There are “perils to planning” – in project management, employee management and in life. In other words, planning has its place, but you need to recognize when it becomes out of place and a detriment to your overall goals.

• Inflexible Planning – An immovable plan, while admirable, is truthfully rather unrealistic. A plan is only as good as its ability to adapt to change at the frequency and speed needed. In project management, that’s known as “agility”, and an entire new subset of project management methodology called “Agile Project Management” has been born to support this perspective. In the world of Agile PM, deliverables are submitted in stages according to weeks (rather than months) so they can be re-assessed at every iterative phase. And while Agile PM has found its home most comfortably in new product and technology implementations, it can be said that for any new systemic or team change, the deliverables and desired outcomes deserve to be re-visited in a timely and frequent manner. We might think this takes more time or slows down the process, but in reality, periodic check-ins help refine the process and result in fewer big issues in the long run.
• Planning for Accountability – I don’t know anyone who enjoys team meetings; reviewing, rehashing, venting or whatever goes on in the board room – is a waste of everyone’s time unless a plan is put into place to hold everyone accountable for the details in the discussion. As a PM, I would often dread these types of meetings because I would either leave confused and robbed of two hours of my work day or exhausted at the thought of all the new work I had just been assigned. Today, as both a PM and having managed teams comprised of disparate members, I see how necessary planning is to ensure clarity among roles, responsibilities and ownership. So, plans have their place when they’re used as yardsticks to identify responsible parties and measure performance. However, it is incumbent on the person issuing the plan to check in with resources responsible for carrying it out to ensure that all is indeed “going according to plan.”

Effective planning is productivity’s best friend when used in moderation as a guideline and not an absolute, tyrannical crutch.

Wishing You Success,
Natalya

I remember being in sales and realizing that $$$ was not enough to make me jump out of bed every morning. I tried not to dwell on this too long or I would not have lasted in the job; needless to say, I escaped it as soon as I could. The challenge to compete against myself (not other sales professionals) every week is what kept me on top. So, therein began a quest to determine what really motivated me and how to keep its momentum going.

Then, as I continued to write the “Productivity Series” this year, I began a post about how important it is to understand motivation as a function of productivity. Quickly, I realized that it would be remiss of me not to explore personality as a function of motivation first.

Everyone knows someone who is “quiet type”, the “social butterfly”, or a “connector” (to borrow a term from Malcom Gladwell). I certainly do, and find myself always seeking to determine how people are wired as soon as I meet them. But the more I observed others’ behaviors and studied their motivations, I began to question my own…

I wondered why certain events, people and situations drained me yet they had no apparent effect on anyone I knew. I watched as others derived energy from the energy of those around them, observed their need to constantly “think out loud”, and to diligently seek opportunities to never be alone. I, on the other hand, coveted “alone time” – carefully interspersed with work and social activities – my priority being the former not the latter.

And, as a project manager, I have to interact heavily with others almost every minute of every day – tasks require resources to get the job done and stakeholders to provide opinions and approvals. So, every day that I wondered why I was drained, I became even more so. But, was I a freak? A minority? Unable to function in the real world?

Somewhere along the road of questioning, I recalled a personal profile I had done over 10 years ago – and all I could remember was the first letter the profile assigned to me.

I.

‘I’, as in ‘I’ is for introvert.

So, that is where my study began. The research began not for entertainment but rather for reassurance. And I learned. I learned that not all introverts are loners, hermits nor antisocial as society would like to label them. And not all extroverts are exhibitionists and constantly need attention. There is a spectrum. I could be an introvert who really did enjoy interacting with people, who can be successful and very vocal, but who needs a larger proportion of time to recharge. And even my extroverted friends needed to stop for a moment, though less frequently, or they would spin into a frenzy themselves.

The fact is, we live in a socially distorted world where too much emphasis is placed on seeing and being seen. And, until recently, I wondered – do I need to be someone I am not - constantly – to get ahead or simply stay in the race? Well, thankfully there are experts, dating as far back as the 18th century – willing to answer that for me.

Almost every man wastes part of his life attempting to display qualities which he does not possess. ~Samuel Johnson

But as recently as this year, Susan Cain chimed in as well. Cain’s lecture, “In Praise of Introverts”, at the recent TED Conference has been viewed well over 1 million times and surpassed any other TED conference speech. I pause to wonder – who’s listening? There are surely many more introverts (perhaps in hiding) and those who appreciate what introverts can accomplish, than we realize.

It was over the last century, says Cain, that society began reshaping itself as an extrovert’s paradise—to the introvert’s demise. She explains that before the twentieth century, we lived in what historians called a “culture of character,” when you were expected to conduct yourself morally with quiet integrity. ~ Jenna Goudreau, Forbes Staff (from the article, “The Secret Power Of Introverts”)

Cain extols the value of introversion and points out that introverts are the outliers in the population who manage to do the homework that leads to the biggest creative breakthroughs which benefit everyone. Her speech is nothing short of brilliant, and well worth the 18 minutes you will spend, whether you are an introvert, extrovert, or not entirely sure.

The most important and underlying lesson one can take from her speech is this: honor and value your strengths, understand them and build on them – because if you stop berating why and what you are not , you can actually see the benefits and build upon the opportunities in what you are .

If we could all spend more time strengthening our strengths – and not our weaknesses, and honoring our internal wiring instead of fighting against it, we would all waste so much less time and energy and produce so much more.

Wishing You Success,
Natalya

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Image Courtesy of: pleated-jeans.com

This is where planning becomes your best friend and worst enemy. A plan allows you to see what you need to do and cycle through each item/step robotically. That said, if you’re not in a completely coherent nor efficient state of mind, the plan could also resemble a trap from which there is no out.

I’ve discovered a few tips which help when overwhelmed and unsure how to get anything done…

1. Create a list – You have heard it here before. If you fail to plan, you are planning to fail. Regardless of whether you stick absolutely to the plan, it allows you a bar from which to come in under or over safely.
2. Prioritize the list – Particularly when you feel like you cannot do anything, allow yourself to prioritize the one thing you can do…realizing that if certain things do not get done, you – and many others – will survive.
3. Tackle the list according to priority, one item at a time – Harvard Business Review expert – turned Energy Project founder – and the CEO every other CEO wants to know, Tony Schwartz, has advice for us all in a world of overwhelming demand. According to Tony, the brain is not designed to do multiple cognitive things at a time. Lower quality, higher personal costs and overall sloppiness are the results.

   So, what does Tony recommend?

   • Determine in advance what needs to be done (i.e., plan…) and tackle each item individually and with focus
   • Understand how your body and mind work
   • Do not demand constant responsiveness…of yourself AND others. All this does is reduce the likelihood you will be productive
   • Encourage renewal
4. Listen to your gut – If you could only accomplish one thing today, or this week, what would it be? Putting guilt aside and assuming you have the luxury to choose, what could you do to make you feel like you have done something although it’s not everything? Most of the time, that is better than nothing….
5. Get some air and move about – Whether a short walk, a brisk run, time at the gym, or just sticking your head out of a window – your thoughts will clear enough for you to move forward in ways bigger than you previously imagined.

Wishing You Success,
Natalya

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Image Courtesy of: Blast Your Project

Organization is definitely my thing. But, recently I realized that organization ≠ productivity. Imagine my disappointment and horror.

Regardless of how organized I am, I still risk not being productive if I do not have the correct organizational and productivity tools to use (and the knowledge) to use them. This also requires me to assuage my technophobia and embrace all things ‘i’, ‘cloud’ and ’smart.’ Enter the iPhone, iPad and iCloud. Still a PC user at heart, I needed some help to determine how to take all of the various bits of knowledge, research and reminders and make them accessible to me anywhere, anytime and in a format that made sense.

It’s taken months to finally make my Dell laptop speak to my iPhone and both of those to speak to my iPad. Enter: 3 different email addresses, 3 calendars, 2 sets of contacts, different categories of notes and reminders, apps and programs – and we have all just entered a technological abyss. That is, unless, you – like me – happen to know someone who is blessed with the technology gene and could make the whole integration seamless and painless, putting the fun back into functional!

HOWEVER, all that said, I am proud to admit that I made a discovery of my own!!! It has changed not only the way I organize information, but how I organize my brain. And, unlike custom closets or shoe racks or garage shelf built-ins, the brain is a far more chaotic space much in need of spatial compartmentalization. Let me introduce you to…EVERNOTE.

Perhaps you have already discovered this wonderful utility, and maybe not. Even if you have, perhaps like me, you learn new things about it every day.

Did you know that, with Evernote, you can:

1. Download the program onto your PC or MAC (in addition to the Evernote app for iPhone and iPad, of course)? So, you are not just limited to using Evernote on a smart device.
2. SYNC the notes you enter (whether entering them on your computer, phone or tablet) so that they’re accessible to you anytime, anywhere? This is huge – unlike other similar “note” programs, which are local, you do not have to wait until you get home to complete that note or add to it or email yourself appendages.
3. You can create NOTEBOOKS. This is what I call organizational utopia. I can have a notebook which contains all of my notes of inspiration, another notebook with notes pertaining to past, present or future blog entries, another with notes for each room in my house, notebooks for Pro and Con lists, etc., etc., etc. The possibilities are endless.
4. You can create To-Do lists
5. And, last, but certainly NOT least. You can not only tag your notes but then SORT by these tags. Say, for example, that you are an avid reader of investment articles and blogs online. And you like to make notes on each one or create lists of websites to which you’d like to refer back. You can tag each note by the investors the article mentions or the opinions stated therein, and then SEARCH back by these tags. All of a sudden, you see everything that you ever read which mentioned Warren Buffet and have a virtual bucket of Buffet. Similarly, I could create a notebook for each project I am tracking, each with its own notes, tags and to-do lists. All of which are easily searchable and would allow me to pin my finger on any type of milestone, date or project deliverable I needed!

Clearly, these are only my observations thus far, and there must be many other uses, tips and tricks for this wonderful program. Insert your own topics or areas that need organizing and the list goes on and on. I look forward to exploring them all. And, if you have not tried Evernote yet, do!

Wishing You Success,
Natalya

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The Steve Jobs’ Effect

I have been a contributor on the implementation of a new CRM (customer-relationship-management) system as part of a larger project with which I am involved. The system is robust and has many fine attributes. It’s also brand new, and does not work intuitively in most cases. What was supposed to be made easier is now more complex, and what was flawed but work-able before is now simply foreign. We’re forced to rely on each other and many external resources to move us forward, shed light on complexities, provide us with new methods to test, and try again..and again, and again.

Needless to say, no one is able to move as fast as necessary in this won’t-slow-down world in which we live and work; and as quickly as we move forward, we have to stop and rewind to determine why something failed. Efficient? Maybe not. Part and parcel of learning and experiencing a new way of doing things. Why yes, indeed.

We can (and do) get very frustrated with this CRM system. We submit copious numbers of trouble tickets and wait for the Gods of technical support to shine the solutions down on us so we can test the solution, then – resume the swift speed at which we feel we should be moving, and doing, and accomplishing.

Our only choice during this implementation has been to try, and try again..and again, and again. And, eventually it does work. Issues are fixed or we find acceptable work-arounds. The process takes time, but eventually, we do end up right where we needed and need to be. So, even when we feel at our least productive – it is in the patience and the process that our solution and ultimate productivity reside.

And, too, our goals and dreams may take longer than we wish. When resolutions do not appear instantly and people do not behave exactly as we think they should, we panic that the paint will dry while we are in the middle of creating the masterpiece that is our life. Yet, if everything went along exactly as planned, at the speed we believe we need, we would never stop to learn the lessons along the way nor meet the people who show up to help us learn them. Life, too, is about trying again..and again, and again.

Our primary source of success is not speed, despite what we might think. It’s the unwillingness to give up nor give in. Solutions do lie ahead if you’re patient and persistent enough to follow the course and all that it shows you along its path.

Special thanks to my dear friend, JH, for always showing me ways to not sweat the small stuff and that it’s ok to keep trying…again, and again.

Wishing You Success,
Natalya

I’d been under the weather and forced to come to a complete halt. I tried planning projects I could tackle during the downtime, priorities I could finally shoot to the top of my list. For a planner like me, even my downtime needed to be accounted for. But, it simply wasn’t to be…

I had no choice other than to STOP DOING. My brain simply could not, would not shut off. I kept thinking of all of the personal projects I could ( translate ‘ should ‘) be working on, given this unusual and prime downtime. Shame on me if I did not take advantage !!! So many things I’d been putting off, so many personal development resources at my fingertips; if I did not complete some and begin on all, I’d begin 2012 feeling lazy, unproductive, behind the eight ball, weak and doomed to fail. I chastised my brain for being foggy, and would not let myself off the hook. I even tried to start back officially working and meeting personal commitments before my health would agree, because the calendar said the holidays were over; I was met with disaster, disappointing others with my poor results and sending mixed signals that I could, when – trust me – I could not.

Roughly one month later, and after the proverbial fog has passed, I notice myself with a greater strength and clarity than I’ve had in quite a while. Although my task list was left unattended, and part of “the old” me still wishes I had gained greater ground, I may just have gotten more accomplished by allowing myself to do nothing at all.

I’d ended 2011 hardened, exhausted, and generally tough on the inside and out. Fighting against a self-imposed timeline and working under constraints that no one else was measuring except me. Having had [forced] time to decompress, my mind, heart and intuition are slowly beginning to come together and listen to each other’s signals. With time comes patience and with patience comes clarity. With clarity, I choose to believe that my task list will magically prioritize itself; and I can begin 2012 with far more personal power and anticipated productivity than I would have otherwise, even if I’d spent all 3 weeks mapping out goals. Just maybe, giving myself a break instead of pushing forward aimlessly, is a very appropriate beginning to the productivity posts, after all…

Well, fancy that.

I may not have gone where I intended to go, but I think I’ve ended up where I needed to be. ~ Douglas Adams

Wishing You Success,
Natalya

Although I recently “unresolved” to do many a thing heading into 2012 – I wanted to share a most inspiring and intelligent blog post citing “three words” to lead into the year – from a a fellow blogger and someone whose accomplishments and work ethic I admire greatly.

Thank you, Justin Levy for this wonderful blog to start out the new year and for the cross reference to my article on work-life balance as well. Honored to be in such company.

Via Justin Levy

It’s that time of the year again where we look at the new year full of vigor and motivation, ready to take on everything that the upcoming year has to offer. However, it’s so easy to get bogged down and sidetracked from accomplishing our goals that by the time we look up again, the year has already escaped us.

This is why for the past few years I’ve joined Chris Brogan and several other friends in choosing three words that will serve as my guiding pillars for the upcoming year. These three words will help me to accomplish the goals that I have set out for myself, both professionally and personally. Read More….

Wishing You Success,
Natalya

So, if I must make any “resolution” for 2012, it would be to NOT make any. Taking that concept one step further, I’d also like to suggest a few things I plan (translate: unresolve) to do:

1. I refuse to believe any longer that writing down my expenses equates to ” budgeting.” This, perhaps, is the biggest lie I have ever told myself . Tracking what you spend and where is useful, so if you have to start somewhere – start there. But, please, set some limits ( ie, ” budget ” ) in your primary spending categories and be honest with yourself if you don’t stay within these parameters. If nothing else, awareness of your spending habits will increase and you’ll permit yourself the conscious choice of working to support your spending -or- working to meet your basic expenses. BIG difference.
2. I unresolve to get so hot and bothered about things over which other people don’t seem to be losing sleep. I can’t solve the world’s problems, nor can I make everyone’s work ethic the same as my own. I can, however, set my own standards, measure myself against these, and let go ( translate: walk away) when others’ choices, behaviors or timelines are outside of my control. I’m really hoping to conserve some emotional and mental energy with this unresolution.
3. For as disciplined and focused as people believe I am, I erred on the side of scattered and unfocused at times throughout 2011. So, I am moving toward less multi- tasking and more focused prioritization. PS: I’m learning that means minimizing distractions, too; so, don’t take it personally if I tell you ” not right this second, but how about –:– time, instead?” That way, I hope to manage my interruptions so they don’t manage me.
4. Last year this time, I took a goal-setting seminar. I could not tell you one goal I “set” in that 7 hour workshop nor if any were achieved. Since then, and thanks to some brilliant people I’ve met along the way in 2012, I will continue to set goals using new and improved techniques. But more important than even the goals themselves will be the daily or weekly check-in to gauge where I’m at on the goal continuum and what I need to adjust. Goals are like finish-line flags, set in place to give you a marker to aim for. Either you wave it down when you reach it and shout ‘Victory’ or you decide to move the flag and adjust your path as life proceeds.
5. And, lastly, on my list of “unresolutions,” I will be more positive when talking to MYSELF. Like it or not, life plays tricks on your mind; and although all bad things do come to an end, some of us relive them every day in the negative thought patterns these experiences leave behind. “It has been demonstrated that nearly 90% of our thoughts are negative…and these nasty little beasts can be even more powerful than positive thoughts because we often find them easier to accept.” * So, more so than merely repeating positive affirmations a la Stuart Smalley, I choose to use positive thoughts to challenge those automated negative ones and become MORE aware of my thoughts and words in everyday life.

Wishing You Success in 2012,
Natalya

* Excerpted from www.vitalaffirmations.com

Being a Buffett groupie at heart, I have made every attempt to know a little about the companies he owns, why he owns them and how they are performing. And since I have someone extremely capable helping me to decide whether to buy, sell or hold – I get the luxury of spending most of my time admiring Buffett’s persona rather than his pocketbook.

But therein lies the point – his persona has led to what’s in his pocketbook (and therefore the pocketbooks of his shareholders).

Just recently, Berkshire Hathaway (Buffet’s holding company) – announced amidst much speculation that the 81-year old’s eventual successor will be his son, Howie. Should not be shocking. You would expect the same from, let’s say the Trumps or any other prominent, wealthy, family business. But it just so happens that Howie is a corn and soybean farmer, who likely does not own a three-piece suit nor has had any reason to step foot into Berkshire’s Omaha headquarters recently. However, Buffett made his choice clear, stating that:

…His son will serve as a “guardian” of the company’s “values” rather than a CEO. ‘You worry that somebody will be in charge of Berkshire that uses it as their own sandbox in some way,’ ‘That changes the way that decisions are made in reference to the shareholders. The odds of that happening are very, very, very low, but having Howie there adds just one extra layer of protection.’ ~ Excerpted from an article by Clare O’Conner (Forbes Magazine)

Howie is very happy tilling to his corn and soybeans, I assure you, so this is not about nepotism nor climbing the Corporate Ladder. What it is, however, is a strategic and genius decision Buffett has made to assure shareholders that his legacy of values and principles will not die with him.

Anyone can run a business, not everyone can run a business as intelligently, authentically and with the respect of its stakeholders in mind as much as Buffett has.

If only the values of authenticity, sound judgement, fairness, and the readiness to admit and be led by what one knows and does not know were more prevalent. We would all enjoy a measure of success closer to what Buffett has.

Wishing You Success,
Natalya

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2011 came in like a lion with a loud, thunderous roar, and I’ve spent the better part of 12 months trying to tame it back to the sweet silence of a sleeping Yorkie.

Although I would not have voluntarily signed on to learn any of them, I feel confident that the lessons learned from pain ARE the silver lining when life seems like one big black cloud. The lessons which came, albeit unvited but most welcomed, are noted below.

Everything is perfect. By training ourselves to see the perfection in our most difficult moments – a perspective often seen only in hindsight – we learn to trust life. ~ Cheryl Richardson

1. When someone, something, or some situation is simply not good enough to be part of your life’s purpose, God will swoop down with a pick-up truck and remove it. And just like you have no fight against a 3 ton truck, nor can you stand in the way of what is intended for your best life. While there may be a trail of dirt left behind, rest assured that beautiful flowers will bloom in that dirt again one day soon.




The next moment is as much beyond our grasp, and as much in God’s care, as that a hundred years away. Care for the next minute is as foolish as care for a day in the next thousand years. In neither can we do anything, in both, God is doing everything. ~ C. S. Lewis via White Feather Farm.

2. Living your truth and growing your strengths regardless of anyone else’s opinions gets easier the more you do it. Knowing what you stand for, what makes you the best you and not compromising either is the source of motivation and energy which will propel you forward each and every day.




If you have your back when taking a risk, you can pretty much try anything. Don’t terrorize yourself with criticism after doing something daring. Behave in a way that reinforces your commitment to be a cheerleader for your soul. Honor your gift. ~ Cheryl Richardson

3. There is no price tag that can be placed on integrity, honesty and compassion. You really only get one go-round in this life, so treat others with respect. Be strong enough to stand up for yourself without demolishing another. Ultimately you only belittle yourself and will be the loser for it.




It is not what we profess but what we practice that gives us integrity. ~ Sir Francis Bacon

4. Stress, turmoil and overextension take a toll. It may seem like you have the necessary strength (translate – adrenaline) to fight through, but there will come a time at the end of the tunnel when the lights go out and that adrenaline turns to fog. At that moment, when it’s dark and you have no energy left – accept the gift that is stepping back and replenishing your mind, body and soul. Don’t keep going. People will understand and can wait a while for that cup of coffee, phone call or trip. The gift of permission and self-care is the gift that keeps on giving.




You yourself, as much as anybody in the entire universe, deserve your love & affection. ~Buddha

5. Start that bucket list and don’t ever stop adding to it. However you define fun, excitement, adventure and peace will ultimately reveal themselves on that list and will become part of your life without your even trying very hard.




The question isn’t who is going to let me; it’s who’s going to stop me. ~Ayn Rand

6. Listen to the voice which has been prompting you to… It keeps whispering for a reason, though that reason may take a while to reveal itself.




There is a voice inside of you that whispers all day long, ‘I feel this is right for me, I know that this is wrong.’ No teacher, preacher, parent, friend or wise man can decide what’s right for you–just listen to the voice that speaks inside. ~ Shel Silverstein

7. Give Back. It’s so cliché, but everything you’ve heard is true! Find something you believe in ,whether or not anyone else agrees, and offer your time or strengths. You will certainly receive more than you can ever expect.




By being yourself, you put something wonderful in the world that was not there before. ~ Edwin Elliot

8. Look more closely at the people around you – there will be those who can contribute to your life and soul and others who deplete it. You may be lucky enough to shuffle your buckets of friends, colleagues or contacts and gain more of the former and lose the latter.




Don’t you dare, for one more second, surround yourself with people who are not aware of and can appreciate the greatness that you are. ~Jo Blackwell-Preston

So, if I am thankful for anything this year – it is for everything and everyone that cleared my path to self-discovery or stepped aside so I had the luxury of moving forward, taught me gratitude for the smallest things (as they add up to the big things), and learning to live more in the present .

And to one in particular – your leaving our lives closed a tiny hole of negativity which rippled down the stream eroding all it touched, and left in its wake a body of peace, happiness and strength the size of an ocean. So, thank YOU.

Wishing You Success,
Natalya