Author Archives: Tom Foster

About Tom Foster

Tom Foster spends most of his time talking with managers and business owners. The conversations are about business lives and personal lives, goals, objectives and measuring performance. In short, transforming groups of people into teams working together. Sometimes we make great strides understanding this management stuff, other times it’s measured in very short inches. But in all of this conversation, there are things that we learn. This blog is that part of the conversation I can share. Often, the names are changed to protect the guilty, but this is real life inside of real companies.

Brilliantly Professional

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From the Ask Tom mailbag.

Question

I have just joined a new company as a project manager and another PM has been assigned as my manager. While this person has been with the company for a while, he is not that far ahead of me technically, though he knows some of the ins and outs of our clients. My problem is that I have been here for a week and a half and, though I have approached him several times about assignments, he continues to keep everything to himself. I am getting tired of staring at my computer screen. I don’t want to go around him, but I don’t know what I can do.

Response

Your manager is obviously more interested in task oriented work rather than management oriented work. Project Managers manage projects, not people, so he may not even know what to do, or how to manage you.

Whatever his reasons are, it really doesn’t matter. The first obstacle you have to overcome is, lack of trust. You have to get to know him. And I am not talking about warm and fuzzy stuff, this can be brilliantly professional. Grab him at a coffee break, before or after work and try these questions:

  • Where did you go to school?
  • How did that prepare you, for your career as a project manager?
  • What attracted you to project management?
  • What is the most interesting project you have ever completed?
  • What part of your job do you find the most satisfying? (Hint, he is likely to also tell you the part he finds the least satisfying…which may be your entry into an assignment for some productive work).

Ask him what the most appropriate first assignment might be. Would it be a small project on your own, a segment of a larger project, or simply a small task in a larger segment?

Each day, ask him if there is some small thing that you could do for him that would be truly helpful. It doesn’t have to be a huge assignment, yet something you can successfully complete that begins to build the trust. It might even be an administrative task like collecting all the projects in a list and tagging the status of each project, who is working on it, etc. (This will be helpful to you, because you will know about projects in-house). Good luck, keep us updated on your progress.

Focus on the System

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“When you look at this inventory problem, where should you be spending your time?” I asked.

Bruce looked down. “You’re right. I walk around the store barking orders about removing this display or re-working that shelf arrangement. I have team members to do that, and I have supervisors to make sure it happens.”

“What should you focus on?” I repeated.

“I need to focus on the system. I mean, I can still walk around the store. It gives me a better sense of reality, but I need to focus on the system. It’s the system that provides the predictability in our inventory management. Everything else is simply rearranging deck chairs.”

Systems Approach

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“If I had to reduce my inventory by 30 percent by the end of May,” Bruce continued, “I would be able to spend more time analyzing which inventory I wanted to get rid of, adjusting my min/max and re-order points. I would look at inventory turns, lead times and ship frequencies.”

“So, what’s the difference in blowing out 30 percent of your inventory by the end of next week and reducing it by the end of May? You still get your inventory down?” I asked.

Bruce smiled. “If I just blow out my inventory in one week, I will guarantee that within two weeks, my levels would all be back. I might even have more inventory then, because people will be ordering stock outs without any rhyme or reason. In the short term it works, but in the long term, it all comes back.

“By working systematically, I can make permanent changes in stock levels. I will have much more control. We will have the profitable inventory we need, that turns, that makes us money. It gives us more predictability and consistency. It all gets back to the system.”

Short Term Tactical

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“My goal is to reduce inventory,” Bruce explained.

“What is the Time Span of your goal?” I asked. “You have to reduce inventory. By how much and by when?”

“Good question. All the managers just got this email from our corporate office. We need to take a hard look and get our inventories down.”

“So, tell me, if you had to reduce your inventory 30 percent by the end of next week, would that be different than if you had to reduce inventory by the end of May?”

Bruce chuckled. “Of course. If we had to reduce inventory by next week, I would put the brakes on hard. Slash pricing and blow this stuff out of here, just some hard nosed, tactical stuff.”

“And what would be your decisions if the Time Span was end of May?”

Time Span and Discretionary Judgment

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“Let’s look at the specific decisions, that you have to make today, that will have impact later in the project?” I asked.

Taylor sat back. “Okay. Let’s look at the buy out,” he started. “In the buy out, I have to purchase some large pieces of equipment that will be installed. I have to work with our project managers and also with our purchasing guy. Here are some of my decisions that I have to make today, but it may be months before we find out if it was the right decision.

“Will the price of this equipment (to be installed) go up or go down? If I make a commitment now and the price goes up, I am a hero. If I wait to make the purchase later in the project and the price goes up, I am a goat.

“Will the vendor that supplies the equipment still be in business a year from now. I may have to put down some deposit money. But even if we lose the deposit money, the real risk is trying to scramble at the last minute to find an alternate supplier. The costs may have changed and some of this stuff has lead times. If the project gets delayed because we don’t have the equipment on-site to be installed, we may be liable for a delay claim.”

Taylor stopped.

I slowly replied. “When I look at the Time Span of your Goals, I also have to look at the Time Span of your decisions. The Time Span of Discretion.

He Was Just in the Room

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“Unbelievable,” Rudy exclaimed. “From his resume, you would have thought this candidate ran a big company like General Motors. Strategic meetings, board of advisors, five year plans, management team, culture, all the buzz words.”

“What happened?” I pressed.

“Turns out, this guy just read a bunch of trade journals about our industry, seemed to know all the players, really did his homework.”

“So, what was the problem?”

“He never actually did any of the things he talked about, he was just in the room.” Rudy calmed down. “I had this sinking feeling, like he was one of those experts on CNN, giving plausible sound-bites, but when you really dug down, the detail evaporated.”

Rudy looked down at his desk before he continued. “Problem is, a year ago, we would have made the hire, all with hope and inspiration.”

“What’s different now?”

“We ask better questions.”
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Our next online program – Hiring Talent is scheduled to kick off August 1, 2011. If you would like to find out more about the program or register, follow this link.

Underestimating What is Required

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The biggest mistake that companies (managers) make, is underestimating what is really required for success in the role.

We think we are saving budget, when we are squandering opportunity. We think we can get by, temporarily, short-cutting, settling for resources that cannot make the grade.

“We knew he wasn’t the right person,” Marcia explained. “We had another candidate, perfect for the position, but the timing didn’t work out, another company countered and won.”

“So, you settled?” I asked.

“He was okay in the beginning. He worked a bulletproof system without a lot of decisions to be made.”

“All he had to do was drive the system?”

“That’s the problem, our customers began to want new things and holes appeared in our system,” Marcia was shaking her head. “By the time we noticed the flags, we lost two of our best customers.”

“What’s your plan?”

“Right now, triage, just to patch things up, but in the long run, we need someone who can look at both our internal systems and our external customers. We need someone who can, not only follow the system, but monitor how well it works and change it to match our customers. Our customers change, want new stuff, over time, the whole market will change.”
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Our next online program – Hiring Talent is scheduled to kick off August 1, 2011. If you would like to find out more about the program or register, follow this link.

Cross Functional Relationships – Collateral

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Collateral Cross-functional relationships occur when team members, with the same manager, are working on the same project, or the same operation. Each team member has their own goals and resources, but may stumble onto problems or decisions where they need the cooperation of the other to solve. Neither team member can direct the other to take any action, but they are required to listen each other, to solve problems and make decisions.

“Denise, Allen, I called the two of you in, today, to talk about the operational workflow in the department. Our biggest customer has just placed a standing order that will eat 30 percent of our production capacity.

“Denise, you are in charge of production, to meet that schedule. Because of this high demand, some of our smaller orders might get bumped, so there may be some difficulty setting priorities.

“Allen, you are our lead salesperson, and those smaller orders that might get bumped, are yours. I need the two of you to cooperate where there are conflicting priorities.

“Denise, I need you to post the production schedule on a rolling seven day plan. Post that schedule in the sales room so Allen and the rest of the sales team can see it. Allen, I need you to check that schedule every morning, looking forward seven days to make sure your best customers are being taken care of. You know what’s important. If it looks like a problem, talk to Denise and explain your circumstance. Make the decision the way I would make it.

“Denise, we can’t let down our biggest customer, but Allen’s customers pay their bills, too. You have the authority to schedule up to 20 hours of overtime per week to make sure all the production is getting done. If you feel you need more resources, see me.

“Allen, you can be as persuasive as you need to be, but you understand the priorities as well as Denise. Use your best judgment. In the end, if you cannot resolve a problem or make a decision, find me, but only after the two of you have had a significant conversation.”
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Our next online program – Hiring Talent is scheduled to kick off August 1, 2011. If you would like to find out more about the program or register, follow this link.

Hiring Talent Orientation Kicks Off Monday

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It’s not too late to join the group in our next Hiring Talent online program. The Orientation begins next Monday, August 1, 2011, so sign up now.

How long is the program? This program will take eight weeks beginning August 1, 2011.

How do people participate in the program? This is an online program conducted by Tom Foster. Participants will be responsible for online assignments and participating in online facilitated discussion groups with other participants. This online platform is highly interactive. Participants will be interacting with Tom Foster and other participants as they work through this program.

Who should participate? This program is designed for Stratum III and Stratum IV managers and HR managers who play active roles in the recruiting process for their organizations.

What is the cost? The program investment is $699 per participant.

When is the program scheduled? Registration is now open. The program will start, following the registration period, with the Orientation kicking off Monday, August 1, 2011.

How much time is required to participate in this program? Participants should reserve approximately 2 hours per week. This program is designed so participants can complete the Field Work and posting assignments on their own schedule anytime during each week’s assignment period.

Mon, Aug 1, 2011 – Week One

Orientation

Mon, Aug 8, 2011 – Week Two – Role Descriptions – It’s All About the Work

What we are up against
Specific challenges in the process
Problems in the process
Defining the overall process
Introduction to the Role Description
Organizing the Role Description
Defining Tasks
Defining Goals
Identifying Time Span

Mon, Aug 15, 2011 – Week Three

Publish and critique role descriptions

Mon, Aug 22, 2011 – Week Four – Interviewing for Future Behavior

Creating effective interview questions
General characteristics of effective questions
How to develop effective questions
How to interview for attitudes and non-behavioral elements
How to interview for Time Span
Assignment – Create a battery of interview questions for the specific role description

Mon, Aug 29, 2011 – Week Five

Publish and critique battery of interview questions

Mon, Sep 5, 2011 – Week Six – Conducting the Interview (Yes, we know it’s a holiday)

Organizing the interview process
Taking Notes during the process
Telephone Screening
Conducting the telephone interview
Conducting the face-to-face interview
Working with an interview team
Compiling the interview data into a Decision Matrix
Background Checks, Reference Checks
Behavioral Assessments
Drug Testing
Assignment – Conduct a face-to-face interview

Mon, Sep 12, 2011 – Week Seven

Publish and critique results of interview process

Mon, Sep 19, 2011 – Week Eight

Using Profile Assessments

If you have any questions, just ask. Sign up here.

Cross Functional Relationships – Coordinative

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Often, we have project teams working side by side, on different segments of the same project or different projects using the same resources. Coordinating their efforts may be important to deliver a synchronized outcome or to increase efficiency in the resource pool.

“Carmen, I have called you in today to meet Frank. Both of you are Project Leaders on the Baltimore Project. Frank is in charge of Operations on the project, and Carmen, you are in charge of Marketing. Both of you were chosen because of your experience in difficult projects, and a lot is at stake. Timing is everything. There are some statutory guidelines we have to follow which prevents us from normal marketing activities until the merger has been approved, yet, Frank, you have to get operations up and running in the background, so when the approval happens, we can move everything with 72 hours.

“This will require high levels of cooperation from each of your teams, and each of you will be using a pool of shared resources. I will be the last word, but I need the two of you to be in constant contact, meeting and coordinating this project without me. This is one of four projects on my plate right now. Both of you are pros, you have done this before. I am scheduled to be in this office every Tuesday, so if you need me face-to-face, that’s it.

“You will NOT be giving each other things to do, you have your own tasks to complete, but one of you may need to delay the other for some reason. Either of you can call a coordinating meeting with the other, in the conference room, on the phone, it’s up to you. If one of you calls a meeting, I expect the other to be responsive, no excuses. You will share each other’s progress and agree on the best way to meet your teams’ project goals. Where you have a decision that cannot be resolved, pull me in and I will make the decision. I am accountable to the client and I need each of your to do your best.”
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Our next online program – Hiring Talent is scheduled to kick off August 1, 2011. If you would like to find out more about the program or pre-register, follow this link.