just when you 00:31:15.099 --> 00:31:17.319 think you've finally cracked the code and everything's 00:31:17.319 --> 00:31:19.920 working, you press the big red button and... 00:31:19.920 --> 00:31:23.640 nothing. It's like watching a sad clown trying 00:31:23.640 --> 00:31:26.400 to juggle flaming torches. Entertaining, but 00:31:26.400 --> 00:31:31.119 ultimately a disaster waiting to happen. But, 00:31:31.160 --> 00:31:33.720 hey, that's what the beta testing is for. And 00:31:33.720 --> 00:31:35.700 who needs sleep when you can spend all night 00:31:35.700 --> 00:31:38.519 chasing down elusive bugs and pondering the meaning 00:31:38.519 --> 00:31:43.259 of life? And in the end, despite the sleepless 00:31:43.259 --> 00:31:45.720 nights and endless meetings and the occasion 00:31:45.720 --> 00:31:49.240 existential crisis, there is something magical. 00:31:49.900 --> 00:31:53.019 about watching a project come together. It's 00:31:53.019 --> 00:31:55.720 like witnessing a masterpiece unfold before your 00:31:55.720 --> 00:31:59.079 very eyes. Now, I grant you a few more explosions 00:31:59.079 --> 00:32:02.359 and a lot less dramatic music, but here's to 00:32:02.359 --> 00:32:05.819 the engineers, the wizards of the modern age, 00:32:05.900 --> 00:32:09.619 the masters of chaos, and the true heroes of 00:32:09.619 --> 00:32:13.299 project completion. So I want you to join me 00:32:13.299 --> 00:32:15.980 on this journey as I take you through the joys 00:32:15.980 --> 00:32:19.730 and the tears of getting projects done. If you 00:32:19.730 --> 00:32:23.569 are a line worker, lower -level management, upper 00:32:23.569 --> 00:32:26.809 -level management, in a large company or small, 00:32:27.150 --> 00:32:31.390 this podcast is for you. I think you'll find 00:32:31.390 --> 00:32:35.289 great info regardless of your role. I will warn 00:32:35.289 --> 00:32:38.630 you, I need to confess I'm very strange. If you're 00:32:38.630 --> 00:32:41.009 looking for a podcast that provides information 00:32:41.009 --> 00:32:43.910 in a well -laid -out manner without bizarre ideas, 00:32:44.190 --> 00:32:50.039 this is not for you. However... If you like ideas 00:32:50.039 --> 00:32:53.759 that at times seem to be out past Pluto, this 00:32:53.759 --> 00:32:58.839 is the one. Thanks for tuning in to this episode 00:32:58.839 --> 00:33:01.319 where we discuss the many different methods of 00:33:01.319 --> 00:33:04.720 handling projects. And if you enjoyed this episode, 00:33:04.759 --> 00:33:06.559 please rate it and review us on the platform 00:33:06.559 --> 00:33:09.440 you're listening on. The reviews help us reach 00:33:09.440 --> 00:33:13.180 more people. Also, I look forward to getting 00:33:13.180 --> 00:33:15.880 your feedback as I learn from you on those comments. 00:33:16.640 --> 00:33:20.779 And please feel free to disagree with me because 00:33:20.779 --> 00:33:23.880 that's how I learn. Be civil in your responses 00:33:23.880 --> 00:33:28.759 and I will be a very interested listener. And 00:33:28.759 --> 00:33:31.519 please go to WayneRobertson .com for the latest 00:33:31.519 --> 00:33:34.680 new episodes and additional information about 00:33:34.680 --> 00:33:38.339 this new world of getting projects done. And 00:33:38.339 --> 00:33:40.200 you can find the different locations where you 00:33:40.200 --> 00:33:42.599 can conveniently listen to the podcast. Subscribe 00:33:42.599 --> 00:33:45.309 to my mailing list. Find free documents I've 00:33:45.309 --> 00:33:49.109 created, news and information about upcoming 00:33:49.109 --> 00:33:52.930 podcasts. I also welcome comments about subjects 00:33:52.930 --> 00:33:55.670 you would like to see in the future. I don't 00:33:55.670 --> 00:33:58.470 have all the answers, but I'm always happy to 00:33:58.470 --> 00:34:02.049 see your comments and information. We are all 00:34:02.049 --> 00:34:04.369 in this together, and the more we share information, 00:34:04.690 --> 00:34:09.489 the better we all will be. So let us know what 00:34:09.489 --> 00:34:12.269 you found that works in your projects. and I'd 00:34:12.269 --> 00:34:15.409 appreciate hearing from you. I'm Wayne Robertson, 00:34:15.409 --> 00:34:18.369 and it's been a pleasure being with you on Ignoring 00:34:18.369 --> 00:34:20.570 the Rules podcast. Hey, thanks for listening. 00:34:20.710 --> 00:34:24.750 And remember, it is all about people. So until 00:34:24.750 --> 00:34:25.869 next time, take care.