jjudeLess is more
Rather than dressing up our data we should be stripping it down. Learn how to present your data tables in a clear and concise manner
https://www.darkhorseanalytics.com/blog/clear-off-the-table
via: @anildash
Why big projects fail?
• Definition problem
• Scope problems
• Management problems
• Talent problems
• Support problems
• Culture problems
A problem well stated is a problem half-solved. - Charles Kettering
Most downstream problems in projects come from ill-defined goals and problems. The teams doesn't know what they want and then everything becomes a mess.
3 Main Reasons Why Big Technology Projects Fail – & Why Many Companies Should Just Never Do Them
Big technology projects fail most of the time. Is there any way to reduce the likelihood of failure? Yes: look at definition, scope and management problems, but don’t look too closely at problems with talent, executive support and corporate culture. They’re nearly impossible to solve.
Playing to win vs Playing to keep playing vs Playing to exit
All strategy is a function of situation. Situation varies not only as a function of the individual company, but also of time. Books and ideas of one situation may not be applicable when transplanted to another situation.
Some are playing to win the whole market. These are winner-take-all markets. Here you create a category and dominate the market. Either you are in the top three or there is no need to play the game.
Others are playing to sell their company to the highest bidder and move on. Their eyes are on exit options. You don't need to be in the top at all. As long as you have enough customers, the next big one might be interested to buy you to keep you away from the game. Think of FB buying whatsapp and instagram.
Most Indian IT firms are playing to keep playing. These owners are building a lifestyle business. It is not a pejorative phrase. They are more interested in keep playing the game in the league they are in. They are not looking to take over the market. Neither are they looking to exit. They just want to keep playing, since they enjoy playing.
Strategy for all three have to be different. Hiring, marketing, sales everything has to be different for them.
Ex: Sales on the playing to win might be aggressive; not so much for playing to keep playing.
Know which game you are playing and adjust accordingly.
Insights emerged as I read: https://kellblog.com/2024/05/26/playing-to-win-vs-playing-to-make-plan-the-two-very-different-worlds-of-silicon-valley/
I often get asked, "My manager gives me a lot of feedback, but I don't know what to do with it." Sometimes, this confusion even leads to fights. As someone who has been on both sides of the table, I get it.
Here’s what you need to know about handling feedback:
• Often, feedback is for the benefit of the giver
• Often, feedback is vague and non-actionable
• Only listen to specific, actionable and relevant feedback
To start, realize that most feedback is for the benefit of the giver, not the receiver. Managers give feedback to feel powerful or in control. It's about them, not you. It's not always useful or helpful to get this kind of feedback.
Second, because of this power dynamic, much of the feedback you receive may be vague and non-actionable. Feedback like "You could have spoken better" or "You should have run the meeting better" are too general. Exactly what does "better" mean? Is it about body posture, confidence, or content? Without specifics, you can’t act on them.
Third, only listen to feedback that's actionable and relevant. Feedback that you can act on is specific, like if your document has grammatical errors or has to be only one page. Feedback like this gives you clear steps to improve. Make sure the feedback is relevant to your role. Being told to "run meetings better" isn't helpful if you're only a meeting coordinator.
So remember these three points: recognize when feedback is more about the giver than you, ignore vague comments that aren’t actionable, and focus on specific, relevant advice that you can act upon.