The fishbone, cause/effect, or Ishikawa diagram is a construct enabling teams to analyze root causes of issues and defects in a very systematic fashion. Here it is explained clearly – via slidedeck with useful visuals – in about 7′.
Category: Empowering Co-workers
Motivate and support coworkers tackling project responsibilities. Remove barriers, blockers, and obstacles, and uncertainties. Facilitate creation of team know-how.
“Conflict Management Styles”
Useful 11′ introduction to (what today tend to be seen as) the five main styles of conflict management: Dominate, Withdraw, Accomodate, Compromise, Collaborate. Besides a description of each style, it offers an explanation of the psychology underlying each and a chance to reflect on one’s own style.
“Kotter’s 8 Step Change Management Model”
Concise 4′ explanation with whiteboard. Kotter’s model was framed primarily to inform and inspire leaders of change management initiatives at the enterprise scale. Since such initiatives nearly always involve launching or influencing programs and projects, those working in such projects may find Kotter’s model useful to understand C-level decision-making and policies. What is also interesting […]
“Satir Change Model”
Useful 8′ explanation based on a single slide, with annotations set out in support of the talk. Re Satir’s pracctice, what is missing here is her thinking in terms of “wholes” and balance, her deep empathy for whole family network/group, and her fearless, nurturing intent. “Systemic mothering”, if you will. The potency of her practice […]
“Mastering Kanban #3 – Improving the Workflow”
Kanban depends on ongoing improvement by the team, not only of the kanban board they originally design, but also of their guidelines and guardrails (e.g. WIP limits). Starting at about minute 2, this 7+’ video offers further explanation supported by some interesting anecdotes.
“The Seven Steps for Highly Effective Employee Training & Coaching”
Clear and concise “how-to” in 4.5′. Concludes with a useful linkage between training and delegation.
“Agile in Practice – Big Visible Charts”
Nice 3.5′ introduction to agile team use of big visible charts (aka “big visual chart”, “BVC”). Addresses rationale as well as categories of charts and general usage. Also included are useful criteria for evaluating any set of BVC’s. (Such a set of BVC’s is often called a “dashboard”.)
“Motivation Theories Explained in 10 Minutes”
Excellent job in doing just what the title says. Very powerful way to classify these theories: “content” theories based on what motivates people vs. “process theories” based on how people are motivated.
“6.2 Define Activities”
This is a 13′ explanation of the project task list. It emphasizes the creation of the list, based mainly on a model of project scope in the form of a work breakdown structure (WBS). It assumes the PMI perspective and so uses the PMI terms for “task list”, namely “activity list” or “schedule activity list.” […]
“What is a Quality Circle? Definition and Examples”
Quality circles are noteworthy for many reasons: meta-, macro-, and micro-. Thse include, as examples, their contribution to the Japanese economic miracle, their emphasis on self-organization as a pattern for managing project team work, and on their toolbox of design and problem-solving tools, including cause-effect diagrams. Here is a concise and solid introduction, inclluding a […]