Knowledge

Knowledge and skills

October 13, 2015 | Knowledge

Gathering Project Information

Plan ahead to get the most out of project resources

by Denise Gifford   One of the most common mistakes a new project manager can make is to request more information than is needed to run the project. Information is an important resource, but it is not free. Completing forms …

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  • April 15, 2015 | Knowledge

    Negotiating and the Rock Bottom

    It pays to know your bottom line

    by Steven Lesser   Negotiators often have a position that is their rock bottom, their least acceptable deal. Sometimes negotiators communicate this as a take-it-or-leave-it. Some negotiators use the take-it-or-leave-it even when they are not at their minimum deal. When …

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  • February 12, 2015 | Knowledge

    Focus on Listening

    Why you need to commit to listen

    How are your listening skills? We all know it’s important to pay attention. But most of us, including me, lose focus from time to time. Why don’t we listen? “I am distracted.” “I don’t like the person.” “They don’t communicate …

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  • July 24, 2014 | Knowledge

    Stakeholder Clues

    How to tune in to non-verbal communication

    by Denise Gifford   Do you know what your stakeholders really think about your project? You’ve read their emails. You’ve met with them. You’ve provided reports and solicited feedback. But what are they really thinking? Are they happy with where …

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  • February 23, 2014 | Knowledge

    Stakeholder Communication

    Four key steps for project managers

    Stakeholder communication matters. What makes a project manager a good communicator?  It is not as simple as sharing everything with everyone in a project. In our efforts to keep stakeholders informed, project managers typically communicate too much to too many …

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  • December 17, 2012 | Knowledge

    Don’t Ignore Business Risks

    Recognize business risk when you see it

    Generally, if you are in business, big or small, you face risks. These may be reflected in the day-to-day management of the business or in a specific project, for example. Business risk is largely under the control of management of …

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  • December 12, 2012 | Knowledge

    A "blank check" for process improvement

    A strategy to deliver solutions

    Let’s face it, we are all comfortable in our routines and practices. We are resistant to change. Yet we complain bitterly when another process or procedure we regard as “inadequate” slows us down. When we consider ways to improve things, …

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  • November 28, 2012 | Knowledge

    Managing Change

    Managing change: the keys to success

    by Steven Lesser Change is a constant element in both our personal and business lives.  Rarely do situations remain static, particularly in the ever-changing technological society in which we live.  Since we cannot escape change, the question is, “How can we …

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  • November 7, 2012 | Knowledge

    Effective meetings

    Improve meetings by focusing on what's important

    by Steven Lesser According to a recent Strategy + Business article, the risk of being “switched on” continually and the benefits of “shutting down” from time to time are important considerations for managers. Effective managers and leaders learn to differentiate between …

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  • October 24, 2012 | Knowledge

    What’s the Big Problem?

    Take time to really understand the issues

    “Politics is the art of looking for trouble, finding it everywhere, diagnosing it incorrectly and applying the wrong remedies.”  – Groucho Marx As we move closer to this year’s U.S. Presidential election, we are hearing about a lot of issues, …

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  • October 14, 2012 | Knowledge

    Introverted versus Extroverted Leadership

    There's no "right" leadership personality

    With the U.S. elections coming in November and the start of the pre-election debates, there is currently a lot of “noise” about what constitutes a good leader, a comparison of leadership styles of the two presidential nominees, Barack Obama and …

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  • September 18, 2012 | Knowledge

    Tips for Relationship Selling

    Building trust will transform your client relationships

    Relationship selling is dead, or so contends author Matthew Dixon in his book The Challenger Sale. I think Dixon’s report of the death of relationship selling is an exaggeration. Let’s say relationship selling is evolving. Dixon advocates “challenge selling” over …

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