Manage data, people in an organized manner
"The Rise of the Project Workforce - Managing People and Projects in a Flat World" by Rudolf Melik, John Wiley & Sons, $34.95. Much of today's supposed enterprise-solution software actually tracks discrete elements of the business in a vacuum. The proliferation of individual applications (e.g. customer, HR, IT, projects, accounting, sales, etc.) causes a unique and serious problem - data silos. Interpretation of database silos makes it difficult to gauge effective execution of the organization's plan. They cause disconnection through a proliferation of reports whose results are not integrated.
From the manpower standpoint, countless hours are lost in trying to manage them, too. Data silos usually create management silos with their "my numbers" focus versus organizational-impact view. "Turf" trumps collaboration. The result: uninformed decisions and office politics. Both inhibit productivity.
Mr. Melik advocates integrating human capital, project management, process management and cost/revenue accounting to create "Project Workforce Management" (PWF) - one solution for managing data and people with a organizational focus. It links talent, customer and projects. PWF is effective because: 1. It identifies interdependencies and eliminates redundancy. 2. It connects workflow (i.e. people, projects, outcomes) throughout the firm by integrating time, expense, planning, process and analysis. 3. Better decisions are made faster. 4. Employee productivity increases. 5. Ensures action involves core responsibilities, not administrative red tape.
The PWF keystone is workforce planning. Why? Talented people execute; they find solutions. Mr. Melik sees workforce planning as the way to shift and organization from cost-cutting to revenue growth. Why? Each line of business "owns" its workforce development. Front-line management decides its talent requirements and how to develop its people to meet customer and project needs. Focused training replaces company-wide training. HR assists - but doesn't control the process.
PWF breaks down projects by deliverables and related tasks. The project manager then seeks the people and financial resources needed to execute. The process appears complicated because it involves estimating costs (people and processes) and schedules. Its merit stems from accountability and focus. All involved are on the same page.
Don't expect a breezy read. While its flowcharts simplify PWF design, the content requires attention to detail.
"Different Thinking - Creative strategies for developing innovative business" by Anja Foerster and Peter Kreuz, Kogan Page, $37.50. I had a conversation with a CEO about a project I was being asked to take on. I declined because of his "we've always done it that way" responses. How can you expect Point B outcomes by only repeating what got you to Point A?
Defenders of the status quo are staunch. Their "pride of authorship" keeps them from seeing what could be. They cling to the management processes they put in place. They forget Marketing 101's principle of the "Product life Cycle". The authors state: "Learning to forget is an important lesson for success."
Rule 1 of business "not as usual" is: "Deliberately look for ideas and inspiration for new products and services in totally different industries." Some examples: German customs authorities learned from eBay; they sell confiscated items through online auctions. CNN and Dell opened new markets and established initial dominance.
Rule 2 - "Get out of the middle-of-the-market segments - fast!" This is particularly true in consumer goods; the discount and luxury ends are the only segments experiencing growth. "Not for everybody" aptly describes this strategic thinking.
Rule 3 - "Cut the ballast." Focus on core and let stakeholders do what they do best. Ford Motor's partnership with Microsoft in developing "Synch" in-vehicle technology shows it's developing its way forward.
The fourteen other Rules stimulate management's grey cells, too.