Most people wait for a lot of time to complete their academic degrees.

They wait for the exams to grant them a certificate of completion. Then they’ll wait for the interview calls.

Many people do the same at work. They wait for their manager to give them authority to add up to a vocation.

A few people, only a few, grab it. They grab the best learning they can get, pushing their surroundings for more, finding something to get done, and inventing a new perspective. They acquire more lessons than the minimum, they invent new ways of getting things done and they come out with wonders.

A few people, only a few, grab opportunities at work. They are the true leaders, no matter what their titles are.

Today is the greatest time for the Leaders.  What would you like to grab today?

See Also:

1. What You Can Learn From a Difficult Boss
2. Happiness – The Primary Trait Of Powerful Leaders
3. The Problem With Not Getting Out of Safety Zone
4. Leading Beyond Your Title Sometimes Means: 15
5. Are You Proud of the Email that You Just Wrote?

1. What You Can Learn From a Difficult Boss
2. Happiness – The Primary Trait Of Powerful Leaders
3. The Problem With Not Getting Out of Safety Zone
4. Leading Beyond Your Title Sometimes Means: 15
5. Are You Proud of the Email that You Just Wrote?

When the performance appraisal happens and one colleague is promoted,  many of his co-workers don’t feel good. They compare themselves with him and conclude that their boss favors only who flatters her. Always, that may not be the case. For example, read the below story called Navigate Without a Map.

Photo Credit: David Masters’ Flickr photostream

Navigate Without A Map

Background
Peter and Scott – both joined the company on the same day as Analyst Programmers. Both were coming from different background but have two qualities in common. Both were hard-working and committed to their work.

Promotion of Peter
After a couple of years Peter was promoted as a Lead Programmer while Scott did not get the promotion. Scott got very upset with this, drafted the resignation letter and went to Stella, his Department Manager. He complained that Stella does not value hardworking staff and promotes only who blandishes her.

The difference
Stella knew that Scott also worked hard for past two years but she had a point to address and make Scott realize the difference between him and Peter.

So, she discussed a scenario with Scott, “While working as a dedicated developer with an offshore client, if you reach a limbo stage when there is no work for couple of weeks. How’d you proceed?”

“I’d call the client and ask for the work”, was Scott’s reply.

Stella explained further, “The client responded that he needs to send you some task specifications but he would be able to send it only after two weeks when he’ll return back from the vacation. So the limbo stage continues. What should be the next step?”

Scott said, “Well, since I have no work, I’ll work on my pet project or do something else. May be I will also take some leaves. Given it is a Dedicated Developer Contract, client is going to pay for the two weeks anyways so he can’t blame it on me or the organization.”

“Well,” said Stella. “Let’s discuss the same scenario with Peter and ask what would he do.”

Peter responded, “Well, first of all I won’t come in the limbo stage because I keep communicating with the client very frequently and always make him aware about the work status. But still if that stage comes and I do not have anything on my platter, here’s what I’d do:”

1. Optimize the code for performance – I’ll utilize the knowledge I’ve gathered in Application Performance Improvement classes I attended in the last weekend of April.
2. Recheck the code comments and take it to the next level. I understand that there is no comparison between well-commented code and just the code.
3. I’ll do some research and learn more about my client’s business. I’ll also prepare a document which will outline the knowledge I’ve gathered by performing the research. I’ll share that with the client also.
4. I’ve some high level idea about what changes he wants to make in the software I’m working on. So I’ll make some draft user interface and modified architecture diagram with added application scalability.
5. I’ll record such additional activities and submit a report to the client such that he can know how I’ve utilized my time for which he is paying.
6. I will do…

“OK, Great! This information is sufficient for what I was looking for. You may go and continue your work, Peter.” interrupted Stella.

The realization
Scott soon realized the point which Stella wanted him to understand. He understood that Peter has an edge over him. He observed that:

1. Peter has absolute clarity about where to go and how to proceed even when no path is given.
2. Peter has invested his time to learn different technology verticals which are even indirectly related to his core strength by investing extra time over the weekends.
3. Peter is a true servant leader. He’s willing to learn his client’s language (business) so that he can serve his well.
4. Peter does not need a map to navigate. Instead he is willing to travel when there’s no map. He will try hard to improvise application’s architecture and would work on making it still better.
5. Peter utilizes the information in a way; it becomes meaningful to the client and the organization. Most important is that he keeps all the important information in the written form.

“I want to take back my resignation,” were Peter’s words. “I’ll learn from him and be an equal or better version of Peter.”

Only hard work and commitment are not sufficient. You need to develop an ability to navigate without a map (Yes, wordings are taken from Linchpin by Seth Godin – a great read, indeed.)

We’re in a different age where rulebooks are not matching pace with the changing demands of the workplace so start thinking beyond the rulebooks, take personal risks and excel at what you’re doing. Remember, observation power is a big differentiator. And, excellent use of observed information may take you a long way.

May be that’s the reason we are blessed with two ears and two eyes but only one mouth. So speak less, observe more. Maintain a mental database of observed information, index it often and use it to navigate when no map is available.

See Also:

1. Mini Saga – Focus
2. Contribute Beyond Your Title With Assumed Responsibility And Take The Right Decision!
3. Waiter vs. Grabber
4. Are You Proud of the Email that You Just Wrote?
5. Contrast Thinking

1. Mini Saga – Focus
2. Contribute Beyond Your Title With Assumed Responsibility And Take The Right Decision!
3. Waiter vs. Grabber
4. Are You Proud of the Email that You Just Wrote?
5. Contrast Thinking

No one would like to develop himself as an aspiring mediocre. Would anyone? Yes. May be. Unknowingly. Read the story below to learn how.

Background
There was a group of college friends – Anders, Peter, Brandon, Rob and Laura – running a music band.

Each friend had different skills. Peter was the music director. Anders was a keyboard player, Brandon was a drum master, Rob was a guitar player and Laura was good at playing flute.

They were outstanding in their skill area. That’s the reason their music was very popular. They happen to be the winner of the music competition held in the Summer Carnival for last 2 years.  They all were working very hard for the upcoming Summer Carnival which was due in about a month.

Change of circumstances
Peter’s family was shifting to another city so he had no choice but to leave the band. And the band was in a soup. Everyone knew that the band would not be able to perform at its best without Peter’s direction. They did not have any clue about what to do next.

The decision
Someone suggested them to form a committee and take an opinion. So they invited few wise individuals and formed a committee.

Committee members were good in their respective areas but no one had an actual experience about how a music band should function. After analyzing the situation, the committee decided that everyone should learn every other instrument as Peter, the director was no more available. The committee believed that if everyone knows all other instruments then they will be able to understand other’s part and they wouldn’t need much direction to perform well.

The practice
Anders was excellent in keyboard and getting A’s but when it came to playing drums he was getting C’s.  In guitar he wasn’t that bad as he was getting B’s. Playing flute was also not working for him because he was getting D’s there. So the committee advised him to work hard on playing drums and flute. He had to borrow some time from keyboard practice to invest it in learning drums and flute.

The committee observed his progress and appreciated him time to time to keep him motivated. Anders was also happy with his progress as now he started getting B’s in drums also. Happier as he was unaware that his handle on keyboard was no more a reality.

The same was the case with other members also. So everyone started practicing harder, getting appreciation from the committee and started learning every other music instruments. At the end of practice days,  they learned all the other instruments but could not practice well in their original skill area.

The performance
They did not even realize that their performance was mediocre until they heard people criticizing their performance badly in the Summer Carnival.

Here’s what happened:

1. They learnt some new things about playing different music instruments.
2. In achieving that, they lost their edge in their original skills and were no more competitive.

…and they were thrown out of the competition.

Photo Credit: deargdoom57′s Flickr photostream

The sad end
Six months later, Peter came back to meet his friends and let them know that he has established a new band in the new city.

But he found out that the band had been closed down and the friends are scattered and playing music is no more an exciting thing to them. They all parted ways and were busy doing something else (read “something mediocre” here) to live their lives.

Some small scale software companies also act like that committee. They instruct their people to work for many job profiles at once. For example, they expect their project managers to write code, create architectures, test the application or write SRS documents.

They expect them to be super-humans who can do everything just well.  They are genuine and pay such a person more pay than his market value.

Now think about this, before 3 years you were good at analyzing the systems and performing really well as a systems analyst but then you were pulled into application testing and project management.  You were asked if you need promotion and good pay hike, take up more responsibilities in diverse areas. So you started putting efforts in different areas including the one which you didn’t like much or you were not good at. Pity was that when you did little well in such areas, you were appraised and rewarded for your “hard” work.

Such companies are like the committee who appreciate you for your achievements in the areas which don’t matter in the end. May be they also don’t know how the music band should function!

At the time of the ‘Summer Carnival’ of your life, when you are expected to perform at your best, you will not be able to. Just because your focus is diversified in different areas and you haven’t realized it till now.

So you’re mediocre in all that you do. You do things which don’t matter, you don’t possess expertise in any single area and you have been turned into an aspiring mediocre.  You are just another technology profile who can be easily replaced with one or more people at any given time.

Choice is yours. For the sake of few bucks offered by such companies, do you want to lose focus from what you are good at? Shiv Khera said in his popular book You Can Win, “Winners don’t do different things; they do things differently.” You need to understand what exactly is doing things differently. It means doing things in so excellent way no one else can do. Identify what is one thing that you do which no one else can? Is it Project Management? System Analysis? Testing? Whatever it might be, stick to that; do not lose focus.

Then recognize whether your company’s business models are allowing you to reach your full potential. Does your company have the vision to take you where your full potential can be utilized? If yes, get aligned and build your fortune with your company. If no, find another company (or create your own) where you can get a vision to get aligned to reach your full potential.

Or forget about successful career in the software industry and do the same mediocre things  to become jack of all and master of none.

See Also:

1. Look for a Mediocre Profile Who Has Low Self-Esteem
2. Know how to walk first, running comes later.
3. Seven Most Common Deathbed Regrets
4. To Lead Regardless of Your Position 7
5. You’re Mediocre If You: 7

1. Look for a Mediocre Profile Who Has Low Self-Esteem
2. Know how to walk first, running comes later.
3. Seven Most Common Deathbed Regrets
4. To Lead Regardless of Your Position 7
5. You’re Mediocre If You: 7

Photo Credit: db*Photography's Flickr photostream

I have dealt with many team leaders, project managers and technical leads during my decade long career. While their positions say they are some kind of leader, their actions fail to justify that many times.

They see their primary role as spoon-feeders, epic problem-solvers and fire-eaters. So they feed their people with spoon, solve their problems by being a hero and eat the fires.

They end up spending 15 odd hours a day in the office, compels their team members also to stay in the office that long just to see how they are solving the problems and help the chaos grow.

Many of such people have grown up in chaos-based-management culture and therefore they tend to create chaos if it is not there and then feeling satisfied that they could manage it.

Such people are just the Titles Without On-Key Leadership.

They do not know that leadership is a state of mind, an opportunity which is available to everyone, regardless of their title or anything else.

It’s about taking province for the organization’s well-being and growth and changing it for the greater good.

As a leader, you don’t need to spoon-feed your people, solve their problems in a heroic way or eat the fire. You need to keep your people cheered up, optimistic and ready to play their best in the face of change.

To do that, you have to be in the present moment, need to have faith in an uncertain next and should be able to lead yourself first.

Leadership means getting things done by doing what is right, one thing at a time, not only you doing things in a heroic manner.

Power Question: Who are you? A title or a leader?

See Also:

1. A Path-Goal Based Approach That May Take Your Project Leadership Repertoire To The Next Level
2. Which Leadership Flavor Do You Deploy As A Dependable Project Manager?
3. How To Caffeinate Your Leadership Repertoire?
4. Great Leadership Insights By Dan McCarthy
5. Leadership Development Carnival Sep 2009

1. A Path-Goal Based Approach That May Take Your Project Leadership Repertoire To The Next Level
2. Which Leadership Flavor Do You Deploy As A Dependable Project Manager?
3. How To Caffeinate Your Leadership Repertoire?
4. Great Leadership Insights By Dan McCarthy
5. Leadership Development Carnival Sep 2009

When we consider project leadership, there is no such thing as an ideal leadership style. The situation in which Project Leaders function will influence the approaches that they should embrace.

Photo Credit: muha...'s Flickr photostream

Here are 4 types of leadership behaviors as per the path-goal theory of leadership which effective project leaders use time to time knowingly or unknowingly.

1. Achievement-oriented Leadership – Such project leaders set challenging goals, expects them to perform at highest level, Shows confidence in their ability to meet the expectation.
2. Directive Leadership – Such project leaders let followers know what is expected and tells them how to perform their tasks.
3. Participative Leadership – Such project leaders consult the followers, asks for their suggestions before making a decision.
4. Supportive Leadership – Such project leaders are friendly and approachable and shows concern for the follower’s well being.

The key here is to identify the situations which may be best handled with a specific type of path-goal based leadership behavior and to use it at its best.

For example,

• An achievement oriented approach works well when the expectations of the results are high and team has the capability to be encouraged to rise to the occasion.
• Directive approach is best in the emergency or chaotic situations.  Also it works well with projectized organizational structure when the Project Leader has power, blessings from the top management and well-structured project tasks. In such situations, the team is more ready to embrace the directions from the leader.
• In ambiguous situations, where results depend on the team working well together and with a common sense of purpose, Project Leaders who are concerned with maintaining good relationships (using participative or supportive leadership styles of course) are more likely to get better results.

While Poor Project Leaders change their leadership styles at random so that their team is confused and do not know what to do next, Dependable Project Leaders are capable of flexing their style to meet the demands of the situation. At times, supportive project leaders shift into more of a directive mode when faced with a crisis or vice versa.

Effective Project Leaders sometimes flex their style on person to person basis. They understand that some people need more directions while the other needs the sense of achievement. It depends more on the situations, contexts and personality of Project Leader themselves.

Here are a few questions to think upon and act in order to use the path-goal based leadership effectiveness for the best possible results.

1. What is the most common project leadership style practiced and expected by your organization?
2. Is it the same leadership style you are good at and feel excited about?
3. If not, then what best can you do to deal with it?

See Also:

1. Which Leadership Flavor Do You Deploy As A Dependable Project Manager?
2. How To Caffeinate Your Leadership Repertoire?
3. Heroic Titles Without On-Key Leadership
4. I’m not a project manager. Why do I need to learn project management?
5. Leadership Virtues That A Software Project Manager Should Have

1. Which Leadership Flavor Do You Deploy As A Dependable Project Manager?
2. How To Caffeinate Your Leadership Repertoire?
3. Heroic Titles Without On-Key Leadership
4. I’m not a project manager. Why do I need to learn project management?
5. Leadership Virtues That A Software Project Manager Should Have

Many people underestimate the essence of the right focus. They don’t even try to. Eventually, they live life full of unhappiness, sorrow and grief because of their unfocused actions (or non-actions.)

Photo Credit: R'eyes' Flickr photostream

Essence of Focus

Rick and Peter were colleagues in a dying company.

Peter focused on his extra-marital affair. Rick focused on finding another job. Rick found one, Peter got fired.

Peter took few thousands loan from Rick.

9 months later:

Jobless Peter is hiding from Rick who is now reluctant to help colleagues.

See Also:

1. Mini Saga – Decision Making
2. Mini Saga – Executing The Dream
3. Mini Saga – Lights, Camera…Action!
4. Mini Saga – Doing Rather Than Being
5. Mini Saga – Limitationless Elisha (And The World, Too!)

1. Mini Saga – Decision Making
2. Mini Saga – Executing The Dream
3. Mini Saga – Lights, Camera…Action!
4. Mini Saga – Doing Rather Than Being
5. Mini Saga – Limitationless Elisha (And The World, Too!)

Yesterday night we were discussing about different leadership flavors that a dependable project manager should deploy in different situations. Here is some light about it:

Photo Credit: Canon in 2D's Flickr photostream

There are 4 basic types of leadership flavors:

1. Enigmatic/non-enigmatic: Enigmatic leaders leverage their personality and their inspirational qualities. These are visionary leaders who are result-oriented, risk takers and fantastic communicators. Non-enigmatic leaders leverage their knowledge, their calmness and their methodical approach in dealing with the problems.
2. Democratic/arbitrary: Democratic leaders encourage people to participate and involve themselves in decision making while Arbitrary leaders impose their decisions using their position to force people to do as they direct.
3. Enabler/ Rulers: Enablers inspire their people with their vision and empower them to accomplish the common goals. Rulers command people to obtain their agreement.
4. Transactional/Transformational: Transactional leaders trade money, employment and security for compliance. Transformational leaders motivate people to strive for higher level goals.

The factors affecting the degree to which a leadership style is appropriate are:

• type of organization
• nature of work
• characteristics of the group and
• personality of the leader

A dependable project manager should be able to adapt any of the above leadership style depending upon the needs of the situations he and his team in. For instance, the same Enigmatic Leader might have to act like Arbitrary Leader in specific mission-critical situations.

So ask yourself,

• What kind of leader are you?
• …and how adaptable are you to the situational demands?

See Also:

1. A Path-Goal Based Approach That May Take Your Project Leadership Repertoire To The Next Level
2. Dependable Project Manager 9
3. I’m not a project manager. Why do I need to learn project management?
4. Leadership Virtues That A Software Project Manager Should Have
5. Heroic Titles Without On-Key Leadership

1. A Path-Goal Based Approach That May Take Your Project Leadership Repertoire To The Next Level
2. Dependable Project Manager 9
3. I’m not a project manager. Why do I need to learn project management?
4. Leadership Virtues That A Software Project Manager Should Have
5. Heroic Titles Without On-Key Leadership