Diamonds to You

HI,

If you’ve read my book on fundraising (see below for reference) you might remember that I mentioned a Foundation that knows how to treat its donors well.  Well, I just returned from another weekend with this group, Reason Foundation, and spent the most incredible four days at the Montage Resort in Laguna Beach.  My room was so large, so splendid, that I actually thought they’d assigned me a suite by mistake.  My bathroom was bigger than some hotel rooms.  My balcony looked out on the ocean, and of course, I sat out there every afternoon reading and watching the waves.

The weekend is a “think tank” type weekend and, as they always are, the speakers and workshops were so interesting. In addition to formal presentations, there was ample opportunity to socialize and have discussions with some of the brightest and most interesting people.  I love these events.

I also had the opportunity to present my research on Managing for Creativity.   I will be presenting a similar workshop for SVII (Silicon Valley Innovation Institute) Wednesday, June 6th.  For more information about this organization, please visit their website at:  www.svii.org.  Read below for a little information about the presentation itself.

I’m Available for New Projects

A few big projects (management training, compliance training and O-D consulting) have recently been completed – and I am available to take on some new large contracts.  So, please keep your referrals coming.

I’m also available to take on one or two individual Professional Development clients, having just completed working with two people.

I’m now International!!!

I have to brag.  I learned previously that I was published in Chinese.  I have no idea what article of mine they used since I don’t read Chinese.

My contribution to “The First Mile” will be published in India as well as in the United States.  My contribution was to the chapter on Human Factors:  People are Your Greatest Asset.

Now, I just gave permission to have three of my articles translated and published in Rumania.   I’m really excited about this – and wonder if it will bring me some business in that country in the future.

Prior Newsletters

Several people have asked for information about my prior newsletters.  Rather than list all the articles here, let me refer you to my website, where Pete has published them.  (Pete is my great computer guru.)  To find these newsletters please visit:  http://diamondassociates.net/articles/Newsletters.shtml

Leading, Managing and Motivating Creativity in the Workplace:  What CEOs want, need and say.

That’s the title of the presentation I offered my peers at Reason Foundation and the topic for the SVII talk.  Let me tell you a little bit about it.

A few years ago, I created an open ended questionnaire and interviewed 50 C-level executives, most of whom were in Silicon Valley.  I spent between two and five hours with each of these executives – almost all men – asking them 30 + questions designed to learn what they wanted in the way of creativity and how they managed for it.  I discussed my findings at the workshop – and facilitated a discussion about other methods for leading and managing for creativity.

As part of my consulting I offer managers training in managing people, I also offer suggestions and techniques for creating an environment conducive to creativity and innovation. 

It is so important to understand how to create the parameters into which people can be successful. Without some structure, people either are afraid to try new techniques, or offer suggestions – or else they go “underground” with their own projects.  CEOs told me that they would have liked to know what some of these private projects were, because many of them were good enough to be funded.  Instead, lots of good ideas went un-realized.

On the other hand, too much structure, creates rigidity and no room for creativity.

Project Management Tips

Since I will be blogging again (see below), I thought I’d offer some tips that I offer my clients when I am conducting workshops for Project Management.  Next month I’ll write about Typical Oversight Areas and Process Improvement.

Management by Objectives

• Establish clear and realistic goals and objectives
• They should be objective, measurable and with a clear sense of what achievement represents.
• Determine them WITH (not at) those who are being asked to perform the work, but be certain that you are in control of the final outcome.  This should be both a top-down and bottom-up approach.
• Evaluate the objectives and the progress periodically.
• Act upon your evaluation, taking remedial action if necessary.
• When taking this action, consider coaching.

 

Coaching

• Observe and analyze performance – don’t go with only one snapshot, but with multiple opportunities to observe.
• Identify as specifically as possible areas needing improvement.
• If possible, demonstrate the way it should be done, have employee ask questions and practice the new way with you watching.
• Give feedback and some more practice opportunities
• Set up a time and place for review.

 

Planning Process

• Who is your customer?  For whom are you doing the project?  What are their requirements?
• What is your starting point?  Where are you now?  What are your resources?
• What prior projects and information can you pull into the process?
• Where do you want to end up?  Create a very clear vision of your end point and desired outcomes.
• What are your technical and other skill requirements?  List them in detail and then put the names of the people who can best meet them beside them.
• Re-arrange if completely out of balance.
• Who do you need to hire?
• What are the additional costs?
• What are the overall costs of the project and how is it to be funded?
• What are the project’s deadlines and durations?
• Measure complexity and uncertainty and build time and resources into your plans.

 

Project Manager Stays on Top of the Project

• Assess the environment, players, politics, and situational problems.
• Identify overt, covert, and power-player goals.
• Assess your own capabilities, relationships, values, and communication skills.
• Realistically define the problem, with all its warts, isolate the facts, and recognize the assumptions and emotional or personal issues.
• Develop solutions – test them, and modify where necessary.
• Document and educate.

 

Management by Persuasion and Dotted Line Relationships

• Communication must be positive, warm, and non-threatening.
• Body language, gestures, posture, facial expressions all communicate – be careful, you might not be sending the message you want to be sending.
• Communicate is complete only when the receiver “gets” what you send.
• People hear only what they want – appeal to their wants, not yours.
• Ask for a commitment, a decision, a buy-in, a purchase.
• People tend to respond best to the emergency situation.
• Build your alliances and power bases – which might be formal or informal.
• In a dotted line relationship, only persuasion and good-will get you what you want.

Workshops and Speeches

SVProject Management Blog – week of May 21st.
I will be the guest blogger once again –  and plan to write a short article every day that week.  Please visit the blog and offer your ideas, questions and comments.  www.SVProjectManagement.net. 

CSIX – May 29th

I will be speaking to this group again, this time I hope to be able to spend extra time working on networking and interviewing tips and practices.  This is truly a wonderful volunteer organization serving hundreds of out-of-work people.  If you have any job leads, please let them know:  www.csix.org.

SVII -  June 6th.
As I previously mentioned, I will be presenting about Leading and Managing for Creativity.  Their website.  www.svii.org.

Recent Publications

Four of my articles have been published in dozens of e-magazines and newsletters.  These articles are being published so frequently that I can’t list all of the references.  Instead, I suggest you Google:  ArLyne Diamond.

• Building Trust in Distant Teams, in Management Issues Feb. 20, 2007.

• Workplace Conflict Resolution:  What’s Creating Workplace Conflict and 9 Easy Ways to Resolve it appeared in Impact Articles:  The Business and Coaching Network on January 26, 2007   With my permission, this article will also appear in a series of newsletters created and marketed by Haley Marketing Group to their staffing industry clients.

My two published books are available at www.ProductivePublications.com.

• Training Your Board of Directors:
  A Manual for the CEOs, Board Members, Administrators and Executives of Corporations, Associations, Non-Profit and Religious Organizations
• The “Please” and “Thank You” of Fundraising for Non-Profits:
  Fifteen Essential Ingredients for Success

Dial 211

United Way of Silicon Valley is on line with the 211 Community Service Program.  By dialing 211 you get a live operator who will help you find any non-profit community service you require.  This is great for finding housing for the homeless or elderly, treatment programs, health services, etc. 

So, how can I help you?

The following quote comes from the Chair of a Citizen’s Task Force who was involved with a long series of system streamlining and problem-solving workshops I conducted for a city trying to increase its customer service to the members of its community, the local businesses and the members of other departments in the city. 

Your professional, adroit and humorous handling of the many meetings gave everyone a comfortable and open approach to problem solving.  That has accomplished more than I eve thought possible.  I appreciate your ability not only to lead people, but to redirect their energies to look at problems differently.  More importantly to change attitudes, the hardest of all to reshape.  L.D.M. CEO.

 

Let me be your Aufin—your advisor to Kings.

 

ArLyne Diamond, Ph.D
ArLyne@DiamondAssociates.net