If I Only Had A Brain
October 25th, 2002 by HalAn ENR Summit attendee asked for my best advice for conducting planning sessions. The individual was looking for a standard agenda format. I surprised him by saying the quality of the planning is a function of the questions asked by the leaders present. I got the usual, "Huh?" I remembered the following Top Five list I use in coaching project leaders. I offered to send it to him. Only problem is I can't find the business card that goes with the promise! Oh well…I hope you're reading.
Top Five Behaviors for LPS™ Planning Sessions
© 2002 Lean Project Consulting, Inc. |
What do you do with the above top five list? At your next project planning meeting shift your questions. Make it your goal to ask follow-up questions. Do it in the mood of curiosity not interrogation. Avoid answering your own questions or differing with the answers you get. See what happens. At the end of the session conduct a plus-delta review to get participants' views on what produced value for them and what could produce more value in the future. Focus on one or two of the items from your plus-delta review at the next planning meeting.
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October 27th, 2002 at 9:28 pm
Hal,
You know what’s funny? I was in the Army, and they had the best damned environment for planning and learning, and sharing learned knowledge I’ve ever seen…
It’s amazing…
I thought for sure that when I got our of the Army, the civilian world would be much better at leadership, because money was involved…
you know what I found?
most civilian’s in charge of things have no business being in charge…
it’s odd…
October 28th, 2002 at 1:50 am
I too am surprised at how little leadership is available day-to-day. But I’ve come to realize that you get what you ask for…and often little else. So, try asking for leadership from anyone in a position to provide it. No telling what you’ll get!
October 29th, 2002 at 5:45 am
Hi,
I have come across quite a lot of so called planning meetings/sessions.
Main focus was not to plan,
but to accomodate the given dates that
were spelled out by the top brass boys
probably while they were out golfing
So planning is not trying to get tasks done realistically(in a possible timeframe), but trying to meet given Milestones that are completely taken out of the blue sky…
Well I guess planning is relative.
Bye
Buck
October 31st, 2002 at 1:12 am
Just remember…we always have a choice: we can stay or we can go. We never have to lick stamps, unless of course we agree to.