DAVID: Ruth, I think we should buy the ABC software to track trouble tickets and issues. RUTH: There is no budget for that. DAVID: But it takes me days to put together the information you want about the state of the product. And without an automated collection mechanism, I think many problems aren't being reported. RUTH: Provide the best … [Read more...]
Segment Your Audience
Tips for managers who speak to large audiences about change. 1. Know your audience The members of your audience aren't like you. They don't think like you. They don't act like you. They are a mix of people who have different roles. They like to know that you are aware of them and their role so amplify your message by speaking directly to … [Read more...]
The Art of the Discovery Interview
"What?" raced through Janet's head as she read the email. "Now that's a surprise." The message was from Jack Johnson, vice president of development. It said she would receive a meeting request from Rajan Alak, an outside consultant, to interview her about the problems with the new system. The message went on to say the company had made a … [Read more...]
The Recipe for an Effective Proposal
Does management reject your ideas? A typical cause for rejection is a failure to frame the idea effectively. Frame your idea effectively and it becomes a proposal, which will demand consideration by management. What is the recipe and key ingredients for an effective proposal? The key ingredients are X (the idea), Y (the benefits), and Z (the … [Read more...]
Saying No
One week before the application you have been working on is to be delivered, your client asks you to make a small change to a drop down menu. He knows there isn't time to process the change through change management so he asks you to bypass it. You try to reason with him that a last minute change is a bad idea. But he insists the change is … [Read more...]