Project approach in real life
Goal setting and priorities.
Goal setting and priorities.
In the book, we have already devoted enough text to goal setting and priorities. As I wrote, few people know how to set goals correctly and set priorities in cold blood. The skill is easy to test and demonstrate. Study and practice until you feel that it makes your life easier. Believe me, you will notice it.
Project management.
At the beginning of the chapter “Management”, the topic of the project approach has already been touched upon. Everything in life is projects of different scales. Therefore, the ability to package any activity into a project and bring it to a result is extremely useful for life. There are a lot of books and articles on this topic, but you don’t need to read everything if you don’t work as a project manager. Start with the HBR Guide “Project Management” and Scott Berkun’s book “Implementation of the Plan”. Understand the principles and approaches of project management, and then try to apply them in life. Moreover, you already know a lot, since my book is about the project approach to life.
Organization.
By default, organizational skills belong to project management, but not every manager is a good organizer. Therefore, I single out organizational skills separately. It is important not only to formulate goals, put together a plan and distribute responsibility. We also need to assemble the infrastructure, launch processes and organize the work of the team in this system. When hiring people without experience, I always pay attention to organizational skills. If they are in order, and a person has the motivation to develop in IT, then he will quickly get used to it and strengthen his project management skills. Learn to organize yourself, and then others. Organizational skills, like superfood among products, have a positive impact on the development of many skills at once.
Decision-making and responsibility.
You could write “Leadership” in the title, but this is a very multifaceted and big concept. That’s why I highlighted the main skills of a leader at the beginning: decision-making and responsibility. One cannot exist without the other. You need to be able to make decisions and take responsibility for them. In a confusing situation, without data or enough time, it doesn’t matter. A person who can make a decision will always be ahead of those who constantly doubt or postpone a decision.
“If you don’t take responsibility, then you’re not the boss. You need to take full responsibility for everything you do…”
Guy Ritchie
The mechanics of decision-making are also very important, which contributes to the probability of making the right decision. Decisions that bring the desired consequences. There are many patterns and techniques for making decisions. For example, in the book “The Book of solutions. 50 models of strategic thinking” by Mikael Krogerus and Roman Chappeler. The book contains a set of techniques and a description of how to use them. The book will not give promises, but it will help you learn how to make decisions in different conditions. Not making decisions is also a decision. But remember what Guy Ritchie said. Don’t you want to be the boss of your life?
Analysis of motives.
At work and in life, it is very important to be aware of the position and motives of another person. To understand what motivates him, and why he acts this way or does not act at all. It is especially useful in project work. If a manager works with you on the client side, whose goal is to sit at work from 9:00 to 18:00, he hates the bosses, and you are an extra job for him, then cooperation becomes difficult. Knowing that he has no motivation, you will choose the optimal approach to the project.
If you work with a motivated person, then his motive may not be a quality project at all. His motives may be outside the project. For example, he may seek a promotion or try to promote a personal brand. Usually no one says this openly. Often, I see how people do not analyze the motives of other people and treat them as roles. Or vice versa, they attribute far-fetched motives and draw wrong conclusions. Because of this, false expectations happen, and then we have a bunch of surprises. Try to make empathy friends with the analysis of human behavior and actions in order to read people better. It will be difficult to demonstrate this skill at the interview, but in life it will be very useful to you.
