Building Staff loyalty

You are a manager, therefore you depend on your staff to do their work well. Their success is critically linked to your own success. Team loyalty is not a 'given'. You have to earn and develop loyalty among your staff. If you can build up a bank of “good will capital“, you can then exchange it at a later date, e.g. when those impossible deadlines loom and you have to ask for more flexibility and extra effort.

Here are a few pointers to help you build that loyalty.

1: Be initially neutral regarding concerns about a subordinate

Don’t throw an employee under the bus when someone outside the department complains to you. Do not be judgemental. Do not start by agreeing with that person, before you find out all the facts. Similarly, don’t assume the person is totally wrong, rebuking him or her, and blindly defending your employee. Listen to their concerns, thank the person for alerting you, and say you will check with the subordinate in question. Go and check as promised and provide feedback. In this way, you get both sides of the story

2: Aim for collaboration

The more you can develop a collaborative relationship with your staff, the better the relationship will be. You and your staff do depend on each other, so try to impress that point on them. Remind them that each of you can (and should) help the other to be successful. Remember the saying “One hand washes the other.”

3: Listen to staff concerns

Your staff will have concerns about working conditions, working hours, deadlines, and other matters. You may not be able to resolve them all. However, listen to what they are telling you, because if you don’t, you will lower morale. If there’s little chance that you can resolve the concern, let them know immediately so that they have a proper expectation. Similarly, if you do succeed in resolving a concern, let them know about it. They may not thank you verbally, but chances are they still will appreciate you for what you did.

When listening to your staff, do not interrupting them to explain or defend a position. Let them finish. Similarly, try to remain even-tempered and think before you speak. Your attitude sets the tone for the whole department. Remember the old saying: “A fool shows his annoyance at once, but a prudent person overlooks an insult.”

4: Be committed to staff development

Your employees needs training to maintain their skills. That training includes hard skills, such as programming and network design. It also includes soft skills, such as how to deliver effective presentations and how to communicate effectively. In fact, those soft skills often are more important than hard skills in determining career success. Make sure your staff receives such training and when they’re participating in a training session, respect that time. Don’t call and pull them out of class “just for a second,” because they never will return. You will have reduced the ffectiveness of the training and wasted time and money.

5: Fulfill commitments

If you make commitments to your staff, keep them. Otherwise, you lose credibility and will face lowered morale. When you keep your commitments to your staff, it increases the chances that they will reciprocate and keep their commitments to you regarding work delivery.

6: Exhort, don’t belittle

You always want your staff to do more, produce more, finish the project earlier — and for less cost. So there’s often a gap between where they are now and where you’d like them to be. It’s better, generally, to exhort them to reach that point. If you criticize them because they’re not where you want right now, you may create resentment. Of course, there might be one person who does get motivated by being belittled, someone who says, “I’ll show that X$X# manager” and goes on to perform exceptionally well. The percentages are against you, however, because many others will simply “turn off.” It’s far better to say, “Here’s where I’d like us to be, and I know you can do it” rather than, “How come you’re not there right now, you slacker?”

7: When singling out staff in public, do so positively

I’m not saying that you always should praise people publicly. Some people become embarrassed or self-conscious when they’re the subject of public attention. But I am saying that if you do choose to single someone out in public, do so in a positive, rather than a negative way. The latter will embarrass everyone involved.

When you issue public praise, be brief and specific. Talk about what the person did and why it helped the department, organization, or company. Finally, thank the person. Ironically, the less you smile when praising, the more sincere it sounds. (Of course, you should be sincere to begin with, and you should smile just a little bit.)

8: When giving correction, do so privately

Conversely, if someone messes up, talk to them about it in confidence, behind closed doors. When doing so, focus on the issue, not the person. Try to avoid words like “you” and “yours.” Instead of, “Your program caused the system to crash,” consider, “Program xyz [which your subordinate developed and supposedly tested] caused the system to crash.” Focus on the actions that caused the problem and help the subordinate learn from the situation so that the same issue doesn’t occur again.

9: Serve as a buffer for your staff

Unfortunately, you may run into upper-level managers who insist on micromanaging. They will visit your staff and issue directives that might clash with yours. As a result, your employees will find themselves in an awkward situation, unsure of how to react. When that happens, you must step in and make clear to upper management that the chain of command works in both directions. You wouldn’t want your staff going around you to complain to your bosses. Neither, therefore, should the opposite occur.

Yes, stepping up could be hazardous to your career, so be diplomatic and tactful when you talk to your bosses. Focus on the benefits to them on observing the chain of command, rather than criticizing them for disregarding it. After you’ve had the talk, make sure your staff knows about it. Even though the grapevine probably will have alerted people, it’s still good to remind your staff that you have their back.

10: Don’t micromanage

Just as your bosses shouldn’t be micromanaging, neither should you. If you’ve staffed your team with competent people (and if you’re a first-line technical manager, you have strong technical leads), you should be confident that they know what they’re doing. You don’t have time to do the job of each member of your team anyway.

At the same time, be alert to clues that you might have to step in. Are others talking to you about a co-worker’s performance? Are you getting evasive or unclear answers in meetings or conversations? Do you have an uncomfortable gut feeling about a project? In those cases, you might have to take a more active interest in your subordinates’ work. However, pick your battles carefully.

Both sides of the coin

It’s common to talk about the importance of being a good subordinate. But it’s equally important to be a good boss. If you follow these tips, you can build a loyal following, which only can help you in your own career.

Leadership; 5 easy steps

Becoming an effective leader has been compared to being in the stock market, in a normal year. You don't make your fortune in one day; you make it daily and weekly, a little bit at a time. What matters most is what you do day after day, over a long period of time. The secret to leadership success is investing in your leadership development, much like letting your financial assets compound. The final result "Leadership Growth" over time.

Are leaders born or made, nature or nurture. The process of leadership is long, complex and has many elements. Respect, dignity, discipline, people skills, vision, emotional strength, opportunity, preparedness and experience are just some of the intangible elements which come into play when talking leadership. Calm assertive personalities.

You can, over a period of time, increase your leadership potential if you can understand and accept the five levels of leadership. They are;

Level One - Leadership From Position
This is the basic level of leadership, square 1. At this level people follow you because they have to. Your ability to lead people is totally geared to your position and does not exceed the lines of your job description or the authority granted to you by the company and your boss. Your security with the company is based on title and position, not talent. They salute the uniform not the man.

To be an effective leader at this level know your job, be prepared to accept responsibility, exercise authority with caution, assess the strengths and short comings of your people, do more than what is expected and challenge people with interesting and tough assignments.

Positional Level is the doorway to leadership and every successful leader must pass through this doorway.

Level Two - Leadership From Respect
At the respect level of leadership people follow you because they want to. The core of Leadership From Respect is that people want to know that you care and understand about them and their viewpoint (empathy). You have to accomplish this before they care about or will consider or value, what you know. People see you as a professional partner, sharing the similar goals and challenges along the way. Leadership will flourish with respect, because respect breeds lasting trusted professional relationships and therefore forms the basis for effective leadership.

To be effective at the respect level, you need to possess (develop) a genuine concern for your people. It is important that you see life through their eyes. Deal thoughtfully and wisely with, apparently difficult people. Cultivate success and make employees successful by setting them up for success. Give them an appetite for it and stand back.

Since leadership from respect is built on professional relationships, it forms the foundation for leadership success.

Level Three - Leadership From Results
People follow you because of what you have done for the company. People admire you for your accomplishments and respect your tenacity. At this point leadership becomes fun. Going to work is fun, work related challenges are seen to be opportunities for a more stable work environment and all tasks have a purpose in the minds of the employees. Good things happen at the results level. Making profit, low employee turnover, higher employee morale and solving problems with ease are some of the items that become evident at this level.

To be an effective leader at this level be prepared to initiate and accept responsibility for growth by developing a purpose and seeing it through to completion. Develop accountability for results, beginning with yourself and ending with your people. Make the difficult decisions that will result in positive long term gains while championing change as a change agent and understanding the need for and the process of change.

Leadership from results is built on admiration and respect for the leader.

Level Four - Leadership From People Development
People follow you because of what you have done for them. It is a leader's responsibility to develop their people to do the work that is expected to contribute future growth opportunities to the company and the people who serve it. People are loyal to you because they see first hand personal growth opportunities for them as well as, the company. Leadership success is underscored by a win - win scenario and a high commitment to success.

To be effective at this level place a priority on developing people. Focus your attention on the fact that people are your most valuable asset and your leadership success will depend on your ability to surround yourself with an inner core of competent people who compliment your leadership style and goals.

Leadership from people development is built on honesty, commitment and loyalty.

Level Five - Leadership From Mentorship
People follow you because they respect you. As a leader you have credibility, you may appear larger than life and your success is shown through a life of proven accomplishments. People seek you out after you have left the company because you have left an indelible mark on the organisation, its employees and its clients. Although less than five per cent of all leaders will attain this level of leadership, it is a level worth striving for.

In summary, everyone can become a good or better leader. It is important to keep in mind that the higher you want to go up the leadership scale, the longer it takes to accomplish results and the higher the commitment will need to be. It is imperative that we know what level we are on with our people, the team and the company.

PM for Network Professional

Good Timing is the key to Good Project success!

Professionals know what they know and network professionals are typically well-versed in the technical aspects of networking: protocols, router and switch configuration, server deployment and management, and so on.

Conversely, we don't always know what we don't know and our colleagues, the network pros, are rarely trained on how to manage projects. Fortunately, most of the problems that networkers face in projects can be addressed and mitigated against using standard project management methodologies and techniques.

Consider the effect of some Probability and a little influence from Evolutionary learning can have on your projects. If you are not proficient in something but do it often and long enough and are determined enough, sooner or later you will start to have a greater degree of success or a lesser degree of failure. Design and install networks long enough, and you'll be sure to have some of those projects go awry due to predictable, 'unforeseen' 'surprises'. Two words that you do not want to use in your monthly Project Progress Report. Two words that clearly depict the reasons why you should be applying Project and Risk management methodologies.

....and then they put the phone lines in!

Sometimes the infrastructure you need, such as power in a communications room, is not ready when you need to install an Ethernet switch. Other times, your network equipment vendor may seem to be perpetually on "back order" with the one module you need. Or perhaps it's the all-too-familiar "scope creep" when users decide they need greater wireless coverage than they asked for at the beginning of the project, without increasing costs of course.

Managing network projects is not an exercise in fortune telling, far from it. When analysed the core components for network projects are just like any other project, IT or otherwise: There is an objective, a time line, a budget and expectations of those who will benefit from the network once it is completed.

Professional project managers command good salaries because they understand these processes. Executives know that certified project managers are less apt to have projects run away from them. Attaining project management certifications such as the Project Management Institute's Project Management Professional (PMP) could be just as valuable to you as a network professional as a Cisco Certified Internetwork Expert or a Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer but you don't have to earn the full PMP certification to reap some benefits.

Applying a few simple project management tips will quickly earn you a reputation for delivering network projects on time and within budget and this is the sort of reputation that opens doors.

Quick Fix is leading but .............!

Triple constraints; I once saw the following on the wall of a drive-in oil-change service: "You can have it done cheap, fast or right; pick two." This is true of all projects, and it illustrates the so-called "triple constraints" rule: projects are subject to cost, schedule and performance parameters. Changing one will affect at least one of the remaining two. e.g. when installing a network for a local bank branch office to allow for Internet access and e-mail. The project includes configuring a Microsoft Exchange server and installing a virtual private network firewall for security. You included labor in your project schedule and quote to ensure that the project is done in two months, as requested.

One week into the project, the bank announces acceleration in plans, the office network needs to be done in three weeks instead of two months.Your staff is already fully devoted to this and other projects. You can't cut out functionality because the office still requires all of the network connectivity and e-mail functionality. What can you do?

The only way to accommodate is to add more staff, either by paying overtime to your employees or subcontracting another IT firm. Either way, the cost will go up, yet the bank will likely baulk at the new cost. At that point, armed with the understanding of the "triple constraints" principle, you as a network pro knowledgeable in project management concepts can calmly explain why the request to change time will increase the overall network project cost.

......there be monsters here!

Project charter and scope; To reduce the likelihood of the network project growing uncontrollably, make sure that everyone understands the project deliverables, what the network will provide, how long it will take and at what cost. Your key constituencies here are the project sponsor and the network administrator.

By following project management methodologies, this can be accomplished by starting from the general (project charter) and migrating to specifics (project scope).

For network projects, the project charter could be simply "provide network connections for the new Shelbyville Bank and Trust building at 3 Main Street." Details including the number of connections, security protections needed and services desired are best left to the project scope. The scope simply supports the goals defined in the charter while providing more details; it is not a complete network engineering plan in itself.

You can create an initial cost estimate for the project from the scope. When the scope is broad or when there is only a charter, precise estimates are not possible.

A good option, is to take a network project of comparable scope that you worked on previously and use that as a basis for the estimate. It's also wise to not give a single figure estimate but rather a range, say maybe 50 percent on either side of the estimate derived from historical knowledge. As the scope is more clearly defined, refine the cost estimate by changing the midpoint as appropriate and reducing the range size.

Project schedule; Once scope is known, a project schedule should be determined. You'll already know the two most important project points: the beginning,following soon after the project scope is approved and the end, when the network is in place as requested by the sponsor. It's up to you to fill in the blanks.

Here's where a project management software package such as Microsoft Project really comes in handy. It can tie all aspects of the project together by providing a relatively easy way to create the plan for the network installation. Setting up the project plan can take some time at the beginning, but it will pay dividends many times over the course of the network project.

When planning network projects, break the project into the following six phases:

• Information gathering—scope, existing infrastructure
• Purchasing decisions—which switches, routers, firewalls, servers and so on are needed
• Ordering equipment
• Configuring and installing the servers and network equipment, and testing connectivity and functionality
• Customer acceptance
• Documentation
  

However, you decide to manage your network project, breaking it into smaller miniprojects makes the overall project more manageable. Suppose you know from experience that you generally receive network equipment from your supplier four weeks from order. Furthermore, you know that it typically takes two weeks to configure and burn in the equipment and another two weeks to install and test. So, start from the end of project date and count backward eight weeks; that then becomes your milestone date for ordering the equipment.

Scope creep. Performance constraints can also change, and in networking, they are usually on the side of more functionality, not less. Scope creep is a change in project requirements after the project has been planned and is under way.

A common example of scope creep that every network professional I know has experienced, is when the customer decides he needs more network capacity (number of jacks) than what you planned for at the beginning of the project. I like to inform customers upfront about the magic number: 24. Many vendor enterprise workgroup switches have a minimum of 24 Ethernet ports (some allow 48). Pass the magic number, or a multiple thereof, and expect the project's cost to increase (refer back to the "triple constraints" rule).

Of course, changing the number of connections does not just affect network electronics costs. Additional cable drops and possibly patch panels for terminations may be needed. An increase in electronics (switches or servers) may require heftier uninterruptible power supplies and may increase heat generation, forcing an upgrade of the HVAC design of the communications room or data center. It's clear to see that expanding the project requirements increases its cost, which is a problem when budgets are limited and fixed.

These problems exist because all involved with the project; the sponsor, network administrators and the other stakeholders (end users, equipment vendors, cabling contractors, customers), assumed that everyone was in agreement at the beginning of the project. But this was not the case. When all parties agree on and understand the scope at the beginning of the project, it is less likely that scope creep will occur.

Finally, should the scope still need to change, simply create a new cost estimate and timeline to accommodate the scope modification. Changes are not necessarily all bad, as long as all involved understand the effects that any changes may have.

Closing out a project. Once the network infrastructure is completed, there are still three major tasks to accomplish before the project can be closed. The first is rather obvious, ensuring the network functions as the customer intended. The customer should perform as many business-related tasks as possible to test the infrastructure and formally sign off accepting the project when complete. The latter will prevent end-of-project scope creep as well as provide a milestone for you to close the chapter on this project.

The second job, too often neglected, is to fully document the network. Remember, one of the goals when the project scope was created was to ensure the manageability and supportability of the network. Network drawings, router configurations, circuit numbers, server disk partition information, IP address assignment—anything and everything that was pertinent to the successful completion of this project should be documented and stored where it can be easily retrieved.

Finally, network projects rarely go exactly to plan, and sometimes surprises occur that could really not have been foretold. A postproject review, particularly of what went wrong, will help prevent the same mistakes from happening on a future project. I recall one network installation in which a concrete slab was poured before conduits were installed, necessitating cutting the slab to install the conduits. The lesson learned was to include regular on-site network infrastructure inspection dates as tasks in the network project plan.

For more information; You don't have to be a certified project management professional to take advantage of project management techniques to aid in your network projects - but it helps!

There are numerous Internet resources related to project management, including the following:
The Project Management Institute is the source of the Project Management Professional as well as other certifications. In addition, Prince2 is the preferred project management methodology and certifications in Europe, particularly in the U.K.

Stop your IT Projects getting canned

To weather the current economic maelstrom, enterprises are not only reducing head count but also are cutting back on ambitious or long-term projects in IT. Knowing how best to keep your IT project in the pipeline could mean taking a cue from those best versed in achieving project approval: Project and risk management business consultants.

Companies are cutting back significantly this year. They're under more than usual pressure to optimize every dollar, to either stop the bleeding or start the recovery. The key to retaining business is to build /re-enforce customer loyalty. This is demonstrating that continuing with your current initiatives should not only cut their costs but also help generate additional revenue.

What's true for consultants is equally true for IT managers looking to kick-start an internal project or to keep their project funding flowing. Those who are best at proving the value of their projects will win. And when it comes to uncertain times, keeping your project off the chopping block can end up saving your future and enhancing your career. There are many ways to do this and I would like to suggest a few.

Benjamin Disraeli
Benjamin Disraeli, is reputed to have said that there are three kinds of lies: lies, damn lies, and TCO/ROI calculations for IT projects.

Clearly, no professional right-minded company will pour money into IT without a strong business case. There has to be a payback and that final payback is that the business will get something beneficial in return. Before you can be a part of this, you will have to address the issue of choosing the right metrics and presenting them well.

Calculating the true return on investment goes beyond demonstrating cost reduction or bottom-line enhancement. Those days are gone. Today's executives are no longer likely to let simplistic metrics pull the wool over their eyes, after all, presenting statistics and compiling business cases is part of their job too. You have to provide something they can sell on to their people.

ROI dismissals
As we move deeper into belt-tightening, we are seeing more and more ROI calculations being dismissed. Most ROI calculations from vendors are flawed toward magical and large returns, and most calculations from users are too simplistic and unreliable. Bottom line: accountants don't believe them and cannot use them anymore.

Though numbers can't be rejected entirely, the kind of numbers you use should vary depending on the ultimate goals of the project. Despite being a great decision-making tool, ROI is often a misleading indicator for deciding whether a project should be pursued or not.

Case Studies Testimonials
Reliable case studies showing how other organisations implemented similar projects successfully and achieved positive results, may have more credibility with cynical management teams rather than simple ROI projections. All you have to do is find the appropriate cases.

Hard or Soft?
If the project aims to reduce head count, inventory, or transaction costs, so-called hard ROI numbers may be sufficient but for projects with less measurable aims, e.g. improving the business environment or coping with service provision changes in the competitive landscape, soft ROI, e.g. the increase in growth potential or business value as a result of improved relationships, comes into play.

Thus, positively demonstrating the beneficial value of your project can prove tricky, but if you focus on added and hidden value in these areas and make a strong case, you will significantly improve the likelihood that your IT project doesn't get canned.

Helicopter views
But don't focus too narrowly on your project's niche lest you lose sight of the big picture.
IT managers always need to step back and look at the impact their project could have on the entire organisation. You need to look at the cost of lost opportunities. What are we not going to be able to do, in terms of people, hardware, software, training and other monetary issues, all because we took on this project?

Will we be able to do more of what we do well or do what we do more effectively? Will this give the company, service or product a competitive edge in the marketplace? It can't just be a cool thing to do anymore.

Business needs direct IT
The true business need meets the true ROI. If the business has asked IT for a helping hand in a project, that should be enough. If you're doing an IT project that is either not driven by the business or does not have direct bottom-line financial impact to the company, you should not be doing the project in the first place. Would you have the business or IT shop do an ROI on something as basic as an e-mail server? No one would tell you that because there is no ROI, therefore we don't need it. The business need bypasses the requirement for IT to sell an ROI back to those who requested it in the first place.

Customer loyalty
Building and re-enforcing customer satisfaction and loyalty is paramount in troubled times. Despite the cost, executives will approve high risk investments because the cost of not doing the project in terms of dissatisfied and lost customers, can be far greater than the addition of new IT capabilities. Projects that reduce customer retention costs or increase the efficiency of marketing campaigns are more likely to get a green light.

Making it real
Even the most ruthless, cost-slashing IT project can die a swift death if it's pitched in language your accountant can't understand. Be aware that everybody talks and thinks about TCO and ROI just a little differently, depending on their view. It may help to manage the differences in understanding by the creation of a glossary or terms definition, distributed to the key executives.

Language
As the PM, you are the communicator and you need to have a sound understanding of whatever language your company works in. Do they use internal rate of return, payback period, time to value? Sometimes business leaders don't always sync up to the value language of the company. If capital is involved, you need to understand the process your finance department uses to approve the budget and get it into the language they speak.

Keeping it real
Business case assumptions must be thoughtful and clearly supported in terms an accountant will understand. Include metrics on power usage, maintenance contracts, and head-count savings. These often can't clearly be seen until the next fiscal year. Accountants crave short term gains and cost-control drivers that help manage long-term planning.

If you can show payback for an IT investment over 18 months or less, even better. Accountants love to recover the cost of expensive volatile technical assets before they're fully depreciated. They know the rapid rate of obsolescence in high tech toys, the lock-in tactics and the long licensing traps.

Don't stick your neck out
Embrace Optimism when you can. All projects rely on assumptions and the associated risks. The bigger the project, the bigger the risks. The key to getting your project approved is simply to do your homework. Study, analyse and assess the risks rather than assuming the best and being surprised by the worst.

Positive risk management
Planning for a positive outcome needs implementing better risk management, plus the provision of accurate financials, supported by proven program management methodologies and earned value. Also, you will gain more oversight and control with smaller and more frequent milestones.

It's better to be transparent and realistic about everything but base your budget contingencies on sound risk management analysis and assessment. You should never presume to receive 100 percent of a project's costs initially when you don't know 100 percent of the project requirements. Manage the risks and issues as you go and adjust your expenditure according to your project plan, risk management actions and develop a positive outlook in the team. Look for positive risks; opportunities and assess them as you would a negative risk, fully.

Building a project
PMs and IT managers will find it more palatable to take a staged or phased approach when pushing ambitious projects, one that relies on shorter, clearer milestones with conditional metrics tied to future funding. If you cannot get funding for the whole project because of skepticism of deliverability or payback, ask for phased funding. Each phase can have a checkpoint where progress is measured and funding for the next phase is approved or denied. If the business isn't happy with progress or results, there is much less risk.

Messy eaters
Try scaling back and down to move forward. Keeping your project off the pig swill scrap heap may mean settling for a digestible piece of the pie instead of the whole thing. That way you don't kill the chef and you can always go back for more later.

Even a broken clock is correct twice a day!