Encouraging Positive Energy in Project Management

A positive team is a productive team. As a project manager, there are many different roles and tasks you must undertake. One of these is creating a positive working environment for yourself and all other members of your team. By doing so, you are increasing the chances of project success, reducing the likelihood of problems and potentially cutting the length of time it takes to project completion. If you have ever attended any project management training, you will know that one of the things you will be taught is how to transfer positivity to your team. Here are some tips for creating positive energy in project management.Be Positive Yourself
Every aspect of project management requires you to lead by example. Your employees will look at the way you behave and take their lead from this as you are their role model. If you are negative, this will create a negative atmosphere for the whole team. On the other hand, if you come across as positive to others, this will impact on their individual attitude and behaviour.Celebrate Success
There is nothing worse than working really hard on something and then your efforts going unnoticed. Staff will soon become demotivated and less productive as they will feel very negative about work. Instead, recognise the efforts, achievements and strengths of each individual member of the team. It doesn't take a lot of effort to say 'thank you' or 'well done'. Having their work recognised and knowing it is appreciated will raise positivity levels amongst the team. In turn, this will increase productivity and create a happier working environment.Avoid the Blame Culture
Sometimes mistakes are made or things go wrong. You need to know the cause of the problem to work out the best way of fixing things. However, you should not look to place blame on individuals. This only leads to negativity. Instead, focus on finding ways to prevent the problem from happening again.


Take a Flexible Approach
Just because your project management framework suggests that something needs to be completed in a particular way, does not mean that always has to be the case. This is guidance only, not a rigid formula for success. Allowing people a little flexibility in the way they work may suit their working style more and they will feel much more positive about the project. Insisting on a rigid way of working may stifle people and make them feel negative about the process.Be a Solution Finder
For every problem, there is a solution. Focusing on the problem itself can lead to negative energy. Instead, it is important to focus more on any potential solutions. You should encourage every member of the team to take the same approach.Build Strong Relations
Relations and communication in the workplace are key to creating positive energy. Of course, not everybody will like each other personally, but effort should still be made to develop strong professional relations in the workplace. Focus on people's strengths and encourage your colleagues to recognise these in each other.To find out more about creating a positive working environment or any other aspect of leading a team, project management training courses may be a good solution for you. They are a great way to learn new skills, find out what factors contribute to a successful project and progress in your chosen career and become a successful PM.

How to Leave Work on Time Even If You Feel Under Pressure to Stay Late

The rise in flexible working keeps happening. More and more people are becoming entitled to request this and are building their working lives around family and other commitments. But what if you're not one of these people, and you need to work full-time in an office? If you still want to have a life outside of work and not feel like you're selling your soul, there's a good chance you feel the pressure that comes from a culture of "presenteeism" (which is still widespread). You know what I mean. You've done your work but you're still expected to stay late, and you get subject to criticism or peer pressure if you don't. Here are some tips to help if you still want to see your partner and children in the evenings.1 Make Sure Your Most Important Pieces of Work are DoneOne of the key skills of effective working is to understand what you're fundamentally being employed to do, and to make sure it gets done. Often, people end up spending time doing things that are not central to their personal objectives or those of their employer. It's very important to get an understanding of this, because if you deliver on these tasks, then you're well on your way to showing that you're doing a good job2 If You Don't Have Enough Time, Say SoSome people manage to do this whilst others struggle. They seem to believe that no matter how little time they have, they should be doing everything they're asked to do. You may have a task that takes a whole day to complete, and yet you still think it's OK to say yes when you're asked to do it in two hours.


Remember - if you feel something will take too long or can't be done quickly, then say so. It doesn't mean you're being slow or lazy.3 Don't Let People Dump on YouIf you're prone to letting people do this, then stop right now. All it takes is to say no - and then stand your ground when people object. You can bet that the person who's harassing you will push back when they're asked to do something they don't want to do. So why shouldn't you? Keep that thought in your mind if this is something you struggle with.4 When It's Time to Leave, Just GoThis is the hardest part. You know you've done a good day's work, it's the end of the day, but everyone around you is still at their desks and showing no sign of packing up. You need to have the strength of your convictions, have the courage, and just get up and go. It's hard, I know, but once you've done it, you'll find that you gain the confidence to do it over and over again.5 Just take a standAnd when the inevitable negative feedback comes, then have your defence ready and state your case. Remember, it's other people's problem if they can't stand up to unreasonable bosses, not yours. Make sure you're doing a good job, and remember, no matter how much a boss pushes you, the people in your life outside of work need you too!

Non-Project Management Time Tracking Software

As a business owner with multiple clients and employees I've researched and used many different time tracking and invoicing solutions. My business is built around billing clients an hourly rate for work our employees have or will perform. The vast majority of time tracking and invoicing software available today does not fit my business model. While many of the solutions out there can be forced or hacked to be somewhat serviceable, there is a dearth of products actually meeting this fairly basic functional need.Let me back up and explain the basics of how my business works (I'm sure of many other companies are in the same boat). We offer outsourced virtual assistants to clients all over the world. We bill at a flat hourly rate, say $10/hr, for a set amount of time, lets say 20 hours, so a total of $200. With some clients we bill before the work is done, some after the fact. Some are one time jobs, others are on going. Some clients are billed on a specific date (example, the 1st of the month).What I need is a time tracking system that can relate an hourly rate to the amount of hours each employee logs. It also needs to be able to keep track of account balances, and let me know when they reach a pre-determined level. I also need to be able to send an invoice for a specified amount that will update the account balance when marked paid. I would also like to option to invoice for items that are not related to an hourly rate (lets call these flat rate items).


As an example of what I'm talking about lets consider my virtual assistant business and my example used earlier. I've billed a client $200 for 20 hours to be worked in the future. As the employee assigned to this client completes a 3 hour work session I should see the client's account balance go down from $200 to $170. I can preset a feature where when the balance reaches $0, I'm alerted that this client needs to be billed again. On the invoice I create I can add a non-hourly line item, which will not affect the clients hourly account balance.The problem with most time tracking/invoicing tools out there is they are so project management focused that doing these simple items in the example above become overly complicated. Many of these tools have clients, and under them, projects, under projects there are tasks, under tasks there are modules and milestones, and so on...These project management tools are ideal if you are doing a complex, one-off, complicated job, like building a website, or customizing a CRM platform, but if you need something that is simple time tracking for ongoing projects being billed at a flat hourly rate, they leave much to be desired.The cost associated with these more complex solutions is also much higher than a small business may deem worthwhile for what they actually are using the product for.

Defining Managed IT Services

Managed services is a broad term for outsourcing many functions in business. Typically, business owners hear the term the first time they investigate IT outsourcing. It is also the favorite term for IT support companies looking to generate a recurring revenue stream. Small and medium business owners will find that IT companies offer varying descriptions of what they consider managed IT service packages. So what is managed services?Managed Services DefinedWikipedia defines managed services as "the practice of outsourcing day-to-day management responsibilities and functions as a strategic method for improving operations and cutting expenses. This can include outsourcing HR-activities, production support and lifecycle build/maintenance activities."Over at the MSP Alliance, they describe it as "the proactive management of an IT (Information Technology) asset or object, by a third party typically known as a MSP, on behalf of a customer. The operative distinction that sets apart a MSP is the proactive delivery of their service, as compared to reactive IT services, which have been around for decades."And finally, Gartner defines a MSP as a company that "delivers network, application, system and e-management services across a network to multiple enterprises, using a "pay as you go" pricing model. A "pure play" MSP focuses on management services as its core offering. In addition, the MSP market includes offerings from other providers - including application service providers (ASPs), Web hosting companies and network service providers (NSPs) - that supplement their traditional offerings with management services."Basically, the industry defines managed IT services as a program in which some portion of IT service is done proactively and with some sort of monthly fee. However, the process and results may vary depending on how the individual company approaches their support package.Many IT support companies simply add some sort of service with a monitoring package for a nominal fee and call it managed services. On the other end of the spectrum, a full-time Managed Service Provider or MSP, will have an end-to-end platform in which they take responsibility for their clients' technology and a laser-like focus on improving the overall client experience and their technology results.The Theory and PurposeThe basic theory behind the value of the service is that as a company grows and relies more on their technology, calling an IT company to resolve problems becomes cumbersome and costly. Some companies begin looking to have some proactive IT management mixed into their current strategy. There are many levels of monitoring and review in a proactive strategy. The overall goal should be to utilize the proactive activity to reduce the amount of reactive issues and business risks.Alternatively, some companies opt to hire an internal IT person. Managed services, when done properly, should offer companies a cost effective solution that reduces reactive problems and helps the client plan for future issues and business changes. Using economies of scale and through best practices developed and refined across a base of clients, a good managed services approach should certainly be more cost effective than hiring internally and deliver better results.Variations of Managed ServicesWhile the definition can be somewhat vague, the variations are also sometimes confusing. Listed below are some of the more common "managed services" offering that a person may come across. While some would argue that the most basic offerings are not managed services at all, they are included if only to illustrate how much variation exists.Monitoring OnlyA monitoring only package is the least expensive and least effective of any managed services approach. It probably should not be considered managed services, however, many MSP's use it as an entry level service at a low cost. Once an alert occurs, the IT support company calls the client to schedule the necessary resolution at an additional fee. This method may shorten the response time by an IT company but does not do much to make a real positive change for the client.


Limited ResponseThe next step for many companies, this approach allows for some issue remediation. The boundaries are usually specific and somewhat restrictive. This approach may offer a set amount of hours for reactive network support per a time period or include limited response for specific server, computer or other technical issues. Any problems that fall outside of the defined perimeters incur a service fee.Hybrid ApproachThis approach allows for companies that employ their own internal IT personnel while utilizing the resources of a well-equipped and knowledgeable managed services IT company. Many times, a business has the need for a full-time technology employee for a specialized purpose. Typically, using this approach, the internal person can focus on his or her specific function and allow the managed services company handle the issues that occur outside of those perimeters. Using this model, the managed services company should be able to implement their process to positively affect the client's business while the employee is then not burdened by unnecessary distractions.Note: Many companies feel the need to have an on-site person to more quickly respond to employee issues. This approach is usually costly and is generally not necessary. When done properly, the managed services approach should focus on minimizing the need for a reactive response by avoiding most day-to-day issues, negating the need for an on-site technician. In fact, remote response can many times be faster than waiting for a person to respond, even if they are in the same building. In the rare occurrence of an issue that requires on-site personnel, an MSP should be well-equipped to respond appropriately.Remote-Only Help Desk SupportUsing this approach, the managed service company is able to implement their entire process with the only limitation being that any on-site service will be at an additional, sometimes discounted, cost. This model can be very effective for companies that require little on-site response or have a dispersed workforce. Most companies that use remote-only support can benefit from the higher level of service and results that a good MSP delivers and only pay for on-site response as needed.Full IT DepartmentThe full IT department package places all of the responsibility for the client's technology results in the hands of the MSP. When done properly, the MSP can utilize tools, technology, best practices and a well-developed process to:

Drive down reactive issues

Increase client productivity

Consult on technology decisions

Provide a multi-year budget

Reduce the client's overall business risk of data loss and downtime.
When a reputable managed service provider engages a client using this approach, they are committing to provide a positive result for a set monthly fee.What Do You Need?With the many variations and sometime loose definition of managed services, the typical business owner can be confused by multiple service delivery models. This can be especially daunting when pricing between companies can differ by large dollar amounts. Business owners can sometimes lump all IT companies into the same category, but usually there are large disparities in approach, methods and expectations.IT can be simple and an asset to your company, but making the right decision between MSP's can seem overwhelming. When evaluating a managed service provider to maintain your company's technology, focus on the results that the MSP promises. It is our belief that the best approach is for the MSP to be involved in all aspects of a client's technology. By getting to know our client's business and technology, we are more effective in providing the very best IT support and management. Managed service providers offering to partially manage your network are usually hoping for the big payday that comes when something equally big goes wrong.

What Do You Think Leadership Is?

A nice buzzword, but what does that mean exactly, leadership? What does it mean to be a good leader? We do not really know but we recognize it when we see one!I regularly give a "lunch and learn" conference on leadership. The first thing I do is to put pictures of people on the screen and to ask the audience, is that person a good leader? The answers are always surprising. Everyone seems to have their own definition of what a leader or a good leader is. Intuitively, we know when we like to work "for" someone. We like their ideas, we want to follow them, we want to move forward with this leader. We don't really ask why.WHAT DOESN'T DEFINE A LEADER?- Leadership has nothing to do with seniority or the hierarchical position in a company.- Leadership has nothing to do with titles.- Leadership is not being a manager.Because you are a manager or a vice-president, people think you're a leader, but that isn't the key, not at all. Leadership is the ability to influence, engage and motivate others in achieving success of a common goal. Here is a basic list of desired qualities in a good leader.QUALITIES OF A GOOD LEADER:- Competent, courageous, honest and credible.- Energetic, dynamic, positive and full of vitality.- Has the ability to translate their vision into reality.- Helps people discover their strengths, while delegating and inspiring.- Good communicator, knows themselfves well and trusts their intuition.Before wanting to be a leader, ask yourself, why? Remember that you can be a top executive without being a leader. Should you want to become one, how does it work? First, you need to stop gossiping, stop bitching about everything that bothers you and above all else, stop being passive. A leader looks for solutions instead of complaining, a leader acts. Second, you must get to know yourself. What are your strengths and weaknesses? What kind of person are you?


A test I know that is useful is the "360 review". You fill out the test, your boss, your colleagues and your employees as well. The test is completely confidential and the results provide you with a view of what you think of yourself versus the perceptions of everyone else. There are questions like: Are you a good communicator, do you delegate, etc. You can type test 360 in Google and you will have multiple examples (free or not) of the test.The Nova is also an excellent test to determine your personality type. It is based on the following types: organizing, directive, standard, coordinated, cooperative, easy, expansive, promoting. These types are separated into four colors: red, blue, green and yellow. This test demonstrates how to communicate as a leader, according to your profile versus the profile of the person you are with. Even if the other person has not been tested, we can assume their profile by using your knowledge of this person versus the test.Then to develop leadership skills, we must continue learning to be an expert in our chosen field. It's important to have credibility as a leader. We must also take risks and take our place, express our opinions and propose changes to improve our work environment.Is everyone a leader? No. Can people who want to become leaders do it? Yes, in my opinion. But do not forget to ask yourself, why would you want to be a leader?

How IT Managers Can Manage Millennials

IT managers are working in a unique time. We have three very different generations working on our teams and the way that we go about managing them has to be quite different - do you have the IT manager skills that will be needed to do this?. In addition to the Baby Boomers and the Gen X workers, more and more Millennials are joining our teams. These workers require a special management style from IT managers...Forget ItIt's not really very fair, but Millennials have been getting a bad rap even before they started to show up on our IT teams. As the story goes, the Baby Boomers who raised the Millennials spent way too much time trying to make them all feel "special".The thinking is that this has resulted in the Millennials having a feeling of entitlement - like the world owes them something. There have been countless articles written about how Millennials would all get trophies at events just for showing up and how this was going to make working with them impossible for the rest of us.Good news - it turns out that this is not the case - no special IT manager training is going to be required here. Just like every generation before them, they are going to make a great addition to your team. Millennials show up ready to get to work and they are going to turn out to be great employees.You've Got To Go Half-WayCan you remember back in the day when you were young? Yeah, I know it was a long time ago but we can all almost remember what it felt like. Now put yourself in the shoes of today's Millennials and you should feel a rush of old memories. You need to understand that Millennials are not just looking for a job, they really want to get started on a career.What this means for you is that in order to attract the best and the brightest of the Millennials, you are going to have to create an IT that has ideals that match theirs. It's not just all about the next big project that your team is going to be working on, but rather why your team is going to be doing the work. How will the world be changed by what your team does?What you need to be doing as an IT manager is to create a social mission for your IT team. A higher calling if you will. By doing this you'll find that you are able to attract the top Millennial talent that it's going to take to make your team stand out.


It's All About The Big PictureI can't remember, have we talked about the Millennial's wanting to change the world? For the Millennials it's all about making a difference. The one thing that they don't want to do is waste their time.This means that you are going to have to take the time to make sure that they understand that their contribution to the team matters. That their work is going to have an impact not only on your team, but also on the company as a whole. Consider this to be part of the IT team building that you were going t be doing anyway.The best way to go about doing this is to make sure that you share the big picture of what is currently going on with your Millennials. This means that you need to let them know what your high-level insights are and what the objectives for both the team and the company are.What All Of This Means For YouEvery IT worker is created differently. What this means for IT managers is that we need to have a different approach for how we manage different types of IT workers. One of the newest types of workers that we are still trying to figure out are the Millennials.These types of IT workers have gotten a bad rap in the press for being too entitled. They are good workers and they come ready to work hard. You need to meet your younger workers half-way by creating a social mission for your IT team that they can believe in. Millennials want to make an impact and so you need to be sure to share the big picture of what's going on with them.The good news is that Millennials are going to continue to be an even larger and more important part of your team. However, in order to get the most out of them, you are going to have to learn how best to manage them. Use these tips to help build a strong relationship with your Millennials...

It's Time to Help Your Team Embrace Creativity

Creativity is an important part of the success of a business or project. It is what makes work stand out and is vital to innovation. Being creative in the workplaces can take a project to the next level. While you may be creative yourself, it is important to maximise the creativity of the whole team to achieve greater success. While project management courses can't inspire your own creative style, they can help you learn how to inspire it in others.
As a project manager, there are several steps you can take to inspire the creativity of your team.Brainstorming
When one person thinks of an idea, it can then inspire even better ideas from other people. Soon, ideas are bouncing around the room. Getting everyone together to brainstorm ideas is a great way to inspire creativity, however some people find this environment difficult. Therefore, you must take steps to make sure everyone feels comfortable with putting their ideas forward and make sure that everyone is listened to without fear of criticism or rejection.Support and a Happy Environment
To help a team to tap into their creative sides, it is important that they feel a sense of momentum and progress. If a team feels positive, happy, rewarded and motivated, then it is more likely that they will be able to get creative. Therefore, as the project manager, it is your role to make sure that they already feel positive, motivated and rewarded before expecting them to supply you with a barrage of ideas.Improve Communication
It is often the case that teams only get together for formal meetings and then work alone for the periods in between. However, a formal meeting is not always the best place for creativity and people will often think of their best ideas outside of the boardroom. Therefore, it is important to keep lines of communication open with members of the team at all times. Make sure you are able to listen to any new ideas they have at any time.


Individual Coaching
Each member of the team has their own strengths and weaknesses, yourself included. While creativity is something that comes naturally to some people, others may find it difficult to get inspired. As a team leader, it is important to recognise this and get to know each member of the team to find out what their individual inspiration is.Develop Team Autonomy
Although a team needs to have a goal to aim for, the way they reach it does not necessarily need to be planned. People work in different ways and many work better if they have a sense of autonomy in their work. Even if a team member's methods seem unconventional to you, the important thing is successfully meeting your targets and goals. Giving the team autonomy may actually help them to be creative in their thinking and improve the end result.As creativity plays such an important role in the success of any project, it is vital that you use these tactics to inspire the creative side of each member of your team. It is only by doing this that you will be able to maximise the overall creativity of your team and make sure your project reaches its full potential. If you need more guidance on how to inspire creativity, you may find it beneficial to undertake some project management training; there are PM training courses available in a wide variety of subject areas that can help you develop as a project manager.

Leadership, Collobaration and Co-Creation

Shared and distributed leadership have proved to be very good in any organization (Murphy, Hunt & Wasonga, 2004). There are different types and degrees of leadership and there are also different people with different capacities in leadership. In recognizing this organizations may gain the ability to acquire other things management methods that will make the best out of a leader.The leader might choose to lead the group while at the same time; the group may lead along with the leader. Those who are led are not a mere group waiting to be led; rather, they help the leader to stay in control. This is referred to as correlation control where the CEO's authority is not just an arbitrary authority that has been imposed; rather, the authority will be as a result of many authorities coming up from different sources (Freshour, 1989). This is also called democratic leadership where the main goal is to work towards integration of all the stake holders in the house in order to achieve the main goals. At the end of the day, individuality is mobilized and made to count as a group and as a person at the same time.Leaders are supposed to capitalize on the human resource capabilities while at the same time acknowledging the members' potential. The leaders are also supposed to continue engaging the members in their conversations by using reaculturation and marshalling of interdependence. The leader dispositions that will lead to co-created leadership are; freedom and the trust of the employees, strong loyalty in team work, cooperation, listening and honesty. There are eight dispositions that apply to co-created leadership and these are active listening, collaboration, egalitarianism, cultural anthropology, resiliency, patience, trust and worthiness and humbleness. A leader with these dispositions will make the leaders to exercise power that is collective to recognize how important it is to organize the members into the leadership dynamic.


Since there is authority, power, information and talents in the organization, the leaders are supposed to be engaging the vast resources just as the members are supposed to engage the leader. Collaboration assumes that organizations are organized as communities that value interactions not to mention providing opportunities for colleagues to be able to work together (Murphy, Hunt & Wasonga, 2004) It requires that all the stake holders to interact with each other in mutual respect and in open communication so that all the problems and the any other information that needs to be passes from one person to the other can be passed.Collaborative exchanges in an organization will cut across departments meaning that the traditional way of communicating will need to be replaced with collegial- peer relationship that are based on openness, conditions of trust, problem identification, goal-setting and risk-taking (Murphy, Hunt & Wasonga, 2004). Collaboration allows people to be able to access more ideas; it encourages people to be more innovative while helping them to input various resources into the project.ReferencesFreshour, F. W. (1989). Listening Power: Key to Effective Leadership. Illinois school Leadership from Within. School Business Affairs, 20-21Murphy, J. F., Hunt, D., & Wasonga, T. (November, 2004). Co-Created Leadership: Research and Development, 26, 17-23.© All rights reserved copies and reprints without the author's permission is not authorized.

Importance Of Choosing Accredited Colleges For The Diploma Of Management Course

The managerial team is a crucial link in an organization in almost all job settings. Hence, employers are more vigilant when selecting individuals who will form the management team. A diploma of management equips students with a comprehensive set of skills and knowledge that allows them to perform in varied situations. It reflects an individual's roles in managing work on behalf of others to add value to it or with the aim of reviewing management practices.As a holder of this diploma, your job roles and titles can vary in different industrial sectors. The manager job title is the best job that you will get, but it could be a manager in different departments of an organization depending on the niche in which you operate. There are no prerequisites for entry into the diploma course.The individuals applying for a diploma of management are well-versed in the technical aspects of their trade. The management course is taken up simply to add skills to their work profile enabling them to advance in their respective careers. Therefore, it is important to pursue the course from a recognized college.The Advantages of Recognized College Training A person rises on his merit. However, the training imparted will also partially determine how good you are and how well you will fulfill your role in a real job setting. This is where the importance of a recognized college comes in. Their USP is their experienced and trained faculty. They recruit only qualified teachers who can provide the best guidance to students be it practical or theoretical teaching.


The second aspect that comes into play is the brand name. Accredited colleges have a name in the market based on their excellent quality of teaching and mentoring. All employers are interested in checking your educational history particularly the college where you pursued the diploma of management course. When you have a certificate from a recognized college, it becomes easier for the potential employers to trust in your qualification in terms of training as far as the diploma course is concerned. This means that it will actually be easier for you to get a job or even be promoted to a higher level. Also, you will get a genuine diploma certificate at the end of the course.Recognized colleges have the coursework structured into varied modules and units. Also, it is structured to be completed within a stipulated time period. Thus, it adopts a disciplined approach to teaching while also considering the convenience and capabilities of the students when it comes to learning.An accredited college or university for the diploma of management course will also help you get financial aid and grants from the government which might not be as easy if the institution is not recognized by a regulating authority.So, in order to enjoy all these benefits, you should settle for a reputable institution; one that is registered and certified by the right body. This will give you an assurance that your investment of time, money and efforts are geared to taking you higher in your management career.

On The Other Side of Control

"Everything in moderation" my father used to say. "Eat, drink and be happy but all in the right amount, time and place" his voice resounded. I lost my Dad when I was 34 years old. His voice still rings true in my head. Today I understand what he really meant.While control maybe fiercely guarded by our desire to succeed and to reach perfect outcomes, we do not realize that we have something else on the other side of the dichotomy that we are giving up.To me everything is a double-edged sword. The sword can heal or kill dependent on how we use it.So the question that begs in my mind is "what sits on the other side of control? What am I giving up over there that I am holding on to so tightly over here "In my mind it is "trust" As long as I control I am in charge and I decide the fate of events to occur. When I trust I let go and allow things to happen. By things I mean the ethereal forces of fate, time and energy.Leaders who trust once they have set up the infrastructure for their people to succeed are indeed getting the best out of their people. Others who seek to control by micro managing are doing so because their lack of trust is deeply rooted within themselves. When I trust myself I am able to trust others.And yet these are the people in organizations who say "Me? Who me?" when told that they could improve their metrics to higher performance especially on the trust scale.It is no wonder that trust has eroded the organization today. Unfortunately this stems from the insecurity of leadership that seem to want greater levels of control for their own benefit.As I walk through airports I often stop to scan titles of books on the best selling shelves. I observe today that there are more books on building trust in the organization that I have ever seen before.More than 30 years ago, Dr. Aubrey C. Daniels introduced the phrase Performance Management to his clients (and eventually the world) simply as a way to describe how to motivate people to enthusiastically do what the business needs them to do. Today he calls this positive reinforcement.


Simply put if you treated a person well they would want to work for you. If I as a leader give you the infrastructure to succeed like clearly defined goals, a vision of where I am heading and systems plus people who will add value to my output then I am positively reinforcing you to churn out repetitive behaviors.In my father's time employees worked for one organization all their lives. Their colleagues became family and the organization was deemed to be a second home. They built building block at a time in a harmonious way, thinking of the long-term sustainable road to achieve business objectives.Today leaders treat their people just like another file in the cabinet. They run counter intuitive to what they need to do because they want control rather than trust for self motivated reasons.Interestingly this has led to the departure of a large number of highly competent people from the corporate world. The offspring of this was the advent of entrepreneurs who felt they could do much better managing their lives with freedom and respect.With the age of Artificial Intelligence almost upon us we need to create unique positions for ourselves. In order for a leader to control me I must allow him to do so. If I have a niche market specialization I foresee a smart leader cooperating with me and trusting me.So the question for you is "do you have a specialization?" If not it's time to go out and create one. This will be your armor against control from your leader and will also give you great joy in your "almost indispensable" role.My ex-boss more than 20 years ago advised me "always take on as much work as you possibly can. This will make you almost indispensable. This will augur well for your future in the organization" I think he was right!

Why IT Managers Need To Build Teams That All Generations Want To Work On

IT managers dread the day that they have to manage certain generations - we don't have the IT manager skills to deal with this situation. Whatever generation the IT manager belongs to should be easy to manage - they know how that generation thinks. It's all the other generations that cause the problems. However, it turns out that what we need to be doing is building teams that are open to all generations. Just exactly how are we supposed to go about doing that?How We Like To CommunicateAs an IT manager one of the most important things that you need to realize about managing multiple generations is that we all communicate differently. In the modern workplace there are multiple different ways that we can share information with each other and we all have different preferences as to how we accomplish this.The younger generations, the millennials, like to use the most modern of communication tools. These are the employees who will tweet their questions and use Instagram and Snapchat to connect with other members of their teams. The slightly older Generation X members of your team will prefer to use email for almost all of their communications. Finally, the baby boomers will rely on voice conversations conducted over the telephone or in person.As an IT manager you need to appreciate that everyone will have their own preferred means of being contacted. Instead of trying to get everyone to conform to one method, your job is to facilitate the communication between team members. One way to make this happen is to create and distribute a spreadsheet that lists each person on your team and their preferred method of being contacted. It turns out that most people will get in touch with each other using the preferred method if they know that the person has a preference.How We Like To Be ManagedAll of that IT manager training that we've had dealt with IT team building but never really taught us how to deal with trying to manage people who had very definite ideas about how they wanted to be managed. When you are managing a team that has multiple generations on it, you're going to have a challenge because each generation has their own ideas about how they want to be managed.


You are going to be dealing with two differing approaches to how your team wants to be managed. The older members of your team are going to believe that everyone needs to earn their place on the team and that this takes time - you have to work your way up the ladder. The younger members of your team are going to want to have their voices heard right off the bat - they don't want to have to wait to reach a certain level for their thoughts to be part of the decision making process.One way to handle this challenge is to create a flat management structure to use for your team. This can allow leaders to emerge on a per project basis depending on each worker's unique set of skills and talents.What All Of This Means For YouIT managers are facing a challenge that has not been seen in the workplace before: we have three different generations that are all working together. It is our responsibility to build teams that are inviting to each generation and allows them to work together.A key part of making this happen is to understand that everyone likes to communicate differently. Acknowledge this and make it easy for everyone to know how everyone wants to be reached. Projects need to have a flexible management structure. The younger workers will want a way for their voices to be heard and you need to accommodate that.The good news is that as an IT manager you've got an incredibly diverse workforce to choose from. Your big challenge will be in creating teams that people want to join. Take the time to understand the needs of each generation and you'll be the IT manager that everyone wants to work for...