Be a Better Leader
I work with senior people to solve problems. First I make sure their vision is understood. Then I seek new angles or novel ways of looking at things before advising on the way to transform the business or service. People remember me because I recommend and implement practical, focused solutions.
Business vision is about generating ideas about the way ahead—for a project or business change initiative for instance—plus the ability to articulate these ideas so that other people buy-in to the vision and join you on the journey. It is this second characteristic or quality that makes for an effective leader. Moreover, vision is about [...]
To be honest, I’m not a big fan of the highlight report: the PRINCE2 term given to a project progress report. This is, in part, because they tend to describe a project in the present rather than forecasting its state when it is should be completed. And because they often say very little about who [...]
This post is about project cost estimation. A topic that is often overlooked. Some think project cost estimation is complex. Others simply wing it! Here’s some simple advice that will give you greater confidence and help mitigate project cost risk. Wisdom of the Crowd During the 1990s I made many complex cost estimates—often assessing work [...]
This post is about inspiring others. It is a brief lesson on leadership and vision. How do you inspire people? How do you inspire others to buy into your vision? Creating a vision for the future is relatively straightforward. Inspiring others to follow your vision is a challenge. Vision A leader shapes and shares a [...]
It’s been a tough year for some. Me included. The global recession and austerity measures affect every household. Many people are bracing themselves for more bad news. What does the future hold? A year ago I learned that my employer needed to make savings of around £80 million and cut 1,000 jobs. Last month a [...]
Detailed strategies and excessive planning can cripple your vision for change. Seeking perfection does not guarantee success. Indeed it often leads to paralysis. In contrast leading imperfect change can propel the organisation forward.
Today I give you 4 strategies for dealing with over-commitment. In Live to Work I said I was loosing out. That I spent too much time working and supporting others.
Last week in Live to Work I said I needed change. That I should regain balance in my life.
Organisations must become increasingly able to change quickly and easily. The business must be flexible yet capable of implementing and sustaining change. Change has to be built into the way businesses work. However, many organisations have problems with the way they tackle change. These problems are usually related to people, processes, systems, technology or structure. [...]
Last month I was fortunate to attend a leadership master class with Keith Grint. His presentation was about wicked problems and leadership. In this post I briefly explore one definition of leadership before introducing tame problems, critical problems, and wicked problems. A Definition of Leadership In Leadership: a Very Short Introduction Keith Grint differentiates leadership [...]