Fundamentally

Project Management - into the 21st Century

Too often people hire an old friend or a so-called 'expert' to manage a project, sometimes with disastrous consequences. Here is an approach to get the right person into the project - whether to implement a change or to become a new member of the Board of Directors.

The science of Management is loaded with books and articles about resource management, costs and planning to mention just a few. Very rarely do we come across anything that characterises the exercise itself or how we might identify the right person to optimally manage it.

To begin to fill in some of the mysteries, we can examine projects under three strategic headings, and also practical managers as three distinct types - it's not difficult to put the two together to get the most effective and efficient outcome

Please click here for a discussion about the relationships between projects and their managers

Government Savings in Perspective - Please Get Real

When numbers get big, I have a tendency to overlook their real implications. By equating government debt repayment with the time it would take to repay just some of the interest, it is easier to put our debt position into perspective.

For example, in the news of 23rd July 2011 there is an article describing a saving of about £13m by closing social centres for youngsters in London; closures that will undo accumulated good work over many years that has reduced teen crime, reduced youth pregnancy and reduced STDs

This saving of £13m will buy approximately two and a half hours leeway in the UK debt repayment schedule. Yes two and a half hours in the course of a year that will undo many years of dedicated and committed support that is improving the lot of the youngsters of London

And not just London, these savings of a couple of million here or there are tinkering at the very edges of the issue. Libraries closing, social centres deprived, people who need support the most finding themselves even further distanced from the things that can bring them a bit of hope or restore dignity.

We need to address the hangover from past government profligacy which increased the employment of unproductive labour to keep the numbers looking good; when in reality all that was created was another Ponzi scheme, but because it was by government, they got away with it.

Please click here for one argument that begins to put the real issue into perspective

Common-Sense Psychometrics

Only one in three appointments made using psychometric profiling are right for the job. Two people in three end up in the wrong post, probably miserable and almost certainly ineffective.

Psychometric profile has developed for the 'high A', the ambitious and the aggressive - only about 20% of the population so, unsurprisingly, it doesn't work

It is possible to identify the right manager by simplifying the whole exercise; please click here for the argument

Searching for a new Stupid

There is a risk that the links delivered by search engines are filtered by the big providers to bring to the top of the list the results that suit the preferences of the person doing the searching

We are provided with material that is easily digested and comfortable, with little to challenge us or to stimulate us to come up new ideas or new thinking

Are we entering the first stage of stupidification? For the argument please click here

Practical financial management

One of the things that brings me a degree of satisfaction is the opportunity to teach, where (strangely) I am more open to challenge than when I work as a consultant for someone's business that needs a fresh approach in order to maintain growth, sustainability and the employment of others

Often, one of the areas that causes concern is applying financial understanding to a management role and making it relevant to current business activity.

Given that the organisation has a sound purpose and one single clear objective - lots of aims and wishes, but just one objective - then providing control through financial management becomes relatively straightforward

This paper sets out to begin to demysify financial management

Gender balance and decision-making

As management begins to move out of survival mode - not only for the organisation, but also their own jobs - now is the time to more closely consider how decisions might best be made for the sustainable organisation.

This note examines how gender can play a part and how a board of directors might be balanced to take full advantage of the economic cycle

The balance may be brought about through sound management of the Non-Executive Directors and developing their involvement in challenging the main Board

please click here for the link

An effective structure for the Board of Directors

As we come to grips with the recession and once again seriously consider sustainability, instead of survival, we need to more closely consider the capacity of management.

The balance of strengths in the management team is often overlooked because they are in a protected position and usually unwilling to challenge themselves or colleagues.

This note provides a stucture which may be used as a basis for that challenge by interested parties which includes shareholders, customers, suppliers and staff.

It also provides a basis for the Nominations Committee to make better informed decisions

Please click here here  for the link

Business support note now posted

Steve's open letter to Dr. Vince Cable and Mark Prisk - see earlier post - has been summarised and appears in the Richmond & Twickenham Times (Dr. Cable's constituency)

Please click here to enjoy.

Three steps to building trust

A well known explorer described leadership as: having a common purpose, identifying the benefits for all concerned and clearly communicating both purpose and benefits. This essentially sets the foundation upon which trust can be built.

By promoting authority with responsibility people learn to allow others to perform autonomously and with trust emerging.

The third element to develop is openness - the openness to express how you feel without fear of compromise or ridicule.

To explore common purpose click here

To explore authority with responsibility click here

To explore openness click here

And for a summary click here

Enjoy

Can the Board of Directors be More Effective? - Almost Certainly

The majority of Boards of Directors are badly structured because the criteria used in selection rarely play to the strengths and aptitudes of the individuals concerned, more to whether they 'fit in' or are to be rewarded for some past activity.

Consequently senior management is rarely fully effective.

This note sets out a board structure based on experience, observation and the studies of Higgs, Turnbull, Cadbury and others to create a format where each individual plays to their strengths and each post is mutually supportive of the others.

Click here to download the paper.

The papers listed below are each a short note discussing the individual functions and also some thoughts about how gender balance may be used to make management more effective.

Gender balance and its impact on Board structure

The CEO

The Chairman

The Managing Director

Effective Board Structure

The Company Secretary

The Finance Director

The Personnel Director

The Operations Director

The Marketing and Sales Director

The Non Executive Directors