by Magesh Tarala on January 30, 2011
The Origin of Leaders #5: Habits. Routine sets you Free!
by Conor Neill, Jan 24, 2011
Aristotle says “we are what we habitually do”. Who I am and become is directly related to my daily habits! For instance, you are not a smoker if you smoke 1 cigarette. You are not a smoker if you smoke 2 cigarettes. You become a smoker at some point where it becomes a daily thing! As the routine is repeated more and more regularly it takes less and less effort or self-discipline to begin and complete the routine. more…
Project Reality Check #6: Shall we Dance? Managing Change Orders
by Gary Monti, Jan 25, 2011
Over the years, PMI® has shown in the Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge® more and more acceptance of the need to address change as the project progresses. Why? Stakeholders rarely understand everything needed to address their needs. Regardless of the level of detail and planning brought to a situation there always is some variance in performance present. This is where change orders come into play and why they are so important. But remember, it is dangerous to believe enough change orders will compensate for vague contracting, lack of planning, and little or no discipline. more…
Social Media and Tribes #27: Gen Y changes TV viewing experience
by Deepika Bajaj, Jan 26, 2011
Gen Y watches over 3 hours of TV a day, but it’s not a couch potato experience. They’ve turned TV viewing itself into social media. If you see them watching TV, do not assume that that is ALL they are doing. Check how they are texting, commenting and tweeting. They don’t just watch a movie, they are sharing, collaborating, distributing and connecting. more…
Flexible Focus #38: Flexibility without Forcing
by William Reed, Jan 27, 2011
When your body is stiff, then physical stretching can feel more like pain than gain. A similar thing happens mentally when your values or beliefs are forcibly stretched beyond their limits. The key to expanding your comfort zone is to have more degrees of freedom. When you have more degrees of freedom in your mind and movements, then you experience flexible focus in action! more…
Leader driven Harmony #9: Don’t Be a Baby Bird (PartI)
by Mack McKinney, Jan 28, 2011
As the parent bird swoops in, the baby birds open their beaks and the parent plops a juicy worm or insect right into junior’s gaping mouth. The baby just sits and eats. The parent does all the work. Are you one of those?. more…
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by Magesh Tarala on January 23, 2011
Still busy? – Even with all the productivity enhancing gadgets
by Vijay Peduru, Jan 17, 2011
A recent article in NYT talked about how kids are wired for distraction by always being online . Every Gadget they use is connected to the internet and the kids are always distracted. It is not just the kids even we grown-ups do this. Each one of us wants distractions and these tools are just another avenue for our distractions. We want distractions because we want to escape from things which are bothering us. Choose to face the problem and use the time previously used for distractions for more enjoyable tasks. more…
Free eBook: Freedom, money, time and the key to Creative Success
by Himanshu Jhamb, Jan 18, 2011
In Mark McGuinness’ own words: Creative people are those who work hard, but because they love what they do, it doesn’t feel like work. Your key to success doesn’t cost a dime… Get your FREE copy of Freedom, Money, Time and the Key to Creative Success by clicking here OR by going directly to the download page. It’s a light read – 34 pages in all. And it’s full of practical advice you can apply to your own situation. more…
Project Reality Check #5: The Devil is in the Details
by Gary Monti, Jan 19, 2011
Expected Monetary Value (EMV) connects the customer with the team. This tool is very powerful. At the core, an EMV calculation comprises probability times impact to get a weighted number. The EMV model is a great way to connect with stakeholders and work rationally while keeping relationships intact. more…
Flexible Focus #37: Navigate with Nanba!
by William Reed, Jan 20, 2011
Earlier in this series in an article called Mobile Mandala, we introduced an exciting new iPad Application called theMandalaChart for iPad, which is available in the iTunes Store. We are proud to announce the first of these templates, a set of 30 Mandala Charts for the iPad application called the Nanba Diary. These pages explain how the MandalaChart and Nanba Diary work for you. more…
Leader driven Harmony #8: Get a FIRE going in Your Belly!
by Mack McKinney, Jan 21, 2011
Let’s pretend you have a major, life-threatening disease and are seeking treatment. Do you want to be treated by a physician, physician’s assistant or nurse who just kinda likes their job? Who just muddles through the day? Who is about as good at the job as most other physicians? OF COURSE NOT! Same applies to you if you are providing some service or product to someone. In this article Mack tells you how do you get to be the best and how you can rise past the others in your field and become the “go-to” person?. more…
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by Magesh Tarala on January 16, 2011
Project Leadership #4: Trust is bidirectional
by Himanshu Jhamb, Jan 10, 2011
Trust is a key ingredient for a project’s success. Establishing bidirectional trust with the stakeholders – Client, Management and Team, lowers the cost of transaction and improves the quality of your projects. This happens only if you care for the stakeholders – all of them. Project that operate in this mode will flow smoothly and be phenomenally more successful! more…
Project Reality Check #4: Know the Business, Gain Power
by Gary Monti, Jan 11, 2011
Project managers (PMs) have to deliver; yet power to get the job done can be elusive. But PMs can take care of themselves and the team knowing they are lower on the food chain and get some power. How? By understanding and communicating in the language used by those with more strategic positions and power. This language also needs to provide a portal through which the PMs can express project concerns. The language is risk management. more…
Social Media and Tribes #26: Social Media in 2011. Are you still in the GAME?
by Deepika Bajaj, Jan 12, 2011
By the end of 2010 the concept of social media became part of our lives because there was a need for an “Online Conversation” – to talk, listen and engage with your influencers. “SO WHAT? WHAT NEXT?”. You may have just scratched the surface of social media…new challenges and new opportunities are in the horizon. The bars are being raised and the learning curve is steep….What matters is Are You Fatigued or Are you Adapting? more…
Flexible Focus #36: Charting New Territory
by William Reed, January 13, 2011
It is time again to look back and gain some perspective on where we have been in the last eight weeks. Revisiting these articles will help you re-explore the territories where we have been, and see also how they fit together. And also reflects the amazing range of topics possible to address with the Mandala Chart. more…
Leader driven Harmony #7: Failure is required (Part II)
by Mack Mckinney, Jan 14, 2011
In the previous post Mack discussed the danger of not experiencing enough failure in life and how well-meaning people who shelter us from failure can rob us of the mental toughness that we need to get through life. Now a days, people who have tried and failed are much more attractive to most employers than people who have led sheltered lives, protected from failure, with teachers and parents hovering over them and protecting their increasingly brittle self-images. So, push yourself hard enough that you sometimes screw-up. more…
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by Magesh Tarala on January 9, 2011
ROI for Business Intelligence
by Matthew Carmen, Jan 3, 2011
There are many other direct and indirect efficiencies and benefits that can be realized through the proper planning and implementation of BI tools and systems. The more end-user groups that participate in the planning of a company’s BI system, the easier it becomes to change the ultimate corporate culture. Once the buy-in from the users is attained, the real savings begin, and a platform to accelerate corporate growth now exists. more…
Project Reality Check #3: Hangman – The Triple Constraint
by Gary Monti, Jan 4, 2011
Project management has a lot in common with the game “Hangman” in that the project manager is expected to figure out what the stakeholder(s) in control want without them telling the PM directly. But project managers also have to ensure sufficient time and money are left to implement the scope. This is the triple constraint. more…
Keys to a successful Strategic Planning Process
by Steve Popell, Jan 5, 2011
Marrying the Vision and Mission statements is essential, because it helps to get across to your employees how truly important each of their jobs is in the grand scheme of things. You want your employees to make the connection between them. If your strategic planning group crafts meaningful Vision and Mission statements, you will create an environment in which this kind of connection will be a small step, not a leap. more…
Flexible Focus #35: Move less, Attract more
by William Reed, Jan 6, 2011
The abundance mentality is a shift in mindset, a broader and more generous view. It is also the realization that you are not stuck with what you start with. Regular practice with the Mandala Chart gives you the ability to take any idea and quickly multiply it by eight to generate new ideas, applications, perspectives, or connections. more…
Leader driven Harmony #6 : Failure is required (Part I)
by Mack McKinney, Jan 7, 2011
It is important that you fail in order to succeed. When learning a new skill, you have to be allowed to fail. If not, you will not be prepared to face situations in real life and you may panic in those situations. more…
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by Magesh Tarala on January 2, 2011
Harnessing the power of your Workforce with Goal Alignment
by Sean Conrad, Dec 27, 2010
Is your entire workforce committed and pulling in the same direction? Traditional method of setting up top down cascading goals takes along time to setup and could also cause divided loyalties between groups. Organizational goal alignment is a methodology where every employee sets their individual goals in collaboration with their manager, and directly links each of their goals to one of the organization’s high-level goals. more…
Project Reality Check #2: Being a Rainmaker
by Gary Monti, Dec 28, 2010
“Rainmaker” is a title that fits with a lot of project managers. It sets the bar high requiring a great deal of skill and political savvy to bring about the deliverable as if almost by magic. The reality is quite different. What makes a project manager a rainmaker is the ability to achieve integration between the nine areas of project management. It is reflected in commitments within the stakeholder community. more…
Flexible Focus #34: Projecting your Future
by William Reed, Dec 30, 2010
The problem with setting goals, deadlines, or landmarks is they cause tunnel vision that makes us lose sight of the whole and the why. Frameworks such as the Mandala Chart and Goalscape provide an alternative view that is both innovative and ancient, timely and timeless. more…
Leader driven Harmony #5: How to make your writing Crisp, Flavorful and Satisfying (Part III)
by Mack Mckinney, Dec 31, 2010
In this series Mack has discussed Purpose, Audience, Contentand Style and how each works with the others to determine the utility and readability of any document you write. This post closes this series with a discussion of writing “Mechanics” in the form of a simple list of annoyances readers complain about most often. more…
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by Magesh Tarala on December 26, 2010
Reaching Corporate goals using Business Intelligence
by Matthew Carmen, Dec 20, 2010
Noble intentions expressed in a company’s mission statement do not provide an actionable corporate strategy. But this strategy is rarely known by the “workers” who are the majority of the workforce and the operational part of the company. Business Intelligence (BI) is key to successfully aligning corporate operations with its strategy in order to achieve its goals and mission. But what exactly is BI? more…
Project Reality Check #1: The Challenge!
by Gary Monti, Dec 21, 2010
No matter which part of the world you are in, project management is always challenging or you can even say nightmarish. And the reasons for this are the same: Lack of clear requirements, Arbitrary dates / budget, inadequate resources / skill, etc. So how does a project manager get the job done? Answer is, by sticking to the simple path grounded in the 9 areas of project management. But the secret lies in completing a simple sentence that will be explored in this series: If everything were okay I would see ________________. more…
Social Media and Tribes #25: Sharing ideas gets a discount this holiday season!
by Deepika Bajaj, Dec 22, 2010
Most writers don’t make a living out of simply writing. They do it to change the world, like James Baldwin. Or because like Seth Godin believes, there is no better way to spread ideas. For Deepika, it is because of the power of sharing ideas through social media. That’s what she discovered while writing PINk and Grow RICH. She also found an aspect of “creativity” and “community” along the way. So, as a gift this holiday season, she’s taking 40% off the price on her ebook (regularly priced at $9.95,now $5.99). Gift it to as many people this holiday season…and become an agent to spread the ideas. more…
Flexible Focus #33: The Wonderful World of Flow
by William Reed, Dec 23, 2010
Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi drew the world’s attention to an ancient phenomenon which is at that core of what makes life worth living, the state of being in Flow. The state of being in Flow is associated with intense enjoyment, deep concentration, and optimal performance. He describes it as a state of ecstasy, as if standing outside of oneself and watching things unfold effortlessly. You can download a PDF Mandala on the BENEFITS OF DEEP PRACTICE, and use it as a reminder of how to enter the Flow state through the art or discipline you practice. more…
Leader driven Harmony #4: How to make your writing Crisp, Flavorful and Satisfying (Part II)
by Mack McKinney, Dec 24, 2010
Last week’s post discussed the importance of understanding the purpose of anything you write, long before you hit the first key on the old laptop. This post discusses the crucial importance of understanding the likely audience of your document, the main content and the most appropriate style for your purpose. more…
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by Magesh Tarala on December 19, 2010
The Origin of Leaders #4: Self-discipline. Cultivating the habit of completion
by Conor Neill, Dec 13, 2010
The only people who can change the world are those that want to. Many don’t want to. Some want to, but don’t accept the discipline of hard work. Anything you want will never be as hard as you imagine it will be! So, get started and push on through. Do it “just because.” Even if it is a failure as a product, it will teach you. You will come out stronger. more…
Chaos and Complexity #14: What makes Complexity complex?
by Gary Monti, Dec 14, 2010
The hallmark of complex systems is emergent behavior. The components of this behavior are Adaptability, Connectedness, Interdependency and Diversity. It is the responsibility of the leader to maintain a balance among all four variables and each of these attributes must be at the “in-between” setting to create positive tension. more…
Social Media and Tribes #24: Getting better with Social Media – Christmas Wishlist
by Deepika Bajaj, Dec 15, 2010
Social media was a boon for Deepika while she was confined to bed rest after undergoing surgery. She could stay in touch with friends, help others, blog, shop and more. If only Social Media could make you Starbucks and chicken soup:) more…
Flexible Focus #32: Folding the Square
by William Reed, Dec 16, 2010
Origami and general the art of folding is deeply ingrained in Japanese culture. This is an essential aspect of Japanese sense of creativity and aesthetics. The reason is that, not only does it result in a host of useful and practical solutions to problems and products, but it also illustrates how many possibilities open up when we work within a certain set of limitations. The Mandala Chart can facilitate the process of connecting discipline and spontaneity through flexible focus. more…
Leader driven Harmony #3: How to make your writing Crisp, Flavorful and Satisfying (Part I)
by Mack McKinney, Dec 17, 2010
Clear, sharp writing is almost a lost art. And it is sad because to get along in life you must be able to explain yourself clearly. In business if you cannot craft a grammatically correct, well-written document that people find pleasing to read, you will always be working for someone else who can. There are five key considerations in writing: Purpose, Audience, Content, Style and Mechanics. This post is about Purpose. more…
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by Magesh Tarala on December 12, 2010
Data Backup: Ignore at your own Peril
by Marc Watley, Dec 6, 2010
You can lose your precious data in a flash just like Marc when he was robbed at gun point. Corporations though seem to live at gun point all the time. Whether personal or corporate data, you better back it up or suffer the consequences. Thankfully there are a variety of solutions for individuals and businesses that offer a wide variety of features. Marc has some recommendations. more…
Chaos and Complexity #13: Earned Value versus Sunk Cost
by Gary Monti, Dec 7, 2010
Chaos and complexity play a huge role when working with schedules. In this article, Gary has a list of measurement scales and the more your project lies to the left of these scales, the better are the odds of creating a credible schedule. That’s when traditional project management tools can be applied and hence earned value can be calculated. What ever it takes, avoid entering the world of sunk cost! more…
Social Media and Tribes #23: Customer service tribe hits a home run!
by Deepika Bajaj, Dec 8, 2010
There is no better PR than a compelling customer service story and that too FREE of charge! That’s the home run that United Airlines scored when Deepika was afforded an wonderful in flight experience. This is an example of how customers are sharing their experiences. more…
Flexible Focus #31: Mobile Mandala
by William Reed, Dec 9, 2010
One of the best ways to benefit from the Mandala Chart is to put it to use, engage in it physically. There are four primary ways of doing this and the best way is to combine one or more of these for full engagement. Now, doing that may be at your finger tips with the introduction of MandalaChart iPad application. more…
Leader driven harmony #2: Communication by Handshake (Part II)
by Mack McKinney, Dec 10, 2010
Who would have thought there are so many nuances in a handshake? Well, first impressions leave a lasting impression and most assessments of a person is made in the first few crucial seconds of meeting them. So, read this article and practice a good handshake. more…
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by Magesh Tarala on December 5, 2010
Social Media and Tribes #22: Pink and Grow Rich – My thanksgiving gift!
by Deepika Bajaj, Nov 29, 2010
Deepika has released her e-book “PINK and Grow RICH“. If you believe you have to characteristics of a leader or you see yourself as a person who has one reason for not being who you could be, this is a must read for you. more…
Chaos and Complexity #12: Terrorism
by Gary Monti, Nov 30, 2010
Terrorism thumbs its nose at best-practice, top-down approaches. And terrorists are good at it. They create large force multipliers extending beyond the battlefield. They are always looking for tipping points.Terrorists work to make things chaotic (if not random) and committed security team members work to build the bonds needed to trap the terrorist and keep things safe. That is complex behavior. At times the best that security teams can do is reduce the chaos to complexity. This means trade-offs are inevitable. more…
Getting off on the right foot with a neutral business valuation specialist
by Steve Popell, Dec 2, 2010
Collaborative divorce is a splendid out-of-court process that can assist the spouses to communicate more effectively and to negotiate more productively. If the parties make the necessary commitment to the process, they have a much better chance to maintain human decency, protect their children, and to help the entire family to get on the other side of the divorce decree in one piece. more…
Flexible Focus #30: The 8 frames of life: Home
by William Reed, Dec 2, 2010
Home is the 4th in the 8 Frames of Life of the Mandala Chart. Yet, broken homes, dysfunctional families, domestic violence, and broken hearts are pandemic in our society, an outward reflection of an inner conflict. The Mandala Chart is a comprehensive compass for life, and provides helpful perspectives on themes surrounding our Home. more…
Leader driven harmony #1: Communication by Handshake
by Mack McKinney, Dec 3, 2010
This Series is about life and business and the first topic should be of interest to anyone doing business anywhere –the business handshake. A predictable, firm handshake is an important tool in business, in fact, in life, in general. A handshake is over in a few seconds yet it helps us reach a number of conclusions about the other person. more…
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by Magesh Tarala on November 28, 2010
Project Accounting – Do you really need it?
by Matthew Carmen, Nov 22, 2010
Excel spreadsheets provide a level of project accounting capacity that is not sufficient even for some small companies. To reach successful conclusions, you should deploy additional resources such as project accounting software. Whether implemented on a small or large scale, Project accounting can provide great value to more efficient management of business. more…
Chaos and Complexity #11: The soul of a Project
by Gary Monti, Nov 23, 2010
The soul of a project is the reflection of the people, commitment and capability along with what is being attempted. You achieve this by connection. It opens the door for two-ay communication and support. Complex and chaotic projects only thrive in the presence of connection. Top-down approaches and the associated boundaries must be relaxed for the soul of the project to begin to take shape. Initially, the best results are bottom-up. When workable rules begin to surface then top-down can be considered. more…
Should you satisfy your customers?
by Vijay Peduru, Nov 24, 2010
What if you customer is fully satisfied with your product? This will prevent you from selling anything more to them. But cycles of satisfaction and dissatisfaction exist. If not you need to take your customer through that. For example, a lot of people are satisfied with the camera in iPhone 3G. But when they hear the buzz around the one is iPhone 4G from media and friends, many of them will consider upgrading! more…
Flexible Focus #28: Activate your mindset
by William Reed, Nov 25, 2010
In the art of flexible focus, activating your mindset is the fast track to flexibility. In this installment, William has selected for review eight Mandala Charts which have appeared in earlier articles in this series. Revisiting these articles will help you activate the respective mindsets they describe. They also correspond to the primary eight categories covered in the series, so this review provides an overview of one trip around the wheel, and also reflects the variety of topics possible to address with the Mandala Chart. more…
The origin of leaders #3: Learning – Growing through the crucibles in your life
by Conor Neill, Nov 26, 2010
You can get more output by working more and working harder. But there are obvious limits. So, the trick is to increase the effectiveness of your time. In order to accomplish this, you need to be humble enough to learn continuously. Experience is the greatest teacher, especially bad experience. You have to try things and see how they work. In business, your trials will be visible to others, but you cannot let that stop you. more…
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