The Strategic What Podcast: Recent Episodes
Rodrigo Caetano
Looking for ways to be more productive, inspire your team, better plan your projects? The Strategic What Podcast is for anyone who is working on the trenches and now needs to become a better leader. My ultimate objective is to help you regain control of your projects and deliver better results. Let's hit the ground running!
Toyota Kata Starter: What are the main management aspects you should consider when implementing this methodology?
I’m starting a new series on manufacturing and operations management. In this first episode of the series, we will talk about some management aspects of implementing Toyota Kata Starter.
We will discuss:
- What you should consider when implementing any methodology in your organization
- From a senior management perspective, what to do before pursuing an implementation
- I’ll describe the main aspects of Toyota Kata Starter
- I’ll briefly explain it’s components and the famous five questions
- I’ll close with a case study of an implementation in a manufacturing company
THE ONE TAKE AWAY FROM THIS EPISODE
- Learn the main considerations you should have if you decide to implement Toyota Kata Starter.
LINKS & TOOLS FROM THIS EPISODE
Interesting articles and background story about Toyota Kata Starter
- Introduction to Toyota Kata - Mike Rother
- The Toyota Kata Practice Guide by Mike Rother
- Four Valuable Lessons from GM’s Failed Experiment by Nadeem Haidary
- This American Life Podcast: Episode 403 Nummi (2010)
- This American Life Podcast: Episode 561 Nummi (2015)
Also:
Listen to more episodes: https://rodrigocaetano.com/podcast
Send me a message: podcast@rodrigocaetano.com
Schedule a Mentoring Session with Rodrigo: https://rodrigocaetano.com/schedule-session/
What’s the best way to make a presentation to executive management?
You frustrated you are dragging your feet to prepare presentations to upper management, even though you never procrastinate anything else in your to do list. You hate PowerPoint, and is sure everyone else does the same.
I’m here to provide you some tips on what to consider when creating your presentations, even if you are not offering value. And you don’t even need to use power point, if you don’t want to. Listen to some insights and make your executive presentations more meaningful to you and to your audience.
Consider if your presentation is really necessary or you can communicate the same message without using PowerPoint. Understand the causes you are dragging your feet, like not scheduling enough time to prepare it, or collecting data. Think about the purpose of your presentation, who should be attending it and what’s the outcome you want when people leave the room. Have a few things at hand to help you during the delivery of the presentation. Finally, keep it short and sweet, make it meaningful.
THE ONE TAKE AWAY FROM THIS EPISODE
Presenting to executive management has very little to do with a beautiful PowerPoint. It’s all about succinctness and clarity of the message you want to came across.
LINKS & TOOLS FROM THIS EPISODE
- Listen to more episodes: https://rodrigocaetano.com/podcast
- Send me a message: podcast@rodrigocaetano.com
- Schedule a Mentoring Session with Rodrigo: https://rodrigocaetano.com/schedule-session/
In this episode, we'll be talking about how hard is to change. We always want to change something in our lives, to get to a new place. But from the point of view of where we currently are, any change seems impossible.
Sometimes it's just easier to think about quitting and just give up. We are at the top of a mountain looking away to the distance, to an even higher mountain where we want to go. In front of us we find the reality of an enormous abyss, which seems to grow ever larger the more we look into it.
However, change itself is only one part of a larger process. We may become obsessed with the abyss ahead of us and we forget that change is part of something bigger and more comprehensive, the true transformation. And in fact, how often we don't know where we want to go… We don't have a clear destination.
We neglect the fact that we can do things in stages, and go one step at the time. In practical terms, consider the following:
- Ask yourself if the change really needs to be made. Also, ask yourself if you really want this change. Wanting something will bring control back to you.
- Think about whether there is a path, and if that path can have several intermediate stages. Remember, Rome wasn't made in a day.
- Assess the impact of the change not only on you, but also on the people around you. There's nothing more frustrating than achieving your end goal, reaching the higher mountain and forgetting to consider the impact this will have in your other goals and in the meaningful people around you.
Remember, there are changes that are really worth making. These are changes that, once made, you will forget the past in the past, so you can move to the future and evolve as a person.
THE ONE TAKE AWAY FROM THIS EPISODE
- look at changes as isolated events, but see them as part of as broad transitions with several stages over longer periods of time.
LINKS & TOOLS FROM THIS EPISODE
• Listen to more episodes: https://rodrigocaetano.com/podcast
• Send me a message: podcast@rodrigocaetano.com
• Schedule a Mentoring Session with Rodrigo: https://rodrigocaetano.com/schedule-session/
In this episode, we discuss how to deal with an extremely appeasing boss, often called overly democratic or even conflict adverse leader.
This is the boss who struggles with conflict and often tries to manipulates his team to achieve his own objectives. This type of manager believes that they need to have approval and consensus of their team to implement any changes. However, they use “consensus” as a way to achieve their own goals, manipulating the team until they reach his desired outcomes.
Usually, this type of manager has some very interesting characteristics. First, they need to be on good terms with everyone, and don't accept confrontations and fights, being extremely averse to conflict.
Then, they tend to be very confused when delegating work to his team. "Do this, but also do that" - they say, giving conflicting instructions to his subordinates.
Finally, they have difficulty managing team work, ending up with enormous to-do lists that keep growing, but never get resolved. This is because of their enormous difficulty to say “no”, making impossible to prioritize, classify and plan their team work.
But, how do you deal with this manager? Here are a few pointers:
- Understand and accept that that it's their way of operating in the world. It’s not your job to change their behavior.
- Understand that this is a person who deals well with relationships, but has enormous difficulty saying “no” and dealing with details.
- Understand that this person constantly struggles to manage the expectations of their executive and is always under pressure for their inability to deliver what is important.
- Learn to limit your availability and identify what is really important from your own point of view. So, you can build your own track record.
- In the end, what counts are the results you are bringing to the company and your team.
THE ONE TAKE AWAY FROM THIS EPISODE
- How to identify and deal with conflict adverse managers.
LINKS & TOOLS FROM THIS EPISODE
- Listen to more episodes: https://rodrigocaetano.com/podcast
- Send me a message: podcast@rodrigocaetano.com
- Schedule a Mentoring Session with Rodrigo: https://rodrigocaetano.com/schedule-session/
In this episode, we're going to talk about the need to know that the things you do can be achieved in different ways. In the technical field, there is a great tendency towards perfectionism when trying to find solutions. It's as if there's only one solution to be found on anything we do.
It also seems that we can't afford to make mistakes and learn from our mistakes. Everything makes us think that this "one" solution will be easy and quick, without being aware that other approaches could lead us to the same result more quickly and effectively.
But in reality, things are more complex than we think. Our flexibility in executing solutions can become a major differentiator in the way we manage our team.
So, remember that things can be done in different ways.
THE ONE TAKE AWAY FROM THIS EPISODE
- Don’t limit yourself trying to find the single, right solution. Remember: anything you want to accomplish can be done in many different ways.
LINKS & TOOLS FROM THIS EPISODE
- Listen to more episodes: https://rodrigocaetano.com/podcast
- Schedule a Mentoring Session with Rodrigo: https://rodrigocaetano.com/schedule-session/
In this episode, I’ll discuss three productivity books I read recently and my opinion about them.
Here it goes the good, the bad and the ugly:
1) The Only Thing– by Gary Keller e Joy Papasan. https://a.co/d/gbAUiVR 5 Stars! Highly recommended!
2) Stolen focus – by Johann Hari https://a.co/d/1b30RB5 Average... 3 stars!
3) How to win friends and manage remotely – by McKenna Sweazey https://a.co/d/5RvIBc6 Terrible! Zero stars.
Since we are talking about books, if you live outside North America, I strongly recommend Kindle to more easily get access to these and any other books. In case you are not sure which type of device you should get; I recommend the Kindle Paperwhite 8GB ou 16GB. https://a.co/d/6V4Q40C
THE ONE TAKE AWAY FROM THIS EPISODE
- Read the book “The Only Thing” by Gary Keller e Joy Papasan. It’s an amazing book!
LINKS & TOOLS FROM THIS EPISODE
- Listen to more episodes: https://rodrigocaetano.com/podcast
- Schedule a Mentoring Session with Rodrigo: https://rodrigocaetano.com/schedule-session/
Making everyone talk to each other is enough to coordinate your team?
A scenario that is way too common. A team doesn’t communicate internally and needs to deal with external teams in the organization.
When a client outside of your team asks you: “Are you talk to each other there?”
When you try to do some internal communication and they say: “Do I need to share everything I do with you? Are you my boss? (jokingly!)”
When you try to fix the mess and they say: “Are you not being too controlling?”
When you get frustrated and simply give up trying to fix the issue.
What happens when your manager tries to fix the issue by asking everyone in the team to community what they are doing.
Why coordination goes beyond simply communicating what everyone is doing.
Why this is important and the impact on the team’s external credibility.
THE ONE TAKE AWAY FROM THIS EPISODE
- Coordination is essential to the long-term success of your team. Letting your team communicate internally is a good start, but won’t solve the problem. You need to actively coordinate your team!
LINKS & TOOLS FROM THIS EPISODE
- Listen to more episodes: https://rodrigocaetano.com/podcast
- Schedule a Mentoring Session with Rodrigo: https://rodrigocaetano.com/schedule-session/
How to deal with a overwhelmed boss at work?
First things first, you can’t change anyone. Don’t try to change your manager.
Understand your objectives and what you want to take out of the situation.
Look at the situation from a broader perspective. Are you the only one who is perceiving this situation or others in the organization are being impacted?
How are you handling your productivity? Look for ways you can you avoid being interrupted by the overwhelmed manager and avoid impacting your productivity.
In the end, you still have control over your life. Take control over your future.
THE ONE TAKE AWAY FROM THIS EPISODE
- You are the one who controls your life. Take control of your future.
LINKS & TOOLS FROM THIS EPISODE
- Listen to more episodes: https://rodrigocaetano.com/podcast
- Schedule a Mentoring Session with Rodrigo: Schedule a Session
Are you feeling overwhelmed managing your team?
In this episode I’ll give you some things you should considered when you feel overwhelmed at work.
IN THIS EPISODE YOU WILL LEARN
- The paradox of competency
- Reorganizing your team
- Resetting your expectations as a manager
THE ONE TAKE AWAY FROM THIS EPISODE
Feeling overloaded and overwhelmed could be a sign you need to step back and act more strategically.
LINKS & TOOLS FROM THIS EPISODE
Listen to more episodes: https://rodrigocaetano.com/podcast
Schedule a Mentoring Session with Rodrigo: https://rodrigocaetano.com/schedule-session/
How to Lead Through Layoffs?
In the last weeks, Meta, Google, Microsoft, Amazon tens of thousands of technology workers. Now you are the one who should deal with the mess left by these changes. And, you need to motivate teams with people affected by the cuts, left behind without direction and overwhelm with work. You are the one feeling the heat and trying to make sense of the situation and plan for the future.
IN THIS EPISODE YOU WILL LEARN
- How to regroup and check who and what’s left after the cuts;
- How to stabilize your team after such major cuts;
- What to pay attention when reorganizing your physical environment;
- How to become a positive influence and avoid increasing the toxicity of your work environment;
- Why you should trust that others can do their work;
- How and what to communicate transparently;
- How to align yourself to upper management;
- Why you should show your best side during these difficult times;
- And finally, how to deal with your own anxiety.
THE ONE TAKE AWAY FROM THIS EPISODE
- You can’t control the world. The sun will rise tomorrow regardless and there will be better days.
LINKS & TOOLS FROM THIS EPISODE
- Listen to more episodes: https://rodrigocaetano.com/podcast
- Contact me: https://rodrigocaetano.com/schedule-session/
Many times we set objectives and forget about them. We end up never doing them, but we start to feel frustrated we can’t get anything accomplished. In this episode, I discuss three different things you should know about dealing with objectives that will help you overcome this feeling of frustration.
IN THIS EPISODE YOU WILL LEARN
- What happens when you don’t decide what you will do with your objectives;
- Objectives can be changed;
- Objectives are not set in stone;
- It’s OK to not have any objectives
- How to overcome the frustration of not getting your objectives accomplished;
THE ONE TAKE AWAY FROM THIS EPISODE
- Instead of fighting the feeling of frustration of not accomplishing your objectives, embrace it and decide what to do with your objectives.
LINKS & TOOLS FROM THIS EPISODE
- Listen to more episodes: https://rodrigocaetano.com/podcast
- Schedule a Mentoring Session with Rodrigo: Schedule a Session
In this episode I provide you a way to develop a repository of processes in your organization. I discuss what I would do specifically if I were to start from scratch creating processes in a new organization.
IN THIS EPISODE YOU WILL LEARN
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The difference between policies, processes and procedures; - Categories of processes you can create and examples for each one of them;
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The culture and mindset you need to foster to succeed, creating and documenting new processes in your organization.
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Not everything should be done in one go. Pick your battles;
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How to start and what to consider;
THE ONE TAKE AWAY FROM THIS EPISODE
- A step-by-step approach on how to create and document processes in your organization.
LINKS & TOOLS FROM THIS EPISODE
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Listen to more episodes: https://rodrigocaetano.com/podcast
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Schedule a Mentoring Session with Rodrigo: Schedule a Session
What should you about quiet quitting in your organization?
In this Monday’s brief, I provide you some quick tips on how to deal with the quiet quitting trend, when people are silently quitting their work in your organization. Listen to learn why they do so and how to avoit this situation.
Schedule a mentoring session with me: https://rodrigocaetano.com/schedule-session/
IN THIS EPISODE YOU WILL LEARN
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Quiet quitting is a new label to an old concept;
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Internal and external factors why someone decides to quiet quit;
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What can you do when it looks like someone in your team is silent quitting their job;
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How to re-establish momentum in your organization;
THE ONE TAKE AWAY FROM THIS EPISODE
Quiet quitting is a new name for an old phenomenon.
LINKS & TOOLS FROM THIS EPISODE
WAPO Article: ‘Quiet quitting’ isn’t really about quitting.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2022/08/21/quiet-quitting-what-to-know/
HBR Article: Quiet Quitting Is About Bad Bosses
https://hbr.org/2022/08/quiet-quitting-is-about-bad-bosses-not-bad-employees
Schedule a mentoring session with me: https://rodrigocaetano.com/schedule-session/
Looking for a way to create a skill development plan to further develop competencies in your organization?
In this episode, I discuss the big myths about developing skills and provide a step-by-step approach on how to create a comprehensive skill development strategy. Remeber to download the template below!
Download my Skill Development Plan template: https://rodrigocaetano.com/sdp-template
Schedule a mentoring session with me: https://rodrigocaetano.com/schedule-session/
How to reframe difficult situations?
Reframing is changing an experience by putting another frame around it. It's like seeing things from a different perspective. As a manager, you will need to lead through difficult situations. You can use reframing as a tool to help you overcome difficulties and overcame obstacles.
In this episode you will learn: * What is reframing? * Why reframing matters? * Some reframing examples. * Using reframing to deal with a very difficult situation; * How to use reframing in your day-to-day work; * You always have the option of reframing your experience and lead your team through difficult times.
The one take away from this episode: * When your team faces an incredibly difficult situation, try reframing it see different perspectives so you can get better results.
Links & Tools from this episode: * Listen to more episodes: https://rodrigocaetano.com/podcast * Connect with Rodrigo Caetano: Contact me! * Subscribe and Get my best work: Practical Management Tips
What should you not delegate?
There are situations when delegating will makes things worst. Most of the time you will be the one who will be making the call if something needs to be delegated and should know if you are getting results.
In this episode you will learn: * Everyone tells you should delegate, e-ve-ry-thi-ng; * There are situations where delegating can make things worst; * What to do when you delegate, delegate and delegate and nothing happens; * When you can't figure out what needs to be delegated; * What to do when delegating important stuff; * News from our community;
The one take away from this episode: * What you should watch out, if you are delegating and things are not getting done.
Links & Tools from this episode: * Listen to more episodes: https://rodrigocaetano.com/podcast * Connect with Rodrigo Caetano: Contact me! * Subscribe and Get my best work: Practical Management Tips
How to deal with strategic changes in your project?
The world has changed, but your plan is still the same. That’s what normally happens when you came with your first strategic plan.
In this episode, I’m going to discuss how to keep your plan relevant, when things in the real world change.
IN THIS EPISODE YOU WILL LEARN: * At 1:20’, Here is the news: Projects change! * At 4:30’, Why it’s important to review your plan. * At 7:20’, My advice on getting your project reviewed. * At 8:40’, Going the extra mile on managing your project. * At 9:45’, Intrinsic engineering bias you will find when brining changes; * At 11:17’, A personal example on how the context affected and changed the project we worked for; * At13:34’, A few takeaways when dealing with strategic changes in your project; * At15:50’, News from our community!
THE ONE THING TO TAKE AWAY FROM THIS EPISODE: * Take time to do a strategic reviews of your project, so you can incorporate strategic changes and adjust your plan.
LINKS & TOOLS FROM THIS EPISODE * Learn more: https://rodrigocaetano.com/podcast * Connect with Rodrigo: Contact me! * Get my best work: Practical Management Tips
How can you limit your availability to get more work done?
If you are tired of being interrupted at work, learn 8 ways you can limit your availability to take control of your deliverables.
IN THIS EPISODE YOU WILL LEARN: * At 0:40’, how does it feel to be the center of the universe; * At 1:50’, why you should limit your availability; * At 4:50’, 8 ways to avoid being interrupted and limit your availability; * At 5:20’, learn how to say no!; * At 7:15’, avoid time wasting meetings; * At 9:17’, check your emails only a couple times a day; * At 11:40’, turn off distracting alerts; * At 13:45’, stop answering your phone; * At 13:45’, stop answering your phone; * At 15:50’, wear earphones; * At 17:20’, work from home; * Do you have a strategy to limit your availability, share that with me through the email podcast@strategciwhat.com. I’d love to hear from you.
THE ONE THING TO TAKE AWAY FROM THIS EPISODE: * Get less interrupted to get more work done.
LINKS & TOOLS FROM THIS EPISODE * Learn more: https://rodrigocaetano.com/podcast/ * Connect with Rodrigo: Contact me! * Get my best work: Practical Management Tips
Do you think these corporate confidentiality contracts can really bite you?
Yes, they can and you should be aware of the implication of signing them.
NDAs, employment contracts, general confidentiality agreements, you name it. Read and understand everything first, before signing them.
IN THIS EPISODE YOU WILL LEARN: * At 1:15’, Street Smart considerations on signing any type of paperwork * At 2:50’, Mike Grella: "Stop treating the NDA you signed like a used napkin." * At 3:40’, The increasing requirements for secrecy in the corporate world * At 7:20’, Why should you care about what you sign? * At 9:45’, Implications of breaking contract terms * At 11:40’, Examples where confidential information was exposed * At 14:10’, Contracts that involve intellectual property can bite you * At 17:35’, Read what you are signing and make sure you understand what you are committing to * At 18:00’, My main considerations when signing paperwork
THE ONE THING TO TAKE AWAY FROM THIS EPISODE: * You may think that signing confidentiality contracts might not be a big deal... but IT IS a big deal.
LINKS & TOOLS FROM THIS EPISODE * Learn more: http://www.rodrigocaetano.com/podcast * Connect with Rodrigo: Contact me! * Get my best work: Practical Management Tips
How to see the big picture when things are going down the drain?
Learn how you can recover when one of your most important projects is going down the drain and you are spinning your wheels.
IN THIS EPISODE YOU WILL LEARN: * At 0:44, How to see the big picture when your projects are going down the drain? * At 3:30, the most important step to take when you are overwhelmed. * At 5:15, finding out if what you need to do is really important. * At 8:15, how to get the project unstuck. * At 11:00, what is the best approach to get the planning done. * At 13:50, additional advanced tips on how to see the big picture. * At 19:00, the importance of your first working draft of your strategic plan. * At 20:30, the big mistake people do when trying to see the big picture.
THE ONE THING TO TAKE AWAY FROM THIS EPISODE: * When your projects are getting out of your control, decide what’s important and take some focused time to work on your plan. Not everything needs to be done. Not everything will get done.
LINKS & TOOLS FROM THIS EPISODE * Learn more: https://rodrigocaetano.com/podcast/ * Connect with Rodrigo: Contact me! * Get my best work: Practical Management Tips
How to work with someone who is grieving?
In this episode, I reflect about how to help someone in your team who is grieving and is coping with loss.
IN THIS EPISODE YOU WILL LEARN: * At 3:36, what to do when you have someone in the office who has lost a loved one; * At 5:29, each culture has a different way to dealing with losses; * At 6:56, what to expect from the person who is grieving; * At 9:06, understand what the person may need to do after they lose someone; * At 11:03, who should you contact if you need help managing someone who is grieving; * At 11:46, how to be a supportive manager during these difficult situations;
THE ONE THING TO TAKE AWAY FROM THIS EPISODE: * Be a manager someone can fully rely on: understand the grieving process the person is going through and respect their feelings.
LINKS & TOOLS FROM THIS EPISODE * Learn more: rodrigocaetano.com/podcast * Connect with Rodrigo: Contact me! * Get my best work: Practical Management Tips
At work, do you feel more like fish outside the water? Or do you feel you are someone who is fully engaged on what you are working on?
In this episode, I’ll share a story about someone who inspired me how to deal with situations where you don’t feel you are in the right place.
In This Episode You will Learn: * At 0:57, An important question I want to ask you; * At 2:55, A story of a friend who didn't think he was on his element; * At 6:04, How the story impacted me; * At 7:02, What happens if you don't say anything; * At 7:26, What should you do when you don't feel you are in your element;
The One Thing to Take Away from This Episode: * Are you not on your element? Do something about it! Don’t wait for things to change.
Links & Tools from This Episode: * Learn more: rodrigocaetano.com/podcast * Connect with Rodrigo: Contact me! * Get my best work: Practical Management Tips
Do you think problems can solve themselves?
In this episode I share a story from my development days regarding an intermittent problem that taught me a great lesson.
There are different ways you can deal with problems in your organization. One is to merely disregard them, thinking they will solve themselves.
In reality, the most difficult problems, commonly related to cross-organization integrations, are those that are neglected and have a huge effect on your deliverables.
Do you want to learn my take on this? Listen to this episode…
In this episode you will learn: * I share a personal story that helped me understand the value of fixing broken things; * I tell why this story was important for my managerial career; * I give you six things you can do to find and fix issues in your organization;
The one take away from this episode: * You need to be open and confident to learn what isn’t working in your organization. Unless you act, these problems will never be solved.
Links & Tools from this episode: * Listen to more episodes: https://rodrigocaetano.com/podcast * Connect with Rodrigo Caetano: Contact me! * Subscribe and Get my best work: Practical Management Tips
If you are managing change, listen to this episode.
Some people are afraid of changing things. I know...
In this episode, I share a story that happened early on in my career. This was a big lesson about building something new and completely changing how people worked.
We often forget the impact we bring when we build something new. When you build something that really works, people will never miss the old system or approach. Keep listening...
In This Episode You will Learn: * At 1:05, a big lesson I’ve learned early on my career; * At 7:13, the point I want to make with this story; * At 8:02, no one misses the dinosaurs;
The One Thing to Take Away from This Episode: * No one will care about the old system when you implement something that works really well and help them in a tremendous way.
Links & Tools from This Episode: * Learn more: rodrigocaetano.com/podcast * Connect with Rodrigo: Contact me! * Get my best work: Practical Management Tips
Can you believe we’ve reached our 50th episode?
In this episode, I have a special guest. This person always wanted to know more about my work. So, we put some questions together and let her do the interview.
Let’s celebrate! 50 episodes is a big milestones and I’m super excited about what’s coming next. It’s been really fun to be with you in this journey.
In This Episode You will Learn: * At 0:47, a behind the scenes look at my work in my consulting company and the type of work I do; * At 7:35, a tip on how to become a better manager; * At 9:04, a tip on where to start when you are struggling with your team; * At 13:00, learn how I became a podcaster;
The One Thing to Take Away from This Episode: It’s really great to be producing this podcast and it is a pleasure to get in touch with you. Let’s start a conversation. Send me an email at podcast@strategicwhat.com
Links & Tools from This Episode: Learn more: rodrigocaetano.com/podcast
Connect with Rodrigo: Contact me!
Get my best work: Practical Management Tips
Do you think pressuring people will get more done in your project?
When something doesn’t get done, you may think that pressuring people may help you get more results. You may think this is a good way to get things done. However, there are better ways to deal with this problem.
In this episode I’ll share my advice on how to deal with this situation…
References:
- 5 Mistakes When Setting Goals Serieshttps://rodrigocaetano.com/goal-series
What’s the best way to create a transition plan?
In this episode, I’ll share my experience undergoing transitions and provide my advice on how to minimize issues during the management changes.
Are you rushing through decisions and causing your own problems?
Decision making in management – In this episode, learn how to deal with pressure and make decisions that will have a positive impact in your team.
How can you stop sounding like a broken record?
You’ve probably been to that situation where you are trying to avoid a major issue, but now one is listening to you. It seems everyone is focussed on their own issues and don’t realize that if they don’t act immediately, they will be dealing with a big fire down the road.
Yes, it’s frustrating to not be listened. However, there are a few things you can do to get a different result.
In this episode, I’ll discuss alternatives and what to do when you are not being heard. Keep listening…
Hi! I’m Rodrigo Caetano and I’m a technology strategist and advisor.
I care deeply about how you manage your team.
From a virtual location around the globe, here is my new advice podcast.
Strategic What?! Podcast
The way you lead will not only affect your life, but also the lives of all who report to you and are around you: your family, friends and work colleagues.
If you do it well, you will inspire your team as well as everyone who interacts with you.
I’ve been on your shoes. Having transitioned from a highly technical position into a management role, I know how difficult it is. I feel your pain.
Managing can be frustrating, difficult and overwhelming, but it doesn’t have to be that way.
Managing can be fun and exciting!
In my podcast, I’ll provide you tips on how to become more productive as a better manager, innovator and planner.
My show is structured to address specific questions, such as:
- “What should I never delegate?”
- “How do I avoid burn out?”
- “How do I avoid getting stuck in the trenches?”
I’ll give you my best answer, as if we were in a real-life consulting session.
My goal is to keep it really short, simple and practical. That way, you can listen to the podcast on the way to work and put the advice into practice as soon as you get to the office.
Do you need help? Just fire me a message at podcast@strategicwhat.com
My name is Rodrigo Caetano and I help innovators become better leaders and take control of their projects.
Visit my site at: rodrigocaetano.com
What’s the most important skill you need to learn as a manager?
The biggest misconception people have as new managers is that they need to learn new ways to do everything they are asked to. In this episode, you’ll learn that dropping the ball is as important as doing everything people throw at you.
What to do when your project spreadsheets are getting too complicated?
Learn what to do when you are managing and things start to get complicated. In this episode, I’ll share my approach to dealing with Excel spreadsheet in projects.
References:
- Wrike https://www.wrike.com/
- Scoro https://www.scoro.com/
- Proworkflow https://www.proworkflow.com/
Subscribe to my newsletter at rodrigocaetano.com
What to do when you are promoted?
You did a great job and got promoted. The celebration is over and you are now back to your cubicle realizing what you got into. In this episode, I share with you my strategy on how to start in a new position after being promoted.
What to do when you feel stuck in the trenches working for a manager who doesn’t want to grow?
You are an innovator. You enjoy your job. You wan to grow. However, you’ve been working for a manager who makes you feel stuck in the trenches doing the hard work without perspective of growth. Listen to this podcast to learn a strategy on how to dig yourself out of the trenches and grow on your career.
Who is your backup?
Learn why having a succession plan is important for your team and your career. In this episode, I provide some of my experience dealing with succession planning and what happens when you don’t have one.
Do you really need to do everything they ask you for?
Learn a few tips on how to avoid burning out with your workload. In this episode, I share my experience dealing with burnout and how I manage my rest. Keep listening…
Should you get better at delegating and delegate everything?
The short answer is “No!”. There are specific tasks you should never delegate and you should do yourself. Knowing what to delegate will make a huge difference for you as a manager.
Keep listening to learn more…
Feeling unlucky?
When something happens to you, what is your reaction? Do you feel lucky? Unlucky?
Listen to this episode and learn that being lucky or unlucky is just a point of view and everything in the world is relative. Start to take facts of life as they are: just experiences. Keep listening…
Heraclitus used to say that you can’t cross the same river twice.
So, you can’t walk into the same door, cross the same bridge or do the same things twice. No matter how hard you try. Life will move on. Time will pass. People will change.
This is a very liberating thought, since you will evolve and gain more experience as you progress in your life every time you cross that river.
Listen to this episode to learn more...
How to deal with high conflict managers?
In this episode, you will learn how to identify if you are working to someone who is merely a bad boss or someone who has a social disorder. I’ll also give some tips based on my personal experience dealing with this type of managers.
References:
This episode was created using the following book as a reference.
- 5 Types of People Who Can Ruin Your Life by Bill Eddy – If you are experiencing problems with an extremely difficult manager, I highly recommend reading this book.
How to deal with perfectionism?
Being a perfectionist manager will be a very painful experience and won’t get you far in your managerial career. Try prioritizing your work and focus on creating results.
In this episode, I share my approach to dealing with perfectionism. Keep listening…
Do your really need to be always an assertive manager?
Someone may have told you in the past that managers need to be tough, hard and threatening to get things done. However, is that true?
In this episode, I explore one of the real quality of a great manager: flexibility. You will need to have different styles of leadership to achieve results in different situations. Keep listening…
What to expect when you lead a team in real life?
Many people think that they will be leading their teams for many years and get to know each person in a very deep level. The reality shows us that as we progress in our management careers we end up having to lead new teams with people we never worked before.
In this episode I share my strategy on how to deal with working with new teams and new members to get better results.
What is the most relevant advice I could give on project management?
In this episode, I’ll share you one could change the way you manage your projects. Not many project managers do this well and you could differentiate yourself if you do it consistently. Keep listening.
References:
- UDEN (Utah Digital Entertainment Network) - https://www.utahden.org/
- Create Loud Podcast - https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/id1355506491
- Josh Sohn - http://www.sohncompositions.com/
How to create a training manual for a company program?
In this episode, I provide you insight on how to create a best practices or training manual to any type of program in your organization. Learn the best way to put together content that will make a difference in your organization.
References:
- Training Manual Template - download here.
Why you shouldn’t simply delegate work and trust that things will get done.
Managing requires a lot of work. An important element of your work is how you delegate tasks. An even more important element is how you check if things were done. In this episode, I discuss why you need to trust, but also verify if the work has been done.
How to manage your team during crisis?
Learn how to deal with difficult situations and deliver results. In this episode, I discuss the most important aspects of your work when you are under extreme pressure and dealing with difficult issues.
Learn how to be a leader, stop spreading negative vibes in the office.
When people come to you complaining about other people, be the person who can raise the game and provide a positive attitude in your organization.
Listen to this episode to learn how I deal with negative comments about other people.
Is there a better way to communicate with difficult people?
Learn a strategy I use to communicate in difficult situations. When working in the office, you may not be able to choose with whom you’d like to work with. However, you need to get results.
In this episode, I share a communication strategy I use personally use to get results.
What should you to get things done?
Learn to communicate better, to get better results. You can’t chance people, but you can change the way you relate to people and how you communicate to them.
In this episode, I provide you simple tips on how to do a better job communicating and getting better results.
Are you able to change other managers who work with you?
You are someone with high standards of integrity. Your work is done in the best way possible and you are a high performer. However, your management colleagues are not up to the challenge. Can you change them?
Hint: You can’t change people.
Listen to this episode to learn how to get results under these circumstances.
What are the 3 most simple SCRUM concepts I could start implementing immediately?
SCRUM is a modern framework used by software designers to develop new products in a more agile approach. You don’t need to be a SCRUM expert, neither a software developer to implement this new approach to creating innovative products.
In this episode, I explain in simple terms how to use three simple SCRUM concepts you can implement right away in any project. These concepts will give you a starting point to understand how SCRUM works and an opportunity to improve the results you are getting.
How to get your point across when writing reports to senior management?
Find out the best way to get your message across when writing executive reports, so senior management will read your emails and act on them.
What should you do when someone thinks you are not competent enough?
We all have had this experience before. Someone – a manager, a leader or a colleague – come to you asking you to do something, but change their mind because they don't think you are competent enough to do the job. Even though you have all credentials, certifications and education for the task at hand, they think you are incapable for doing the work.
In this episode, I discuss how to overcome this situation and what to do to keep you focused. Have a listen…
How to make new people more productive when they join your team?
In this episode, I’ll share three tips on how I personally do my team onboarding process.
References:
Here is Sonia Thompson’s website I mentioned at the beginning of the episode. And here is an super interesting article about building teams she wrote for the Inc. Magazine. ;-)
Subscribe to my weekly newsletter: https://rodrigocaetano.com/practical-management-tips/
Remember, you are not alone.
When you are dealing with difficult situations and you don’t see a way out, remember that you are not alone. Talk to someone!
How can people remember what they agreed after your meetings are over?
In this episode, I provide a simple technique that will help your message be remembered beyond the meeting room.
I use a simple technique to bring decisions back to their work outside of the meeting context.
What’s the best way to take control over your social media network usage?
In this episode, I share my experience getting off Facebook for a year, how I quit for good and the results I got a year after disconnecting from that social media platform.
What is the most effective to manage your team?
In this episode I go over the main element of performance management. I’ll tell you why you shouldn’t use the sandwich approach when you are dealing with performance issues. I’ll give you tips on managing team used by the best managers I reported to in my career.
Note: On Jan 18th and 19th, 2018, I’ll be attending the Silicon Slopes Conference in Salt Lake City. Feel free to drop me a message if you’d like to connect and go for a coffee!
What’s the most efficient way to create a personal development plan?
In this episode, I’ll share you my approach to developing personal plans, the most common pitfalls and simple shortcuts to make your life easier as a manager.
References:
- The Simplest Personal Development Plan Template You Will Ever Find – Download Here.
- Practical Management Tips – Subscribe to my weekly newsletter.
Why it is so hard to set your own objectives?
Learn why it is so difficult to set your own objectives. In this episode, I'll share my personal experience setting up my objectives. Creating performance goals is not an easy task, but if you don’t plan your goals, you will be soon drifting with your career.
References:
- How to follow through your goals – Tony Robins
- Practical Management Tips – Subscribe to my weekly newsletter.
What’s the most common issue project managers run into at this time of the year, during Christmas time?
Managers have the tendency to forget to factor in seasonal factors in their project plans. When the Holiday Season comes, they are hit very hard!
Learn more about how to manage holidays and time off.
How to delegate difficult things?
In this episode, I discuss an approach to delegate difficult tasks. How does delegation works when you have to accomplice complex work? Why do some managers have difficulties in delegating authority when something difficult is involved?
Listen to this podcast and learn how to delegate effectively.
What can you do to be more productive during your day?
In this episode, I share a technique I use to become more productive during my business days. Managing productivity and being productive is very important.
With a simple technique you can add to your daily routine you can decide on what to focus on and become one of the most productive people in the office.
Related links:
-- My website: https://rodrigocaetano.com/
-- Here is that 70's Book I Mentioned in this episode that inspired the technique I use in this episode: How to get control of Your Time and Your Life - Alan Lakein.
What’s most important in management? Schedules, spreadsheets or meetings?
Far from it.
Learn three important things that may be missing from your management style. In this episode, I’ll go over the key elements that have nothing to do with the tools you use on your everyday job as a manager.
Why you should remove the word help from your dictionary.
In this episode I explain how “helping” other managers can be problematic.
I also discuss the effects of doing someone else’s work.
Related Links:
Subscribe to my e-mail newsletter at https://rodrigocaetano.com/practical-management-tips/
How to avoid meeting distractions?
I'll share a technique on how to deal issues that are unrelated to the meeting and come up during discussion.
These issue often go in a tangent and tend to take away the focus of your conversation. I'll provided you a simple tip that is almost effortless to implement: the meeting parking lot.
Whenever a new unrelated topic comes up during one of your meeting, acknowledge the existence of the topic and open a parking lot where these items will be discussed at the end of the meeting.
Before you finish your meeting, take a look at the list in your parking lot, talk about the items or reassign them to the right people, as you think appropriate.
Test this technique yourself in your next meeting: create a parking lot and keep your meeting focus on the main topics of discussion.
How to Deal with Office Politics?
In this episode, we will be talking about how to deal with office politics.
I’m sure you have already experienced some level of office politics in your live – promotions, bonuses, accountability, gossip, greed, envy… you name it….
This long list can go on and on…
Yup! This subject is very hard to get a handle on.
I have worked in organizations that lived and breathed office politics.
I also have worked for others that were the exact opposite.
But, in reality… no matter which company I worked for, there was always some level of politics involved in the work I was doing.
The higher up you go, the more likely you will be facing situations where office politics is involved.
Some people even argue that facing politics is a sign that your career is evolving… given that you are dealing with more complex issues.
I’m not sure if I agree with that. But that’s what some people think about it.
I have experienced office politics of all different flavors and tastes, shapes and sizes.
There was a situation where office politics played a role when I was leading projects involving different departments with managers that didn’t like each other.
I was just trying to get my work done, but simply couldn’t move forward because each manager would create a minefield of problems for the other.
This was when we hit the zero cooperation mark from both sides and almost every discussion would became a high school brawl.
Yup, I’ve been there…
Another time, I worked for a company that only promoted people who had the same background as senior management.
Sometimes, I felt first hand on how politics played a role when I was the one being promoted or was receiving a bonus.
Regardless of my years of experience in technology and management, I was still a typical Latino with non-standard accent. To me, nothing explained the extra scrutiny I had to undergo every time I was up for a higher bonus in that company.
But in the end, I was got the promotion and always got the bonus.
Office politics… Yup…
Just a final example, I experienced a very interesting type of office politics…
It happened that someone in the organization was being protected by a higher up executive – for reasons beyond comprehension.
We had this colleague who was completely untouchable.
He could simply do whatever he wanted.
If he missed deadlines, no problem.
He turned in work late, no problem.
He took vacation during a major launch, no problema.
It was so much that his line manager tried to fire him a few times…
but every time he had to reconsider after a “discussion” with senior management…
That’s office politics…
I’m sure you also have a collection of office politics stories.
But, how do you deal with office politics?
Is there a way to handle it?
Strategy to deal with office politics
I learned a very nice strategy from my mentor Mauricio Lima about office politics.
He explained to me that playing politics is like playing tic-tac-toe…
Do you know that game? The one with a grid, and X and O’s.
Have you ever played tic-tac-toe before?
Have you ever played tic-tac-toe with someone for a long time?
It’s a great game to spend time with a six-year-old kid.
However, I’d never enter a tic-tac-toe championship.
The reason is simple.
When you play it for a longer period of time, you’ll realize that no one wins.
It’s a game that each opponent will quickly figure out the other person’s strategy,
Then there will be tie after tie after tie after tie.
This is office politics.
Like playing tic-ta-toe, if you play office politics you will never win, no matter how hard you try.
You may win here and there, but in the long term, your opponent will catch up and you will lose again.
This is a game that has no way out.
You can’t win it!
As in tic-tac-toe, the only way to win in office politics is not to play it.
I’ll say it again in simple words:
If you want to deliver results in an environment with any level of office politics, don’t play the game. Focus on the results, end of story.
In practical terms, here is my strategy on how I deal with office politics. Here is my advice:
- Don’t spend time discussing anything about politics, just get the work done! Period.
- When someone comes to you complaining about how politics is destroying their project, ask what they need to accomplish. If the solution is something within your reach, go for it and help that person.
If not, just let it go! - When someone comes to you with an office politics issue and you can’t help that person, just listen to what they have to say. That’s it. Drink the cool aid, listen, and forget about it.
- Be neutral and never take sides in office politics.
- Remember, don’t play the game.
- If someone is trying to pull you into the game, limit your availability.
Ask what they need from you.
Give what they want and let them play/fight by themselves.
Just say: “I’m too busy now, can we get to the point?” - It may happen that different sides of the political arena may start to confide in you.
Listen carefully to what they have to say.
Just listen.
Be focused on results.
Never take sides. - Keep your career goals in mind at all times.
You need to know where YOU want to get and what type of track record you want to build. - Your résumé will reflect what you delivered and the difference you made in your organization – not the complaints, jokes, and anecdotes of a politically charged environment.
Always remember, don’t play tic-tac-toe at the office.
That’s how I deal with office politics.
This is the strategy I learned from my mentor Mauricio. I tried it in real life and it works beautifully.
Don’t play tic-tac-toe at the office…
Have a great day wherever you are in the world.
Cheers,
Rodrigo
How to Build the Perfect Strategy?
In this episode we will be talking about how to develop the “perfect plan” and build better strategies.
“Planning” and “Strategizing” are overused words in project management.
We always want to build something perfect before we hit the ground running.
We need “the plan”, the perfect plan.
However, as I got more experienced in my career, I realized that it’s not the Excel template, the project agile methodology, or that latest Microsoft Project tool that will make your project perfect and successful.
To get a perfect plan has a lot to do with leadership.
And very little to do with the tools you use.
There is no perfect plan.
There is a leader (you!) pointing the team in the right direction and adjusting your course as you go.
This leader, I mean, you!, also needs to let everyone know that they are a team and that each one here has a distinct role…
So this way everyone knows their impact the project.
So, why we need a plan?
The plan is where you organize the team’s actions.
The plan is all about coordination, so people know what do when they are interacting with other people and other teams.
The plan is all about coordination…
Unless you are working alone, doing something very simple, a plan will save you tons of time and effort aligning who should what and when.
Having a plan is valuable. Yes, it is.
But, even when you are working alone, doing simple tasks, you may need a simple plan.
Here is an analogy.
Think of planning like buying groceries. If you only have to buy 5 items, you are fine. You’ll remember all items.
However, if you have more, that’s a different story… You may need to write down a list.
If you are organizing something bigger, let’s say a party or a wedding, you will need not only to buy some things at the supermarket, but also coordinate many other things, like hire people to help you with your party.
Plans are necessary so we don’t spend time trying to remember things or spending money on stuff we don’t need.
In practical terms, here is my underlying consideration when I’m creating a plan:
- Any plan is better than no plan.
- A good plan is better than any plan.
- A great plan is better than a good plan.
- An awesome plan is better than a great plan.
- Awesome plans can became amazing strategies.
What I want you to realize is that any plan can evolve into a strategy…
Any plan can become “The Plan”.
Just remember to be flexible and to gather more and more information as you progress in your project.
Your plan will evolve as you learn more about what you are doing. If you have the flexibility to evolve your plan, it will just keep getting better and better.
There is something magical about evolving the complexity of your plan.
The magic is that you can adjust it as you get into the details and that it doesn’t have to be perfect on the first time around.
My advice to you today is:
Start with a simple plan – any plan – instead of dream creating your perfect strategy. Then, slowly evolve your plan to become “the Plan”.
The best strategies are developed from real, live, dynamic situations and not on the pages of a document. Think about that!
I wish you a great day at work wherever you are in the world.
Cheers!
Rodrigo
Do you really need to write things down on paper?
In this episode, learn the importance of writing things down on paper.
So we’ll be talking about why you should write things down on paper.
Ah! I know, I know… you are already rolling your eyes there. This is such a boring topic…
Wait! It’s not!
Do you realize how powerful writing can be?
Think about it for a minute.
You are in a meeting. There is lots going on…ideas, suggestions, proposals…and someone is at the whiteboard holding the black marker.
That person has a lot of power.
If that person doesn’t write the idea down your idea on the whiteboard…
it’s as if it had never been discussed.
Not only that… The way that person writes down what you’ve said can impact how the meeting progresses.
Who holds the marker “holds the power”.
That person can silence anyone in the room depending on how he or she runs the meeting.
I worked with a manager who was very good with this concept.
On each of our meetings, he would joke that the person holding the marker was more powerful than him.
Then, he would pick a marker and give to each one around the table saying everyone should have a voice.
It was a very interesting gesture, but it worked really well.
In all his meetings, especially when we were designing new things, we had lots of contributions from everyone in the room.
So, who holds the black marker has the power.
The person with the black marker is the one with the ability to bring thoughts down to earth… and put them into writing.
Here is another situation that shows how writing things down can impact the outcomes of a discussion:
Let’s say you are negotiating a contract.
Both sides discuss and agree on the terms of a deal.
They finally arrive at an agreement and everyone is happy.
Then, one of them decides to put things into writing.
That person goes to great lengths to get the essence of what was discussed. Writes down what’s been agreed upon by both sides – “both sides” in quotes here.
When that person brings the written version back to discussion the conversation,
I can tell you for sure, 99.9% of the time, you can expect the following reaction:
“That’s not exactly what we agreed to!” the other party will say.
And, it happens…
To beat the dead horse about the importance of writing, here is another example.
You can use writing to your advantage when writing proposals.
I’ve noticed that when I worked with very experienced manager in a telecom company I worked for.
He would always start a conversation/discussion/meeting with a written proposal…always.
It was simple: he would always bring something written with him to the meeting.
An outline of the agenda, a draft of the proposal, a summary of the scope document, you name it.
I figured out he did this so he could anchor the conversation and direct it towards the objectives he wanted to achieve.
Here’s how it worked:
He entered the room before everyone arrived. He would wait until everyone was ready for the meeting and when no one had a clear agenda he would pull out a sheet of paper or open a doc and project a doc from his computer:
“Ok, folks: just to make things easier, I put some thoughts on paper.
Here’s a proposal for the [meeting, negotiation, discussion, you name it…] we are working on today.
Shall we have a look at it before we start, so we can be more effective?”
People loved working with him.
He seemed to be prepared and would save tons of time on getting to the points we needed discussed.
But most importantly, that strategy helped everyone be more focused.
Instead of starting from a broader perspective,
“Discuss what needs to be discussed”
The conversation would always be anchored on a starting point:
His written proposal.
From there, from that starting point, the conversation naturally flows to what needed to be added or removed from that initial draft.
Do you understand how powerful this is?
The discussion orbits around what the manager was proposing, not something unknown, completely different and not yet discussed with the group.
Writing is powerful.
Ok. Writing things down takes more effort. I recognize that.
But it forces you to think through what you want to say and helps you bring focus to what you want to accomplish… especially when you want to lead some initiative.
From a practical perspective, you can harness the power of writing.
You can do that by Identifing who holds the marker and make sure key ideas are captured.
The person who holds the whiteboard marker, the meeting scriber, the person who sits at the computer taking the meeting notes - they are the one who controls what will be remembered about that meeting.
Have a look at the meeting dynamics and look at how the information is being captured.
If something is important, make sure that information is captured appropriately in the notes.
How many times have you attended meetings where no one wrote down the action items and important ideas? No work ended up being done, I presume. I guess you get the idea…
Regain focus by writing things down.
If you feel that things are getting too vague in your discussions, start taking notes and summarising points.
This will help you keep yourself on track.
Writing things down in a journal so you can review what’s been discussed and elaborate post discussion notes to confirm your understanding.
Once written, these notes and pointers will be there for you.
Always have an ace up your sleeve: bring something written with you. An agenda, a proposal, a summary of issues.
Be the one prepared for the important discussions you are engaging in.
Prepare yourself for a few minutes before a meeting.
Write down a proposal with a few bullet points.
This can save you an enormous amount of time and effort.
I’m sure everyone else in the organisation will appreciate it.
Everyone be willing to participate in the meetings you are involved in.
Putting your ideas on paper and being ready for the discussion will save everybody time and help you achieve your objectives faster.
Summarise complex information to build faster consensus.
Summarising information is harder than being verbose.
Keep in mind that your goal as a manager is not to defend a PhD thesis, but to provide enough information so decisions can be made.
Get used to capturing things and summarising them.
No one needs a 30-minute presentation, if what you really need is to ask a simple question.
Summarise the required information and put it into writing. Doing this is an investment that yields big-time dividends.
When in doubt, write down the unwritten.
There is always too much miscommunication going on in the corporate world.
Unwritten rules, non-verbal agreements, you name it.
If you find things are getting murky, then it’s time to write them down.
The key idea here is to use writing as a tool to make things less abstract and to be more precise about what needs to be done.
Do you get it?
Now some food for thought:
As the Chinese adage says, “The palest ink is stronger than the sharpest memory”.
That’s why you should get things down on paper.
I wish you a great day at work wherever you are in the world.
Cheers!
Rodrigo
How to you manage expectations in your organization?
In this episode, learn how to communicate bad news and how to manage risks.
I found this is one of the most difficult skills I had to develop to grow in my career.
Telling the bad news…
Here are some taboos? About communicating bad news:
You should do everything you can to avoid communicating bad news.
Wrong! The earlier you communicate bad news and the earlier manage expectations the more trusted you become.
Hiding bad news is a cultural trait?
I’ve worked in many international projects. In every place, I met people who were afraid to tell things were going bad in their projects.
Hiding bad news is more of a corporate trait, than a cultural trait. It depends on the organization you work for and how your manager is perceptible to listening about problems.
Telling the bad news will expose you to being fired?
You may think that bringing the bad news to surface will put your job into trouble. It may, but if that’s the case, you may want to consider working on an organization that you can more freely discuss the issues you are experiencing in your projects.
Well, there is something about dealing with bad news.
There is this thing:
No one wants to deal with it,
No one wants to talk about it
… and no one wants it to be discovered.
I’ll tell you something:
If you want to make a difference in your organization and grown in your career, you keep the bad news of your project out in the open.
I have some rational behind what I’m saying:
First, every senior executive is expecting some level of bad news along the way.
When they see a project that doesn’t offer any risks or any problems… In the back of the senior management minds, I’m sure they will be thinking about auditing the project.
“Something smells strange here.” They will think. I’m sure. “It’s too good to be true.”
There hasn’t been a single project I have worked on where we didn’t need to deal with bad news.
Well, let’s put this in a simple way. Let me put you on senior management shoes.
You are building a new home for your family and you are choosing between two engineers to manage the work for you:
Which approach of these two approaches do you prefer?
An engineer who is very optimistic, saying:
“Your house is going to be beautiful, it will be done at no time, you will have a beautiful view, your swimming pool will be amazing for the kids…”,
or an engineer who is more realistic, saying:
“Listen! This project is very nice.
However, I have some concerns about where you want to build it.
This is very unstable terrain and chances are you’ll need to dump an extra load of money in your foundation to make sure your home is safe.
Besides, you won’t be able to cut the trees in your backyard to build the swimming pool because the municipality just passed a moratorium on all tree cutting activities in the city.”?
Think about it for a moment.
I’m sure you’ll appreciate the truthfulness of the second engineer
With that information you will understand why things are the way they are.
Why can’t you do it for your own projects?
Why can’t you spell out the risks your project is involving?
If you don’t know there is something bad going on, you can’t do anything about it.
Simple as that, if you discover you have a strange symptom, but keep it to yourself.
You won’t be able to fight it unless you tell someone about it.
You may be able to keep it to yourself…
until it blows up on you…
and then it may be too late.
Do you follow me?
Now, what I’m going to tell you is very important:
The worst things are those that aren’t said.
It is way more difficult to keep something hidden and unspoken than it is to bring things to the surface.
Each one on your team will suffer more by trying to hide the bad news than by bringing it up, acknowledging the problem and collectively trying to find a solution.
That’s how it works, when you don’t surface the bad news.
Things are what they are.
If you get bad news, the first thing you need to do is to acknowledge it.
At first, you may be shocked, but soon you will feel that life moves on and you can do something about it.
There are always going to be difficulties.
There is always going to be something that is not going to happen according to plan.
It is your role to support the team, making sure everyone is focused and motivated.
Teach your entire team to recognize and communicate risks.
Let your people know that they’re welcome to share bad news.
If you are three or four levels up in the org structure, there will be lots of filtering going on and you may not know it.
Make sure everyone who works with you knows they can express their concerns and, most importantly, they should do so.
Tell your team it’s OK to bring things up when they see something that doesn’t seem right.
This is true, even if it comes from the top.
Some employees may feel uneasy bringing things up because of hierarchy or fear of losing their job.
Someone may simply be quiet and not raise an early warning sign thinking,
“But someone very important designed this… who am I to challenge it?”
Let your team know they have a voice,
They can and should raise issues if they feel something looks a fishy.
When something is too good to be true, it probably is.
Find out on your team people who can provide you clear and reliable information.
When you see a report that is overly optimistic, make sure you tell them they should also report risks. Report the bad news!
Ask your team not only for good news, but also bad news.
Remember the story, you don’t want to to build your home on the sand. You want your team to develop a critical view of things.
The most important consideration here is to make sure you have an environment where people can share their mistakes and express their ideas.
You will know sooner or later when things don’t go right.
It’ll be way easier to learn about them at the beginning of the project than one week before your final deadline.
You can bet on it.
That’s it!
Have an awesome day wherever you are in the world.
Cheers!
Rodrigo
In this episode, learn a strategy I use every time I delegate tasks.
I always had issues with my team doing things in a way different from what I expected.
It was very frustrating.
We had meetings. We agreed on the results. But, when my team went back to their desks, they went off the course and did things in a way I thought it wasn’t the best one.
During that time, I was always wanted to jump in and do their work.
Then, I learned this technique…. That if you ask asking a simple question, it would help solved many of the issues I was finding.
What question is that?
The most powerful question you can ask to your team is “How?”
You may say, “Oh, no! That can’t be right.”
I challenge you to give a try.
Let me explain why.
Let’s say you are in a meeting with your team.
Everyone is listening carefully to what needs to be done.
Everyone knows what to do and is aware of the project deadlines.
But, how many different ways they can come up with what you want them to do?
Every one of them has a picture of what needs to be done in their minds.
If you don’t ask them, you’ll never know if they are in line with the approach you think is the best.
If you have a feeling that they may do things differently than you expect, like your team is going on a tangent,
… Try asking “how”.
Let me give you a few examples on how I use it:
“Ok, John, I guess we are clear on what needs to done, right?….
Now, just for the sake of completeness, can you tell me How you plan implement these changes?”
“Ok, Sarah, you know the timelines for the project and what needs to be done. Could you please briefly tell me how do you plan to implement this, so we are in sync?”
“Now, Lucas, could you please give me a rough overview of how do you plan to work on this task?”
You get the idea.
Why use “How?” and not “What?”
You may notice that there is a very subtle difference between asking “how” and “what”.
“Tell me how do you plan to do it?”
“Tell me what do you plan to do?”
You may argue that this is only linguistics, semantics, grammar...
No, it’s not.
When you ask “How”, you force the person to think in terms of steps.
An answer to How usually comes with some type of sequence or logic:
“How? Well, I’m thinking about doing this, then this, then that.”
An answer to a What question tends to get you answers in terms of deliverables, end results:
“What? Module A, Module C and D.”
I know it’s subtle, but from practical experience, using how is an opportunity to find gaps and fix them, before your team starts working.
If you notice any holes in the approach the person is planning to use,
It’s better to catch them sooner than later, before everything has already been done.
By asking How? you are effectively avoiding future headaches.
Besides, you create an expectation that you have a certain level of control over how things will be done in your project.
If someone tells you they are blindly delegating because they trust their team and not having any problems – using the typical delegate and forget approach – they are most likely lying to you.
Either that or they may be in bigger trouble than they think, but just don’t realize it.
Give it a try and see the results for yourself.
Here is how this strategy works for me:
- I explain to my team members what needs to be done and make sure each person knows what’s required of them.
- If I’m not confident about the approach used by someone on my team, I’ll ask a How? question: “Ok, could briefly explain to me how you plan on doing xyz?”
- Listening to the person, I’m able to find out where the gaps in understanding are and correct them before the work even starts.
- Asking How? saves me a ton of time checking and micromanaging my team.
- At strategic milestones, I’ll ask them how things are going.
This is neither about micromanaging your team, nor using a delegate-and-forget approach. Far from it, this is an approach where you agree on a suitable approach and plan how things should be done.
Summarizing: ask How?
Remember that, even if something seems obvious, you better to have it spelled out.
Whenever you sense that the details are not clear, ask “how” in order to gain better control. I guarantee you will have far less problems using this approach.
Have a great day wherever you are.
Cheers,
Rodrigo
How to build your track record and reputation?
What’s the fastest way to get where you want with your career?
In this episode, I discuss the importance of building and maintaining a great track record.
Learn about how to treat your reputation as a your most valuable asset. Find out why you need to have a strong track record, so you can move towards more complex roles in the organization.
I'll give you examples of why your track record will influence the way managers choose you to do certain types of work.
Build your career based on facts and experience. So, your track record matters.
Move intentionally towards your own goals:
"If you want to become something -- it really doesn’t matter what - better intentionally moving towards that goal."
Track record matters – No company would hire you if you don’t have evidence you know your stuff. This means experience!
Intention matters – I clearly moved towards where I wanted.
Think about your end goal and Start building your track record now.
If you want to build a solid foundation for your career, check this episode out.
How to Communicate Effectively at Work using email?
In this episode, I'll talk about the problems getting the information you need using email and the struggle of not getting answers.
I'll discuss how to improve email writing and give you a simple rule on how to communicate more effectively.
Using a simple question, I'll share my secret to getting the great majority of my emails answered.
I'll provide you an email writing technique and step-by-step email samples on how I write my emails.
From beginning to end, I'll share how I compose an email. Simple steps you can follow an start getting results immediately.
You'll learn how important is to keep your emails short and structured.
Let's talk about poor performance. If you think you your team is underperforming, listen to this episode.
What is the strongest element of your character that can undermine your team performance?
Dealing with underperforming employees and staff is not easy, but is it all their fault? In this episode, you will learn how develop your team's skills and manage underperformance by changing your attitude.
Here I'll talk about what undermines your team's confidence and how to overcome that obstacle.
I'll also share a personal story on how I found out that how you treat your team can affect their ability to become competent and get their work done.
Have you ever seen managers who do the work themselves and never delegate anything to their teams? Have you ever noticed how they deal with staff underperformance?
Learn how to get out of the cycle of incompetence that affect so many teams.
I will show you why trying to become a super competent manager can make your team be less competent.
Don't miss this episode: if you are having problems with your teams underperforming at work, learn the essential element that will help them develop their skills.