9-11-2001 | Never Forget

10 years ago I woke up at the U.S. Air Force Academy like any other day.  After marching to breakfast, I headed back to my room where I watched with horror the television coverage after the first plane hit the first tower.  As we all know, that was only the beginning of what was one of the darkest days in our Nation’s history.

It was an interesting place to be during that time – a lot of things changed instantly – just 9 months from graduation and now we were facing the reality that we would be commissioned into a military that was going to be at war.

Today, I took in some of the coverage, blog posts, and many twitter and Facebook status updates, but mostly I enjoyed the opening weekend of the NFL season.  I was resolved that I wouldn’t write a post today – that I wasn’t “close enough” to New York on that awful day, and that I wasn’t as personally impacted as many others were.

But then, I saw this video that aired today during the Eagles-Rams NFL game.  It was done by Spike Lee as a tribute to the New York Fire Department to help honor the victims and heroes of Sept. 11.  It’s pretty awesome, and the lyrics for this Jay-Z song, “Empire State of Mind”, are quite telling of the resiliency and resolve of New York City after that fateful day 10 years ago…  Never Forgotten, Forever Grateful.

Concrete jungle where dreams are made of,
There’s nothing you can’t do,
Now you’re in New York!
These streets will make you feel brand new,
The lights will inspire you,
Let’s hear it for New York, New York, New York.

9-11-2001, Never Forget is a post from: HR Think Tank

I haven’t blogged in 220 days, but I haven’t been idle either.  Far from it.  What has been going on you might ask?  For one, this happened!  (More on that later)

Here are 10 things I have been up to since this Word of Mouth Marketing post on January 8, 2011:

1. My first big project at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center went live.  It was a custom developed Time & Labor implementation and was a big win for BIDMC and SEI.
2. I transitioned from an HR Project Management Consulting role to the role of Test Manager on a large-scale, integrated Lab Information System for the hospital.  The transition from HR to the Clinical side has been as rewarding as it has been challenging.  And it has been very challenging.
3. I took a hiatus from blogging.  220 days.  I started to find myself staring at draft posts in WordPress, seemingly without words.  This lack of words was my mind telling me that I was lacking focus.  I don’t expect blogging to be easy, but I do expect to feel passionate about communicating a message, and if that isn’t there, I’m not going to fake it.
4. During that time, I began dreaming up a new concept for my ‘social landing page’ (Blog, resume, experience, non-profit advocacy work, and everything in between), called davisory.com.  It’s a play on what I do (Business and technology consulting – Advisory services), and my name.  Yeah I know, it’s not ingenious, but it let’s me have more range to talk beyond the boundaries of HR Technology.  I really enjoy HR, and I know I will work on many more HR projects, but I also know it’s not all I can do, nor is it all I will be doing, so www.hrthinktank.net is feeling very restrictive.
5. I fell off my bike.  My first real crash, going 20+ mph.  Spent a little time at the doctors, and a little more time recovering, but I got right back in the saddle.
6. I got married on July 4.  It was the best day of my life and we couldn’t be happier.  I’m excited for everything that life holds for us.  (To see the video, click the link, then look for July04 Andrea and Jason in the right column)
7. I went to Hawaii.  I sailed around the Napali coast in a 65-foot catamaran.  I watched the sun rise above the clouds and then biked down the Haleakala Crater on Maui.  I ate, drank, and laughed, and had an amazing honeymoon with my beautiful new wife.
8. I hit my 4 year anniversary at SEI-Boston, LLC.  SEI was recognized by the Cincinnati Enquirer as the #1 Best Workplace: Small Companies in their 2011 report.  We’re now 30 consultants strong in Boston, up from 5 when I started four years ago.  It’s a great company, and we’re hiring.
9. I rode in my 3′rd Pan-Mass Challenge, only this time I rode from the New York border.  3 days, 300 miles, all in the spirit of fighting cancer and pedaling for a cure.  Like my previous two PMCs, it was an amazing experience, and I couldn’t be prouder to be involved.  Want to help the cause?  I sure could use your help and would love you as part of our community.
10. I sat on my couch, for 3 hours, and thought about all of the big things I did in the past 220 Days.  I reflected on a busy 7 months.  I’m excited about the next 7.

Thanks for reading.  Hope you are all doing well.

-Jason

220 Days. is a post from: HR Think Tank

A few weeks ago, I tried a great new spot in Boston’s Fenway neighborhood – The Citizen Public House and Oyster Bar.  And then I went back…

It’s a great spot for after work – excellent bartending staff, a great selection of beers, a better selection of whiskeys, and wine on tap.  (Yes I said it, wine on tap).  I haven’t tried the food, but that looks delicious too and I am sure I will be back to give the menu a shot.

I’m pretty loyal to my usual spots, and around Fenway that means the Cask N’ Flagon, The Baseball Tavern, and Remy’s.  But someone was raving about the Citizen Public House, so I gave it a shot.

Business is like that too.  Companies have their ‘usual spots’, but they come in the form of vendors and products.  You don’t just get on that list because you open up shop.  You get on their list by delivering in a way that makes people that your clients already trust rave about your company.

The trust component is critical here.  Ads in the Improper Bostonian do very little to close the trust gap enough to get a client to choose you over an incumbent provider.  Your focus should be on creating relationships, not selling, and anything less than an intense focus on exceeding expectations for clients you are working for (or selling your product to) is a huge mistake, because they are your best brand advocates.

Check out the Citizen Public House on Twitter and Facebook.

(Disclaimer that I shoudn’t even write but feel obligated to: The Citizen Public House did not compensate me for this post.  In fact, they have no idea who I am.  If, by chance, they offer me a free beer though, I will take it, and I will not share it with you)

Word of Mouth Marketing is a post from: HR Think Tank

Project Management and Project Portfolio Management is a post from: HR Think Tank

Today’s post is an excerpt from the article HIRE POWER, published in PM Network on July 1, 2010, and authored by Jenn Danko, a writer based in Chicago, Illinois.  The excerpt below was featured in a sidebar entitled A Virtual Foot In the Door.

It’s not all about after-work cocktail hours and lunchtime panel discussions anymore. Project managers looking for career opportunities should also consider heading online to do some networking, says Lucian Tarnowski, BraveNewTalent Ltd., London, England.

“Don’t think of networking as just face-to-face interaction. Your online brand is just as important – if not even more,” he says. “Specific to project management, people skills are important, and being able to communicate that over social media is huge. If you can’t have a one-on-one relationship with a person, the next best thing you can have is a connection through social media- and who knows which of those connections will end up with a job?”

Online networking can be a great resource for information about company projects and potential career leads, too, says Miles Jennings, ProjectManagers.net. Hartford, Connecticut, USA. He knows a thing or two about the subject, having started the Project Manager Networking Group on Linked In. Sometimes who you know can help you with what you know. “Social media is a quick path to network in the profession and learn from experts in the field,” Mr. Jennings says. “Use social media to drive real-world connections.”

Beyond establishing initial contact, you can use social media sites to set up in-person meetings when appropriate. Don’t be shy, either- interact with colleagues on message boards and forums.

“If you are passionate about something and want to be a leader in your field, leading debates is important,” Mr. Tarnowski says. “There’s a big opportunity online to do so.”

And although it seems everyone is atwitter over Twitter, blogging, can be another powerful way to showcase skills and build relationships, advises Jason Davis, Systems Evolution Inc., Boston, Massachusetts.

“Yes, you have to go out and get solid project experience, but the blogging community is allowing people to interact about their experiences.” he says. “It’s allowing people to get involved with other project managers they wouldn’t normally have been able to connect with.”

It can also help those just starting out to gain some credibility.

“Young project management talent can not only get a presence that way but can also build their résumé, and ultimately, their careers,” Mr. Davis says.

The main article was about social recruiting and how companies are using this as a tool to recruit good project managers.

I was quoted as emphasizing the power of community on Twitter – “Primarily, I see the Twitter space as a place to build community within the profession and keep a pulse on the conversation,” says Jason Davis, Principal Consultant at Systems Evolution Inc., a project and technology management consulting firm in Boston, Massachusetts.

6 months later, I still couldn’t agree more.

A Virtual Foot In The Door is a post from: HR Think Tank

Happy Thanksgiving everyone.  I hope you have a great day full of family, friends, football, and food.  It’s been a great year and we have a lot to be thankful for.

That is my Dad and my awesome nephew Cayden.  Dad’s shirt says “This is what a cool dad looks like”.  I would have to agree.  If you have ever met him you would agree too.  Given it’s Thanksgiving, and also that it was my father’s birthday in November I thought, hey, I should do a lessons from Dad post.  Boom. Done.  This Thanksgiving, I’m thankful for these awesome lessons from my dad.

1. Sleep when you are dead.

My Dad owns this phrase.  A lot of my friends immediately say this when my Dad comes up in conversation.  He would say it whenever he wanted us to go on some crazy trip last minute.  My favorite was in the Summer of 1999.  I was on my summer break from the US Air Force Academy and hanging out in the backyard with friends.  Dad came out and said “I am leaving for Woodstock in 15 minutes, who is coming with me?”  About ten college kids standing around and only two takers.  We drove to Rome, NY and had a great time at Woodstock 99 – Rusted Root, Jewel, Our Lady Peace, Chili Peppers.  Loads of great bands and good times on less than an hour notice.  Lessons here are endless – Be spontaneous.  Life your life.  Have fun.  Don’t wait until tomorrow to do something you could do today.

2. Show Up; 2a. Do what you said you would do

Half of the battle is showing up.  Commit to attending an event and thinking about blowing it off?  Don’t.  Have a little too much fun and thinking about calling in sick?  Don’t.  My dad taught me that it was important to be reliable.  If you say you are going to do something – Do it.  This is obviously important in both your personal and your professional life.  If you consistently show up and do what you commit to… if you are reliable… you put yourself in the position to be a go-to friend, or the go-to resource in the workplace, and that is gold.  So show up.  And Do what you said you would do.  Every time.

3. Behind every great project manager is at least one exceptional technical resource who they have not pissed off yet.

My Dad is a problem solver.  He’s a technologist at heart that fixes tough technical problems.  I am a project manager slash business development type.  I know enough to know when there is a problem, but I usually have to convince someone else to fix it (hey, that is harder than it sounds!).  Dad ribs me quite a bit on this point -  “I want to DO the work”.  “I fix things.  You just plan things.”  While  knowing your role, learning the art of escalation, and managing scope are all important, I learned perhaps the number one rule of thumb for any successful PM from my father before I was even a PM: Behind every great project manager (or business sponsor for that matter), is at least one exceptional technology resource who they have not pissed off yet.  Take it to the bank.  You lose your tech team, you’re done.

This list could be way longer, like be nice to your mom (and make sure everyone else is too).  I also know by now that he brought me into this world, and that he can take me out of it, and that even though he taught me everything I know, he didn’t teach me everything he knows.  I’m looking forward to learning the rest of it, because I have a Dad that I like to hang out with. 

Happy Thanksgiving!

This Thanksgiving, I’m Thankful For… Lessons From Dad is a post from: HR Think Tank

I recently came across a Project Management article by Anna Possek on Dice.com.  In her article, she describes project management in a unique way.   Here is Anna’s take on what qualities are required to be a project manager:

The project manager must be:

* a diplomat to deal with conflicts between different stakeholders
* a psychologist to keep morale of the team high
* a merchant in negotiations
* an engineer to verify designs and quality
* a passionate leader to keep everybody focused
* a scapegoat if this will calm down unnecessary blaming

The most important quality for a project manager is verbal and written communication skills…

Have you ever heard that before on HR Think Tank?  Of course… Communication Style Bias. Managing Scope: It’s Really About Trust, Communication, and Delivery. No shortage of communications articles here.

What’s missing though?  Here’s something that should be a part of every project management job description – Great project managers should be able to excel and move forward in an orderly and purposeful manner in situations of uncertainty.  You need to be able to chart a course.  Tolerate ambiguity.  Make decisions.

IT Project Manager: A Fraud, Hero or Scapegoat is a post from: HR Think Tank

Ahhhh, so true.  So true.  Well played Scott Adams.

Dilbert: Beth the New Marketing Manager for Social Media is a post from: HR Think Tank

In August, I was pumped to be starting on a challenging project at a new client.  I had met the team, and was content with the fact that I was faced with a few long days of ramp up.  I had all of the documents laid out on my desk and only one thing was missing – my standard afternoon Diet Coke.  So I strolled into the break room, and BAM.  It hit me.  There it was, like a shining beacon of despair.  The PEPSI machine.

I think Coke takes better, and I’m not alone.  Yet Pepsi and Coke alike have blasted us with their blind taste test campaigns to try to turn their non-believers.  I’m not buying it.  What I am buying, is the notion of Brand Imagery, supported scientifically, that when study participants are aware of the brand before they drink, three quarters of the participants chose Coke over Pepsi.

American Cancer Society VP Andy Goldsmith gives you more detail in his article Coke vs. Pepsi: The Taste Test They Don’t Want You to Know About. Goldmith highlights studies that suggest that there is such a thing as Brand Imagery:

The brain studies suggest that Coke’s iconic brand and arguably stronger cultural connection may in fact make a difference in preference. And that preference is linked not just to taste (hello, ventrolateral prefrontal cortex) but also memory-related brain regions that are related to cultural influences.

At the most basic level, this means that your company, and your product, are not evaluated on quality alone.  It means that your sales process has to appeal to both rationally and emotionally to your target customers.   This example focuses on the Coke vs. Pepsi debate, but the phenomenon certainly transcends consumer goods.  Technology vendors and consulting firms need to be aware that there is an emotional response to their brand that affects their ability to penetrate new accounts and grow their business.

You may be a handshake company that doesn’t need marketing or fancy brand strategists.  I won’t disagree… that type of overhead isn’t a fit for all organizations.  But there is no denying that there are no companies that are isolated from science and human psychology.  If your sales are lacking or you are having trouble convincing new clients to invest in your product or services, your lack of focus on brand positioning may pose an improvement opportunity for your company.

Now can someone get me a Coke please?  This Pepsi vending machine has got to go…

Coke vs. Pepsi: Brand Image is a post from: HR Think Tank

I think that communication and relationship management is THE NUMBER 1 driver of project success.  Hands down.  Scan the tags in my blog, and come across posts like Four Types of People: Know Your Audience and Managing Scope: It’s Really About Trust, Communication, and Delivery.  I saw a quote and it reminded me just how important it is not to lose sight of barriers to communication in the workplace.

What you say may not be what the other person hears.  What you hear may not be what the other person means.

Communication.  Trust.  Important concepts in business and project management.  But I can’t emphasize how important it is to consider your audience and to tailor your delivery to prevent communication style bias from harpooning your project’s progress.  This approach, dubbed style flexing, is a common practice with successful sales professionals who are skilled at modifying their approach to communicate on their customer’s communication style level.  Improve in this area, and see instant results.  You can bet on it.

Communication Style Bias is a post from: HR Think Tank