Business Safety March 25, 2010
Posted by Jason in Insider's View Relapses.Tags: Behavior, Planning, Risk
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Civil engineers should be familiar with a construction site’s safety hazards. If not, perhaps they need to get out in the field more often; but that’s something for another time. One of the great challenges of construction — or its cousin, mining — is maintaining a “safety culture.” It is not hard to imagine that a roughneck crew of operators or miners (more…)
Getting Through the Groupthink October 22, 2009
Posted by Jason in Daily PM.Tags: Decisions, Planning, Strategy
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“Groupthink”, or the vicious circle caused by a collection of like-minded individuals, has been around as long as there have been two sides to a story. Apart from the fact that an organization can end up “breathing its own exhaust”, this phenomenon can affect even the simplest of decisions.
Many modern organizations manage by consensus, whereby the responsibility of the final decision rests with several people – which usually means that no one is responsible. Such decision are often watered down and conservative – fine if your organization has the luxuries of time and money. But when critical decisions must be made, there is precious little time for yes-men and conservatism.
While it may be difficult to break the group from its habit of “consensual sects”, it is possible to break the cycle of indecision that results. Often, without a structured brainstorming session or some ground rules for developing ideas, such groups circle around and around (for hours) various pros and cons of a very limited range of alternatives – usually one or two.
Contrast this with a well-facilitated brainstorming in which ideas are gathered without regard for pros, cons, benefits, or value. The goal is to develop alternatives, not rule them out – at least initially. Simply having some concrete words written out can bring greater structure to the debate. Sometimes, these decision-makers simply don’t know what they are looking for, but know it when the see it.
Next time your firm is struggling to find solutions to intractable problems, consider having someone facilitate a session, and see if some new ideas appear out of thin air.
Whatever Works August 4, 2009
Posted by Jason in Daily PM.Tags: Planning, Software
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It doesn’t take long to become overwhelmed by the myriad choices of software for project management, scheduling, budgeting, human resources, etc. Though daunting, bear in mind that the computer is nothing more than a tool. Just as you wouldn’t use a pipe wrench to fix a watch, it is up to you (with help if needed) to pick the best solution for your particular situation. (more…)
Expect Success June 22, 2009
Posted by Jason in Insider's View Relapses.Tags: Planning, Strategy, Uncertainty
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Congratulations are certainly in order for any business still surviving—if not thriving—now that some industry sectors have begun to level off and become less volatile. The government’s largesse doesn’t hurt either. Apparent success notwithstanding, most of the firms that I have spoken with recently are still “seeing how the next few months work out.” Unfortunately, this is counter to good business practices. In fact, those firms that have managed to make it this far must be doing something right, even if some simply do not know what it is. The best firms, however, have actively implemented decisions that are most likely to foster positive outcomes. Contrary to those that struggled through the last year, who wish they would have been better prepared for the downturn, the best managers are now making preparations to recover. Are you in this group? (more…)
Corporate Strategy May 10, 2009
Posted by Jason in Daily PM.Tags: Planning, Strategy, SWOT
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There are numerous acronyms in the business world that represent various fads of productivity enhancement, corporate communication, and financial strategy. Many of us have probably learned about, implemented, or been affected by things such as ISO, TQM, QMS, or 6-Sigma. Most of these programs represent significant investments in time and human resources to maintain, which may be an impediment to many small engineering firms. However, one technique in particular can be a valuable addition to the corporate strategy: SWOT analysis. (more…)
