2013 Resource Planning Summit Charles Howell - Provoking People into Action

Using Aikido principles to make projects easy

IT Director, Operations Floyd Medical Center Rome, GA

D= Dominance

I = Influence

S = Steadiness

C = Conscientiousness

I have no “I” (Influence) and I need people to do things they don’t necessarily want to do.

My Project vs. the Skyscraper… Which will finish first?

http://www.thekidswindow.co.uk/News/Skyscrapers.htm

“If a worker doesn’t have something to do, lets’ find him something to do.”

Why were we working so hard at getting our clients to complete deliverables and not getting anywhere?

Aikido blends the motion of the attacker and redirecting the force of the attack rather than opposing it head-on.

It requires very little physical energy, as the practitioner simply deflects the attacker's momentum.

“You wanted to fall.”

“I just helped you.”

Project Management is an art to be mastered.

It is a role with lots of responsibility and little authority.

One needs to master soft skills to help you navigate

successfully to the target ... the end of the project.

BUT, managing a project can often feel like warfare as

you engage difficult people and intractable issues.

It may seem that head-on force is the answer.

Sometimes, that works. Sometimes, force is met with

force.

Project Management when practiced artfully…can be like Aikido.

“I needed to succeed.”

“You just helped me.”

Here are five examples

1. Be Incorrect on Purpose

2. Shoot me in the head, please!

3. Be transparent and take the hit

4. You are in my critical path!

5. Let the data speak

10 minutes later!

“You wouldn’t give me the information I needed.”

“I tricked you by saying I was going to use bad information and immediately you gave me what I needed!

Request: “Document this process...

Response: You’re kidding! … Please shoot me in the head!”

Be provocative by writing a draft version of the required documentation.

People will gladly tell you where you are wrong and provide additional details.

The job gets done!

“I needed the documentation done.”

“I coaxed it out of you and got it on the fast track!”

Result: A new process setup for the entire company!

“Reviews needed to be done on time.”

“I aired my dirty laundry and shamed them to action!”

“You are in my critical path! Every day you delay, delays the end of my project!”

“I wanted to get the deliverable done.”

“I just got you focused on it.”

This chart tells its own story

Forces visibility

Forces prioritization

Reduces chaos

“You don’t believe me.”

“I just showed data that makes it hard to disagree.”

What are the Lessons Learned?

What are the “Take-Aways” Earned?

Hone your Provoking Strategies

Make them work for YOU – even if you don’t have a low “I”

You can provoke Colleagues, Bosses, Vendors with Calculated Impunity

And, have Associates marvel at your Project Success

THIS PRESENTATION IS STRICTLY CONFIDENTIAL

ALERT!