Organizations cry out for better project leaders yet invest more in hard skills

Psychologists and learning professionals have an interesting term they use for when things are, in my view, “out of whack.” They call it cognitive dissonance. Here’s an example. You’re in a conversation with your “better half” and say something that angers him or her. You recognize their anger and say ”don’t be mad.” They look you square in the eye and yell “I’M NOT MAD”!   Of course they are but they don’t really see it that way. That’s cognitive dissonance. Cognitive dissonance at work Organizations are like that when it comes to training project managers.

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Being Understood

by Wayne Strider “Pay attention to what I mean, not what I say.” my father would sometimes say to me when I was a kid.  I did not know what to make of that. To me it appeared that sometimes he said what he meant, sometimes he did not. My problem was I could not tell which was which.  On a good day I could get it right about half the time.  On a bad day I could not get it right at all.  As a youngster I was confused and frustrated by my apparent inability to understand what my father wanted.  I was equally frustrated that I could not seem to make myself understood. Though we never talked about it, my father probably did not feel understood by me. I certainly did not feel understood by him. As a result we were not very good together.  By that I mean he and I could not effectively do the work of creating the family we wanted to be, and though we enjoyed many happy moments together, we missed out on a lot of potentially satisfying experiences with one another other.

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Want to have better project meetings? Check your tech at the door

The next time you’re in a meeting look around and notice how many people are either blatantly, or surreptitiously, checking their smart phones, tablets, or laptops rather than paying attention to what’s going on around them. Chances are it’ll be about 50% or more. Now, some people pride themselves on their ability to multitask. But we know that’s hogwash. The brain is a linear machine; it can only do one thing at a time. If it’s doing X it can’t be doing Y.

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Are we really investing in the right things to improve project management? I have one question….

                   

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Want your team to know you fast? Write your own “User Manual”

Ivar Kroghrud of QuestBack I just read an interesting article in the New York Times Sunday Business section dated March 30, 2013. It was an interview with an executive who has a very interesting, and seemingly effective, way for his employees to get to know and interact with him without the need to “figure him out.” We all know how that goes don’t we? We start a new job, or are assigned to a new team, and then we spend a lot of time trying to figure out who the new boss or project manager is and how we should deal with her. What are her likes, dislikes, quirks, and so forth. What type of communications style does she have? Can I be honest, or do I have to tip toe around issues as if I’m walking on egg shells or dancing on pins and needles? Well, Ivar Kroghrud , the lead strategist QuestBack , thinks that’s a waste of time.

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