Fissure Newsletter
April 2005

Dear Fissure Friends,

Pope John Paul II recently died and there is a great outpouring of respect and affection for him, not because he was the Pope, and definitely not because he was “right” and everyone always agreed with him.  The respect and affection came because of his respect for everyone as an individual and because he lived his life true to his heart and his beliefs.  Without ever having met the man, most of us “know” this was someone who we would have loved to have as a friend or an associate.  We talk about being a principled leader in our workshops as a key to leadership and teambuilding.  Being a principled leader means “walking your talk” as Stephen Covey would say.  You not only have to say the right things, but everything you do should be consistent with, and reinforce what you are saying.  This is what Pope John Paul II did, and this is why we can feel respect and affection for him even though we never met him.  Imagine the difference it would make if more business and world leaders were truly principled, treating all individuals with respect and following their own inner beliefs and hearts.

We have a very intriguing contribution this quarter from an unexpected source.  Sandy Kimmer is an MD with the US Naval Reserve and daughter of long time Fissure associate Brian Toren.  Sandy has documented her management and leadership style, including her “guiding principles” and gives it to new team members to read upon joining her team.  If more people did this simple exercise I believe we would see significant improvement in our managers/leaders and teams.  Thanks Sandy!

Are you curious about the changes in the latest edition of the PMBOK?  John Skovbroten provides an excellent summary on what is “new” and what is “old”.

Geof Lory talks about project planning and what is the correct level of detail for a project plan.  He also talks about how to create plan buy-in with the team and how to become a better planner.  Of course he uses his family to help us understand and relate to the topic of a project planning.

Our upcoming public workshops are in the left hand panel - our computer simulation based workshops are an effective and fun way to learn AND EARN PDUs.  Make sure you also check out what’s happening at Fissure (Fissure News). 

Thanks for reading and have a great day,

Jesse Freese

Fissure, President

"Out of the Mouth of Babes"  a column where PM  & Family intersect

A Man with a Plan

by Geof Lory

OK, I confess. All my 35mm slides are sorted, cataloged and cross-referenced by person, date and category. Organizing is just something I like to do. I have over 3000 slides spanning 20 years of family vacations, holidays and birthdays. Keeping this many slides in order requires some level of organization. I don’t do it because I’m obsessive, I do it because I hate wasting time hunting for photographs. My wife and friends call me anal-retentive. To me, I’m making a part of my life more efficient. Because this treasure chest of memories is more than I can hold in my head, I need a way to effectively manage it.

Planning is organizing your work. The challenge in planning is determining how much is enough. You want to spend enough time planning to make sure you are effectively guiding activities and reducing ambiguity, but not so much time that the plan becomes a burden to manage and maintain. From post-it note task lists to exhaustively detailed project schedules, deciding what is the right level of planning is a continual challenge.

One of the most common questions I’m asked in my work with clients is, How much detail should be in the project plan? I usually respond with a clarifying question: Why do you create a plan or schedule? Often times their answer helps determine the level of planning, or reveals why no planning is being done. A plan must serve the planner, not vice versa.

For instance, I don’t plan my vacations. Vacations to me are experiences in spontaneity. Because I don’t plan them, I have to be willing to accept whatever happens. For vacations with no specific outcome in mind, this approach is fine, but I rarely want to manage a project just taking in the scenery and letting what happens happen. Too much is at stake. Size, complexity and length of the project are all typical factors that help decide how much planning constitutes enough. It is also necessary to consider the consequences of not planning.

My wife is a disciplined planner even though she has never created a Work Breakdown Structure (except for that one time when we did a WBS for Thanksgiving dinner). She doesn’t work with Network Diagrams or Gantt Charts, but she does create exhaustive To Do lists. She is able to manage household projects without these tools because most of her projects are small or involve limited resources: me. Timeframes are short (hours), deliverables are easily measured (done or not done), and with a singular resource every task is sequentially dependent, finish-to-start. Under these circumstances, any more planning than a To Do list is overkill, and not worth the administrative investment.  But organizing your work is not as easy as just making a list of To Dos. Even for small projects, creating a To Do list is a joint, mutually negotiated activity.

It all started when Beth joined our family as a new step mom and her first Saturday morning family chore list popped up. The night before, Beth diligently listed the next day’s activities and dutifully assigned each of us our respective tasks. Confident she had covered all the things that needed to be done, she typed up the list, set it on the kitchen counter, and blissfully went off to bed.

Being an early riser, I was the first one to see the list the next morning, and I quickly moved it out of sight until Beth and I could discuss it. I hesitantly suggested to her that in order to get buy-in from her fellow team members on her plan, she might want to take a more collaborative approach. The unexpressive look on her face revealed her German up bringing, where a parent told and children listened. Negotiation for consensus was something you did when you bought a used car. But times have changed, and for better or worse, the girls had been raised as empowered individuals.

Over time, Beth has learned how to get what she wants by involving the girls in the establishment of household tasks, estimates, deliverables, measurements and consequences.  Through this process of creating discrete tasks, the girls require less monitoring and administration. As teenagers now, however, the girls only require some follow up, lots of encouragement and of course monetary rewards.

Planning is a learned skill built through repetition and discipline. I do not believe it is intrinsically human. As a step mom, Beth often questions her impact and influence on the development of these types of good habits in the girls. One night as I stopped by Erika’s room to kiss her goodnight, I looked at the whiteboard Erika has on the wall above her bed. (Yes, she has her own whiteboard!) She had three days before she was going out of town to visit her mom in Boston, and she had much to do before she left.  She had divided the whiteboard into three columns, put one of the three remaining days on top of each column, and under each day listed all the tasks she needed to do. At the bottom of each column, she had included consequences and rewards for the completion of her To Do items. At 10 years old, she was setting goals, dividing them into activities, estimating the delivery time and establishing her own consequences or rewards.

I calmly restrained my enthusiasm and suggested to Beth that she check out Erika’s board. With surprise and pleasure, Beth saw first-hand that her efforts were making a difference and she had sown the seeds of a key element for success on any project team: Planning.

Geof Lory is a Partner for GTD Consulting, LLC, an information technology consulting and training firm based in St. Paul, Minn. Geof is a Master Trainer for the Microsoft Solutions Framework, Master Trainer for the entire CompTIA Project Management and Project + curriculum, and is a certified guide for Fissure Simulation Workshops. As a member of the beta teams for MSF, Gartner, and the Fissure Project Management Simulation products, Geof has developed specialized workshops that integrate the common principles and disciplines with organizational tools

[This article is third in a series. Premium members can review the previous articles – “Conscious Parenting Mindset” – and Are We There Yet? in our column archives. For more information about becoming a Premium member, including our free trial offer, see our Subscription Offer

The PMBOK Third Edition

Something Old, Something New

By John Skovbroten PMP

PMI recently released the Third Edition of The Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK), their standard for project management,.  Like many of you, my first question was “How will this benefit me?” followed quickly by “How much rework will this generate for me?”  I found that the answers depend on the extent to which each of us embraces the standard.

Something Old

The change is not radical for organizations and individuals that are using the PMBOK simply as a source for common project management vocabulary, and common understanding of tools and techniques.  The new standard is not a total redesign, but one that builds on the concepts and artifacts of the prior editions.

There are still nine knowledge areas and five process groups.  The primary artifacts are still the project charter, scope statement, work breakdown structure and project plan (now called project management plan).

Some names have changed, many descriptions have been improved and new tools and techniques have been added, but at a high level, the majority of the prior standard is still valid.

Something New

However, for project managers planning to take the certification exam, and those of us who teach prep classes, there is quite a bit of change to absorb. These “PMBOK Scholars”, need to drill down to the next level of detail.

At the detail level, we find that thirteen processes have new names, three have moved to different knowledge areas, and five have been added, bringing the total to forty-four.

The three most significant improvements are the addition of a process model, major expansion of the Integration knowledge area, and better coordination of all of the monitoring and controlling processes.

Process Model

Prior editions of the PMBOK drew a distinction between “core” and “facilitating” processes, where core processes had sequences and dependencies and facilitating processes did not.  Most instructors and students felt that this distinction was somewhat arbitrary.  Apparently PMI now shares that opinion, as they have replaced that model with a standard process flowchart showing the primary sequence of all the processes and the dependencies between them.  In the past, various books and training organizations have generated their own model to fill the gap, so this new approach should be a good way to provide more consistency between sources.

Integration

One of the challenges of the prior standard was getting a quick understanding of the “big picture”.  The thirty-nine process descriptions in the nine knowledge area chapters provided a thorough discussion of each tree, but needed a stronger overview of the forest.

This has been addressed nicely by building up the chapter on Integration.  Now the Integration chapter contains the primary processes for each of the five process groups of Initiating, Planning, Executing, Monitoring and Controlling, and Closing.  The detailed processes in each of the other chapters then roll up into one of the Integration processes, such as Develop Project Charter, Develop Project Management Plan, or Integrated Change Control.

Monitoring and Controlling Processes

In the prior editions, each individual knowledge area chapters had one or more controlling processes and the inconsistency that can result from multiple authors was quite evident.  Some produced change requests to be approved, while others directly made changes to the project.  Some produced deliverables with new names to describe a concept previously introduced in another chapter.

In the Third Edition, the controlling processes are still in each individual chapter, but now they consistently produce updates to previously produced artifacts, along with change requests to be addressed by the Integrated Change Control process.  Now the monitoring and controlling processes have a same consistency as the planning processes.

In summary, I like what they have done.  Many of the points that have been difficult to teach and difficult to apply in organizations have been improved.  It’s clear that the standards team has listened to the input of practitioners, and done what they can to give us a more usable standard.

This new edition is now scheduled to become the basis of the certification exam starting at the end of September.  For schedule updates, check with PMI at www.pmi.org.

John Skovbroten is a Fissure associate with 33 years of experience.  In addition to working as a workshop guide and consultant, he also volunteers time as the Program Manager of Certification for the Minnesota chapter of PMI.

Management Philosophy and Guiding Principles**

Sandy Kimmer, MD

LT MC USNR

Staff Family Medicine Physician

Teaching Faculty

Bremerton Naval Hospital

I am a Navy Family Medicine Physician.  In my current job, my responsibilities include supervising and teaching residents.  Therefore, I have written this paper in the format of a direct communication with any new resident joining my work team.   

Background and Management Philosophy

The purpose of this communication is to introduce myself and describe the work experiences I have had which have been influential in the development of my management philosophy.  Also, the management principles that I use as a guide will be discussed.  My undergraduate degree is in psychology.  Although initially pre-med, I quickly changed my focus to industrial, organizational psychology.  I studied learning, motivation, and leadership theory.  During college I worked for Eddie Bauer.  My primary responsibilities were selling, hiring, and teaching Customer Satisfaction Selling.  These experiences ignited a passion for teaching and delivering excellent customer service.  When I decided to return to school to complete my pre-med courses, I continued to work full time while attending school.  By the time I was accepted to medical school, I had worked for Eddie Bauer for ten years. 

My school courses, work experience, and supporting myself through school all helped shape me as a physician, teacher, and manager.  I feel that these experiences also helped to increase my “emotional intelligence”(Schermerhorn, p.14, Goleman, 1998).  Daniel Goleman defines this as “the ability to understand our emotions, the emotions of others, and then use this understanding to manage ourselves and our relationships effectively” (Schermerhorn, p. 14).  I consider myself an “employee-centered” manager.  As Pugh and Hickson described it, these supervisors “regard their job as dealing with human beings rather than with the work; they attempt of know [their employees] as individuals.  They see their job as helping them do their job efficiently” (p. 140, Pugh and Hickson, 1989, pp. 156-57).  As a team leader, I view my primary roles as those of facilitator, guide, and cheerleader.  My job is to ensure that those who work with me have the knowledge and tools needed to be an excellent family physician.  I also need to provide a clear vision of what is expected of a physician as well as a military officer.  Finally, constructive feedback and encouragement are my responsibility. As described in Abraham Maslow’s theory of a hierarchy of needs (p. 136), I believe that everyone is striving to satisfy a need through their work.  My responsibility is to determine that need and facilitate the achievement of each employee’s goals.

            My philosophy is consistent with Theory Y as expressed by Douglas McGregor in his 1960 book entitled The Human Side of Enterprise (p. 155).  McGregor believed that “behind every managerial decision or action there lay assumptions about human nature and human behavior which were central in determining each individual manager’s style of operation” (p. 156).  The assumptions at the foundation of his Theory X, which he claimed were dominant in the managerial philosophy of his time, were that workers are generally lazy, want to avoid work, and require a firm hand to be coerced into doing their jobs.  On the contrary, Theory Y was based on the assumption that “workers would exercise both self-direction and self-control, provided they were sufficiently committed to the organizational objectives” (p. 159).  Also, given the proper information, guidance, and encouragement, people learn “not only to accept but to seek responsibility” (p. 159, McGregor, 1960/1987, p.48).

In keeping with my management philosophy as outlined above, several principles serve to guide my management style and decision-making. These include work ethic, trust, communication, teamwork, customer service, and empowerment.  Below, I will discuss each of these principles in detail.  In keeping with these principles, I have certain expectations of myself and of those with whom I work.  These expectations will be listed following each principle.

Guiding Principles

Work Ethic

            A strong work ethic is the foundation for any person’s success in the working world.  This consists of a belief in the importance of following the rules and regulations of the organization.  Also fundamental to work ethic is the willingness to put one’s best effort into the job at hand.  F.W. Taylor, one of the pioneers of management theory, ascribed work ethic to what he calls the “first class man,” one who is “highly motivated and pushes forward with his work rather than wasting or restricting output” (p. 14).  Taylor believed that these men had a “natural desire…for material gain and personal advancement based on their own talents and application” (p. 16).  This is in contrast to “soldiering” (p. 15), or the natural tendency of the average man to work at a slow, easy pace and thus restrict potential output.

            Frederick Herzberg called those with a strong work ethic “motivation seekers” in contrast to “hygiene seekers” (p. 150).  Hygiene seekers are “motivated by the nature of the environment” and “realize little satisfaction from accomplishments” (p. 150, Herzberg, 1966/1974, p. 89).  Motivation seekers, on the other hand, are “motivated by the nature of the task” and find “great satisfaction from accomplishments” (p. 150, Herzberg, 1966/1974, p. 89).  When the going gets tough, Herzberg felt it was the motivation seekers who could be relied upon to rise to the occasion.   These are the type of employees I want to nurture. 

Expectations

1. Timeliness
2. Respect for the rules of both the hospital and the military in general
3. Thoroughness in completing patient care responsibilities and documentation
4. Adequate turnover to the oncoming physicians at the end of each shift

Trust

            Trust is a key element in maintaining relationships and is no less important in the work environment.  In medicine, gaining our patient’s trust is vital in order to persuade them to follow our advice.  As a team leader, I need to be able to trust team members to be honest about their actions as well as their learning needs.  My responsibility is to build your trust in me by being consistent in carrying out my roles as a facilitator, guide, and cheerleader. As Henry Gantt stressed, I believe in an “aristocracy of the capable which would provide industrial leadership on the basis of fact rather than opinion and on merit rather than privilege” (p. 41).  Henri Fayol believed in the similar concept of “personal authority (which stemmed from such attributes as intelligence, experience, integrity, and leadership ability)” (p. 49).  As such, I understand that I need to work to earn your trust.  William Ouchi describes the ideal Type Z organizations that approach the ideal of making the “connection between an egalitarian style of management and mutual trust” (p.189, Ouchi, 1981, pp. 81 and 83).  This is a worthy goal.

Expectations

1. Consistent work ethic as described above which will foster trust
2. Honesty in communications
3. Willingness to admit limitations and ask for help

Communication

            Caring for the medical needs of our patients is a team effort and communication is crucial to any effective team.  Communication is also necessary in the learning environment and essential for building and maintaining medical knowledge.  Chester Barnard summarized the functions of the executive and listed “developing and maintaining a system of communication” (p.124, Barnard, 1938, p.233) as the first of these functions.  He “placed a greater emphasis on the networks of communication which he termed the informal organization” (p. 125) than on the formal organizational structure.  “Good communications are, according to Barnard, facilitated by individuals possessing a close affinity of outlook derived from socialization and training” (p. 123).  Feedback is a vital subset of communication.  Herzberg stated “the profoundest motivation to work comes from the recognition of individual achievement and from the sense of personal growth in responsibility” (p. 147, Herzberg et al, 1959/1993, p. 125).  I will work to ensure a respectful environment with open communication and prompt, constructive feedback. 

Expectations

1. Two-way communication of expectations
2. Organized, complete communication when turning over patient care
3. Constructive, thoughtful feedback between team members

Teamwork

            Henri Fayol “viewed organizations as akin to living organisms, possessing a life of their own and requiring the maintenance of harmony in order to function satisfactorily” (p. 56).  This is definitely true of establishing and maintaining a team.  Fayol recognized that “real talent is needed to co-ordinate effort, encourage keenness, use each man’s abilities, and reward each one’s merit without arousing possible jealousies and disturbing harmonious relations” (p.53, Fayol, 1916/1949, p. 40).  When he interpreted the Hawthorne experiments, Elton Mayo “placed the maximum emphasis on the correlation between the vastly improved levels of output in the RATR and the development of a highly cohesive working groups operating under a managerial regime that was both enlightened and supportive” (p.112).  Harry Braverman, on the other hand, describes the dissatisfaction and alienation that accompany the “destruction of craftsmanship” (p. 174) and the resulting “decline of community and the loosening of the

former ties of the neighborhood” (p.181).  All of the previous principles described, work ethic, trust, and communications are the building blocks of an effective team.  The team approach is necessary to provide superb care for our patients.

Expectations

1. Respectful attitude toward team members
2. Open communication among team members
3. Clear definitions of the role of each team member

Customer Service

            My experience at Eddie Bauer providing and teaching good customer service taught me the importance of this fundamental principle.  Although many physicians are reluctant to think of our patients as “customers,” I feel it is nonetheless vital to provide them with good service.  We also need to be cognizant of our internal customer.  As physicians, many team members rely on us to perform certain tasks.  For example, the nurses on our team need us to answer telephone consultations and refill medications in a timely manner so they can get back to the patient as soon as possible. 

            Ouchi’s “central concept of trust” “manifests itself in his call for a redirection of attention to human relations…for an emphasis on a long-term relationship with customers and on value rather than efficiency” (p.197, Wickens, 1995, pp. 28-29).  Barnard also took a broader view of the organization “by including not only employees and managers but investors, suppliers, customers and clients” (p. 125).  This idea of viewing customers as integral to our work is not new and is symbolized by the “upside-down pyramid” (Schermerhorn, p. 8).  This pyramid places top managers at the bottom supporting managers and workers in serving the customer.  “Everyone in the upside-down pyramid becomes a value-added worker—someone who does a thing that creates eventual value for best serving the customers” (Schermerhorn, p. 8).  In successful companies “customer satisfaction is increasingly viewed as a source of organizational strength and performance advantage” (Schermerhorn, p. 3).

Expectations

1. Timely attention to the needs of internal customers and patients
2. Positive, can-do attitude when dealing with internal customers and patients
3. Willingness to go the extra step to ensure that the patient has a good medical experience

Empowerment

            The final principle that guides me as a manager is empowerment of subordinates.  This involves listening with the intent to learn the ideas, interests, and goals of the corpsman, nurses, and residents with whom I work.  Then I work to aide them in implementing their ideas and achieving their goals.  Dave Ulrich coined the term “intellectual capital” (Schermerhorn, p.2, Ulrich, 1998) which represents the “talents, knowledge and experience” (Schermerhorn, p. 2) of people and the contribution they make to the long-term success of the organizations in which they work.  Empowerment increases the value of this human capital. 

            Several management theorists understood the value of empowering employees.  In order to meet the higher level needs of self-esteem and self-actualization that Maslow outlined (p. 136), Herzberg understood that “the individual should have some measure of control over the way in which the job is done in order to realize a sense of achievement and of personal growth” (p. 148, Herzberg et al, 1959/1993, p. 132).  McGregor felt it was the responsibility of managers to create an environment “such that the members of the organization can achieve their own goals best by directing their efforts toward the success of the enterprise” (p.160, McGregor, 1960/1987, p. 49).  Finally, Ouchi listed five things that Japanese managers do which contribute to the success of their companies:

1. emphasis on a flow of information and initiative from the bottom up;
2. making top management the facilitator of decision making rather than the issuer of edicts;
3. using middle management as the impetus for, and shaper of, solutions to problems;
4. stressing consensus as the way of making decisions; and
5. paying close attention to the personal well-being of employees.

(p. 187, Johnson and Ouchi, 1974, p. 62)

These principles provide a good outline for the empowering environment I hope to create.

Expectations

1. Look for ways to improve the work environment and clinic functions
2. Discover your interests and goals
3. Communicate your ideas, interests, and goals

Summary

            The goal of this brief is to provide some background information about myself and the experiences I have had.  These experiences have influenced the type of physician, teacher, and manager I am today.  I feel that my job is to provide the knowledge, guidance, and feedback needed to train top-notch family physicians.  My management philosophy is focused on the human side; empowering individuals to work together to create an effective patient care team.  The principles outlined above all work together to create this team.  The expectations listed are the behaviors I expect of myself as well as those with whom I work.  My hope is that, in sharing these ideas with you at the outset, we can work together to create a supportive working environment and provide excellent medical care to our patients. 

References

Primary References

Schermerhorn, J.R.  Core concepts of Management.  John Wiley & Sons, Hoboken, New Jersey, 2004.

Sheldrake, J.  Management Theory:  From Taylorism to Japanization.  International Thomas Business Press, London, 1996.

Secondary References From Schermerhorn (In Order of Citation)

Goleman, D.  Working with Emotional Intelligence.  Bantam, New York, 1998.

Ulrich, D.  Intellectual Capital=Competence X Commitment.  Sloan Management Review.  Winter 1998: 15-26.

Secondary References From Sheldrake (In Order of Citation)

Pugh, D., and Hickson, D. (eds) Writers on Organizations.  Penguin Books, Harmondsworth, 1989.

McGregor, D.  The Human Side of Enterprise.  Penguin Books, Harmondsworth, 1960/1987.

Herzberg, F.  Work and the Nature of Man.  Crosby Lockwood Staples, London, 1966/1974.

Ouchi, W.  Theory Z:  How American Business Can Meet the Japanese Challenge.  Addison-Weley, Reading, Mass., 1981. 

Barnard, C.  The Functions of the Executive.  Harvard University Press, Cambridge, Mass., 1838/1968.

Herzberg, F., Mauser, B. and Snyderman, B.  The Motivation to Work.  Transaction Publishers, New Brunswick, New Jersey, 1959/1993.

Fayol, H.  General and Administrative Management.  Pitman, London, 1949.

Wickens, P.  The Ascendant Organization:  Combining Commitment and Control for Long Term, Sustainable Business Success.  Macmillan, London, 1995. 

Johnson, R. and Ouchi, W.  Made in America (Under Japanese Management).  Harvard Business Review. 52(5): 61-69.

Fissure News

Thomson/West Publishing has just released the 4^th Edition of Kathy Schwalbe’s book, Information Technology Project Management. The new book includes a CD with a Fissure project management simulation.  Kathy has integrated the use of the simulation within the book to reinforce the learning and give the reader (student) the opportunity to practice the related project management tools and techniques on a real-life project.  The simulated project is a smaller and less complex project than what we use in our Basic and Advanced PM Simulation workshops. The IT PM book by Kathy has become a benchmark text that has sold over 100,000 copies since its introduction. To learn more about the book or to place an order click: Information Technology Project Management, Fourth Edition

Chicago & Raleigh NC have joined Minneapolis as sites for Fissure public courses. The new locations feature our Basic and Advanced Simulation Workshops and our Project Management Professional (PMP) Prep courses. Initial registrations have exceeded our expectations. Please visit our web site (link) and click on the city of your choice for specific dates.

Member added: Fissure associates Jesse & Susan Freese had the pleasure of seeing their first grandchild, Owen Patrick Craig, born on March 30th. All are doing very well!

The Project Management Institute of MN (PMI MN) will be sponsoring two upcoming Fissure courses. A one day Basic Project Management Overview course will be held on May 27^th and the Advanced Project Management Simulation on July 14^th & 15^th. For more information click here.