July 1, 2014
As one of our clients was lamenting recently, a statement he made struck me. He said ”the launch of this project was proceeding so well, and then this debate suddenly surfaced!” When I heard this, I was actually relieved. One of the more significant issues…
June 10, 2014
A daunting concept has been rattling in my mind recently…and it has been rattling loud enough for me to restart this Intelligent Disobedience blog. I look forward to sharing and hearing your thoughts on these entries that I intend to post on a regular basis!…
November 29, 2012
We have all said it to ourselves, often many times. It would be easier if I just fixed __________. (fill in the blank as you see fit). Things would be easier if we just standardised or worked on getting _______ right. (Go ahead, you know…
October 30, 2012
We need fewer Communication Plans and more Listening Plans The communication plan has become an element of focus, especially with the realisation that Change Management needs to be a greater part of the effort that brings projects to successful outcomes. Many leaders face challenges with…
October 9, 2012
As the instigators of change, organizational leaders require a whole different kind of resilience. All leaders can be subject to the whims of their senior leadership, who are trying to balance significant and conflicting priorities. They also have to deal with the workers on the…
August 21, 2012
A number of people have asked if we have hints or tips to help convince change sponsors to spend more time working with their teams. Being mindful that sponsor’s time is limited due to the responsibilities they have, there is a factor which we find…
July 30, 2012
For an initiative to be successful, the requirements of senior sponsors need to be understood, as well as those of the people who will utilize organizational outcomes. Performing this requirements collection successfully is critical for success – but many organizations do not do this effectively…
June 28, 2012
As the instigators of change, projects often present challenges to an organisation. However, we have become aware of a different project challenges. In this project, the senior leaders of the organization are engaged in a serious battle…over the name of the project! Why would that…
May 8, 2012
So what exactly is Kerfuffle Planning? And what does it have to do with Risk Management? Traditional risk management involves anticipating the business implications and conducting anticipatory planning for activities to reduce the probability or impact of those implications. However, in practice risk management frequently…
April 25, 2012
In some project environments, organizational leaders get bogged down because they expect their managers, sponsors or other key stakeholders to take some action and it doesn’t come to fruition. As a result, initiatives that would otherwise succeed come to a screeching halt. Resilient leaders who…
March 12, 2012
When most senior business analysts or project managers think of a sponsor, they immediately think of “the person who funds the project”. Funding is a vital function provided by the sponsor; however the most important resource that a sponsor needs if they are to be…
February 12, 2012
Recently, we have heard leadership “experts” present two completely opposite pieces of advice relative to managing senior stakeholders. Says one expert – the person who is bringing a problem to a senior leader should present the issue, then stop and listen for any feedback, questions…