Getting Things Done

1. Getting Things Done Guest Lecture – Cindy Dahl, PE BA 550 Spring 2007 April 24, 2007 cdahl@onami.us

2. Introduction – Cindy Dahl • VP Operations, ONAMI, Inc. • Oregon Nanoscience and Microtechnologies Institute • 25 Years experience as a consulting engineer; 18 yrs with CH2M HILL • Corvallis Area Manager 1999-2005 • Regional Staffing Mgr 2002-2004 • Project Mgr., Program Mgr., Sr. Eng. • Regulatory Strategist for Industry, Gov. • BS Civil Eng., MS Env. Eng., Univ of Illinois

3. How to Get Things Done • For-Profit/Industry Setting • Client Projects • Internal Projects or Organization Change • Academic/Non-Profit Setting • Volunteer Organization

4. Elements of Success • Strategy • Know where are you going and why • Leadership • Communicate the Strategy • Define Success • Motivate the Team • Management • Manage schedule and budget to plan • Provide necessary resources • Anticipate and React to Change • Keep Success in Sight

5. When all you have is a Hammer… • Everything looks like a Nail! • Project/Program Management is a pretty good hammer • Technique and Principles apply to a wide range of projects and to organizational change • Touch on some important aspects of project management – not comprehensive

6. Project Management Essentials • Project Definition • Project Plan • Skilled Project Manager • Project Plan • Implementation Team • Project Plan • Adequate Resources - $, staff, etc. • Project Plan!

7. Project Definition • What are you trying to do? • Who are the stakeholders? • What will a successful project look like? • Defined by owner, team, and stakeholders • What is the timeline? • Where is the starting point? • What resources are available ($, staff, etc.)

8. Project Plan • Develop initial project definition, schedule, budget with owner • Review with stakeholders • Refine Plan

9. Skilled Project Manager • Responsible for all aspects of the project • Understand legal responsibilities, if any • Don’t accept responsibility without resources • Responsibility without authority is challenging, but not impossible! • Responsible for Satisfying the Client and the Project Team • Responsible for Communication!

10. Skilled Project Manager, cont. • Learn by doing, but also get training • Quantum levels of management • Manage yourself on a task • Manage a task where you are the only staff • Manage a task with multiple staff • Manage a small project (one or two tasks) • Etc., Etc. • Always ask for input – 360 review • Get a mentor!

11. Project Planning • Use the right tools • Microsoft Project – very versatile • Gantt charts • Specialized Software • Excel Spreadsheet • Engage the Team • Client/Owner/Stakeholders • Task Leaders • Technical Experts • Senior Reviewer • Communicate the Plan (continuously) • Refine the Plan

12. Implementation Team • Identify Discrete Tasks and Managers • Determine Staffing needs over time • Task Managers expertise is essential • Identify competing resource needs • Prepare Budget and Schedule Estimates • Define Positive and Negative Scope • Define Team Operating Dynamics- • Communication, Reporting, Responsibility

13. Project Planning • Get Scope/Budget/Schedule Endorsement • By project team • By owner/client • Plan for Reality (People, Machines, Nature) • Plan to Manage Change

14. Adequate Project Resources • Detailed Planning Required, unless you’ve done it before (and documented what went wrong) • Closely define scope- and get endorsement of definition • Monitor costs as you go • Estimate cost to completion regularly • Scale the project to the resources

15. Did I mention Project Planning? • Project Plan needs to be current- not a shelf-sitter • Complete, but not ornate • Be sure to define the project end point • Define success, but plan to exceed

16. Project Management – the Personal Side • Different Styles of Management • Team Member • Hierarchy • Authoritative (Because I said so) • Different Needs in Different Settings • Everyone Needs the 3Rs • Respect • Recognition • Resources

17. Leadership Resume • American Leadership Forum of Oregon – Senior Fellow • Corporate Roundtable • Board of Directors- • Economic Development Partnership (EDP) • Corvallis Public Schools Foundation • ArtCentric • Trustee • Budget Commissioner, City of Corvallis

18. Leadership • Who can be a leader? • Can multiple leaders be effective? • Board of Directors • Business Roundtables • The Vision Thing • Create the “ah ha!” moment for others • Leading is not Commanding

19. What is a Leader? • Band Leader • Lead Dog • Lead the Troops • Lead Gift/Lead Donor • Follow the Leader • Hot Lead • …

20. Leader- definition • A person or thing that leads • A guiding or directing head • A conductor or director • The principal player or singer • Featured article of trade, esp. one offered at low price • Leading- principal, chief, most or extremely important, foremost

21. Learning Leadership • Tools, Books, Seminars Abound • Listen, Observe, Think • Follow your instincts and passions • Look for Leaders – Watch and Learn

22. Strategic Thinking • When do you need a Strategy? • What needs to be in a Strategic Plan? • Who should develop a Strategy?

23. Different Skills in Different Settings – Industry, Business, For-Profit • Bottom Line Focus • Time Critical • Resource Limited • Competition • Hierarchy

24. Different Skills in Different Settings - Non-Profit or Academic Setting • Collaboration • Resource Limited • May not have authority to implement • Diverse stakeholders

25. Different Skills in Different Settings - Volunteer Organization • Resource Limited • No authority to implement • Diverse stakeholders • Competing priorities- for organization, community, volunteer staff