Our b5media Theme Day focuses on Graduation - New Beginnings in a Challenging Economy led by Darlene at www.interviewchatter.com. Since my three daughters are in their “new beginnings” periods, I’m a sought after advisor. They are: 27 years old- just married and building fitness business, 25- radio show host of S&H Culture Club and fashion blogger, and 21- college senior who is a singing star. They are all fast moving, innovative and creative people. MORE IMPORTANTLY—they all realize that changes are coming…and preparing for them.

Fortunately I’ve suggested that they focus on research, organizing, coordination/compilation, and decision making skills in college (vs worrying too much about a specific major). The ability to quickly gather information, assess a situation, and make good decisions is essential in a world that changes EVERY DAY. You will recognize the emphasis on innovation AND being prepared in this blog related to organizations, PMOs, governance structures, and strategy execution. Sometimes I think that the best training we could give in colleges and universities is how to set up Theory of Constraints based project management, PMO and governance systems. Organizations, teams, and individuals would benefit.

A lot of young adults approach the world of change and innovation as a roller coaster to be ridden through exciting times; in other words, there will always be something exciting happening. If YOU want to be the creator of the excitement, rather than a casual “experiencer”, your ability to do your “homework” and be prepared to make decisions is essential. It’s a lot of work but work that has EXTREME rewards and extreme satisfaction.

Finally, the best advice I’ve received that somehow says it all assuming you have a spiritual and moral compass: have fun and make money!

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I have some great, reliable, commentors. One of them is Alan Wilensky. Commenting on my June 7th post ““Fewer, More Successful Projects”: The New HP” he gave one of his great personal examples of an IT organization run amuck. Here is his comment (edited by me) and my response:

Alan W: A while ago, I was a bidder on fair sized contract with a specialized mfr. They had a BIG IT plan, SAP, SCN, you name it. They were hostage to their IT man, he had them seduced and bought in to the tune of 30 projects (none fully implemented) and 400K in licenses (way more than a company this size needs in a Webbiz20 services era).

I did not get the [deal], because I spoke the truth - but somehow, I think that my honesty will get me back in. Here is what I said while trying to get this seven figure (career high for me) 18 month re-engineering project:

“Dear Colleagues, you have over 30 individual related and unrelated integration and installation projects….I ask you to total the months and items of completion…”

Silence. Then the excuses from the people running the project… well, Wilensky, what would you do about it?

“I am glad you asked. Cut at least 75% of the unfinished projects, make what you have work in 90 days or less, and move to hosted CRM and billing”.

Then, after I delivered the print out of my analysis, I met the CIO in private….“Your company can’t finish one project and the consultants and internal IT steering [you] towards these complex packages are making the excuses seem plausible”.

PM411: This is very typical in my experience. Hopefully, you opened some eyes above the CIO also. This points directly to the need to get a PMO operating OUTSIDE of the purview of the IT folks. There are just too many factors that support such a multi-project result when IT is guarding the henhouse.

Alan’s candor is exactly what many companies need right now. Many are attempting to do projects that have nothing to do with strategies. The organizational structure and culture for project selection and management doesn’t exist at a broad enough level.

Do you have some stories of excess projects that aren’t getting done? Share them!

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I’m realizing that I’m a focal point for all things “project” having to do with executing strategies and innovation. In other words, I usually read what I’m interested in on this topic and then pick and choose the best for YOU and put my slant on it. This is my small way of changing things- how about you?

If you like what you see, and many of you have told me so, then that probably means we have the same interests. Hopefully that doesn’t mean that we think alike because that would only lead to boring conclusions.

Blogs are for dialogue and changing minds. Help me do it! Change my mind. Get involved. Blog!

Here are some of the topics I’ve been dealing with this month- check them out and tell me what you think- these issues will change how business is done in the years ahead:

The Google Way to Innovation

Keep Governments Out of Business

I Told You! Your Carbon Footprint Will Be Taxed

A Fad That Will Pass? Social Networks

Does Multi-Company Innovation Work? Yes!

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The Hindu has an excellent article about innovation that overviews a new book by Ram Charan called “The Game Changer”. In it is a discussion of what makes a great innovative team. What stuck out for me was the role of the executor who makes sure milestones are met. The authors emphasize a great point about strategy and the customer:

“If you don’t execute, the consumer doesn’t care what the strategy was. Execution is the only strategy that consumers see.”

When you combine that statement with the miserable record that most companies have in executing strategies you begin to see why companies fail in this constantly changing business world.

How does your company do in the area of executing strategies? Do you have an innovation team? What are the key roles that are important on the innovation team?

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Harvard Business on-line’s post by Tom Davenport seems to deal with culture when describing two extremes to strategy development and execution:

1. Strategic Engineering- strategy is an engineering exercise with employees being the cogs in the machine.

2. Strategic Anarchy- executives get out of the way of employee’s entrepreneurial and innovative energies.

He suggests that a reconciliation of the two must take place.

While I see it as a culture issue I also see it like one of the commentors as not so much a reconciliation problem but one of creating a flexible environment controlled by standardized business processes. Letting elements of anarchy prevail can lead to the dreaded “idea man” who never gets anything done while disrupting and delaying all intiatives; i.e., you need them but they must be controlled. Certainly, the “cogs in machine” view leaves employee innovation out of the picture.

The “flexibility” required means having standardized processes that enhance both innovation and strategy execution (e.g., strategy creation, linking strategies to tactics and projects to tactics, project acceleration/prioritization/alignment, others). High-value PMOs, or PMO-like organizations, are a crucial element, along with a governance board (or set of executives) that the PMO supports, for strategy execution.

How does your organization support innovation and strategy execution? How is this done without a PMO-like organization that supports strategic alignment, acceleration, and prioritization of projects?

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