• Ron went coast to coast this winter to visit 13 of his new players and their families.  This allowed him to get to know the players and their families on a personal level and found out what made the player's tick.
• Ron believes for any particular game, he can develop a plan and adjust to the plan accordingly to be successful.
• Ron holds himself accountable if the team doesn't win.

I found it really amazing that when one of his former players won a golden glove, the player gave the award to Ron.  That says a lot about the impact Ron has had on players in the past.

The real proof will be how the Ranger's perform this year.  Last year they finished 3rd in their division, with a record of 80-82.  So far this spring, the Rangers are 12-7.  While I'm not a huge fan of baseball, I'll definitely be tracking the Ranger's this summer.

The full article can be found here: http://cbs.sportsline.com/mlb/story/10078714/rss

1. Proper planning of a project before the project even begins.  A complex project can be broken into smaller phases making it easier to estimate.  This makes it easier to solicit input from those who will be performing the work or other seasoned estimator's in the organization.  This also allows one to set milestones for the completion of each phase.
2. Reviewing the progress of the project against the milestones set.  This allows adjustments to be made during the course of a project to ensure the overall schedule is met on time.
3. Developing a knowledge base through investigating the causes behind a project's failure to reach a milestone.  This makes future estimating easier, as well as providing documentation of delays.

More information on each one of these techniques can be found on my helium article http://www.helium.com/tm/225201/delivering-project-essential-todays.

There was one point I didn't fully expand upon which I feel is equally important for project managers to be successful.  Sometimes we are faced with delays which we can not fully anticipate during the initial project scoping and estimating phase.  These delays could be increased regulations passed after a project was started, natural disasters, or changes requested by the customer.  Often times, it's very easy to overlook these delays and in an attempt to meet the project goals, we adjust resources upwards to meet the schedule.  However, many of the contracts allow for changes in completion time and fee when these items occur.  When we make these adjustments, we are providing value to our customer, and we should be compensated accordingly for the additional value provided.

I believe the concept of additional compensation for added value applies not only to organizations attempting to differentiate themselves, but also organizations which are competing on the basis of cost leadership.  Particularly when you consider cost leadership organizations which run very lean and have no room for a loss in profitability on a project. 

"Driven to distraction. Multi-tasking is a liability when you need to listen and concentrate on what another person is trying to say. Do you sit behind your desk, accept phone calls, shuffle papers or otherwise communicate by your activities or gestures that you are not fully attentive?

Moving on. Whether pressed for time or just accustomed to moving through issues quickly, many leaders have a hard time concentrating on what is being said. Often they mentally shift to what comes next. How often do you think about your response rather than focusing on what the other person is saying?

Problem solving. Many leaders feel compelled to be the expert and offer a solution to a problem right away. Poor listeners give advice too soon. Do you suggest what should be done before the other person has fully explained his or her perspective?

Downplays feelings. Emotions are part of people's work experience. Poor listeners dismiss other people's feelings. They also miss out on important insights into what is going on among their employees. Do you tell people not to feel the way they do? Are you at a loss when another person expresses emotions?

Shuns silence. Many leaders make it a point to fill any silences, or they feel obligated to respond to every comment. These reactions cut short the other person's time to think and react. Do you talk significantly more than the other person talks?"

I know I have been guilty of several of these areas in the past, and probably will in the future.  I believe I could make a huge step towards progress by just getting up from my desk and moving to another chair in my office the next time I'm faced with this situation.  Perhaps this would help trigger my memory of this article and remind me not to move on or try to problem solve too quickly.

The full article from the CCL can be found here: http://www.ccl.org/leadership/enewsletter/2007/FEBlistening.aspx.  It also includes a story about the importance of listening, as well as the benefits of active listening.

Pull the string, and it will follow wherever you wish. Push it, and it will go nowhere at all. -Dwight D. Eisenhower

I ran across this quote from Dwight D. Eisenhower today.  Here are my thoughts:

• Leaders know where they are going - they have a clear and compelling vision
• Leaders inspire others to reach their vision through influence, motivation, collaboration and teamwork
• If one tries to push a vision or direction onto a group, the group sags and goes nowhere

• "We exist to provide value to our customers" - to make their lives better via lower prices and greater selection; all else is secondary
• Swim upstream, buck conventional wisdom
• Be in partnership with employees
• Work with passion, commitment, and enthusiasm
• Run lean
• Pursue ever-higher goals

I don't believe Wal-Mart has strayed in the context of their founding principles.  Some would argue they have strayed from their core purpose, which is "To give ordinary folk the same chance to buy the same things as rich people" when Wal-Mart eliminated the lay-away program.  I'm not sure I completely agree with this reasoning.  When lay-away was first created, obtaining credit was a much harder task.  In today's world, credit offers are a dime a dozen.  Of course, that is an entirely different subject with its own issues.

I believe the real question should be "Are Wal-Mart's founding principles leading to its downfall?".  In my opinion, Wal-Mart's principle of pursuing ever increasing goals coupled with its low cost focus has lead to some negative consequences.  While no one can fault any company for competing on the basis of lowest cost, the action in itself will force competitors out of business if they aren't able to respond.  Now add that to Wal-Mart's unyielding desire for growth, and you have a recipe for Wal-Mart's negative perception.

This negative perception calls into question the value Wal-Mart provides its customers and communities.  Providing value is a core concept for Wal-Mart.  All of Wal-Mart's business practices and policies are based on providing value.  Therefore, Wal-Mart cannot be successful unless it provides value to their customers.