tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2667403039241530113Sun, 18 Oct 2026 21:51:24 +0000Managing yourselfManaging PeopleStrategyMotivating EmployeesLeadershipManaging your careerTeam BuildingCommunicationInfluencingProductivityBrandingManaging PerformanceSix SigmaContinuous ImprovementProblem SolvingHiringNetworkingTime ManagementGoal settingAnalyticsCustomer SatisfactionEffective MeetingsJob HuntingLeanManaging ChangeThinkingProject ManagementInnovationMetricsFailingIntegrityQualityCurrent EventsHealthBig DataEntrepreneurNegotiationPersonal financeSafetyStartUpChange ManagementConflict MgmtConsultingEconomicsGovernanceHealthcareInfo SecurityJob InterviewService OperationsSteve JobsRaf Sanga’s notes on project management, technology-enabled change, Lean Six Sigma, process improvement, analytics, and building practical systems that help teams deliver measurable results.http://www.rafsanga.com/noreply@blogger.com (RS)Blogger162125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2667403039241530113.post-2263163596885021572Sun, 18 Oct 2026 20:58:00 +00002026-10-19T08:51:24.806+11:00AnalyticsBig Data Stop Rebuilding the Same Excel Report: Use Power Query Once, Then Refresh The monthly report is due again. You download four files, copy rows into a master workbook, fix the date formats, remove blank lines, repair a formula and update the PivotTable. You have done it before, but the work still depends on remembering the same sequence. This is exactly the sort of task Power Query is designed to http://www.rafsanga.com/2026/10/stop-rebuilding-same-excel-report-use.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (RS)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2667403039241530113.post-91286115258548084Sun, 11 Oct 2026 20:00:00 +00002026-10-12T07:00:00.173+11:00 Turn a review conversation into a few owned, testable improvements. A project milestone finishes, the team takes a breath, and someone says, “We should capture the lessons.” A document is opened. People add a few polite comments. The file is saved, and the next project repeats the same delays, unclear hand-offs and avoidable rework. The problem is not that teams fail to collect lessons. Ithttp://www.rafsanga.com/2026/10/turn-lessons-learned-into-workplace-improvements.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (RS)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2667403039241530113.post-800127223155995142Sun, 04 Oct 2026 20:00:00 +00002026-10-05T07:00:00.113+11:00 Before announcing a change, map how the work will differ for each role. A polished all-staff email is not a change plan. Before you announce a new system, process or policy, ask a more practical question: who will have to work differently on Monday morning? A project can be approved, a system can be nearly ready and a training session can be booked, while the people doing the work still do nothttp://www.rafsanga.com/2026/10/change-impact-map-who-works-differently.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (RS)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2667403039241530113.post-6589590687230129442Sun, 27 Sep 2026 21:00:00 +00002026-09-28T07:00:00.178+10:00Change ManagementContinuous ImprovementGovernanceProject ManagementService Operations Check operational readiness before the project team hands over the service. A project can look finished on paper and still be unready for real life. Testing is complete, the launch date is booked and communications are drafted. Then someone asks: Who handles the first support request on Monday morning? The room goes quiet. That question exposes the gap between delivery readiness and http://www.rafsanga.com/2026/09/blog-post_27.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (RS)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2667403039241530113.post-8698155468125633659Sun, 13 Sep 2026 21:09:19 +00002026-09-14T07:09:19.515+10:00 A small, controlled pilot makes the benefits and limits of workplace AI visible before a broader rollout. Someone demonstrates an AI tool in a meeting. The output looks impressive. Within days, people are using it for different tasks, with different data, in different ways. Nobody is quite sure what is approved, what should be checked, or whether the tool is actually saving time. At the http://www.rafsanga.com/2026/09/blog-post.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (RS)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2667403039241530113.post-3970250311431531506Sun, 06 Sep 2026 21:00:00 +00002026-09-07T07:00:00.188+10:00 A short pre-mortem turns quiet launch concerns into owned controls before fixes become expensive. The plan is approved. The launch date is in the calendar. Everyone is busy closing actions. Yet a few people have a quiet concern: training may not reach night-shift staff, the support team may not be ready, or the new process may create extra work at the worst possible time. Those concerns http://www.rafsanga.com/2026/09/project-pre-mortem-before-launch.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (RS)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2667403039241530113.post-3380980885383496955Sun, 30 Aug 2026 21:00:00 +00002026-08-31T07:00:00.116+10:00 A lightweight decision log preserves the outcome, reason, owner and review trigger so teams can move forward without repeating the same discussion. You leave a meeting with a clear decision. Two weeks later, the same topic appears again in another meeting. Someone missed the context. Someone else remembers a different version. A new stakeholder asks why the option was rejected. Suddenly http://www.rafsanga.com/2026/08/blog-post_30.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (RS)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2667403039241530113.post-8817912038863831322Sun, 23 Aug 2026 21:00:00 +00002026-08-24T07:00:00.203+10:00 A simple intake system makes workplace trade-offs visible before every request becomes urgent. A team has twelve active projects, a full improvement backlog and several deadlines already at risk. Then another request arrives marked “urgent”. It sounds important. A senior stakeholder is asking. The email mentions a meeting next week. Nobody wants to appear unhelpful, so the team starts http://www.rafsanga.com/2026/08/blog-post_23.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (RS)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2667403039241530113.post-3354175694901954088Sun, 16 Aug 2026 21:00:00 +00002026-08-17T07:00:00.219+10:00 Before selecting automation, make the real workflow visible enough for the team to improve it. A team is frustrated by a slow approval process. Emails are missed, documents are returned for correction and nobody can say exactly where requests are sitting. The proposed solution arrives quickly: buy a workflow tool, build an automated form or add AI. That may help. But there is a catch. http://www.rafsanga.com/2026/08/blog-post.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (RS)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2667403039241530113.post-6560866971475233505Sun, 09 Aug 2026 21:00:00 +00002026-08-10T07:00:00.219+10:00 AI can help structure messy updates, but the final status report still needs evidence, judgement and human approval. A project can have plenty of updates and still leave leaders unsure about what is happening. One person reports that testing is “nearly complete”. Another says a dependency is “being worked through”. The project plan shows a milestone in two weeks, while the meeting notes http://www.rafsanga.com/2026/08/blog-post_09.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (RS)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2667403039241530113.post-385729548169861452Mon, 03 Aug 2026 21:00:00 +00002026-08-04T07:00:00.194+10:00 A simple project-brief structure can make workplace AI outputs clearer, safer and easier to review. You open an AI tool between meetings and type something like, “Summarise this,” “Write a project plan,” or “Help me improve this process.” The answer arrives quickly. It sounds polished. It may even be useful. But it is also a bit too broad, a bit too confident, and not quite grounded in http://www.rafsanga.com/2026/08/use-ai-like-a-project-brief.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (RS)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2667403039241530113.post-2931736529106472778Wed, 25 Mar 2015 20:00:00 +00002015-03-26T07:00:01.373+11:00EntrepreneurManaging PeopleStartUpTeam Building This post originally appeared in Inc. Buzzing about which new startups will prosper and which will flop is a favorite pastime in Silicon Valley. But a new company's prospects aren't based on just what the company creates, says Stanford professor Lindred Greer. They're also based on the people creating it and, more important, how they treat one another.  "Startup success is as http://www.rafsanga.com/2015/03/7-ways-to-build-focused-team.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (RS)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2667403039241530113.post-2836698800644853986Mon, 23 Mar 2015 20:00:00 +00002015-03-24T07:00:00.076+11:00EntrepreneurStartUp This post originally appeared in Inc. The pursuit of an entrepreneurial venture feels a lot like jumping off a high cliff into deep water. It's scary at first and there's no going back once you leap, but after you muster up the courage, it is one of life's most exhilarating experiences. Before you hastily rush into a triple backflip dive, it is best to do some homework and preparehttp://www.rafsanga.com/2015/03/3-questions-to-ask-yourself-before.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (RS)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2667403039241530113.post-4940367071396065577Wed, 18 Mar 2015 20:00:00 +00002026-08-03T22:44:42.003+10:00ConsultingManaging PerformanceManaging your careerProject Management View image | gettyimages.com This post originally appeared in HBR. We all have limited time, and despite our best efforts at triage, email and meetings will probably always remain low-grade annoyances. But if you want to dramatically enhance your productivity, it pays to zero in on the biggest source of stress and wasted time: problematic clients. Some entrepreneurs and http://www.rafsanga.com/2015/03/a-consultants-guide-to-firing-client.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (RS)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2667403039241530113.post-8507379421304724935Mon, 16 Mar 2015 20:00:00 +00002026-08-03T22:48:48.425+10:00BrandingThinking View image | gettyimages.com This article originally appeared in Inc.com If you spend even 10 minutes watching the talking heads on cable, or reading the op-eds on Sunday in your favorite paper, you realize those well-dressed people on television and commentators in the newspaper go to incredible length to try to "prove" every argument made before theirs was wrong. That's justhttp://www.rafsanga.com/2015/03/how-to-think-differently.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (RS)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2667403039241530113.post-6079975193869535765Wed, 11 Mar 2015 20:00:00 +00002015-03-12T07:00:00.796+11:00LeanManaging yourselfTime Management This post originally appeared in HBR "It’s just not fair. There’s always too much to do. Everyone just keeps piling more work on me. I feel so helpless." Sound familiar? If so, you’re not alone. Many people feel like they have a crushing number of requests coming at them from every side that make them a victim to their circumstances. They see forces outside themselves as the reason that http://www.rafsanga.com/2015/03/stop-playing-victim-with-your-time.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (RS)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2667403039241530113.post-936281708985476992Tue, 10 Mar 2015 08:32:00 +00002015-03-10T19:32:55.859+11:00Job HuntingJob Interview Good read from a Lifehacker article. When you're preparing for an interview, there are a few questions that you absolutely must know how to answer (like "tell me about yourself") because they're common and will guide most of the interview. But "why this company?" might be the trickiest, because it's not about you. This post originally appeared on The Muse. So, how do you http://www.rafsanga.com/2015/03/how-to-answer-why-do-you-want-to-work.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (RS)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2667403039241530113.post-6312035969265459645Thu, 15 Jan 2015 22:00:00 +00002015-01-16T09:00:01.033+11:00Managing yourselfProductivityTime Management If you’re working in the kitchen of Anthony Bourdain, legendary chef of Brasserie Les Halles, best-selling author, and famed television personality, you don’t dare so much as boil hot water without attending to a ritual that’s essential for any self-respecting chef: mise-en-place. The “Meez,” as professionals call it, translates into “everything in its place.” In practice, it involveshttp://www.rafsanga.com/2015/01/how-to-spend-first-10-minutes-of-your.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (RS)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2667403039241530113.post-764346901783996277Tue, 13 Jan 2015 20:00:00 +00002015-01-14T07:00:01.239+11:00Managing PeopleManaging your career George is the most talented, productive executive Roy ever had to fire. George had pulled off a string of celebrated victories and won a reputation as a strong performer. Having been hired to lead his hospital’s compliance program as regulations grew increasingly complex, he had put the policies and procedures into order, achieving a goal that had eluded the organization for years. Roy http://www.rafsanga.com/2015/01/knowing-when-to-fire-someone.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (RS)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2667403039241530113.post-4081525856267778836Sun, 11 Jan 2015 20:00:00 +00002015-01-12T07:00:00.335+11:00CommunicationManaging your careerNetworking If it’s true that many people fear public speaking more than death, it’s equally true that businesspeople are condemned to a thousand small deaths in client pitches, in boardrooms, and on stage. And that death can turn slow and torturous when you are asked to speak unexpectedly with little or no time to prepare. One of the key demands of business is the ability to speak http://www.rafsanga.com/2015/01/5-tips-for-off-cuff-speaking.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (RS)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2667403039241530113.post-6418860548567024934Thu, 08 Jan 2015 20:00:00 +00002015-01-09T07:00:00.040+11:00Problem SolvingProject Management Nearly every software development project starts with one question: How much is this going to cost? Perhaps it’s a stakeholder who asks the question: a CEO, Board member, VC, or boss.  Maybe it’s been asked another way — How long will this take? How many stories can we get into this next sprint? How many people do we need to hire to get this done? How much money do I we need to raise? http://www.rafsanga.com/2015/01/your-agile-project-needs-budget-not.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (RS)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2667403039241530113.post-2018030523066515368Tue, 06 Jan 2015 20:00:00 +00002015-01-07T07:00:00.974+11:00Healthcare As healthcare is moving toward greater consumerization, devices used for diagnostics are keeping pace and becoming leaner, meaner and even cheaper. Radiology, the “darkroom” of the healthcare world, is now coming into the light and directly into patients’ hands… so as to speak. New-age diagnostic devices are changing the way we have conventionally diagnosed and understood diseases, and are nohttp://www.rafsanga.com/2015/01/could-plug-and-play-be-future-of.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (RS)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2667403039241530113.post-9213436202584553575Sun, 04 Jan 2015 20:00:00 +00002015-01-05T07:00:00.954+11:00InfluencingManaging ChangeManaging PeopleTeam Building Many of us find ourselves in professional situations where we believe someone has wronged us, treated us badly, or just plain made us mad. The expert advice often is to have the courage to have an honest conversation, air the grievance. No one can help you solve a problem if she doesn’t know you have it. But that’s easier said than done, right? It helps to have guiding principles to call onhttp://www.rafsanga.com/2015/01/how-to-handle-3-types-of-difficult.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (RS)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2667403039241530113.post-313572432717605269Thu, 01 Jan 2015 20:00:00 +00002015-01-02T07:00:03.686+11:00BrandingManaging your career Ah, the elevator pitch. A favorite tool of the networking masses. A rite of passage of sorts. You’ve heard the scenario: you step into an elevator and go up one floor. The elevator doors open and in walks the client of your dreams. They start some small talk and ask, “What do you do?” and you’ve got the rest of the elevator ride to respond. How do you answer that in 20 seconds in such a wayhttp://www.rafsanga.com/2015/01/your-elevator-pitch-needs-elevator-pitch.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (RS)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2667403039241530113.post-5403602634552346996Wed, 31 Dec 2014 01:50:00 +00002014-12-31T12:50:41.449+11:00Continuous ImprovementCurrent EventsEconomicsProductivity The rise of the on-demand economy poses difficult questions for workers, companies and politicians. IN THE early 20th century Henry Ford combined moving assembly lines with mass labour to make building cars much cheaper and quicker—thus turning the automobile from a rich man’s toy into transport for the masses. Today a growing group of entrepreneurs is striving to do the same to http://www.rafsanga.com/2014/12/workers-on-tap-on-demand-economy.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (RS)0