Best Laid Plans...

I’m heading off again and about to board my flight. have splurged on PREMIUM economy , thank you very much—extra legroom for deep thoughts. Perfect time to finally write that blog post on procrastination that’s been haunting me. Lou (my marketing person) has chased me about it at least five times.  Eight hours of distraction free time ahead of me. No phone calls. No meetings. Time to focus. Laptop: out. Cables: connected. Mind: sharp. Wait, the steward is approaching. Mustn't be rude. “ Yes, I’d love a glass of orange juice, oh and snacks too, crisps please!” Right. Focus. Time to tackle this procrastination post. It really does bother me, not because the task is particularly hard. I actually enjoy writing but it's just been so long… now it feels like finishing it will confirm I’m not completely inept. But here I am, anxious about it. Maybe a quick distraction will ease the stress. Just a little break. Let’s see what entertainment they have… SLOW HORSES! I’ve been meaning t...

Have You Prepared for Success ? So, you’ve… kicked off your project documented its initiation onboarded key stakeholders assessed risks and locked in a schedule. But have you prepared for success? "Success?" you ask. "Surely, if we're successful, we just ride off into the sunset, high-fiving each other while basking in the admiration of our colleagues and clients!" (Actual quote.) Well, not quite. Success can be more complicated than you think—and if you don’t plan for it, it might just catch you off guard. Let’s explore a few scenarios: 1. You’re Well Within Budget (Yes, It Happens!) You’ve been tracking costs like a hawk, and you know your budget indicator will be green. But have you thought about how—and when—you’ll communicate that? Tell the wrong people at the wrong time, and suddenly, finance may see an opportunity to adjust your baseline, reallocate funds, or introduce unexpected scope changes. Success needs strategy, even in communication. 2. You Delive...

Despite AI’s growing impact on the world of work, new data shows that soft skills are still the most sought after by UK employers. LinkedIn’s 2024 most in-demand skills data finds that soft skills make up four of the top five most in-demand skills by UK employers, with communication the most sought-after skill. When I was training to be a project manager, we didn’t really focus on soft skills. They aren’t really taught by any of the methodologies and most of the people who project managed before me definitely had to learn the hard way, via The School of Hard Knocks!  Soft skills are critically important for all senior leaders, whether you are a project manager or CEO, the capability to be able to have difficult conversations in a compassionate way is critically important especially when dealing with a 'crisis'! I have seen first-hand how important these skills are and I'm constantly tweaking and honing these skills.   There are some basics that are a ‘must have’ for project...

When we think of the word 'leadership', typically headline grabbing personalities on the world stage of business or politics often jump to mind. Look at the US election this month, who could have predicted Donald Trump would become President of the US again.  However, I don't think that leadership is that grandiose, we don’t all have to be President of the US or the King of England to be a leader.  Have you thought about the fact we are all actually leaders at some point in our day? We all do this every day to an extent, it could be as part of our job, when we care for our kids, or even help a stranger. These tasks all require leadership traits of different types - Trust - Compassion - Stability - Hope. When I was asked to explain what I thought leadership means, my answer was that it consists of two parts and several traits , personal responsibility and the choice to follow. Part 1 - personal responsibility of the leader The first part is a choice exercised by the leader....

Everyone wants their project to succeed, their deal to go through, their offer accepted. But I often get asked ‘How do you make sure the deal gets across the line and that it’s a good deal for both parties involved?’ My answer… It starts with building and maintaining an environment of trust and honesty between the stakeholders.  It’s a lot harder to achieve a good deal where parties may have different and often conflicting interests, but the focus needs to be on what can be achieved when both parties involved aim to be successful together .    ‘Mutual Honesty’ It starts with both parties understanding and agreeing with the following statements: It’s OK to protect and further their business interests while at the same time... It’s OK to find common ground with the other party. After all, if you didn’t have common ground, why did you come together in the first place? This mutual honesty forms a great foundation for building a collaborative environment where both sides feel ...

I'm very grateful that I've had the privilege of working for many awesome people over the years from whom I attempted to glean wisdom. One gentleman, in particular, stands out.  He was an 'enabler'.  He clearly defined my role and responsibilities. He provided the tools and processes that I needed to execute my role. He clearly set out expectations of what standards he expected. He regularly touched base with me to make sure things were on track. As a consequence, I performed.  I just did. Effortlessly. It was a revelation and it felt amazing.  He showed me how it should be done. I've tried to emulate him ever since. http://www.taposhbhattacharya.com