Utpal Writes » being specific

What’s better? Being able to be specific or being able to do the work?

Utpal Vaishnav — Sat, 05 Nov 2011 23:45:45 +0000

Observe the conversation below:

“When I say that Jack is the Module Lead and anything that goes right or wrong in the module, Jack is responsible, I’d like to know how you acknowledge it, Jack?”

Jack replied: “It means that I’m the Module Lead and anything that I code or test is my responsibility. For the items I couldn’t have a look, the person who has written the code, is responsible.”

“Vikram?” I asked Jack’s peer.

“It means that Jack should do most of the coding and testing within the module.”

“Peter?” Finally, I asked Jack’s immediate manager.

“It means that we should tell Jack about anything that happens inside that module. After all he is the module lead. ”

I hear what you guys say. Now, let me ask you this: How should I communicate if I mean that Jack owns the module. That’s why he’s the lead. He owns good and bad things that happen inside the module. If it succeeds, all credit goes to him and if it fails, he bears all the consequences of the failure. How?

“You might say that Jack is the Module lead and anything that goes right or wrong in the module, Jack is responsible.” said Peter and Jack together.

“I hear what you say…” I said.

People respond to their own images of the past rather than the facts represented by the words. Recognize that “Not being specific” is a bigger problem than having mere skills to write the software code.

Reward who’s able to be specific and reprimand who’re not or else you’re gone.

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posted in Project Management Leave A Comment

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Prevent Your Project from Collapsing

Utpal Vaishnav — Thu, 03 Nov 2011 10:03:47 +0000

Most projects don’t collapse sensationally.

They collapse slowly.

But you wouldn’t know that for sitting in at steering meetings or reading monthly project status reports.

Same way, businesses, countries and families collapse. Slowly.

Good and bad thing about this is: It involves people. Most people have tendency to respond to urgency. People take massive actions only when encountered with an urgency.

If we change our learning systems, perhaps, people’s tendencies can be altered to respond to important stuff instead. But, I’m not sure when.

To combat with such slow collapsing, most project managers take an unsubtle, wider shot: A team revamping program or totally redesigned collaboration software.

The solution, more probably than not, is to consistently stop the slippage. To continuously improve the uninteresting stuff (e.g. how people respond to newly discovered information in project discussions and how they can do it even better).

Projects fail slowly. Success might come faster, though. That’s where the role of a dependable project manager comes in.

That role is beyond the classic definition of the project management. Person in this role ‘leads’ the project, not just manages it.

And one of the most important activity of ‘leading’ a project is to prevent a slow collapse by getting into the vertical depth of the matters and do everything possible to get every small thing right. Easier said than done.

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You have a better chance to come after if: 7

Utpal Vaishnav — Sat, 22 Oct 2011 12:07:31 +0000

you focus on one thing at a time;
you keep one, focused list;
you are focused, no matter what.
you maintain focused energy;
you uphold focus on keeping balance;
you create, follow, innovate and change systems that are focused to bring expected results;
you organize yourself for focused execution.

If…

If, in a nutshell, you’re focused…ruthlessly, focused (towards the right goal).

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posted in Self-Help Leave A Comment

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Know how to walk first, running comes later.

Utpal Vaishnav — Tue, 18 Oct 2011 09:58:51 +0000

Some musicians spend years doing nothing but practicing a piece of music and get it validated from their artist guru.

If the piece of music isn’t right, it doesn’t matter what else you do, you cannot perform in the live show.

Clients of most software programming projects that expect you to build great applications presume that you already know how to play that small piece of music.

They presume that you:

understand the distinction between content and form, logic and looks;
have got experience in crafting great user interfaces;
know that solutions thinking overrides technology biased thinking;
understand the importance of ‘specifics’;
have empathy for what your client needs;
know how to make a compelling ground for what you believe.
…

Too often, we quickly jump on to the next thing, neglecting to get even acceptable enough at the basics.

Confucious said it long ago; almost all of us have read it but only few of us practices: “Small Things Make Perfection but Perfection is Not a Small Thing!”

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The Client Will Like Your Proposal If: 7

Utpal Vaishnav — Mon, 18 Apr 2011 18:19:16 +0000

…your clearly understandable offer is in relevance with her needs;
…it translates your passion towards what you’re doing into a solution she’s seeking;
…your presumptions match with what sounds like her own thoughts;
…it’s precise, straight, short and sweet – not too much of information which is of no use for her;
…you don’t over-focus on terms & conditions, only to save your **s;
…it exhibits that you know what you’re proposing;
…vividly touches her emotions and inspires her to take an action!

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posted in Organizational Development Leave A Comment

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Entrepreneurship 30

Utpal Vaishnav — Fri, 15 Apr 2011 04:14:22 +0000

What’s entrepreneurship all about? Here are thirty some thoughts on what it is and what it is not. For some people, its very cool move but in fact, it takes a completely different kind of commitment and ability to act beyond reasons.

It is:

Glamorous, in the beginning;
Hard (in fact, very hard), soon after;
Needs a groundbreaker (pioneer, go getter, fireball kind of) mindset;
Not for you if you:
…get disturbed by things you cannot control in your job;
…need very clear objectives from your management to perform;
…need very co-operative people to get things done;
…always need someone to listen to your complaints. Ah…you complain??
…are reasonable, well at least 90 percent;
…think one has to lose in order for the other to win;
…think that honesty was the best policy in 20^th century, maybe. This is 21^st – isn’t it?
…think you need a perfect plan to get started (does perfection exist? Where?);
Sure for you if you:
…don’t depend on your MBA degree to take decisions;
…lead beyond your title to get things done, always;
…want to take the pain of making the road;
…know that someone else is going to travel that road later, but anyways;
…don’t complain. About the dust. About bad people. About crazy clients. about anyone;
…take responsibility for the problems created by other people;
…have persistent determination; a completely different level of commitment;
…listen to criticism about what you do; look at the things from multiple perspectives but still move ahead;
…think you’re smart – you always learn from everyone’s (mostly others’) mistakes; not necessarily your own;
…understand multiple contexts well; better if you apply lessons learned in one into the other;
…believe in creating win-win business prepositions (Haven’t read 7 Habits from Stephen Covey? Huh?);
…are a (the best) people magnet – someone said ‘like attracts like’ …isn’t it? Are you?
…are unreasonable;
…begin with the end in mind (Covey, again) but having (smart) goals is must;
…understand what ‘empathy’ means. It means: how people feel about things. It leads from hiring right person to producing great products to selling not so great products what you wanted to. Not so easy but simple.
…enjoy reading (and acting upon, most important!) what Jobs or Seth or Bate have to say.
…start something, right now!

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Prevent Your Project from Collapsing

posted in Leadership Leave A Comment

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Prevent Your Project from Collapsing

Smash The Problems By Analyzing, UnAnalyzing and Reanalyzing The Assumptions Attached

Utpal Vaishnav — Sat, 05 Jun 2010 20:40:06 +0000

Every problem – regardless of its size or simplicity – ejaculates an attached list of assumptions. Many a times, assumptions are imprecise and make the problem statement ineffective or erroneous.

To effectively deal with assumptions, first step is to write them down and the second step is to make sure that most obvious and safe assumptions are not left over.

Key here is to get everything out on the paper from your head as it just helps you visualize the bigger picture with multidimensional views.

Photo Credit: Orin Zebest's Flickr photostream

Once you’ve got everything out of your head, just loop through the list, take an assumption and validate it against the problem statement. Here’s a 5 step approach to deal with the select assumption.

Analyze - Think inside the box. Connect with the obvious. Consider all the consequences that the select assumption offers. Consider how it relates with the problem in the traditional ways. Take the left side of your brain on the ride.
Pause - Take a deep breath. Record your analysis and then disconnect with the obvious for a while.
Unanlyze - Think outside of the box. Connect with the unobvious. Consider different ways to look at the assumption. May be this is one of the many possible ways to deal with a problem. Is the select assumption necessary at all? Is anything else out there which is being missed? Take the right side of your brain on the ride.
Pause - Take two deep breaths. Record your unanalysis and then disconnect with the unobvious also.
Reanalyze - Review your analysis and unanalysis. Consider the obvious and unobvious. Consider both of them with 100% of your attention. Which one way seems the most appropriate way to proceed?

This process essentially brings vital clarity to the problem. Many times, the unanalysis part brings forth surprising results which are not thought of otherwise.

For example suppose you’re about to enter a website development business. One of your assumptions might be to have a huge list of service offerings – like most of other such companies do.

While such assumption may seem appropriate at first, try challenging it and maybe you’ll find some interesting business models – such as a “Make your own Pizza” kind of web design firm in which their customers bring ideas for the web-architects to craft and build upon – something which matters to the customers.

Power Questions: When you deal with a problem, do you attack it with the power of unanalysis also? If not, would you, now?

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