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Articles by Ian Clarkson
The Seven Deadly Sins Of Project Management: Massaging The Plan
Project management is a key vehicle for organisations to turn strategy into action. However, despite the increasing investment in project management capability, many projects still fail to meet their objectives. In this second article in a series we explore how massaging the plan can create constant misalignment, one of the ‘seven deadly sins’, initially coined by Jeffrey Pinto in his paper ‘Lies, damned lies, and project plans’: Recurring human errors that can ruin the project planning process’.
The Seven Deadly Sins Of Project Management: Optimism Bias
Project management is a key vehicle for organisations to turn strategy into action. However, despite the increasing investment in project management capability, many projects still fail to meet their objectives. In this first article in a series we explore how optimism bias can kill a project from the very start, one of the ‘seven deadly sins’, initially coined by Jeffrey Pinto in his paper ‘Lies, damned lies, and project plans’: Recurring human errors that can ruin the project planning process’.
How To Manage Remotely In The Covid World Of Work
Covid-19 has created mass uncertainty and panic. People are worried about their jobs, their health and their loved ones. Difficult times are when leaders should shine. But how do you lead remotely? The pandemic has created a whole new set of problems for employees and managers, as well as leaders. For employees, working from home will suit some better than others. If you have a home office, it’s potentially easier than sitting on the settee and working off your laptop.
5 Core Principles For The Agile Project Management Office (PMO)
Although Agile has long been recognized as a formal guide to software development, the principles it was built on are ideal for improving a wide range of projects. Adopting an agile PMO framework, for example, can help minimize project delays and reduce the disparity between stakeholder requirements and outcomes – improving customer satisfaction dramatically.
Banning conversion therapy and the essence of the Gospel
Last week the Legislative Assembly of the Australian Capital Territory debated, and passed, legislation which will ban the practice of “conversion therapy” within the territory. The legislation was introduced as the Sexuality and Gender Identity Conversion Practices Bill (2020).
Why You Should Reject 'Psychological Safety'
You should fight your natural impulse to avoid being wrong – it could save lives. The tiny newborn twins seemed healthy enough, but their early arrival at only 27 weeks’ gestation meant they were considered “high risk.” Fortunately, the medical team at the busy urban hospital where the babies were delivered included staff from the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU): a young Neonatal Nurse Practitioner named Christina Price∗ and a silver-haired neonatologist named Dr. Drake.
Planning Our 50th Birthday Party
The Uniting Church has just turned 43 years old. At first, it seems an insignificant number. We prefer round numbers as milestones. Yet, 43 is seven years away from turning 50 – and seven years is long enough to totally transform the Uniting Church. Unlike the birthdays we celebrate individually, collectively we can choose to be younger when we turn 50 than we are today.
Getting Ready To Be A Leader
As you develop in your role you will be offered or identify opportunities for leadership. Do you feel ready? Very often we have unrealistic expectations and find the reality of a leadership role harder than expected. Let me share some things I’ve learned on my leadership journey that may be useful for you as you prepare to lead. Be ready to be stretched and tested Nobody comes to leadership completely unprepared. We bring skills and knowledge to the table – most of which will be useful.
Ian Clarkson: Is Project Management In Your DNA?
Thought Leaders Ian Clarkson 05th Mar, 2020 Anyone who knows me will confirm that I like a stat! And when it comes to project management there are lots of stats you can find out on, well, just about anything. Most of the time I take them ‘with a pinch of salt’, yet I across one recently that made me take notice. It was from the “PMI (2020). Ahead of the Curve: Forging a Future-Focused Culture.
Project Managers Need Better Recruitment Tools
The world of work is evolving rapidly. Investment in new technology, automation and AI are fundamentally changing roles, workplaces and the employee experience. The same, however, cannot be said for the way organisations source and recruit talent which, for most, still relies on slow and outdated processes which cost hirers a significant amount of time and money. Here’s a typical example of how the recruitment process might play out.
Taming Collaborative Chaos To Create A Truly Agile Enterprise
Today’s workforces seem to be stuck in a never-ending state of confusion and disorganization. Between the UK’s continuing Brexit story, the threat of global trade wars and the rapid technological advancements altering the project management landscape, enterprises are increasingly being facing uncertainties.
Contractor-Flight Is Hurting Projects And Programmes
Programme and project management is facing the most extraordinary period in its history. Thousands of self-employed people providing specialist services to major banks, utilities, telcos, engineering firms and more, are downing tools and walking away from contracts. The scale is unprecedented – some 75% of contractors, consultants and freelancers are making an exit. The cause? IR35 reform. From April 6, new IR35 reforms come into effect in the private sector.
Ian Clarkson: Change Is The End Result Of All Learning
Whilst I write about project management, and my work experience is mostly from project management, I actually think of myself as someone in the education/learning industry. That’s where my passion lies – learning/education – and I can’t see myself doing anything else.
Are You OK Being A Project Manager?
In a previous article of mine, Affecting Business Cases, I mentioned “I’m OK. – You’re OK”1 by Thomas A. Harris, which is a classic text on Transactional Analysis written in the 1960s – and one of two books which fundamentally changed my outlook on life, family, work, relationships. Transactional analysis is a method to understand how the mind operates, why we do what we do and how we can stop doing what we do if we wish.
Key Questions On HS2 As Ministers Meet
Prime Minister Boris Johnson, Chancellor Sajid Javid and Transport Secretary Grant Shapps are meeting to discuss whether HS2 should be built. Here are 11 key questions about the controversial high-speed rail project. – Do the Conservatives support HS2? The party is split on the issue. Chancellor Sajid Javid is set to back the project, but the Tory benches erupted into shouts of “No” during Prime Minister’s Questions when Mr Johnson was asked if he agreed that HS2 should go ahead.
Nine Tips To Overcome Project Management Stress
Thought Leaders PM Today Contributor 20th Jan, 2020 Project management can be a very stressful career path. PMs are responsible for delivering projects on time, on budget and cope, and also have to deal with limited resources, client expectations, and long to-do lists. If you’re a Project Manager who is struggling with stress, here’s how you can better manage it. Don’t over plan your day.
What Are Your Prospects For A Successful Project?
It’s a wet Sunday afternoon and I am sat in a coffee shop writing this article. My youngest son is at a birthday party and my eldest son is sat opposite me doing his school homework (admittedly, he is doing it after being bribed by millionaire’s shortbread, but he is doing it). I am re-reading “Thinking, Fast and Slow” by Daniel Kahneman1 and am at the part describing his famous Prospect Theory2 (about making decisions under risk), and how it differs from classic Utility Theory3.
Ian Clarkson: Can You Cut It In Project Management?
If I said the name “Malcolm Gladwell” how many of you would recognise it? He’s written some bestselling books: Tipping Point, Blink, Outliers, What the Dog Saw, David and Goliath, and is an author of the same genre as people such as: Tim Harford, Dan Ariely, Charles Duhigg, and Michael Lewis to name but a few (all authors I fully recommend, by the way). It is the book “Blink” that is the inspiration for this article which talks about how people make instant/snap decisions.
Three Hidden Benefits Of Project Reporting
Project reports, when done well, offer much more than a bland overview of data. In fact, they offer huge value to the organization, its stakeholders and can help protect you against unfair claims. Let’s look at three essential reasons you must carry out project reporting: Keep communication channels open A project report is not just about the document itself. It is a way of keeping communication progressing with your stakeholders.
Don’t Ignore The Gorilla – Not the Elephant – In The Room - PM Today
I am going to start this article by asking you to watch a short video. It’s all fine to watch – I have watched it myself – and it lasts 1 minute 21 seconds. It is the “selective attention test” video on www.dansimons.com/videos.html (it is the first video on this website showing people in white t-shirts and black t-shirts throwing a ball to each other). I promise you it is nothing untoward – just follow the instructions on the video – and don’t read on until you have watched it.
Three Often Overlooked Soft Skills To Employ In Your Project Management Practice - PM Today
Successful project management requires you to excel at a range of hard technical and soft skills. Hard skills often cited include forecasting, reporting and scheduling. Soft skills include leadership, communication and teamwork. It’s usually easier to know when to deploy hard skills given their application to specific and measurable tasks. In spite of this, soft skills seem to be given considerably less coverage in project forums and general discourse.
Q&A: Britain, Brexit And The Crucial Next Three Days - PM Today
Thought Leaders Alexander Britton 17th Oct, 2019 The next three days will prove pivotal as Boris Johnson hopes to oversee Britain’s departure from the European Union. More than 1,200 days since Britain voted to Leave in a historic referendum, Mr Johnson will travel to Brussels on Thursday to continue talks with his self-set October 31 deadline for departure in sight. Here, the PA news agency looks at what’s being said about the deal and how the next few days could pan out.
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