Speak up... nothing gets solved unless you do.

The following is the original and the rewrite can be found by clicking here.

I was at a conference today and had the opportunity to listen to a speaker named Talli Osborne. Without getting into her story, I think it is safe to say she was inspirational, motivational and will look back on a very rich life when she is eighty-five.  Click here to go to her website. She told many stories, but I was struck with the story when she consciously decided to speak up.

She spoke of a point in her life where she decided to tell people what she thought when asked... instead of shying away; ultimately she got into the habit of telling people what she thought, even when they didn't ask. She started to influence and change things. I remember hearing the same sentiments from a General Manager I knew long ago, who simply said, "if you are not participating in the conversations to manage the business, what value do you offer". He was a little bit more "harsh" than Talli.

The point of speaking up, speaking your mind, and adding to the conversation is extremely important. Not only for yourself, but for whatever issue, problem, idea or plan you are involved with.

Here's what I have learned so far on this topic - 

• At any given time, you will be the smartest person in the room... so share.
• If you are shy, please get over it. It serves no one, including your self.
• If a leader asks, "are there any questions?"... they mean it, so ask.
• More often than not, if it falls apart it's because the person who had the answer didn't speak up.
• Engagement is the easiest way to tell everyone you care.
• Do not assume people "know what you know"...
• If you want to engage a leader, tell them what you think. They may disagree, but they will respect you. And listen the next time.
• When you ask a question, you can bet 75 % of the room wanted to ask.
• Although it can be said a committee created the camel*, more often than not, you end up with a better solution when there are more "voices" involved. 
• If you don't say it in open forum, you should not be saying it behind closed doors.
• Speaking to "power" can be intimidating, but it can make things happen.
• No one knows what you are thinking unless you "say".

Is this easy? It should be, but sometimes it's not. You still have to speak up though... There is no one stopping you...

gpe

* It is said that the camel was a horse designed by committee.

Lessons for "making something happen"...

Chess is a strategic thinkers game with a simple goal of capturing the king. The strategies to accomplish this however are complex, with advanced thought out moves and counter moves to make it happen. Some have said chess is the board game of life.

Like chess, very activity that we do, more often than not, has a reason behind it; that reason is usually connected to another reason, and so on... ultimately leading us to where we want to be (or having what we want to have). Lately I have become involved with a couple of complex projects and chess, as well as a number of lessons have come to mind. I thought I would take this opportunity to share the lessons I've learned over the years for "making something happen"... 

Have a project plan written down on "paper" or in a spreadsheet. Start with the date you've targeted for completion; from there, work backwards with all the activities and milestones that need to be met.

• This will outline all the activities (or tasks) needed and illustrate how all the activities are interrelated.
• This will quickly illustrate if you have identified what is needed to get it done, as we'll as make clear the complexity.
• This will allow you the ability to communicate the project, particularly the so-called "devil" in the detail.
•  You will have "line of sight" to the resources needed to get it done.

Complex projects will require a team. It is this team that will determine your ability to execute effectively. Don't underestimate how important it is to have the right people, as well as the energy required to ensure they are working in a coordinated manner.

Communication needs to be a dialogue... and constantly ongoing. Do not underestimate the time and energy that is needed to ensure everyone is up-to-date with the latest information... just because you "talked about it", doesn't mean you "were heard". Also remember, email is great for transferring information, but horrible for communicating. 

The greatest plans will "fall off the rails". It has been said that the best plans will become obsolete as soon as they are implemented, as they are now in the real world. This is not to suggest you do not have to develop an execution plan, but rather that things happen, so be flexible and adaptable - What you thought would work today, may not work tomorrow. 

Be Patient. We are notorious for believing things will happen "sooner", "faster" and when we want them to. The universe, more often than not, does not share the same feelings as we do. I am not suggesting urgency should not be your mantra... I am just saying sometimes you need to be patient and wait for things to run the course.

Believe. I am not talking about faith here, but simply referring to being confident in what you are doing, and how you are doing it. If you are leading a team, this becomes even more crucial as others will look to you when the situation seems to be "heading to hell in a hand basket" - They need to know the course they are on is the correct one. 

Victories can be small, but they add up. This definitely occurs with complex projects, as there are many activities between the start and the finish. Look at what you have in front of you, work to the best of your ability and don't dwell on how far you are from the finish line. As they say, "It's the journey, not the destination". This of course, all within the scheduled timeframes.

Hope is not a strategy. Enough said. 

There is one last thing that comes to mind, and that is to start. As much as everyone has the finish line in mind, I believe it is just as important to have a start date - With that, you can then say, "look at all the things I have made happen so far".

gpe.

It's all going according to plan... but is it really?

We'll it's April 1st; not only is it April Fools Day, but this signals the end of the First Quarter (assuming you manage to the calendar year). This is very exciting day!

As an aside, April Fools Day is a day that you can play harmless practical jokes; these jokes, as well as the victims, are known as "April Fools". In theory, there are no consequences, harm or foul for your humorous activities, but remember, some people don't have a sense of humor and long memories, so tread with care. Apart from the obvious merriment, it is also a natural point in the calendar (particularly in business) to determine if you are "on target" to meet your plan objectives for the year.

There is a Six Sigma* saying that goes something like this, "In God we trust, everyone else bring data." I've always liked this saying, as it reminds us that hard, objective information lets us understand a situation and by extension, measure how we are doing against our objectives. Measuring first quarter results against your objectives gives you insight in to how you have started the year - Are you off to a great start, or are you falling a little short and need to course correct?

 Measuring how you are doing relative to expectations is key; it is a main reason why plans, goals and objectives need to be developed... as well as physically written down. It's all about having them down on paper in "black and white", and is the reason for the "M" in a S.M.A.R.T Objective**. "M" is for measurable - Measuring performance to your goals after the first 90 days -

• Develops an objective view of how you are performing to your goals.
• Indicates how effective your initial implementation has been.
• Offers an opportunity to"course correct" or initiate new activities with time enough to be impactful.

Data does not feel or think...it just is; having data and measuring it against your planned objectives eliminates these two statements: "I feel everything is going according to plan" or "I think everything is going to plan"; it allows you to say, "I know everything is going according to plan!"

If you find yourself saying "I think" or "I feel", there is a good chance you are not working from data. Data is knowledge, and knowledge is KING.*** 

gpe

* Six Sigma is a set of techniques and tools for process improvement and functional excellence. It was developed by Motorola and popularized by Jack Welsh who made it central to his business strategy at General Electric; it has been adopted by many businesses to drive improvement.

** SMART is an acronym, giving criteria to guide in the setting of objectives:

• Specific – target a specific area for improvement.
• Measurable – quantify a target of progress.
• Achievable – can the objective realistically be achieved, given available resources.
• Relevant – is the objective in-line with your strategies and plans
• Time-bound – specify when the result(s) can be achieved.

*** I know a dear geophysicist who is probably gritting her teeth over my loose definitions of data and knowledge. My only defence... the use of artistic license to hopefully illustrate a point.