And We Thought IT Project Management was bad!

This past weekend I moved into my new condo ... and this experience demonstrates that despite the well documented woes associated with large software projects, there are other industries that have big problems!

I will start out with the disclaimer that I love my new home and when all of the "issues", big and small, have been addressed I am going to love it. It is on the 18th and 19th floors, has terrific views of Ottawa and everything is new and shiny!

So ... back to that project management thing.

We bought the unit almost 3 1/2 years ago in February 2006 and the original occupancy date was July 2007, which quickly was changed to September 2007. This suited us just fine because that coincided with our son's enrollment in university ... quickly downsize the house before he comes back to live with us!!! :-)

Over the course of time the occupancy date changed several times until at the beginning of May this year (2009) we settled on a June 15th date. It became clear that date was not going to be met and so we finally moved in (kind of) on June 26th. I say "kind of" because we were able to move in but had no occupancy permit until Tuesday of this week (June 30th).

So ... what happened, what is happening and what lessons can all projects learn from this kind of experience.

1. LOTS of finger pointing and "infighting". I am amazed at the amount of energy spent on blaming everyone else for what doesn't go right rather than everyone focusing on a common goal.

Lesson: When multiple parties are working together it is imperative that the "team" gels and that has to happen from the top. All of those leaders should be supporting each other towards one common goal.

2. Work done ... and done again! It seems to be impossible for people to do "the job" right first time. I am continually amazed at the effort expended in fixing things that were done wrong the first time.

Lessons: I think there are a few here but certainly pride of workmanship has to be a factor. Again leadership needs to instill a commitment to quality and provide training and support to ensure things are done right the first time. That little extra time spent up front would pay off in spades later.

3. Project management tools. My perception is that the project is managed through "the experience" of the project manager(s). I have not seen pert charts, critical path diagrams or any other such tools implemented in this environment. It seems that labour is allocated to the "squeaky wheel" rather than to a master plan. Coupled with all of the work "re-done" it seems to me that there is a huge waste of people's time.

Lessons: I could be wrong, but the application of a good project management software in a project office type environment could really help.

4. Cleanliness. It may tie in with the work being re-done because finished work is often damaged because of poor habits. Workers walking on hardwood floors with stones and other construction dirt on their work boots causes serious damage; workers damage the paintwork and finished cabinetry through neglect and as a byproduct of their dirty work clothes.

Lessons: Get the dirty work done first ... then insist on good practices, take shoes off, clean work clothes etc.

I'm sure there are many opinions about why the construction industry needs to be the way it is ... but change is everywhere and this is an industry that could benefit from a different approach and attitude!

The next time our industry is getting hammered for a failed/late project I will tell them a construction story about a condo that was two years late ... and still lots of work to be done!

Michael Jackson, Motown and Liverpool

The Michael Jackson phenomena has been the talk of the internet for the past 24 hours. Any time someone of his stature dies there is going to be a big reaction, the fact that he died so young, had such troubled life and also so much talent just seems to heighten the buzz.

In recent years Jackson was accused of pedophilia, suffered financially and had some significant health problems which I'm sure we will hear all about in the coming days and weeks. The last 15 years of his life have been a downward spiral that can't be ignored and nor can the molestation allegations be totally ignored ... any pedophile is despicable beyond words.

Like all of us there were many different sides to his persona ... in his heyday was Jackson the entertainer, Jackson the child prodigy, Jackson the superstar and these are the Michael Jackson characters that I want to remember.

I grew up in Liverpool, England and I'm about the same vintage as Michael Jackson (OK I'm a couple of years older). Back then it appeared that all the kids I knew were either followers of Rock & Roll or followers of Motown. I was a Motown fan. Isn't it amazing to have such influence over people who are not just thousands of miles away, but also living in such a different world?

I don't dwell in the past much, but I do believe that we are the sum of our experiences ... and as we go through life we shape the person that are to be become. So, following that logic Motown played a big part during my formative years .. listening to the Four Tops, Diana Ross, The Temptations, Marvin Gaye, Aretha Franklin and many others including of course the Jackson Five. The people I "hung out" with were like me, my influences might have been different with a different crowd ... and maybe my life would have taken a different youth. Michael Jackson was a part of my life.

When the icons of your youth start to pass away it makes you think about a lot of things ... mortality, the things you regret in your life, the journey life has taken thus far, perhaps relief that its not YOU that has passed on! Some of this thinking happens when a friend or relative dies but somehow when a celebrity of "your time" dies there seems to be additional "baggage".

I always say that I don't want to be lying on my deathbed with regrets for the things I didn't do during my life here on earth. I'm pretty sure that Michael Jackson may regret some of the situations he found himself in, but he probably would not have to regret missed opportunities ... he was a superstar who had a profound affect on many people and a whole genre of music.

He had his demons, but my memories and impressions of Michael Jackson remember him as the soft spoken, quiet, almost shy musical genius who maybe lost his youth to his career ... but who entertained and affected more than just my generation with his talent.

RIP Michael Jackson ... I hope you are singing and dancing with the angels!

Toughing it Out

Almost every business conversation I have these days, whether with peers in the industry, with our clients, with Eagle's own staff or with suppliers, comes back to how tough things are.

For many people they have seen their friends laid off, they are asked to work harder, there is less business coming in and they are tired, they are discouraged, they are afraid and they are frustrated.

Often these are business leaders ... executives and managers who not only need to keep themselves positive, but they also need to motivate their people.

Some thoughts ...

1. It WILL get better ... it always does, and there are plenty of signs that is starting to happen.
2. Not EVERYTHING is negative ... so look for the positives in life and try to give that more focus than the negatives.
3. Make plans and set goals ... even if they are very short term and even if they are relatively easy to reach. Achieving goals just FEELS good.
4. Remember to be good to yourself ... give yourself the little treats.
5. Put in a little more effort than you would under normal circumstances ... and make sure it is productive time. At the end of each day you should feel you really earned your keep ... as opposed to just putting in time!
6. Smile.
7. Be nice to everyone around you ... just take a few minutes EVERY day to be nice to a few people, and spread it around. Buy the coffee, tell a joke, ask how they are doing etc.
8. Plan for the recovery ... be ready to take advantage when it does come back.
9. Communicate a lot ... not all emails either!
10. Only allow yourself to think positive thoughts!

Walk fast and smile!

Happy Jean Baptiste Day!!!!!

The people of Quebec join together on June 24th of each year to celebrate their Fete National (National holiday), Saint Jean Baptiste Day. This day is a public holiday in Quebec where government offices, post offices as well as most stores are closed. St. Jean Baptiste Day is celebrated with large public celebrations such as concerts, sports tournaments, parades and fireworks.

How did Saint Jean Baptiste Originate?

The event originated more than 2000 years ago, in pre-Christian Europe, as the pagan celebration of the summer solstice. It was originally held on the 21st, but with the arrival of Christianity, it transformed into Saint-Jean-Baptiste Day, and moved to the 24th. The two events did have several things in common after all. Both celebrated the symbol of "light"; the sun of the summer solstice and Saint-Jean-Baptiste who opens the way for the light of Jesus-Christ. The ancients used to light a great bonfire on the evening of the 24th to honour the sun, a tradition that continued into the Middle Ages. Today, the holiday has lost its religious meaning but has kept its traditional name.

In 1834, Ludger Duvernay, a journalist of the time, visited the St. Patrick's Day celebrations in Montreal. He was inspired to create a similar event for the French Canadians and in 1843 he established the Saint Jean Baptiste Society to promote the celebration of Saint Jean Baptiste. In 1925, the Québec legislature declared the 24th of June a national holiday.

Symbols

One of the symbols of Saint Jean Baptiste Day is the fleur-de-lis and in 1948 Québec adopted their current flag as seen below. On St. Jean Baptiste Day many people choose to wear blue and white clothing to the celebrations to commemorate their Fete National, Quebec's history, it's heroes and it's people.

Present Day

At the end of the 70s, the Fête takes a political twist. Leaders of separatist parties join the festivities and the issue of Québec independence becomes central. More recently, after the 1995 referendum, the event adapts itself once more to the new realities of Québec. Members of Québec's many ethnic groups join the celebrations and the Saint-Jean parade is now a wonderful mix of Caribbean music, of Scottish bagpipes and of traditional Québécois melodies.

Just like so many times in the past, this millennia-old celebration has evolved just like the people who's unique identity it celebrates.

Things Could be MUCH Worse!

The recession continues ... economists waver about when we will see recovery. Will it be the Fall or will it be 2010? Will it be a strong recovery or a long slow recovery? What will happen with inflation? What will happen to employment? What about pensions?

We have a developed a culture that requires "things" to make us feel successful ... bigger houses, bigger TVs, more powerful cars etc. When our income drops those things suffer and we worry ... will we have a job, will we be able to pay all the bills, will we ever get to retire in the style we had planned?

Sometimes we have to re-set ... we need a different yardstick by which to measure things.

This weekend. like most weekends, I chatted with Eugene in the market here in Ottawa. Eugene was having a bad day ... and, politically correct or not, I was reminded about just how lucky I am to have full mobility and the ability to earn a living. Eugene fell off a roof a number of years ago and is a quadriplegic. He is having pain and trouble sleeping, which is getting him down. His rent is going up and his "income" is not ... this is a guy who cannot even feed himself.

Can you imagine?

Over the last week or so we have seen images from Iran of the election, the rioting aftermath and some of the atrocities committed. A quick visit to Youtube will provide gruesome images ... from a society where the people are demanding "more".

Can you imagine?

I was out at meetings around the city today and walked past numerous homeless people sitting begging for money on a hot, humid sunny Ottawa afternoon with temperatures in the 30 Centigrade range.

Can you imagine?

Tonight I will put in a long day at the office, probably leave around 6:30pm and go have a glass of wine on a patio. The economy is tough, the clients are demanding, the competition is fierce and there is not a lot to go around ... but we are doing OK.

What is more important ... I have my health, I have family and friends and i have my independence. I live in a free society where we can choose our political parties, enjoy freedom of speech and where we are all equal.

NOW I can imagine ... and its pretty good stuff!

Some Special Days

Back in February I wrote a blog entry about Eagle's new Diversity program. In addition to providing all of our staff with training about diversity, we have introduced a number of diversity related initiatives. One of them is essentially an education program about the various and sundry "special days" that are important to people in different cultures. many of them are very familiar to us here in North America but some are not so familiar ... so this is a good way to learn about them

Today I will introduce three "Special Days" that are celebrated around this time.

National Aboriginal Day is celebrated on June 21st and is a statutory holiday in the Northwest Territories. Canadians celebrate the rich contributions of the Aboriginal peoples in Canada.

Governor General Romeo LeBlanc proclaimed June 21 as National Aboriginal Day and proclaimed that, "... the Aboriginal peoples of Canada have made and continue to make valuable contributions to Canadian society and it is considered appropriate that there be, in each year, a day to mark and celebrate these contributions and to recognize the different cultures of the Aboriginal people of Canada."

Together the Government of Canada and several national Aboriginal organizations chose June 21st for National Aboriginal day because it is also the Summer Solstice, the longest day of the year. For generations, many Aboriginal peoples have celebrated their culture and heritage on or near this day.

Canadians are proud to recognize the unique achievements of its Aboriginal peoples - in fields as diverse as agriculture and the environment to nation building and the arts, with a national celebration. National Aboriginal Day events are organized locally and regionally.

The celebration of Summer Solstice was from ancient times linked to Midsummer's Eve. People believed that mid-summer plants had miraculous healing powers and they therefore picked them on this night. Bonfires were lit to protect against evil spirits which were believed to roam freely when the sun was turning southwards again. In later years, witches were also thought to be on their way to meetings with other evil powers.

The solstice itself has remained a special moment of the annual cycle of the year since Neolithic times. In Sweden, Finland and Estonia, Summer Solstice (Midsummer's Eve) is considered the greatest festival of the year, comparable only with Christmas Eve, and New Year's Eve.

In the 7th century, Saint Eligius (died 659/60) warned the recently converted inhabitants of Flanders against these pagan solstice celebrations. Indeed, as Christianity was introduced to previously pagan areas, midsummer celebrations were translated to new Christian holidays, often resulting in celebrations that mixed purely Christian traditions with traditions derived from pagan Midsummer festivities.
In the northern hemisphere, the Summer Solstice is the longest day of the year in that the length of time between sunrise and sunset is at the maximum for the year as the sun is farthest North point. The summer solstice marks the first day of Summer.

Father's Day is a celebration which originated in the United States in the early 20th century to compliment Mother's Day. Father's Day celebrates fatherhood and male parenting, and to honour and commemorate fathers and forefathers everywhere. In Canada and many other countries, Father's Day is celebrated on the 3rd Sunday of June, families bring gifts and prepare special dinners or events for fathers.

5 Lessons From Humour

Often with my blog entries I try to share some experience or thoughts that I think might be of interest. it can however get a little heavy sometimes, so every now and then I try to lighten up a bit!

Everyone is stressed and working hard so I thought it might be useful to learn some lessons through humour! I found the following true stories from a website in Guelph, Ontario for Art supplies. So enjoy the jokes and I'll add my lessons below ...

1. WILL THE REAL DUMMY PLEASE STAND UP?
AT&T fired President John Walter after nine months, saying he lacked
intellectual leadership. He received a $26 million severance package.
Perhaps it's not Walter who's lacking intelligence.
2. WITH A LITTLE HELP FROM OUR FRIENDS: Police in Oakland,California spent two hours attempting to subdue a gunman who had barricaded himself inside his home. After firing ten tear gas canisters, officers discovered that the man was standing beside them in the police line, shouting,"Please come out and give yourself up."
3. WHAT WAS PLAN B??? An Illinois man, pretending to have a gun,kidnapped a motorist and forced him to drive to two different automated teller machines, wherein the kidnapper proceeded to withdraw money from his own bank accounts.
4. THE GETAWAY! A man walked into a Topeka, Kansas Kwik Stop,and asked for all the money in the cash drawer. Apparently, the take was too small, so he tied up the store clerk and worked the counter himself for three hours until police showed up and grabbed him.
5. DID I SAY THAT??? Police in Los Angeles had good luck with a robbery suspect who just couldn't control himself during a lineup. When detectives asked each man in the lineup to repeat the words: "Give me all your money or I'll shoot," the man shouted, "That's not what I said!"
6. ARE WE COMMUNICATING?? A man spoke frantically into the phone, "My wife is pregnant and her contractions are only two minutes apart!""Is this her first child?" the doctor asked. "No!" the man shouted, "This is her husband!"
7. NOT THE SHARPEST TOOL IN THE SHED!! In Modesto,California,Steven Richard King was arrested for trying to hold up a Bank of America branch without a weapon. King used a thumb and a finger to simulate a gun, but unfortunately, he failed to keep his hand in his pocket.(hellllllooooooo!)
8. THE GRAND FINALE (I LOVE THIS ONE!!!) Last summer, down on Lake Isabella, located in the high desert, an hour east of Bakersfield,California, some folks, new to boating, were having a problem. No matter how hard they tried, they couldn't get their brand new 22 ft. boat going. It was very sluggish in almost every maneuver, no matter how much power was applied. After about an hour of trying to make it go, they putted to a nearby marina, thinking someone there could tell them what was wrong. A thorough topside check revealed everything in perfect working condition. The engine ran fine, the out drive went up and down, and the prop was the correct size and pitch. So, one of the marina guys jumped in the water to check underneath.He came up choking on water, he was laughing so hard.
NOW REMEMBER... THIS IS TRUE ...
Under the boat, still strapped securely in place, was the trailer.

5 Lessons from this humour!

1. If you smiled at any or all of these stories then you still have a sense of humour ... in these times that is good to know!
2. If you smiled then think about it ... did it feel good? Smiling will make you feel better so take time every day to smile!
3. When you read these stories you realise that there are probably a lot of people in the world who are dumber than you ... so keep working hard and you'll leave them in your dust!
4. If you are looking for work it seems that AT&T pay well!
5. If you write a blog, are struggling for today's content then just plagiarise someone else's stuff and add some commentary!

I'm off to a charity event in support of the Boys and Girls Club tonight, hopefully I'm more inspired tomorrow ... or maybe this type of content is more palatable than some of my regular "rants".

Later!

10 Time Management Tips

Before I list these 10 tips, I will tell you that I try to do all of them and like most people I know will fall off the wagon every now and then. Its normal ... just get back on and recommit!

If you can do ALL of these things well then you will be more productive, will FEEL more productive ... and hence will be able to spend more of that time on leisure activities!


#1. PLAN your time and then WORK for plan ... don't just coast, letting time run you!

#2. Learn to determine those (very few) situations that are REALLY urgent and require immediate attention. Fit everything else into your plan!

#3. DON"T be driven by the phone ... just because it rings doesn't men you have to interrupt your current task and answer it!

#4. DON'T be driven by your technology (email, text message,instant message) ... just like the phone, there is no rule says you have to stop what you are doing and read that email that just came in! (Tip: Plan time in your day for email ... and stick to it!)

#5. Identify all of the "regular tasks" you perform in a month, quarter, year ... and build them into your plan. eg. That monthly report for your boss. Perhaps you can plan to take a couple of minutes and make a few notes every evening and set aside the time to pull it together at the end of the month.

#6. Identify your most "productive" time (for sales people it would be the time they can be talking to clients) ... and plan to handle administrivia at OTHER times.

#7. Create CLEAR rules about interruptions! Don't allow people to just wander in and interrupt your thought processes. Have a sign that you have up when you are not to be interrupted or set aside time each day for "no interruption type work", or plan time for meeting with those people who do habitually interrupt your day.

#8. Build in interaction time! You do need to interact with your colleagues and staff ... if you are a manager this might be "walking around time".

#9. Build in thinking time. Time to NOT work on the day to day stuff, and to not be interrupted ... time when you can plan, strategise, think clearly.

#10. Build in time to review your time management plan:

• What is working and what isn't;
• What can you do differently;
• Time to learn more and new time management techniques;
• Time to work on your personal "continual improvement plan".

We are all different, our jobs have different demands ... but ultimately we need to take charge of our time if we are going to be our most efficient.

Below are links to some of my previous blog entries on the subject of time management:

In February this year I came across a Good Time Management Approach.
Time management must have been on my mind in February because I also blogged about Getting Control of Your Time that month.
In June 2007 I talked about Making Better Use of Time.

Hope these are useful and maybe it will give you a little more time to sit on a patio and sip a cold one over the Summer!

Freeloaders in Canada's Staffing Industry

Have you noticed that in almost any group, or organization, it is a small percentage of the people who do the heavy lifting?

There are times when that small group are a clique that "hold power" and won't let others into their club ... that can be annoying.

What is much more common however is when those not participating are freeloading! My biggest beef in this area is with the industry association. I have written on this subject many times ... I've written about the importance of industry associations and I have exhorted ALL companies to not JUST be members of their association (a basic minimum) but to be active, to donate time energy and ideas. This is how industries become strong, defend themselves from external dangers and build good communication amongst their members. It s also how companies grow and become good corporate citizens.

I recently finished my time as a board member at ACSESS, Canada's staffing industry association. I spent nine (9) years on the board and was President for one year ... which is almost like a second full-time job! I have devoted countless hours in this capacity and even upon leaving the board (due to rules around tenure), I have accepted the challenge of chairing the association's PR committee, no small commitment.

The association is extremely lucky in some respects, in that there are a core group of people who give selflessly in support of the organization and many of the larger more established companies are very supportive.

There are however notable exceptions! I am very tempted to name names ... but I will refrain, but while most of the larger staffing companies in Canada are active there are those who do nothing ... they are not even members! Which I think is shameful! There are others who pay dues, but donate no time of their executive and bring no value other than a very inexpensive membership payment! Again there is NO excuse for that.

Every staffing company in Canada benefits from the work of our association. I would LOVE to publish a list of companies that are not members! Why would any client want to work with companies like that? They are proven TAKERS. If they will TAKE from their own association is their any doubt they will take every opportunity to take from their clients? If their ethics allow them to TAKE and not give back to the association, what else will those ethics allow?

I have written nice articles about why people should join the association ... I don't have patience for these FREELOADERS any more.

You know who you are ...

• Its time to GET some integrity instead of TALKING about it!
• Its time to accept some ACCOUNTABILITY as members of this profession.
• You do NOT want your clients to know you are FREELOADERS. In addition to the reflection on your ethics, your clients benefit from the work our association does too ... YOU should be contributing.

Enough said ... just do it!

10 Tips for Networking in Today's World

Not that long ago I wrote a blog entry about Networking ... but it was really more about how to network when you are at a networking event. Once you have read today's entry you can create a networking plan and then go back to my earlier entry to find out what to do when you get there!

I thought I would take a few minutes to talk about networking in today's environment, and more about where to network than how to act at a networking event.

There are a lot of new factors at play today:

The pace of life is FAST ... so many people don't have a lot of time.
The internet boasts an unlimited number of "online opportunities" for you to network.
The economy has put a lot of people out of work, and lots of them are looking to network.

There are plenty of time-worn factors STILL at play:

You only have a certain amount of time so you need to make the most of it.
The people you most want to network with are tough to get hold of.
Many people don't value "networking".

So what do you need to do?

1. Decide what you want to gain from networking.
2. Look at other people who have been successful in what you want to do ... and see where they network.
3 Make a networking plan that lists all of your options, determines the potential return on investment in each of your options and then put the commensurate level of effort into the ones you choose to pursue.
4. Take some time to understand and learn the online options ... will you benefit from LinkedIn, Facebook, MySpace or any of the other general networking sites. Are there specific niche sites that meet your needs.
5. Understand why you are networking ... to gather knowledge, to make new friends, to find a job, to raise capital, to gain influence, to "be seen" ... there are probably 101 different reasons why people network.
6. Don't just go to network events ... understand what you might gain and have a plan.
7. Don't go to a networking event with the express purpose of "taking" ... you need to come to the table with something to "give". Whether that is knowledge, expertise, charm, jokes, free beer or whatever ... bring something!
8. Consider starting your own network! Find a few colleagues/friends with similar goals/interests and have them find a few and help each other.
9. Set aside time for networking ... don't just go with the flow. Add a timeline to your networking plan.
10. Have fun! People will be more likely to talk to you if you are a positive force ... as opposed to the quiet person hiding in the corner.

More Malcolm Gladwell ... and Charities.

I was at an event last night sponsored by the United Way here in Ottawa, and it featured Malcolm Gladwell as guest speaker ... more on Malcolm in a minute.

The event last night was specifically for the "major donors" group of the United Way, those people who donate $5,000 or more a year to this cause. I was not raised "with money" and certainly there was nothing spare in our house, in fact there were lots of "things" we went without. For me the concept of "giving" is something I have had to learn over time, and its not that long ago when I would have considered $5,000 a huge sum to give to charity.

As a member of the United Way Major Donor Committee part of my job is to convince people that actually $5,000 isn't all that much to give ... when you earn a good income, and your income only happens because you are a member of our society. It is much the same argument that driving is a privilege ... not a right! In the same way I believe charitable giving at a reasonable level should be a given ... not something that we must be convinced to do.

I chose to work with the United Way which supports hundreds of charities ... but there are many deserving charities to support ... I hope everyone who reads this chooses to give what they can!

Back to Gladwell ...

If you visit Gladwell's website you will be treated to summaries of each of his best selling books The Tipping Point, Blink and Outliers. I have read Blink and Outliers, indeed I wrote a summary about Outliers just a little more than a month ago. Yesterday I read Gladwell's summary of Tipping Point and last night had Gladwell sign a copy that I bought at the event.

Gladwell is also a big supporter of charities, which is partly why he agreed to come to Ottawa. One of his New Yorker articles is an enlightening look at the impact on our society of homelessness. The story of Million Dollar Murray is worth a read.

It is impressive to hear someone like Gladwell talk. He didn't use notes and he was able to recite facts and statistics from memory that always tends to blow my mind. In an effort to do something a little different last night he decided to give three lessons to be learned from the story of Fleetwood Mac. One of the hallmarks of a great speaker for me is their ability to entertain, to get their messages across and if they can surprise you at the same time then its a huge bonus! Gladwell delivered ... Fleetwood Mac as a topic for the United Way major donors!

So what were those messages ...

1. Sometimes we have an impression that success is an overnight event, entrepreneurs (and bands) suddenly emerge as "stars". This sets an unrealistic expectation for future entrepreneurs/stars when typically nothing could be further from the truth! Fleetwood Mac were best known for two albums ... their first album called "Fleetwood Mac" and "Rumours". There were something like 16 albums between, hardly an overnight feat!!!

2. Entrepreneurs often head down a path with an idea and think that is what will get them to success, but in reality those paths to success can be "long and winding". Reality suggests that there will be many twists and turns to the plan before success is realised. For example Fleetwood Mac tried many different genres of music ranging from their original "blues" approach through to a more mainstream "California sound", as they searched for lasting success. In the same way entrepreneurs often need to modify their plans, adjust their products and services before they find the right formula.

3. Adversity and hard work are often ways to shape success. Battling through the tough times (like the current economy) will make for stronger companies, and that requires a strong work ethic. Success does not come easy! Back to Fleetwood Mac ... their guiding light, leader and inspiration (Peter Green) disappeared with a cult just a few years after the band was formed. THAT is adversity ... and the band went through many iterations of band members as well as genres before it settled on success. Many years later they fulfilled their promise.

Gladwell's description of the road to success is definitely one that rings true with anyone who has been there ... sometimes it just LOOKS easy!

One of THOSE Days!

Sometimes you go about your business and at some point in the day you wonder why you got out of bed! I have noticed that in the last few months there have been a lot of people having THOSE kind of days ... and despite my very optimistic nature, I have had a few myself!

Here in Ontario, like many places, there has been a string of bad news ... layoffs, bankruptcies, government scandals and even bad weather (which is really bad when you have to endure the Winters that we have!)

People let the stress build up and it can definitely have an affect ... so it is EXTRA important to be nice to yourself and to those around you!

Seek out those positive people who make you feel good ... and don't forget they need a boost sometimes too!

Take a few minutes to count your blessing and NOT focus on the negatives.

Remember that when the tough times end you will be a stronger person/company for working through it!

Apologies if you find this blog entry a little "preachy" ... but EVERYONE has one of THOSE days sometime or other!

WALK FAST AND SMILE!

Canadian IT Job Market - Mini update May/June 2009

General Observations:

May continues to be tough going in the IT services space … with clients still very nervous to invest in projects prior to a sustained recovery becoming evident. We are also still seeing clients implement cost saving initiatives while the market is still depressed. We are still a long way from the pace of activity this time last year, but the general optimism is up from a couple of months ago.

More Specifically:

The month of May at Eagle saw a small increase in orders in Toronto, Ottawa and Montreal but orders continue to be very low out West (despite the price of oil). The influx of resumes into our system continues to be high indicating that there is still a surplus in supply of IT resources (at a macro level). There are always pockets of “in demand” skills within specific geographies but currently even these are few and far between.

The orders that we are seeing are primarily for contract or temporary employees, and there is little appetite for hiring full time resources, although Toronto has seen a small increase in perm orders lately. This can be borne out in the Search and Placement industry in general which has been severely affected in this recession, with no recovery yet.

The following are indicators as of time of writing:

> The price of oil was in the $68 range … over $60 for a month now I would expect to see some positive reaction from the oil and gas sector.
> The TSX is in the 10,500 range and has been over 10,000 for a while … a positive sign.
> The Canadian dollar is strong, close to 90c US. This is a positive indicator but can also serve to lengthen a recession.
> Prime is at 2.25%, and expected to remain there, making borrowing inexpensive. This is good for when companies feel optimistic enough to invest!
> Ottawa has had its share of issues that have slowed procurement, now it looks like Ontario’s eHealth initiative is coming under scrutiny which may slow spending in one of the few hot sectors on the province.
> Unemployment is still bad … Ontario lost another 60,000 jobs in May. Eagle is still seeing a fairly large influx of resumes of candidates looking for work.
> There have been few signs that any “stimulus” package will bring relief in the IT services sector. Hardware companies are benefiting from tax breaks but no big new IT services spending yet!

In Summary:

Very little change month over month from April … except perhaps a slight increase in activity in the GTA (Greater Toronto Area) and National Capital Region (NCR). Much of the optimism has come in the form of planning and talk about upcoming initiatives, but little has translated into real jobs yet. With the Summer holiday months fast approaching we are hoping for action sooner rather than later … but it may well be the Fall now before we see measurable recovery.

eHealth CEO Gets the Boot

The front page on many newspapers today is the story about Ontario’s ehealth CEO, Sarah Kramer, getting fired, ostensibly for awarding millions of dollars in sole source contracts.

The political fallout from this story is not done yet and I will be surprised if the minister doesn’t lose his portfolio too.

As anyone who reads this blog regularly will know, I am no friend to McGuinty’s Liberal government here in Ontario … but this is another case the press acting like a pack of wolves when they smell blood.

YES … the sole source contracts were a red flag to a bull in an economy like this one where Ontario lost 60,000 jobs in May.

BUT … Kramer was brought in to effect change quickly and to fix a perceived “mess” at Smart Systems for Health which was a Conservative invention which was reported to have spent $647 million with “nothing much to show” for it. Fast change requires quick action and not the full procurement process of government.

AND … many of the sole source contracts were issued prior to Kramer’s arrival. (Hence the statement that perhaps the political fallout hasn’t stopped yet).

YES … the relationship between Kramer, Alan Hudson (board chair) and many of the consultants looks a little “close”.

BUT … the market for eHealth experts in the World is not big and in Canada it has to be very small. It would be extremely unlikely if the best minds in this field wouldn’t know each other. Most executives would sooner work with people they know and have respect for and I expect that is what happened here.

YES … the optics of Kramer receiving a large bonus on the one hand and then informing staff that bonuses would be skinny this year because of the economy looked bad.

BUT … Kramer’s bonus was a negotiated part of her income, which would have formed part of her decision whether to accept this job. It appears that she negotiated well, because her previous job would not have paid this much!

YES … highly paid consultants expensing their tea and cookies is ridiculous.

BUT … if you are CEO of eHealth is that a battle worth fighting? There would have been daily battles around changing key players, establishing a corporate direction to make things happen and any number of decision points. A few dollars on an expense account is hardly her problem.

What do I conclude?

The press is all over this and Kramer is getting a very public battering. In my mind she was an executive trying to get things done, but she does not seem to have had very good advice or judgement on the politics of this position. I expect that she will make an excellent private sector executive.

Sarah Kramer had to go ... because she acted in a private sector manner, in trying to “get things done”! Just another fine example to support the question, “Why would ANYONE want to be “front and centre” in the public eye like this?”

Certainly not me!

Accountability

Accountability is a big word and it comes with big expectations!

Very often when we set goals or targets we do so in the knowledge that they are something to aim for ... not necessarily something that we must achieve. For example we might say that we would like to lose 10lb in the next 2 months, but if we actually only lose 8lb then we don't feel too bad, its not the end of the world. It wasn't a "must do" goal.

However it is very normal for companies to set budgets for their managers and their sales teams which they are expected to meet. When those teams fail to meet their goals they are deemed to have failed. That is because there is an expectation they will deliver.

The difference between the two scenarios can highlight the difference between accountability and "best effort".

The following is a story told by Tom Peters on his blog back in May.

I'm returning to Vietnam later this month-for the first time in 41 years. Hence my mind drifts occasionally to the 4-decade-old events that marked the beginning of my professional career.

One rather strange occurrence crossed my mind while driving home to VT from Boston last week.

I was out in the field, deep in the jungle, in fact, building a camp for a U.S. Army Special Forces team. I was choppered back to Danang in a rush for a brief meeting with the Commandant of the U.S. Marine Corps, General Leonard Chapman, who was paying a visit to I Corps, the northern part of South Vietnam, which was under USMC command-more specifically under the command of General Lew Walt.

What the hell was a LTJG (very junior officer) doing visiting with a 4-star general? Simple. My uncle, General H.W. Buse, was USMC Chief of Staff back in D.C., and my aunt had insisted that General Chapman see me in the flesh.

When I got back from the field, covered with mud (it was rainy season), I was sent directly to the Commandant with no time to change into a respectable uniform-a great embarrassment. General Chapman engaged in all of about 15 seconds of chitchat, and having done his duty to my aunt, sent me on my way. As I was literally walking out of his temporary field office, he summoned me back, and said, out of the blue, "Tom, are you taking care of your men?" (I had a little detachment, about 20 guys as I recall, doing the work described before.)

Yup, 40 years plus later, I remember his exact words-which is the point of this Post. I replied to the General, "I'm doing my best, sir." To this day, with a chill going up my spine, I can see his face darken, and his voice harden, "Mr Peters, General Walt and I and General Buse are not interested in whether or not you are 'doing your best.' We simply expect you to get the job done-and to take care of your sailors. Period. That will be all, Lieutenant."

The line echoes to this day-as you can tell. You are there to "get the job done"-not just-merely "do your best." I recall many years later seeing a Churchill quote that was much the same; more or less this: "It is not enough to do your best or try as hard as you can-you must succeed in doing what is necessary."

And so the lesson sticks. I'll conclude with a simple "thank you" to the late General Chapman. I think I can say with some certainty that the story of my life would not have unfolded as it has, had the General not made his views on success and failure so succinct and so crystal clear.

In a nutshell that is what it means to be accountable. To take responsibility for making something happen, or meeting some goal ... and doing what it takes to achieve it, without excuses.

This is a hard lesson for people, because we can all always find excuses for not meeting our goals. In fact I have met many sales people in particular who are probably more skilled at the art of excuse making than they will ever be in actually selling!

Tom finished his blog entry by thanking the general for changing his life with that insight ... because without a doubt ... PEOPLE WHO ARE ACCOUNTABLE WILL BE SUCCESSFUL!