RNC Global Projects

POWER… INFLUENCE… GAUTREY

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‘Power’ and ‘Influence’ are two words you will constantly hear if you are seeking to find the path to successful corporate leadership. They’re not lightweight terms, as the timeline of human history has shown. So, learning how to properly use power and influence is most likely to be one of the keys to finding the right path to success.
I’ve been interested to read about the world recognised Colin Gautrey and The Gautrey Group via their website. With a huge portfolio and wide reaching expertise they aim to provide the appropriate skills and training to people in all levels of the corporate workplace to help them achieve optimum, yet balanced levels of influence and, hopefully, genuine success in their chosen field. And that’s an achievement nearly all of us in the corporate arena, at some point, has found to be a challenge, perhaps especially in recent times.

Click here to browse The Gautrey Group’s website…

Portfolios Programs Projects – simply making them happen

LEARN FROM YOUR FEEDBACK

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I love it when people send in feedback and yes, I am reading it all. The feedback I received below came from a client who was commenting on their PMO (not an RNC PMO).
Some of the things they observe and find frustrating:

• Making procedures which form a sort of unimaginative straight jacket within which tasks must be performed
• Interfering with the process instead of just looking at the results
• Thinking that only the way in which they want it done is the right way
• Not trusting that it will work out all right.  If they can’t leave the PM to do the job then either the PM or the PMO should go.

You may or (hopefully) may not recognise some of these characteristics. At any rate, this type of feedback serve as a handy wake up call… perhaps it should encourage all of us to remember to look constantly for better ways to work with our clients. What are your thoughts?

Enjoy your day, Diane

Portfolios Programs Projects – simply making them happen

98% OF OUR CLIENTS GET A CAREER LIFT

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Hi,
Of all the projects and programs we have delivered (and remediated), 98% of the people we worked for ended up with a promotion, or bigger job.

How do I know this? We’ve kept very good records of our clients and kept in touch so we know where they’ve gone and when. In looking over the past 13 (and a bit) years we can track the effect of successful projects and programs.

Perhaps even more interesting is that for the people originally responsible for delivering a project we later remediated over 80% have gone backwards. Ouch.

And even more interesting again, people responsible for two projects/programs needing remediation are no longer in roles (or employment) where they are in charge of projects and programs (in other words they’ve gone to the wilderness).
Just thought I’d share this information – makes me feel good to realise that we are career boosters!

Enjoy your day, Diane

Portfolios Programs Projects – simply making them happen

RNC AT FICAP’S WHO WANTS TO BE A ROCKSTAR

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We had such a good time at this year’s FICAP “Who Wants to Be A Rockstar”. The positive support from the audience to the Rockstar wannabes on stage ensured the night was a great success, with much needed funds raised for youth charities.

You can check out the recently released video (including sponsor interviews and rockstar clips) and photos from the night at http://www.fsitv.com/pages/sub_program/151

We thought we’d share some photos from our own RNC photo gallery with you as well. And thanks once again to everyone who came to lend their support…

Portfolios Programs Projects – simply making them happen

FICAP’s WANNABE ROCKSTARS – WE THANK YOU!

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There were so many reasons for us to be thrilled, proud and feeling just great last Wednesday night. It was a privilege to take part in FICAP’s annual “Who Wants To Be A Rockstar” event as a platinum sponsor, but we were also very proud to see our own fantastic Ray Trevisan up there on the stage. Thank you Ray!

Thank you to everyone who came along to support this year’s event and cheer on the talented line-up of rockstar wannabes. Congratulations to Zurich’s Sophie Koo, winner of RNC’s Best Female Artist. And hats off to the amazing people behind FICAP.

Click here to read about the other successes of the night, and find more information on the fantastic efforts by FICAP to raise money for some truly worthwhile, youth-focused charities.

Portfolios Programs Projects – simply making them happen

“WHO WANTS TO BE A ROCKSTAR”… THE COUNTDOWN IS ON!

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There’s just over a week to go to FICAP’s 2012 charity event, “Who Wants To Be A RockStar”. This year, RNC is proud to be a platinum sponsor and we’d love to see you there! Financial services professionals by day take to the stage to become Rockstar wannabes for the night for this unique industry event. It’s going to be a fantastic night, but more importantly, everyone on stage and off will be helping to raise funds for two worthwhile organisations – YWCA NSW and Open Family Australia.

So don’t forget…
Wednesday March 21st, from 6pm, at The Metro Theatre, 624 George Street, Sydney

And we’ll see you there!

Click here to read more about “Who Wants To Be A RockStar” in Rachel Davis’s article.
And go to the FICAP website to read all about their incredible work in raising funds for charities that benefit young people - www.ficap.com.au/ or click here.

… AND WHAT CLIENTS DON’T LIKE!

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I should have known you’d be interested in what clients don’t like. Previously, I published a list showing why RNC clients like our RNC PMs. You might have noticed that the LIKES list wasn’t about academic PM knowledge or the skills required to manage a project (even though we are proud of our reputation in these areas!). From the start, our clients need to know they can work with us, and vice versa. There’s no point moving on if you can’t get that right, and that’s what the LIKES list was all about.

So, I won’t keep you waiting…. You want to know what clients don’t like. And just a reminder, this is a summary of what clients didn’t like about non-RNC PMs. So I guess it’s what makes us different to the rest.

Clients didn’t like the non-RNC PMs because they:

• Didn’t act like they were engaged with the business
• Didn’t do any more than the minimum
• Were precious and hard to work with
• Wanted to tell us what we need, rather than doing what we want
• Were way too focussed on paperwork, structure and reports… and didn’t understand that all I wanted was the bloody project delivered
• Were full of excuses
• Thought I’d be impressed with PM stuff (like big docs and complicated plans)
• Didn’t fit into the culture
• Didn’t read the politics
• Played the politics
• Thought the project was theirs and tried to belt us over the head with it
• Seemed superior
• Were not good with people

I could go on… this list has the potential to be a l-o-n-g one, but I think this sample definitely conveys the essence of what’s not to like. I sure am glad they aren’t talking about us!

As an aside, I was with an internationally acclaimed organisational psychologist yesterday and learned the following: The single biggest attribute of people who succeed is charm (yes, I know we all think we are charming, but I’m now on a mission to find out what it is and I’ll let you know).

Diane

Portfolios Programs Projects – simply making them happen

WHAT CLIENTS LIKE

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One of the most rewarding aspects of running a business is knowing that your clients are satisfied with your services, comfortable to be entrusting you with their projects and programs. In other words, they like you!  I was truly gratified recently when three RNC clients acknowledged their appreciation in words… and pictures.  

One client re-worked the RNC logo to express their sentiments:

Another told us that “hiring RNC was the best thing we did last year”.  
And that’s not all… yet another said that their RNC PM “is the best in the organisation”.

I gathered all this positive feedback together in my mind to figure out where the points of difference were. That is, the difference between a PM… and our RNC PMs.  Well I’ve now distilled it into a few common denominators:

Clients like the RNC person because they:

• Get the job done
• Are a low emotional overhead i.e. not precious, not needy and don’t play negative politics
• Just get on and do the job
• Focus on the job requested, not the job they want to do or think the business should want
• Are friendly and accommodating (no sharp edges)
• Know what they are doing and other people respect them
• Have a way of getting people to do what they want without being too pushy
• Seem to have an ability to read the organisation and work within and across it to get the job done;
• Don’t seem like a contractor, and they have our best interests at heart.

Knowing this certainly helps to make every day worthwhile.

By the way, conversely, I wanted to find out what is was that non-RNC PMs were doing that brought about negative feedback.

I received some interesting comments too… so stay tuned. Enjoy your day, and thank you!

Diane

 Portfolios Programs Projects – simply making them happen

MANAGING STAKEHOLDERS USING THE RACI MODEL

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The following guide to using the RACI model was prepared by John Elsworth, a project manager with many years experience delivering in Finance and Banking, Biomedical and transport industries.   It took RNC 5 years to convince him to join us and we are very glad that he has worked with us now for 5 years….  

Managing stakeholders is vital to the success of a project and one of the most challenging aspects of project management.  Have you ever been looking for a single project tool that would help with stakeholder management; the communications plan; developing peoples’ roles and responsibilities; and, creating project delegation authorities?

The RACI model can be a valuable input to these elements of planning particularly in the early stage of the project when you are writing your initial version of the PMP.  This stage of a project can be very confusing when you are juggling so many stakeholders & project members. In our line of work as contract PMs we are typically just getting to know everyone too.

Of course, like all elements of planning, the RACI should be an interactive process and updated as appropriate to the project needs.

People who participate in creating/updating the RACI model enjoy it as they get a lot out of it and it can be fun & thought-provoking.

The RACI is an effective communications tool because stakeholders and team members find it intuitive and easy to digest.

So, how does a RACI work? read more

HAPPY BIRTHDAY RNC!

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Good morning,
13 years ago today I got dressed and headed in to work to talk to my boss about coming back after a period of sick leave. You’ve probably heard me talk about the two meetings that took place that day. I walked away, came home and started RNC.

13 years. Wow, it seems both so recent and so long ago. read more