management Archives

The Project Management Discipline of Strategy Execution

Strategy execution is where value is created. The best plans are worthless unless they are backed by a group of people that understand their roles and accountabilities and that have the information they need when they need for rapid decision-making. Execution never takes place in a straight line and without setbacks. In fact, the setbacks are powerful learning experiences that a good team will leverage as it adapts and responds to internal and external factors. A large part of the solution in my opinion is treating execution like a high-order program comprised of a series of projects to be managed. Ask a good Project Manager how to successfully pull of an execution program and I suspect they won't need to interview 1,000 companies.

By Art Petty|2016-10-22T17:12:23-05:00June 23rd, 2008|Leadership, Project Management, Strategy|0 Comments

Some Great Insights at the Latest Carnival of Human Resources

Check out Jon Ingham's Strategic Human Capital blog for the latest Carnival of Human Resources and some global perspectives on on compelling issues in managing and leading. Thanks to Jon for featuring one of my recent posts.

By Art Petty|2016-10-22T17:12:24-05:00June 12th, 2008|Leadership|0 Comments

Preventing Product Launch Failure: Watch Out for the Pitfalls!

G. Michael Maddock and Raphael Viton writing in the Innovation Engine column at BusinessWeek online, offer a sobering look at the Ten Reasons Your Next Launch Will Fail. From the propensity of companies to create solutions for unknown problems (Science Run Amok) to the recurring theme of teams convincing themselves that they can't miss (Death by Consensus), this insightful and witty column offers some priceless guidance for marketers, product and project managers and executives everywhere.

By Art Petty|2016-10-22T17:12:24-05:00June 8th, 2008|Leadership, Marketing, Product Management, Project Management|0 Comments

Sirius and XM: Does Satellite Radio Resonate?

If I'm XM/Sirius, I would be losing more sleep over why people aren't knocking down the proverbial doors to take advantage of their quality offerings. I hope they make it, but if my class is representative of a large part of the potential subscriber base, satellite radio either doesn't resonate, or the companies have failed to communicate the value in a way that resonates. I hope that the management teams are Tuning In.

By Art Petty|2016-10-22T17:12:24-05:00June 6th, 2008|Marketing, Strategy|0 Comments

A Blogging Milestone and What I Learned by Writing 100 Blog Posts

It was a tough week for blogging. A perfect storm of business and personal schedule challenges conspired to keep me from spending quality time on the blog. OK, and the fact that I have been holding steady at 99 posts for a few days, and somehow it seemed like I needed to create something truly remarkable for the milestone, 100th post. I'm over the "need for remarkable" part, but thought I would take a few minutes this Saturday morning to reflect back on what I've learned in this half year of blogging about all things management, leadership, strategy and project and product management.

By Art Petty|2016-10-22T17:12:24-05:00May 31st, 2008|Uncategorized|2 Comments

Bad Bosses, A Walk with Dante and Your Leadership Legacy

Ask a room full of mid-level managers to talk about great leaders that have supported them and you get a few nice stories. Ask them for examples of bad leaders and bad leadership practices and you may have to run for high-ground as the trickle of mildly repressed memories turns into a torrent of frightening anecdotes described by individuals with a far-away look in their eyes and a tone tinged with revenge in their voices.

By Art Petty|2016-10-22T17:12:24-05:00May 21st, 2008|Leadership|0 Comments

Your Next Boss Might Just Be a 20-something Level 5 Guild Leader

While to most it might seem implausible or even laughable that the leaders of tomorrow are applying skills developed from years of what we viewed as "wasting time" by playing on-line games, it merits some consideration. Certainly most organizations completely drop the ball on effectively identifying and developing leadership talent, and my own experience and research indicates that where most (new) leaders struggle is in the area of soft skills and feedback. You don't learn how to lead from a book or sitting in a classroom at graduate school, so who's to say that the on-line gaming environment is not an outstanding and risk-free way to develop leadership acumen.

By Art Petty|2016-10-22T17:12:25-05:00May 12th, 2008|Leadership|0 Comments

Staying Strong in the Middle While Your Company Is Falling Apart

There are no magic answers for taking a horrible company situation and suddenly making it better. There are also no guarantees that your heroic efforts will save the day. However, as a professional and an emerging leader, these are the situations that test your skills, that challenge you to mature and that give you the tools to succeed the rests of your career. If you plan on walking through the door in the morning, show up prepared to fight for your firm. And when you walk out the door at night, remember the wise words of a good friend: "Family and health count, all the rest of this stuff is just politics and money." Keep it in context.

By Art Petty|2016-10-22T17:12:25-05:00May 1st, 2008|Leadership|0 Comments

Too Many Projects Chasing Too Few Resources in the Strategy-Starved Organization

Saying "No" to new projects and "No More" to projects in process are difficult for the best of firms and impossible for organizations without a clear strategy and the supporting processes. The participants in strategy-starved organizations have no context for decision-making and unless that context is created, are destined to founder and likely sink while the crew focuses on constantly rearranging the deck chairs. Armed with the context of strategy, project portfolio management is still a difficult task requiring unceasing commitment from the executives and constant vigilance at the project management level. If you are currently running around with a deckchair in your hands, it's time for you to look at the captain and officers and start asking the strategic questions.

By Art Petty|2016-10-22T17:12:26-05:00April 27th, 2008|Project Management, Strategy|0 Comments

When Projects Go Horribly Wrong: A Great Example

The folks that designed Denver International Airport's infamous baggage handling system can breathe a bit easier now. While the much publicized start-up disasters at Denver have faded into the past, apparently the lessons learned did not transfer across the pond to the teams responsible for the new Terminal 5 at London's Heathrow Airport.

By Art Petty|2016-10-22T17:12:26-05:00April 20th, 2008|Project Management|2 Comments

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