Software suppliers as a service

We need to shape our organizations wisely and can't have
too many crazy cooks in the kitchen.  We need to create
the role of the master chef for our enterprises.

I've been brought into a few situations recently to help companies where the software they bought was not performing as they had expected it to.  They thought it was going to be great based on what the vendor had told them but when it came down to business and reality, it wasn't doing the job.

There's a problem in industry today and it's probably always been there.  I think our organizations went a little bit crazy in implementing tools and technologies but never thought about the big picture, the architecture, processes, or operations that would support the organization in the long term.

Our organizations have to become more lean and agile but they also have to partner very wisely.  Rather than implementing tool after tool, they have to question the process and way by which they are doing this.  Are they doing it in a controlled way?  Are they doing it in a sustainable and continuously improving way?

There are a lot of tools and vendors out there and they all might be pretty good but organizations need a single service that helps them contain and control technology acquisition costs and partners.  Let's not run amuck and buy a bunch of tools without control or process.  Thanks.

Think of services instead of projects

Hitting the drum once is fun and nice and all (and important)
but playing a sweet drum solo is really what you prefer.

Projects are a convenient way to think about things: they have a beginning, middle, and an end.  How cute.  But the truth is, though, that we shouldn't want to think about the end because this means no pay and no relationship!  I'm not talking about death or anything that serious here, I'm talking about the end of our projects when the value has been delivered and the relationship with the customers and project team is over.  What I'm trying to get at here is that we should rather think in terms of long term and strategic (at the program and account level) than at the project level. 

All this said, we really can't have long-term and strategic without projects and immediate value delivery mechanisms.  The truth is that most value is and can be delivered through projects but we have to learn and enact ways to do projects continuously and forever for our customers.  This takes teams to do. 

Let's start imagining things that are built to last and repeat forever rather than one and done.  Forget the old-school ways.

Do two things: add value and sell

Doing two things, even doing one, is hard sometimes.
But it's required.

As contributors to the world I believe we have to do two very basic things to be effective and successful.  Some of us are good at none of these, some are good at just one, and there are a few (possibly lucky?) others out there who can do both.  Those two things are 1) adding value and 2) selling.

Adding value is about doing things that make peoples' lives and businesses richer.  In order to add value we have to know our audience, know our customer, and know ourselves, then choose to do something that is both reasonably interesting and unique to make a difference.  Adding value can be a very high bar and our audiences can be very picky: they don't always laugh, care, or buy.

Selling is all about the spit and polish we put on the value.  Selling is the sizzle on the steak.  Selling is having the guts and courage to do what we think we need to do and doing it.  Selling is about being steadfast, dominating, persistent and controlling.  We don't want to overdo it on selling but we can't add enough value.

Selling and adding value are required to be successful in life and business and for many of us it is a daily struggle to do both...or even just one.

Choice is a powerful thing

Judges.  They are all around us and we are also one.

We might like to think that we can affect, influence, and even control all of the stuff around us--and we can to a large part--but sometimes we can't have as much control and influence as we'd ultimately prefer.

Decisions start and stop all things.  Decisions can come from within us or outside of us.  In this way, there are two competing forces: us and them.  Everything boils down to decisions and it is decisions that are the things that are affecting and creating the workflows, processes, and policies that surround us.  Decisions are the things that ultimately set our course of action in life.

When a leader or person in a powerful position above us or in relation to our project makes a decision, all things are put into motion and dependent upon that decision or opinion.  As project managers we have to be very aware of the decisions and opinions being made around us and make our own decisions of how we'd like to react given them. 

There are several ways we can decide to treat these decisions and opinions being made around us: A) we can work in compliance and agreement with them, B) we can work around or be ignorant to them, or C) we can directly against and in combat of that decision. 

Working in compliance and agreement of the decisions is the preferred--don't rock the boat--way of doing things.  It's the easiest and probably the most effective.

Working around or ignoring decisions is another form of compliance but it is a bit more subversive.  It is passive-aggressive to know but not necessary heed the decision.

The third type of behavior in relationship with respect to a decision is total war against that decision.  When we get into this mode, we do not agree with the decision and will do everything in our power to fight or change it.

We all want control and on a day by day basis we make our own decisions about the decisions and opinions that are taking place around us and set our own path in the maze.

Only make the sausage if they'll pay for it

It doesn't really matter how you make the sausage.
But the sausage had better be good and the customer
had better be willing to pay for it.  Regardless, don't start
making it until you are confident you'll get paid for it.

Sometimes it's really nice in projects to be given the opportunity of an "open" contract but it will frequently lead to disputes if you're not careful about managing customer expectations and the budget.  If you're not a professional project manager, you should not dabble with T&M contracts because you will get burned by hard-nosed customers that demand quality for their money (and they should).

It would be nice to bill people and see if they pay or not but you have to make sure when you're doing this that you're also able to defend your price and value for what you're billing.  This means that you have to have excellent metrics and measurements of the value you're delivering and a justification for that value (the business case and justification, ie the argument *for* the price).

Whether you're managing projects on a fixed basis (even Agile is fixed since it locks scope for an iteration) or on a T&M, more loosey-goosey basis, you have to be careful.  No matter how you're making the sausage, make sure that the customer gets it, is willing to pay, and likes you enough to fork the money over.  Otherwise, you might as well not start.

Unscrew screwed situations

Don't just be any tool, be a screwdriver.  Be the one that can drive
change in one direction or another and try to make sure
it's positive change that people want.

I'm frequently brought into organizations to unscrew screwed situations.  What I do is to figure out what's going on (the situation), try to talk to all parties and sides (get info), look at all of the pieces and parts and systems (analyze), and then look at the market and objectives and fact and make decisions and recommendations and plans to help steer the organization(s) into a clearer light (lead).

Doing this is an art and science, and a risky, difficult one at that.  To do it successfully, you have to be really careful of the people and goals and get everyone thinking and looking in the same direction.  Have you have to identify key bottlenecks and remove them one by one until you can see out.  Communicating effectively up during this time is also difficult, yet critically important.

Dive into organizations and find out where they are most screwed up.  Be the change that is required to correct the problem and point it into the direction that you believe.

Name the project

Even kids know how to tell us what to do.
In organizations we become followers.
But don't.  Be perceptive and share it.

Between all the clutter and crap of organizations there is a project somewhere.  You are the person that has to identify and name these projects.  Without you, there are no projects, just chaos and disorder.  Get good at finding, naming, and talking about projects and what they are.  Get good at telling people about them, getting them excited about them and helping them understand how they can help the project succeed.  Don't be martyr or fall guy for the project but continue to represent and be clear with people on it and the way forward, to a better place.

It can't be undone

Stack 'em too high and it all could topple but it sure is fun stacking
and each time we learn something new about our techniques.

In business and our personal relationships we frequently have to make tough calls and take risks.  We should be proud of the risks we take and prepare ourselves to deal with the consequences.  As we prepare to make a big decision or take a big risk, we have to think through the consequences and potential backlash of an action.  Thinking and behaving this way is *the* way in my opinion.  It's my goal to take risks and be prepared to deal with all that comes.  This makes life fun.  Dive in!

Name your price

An agreement on price lies somewhere but
make sure you're not compromising too much!!

If you ever find yourself in a situation where you need to name your price, I feel for you.  Sometimes it can be fun to name your price and drive a hard bargain but most of us are uncomfortable with this.  As American's we're typically not really barterers, but as business people we really have to be.  Maybe you've experienced this, too, where in business you have no choice but to talk about and deal with issues relating to price.  I guess my only tip is to buck up, be strong, and don't be afraid to drive a hard bargain.  You'll win some and you'll lose some but be fair, too.

Who to invoke

It's way more interesting for us to do something than for me to do something.  The collective is a way more interesting voice.  In writing I can choose to write as myself: "I did this, I do that, I think this, I thought that."  I can also choose to write as the collective: "We do this, we do that." or I can write speaking to you directly: "You think that."  I haven't yet figured out which voice or command I prefer.  Does it really matter even?

Bosses failing and who the hell's God anyways?

You don't want your bosses or organization to fail.  It's no good.  Sometimes (always) we're put into organizations where we can't control the outcome.  Arguably, unless we're on top of our organizations, we have almost no control.  We might be able to control our system or process or area but if we're not controlling the whole thing (and what would the whole thing even be?!), the organization (and us with it) might be failing.

Managing context and our situation to the best of our ability is critical and sometimes we have almost no choice but to do this.  We have the option to influence and partner with the people above us but that might not be enough sometimes.  Probably the best thing we can do is to control our own organizations and try to lead more of them.  But even then, there's probably no organization without a context unless that's God.  It's definitely not you or anything you can think of!!

No ends

Pretend that it (and life) never ends.
Because it probably doesn't!!!

Yes, things can end but they also repeat and start again.  We can stop what we're doing for a moment and reflect.  We can pause and digest the world around us.  Our ability to connect with a larger, spiritual power, is easy awesome and probably never ending unless we choose to let it end.  Let's decide to never let it end because that's a lot more fun and interesting.  Be positive all the time.

My audience and what I'm best at. Setting goals.

What I really want to do is to help other people sell.  I want to be a sales and marketing coach.  I want to help people to deliver exactly what they say they will through motivation and the right systems and processes, methods and means.

I feel like I can best accomplish this by working with consulting firms who sell technology because that's what I do and have been doing for so many years.

I'm good at technology and changing organizations and it's what I do best.  I want to help other people and organizations do the same and I want to do it in a very public way.

I can influence other companies to follow my lead and do what I do or what I recommend doing.  I want to lead and coach and influence others through my intelligence and ability to create results and spread the word about the good that I'm doing and the influence that I'm having.

It's probably a tall order but it's what I want to do.

Front-office and back-office folks: and getting to trust

Creating the right perception is tricky and risky.
First you have to know and trust yourself.

Getting to trust with your customers and the public takes a long time and it might even be impossible at the aggregate.

Life and selling are processes; they're complicated.

In life we have to choose between those people we rely on and trust to deliver for us (the back-office people) and those people we choose to sell for us (our sales or front-office people).

I've stated in previous posts today that I need to grow my team of sales people and advocates.  I need personal advocates who can help me sell my value and what I offer.  I also need people to help me deliver what I can deliver, but I think I need fewer of these people.

In all, I need to trust myself before I need to trust others.  But if I can get to a place where I trust myself then I can surely get to a place where I can trust others and hopefully one where others will also trust and advocate me.

Pick your audience: High vs. low volume selling

Be selective with who you're targeting.
Don't expect to have 100% return or acceptance.
Make sure you're backed by people and your logic is on point.

It sure would be great to be able to convince everyone of our ideas.  But we won't.  So don't try.

It sure would be nice to sell very large quantities of things to very large audiences.  But it's hard.

We have to start small and gain confidence and we also need to be able to convince very small sets of people that what we're doing has value.  We need very small sets of people surrounding us who support us in our global endeavors.

Sometimes we might need feedback from very large audiences to know if we're having an impact: we need to get the aggregate score and start stacking points or cash.

Instead of feeling like we have to convince everyone of things or win every battle, we might want to realize that our audience is a niche and is not everyone.

Stop tilting at windmills.   Stop trying to convince everyone of our ways and your intelligence.

Only some people will really get it and get you.  The others don't matter.

To hear, accept, and implement feedback

Don't be deaf to the world around you.

This is hard.  We're all very sensitive by nature to input and feedback but we have to let our guard down and figure out how to act right according to the world.  We have to be willing to accept and listen to feedback but we shouldn't also be total chameleons.  We have to realize what is real and adjust accordingly.  We also have to be willing to say no or to tell people to shut up.  It's a hard process.

Failing happens

No matter how well we plan and try to control the outcomes, things will change and happen that we haven't anticipated and we have to adjust.  Being able to adjust is probably even more critical than being able to plan.

Being really structured and rigorous in our expectations is bad news if it prevents us from reacting when things happen or change.  Don't over-do your planning or over-set your expectations but do have and set expectations.

When your expectations aren't met rapidly go back to planning and adjusting mode and figure out how to respond to the situation at hand.  Blink.  Add this to your mental model for next time and continuously improve always and forever.

There's a pattern to process improvement and it's really confusing

Action and inaction.  Balance.  Really?

All organizations have to improve their processes or they will fail and die.  Organizations will cease to exist if they do not react to and respond to their environment.  Organizations must continue to learn from their experiences and figure out how to act more efficiently and effectively during their next challenge.

Organizations must constantly adjust.  Organizations must also spend time relaxing and contemplating.

Organizations do not always have to be doing things.  For organizations, being idle is entirely fine until it is time for them to act.

Part of the adjustment process for organizations, though, is the contemplation of that change.

Process improvement cannot be total because we must also act, which can be seen as a fault or failure.

As organizations and individuals, we must balance reacting and contemplating.  If we don't we'll die.

How I write blog posts: alphabetically

I use a pretty simple process to write blog posts.
It works for me.  Find your way.

I'd like to share with you the overall method that I use to write blog posts.

I have a technique and a standard.  First, I have to think of the ideas.  For me, that part is really easy but it has taken practice for me to think of what I think will be interesting.  Of course, these ideas can happen at any time so I use Remember the Milk on my smartphone to keep a list of blog post ideas as they come up: when I think of a new idea, I simply record it in my RTM "blog post ideas" list.

When I have the time and interest to write posts, I open up my RTM list and take the one from the top (they're listed in alphabetical order).  I take the top post idea and if I think that it still sounds interesting, I head into my blog application (Blogger) and start writing a post on that topic.

If, during the writing process, I find that the topic is boring or difficult to make a point from, I delete or archive it and move onto the next one.  If, on the other hand, I can make good points from the topic in what I feel to be a semi-compelling way, then I go ahead and keep writing the post.

After I've written the overall post, I go back through the post and read what I've written to make sure that it's interesting and compelling.  Oftentimes, upon re-reading the post, I will completely change the purpose of it to better align with what I'm thinking.  In this way the process is very agile.

After I've written the text that I'm happy with, I go find an image using Google Images and embed it.  I give the image a caption (this is a fairly new practice for me but I enjoy it) that I think is interesting.  I add Labels (tags) to my blog post so that it is more search engine optimized and readjust the title if necessary.  Then I publish it.

I might announce it but sometimes I do not.  For me, blogging is more of a personal and private thing but I like the idea that people might read what I'm writing.

Frankly, I'm still afraid to share my writing with too broad of an audience but I do share it sometimes with all of my FaceBook friends, which is obviously very public.  Most of the feedback that I've had on my blog has been positive but I still don't have that many followers to really know what people think.  I could really use more feedback!  I'd really like to have a much bigger audience, but at the same time it makes it a lot easier and a lot less stressful for me when I think that fewer people are watching.

I hope that you, too, can find a way to write blog posts of your own.  I find it to be a very fun and helpful, introspective process.  Also, I get to learn every single time that I write a post.  With every word.

Why processes?

Sometimes the thing and the thing behind the thing
are equally compelling.

Processes are weird.  I don't even know what they are or understand them.  Merriam-Webster defines process as "something going on".  But so what?  What the heck does that mean?!

We can parse this word a little further and think about what a 'thought process' might be.  It would be something going on in someone's head which makes slightly more sense.  I think therefore I am.  I think therefore I have thought processes or things in my head.  That makes some degree of sense.  But again, so what?

I have argued in the past that a process is 'anything that takes time'.  I'm not sure what this means but I still like the idea.

They say that systems are collections of processes which makes things even more confusing to me. 

Purpose and intention (the reasons behind processes) are far more interesting to me than processes.  But studying processes helps us understand why things might be.