Navigating The Tension Between Ego And Reality!

Although my ego may insist that I am indispensable, my experiences have shown me that I am relatively insignificant in the grand scheme of things.
by SP Singh

As Business owners or executives, we understand that growth is crucial for the success of our organisations. However, it's not just about adding new products or expanding into new markets. It also requires a willingness to let go of old constructs and form new ones....

As humans, we have a natural tendency to hold onto what we have, whether it is our possessions, relationships or even our beliefs. However, in order to progress and achieve our goals, we must be willing to let go of what we have and destroy what we have built. This...

As leaders, we often encounter team members who may not be as motivated or driven as we are. They may lack the same level of dedication, courage, or skills to get things done, and as a result, they may not be giving their best effort. It's easy to fall into the trap...

The journey of leadership involves a gradual transformation. However, what is the ultimate goal of this journey? The ultimate goal is to remove ourselves from the equation. The focus should not be on ourselves, but on the final intended outcome, we are striving to...

As leaders, we have the opportunity to improve our approach to welcoming fresh talent into our organisations. It can be disheartening to hear individuals new to the given profession -introducing themselves with phrases such as, "Oh, I am just a junior Developer" or...

It cannot be guaranteed that our efforts will lead to success, no matter how much we strive. The plan we crafted yesterday may no longer be relevant today, and the strategies and tactics that helped us in the past may no longer be sufficient. We are confronted with a...

I am grateful for the doors that were closed on me. Looking back, I realise that I used to measure success by the thrill of entering through new doors, without considering where they would lead me. I was directionless, desperate and eager to chase every new, shiny...

Effective communication is essential, yet many struggles with it. There are countless books and resources available on the topic. However, we still encounter challenges in conveying our message clearly and getting our point across. So why is communicating effectively...

Not-for-profits are on a mission to make the world a better place. But how can we measure their success? It's not as straightforward as measuring profit margins, but there are still key indicators of achievement that executives should pay attention to. The following...

As entrepreneurs and executives, it’s easy to fall into the trap of thinking we can just wing it. We might be in the habit of bouncing from one meeting to the next with little to no preparation, convincing ourselves that we can handle whatever comes our way on the...

In today's fast-paced world, where information is readily available at our fingertips, people are increasingly seeking ways to be entertained and educated simultaneously. While pure entertainment can be enjoyable for a short time, it is quickly forgotten and does not...

If a child has a nut allergy, simply preventing them from eating nuts may not suffice. A holistic solution is needed to ensure they are not exposed to nuts, whether knowingly or unknowingly. Similarly, if an adult is overweight, reducing their food intake alone may...

Why do the places where people intend to catch up always seem to be filled with deafening noise and blaring music? Why is it that when tough times arise, friendships and close relationships tend to dissolve? Why do powerful nations often escape unscathed even after...

Labels play an important role in organising/categorising things and information. However, labelling humans can be problematic. Despite this, we have various labelling systems that we use consciously or unconsciously to categorise people based on various dimensions....

As humans, we tend to label and categorise individuals into distinct groups. This makes it easier for us to make comments and judgments about them. One such label is "leadership style", which includes categories such as Servant leadership, Participative leadership,...

Not-for-profit organisations (NFPs) and for-profit organisations have fundamentally different objectives. While for-profit organisations aim to generate revenue for their shareholders, NFPs are mission-driven and focused on creating social change. However, despite...

Many commonly used article headings, phrases, and slogans have lost their true meaning due to their frequent misuse by salespeople to make another sale. As a result, we have come to accept them as business facts without even questioning them. Examples of such phrases...

As a Project Sponsor or Executive, it's common to think that once an enterprise software (ERP/CRM/HCM) implementation is complete, the project is done, and it's time to celebrate and handover to support/managed services. However, this viewpoint is narrow and overlooks...

Before starting an enterprise software project, there are numerous tasks that must be completed. To ensure that everything has been addressed, please download the checklist.

Adversity teaches us lessons, and COVID-19 was no exception. During tough times, we enter survival mode, becoming self-centred and opportunistic. We behave as though there's no tomorrow. During the pandemic, people hoarded everything from toilet paper to oxygen...

We all have moments when we're faced with a decision that we know we need to make, but we just can't seem to commit. Maybe it's because we're afraid of failing, or because we're not quite sure we have all the information we need. Whatever the reason, it's easy to make...

Leaders must recognise that physical strength and appearance don't necessarily translate to real-world abilities. Similarly, the skills and behaviours we train our staff for can significantly impact our company culture. Just as someone who trains their body for...

The timely delivery of a project within budget and quality constraints is crucial for Project Sponsors and Executives. They often review project status reports to take necessary actions and ensure that the project remains on track. However, what happens if the...

As organsations move towards digital transformation, enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems have become crucial to their operations. However, the success of an ERP implementation project depends on various factors such as project management, vendor selection, and...

Digital transformation involves using digital technologies and strategies to improve business processes, customer experience, and overall performance. While the benefits of digital transformation are clear, implementing it can be daunting. So, why is Digital...

It's important to understand that big doesn't always mean remarkable. For example, a service provider with 30 offices across five continents may be considered big, but if the company was formed through the acquisition of dysfunctional companies, then it may not...

Have you, as a project sponsor, ever pondered on your role in stakeholder analysis? Stakeholder Analysis is typically one of the initial activities undertaken during project initiation, with the Project Manager commonly assuming responsibility for this task. However,...

In the business world, there are endless debates about the best methodologies, tools, and processes for achieving success. Discussions often revolve around topics such as Agile versus Waterfall, sticky notes versus digital Kanban boards, and the Apple versus Samsung...

As a Project Sponsor, staying focused on the end goal is crucial. Never forget - why are we executing the project? Just like when we leave our house, we may encounter obstacles or distractions, but we must remain mindful of our intended destination throughout the...

Success may deceive us into thinking we have arrived, while small failures remind us to work harder. The danger of success is that it can make us complacent, whereas failure propels us forward by demanding more effort. Embracing micro-failures can shape us into who we...

Are you a Project Sponsor responsible for an enterprise software implementation? It's a significant responsibility that comes with a lot of pressure, particularly if you're doing it for the first time. One of the biggest challenges you may face is getting all...

Digital transformations have become a buzzword in the business world in recent years. Companies across industries are realising the benefits of embracing digital technologies to enhance their operations and stay competitive in the market. However, digital...

It's a common practice for organisations to view technology initiatives through a narrow lens, often with a focus solely on cost savings. Success criteria and business cases are typically judged by a single dimension, such as reducing a specific number of employees or...

As a Project Sponsor, ensuring the success of a digital initiative is crucial for the growth and competitiveness of your organisation. Attending project meetings and reviewing progress reports is not enough to ensure success. Project Sponsors need to be involved at a...

As business executives, investing in enterprise software is crucial for optimising your organisation's operations. However, there are several ways you can unknowingly hinder the success of the investment. You may have potentially screwed up ERP/CRM investment from the...

As a business executive, it's important to be aware of the signs that your organisation is suffering from substandard business systems. Here are some key symptoms to look out for. Consider them as a sign your business systems are holding you back: Delayed information...

As senior executives, ensuring that your enterprise software project is successful is essential. Here are a few tips to don't let your enterprise software project go south: Understand the game you are in: Research the number/percentage of enterprise software projects...

Few staff members are ready to take the next big leap. A few byproducts of the project we just finished are ready to ship. There are so many value-add microservices that our customers will love, but we are not yet offering them. We can market the software technology...

Have you ever wondered why it can be challenging to collaborate effectively as a team? Let's consider a hypothetical scenario to illustrate this point. Imagine you and four friends joyfully driving together while listening to jazz. Then, suddenly, you witness a severe...

We often love to take pride in our rational decisions. We like to think that we base our decisions on data and facts. But, believe it or not, we often make dumb decisions! So, why do we make dumb decisions? This is because our emotions primarily drive our decisions....

Enterprise technology projects are complex. So often, as Project Sponsors and leaders, we experiment with too many aspects of the project at once. For example, we often assume that we have expertise within the business to support the project. So, we fill the roles...

As Project Sponsors and executives, we aim to ensure that technology projects are completed within the agreed budget. To achieve this, it's vital for the Project Manager to properly define the work scope and add a contingency (say 30% to the budget estimate). In...

A leader's primary responsibility is not to appease everyone. Those leaders who aim to please everyone are simply preserving their position. They may not be driving the organisation forward. They may fulfil all the requirements, but they avoid taking any risks that...

Businesses like to believe they are unique and different from their competitors in the corporate world. Therefore, they seek custom software solutions to set them apart in the market. However, the reality is that most traditional businesses have similar capabilities,...

As business owners and project sponsors, we want to know the cost of software implementation as soon as possible. We tend to optimise the cost of implementation and aim to complete the project within an agreed budget. But the bigger question is, how much are we losing...

Software costs and implementation is a critical concerns for corporate businesses, business owners, and project sponsors. However, instead of solely focusing on the cost, it is important to consider the potential return on investment (ROI). Classifying technology...

As customers or executives, we possess a position of power. We have service providers (vendors/employees) to offer services in exchange for currency. The service providers are trained to serve. A few learnt on the way that ‘customer is always right’. A few of them...

So, we have a business problem to solve. We want to automate end-to-end business processes to remove silos, increase efficiency and improve our customer experience. The solution options are: Update the existing ERP and develop integrations between the ERP and CRM...

The following story illustrates why: We wanted to solve the problem of manual labour and time spent cutting vegetables at home. So we form two parallel project teams to solve this problem. Project team - A developed cutting machine. The A team designed and developed...

Every new, reasonably significant change comes up with change anxiety. Unfortunately, the change anxiety pushes us to go backwards and try to follow the old familiar ways. It is like getting on the escalator stairs to move to the next higher level, and due to anxiety,...

This question is valuable to answer both in the personal and business context: Are we solving or feeding our problems? We often jump to the solution without patiently understanding the problem. Here are a few examples for some context: I need more storage space in my...

It is true that employees are trained to please their boss! The hierarchical corporate structure dictates that the employees listen to their bosses, nod and say pleasing words. Therefore not many employees speak from their hearts. As leaders, we must be aware of...

Effective communication is one of the main challenges within every project and organisation. We all hear this phrase – You cannot over-communicate! If the message is important and reasonably complex, it is often challenging to communicate it effectively. Here are a...

It seems like executives have all the answers. They have something to say about questions related to finance, technology, HR, economy, or business processes. It appears like you know everything. So, how is it possible that executives have all the answers? Let me ask...

Feedback is a vital tool in the business world. We typically ask for feedback from the people we serve or sell our products. We collect feedback from our customers (internal to the organisation or external) to develop a holistic 360-degree input. It makes sense! But...

We often associate Agile with specific processes, events, roles and responsibilities. Therefore, with a very narrow viewpoint, we assume Agile as a software development framework. Agile is a mindset based on specific values and principles. Agile is about starting the...

I had goals to achieve something today. As I left home to achieve them, I realised my goals were vague. So, I choose to change them in the new light of information. I haven’t failed. I won by not achieving arbitrary useless goals! We start all projects with a few...

Okay, you are appointed as the Project Sponsors of the software implementation projects. You may be a busy C-suite executive with no software project experience. You are scratching your head and asking yourself: How do I oversee a software implementation project...

There can be many ways to reach our destination. Few ways may end up better than others. However, these ways can be equally good too. Then why waste time arguing about choosing the best possible way? More than one way can be equally good! Often, the project team...

Projects are all about change. We work together to bring change to the organisation. The change can be new ways of working or process automation. As a leader, we may aim to do all the right things. For instance, we demonstrate exemplary leadership, get the best talent...

Think about a soldier asking his senior before getting to the battleground – what is there for me? Similarly, a surgeon working insane hours handling another emergency case asks the same question – what is there for me? Sometimes there is nothing for us. We just have...

Yes, people hate change! Not every change, though. But, the perceived negative change. The negative change makes us insecure, push us to learn new things, and adds uncertainty to our lives. Therefore, people will continue to resist change. This is a well-known general...

The world is increasingly becoming a noisier place than ever before. If you have the power to spend, you are in demand. Individuals, companies, and associations are targeting you for your attention. Yes, they provide helpful information (like this blog post) and...

Emerging technologies (Artificial intelligence, Blockchain, Robotics, IoT) will push many organisations out of business. It is not a discussion point or speculation; it will happen. For instance, look at ChatGPT and imagine how it will impact education, marketing,...

Kids rely on their parents to help do chores, play, work and make decisions. The parent's job is to provide enough support and nurture them, so they become self-sufficient. The ultimate goal for the parents is to make their role redundant. A similar dynamic takes...

Getting Managers to make a decision can be challenging at times. As a Business owner/Project sponsor, try to estimate the cost of making a decision by your Managers. It is the total of the hours your team spends in discussions multiplied by their hourly rate. You may...

What happens when something seriously goes wrong within a project? Typically, the senior stakeholders get together for a fact-finding mission. They assess the situation and usually find a culprit (scapegoat). The scapegoat is generally not part of fact-finding mission...

Consulting services on massive sale! Take while consulting hours last! Buy 1, Get 1 free! While we have enough consulting hours! Get an additional 30% off when buying consulting services for the next six months! It sounds absurd, isn't it? Yet, we compare professional...

Life is the way it is! So, keep grinding it and have fun! We have all good intentions and still suffer misfortune. We may follow all the traffic rules and drive safely, while another person can strike us from the back. Projects may go out of control due to things...

We must pay attention to whom we are listening to! For instance, if I have a headache, it may not be a good idea to listen to the advice of someone else's who has suffered from a headache. Instead, I will be much better off consulting a physician. We often hear and...

Sometimes we feel alone in the busy crowd we are in. We believe people around us do not understand or care about us. Our simple message doesn’t appear to get across. We often wonder - why no one understand my problems. Look, though we live in the same world, we live a...

The easiest way to make things useless is not to do anything about them. Stop maintaining, and they indeed will become useless. For example, the perfect building, machinery, business process, or software without maintenance will become useless with time. It will...

When we are experiencing positive emotions, we tend to give more. For example, in emotional states, when we are fulfilled, happy, excited, and peaceful, we like to share new ideas, put in extra work, and sacrifice to get the job done. To get maximum output from your...

A soap bar deals with a lot of dirt, grease, and strains and remains unaffected by any unwanted substances. The soap bar does not get dirty with use. Leaders must be like a soap bar! The leaders deal with many negative, insecure, depressed staff members and must...

The first reason is that we know too much about each other. We intimately know the likes, dislikes, thinking patterns, priorities, preferences, values, goals of each other. Their body language communicates the whole heap of stuff to us. Hence, there is seldom a need...

There is a big difference between entertainers and leaders. The entertainers cajole, tell us what we want to listen to, mesmerise us, and make us feel important. The leaders take complete control of the situation, take full ownership, challenge us, and deal with the...

Ask your parents to change their habits. I bet you are going to struggle. We naturally get rigid in how we think and operate as we grow. As a result, our habits become difficult to change. The business world is no different. Ask the executives/managers to change how...

We all have different standards of delivery. For example, one may consider delaying the delivery, and few product issues are normal. Whereas for other vendors, product issues and delays may not be acceptable. Rather than relying on the vendor’s definition, define...

Our world is a collection of concurrent drama stages. We all are participants and audiences of the drama at the same time. As audiences, we are busy watching who is on the stage. We hardly remember the previous stage artists and the injured, sick artists. Let us see a...

Organisations have various types of non-financial debt: For instance: The software does not fully support the business processes The software integrations are manually managed The are quite a few bugs in the software The staff is not fully utilising the given...

Achieving goals, meeting targets, and changing the world tends to take our pride to the next level. We believe we have the power to make things happen. It gives us confidence that we are someone. It boosts our ego too. However, we feel too helpless when we struggle to...

Most of us don’t have time to think about others. Everyone is busy fighting their demons. So, if someone stops to offer some advice, then pay your full attention. Stop giving excuses, sharing other problems and wasting time. You may unconsciously satisfy your pride by...

The biggest obstacle to improving our condition is not additional budget, time, resources, knowledge, or expertise. Instead, it is a very simple but profound thing. It is called ‘action’! We will find a way if we consistently take action to improve our condition. It...

We all have emotional connections to past events, things, places, people and experiences. Our past is part of us. Sometimes we want to re-live our past and cherish memories. Where we stand today is the result of our journey so far. If we are not standing in a good...

We talk about the company's vision, mission, values, strategy and goals. But what about corporate habits? Corporate habits are the default or standard way the employees operate within the organisation. These habits also form part of the corporate culture. For example,...

Do not waste time changing others to think like you. We all view and perceive the world around us very differently. We are slaves of our habits. Our viewpoints, thinking patterns, and values are unique to us. So, save your time and energy by not trying to change...

We love to talk about others. We speak behind their back about how bad they are. We criticise their work, habits, dressing sense, relationships – almost everything possible! But why do we do that? One reason is that it takes focus away from ourselves. Getting in front...

We often perceive Sales professionals negatively. We see them as trained individuals who take our money to offer a product or service. However, it is a very narrow viewpoint. Sales professionals play a vital role in our personal and business life. They help us make...

In the business environment, we determine loyalty by the number of years in the service. However, it is one of the most crude ways to determine loyalty. Let us measure loyalty in a more real way. Here are a few characteristics of a loyal employee: They are prepared to...

“I didn’t like the design!” may mean: No one consulted me about the design before. Or, I didn’t want anyone to prepare the design. Or, There is no need for a design. Or, I reviewed it and didn’t like the design. For various reasons, we do not often communicate...

We often do not regret our wrong decisions in projects, business, and life. Instead, we regret the decisions that we did not make. For example: Holding off on the decision to fire the unproductive employee Holding off on a decision to invest in real estate Continue...

Projects are like painting on canvas. Few decisions are arbitrary; others are not. Few decisions are difficult to change. While we have a vague understanding of the end result, the destination, approach and outcome can vary. It makes sense to start with a Minimal...

The progression through Associate Consultant, Consultant, Senior Consultant, and Principal Consultant may mean someone has been a consultant for a long time. The progression of job titles may be because the consultant has developed as a professional. It may be because...

Consider ditching the weekly Project Status Report (PSR) meeting with the live Project Status dashboard. Consider replacing Risk registers and risk review meetings with dynamic Risk dashboards. Let the owners of risk call for meetings when and if required. Consider...

As leaders, we tend to do too much! We tell the team what to do, how to work which each other, and things to avoid. It may be because we know too much while working in the organisation for a long time. The Project team can be relatively new. But don't forget that the...

You may know someone whose house is a perfect mess all the time. However, to them, everything is normal. You may also see a few desks full of coffee mugs, paper, and junk in your office. However, the people who use the desks may be perfectly harmonious with clutter....

We often stress too much about the stress. We need to stress ourselves and others to achieve bigger things. We must sweat, persevere, and sacrifice to attain higher goals. When we are on our toes, we develop much faster as individuals and organisations. Stress is not...

Humans are a source of enormous energy. When we group and represent an organisation, we become an energy house. We may utilise our energy constructively or destructively. Where the majority of our energy will go depends on organisational culture, leadership, vision,...

Hiring an expert/consultant can be expensive. Therefore, many SMEs often try to avoid hiring them. They try to source resources in-house or other alternate ways. So, why do we need an expert? Here is a list of a few reasons: Experts help businesses to avoid making...

Making decisions is hard! When we make decisions, we own consequences too. If the outcomes of our choices are unpleasant, no one else is to blame. We are on the hook. So, to get off the hook, we often get others to make decisions for us. Should I buy new pair of...

When you are in pain, you may need help from others. However, others may know about your pain too. This can be an opportunity for others to sell to you. Unfortunately, many who lack integrity may use this opportunity to sell and exploit you further because you are in...

In the last few posts, we are grinding on innovation. So in this post, I am addressing the question – how to start innovating? So, what must businesses do to start innovating? In the last post, we covered that innovation starts by asking questions and challenging the...

We all talk about innovation. But how does innovation starts? What triggers us to innovate? There may not be one particular trigger. However, one of the most common and profound triggers is ‘the question’. The questions like: Why does the customer have to wait? Why do...

When you hear the word innovation, what comes to your mind? You may think about new or emerging technology. For example, Blockchain, Crypto, IoT, AI, and Robotics. Other things that come to your mind may be a lot of capital investment projects. It may sound too much....

We all are busy doing productive or unproductive work. We like to follow easy steps to achieve the outcome as soon as possible, with minimum effort, cost, and risk. A Business owner may not be interested in tax calculations. However, he may love to know all about tax...

It is excellent to stick to the agenda and tightly run meetings. However, we must allow freedom of new thoughts, ideas, and questions. These are all the byproducts of discussion. These topics may not directly relate to the meeting agenda but are essential to note. The...

We may have no idea about art, but we may not hesitate to tell an artist where to improve. We can have strong opinions about the look and feel of the software but no clue about user experience. Yet, we tell designers how to design all the time! As...

He made me cry! She gets on my nerves! The team is useless! My manager doesn’t have a clue what he is doing! My employees make me mad when they continue to work from home! We make such complaints all day. Although we may not say it out loud, and tell such narratives...

Give the best employees the convoluted software systems and see their motivation dissipating into thin air. Give average employees modern business systems and see their productivity skyrocket. No one likes to find information. We like the information to be available...

We buy for different reasons. There is nothing good or bad with our buying habits, but few practices are better than others. Let us look at the following three types of buyers: Demand-specific buyer: This buyer goes to the market to satisfy the demand. For example, if...

The Project team expects you to make all the major project decisions as a Sponsor. It may be a default position and expectations, but you have a conscious choice. You can choose to be a decision maker or decision facilitator. There is a big difference between them. As...

As a business executive, you are responsible for making major business decisions. The challenge is making decisions in an area where you may not have the required domain knowledge. Often one such area is Information Systems. The entire business and organisation suffer...

Forming a Project team is one of the most crucial tasks for the Project's success. However, it is a challenging task to get the best people to work on your Project. Why? Because, firstly, they are already in demand. Secondly, there are in scarcity. Thirdly, the best...

"What Got You Here Won't Get You There" is one of the great books by Marshall Goldsmith. The central theme is that the tools and habits that have helped us to achieve what we have now may not help to get to the next stage in life. Hence, we must find new tools,...

The Project teams juggle multiple balls (tasks). They often wear multiple hats and pretend that they have got things under control. To demonstrate this, they must have a few balls with them. There should not be anyone waiting for a ball from them. Hence, it is common...

Human potential is the most underutilised resource. The existing structure of the division of labour makes it even worse. In the workforce, everyone is bound to have a job profile. The expectation is for the employees to operate within the parameters of their job...

It may sound strange, but it is true! Technology projects revolve around the Sponsor's focus point! The Project team, vendors, and Business executives ensure to keep the Sponsor in confidence. Ultimately, as a Sponsor, you are accountable for the project. You are the...

Project delivery teams love to standardise things, so it is easy to rinse and repeat! In the Project execution, the repeatable steps are easy to replicate and automate. Further, it increases the efficiency and profitability of the delivery teams. Standardising project...

Observing yourself is a fascinating thing to do. While parking my car in the city, when I see too many parking spots, I often catch myself taking my time deciding where to park. When there are too many choices, I take my time to select the best one. So, no other car...

Life has gifted us with expectations. We expect things to happen in specific ways. We assume that if we do the right thing, life will return good to us. We plan and think that we have things under control. Then, life does what it has always done! We get bitter...

It is a fascinating question: From where to start the digital transformation journey? There is no one answer to this question. You could say start by refining Business Strategy and goals or, Develop an Enterprise or Business Architecture or, Documenting current...

Let me ask you: Are your requirements futureproof? I know it is a tricky question to answer. How can anyone predict the future? But, we must have a vision for the future. When you buy a new house to live in, you may not know your exact requirements. However, you may...

Have you ever considered the following questions before implementing the ERP? Enterprise Architecture (EA) is not a discipline of producing nice drawings. Instead, EA practice is meant to answer these fundamental questions before embarking on the ERP journey. This is...

Before we start any physical development, we prepare architectural drawings for the building. Before developing software, the engineers create prototypes, wireframes, and technical architecture. Before developing any complex machines, engineers spend massive effort on...

Since morning, I have pondered the various facets of this question: What is listening? Here are a few leading thoughts: Many of us assume that listening is - not speaking. So, if we are not talking in the conversation, we are listening to the other person. However,...

In general, as customers, we hold a position of power. The service providers are meant to provide the best possible service, customer care and warranty. Therefore, when we speak, we are meant to be heard. We possess the position of power (either direct or subtle). The...

You may hear this common complaint from the Business Analyst or Consultants: But you do not provide clear requirements! Or The customer does not understand the requirements! Or You keep changing your mind about the requirements! It is one of the common complaints from...

When we get too busy with our lives, after a while, there is an epiphany moment. We realise that our house is a mess. There is too much stuff; things are unorganised and intertwined to present themselves as a perfect mess! The whole experience can be pretty...

What if my project is on track, but I am implementing the wrong software product? How about I am overeating because my fitness app reports I can intake more calories? How about I decide to watch TV rather than go for a walk, as my smart watch tells me I have enough...

There is a big misunderstanding about the role of ERP and CRM vendors. The common assumption is that ERP and CRM vendors are responsible for implementing their products based on your specific needs. If you assume that the vendors will offer a turnkey solution by...

Uneducated buyers lose the most in the marketplace. Seriously, it is not the seller's job to educate buyers if their offering is fit for purpose. The buyer must take the initiative and understand the problem, pain points, and how the proposed solution will fix the...

Any good host would create an environment to make their guests comfortable. The sensible host even alters the environment (lighting, food, music) that suits the guest’s preferences. Similarly, we must develop the habitat of animals and birds before bringing them to...

While preparing for advanced mathematic exams, I used to ditch a few unimportant topics, first. After all average student like me will not win by preparing everything. Similarly, when we go to the gym, we ditch a few exercises that do not assist us in meeting our end...

We hear a lot about greatness. Great products, people, experiences, and services. Then, there are more inspirational quotes like ‘Good is the enemy of great.’ We hear about greatness from the motivational speaker too! In addition, salespeople often refer to greatness...

In the good olden days, managers had a visual system. There were piles of files at every desk. If the intray is piling up, the person in charge needs help. Life was much simple. The manager can go around the office and sort out the bottlenecks simply by looking at the...

How do we feel when we possess two things, and they both collide and break? Consider two exclusive wine glasses that break while striking too hard and saying ‘Cheers’! Similarly, hitting another car parked in the garage while parking your car! It is terrible to...

We invest in a flashy new website. We celebrate and show to our customers, friends, and employees. But, after a few years, we often find that the website does not accurately represent our business. So, what has changed? Maybe nothing substantially big. Instead, a...

Do you know how well you are offering services to your stakeholders? Do you have a process in place to continuously improve the service? How are you measuring current service levels? Do you know where the bottlenecks are? All the above questions are vital to offer the...

In the good old days, the work within offices used to flow within paper files. Each file had a unique ID, a few forms, and supporting documentation. The file is used to move from one desk to another. Then, the file processing staff adds new information and makes...

We go to shopping centers, browsing, touching, trying, looking at price tags, and making random choices to buy or not. We observe all the good stuff others possess and wish to have the same. We copy business ideas, marketing hacks, and productivity tricks simply...

It is not that we don’t know that a given project is going south. The experienced members of the Project team can spot it quite easily. They can even see patterns and predict where the project can go! The problem is that very few say – we have a problem! The fact is...

We hire roles for our Project team. For example, we hire a Project Manager, Architect, or Developer. The general practice provides compensation (salary) based on experience and qualification. So, the higher the role within an organisation, the bigger the salary....

Executives are visionaries by nature. They imagine the future and invest resources to make it happen. Sometimes we see them in their imaginary world, dreaming about the future of the business. Oh, I don’t want my customers to call us. They should have information...

Any project's success is a testament to the Project team. The right people sitting in the right seats drive the Project to success. It is well-known, yet many projects start with an ad hoc team. The team tries to figure it out on the fly. As a result, the Project...

There is no doubt that what gets measured gets managed! However, in business, measurement comes at a cost. Therefore you should only measure things that matter. Out of the following, what is vital to your organisation: Dealing with precious metals or raw...

In your organisation, who is responsible for the following: Strategic level Mapping the business vision, short/medium-term goals and strategy into meaningful and measurable context.Mapping gaps between the ‘current’ and ‘future’ state of the business to meet the...

The speed of the project should never remain the same. During uncertainty, it makes sense to slow down, think, reconsider past decisions and recalibrate. It is okay to admit that we are in crisis. Then, develop a plan to come out of the crisis. If the ship is sinking,...

We hear children complaining about their friends, siblings, and family members. We listen to kids complaining about headaches, skin rashes, and so on. As parents, we help them understand their problems and resolve them. Kids are not mature enough to identify and solve...

Rivers have been the lifeline of plants, animals, and human civilizations. But, at the same time, rivers have brutally destroyed them too! How? When the angry river water breaks all boundaries and destroys everything that comes their way! We call them floods. The...

Organisational Change management communication is often too fluffy and unreal. We pretend as if everyone will be just fine. For instance, we will be better off having a new system. Life will be too easy; things will work with the click of a button. The company will...

You don’t just need power from your legs to land a perfect Karate kick. You need power from the entire body simultaneously. Therefore, your body must work as a unit. Similarly, to achieve something significant project team must work as a single unit. They must act...

This is a common misconception among Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs). They assume that implementing enterprise software (ERP/CRM) is the end goal for their organisation. So, they only need robust enterprise software. However, ERP and CRM are merely the start of...

Years ago, only the business leader had the privilege of gaining attention. They stand in the middle, and people around them would listen. Their emails are broadcast with the ‘IMPORTANT’ suffix in the email subject. Things have moved on; with social media,...

Remember our school day sports carnivals? Especially when you were (performing) running, jumping, pulling, pushing, throwing…. You hear roaring shout-outs, words of encouragement, cheering for you, your team, your faction… You feel you are not alone; everyone around...

Technology is easy, 2 + 2 = 4, every single time! Technology is based on logic. It is binary; either it is or it is not. Therefore, you can measure, test and improve. Whereas dealing with people is very ambiguous. There, 2 + 2 = ‘depends’! It depends on mood,...

Enterprise software implementations appear to have this common theme. The weak link breaks often! Let us face it, SMEs do not have proficient resources in Data Migration, Testing, Security setup, and Training. Yet, software vendors continue to safely assume that...

Customer Relationship Management (CRM) is a widely used enterprise software. Many organisations use various CRM software across the globe. However, the name Customer Relationship Management (CRM) can be misleading. CRM does not manage customer relationships yet. CRM...

Regardless of our job profile, or profession, we all are service providers. We offer services to internal and external customers. The internal customer is part of our/other team, departments or managers. The external customer is our client contact. So we all are...

The last two posts covered how distractions can help relieve pain. And people use distraction as a tool to hide risks/painful situations. Let us cover a few real-world examples. Distraction tools at their best Project Manager hiding the pain of answering tough...

Distractions are not new. Though, they have multiplied in the last ten years. In the last post, we cover how distractions relieve pain temporarily. But, note that people use distractions to hide the pain points/risks from you. Distractions are widely used to...

Many dental practices stick a nice TV screen in front of you while lying on the dentist's chair. Its purpose is to distract you from a possible painful dental procedure. Many waiting rooms have magazines, toys, TV and other stuff for the same reason, making the...

Consider you are building two houses. The first house is completed on time. However, you realise that the house is not made to your requirements. There are quality issues as well. The second house, is precisely what you want. Unfortunately, however, it took longer and...

The triple constraints (Budget, Time and Quality) are popular in projects. Therefore, you will find that every Project Status Report (PSR) includes the status of triple constraints. The problem is that the project is often marked as successful if it is delivered on...

Let me tell you that your business is not much different from Apple or Sony. You may be feeling a little confused. But wait, take a step back and view your business through the lens of the ‘service’. Your business is nothing but a collection of services. The services...

This a simple way to dumb down complexity and clearly demonstrate what your organisation is all about in one page. Use the following example and sample template for Business Services Mapping. Business Services Mapping

Digital technologies (ERP, CRM, Business software, Data, IoT, AI) are here to stay and evolve exponentially. However, SMEs still assume they need a one-time capital investment in digital projects. You can choose to play a game of always being behind and catching up...

This theme is common among all Non for Profit (NFP) organisations. They object very vividly by claiming: But our business is different! NFPs perceive their organisation to be unique and different. They often struggle with the idea of adapting to the standard...

Back home in India, after year-10, we get to choose subjects for higher studies. There were four main streams (Medical, Non-Medical, Commerce and Arts). We had a very straightforward and silly process. The bright students (who can easily memorise word by word)...

There is a massive opportunity in front of us! Software and technology solutions are standing right in front of our doorstep. They are knocking on our door and screaming that they have value to add! For one reason or another, the Non for Profit (NFP) sector has been...

A child was riding a push bike. Pushing too hard, he fell. His dad ran to him and said, “You should slow down!” The project stakeholders were not happy with the random surprises during the project. The Project owner advised the Project Manager to communicate...

Sometimes we take our time to gather facts and make informed decisions. Other times we take the decision and support it by justification. In either case, we tell ourselves and others that we are never wrong! How many times did we admit within the team the following? I...

New ideas can be the game changer for any organisation. However, corporate machines silently kill new ideas every day! New ideas generally come from new perspectives. The new perspectives are the byproduct of an outsider reviewing your business. The most common...

Digital initiatives rely on software vendors and integrators who offer software implementation services. The software vendors ensure that their clients (you) have reasonable confidence and faith in them. It is a good practice, as all services-based businesses must...

There is a cost to managing risk. However, there can also be a cost to not managing risks. There is a cost to increasing the quality. However, there can also be a cost for not improving the quality. There is a cost to hiring a competent project team. However, there...

We should work as one team, without judgement. We should work hard and collaborate with the team members to meet the end goal! Sounds good? Yes, it sounds good and philosophical! However, not all members of your team are competent. The common assumption is that all...

We will architect a very sleek solution by exploiting design principles, lean, and web 2.0 best practices. Vs We will develop an intuitive user interface Consider another example: Business leaders need to think big! Digital transformation is going to change the...

Filled with excitement or down in deep sorrow, kids ask us – Look at me! Be a part of me, be with me, celebrate with me, listen to me. As humans, we need that level of support and someone to rely on. This need does not go anywhere as we grow into adults. During our...

Project work is challenging. Often your Project team has to work long hours and handle stressful situations. They deal with too many unknowns for long periods. During the project, you may experience your team's morale turning into a rollercoaster. So you may wonder,...

Imagine a house build without the input of a professional architect. It is likely to be all over the place. Most certainly, it will crumble and be unsafe to live in. We all know that the architect has a vital role in the building of the house. Yet, when it comes to...

Yes, it is true! Your story is the commodity! Look around and observe the noise everyone is making. The narrative they are setting. The picture they are painting. Observe their pitch, which often gets you over the hook. Note how over time, their story gets more...

Hear the following conversation: Sandy: Hey Rob, I need to review the issue, and I will get back to you asap. It is a high-priority issue, and Rob wants to share an update with the executive sponsor (Tim). Read the following possible responses from Rob. Note that Rob...

This morning, my daughter was a little angry. I didn’t like that! So, I pretended to be angry to demonstrate how others perceived me as an angry person. She got the message. Later in the day, I told her that she should learn to manage her anger. She said, “Papa, I am...

We had a great meeting! We discussed all the points as per the agenda. We hear perspectives and objections. We clarify questions and reach to end. Here, we wanted the decision maker to make key decisions. So, we asked for it. She said – "Let me get back to you"!...

Sponsors hate to see additional scope and cost on the project. But, additional scope and cost can be a good thing. It is a mindset game, so reframe the decision of approving additional scope and cost. Rather than thinking – ‘we expect the project to be complete within...

The Project Manager (PM) is responsible for many things. But what is the primary role of the Project Manager? At a superficial theoretical level, the primary role of the Project manager is to manage and deliver the contract/Statement of Work (SoW). But what if the...

Hiring top talent is not sufficient for a successful project. The Project team must also put their heart into the project. They must all have clarity on the end goal and a shared spirit to succeed in the initiative. So, as a sponsor, you must ensure the team develops...

We are the most creative and offer our best services in the right working environment. How do you know if the Project team are in the right working environment? Look out and ask only one thing from the team. Are you having fun? Team members are vulnerable and open to...

As an executive, you may have your goals, aspirations, and hope to improve the current business. But, remember, it is not about you! Connecting your staff with a higher organisation objective and cause is far better. People happily work for a higher objective and...

Executives and senior stakeholders often complain that information systems are a bottomless money pit! We hear stories of their investment in ERP and CRM systems over the past 5-10 years. They complain that these Business systems appear to be never complete. There is...

Ok, I admit – Fake it till you make it - may work on a few occasions! But we cannot - Fake it till you make it - to become a team player! Yet, we all see bad advice on: How to give feedback (by feedback sandwich)?How to build rapport (by mirroring)?The famous...

Project delivery is often very challenging. The top problem in project delivery is that we do not consciously try to understand the customer. We tend to follow an easier path, the 'look at me' approach. The first step is to learn about the customer and customer...

There is no recipe to bake the perfect project or precisely deliver a successful project! Project management is an art as much as it is a science. We should continue learning the ways to deliver successful projects. At the same time, we should know there is no set way...

Sustainability, clean energy, environment protection and a green economy are the focus topics around the developed world. However, there is enormous waste that no one is paying attention to! This waste costs economies tens of billions, but we don’t talk much about it....

There can be many reasons why executives struggle to under the ground reality of the organisation. I believe the main reason is that they pretend to behave like a race car driver. They look straight (narrow focus) and lose the 360-degree view. They never see the big...

We may want to think of ourselves as logical and rational human beings. It is far from reality, however. The fact is that we blindly follow the narrative set by the first person telling the story. If the same narrative is told repeatedly, the firmer our belief...

We are increasingly distracted by technology, culture, office politics and power games. As an executive, it is vital to hear the truth and make decisions that matter. However, truth is like a needle in a stack of falsehood. To be politically correct, we mould things...

Sorry, I failed to meet the deadline for a significant milestone!I failed to deliver the project on time!I failed to understand customer requirements!I failed to develop fit of purpose solution!I failed to choose the right software vendor/product!I failed to manage...

Businesses are always going to catch up with digital technology. After a significant IT investment, you may want to think that you are done. However, the fact is that you will never be done with Digital technology! Terms and concepts like Computerisation,...

In the past few posts, we cover the basics of the Digital Ecosystem. What is the Digital Ecosystem? Who is managing your Digital Ecosystem? Now, let us take one more step and try to list the building blocks of the Digital Ecosystem. You may be thinking, why is it...

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