Join me in Atlanta or Lacrosse for Professional Development Days at the local PMI Chapters

If you live near Atlanta, GA or Lacrosse, WI and have an interest in project management, I invite you to join us for a day of learning with the local PMI chapters!

Location	Date	Keynote	For More Information
Atlanta	8/16	Lipstick on a Pig: How Illusion Leads to Crisis	Click here
Lacrosse	9/18	Beyond Time Management: 5 Keys To Getting More Done with Less Stress	Click here

I would love to have the opportunity to meet you! Check the chapter websites for details.

Labels: illusion, keynotes, Lipstick on a Pig, project management, Project Management Institute, time management

posted by Andy at 2:28 PM

You Don't Have Time To Read This!

Doesn't it seem that way? There just doesn't seem to be the time to do the things you need to do.... Even for the really important stuff like investing in your own skills.

My executive coaching clients regularly express a frustration that could be summarized as, "I just don't have enough time."

"7 Signs of Poor Productivity" concisely shares some good pointers if you're feeling time challenged today.

We recently finished a major update to our keynote entitled Beyond Time Management: 5 Keys To Getting More Done with Less Stress. In this fast-paced, entertaining session I share 5 keys to help you and your organization get more done with less stress. Based on our work with leaders and organizations around the world, I share practical ideas that go beyond typical time management concepts. You will leave with specific, practical actions you can start using right away to help you and your teams get focused, take action, and deliver results.

Contact us today to add this keynote to an upcoming company or department meeting!

Labels: executives, keynotes, leadership, time management

posted by Andy at 8:22 AM

Join me for a Day at the Races!

If you plan on being in the Chicago area on September 12, I invite you to join me and other Chicago area leaders for the Daugherty Day At The Races at Arlington Park.

Come enjoy a great lunch and an afternoon of networking with other leaders. I'll be sharing our Lipstick on a Pig: How Illusion Leads to Crisis in Real World Projects keynote. It's an outstanding event sponsored by the good people at Daugherty Business Solutions.

Click here for more information and to register. I look forward to seeing you there!

Labels: illusion, keynotes, Lipstick on a Pig, reality

posted by Andy at 10:02 AM

Peace at any price?

"The things that will destroy America are prosperity-at-any- price, peace-at-any-price, safety-first instead of duty-first, the love of soft living, and the get-rich-quick theory of life." Theodore Roosevelt (1858–1919), from a letter dated Jan. 10, 1917.

I first came across this quote in a children's magazine that focused on the remarkable life of Teddy Roosevelt. The quote has some interesting implications at many levels (not the least of which is the international level, considering conflicts in the Middle East and threats of terror around the world. Would Teddy be calling for "Cease fire!" or "Bring the troops home!" to stop fighting for the sake of stopping the fight?).

Yet take it out of the national/international arena and we can find ways to apply it to our day-to-day leadership responsibilities.... I had an executive coaching session today with a leader who is wrestling with how to confront an employee on a particular issue. He isn't looking forward to the discussion but agrees this is an important part of his responsibility. Peace at any price? Prefer to avoid conflict? It will eventually eat away at the effectiveness of your team.

NOTE: Our Beyond the Rock and the Hard Place:

How to Deal with Conflict More Effectively

workshop and keynote can be a great way to help you

and your team learn how to manage conflict in a more

productive way. Contact us to learn more.

How about prosperity-at-any-price? We could think about Enron, but are there decisions you are making that are choosing short-term comfort over long-term benefit? Similarly, it's easy to fall into get-rich-quickly approaches, rationalizing we're taking some early wins from low hanging fruit.

As perhaps only Teddy can do, this quote reminds the aspiring leader that the journey to success is not smooth sailing on calm waters, with favorable winds, clear visibility, and easy tacks for shortcuts. We'll have such days, thankfully. But perhaps more than we desire, the most effective leaders will have plenty of days when the fog obscures the way ahead, the waves of conflict tempt you to steer away, and the safety of the port seems much more enticing. Remember Teddy's quote.

There's a reason why we call it work, leader. I wish you all the best as you navigate today's challenges.

Labels: conflict, culture, keynotes, leadership, peace

posted by Andy at 10:22 AM

Illusions in the Maine Medicaid Project

In a recent issue of CIO Magazine, Allan Holmes details the Maine Medicaid project. If you're tired of failed IT projects, I have bad news for you--it's another one. But don't let that stop you from learning from it....

In my Lipstick on a Pig keynote we discuss how you can often deconstruct a crisis to find fundamental illusions that eventually led to the disaster.

This story is packed with examples. Here's a learning exercise for you... Block out 15 minutes to read the article. If you have any leadership role on projects, it's a must-read. But don't stop there. Browse the comments that other readers have left. As you read both, note the illusions that led to this unfortunate crisis. I found the illusions in the reader feedback almost as interesting as those in the article.

OK, here's the link. Zap me a quick e-mail (or post a comment here) regarding your observations.

Labels: illusion, keynotes, Lipstick on a Pig, project management, risk management

posted by Andy at 10:44 PM

Leaky Decisons: Illusions that Led to the Great Chicago Flood Crisis

Our Lipstick on a Pig keynote is based on an insightful quote by Jerry Weinberg: "It may look like a crisis, but it's only the end of an illusion."

For those of us who have a passion for getting things done, delivering projects, and leading people, there are powerful lessons to be learned by exploring the illusions we face.

Charles Leroux provided an entertaining and insightful look (Chicago Tribune link no longer available) into a crisis that gripped the Chicago area: the Great Flood of 1992. It clearly illustrates how illusions led to the crisis that cost the area an estimated $800 million.

Do you have an upcoming company or department meeting that would benefit from an entertaining, business-focused keynote? Give us a call to get our Lipstick on a Pig keynote added to your meeting agenda!

Labels: crisis, culture, illusion, keynotes, Lipstick on a Pig

posted by Andy at 1:46 PM

PMI Chicagoland presentation feedback

Did you participate in my February 8 PMI Chicagoland chapter meeting presentation "Lipstick on a Pig?". If so, I'd love to hear your comments. What did you find valuable? What illusions did you identify? What questions do you have?

Click the "Post a Comment" link below to let me know. Thanks!

Labels: keynotes, Lipstick on a Pig, Project Management Institute

posted by Andy at 9:53 AM