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Lean project management – isn’t that the point?

When an organisation needs to make a strategic improvement, it needs to flex its project management muscles.  Good project managers get to work defining and planning the project – identifying key deliverables.  The deliverables are the benefits that will be … Continue reading

Your project’s failed – You’re fired!

With the Apprentice TV programme in full flow on the BBC, I could not resist using this headline for my latest blog. However, this is not an uncommon response in the real world! Projects are often high risk low reward. Often, if your projects are a success, you are then tasked with a new, higher risk project, with little praise for your success to date! If (as many can be) you have an unsuccessful project, it can be expensive and embarrassing! Continue reading

It ain’t what you do, it’s the way that you do it

Bill Barnett – 8th May 2013 I had a fantastic day training yesterday, courtesy of my good friends at Indigo, playing on their “Stakeholder Engagement (including Simulation)™” simulator. The simulator is a great piece of kit, which actually takes participants … Continue reading

What makes a Best Man?

I made some pretty big decisions around that time. One such decision was ‘who to have as my Best Man’. So what are the criteria for a good ‘Best Man’? Well, my Best Man, Andy, was first and foremost a great friend. He was (and still is!) liked by many for being trustworthy, great fun and a witty. Continue reading

Do you sound like the expert that you are?

“I know everything there is to know about my product, business and industry”. We are all specialists and experts in our given field/areas. We can speak for hours on end in terms of what we do, how we do it, … Continue reading

Why should I read this?

When asked to produce a document, what is the first thing you do? Personally, mine was to turn on my computer, open Word and start typing. A professional writer however will spend up to 40% of their time planning, 25% drafting and 35% editing; that’s why their writing gets read. Continue reading

Can you laterally think?

Personally I have, until recently, considered ‘lateral thinking’ to be a buzz-phrase. Often when I hear it, my children are preparing a contrived, stupendously hard to answer question, with a blatantly obvious solution – existing only in hindsight. These playful … Continue reading