click on the images to see the examples
or-split pattern
xor-split pattern
Giannis Giataganas IS Consultant, BPM Analyst Bsc in Informatics, AUEB MscIS, Athens University of Economic and Business
Showing posts with label Management. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Management. Show all posts
Sunday, 24 April 2011
pattern BPMN examples
Following the articles for patterns and using BPMN intalio tools, i submit the below examples for the discussed patterns.
click on the images to see the examples
and-split pattern..
or-split pattern
xor-split pattern
Giannis Giataganas IS Consultant, BPM Analyst Bsc in Informatics, AUEB MscIS, Athens University of Economic and Business
click on the images to see the examples
or-split pattern
xor-split pattern
Giannis Giataganas IS Consultant, BPM Analyst Bsc in Informatics, AUEB MscIS, Athens University of Economic and Business
Tuesday, 12 April 2011
Advanced Branch and Join Patterns-Multi-Choice
Earlier I have posted the basic Patterns of P4 in Real modeling Process . These were the basic patterns which we use all the time and are fundamental in process modeling. Furthermore we must mention that advanced patterns are also a necessity in modeling world as they are also used extensively.
Starting from the common pattern which is called Multi Choice, we refer to a pattern which is placed so as to choose one or more parallel branches in which each branch is taken only if it satisfies a particular condition. This pattern is also called as Inclusive Or split. The difference between exclusive and inclusive OR is that exclusive_OR allows only one branch to direct the process where inclusive OR allows more than one path to be spawned.
Synchronizing Merge
The intent of synchronizing merge is to join branches spawned by a Multi-Choice(see above). That is to wait for all active paths in a parallel to complete. This Pattern is also known as Inclusive_OR_Join. Though the idea is intuitive and this pattern can help us solve many problematic areas, many BPM products cannot support it because of its implementation difficulties of tracking which branch was executed. Languages that use the Petri-Net conception of token passing to model control flow can implement such a pattern.
As far as BPEL is concerned, it uses the principle of dead path elimination, another Petri_Net inspired concept, to solve this problem.
Giannis Giataganas IS Consultant, BPM Analyst Bsc in Informatics, AUEB MscIS, Athens University of Economic and Business
Continuing with Patterns- Exclusive Choice
The intent of the Exclusive Pattern is to branch from a single activity to exactly one of several paths, based on the evaluation of a condition. This pattern is known as a XOR-split.
The need for such a pattern is big and this is used widely in everyday’s activity. To understand the power of the XOR split we just give an example of a bank customer who wants to login to the i-bank. The customer gives the password and if the password is correct he is redirected to a welcome page. Otherwise if something goes wrong the customer is informed that he cannot access his account. So this behavior is modeled as an XOR split from Get approval to send welcome user page or Send rejection message. The effect is that of an if statement in the process.
Implementations of this widely supported pattern include control constructs (this can be a switch statement in BPEL and BPML) and explicit split elements(such as XOR gateway in BPMN and the diamond in UML activity diagrams).
Simple merge
The intent of a simple merge pattern is that several exclusive conditional paths converge on a single activity, which starts executing when the one chosen path completes. The pattern is also known as XOR-Join. A simple merge is actually the endpoint – XOR join- of a process that splits and which started by an exclusive choice. In programming we can assume that it is the end of an if statement . now in languages in which conditional processing is modeled as a control structure (such as BPEL and BPMN) the control structure can manage the merge(for example, when the switch case in BPEL completes, its selected case is quaranteed to have completed.)
Giannis Giataganas IS Consultant, BPM Analyst Bsc in Informatics, AUEB MscIS, Athens University of Economic and Business
Tuesday, 29 March 2011
Parallel Split Pattern in modeling -BASIC PATTERNS
Parallel split
After the analysis made in the basic pattern called sequence which is the most basic step in modeling and processes, we should move on to the parallel split. The intent of the parallel split pattern is to branch, or fork from a single activity to multiple parallel paths. This Pattern is also known as AND-split.
It occurs when there is a need of multiple streams to execute at the same time. An example of this would be when an employee needs to apply for vacation. The Department manager gets the application of the employee. At the same time the application is forwarded to HR dept. where the HR employee should update the available dates. The application approval depends on the Department manager and the HR. to let the process move on to its completion these to tasks should complete successfully.
This pattern is related to Synchronization, Exclusive Choice and Multi-Choice
Synchronization
the intent of synchronization pattern is to have several parallel paths converge on a single activity which waits for the completion of all paths before starting. The pattern is also known as AND-Join. Synchronization is common requirement for many processes. In the above example to get the process of work permit completed the activity of final completion from the department responsible for work permits must not be started until the 2 preceding parallel activities have completed.
In languages in which parallel processing is modeled as a control structure(flow in BPEL and ALL in BPMN) the control structure itself manages the merge. For example, in BPEL when the flow in BPEL completes, its child activities are guaranteed to have completed. In languages where the merge requires an explicit join element(such as the AND gateway in BPMN and the join in UML activity diagrams) the join element performs the merge.
This pattern is related to parallel split, Simple Merge, Synchronizing Merge,Multi-Merge, Discriminator
Giannis Giataganas
IS Consultant, BPM Analyst
Bsc in Informatics, AUEB MscIS
Athens University of Economic and Business
Friday, 11 March 2011
Process patterns and the P4
As far as processes are concerned, the process community has identified and codified different sets of common problems. This action was a result of previous similar approaches taken by the programming community. Previous works on the programming patterns include the GOF’s book which is a catalog of 23 patterns related to the creation of objects, the structural relationship of objects, the behavior of objects and so on. The best thing about using a pattern is the standardization. Each pattern is documented according to a standard template with sections such as intent, motivation and known uses.
Similar approach happened by the process community and by a group of 4 which we call process 4(P4). The article workflow patterns lists 20 patterns which are used for processes. This catalog is an account of process control flow.
Well what changes from the programming approach of GOF’s documentation is that the GoF patterns are documented as object models whereas P4 patterns are spatial and visual. Process patterns are clusters or constellations of process activities arranged in just the right way to solve difficult problems.
The categories which P4 patterns are included are:
• Basic patterns
• Advanced Branch and join patterns
• Structural patterns
• Multiple instances patterns
• State based patterns
• Cancellation patterns
BASIC PATTERNS
Basic patterns cover fundamental process capabilities: running activities in a sequence; spawning, and later joining,parallel lines of execution; and branching intone of several directions based on a conditional choice. The five basic P4 patterns are:
• Sequence
• Parallel split
• Synchronization
• Exclusive choice
• Simple merge
Sequence
Intent
To run activities sequentially. For example run activity A followed by B followed by C
Need for activity sequencing
Almost every process has at least one segment of two or more steps to be performed sequentially.
And the activity sequencing is essential part of the notion of process, it is not surprising that all BPM vendors and specifications support the Sequence pattern.
We can give an example of this activity sequencing in BPEL for a registration in a service
sequence
invoke name=”give certifications”
invoke name=”get approval ”
invoke name=”update DB data”
invoke name=”send confirmation email”
invoke name=”send welcome page”
sequence
Giannis Giataganas IS Consultant, BPM Analyst Bsc in Informatics, AUEB MscIS, Athens University of Economic and Business
Monday, 17 January 2011
Modeling needs fantasy
after we have taken the necessary steps to develop the overall concept of a bpm project, there is a time that we come to modeling. i admit that modeling is a creative and interesting task. i am fond of this creative task. After all it's the outcome of all the work done earlier in a BPM project.. and i am referring to the phases that exist before modeling. all the analysis takes flesh and bones when it comes to process modeling. i strongly believe that good modeling technics and good modeling tools are not enough to design good and efficient processes. it's pure architecture. Well the work of a process modeller is not exposed to public view and the truth is that one can hardly understand the beauty of a good modeling process without measuring it.But what does it take to make a succesful modeling. Obviously the preliminary work must be done correctly and correct data should be delivered to the modeling team. But there are a lot more than the above.
there are so many modeling technics, so many different angles and perspectives you can distinguish in process modeling. The modeler has it's way to reach the required result. Process Modeling is architecture and modelers should understand that...
it's good to use different kind of models and diagrams, to have a lot of aces through your tools. Models should create value to the organization. what does it need? In my opinion, an important component is FANTASY. One must be able to see beyond the obvious. It's important to conscript the fantasy and the design skills by putting your own touch. Modeling is not just putting things together and creating workflows, redesigning processes but it's also an art of making flexible processes, of succesfully letting the work easily flow through well defined diagrams, of placing correct nodes and simplifying the processes, of imagining new ways that can be consorted with the organization vision and mission.
Giannis Giataganas IS Consultant, BPM Analyst Bsc in Informatics, AUEB MscIS, Athens University of Economic and Business
there are so many modeling technics, so many different angles and perspectives you can distinguish in process modeling. The modeler has it's way to reach the required result. Process Modeling is architecture and modelers should understand that...
it's good to use different kind of models and diagrams, to have a lot of aces through your tools. Models should create value to the organization. what does it need? In my opinion, an important component is FANTASY. One must be able to see beyond the obvious. It's important to conscript the fantasy and the design skills by putting your own touch. Modeling is not just putting things together and creating workflows, redesigning processes but it's also an art of making flexible processes, of succesfully letting the work easily flow through well defined diagrams, of placing correct nodes and simplifying the processes, of imagining new ways that can be consorted with the organization vision and mission.
Giannis Giataganas IS Consultant, BPM Analyst Bsc in Informatics, AUEB MscIS, Athens University of Economic and Business
Sunday, 16 January 2011
People change management in BPM projects
Good companies react quickly to change
great companies create change
Move before the wave!! change before you have to.
(Hriegel and Brandt, 1996)
During a bpm project, unless it's an extremely small and isolated project, culture will need to be dealt with. however we need to pay attention to those who use culture as an excuse to get away with the process of change. it's the leadership's responsibility to create the right conditions so as to pass change without pain in the organization. And pain comes easily into the organizations lifecycle if we dont pay attention to change management basics. But be carefull because change management is not a strict and predefined series of steps. It has to do with PEOPLE. And when culture needs improving then it always be as a result of some part of the organization processes, structure or people management systems not responding or changing as required. These issues are usually the root cause, and the culture is the outcome. Within a BPM project, always remember that the project outcome is the goal, and any cultural change that may be necessary is a result of the process goals.Some cultural change is essential as part of a succesful project. However cultural change is not an end in itself.
Here we provide a process of how to assist these 'ordinary managers and workers' to become prepared for, and accept change.
process steps
1) resistance to change
the only person who likes change is a wet baby. (Mark Twain)
And he is right because there are reasons to support this:
a)fear
b)feeling powerless
c) effort and pain to change
d) absence of self-interest
2) why change? what's the leadership role
Michael Hummer stated in 1993 that'coming up with the ideas is the easy part, but getting things done is the tough part'. And he is absolutely right. The gatekeepers of change are the people involved. there can be the best processes and BPM systems, but if people refuse to use them, or use them poorly then the project will not be succesful.
there are two methods that can be applied for the change to take place and become acceptable from the people.
a) there must be a crisis and it's the job of the CEO to define and communicate that crisis, its magnitude its severity, and its impact.Just as important, the CEO must also be able to communicate how to end the crisis-the new strategy, the new company model, the new culture.
(Gerstner, 2002)
the second method is more subtle, and requires leadership to have people understand that there is a problem and inform them of the magnitude of the problem and why it is essential to change.
the people within the organization do not need rah-rah speeches; they need leadership- direction, consistency,momentum, and persistence. they want leaders who will focus on solutions and actions.
There is important to exist a person responsible for these changes. a LEADER. this person should and must always be ready to provide answers for the following questions:
what is change intended to achieve
why the changes are necessary
what will be the consequences of these changes to both the organization and the individuals?
(Scheer et al. 2003:26)
3) components of the change program
a) planning a detailed project plan
b) selection of a key personnel to get involved in the project
c) a clear understanding of the program's links to: strategy, culture, structure, new people roles, new processes and the overall BPM project.
d) a detailed communication plan outlining the way information will be delivered to all stakeholders
4) Getting ready for change
a) create an enviroment that will allow and encourage people to change.
b) Ensure that there is feedback regarding performance and the change program
5) required behavior
there are three simple sub-steps that can assist the people change management process
a) a short clear uncomplicated message needs to be developed. win execute end team (Gerstner, 2002) provides an example of how short clear and powerful this message can be.
b) a behavioral charter needs to be developed showing the behavioral change required for change from the current to the new behavior
c) a set of principles that we will all live by within the organization must be developed.
these all must be documented and communicated to all people in the organization to have a positive result
6) how to get there
finally after we adressed all these issues, it's important to know what it takes for the leaders to get to the wanted results. Depending on the scenario, it could even take houndreds of hours to get the work done.. we should always have in mind that there are no quarantees.
The first step is to analyze the needs of the BPM project, based upon the
project scenario selected, because deciding what and how to change is critical:
● Does the project require the entire organization to change, or only
parts of it?
● Once this is agreed, determine the depth and breadth of the change
program.
● Always have ‘depth’ rather than a ‘shallow’ change effort; understanding
this will take longer and require more effort, but will yield
significantly better sustainable results.
● Always match the change program to the various aspects of the
People phase of the framework.
Stace and Dunphy (1996) provide an extremely useful summary of the
decisions and outcomes of a change program, and this is shown in Table 25.2.
In looking at and evaluating the actions to be executed during the people
change management program, always test the tasks and proposed actions
against both the project scenario selected and the following rule:
If it doesn’t:
● add-value to a customer
● increase productivity or
● increase morale
then don’t do it.
(Information taken from Book"Business Process Management: Practical Guidlines to Succesful implementations by John Jeston and Johan Nelis")
Giannis Giataganas IS Consultant, BPM Analyst Bsc in Informatics, AUEB MscIS, Athens University of Economic and Business
great companies create change
Move before the wave!! change before you have to.
(Hriegel and Brandt, 1996)
During a bpm project, unless it's an extremely small and isolated project, culture will need to be dealt with. however we need to pay attention to those who use culture as an excuse to get away with the process of change. it's the leadership's responsibility to create the right conditions so as to pass change without pain in the organization. And pain comes easily into the organizations lifecycle if we dont pay attention to change management basics. But be carefull because change management is not a strict and predefined series of steps. It has to do with PEOPLE. And when culture needs improving then it always be as a result of some part of the organization processes, structure or people management systems not responding or changing as required. These issues are usually the root cause, and the culture is the outcome. Within a BPM project, always remember that the project outcome is the goal, and any cultural change that may be necessary is a result of the process goals.Some cultural change is essential as part of a succesful project. However cultural change is not an end in itself.
Here we provide a process of how to assist these 'ordinary managers and workers' to become prepared for, and accept change.
process steps
1) resistance to change
the only person who likes change is a wet baby. (Mark Twain)
And he is right because there are reasons to support this:
a)fear
b)feeling powerless
c) effort and pain to change
d) absence of self-interest
2) why change? what's the leadership role
Michael Hummer stated in 1993 that'coming up with the ideas is the easy part, but getting things done is the tough part'. And he is absolutely right. The gatekeepers of change are the people involved. there can be the best processes and BPM systems, but if people refuse to use them, or use them poorly then the project will not be succesful.
there are two methods that can be applied for the change to take place and become acceptable from the people.
a) there must be a crisis and it's the job of the CEO to define and communicate that crisis, its magnitude its severity, and its impact.Just as important, the CEO must also be able to communicate how to end the crisis-the new strategy, the new company model, the new culture.
(Gerstner, 2002)
the second method is more subtle, and requires leadership to have people understand that there is a problem and inform them of the magnitude of the problem and why it is essential to change.
the people within the organization do not need rah-rah speeches; they need leadership- direction, consistency,momentum, and persistence. they want leaders who will focus on solutions and actions.
There is important to exist a person responsible for these changes. a LEADER. this person should and must always be ready to provide answers for the following questions:
what is change intended to achieve
why the changes are necessary
what will be the consequences of these changes to both the organization and the individuals?
(Scheer et al. 2003:26)
3) components of the change program
a) planning a detailed project plan
b) selection of a key personnel to get involved in the project
c) a clear understanding of the program's links to: strategy, culture, structure, new people roles, new processes and the overall BPM project.
d) a detailed communication plan outlining the way information will be delivered to all stakeholders
4) Getting ready for change
a) create an enviroment that will allow and encourage people to change.
b) Ensure that there is feedback regarding performance and the change program
5) required behavior
there are three simple sub-steps that can assist the people change management process
a) a short clear uncomplicated message needs to be developed. win execute end team (Gerstner, 2002) provides an example of how short clear and powerful this message can be.
b) a behavioral charter needs to be developed showing the behavioral change required for change from the current to the new behavior
c) a set of principles that we will all live by within the organization must be developed.
these all must be documented and communicated to all people in the organization to have a positive result
6) how to get there
finally after we adressed all these issues, it's important to know what it takes for the leaders to get to the wanted results. Depending on the scenario, it could even take houndreds of hours to get the work done.. we should always have in mind that there are no quarantees.
The first step is to analyze the needs of the BPM project, based upon the
project scenario selected, because deciding what and how to change is critical:
● Does the project require the entire organization to change, or only
parts of it?
● Once this is agreed, determine the depth and breadth of the change
program.
● Always have ‘depth’ rather than a ‘shallow’ change effort; understanding
this will take longer and require more effort, but will yield
significantly better sustainable results.
● Always match the change program to the various aspects of the
People phase of the framework.
Stace and Dunphy (1996) provide an extremely useful summary of the
decisions and outcomes of a change program, and this is shown in Table 25.2.
In looking at and evaluating the actions to be executed during the people
change management program, always test the tasks and proposed actions
against both the project scenario selected and the following rule:
If it doesn’t:
● add-value to a customer
● increase productivity or
● increase morale
then don’t do it.
(Information taken from Book"Business Process Management: Practical Guidlines to Succesful implementations by John Jeston and Johan Nelis")
Giannis Giataganas IS Consultant, BPM Analyst Bsc in Informatics, AUEB MscIS, Athens University of Economic and Business
Friday, 14 January 2011
When should you do BPM? what are the main drivers and triggers?
John Jeston and Johan Nelis
"There are difficult questions in a generic manner
the real answer is'it depends'. it depends upon the
circumanstances of the organization and the organization
process maturity and these will vary from org to
org and from situation to situation."
So what the above tell us? it's important to know when we should start a bpm project. sometimes we ask ourselves: are the above drivers and triggers enough so as to initiate a bpm project? the organization should have mechanisms to check if some specific drivers and triggers exist in the organizations 'spine'. if that is true, then a bpm project should be applied. But that is really so general. of course as John and Johan claim the bpm project depends mostly on the organization conditions and the organizations real maturity at processes. For example, if a process-immature organization has enough drivers and triggers to justify business project management, then the next step is to define the level of bpm project and the automation needed. We should have in mind that Bpm depends mostly on the real working conditions and the org culture. Without human resources being aware of processes, a bpm project could become a total failure if not create catastrophic results in the health of the organization..
We talk about drivers and triggers but can we define and organize them? is there a way to have them in a sos-index and use it as a safety measure to alert us for an incoming bpm project? well there is no panacea and there are no absolute paths. Managers should have critical minds and should know exactly the condition of their organization. Although the above are extremely important, John and Johan through their Book "Business Process Management: practical Guidelines to Successful Implementations" categorized some of the likely drivers and triggers that may cause an organization to consider BPM as a possible solution, looking at these drivers and triggers from organizational management, employee, customer, supplier/partner, product or service, process an IT perspecives.
Drivers and triggers for the organization to consider an automated solution
may include:
● a high volume of similar and repetitive transactions
● a clear flow of high-volume transactions that need to be passed from
one person to another, with each adding some value along the way
● a need for real-time monitoring of transactions (a need to know a
transaction status at all times)
● a critical issue with processing time – that is, time is of the essence
● a need to complete many calculations within the transaction
● transactions or ‘files’ need to be accessible by many parties at the
same time.
John Jeston and Johan Nelis have created a large list of possible drivers and triggers. However, we should be careful not to over-automate processes to the extent that organization loses sight of the need for people involment. People are best at managing relationships.
"when to commence a BPM project is a difficult problem. For any given organization, it will be appropriate to start a BPM project when the right number and combination of the above drivers
and triggers occurs. This will be different for every organization, and for every
situation within the same organization".
Giannis Giataganas
IS Consultant, BPM Analyst Bsc in Informatics, AUEB MscIS, Athens University of Economic and Business
"There are difficult questions in a generic manner
the real answer is'it depends'. it depends upon the
circumanstances of the organization and the organization
process maturity and these will vary from org to
org and from situation to situation."
So what the above tell us? it's important to know when we should start a bpm project. sometimes we ask ourselves: are the above drivers and triggers enough so as to initiate a bpm project? the organization should have mechanisms to check if some specific drivers and triggers exist in the organizations 'spine'. if that is true, then a bpm project should be applied. But that is really so general. of course as John and Johan claim the bpm project depends mostly on the organization conditions and the organizations real maturity at processes. For example, if a process-immature organization has enough drivers and triggers to justify business project management, then the next step is to define the level of bpm project and the automation needed. We should have in mind that Bpm depends mostly on the real working conditions and the org culture. Without human resources being aware of processes, a bpm project could become a total failure if not create catastrophic results in the health of the organization..
We talk about drivers and triggers but can we define and organize them? is there a way to have them in a sos-index and use it as a safety measure to alert us for an incoming bpm project? well there is no panacea and there are no absolute paths. Managers should have critical minds and should know exactly the condition of their organization. Although the above are extremely important, John and Johan through their Book "Business Process Management: practical Guidelines to Successful Implementations" categorized some of the likely drivers and triggers that may cause an organization to consider BPM as a possible solution, looking at these drivers and triggers from organizational management, employee, customer, supplier/partner, product or service, process an IT perspecives.
Drivers and triggers for the organization to consider an automated solution
may include:
● a high volume of similar and repetitive transactions
● a clear flow of high-volume transactions that need to be passed from
one person to another, with each adding some value along the way
● a need for real-time monitoring of transactions (a need to know a
transaction status at all times)
● a critical issue with processing time – that is, time is of the essence
● a need to complete many calculations within the transaction
● transactions or ‘files’ need to be accessible by many parties at the
same time.
John Jeston and Johan Nelis have created a large list of possible drivers and triggers. However, we should be careful not to over-automate processes to the extent that organization loses sight of the need for people involment. People are best at managing relationships.
"when to commence a BPM project is a difficult problem. For any given organization, it will be appropriate to start a BPM project when the right number and combination of the above drivers
and triggers occurs. This will be different for every organization, and for every
situation within the same organization".
Giannis Giataganas
IS Consultant, BPM Analyst Bsc in Informatics, AUEB MscIS, Athens University of Economic and Business
Tuesday, 21 December 2010
How to Get Rich - Stop Trying!
By Allan Roth | Dec 20, 2010
We all know that this is the season for holiday celebrating, with all the accompanying gifts and goodies and eggnog, but not too many people know that it is also the season for articles on how to get rich in the coming year. You’ll see the top ten stocks to buy, market timing newsletters, and other get rich quickly schemes that, in reality, will only be helping others to get rich. Unfortunately, the odds are virtually certain that following the advice in these articles is more likely a “get poor quick” plan.
Flawed logic
First, allow me to state the obvious by saying that if I truly knew how to get rich in 2011, I wouldn’t be writing about it, and I wouldn’t be selling subscriptions to newsletters at $299 a pop. I would take that rich-making knowledge and apply it to becoming rich, which would remove any necessity for peddling my wares. And even if I were a saintly, altruistic sort who was willing to share my secrets, the fact remains that telling others my secrets would make it that much harder for me to continue making a fortune. More competition means less profit.
The two non-secrets to financial riches
I wish those Rich Dad seminars actually did work, and that I really could make a million dollars a year working four hours a week from my yacht in the Caribbean. The fantasy of investing the fortune I’ve made from my real estate empire, earning the upside of the market without downside risk, would also be good. Life would be sweet under either of those scenarios.
Unfortunately, one must accomplish two things in order to be rich, and neither of these things are quick or glamorous.
Number 1: Spend less than you earn
Unless you are a card-carrying member of the lucky gene pool and born rich, or unless you are in possession of a winning lottery ticket, there is only one path to follow.
To build wealth, you must save. This means spending less than you earn. Obvious as that seems, it’s not always an easy philosophy to apply. It means deferring the gratification of the latest consumer toys, it means realizing that the Ford gets you from points A to B just as fast as the Lexus. It also means you must stop spending your hard earned cash on schemes that claim they will make your rich. With the recession, remember that frugality is now cool, at least in my mind.
Number 2: Invest to get rich slowly
However, saving is only the first step toward building wealth. I see people do a great job in saving, only to make others rich by buying annuities or unknowingly paying two to three percent annually to their financial helpers. To invest wisely, one must keep expenses and emotions in check.
A good way to keep expenses under control is by owning the very lowest cost and most diversified index funds. These funds own thousands of stocks and bonds with annual expenses as low as 0.07 percent annually. With only two funds, you can own the entire US and international stock markets, with far less risk and higher returns than you would get by paying helpers to pick stocks like BP. With only one additional fund, you can own the entire US investment grade bond market.
But controlling expenses is only half the battle. The other half is controlling emotions, and an excellent way to accomplish that is to decide on an allocation between stocks and bonds, and stick to it like glue. Doing so means you must rebalance the portfolio to get back to your target allocation. If stocks go up, as they did between 2003 and 2007, you must sell some of your stock index funds to get back to your target allocation. If markets plummet as they did through March 2009, you must buy stocks.
Picking the allocation is important, but sticking to it is even more important. It’s the only way I know to systematically sell assets after they have done well and buy others after a decline. Here are three examples of different allocations from my book, How a Second Grader Beats Wall Street.
Why this formula will make you rich
Albert Einstein once said that the power of compounding was the most powerful force in the universe. By my calculations, the above “Dare to Be Dull“ investing formula will increase returns by an average of four percent annually. That extra four percent annual return on average translates to about 16 years of earned income. Think of it as a “get rich not-so-quick” plan.
How to get rich
So if you really want to prosper in 2011, ignore those lists such as SmartMoney’s list of where to invest in 2011. If for no other reason, ignore it because their 2010 list turned in half the return of the market. Instead, try using the boring strategy that will get you to your retirement goals roughly 16 years earlier. That should give you an immediate rich feeling that you will be able to pursue your passions and dreams a decade and a half earlier than others.
That’s what I call striking it rich in 2011.
Giannis Giataganas IS Consultant, BPM Analyst Bsc in Informatics, AUEB MscIS, Athens University of Economic and Business
We all know that this is the season for holiday celebrating, with all the accompanying gifts and goodies and eggnog, but not too many people know that it is also the season for articles on how to get rich in the coming year. You’ll see the top ten stocks to buy, market timing newsletters, and other get rich quickly schemes that, in reality, will only be helping others to get rich. Unfortunately, the odds are virtually certain that following the advice in these articles is more likely a “get poor quick” plan.
Flawed logic
First, allow me to state the obvious by saying that if I truly knew how to get rich in 2011, I wouldn’t be writing about it, and I wouldn’t be selling subscriptions to newsletters at $299 a pop. I would take that rich-making knowledge and apply it to becoming rich, which would remove any necessity for peddling my wares. And even if I were a saintly, altruistic sort who was willing to share my secrets, the fact remains that telling others my secrets would make it that much harder for me to continue making a fortune. More competition means less profit.
The two non-secrets to financial riches
I wish those Rich Dad seminars actually did work, and that I really could make a million dollars a year working four hours a week from my yacht in the Caribbean. The fantasy of investing the fortune I’ve made from my real estate empire, earning the upside of the market without downside risk, would also be good. Life would be sweet under either of those scenarios.
Unfortunately, one must accomplish two things in order to be rich, and neither of these things are quick or glamorous.
Number 1: Spend less than you earn
Unless you are a card-carrying member of the lucky gene pool and born rich, or unless you are in possession of a winning lottery ticket, there is only one path to follow.
To build wealth, you must save. This means spending less than you earn. Obvious as that seems, it’s not always an easy philosophy to apply. It means deferring the gratification of the latest consumer toys, it means realizing that the Ford gets you from points A to B just as fast as the Lexus. It also means you must stop spending your hard earned cash on schemes that claim they will make your rich. With the recession, remember that frugality is now cool, at least in my mind.
Number 2: Invest to get rich slowly
However, saving is only the first step toward building wealth. I see people do a great job in saving, only to make others rich by buying annuities or unknowingly paying two to three percent annually to their financial helpers. To invest wisely, one must keep expenses and emotions in check.
A good way to keep expenses under control is by owning the very lowest cost and most diversified index funds. These funds own thousands of stocks and bonds with annual expenses as low as 0.07 percent annually. With only two funds, you can own the entire US and international stock markets, with far less risk and higher returns than you would get by paying helpers to pick stocks like BP. With only one additional fund, you can own the entire US investment grade bond market.
But controlling expenses is only half the battle. The other half is controlling emotions, and an excellent way to accomplish that is to decide on an allocation between stocks and bonds, and stick to it like glue. Doing so means you must rebalance the portfolio to get back to your target allocation. If stocks go up, as they did between 2003 and 2007, you must sell some of your stock index funds to get back to your target allocation. If markets plummet as they did through March 2009, you must buy stocks.
Picking the allocation is important, but sticking to it is even more important. It’s the only way I know to systematically sell assets after they have done well and buy others after a decline. Here are three examples of different allocations from my book, How a Second Grader Beats Wall Street.
Why this formula will make you rich
Albert Einstein once said that the power of compounding was the most powerful force in the universe. By my calculations, the above “Dare to Be Dull“ investing formula will increase returns by an average of four percent annually. That extra four percent annual return on average translates to about 16 years of earned income. Think of it as a “get rich not-so-quick” plan.
How to get rich
So if you really want to prosper in 2011, ignore those lists such as SmartMoney’s list of where to invest in 2011. If for no other reason, ignore it because their 2010 list turned in half the return of the market. Instead, try using the boring strategy that will get you to your retirement goals roughly 16 years earlier. That should give you an immediate rich feeling that you will be able to pursue your passions and dreams a decade and a half earlier than others.
That’s what I call striking it rich in 2011.
Giannis Giataganas IS Consultant, BPM Analyst Bsc in Informatics, AUEB MscIS, Athens University of Economic and Business
Thursday, 3 June 2010
The CEO Is the Chief Energy Officer
by Tony Schwartz
republished in my blog
Above all else, a leader is the chief energy officer.
The most fundamental job of a leader is to recruit, mobilize, inspire, focus, direct, and regularly refuel the energy of those they lead.
Energy, after all, is contagious — especially so if you're a leader, by virtue of your disproportionate position and power. The way you're feeling at any given moment profoundly influences how the people who work for you feel. How they're feeling, in turn, profoundly influences how well they perform. A leader's responsibility is not to do the work of those they lead, but rather to fuel them in every possible way to bring the best of themselves to their jobs every day.
Think about the best boss you've ever had. What adjectives come to mind to describe that person? My colleagues and I have asked this question of thousands of people over the past decade, and here are the ten most common answers:
* Encouraging
* Inspiring
* Kind
* Positive
* Calm
* Supportive
* Fair
* Decisive
* Smart
* Visionary
Only three of those qualities have anything to do with intellect. More than two-thirds are emotional qualities — and they're all positive ones. No one has ever said to us, "What I loved about my boss is how angry he got. It showed me how much he cared." Negative emotions may prompt instant action, but they don't inspire people in the long term. Even in small doses, negative energy can take a considerable toll on people. .
In one study, workers who felt unfairly criticized by a boss or felt they had a boss who didn't listen to their concerns had a 30% higher rate of coronary disease than those with bosses they felt treated them fairly and were concerned with their welfare.
The offsetting news is that the regular expression of positive energy can transform a workplace in a remarkably short time. In a comprehensive review by the researchers Bruce Avolio and Fred Luthans of more than two hundred leadership studies, only one quality among leaders consistently had a positive impact on their employees. It was the capacity to recognize potentials that the employees didn't yet fully see in themselves.
Put another way, the best leaders used their own positive energy to bolster their employees' faith in their own abilities and to fuel their optimism and perseverance in the face of stresses and setbacks. That belief from a leader is intoxicating.
I remember feeling it as a young reporter at the New York Times when Arthur Gelb, then the managing editor, came to me with a story assignment that I wasn't sure I could do at all, and he invariably left me feeling I was the only person on earth who could do it justice.
I remember observing it in Steve Ross, then chairman of Warner Communications (and later Time-Warner), who could make you feel like you were the smartest and most fascinating person in the world when you were with him.
I've seen it in Amy Pascal, co-chairman of Sony Pictures, whose warmth and enthusiasm when you're with her prompted those who work for her to coin the phrase "being in the light" to describe having her full attention.
I've watched it with Alan Mulally, the CEO of Ford, who strides into a room with such exuberance, confidence and high spirits that it's virtually impossible not to be drawn in.
Leaders lead not just by the actions they take, but by the way they make us feel along the way. It's not false or half-hearted praise most of are looking for, but rather simple recognition and appreciation for real effort and for our tangible contributions.
So what kind of boss are you? What adjectives would your employees choose to describe you? For starters, you could try out our Leadership Audit, which we developed at The Energy Project as a very rapid way to assess how you are influencing the energy of others. Even better, ask your employees to take it too — it's an efficient way to get instant feedback about their own experiences.
Giannis Giataganas
IS Consultant, BPM Analyst
republished in my blog
Above all else, a leader is the chief energy officer.
The most fundamental job of a leader is to recruit, mobilize, inspire, focus, direct, and regularly refuel the energy of those they lead.
Energy, after all, is contagious — especially so if you're a leader, by virtue of your disproportionate position and power. The way you're feeling at any given moment profoundly influences how the people who work for you feel. How they're feeling, in turn, profoundly influences how well they perform. A leader's responsibility is not to do the work of those they lead, but rather to fuel them in every possible way to bring the best of themselves to their jobs every day.
Think about the best boss you've ever had. What adjectives come to mind to describe that person? My colleagues and I have asked this question of thousands of people over the past decade, and here are the ten most common answers:
* Encouraging
* Inspiring
* Kind
* Positive
* Calm
* Supportive
* Fair
* Decisive
* Smart
* Visionary
Only three of those qualities have anything to do with intellect. More than two-thirds are emotional qualities — and they're all positive ones. No one has ever said to us, "What I loved about my boss is how angry he got. It showed me how much he cared." Negative emotions may prompt instant action, but they don't inspire people in the long term. Even in small doses, negative energy can take a considerable toll on people. .
In one study, workers who felt unfairly criticized by a boss or felt they had a boss who didn't listen to their concerns had a 30% higher rate of coronary disease than those with bosses they felt treated them fairly and were concerned with their welfare.
The offsetting news is that the regular expression of positive energy can transform a workplace in a remarkably short time. In a comprehensive review by the researchers Bruce Avolio and Fred Luthans of more than two hundred leadership studies, only one quality among leaders consistently had a positive impact on their employees. It was the capacity to recognize potentials that the employees didn't yet fully see in themselves.
Put another way, the best leaders used their own positive energy to bolster their employees' faith in their own abilities and to fuel their optimism and perseverance in the face of stresses and setbacks. That belief from a leader is intoxicating.
I remember feeling it as a young reporter at the New York Times when Arthur Gelb, then the managing editor, came to me with a story assignment that I wasn't sure I could do at all, and he invariably left me feeling I was the only person on earth who could do it justice.
I remember observing it in Steve Ross, then chairman of Warner Communications (and later Time-Warner), who could make you feel like you were the smartest and most fascinating person in the world when you were with him.
I've seen it in Amy Pascal, co-chairman of Sony Pictures, whose warmth and enthusiasm when you're with her prompted those who work for her to coin the phrase "being in the light" to describe having her full attention.
I've watched it with Alan Mulally, the CEO of Ford, who strides into a room with such exuberance, confidence and high spirits that it's virtually impossible not to be drawn in.
Leaders lead not just by the actions they take, but by the way they make us feel along the way. It's not false or half-hearted praise most of are looking for, but rather simple recognition and appreciation for real effort and for our tangible contributions.
So what kind of boss are you? What adjectives would your employees choose to describe you? For starters, you could try out our Leadership Audit, which we developed at The Energy Project as a very rapid way to assess how you are influencing the energy of others. Even better, ask your employees to take it too — it's an efficient way to get instant feedback about their own experiences.
Giannis Giataganas
IS Consultant, BPM Analyst
Tuesday, 26 January 2010
BPM: κάνοντας το να πετύχει..
οι νέοι ρυθμοί και οι γρήγορα εναλασσόμενες απαιτήσεις που επιβάλλονται απο το άνοιγμα στη παγκόσμια αγορά σπρώχνουν τις ελληνικές επιχειρήσεις να αναζητήσουν μια αποτελεσμάτική λύση για τη συνεχή προσαρμογή τους. Απο εδώ και πέρα λοιπόν θα πρέπει να μιλάμε για μια συνεχή ανανέωση και αναθεώρηση των τρόπων που δουλεύει η εταιρεία. Μια πρώτη εκδοχή ήρθε με τα έργα αναδιοργάνωσης των διεργασιών. Tο λεγόμενο BPR (Business Businness Reengineering) αποτελεί μια επαναστατική μέθοδο για την ριζική αλλαγή των διεργασιών μιας εταιρείας. Φυσικά αναφερόμαστε σε project που έχουν αρχή και τέλος. Αν και τα έργα BPR ανά καιρούς είχαν μεγάλη επιτυχία, παρόλα αυτά είχαν ένα σημαντικό μειονέκτημα. Δεν είχαν τέτοιο μορφότυπο έτσι ώστε να κάνουμε συστηματική συνεχή χρήση των μοντέλων και να αξιολογήσουμε τα αποτελέσματα έτσι ώστε να έχουμε συνεχόμενη εικόνα των διεργασιών και της ανταπόκρισης αυτών στα νέα δεδομένα κάθε περιόδου. Αυτός λοιπόν ήταν και είναι ο στόχος της σχετικά νέας τάσης που ονομάζεται BPM. Το BPM(business Process Management) λοιπόν στηρίζεται σε μεθόδολογίες για τη συνεχή βελτίωση των διεργασιών μιας εταιρείας ή ενός οργανισμού όταν προκύπτει ανάγκη. Ο βασικός στόχος είναι το CPI(Continuous Process Improvement) μέσα από ένα επαναλαμβανόμενο κύκλο ζωής των μοντέλων. Επομένως δεν αντιμετωπίζουμε τη διαχείριση των διεργασιών ώς ένα Project που θέλουμε να φθάσει στο τέλος του. Αντιθέτως παρακολουθούμε τις διεργασίες και τους δείκτες αποδοτικότητας(όπως και φίλτρα που έχουμε θεσπίσει) μέχρις ότου να μας δωθεί αφορμή να παρέμβουμε και να εξετάσουμε τις νέες απαιτήσεις.
Παρόλα αυτά η μοντέλοποίηση, και πολύ περισσότερο η διαχείρηση των διεργασιών είναι μια πολύπλοκη και δύσκολη διαδικασία. Αυτό φαίνεται απο τα στατιστικά που μας δείχνουν πως ένα πολύ μεγάλο ποσοστό των εταιρειών έχει αποτύχει σε έργα αναδιοργάνωσης. Αυτό οφείλεται κυρίως στην έλλειψη κουλτούρας των εταιρειών γύρω απο τις διεργασίες αλλά και στην έλλειψη δέσμευσης της διοίκησης σε αυτά τα έργα. Οι μεγάλες επιυχίες που μπορεί να εχουν αυτά τα έργα σε εταιρείες που τα εφαρμόζουν δε πρέπει να βιάζουν τις υπόλοιπες εταιρείες να εφαρμόσουν κάτι ανάλογο. Η άνευ έρευνας αγορά και εφαρμογή εργαλείων είναι μια πολύ κακή επιλογή για τις εταιρείες. Επομένως τι προτείνουμε ; Οι δική μας πρόταση έγκειται στην υιοθέτηση των εταιρειών της Διεργασιοκεντρικής λογικής και την αναζήτηση των εκτιμήσεων ειδικών συμβούλων για την αξιολόγηση και την εύρεση της καταλληλότερης λύσης. Επομένως επιμένουμε στην άμεση χρήση αυτής της μεθοδολογίας που έχει τη δύναμη να απεγκλωβίσει τις εταιρείες απο την υποαπόδοση και να ανοίξει δρόμους για την κατάκτηση της κορυφής
Giannis Giataganas
IT related
Παρόλα αυτά η μοντέλοποίηση, και πολύ περισσότερο η διαχείρηση των διεργασιών είναι μια πολύπλοκη και δύσκολη διαδικασία. Αυτό φαίνεται απο τα στατιστικά που μας δείχνουν πως ένα πολύ μεγάλο ποσοστό των εταιρειών έχει αποτύχει σε έργα αναδιοργάνωσης. Αυτό οφείλεται κυρίως στην έλλειψη κουλτούρας των εταιρειών γύρω απο τις διεργασίες αλλά και στην έλλειψη δέσμευσης της διοίκησης σε αυτά τα έργα. Οι μεγάλες επιυχίες που μπορεί να εχουν αυτά τα έργα σε εταιρείες που τα εφαρμόζουν δε πρέπει να βιάζουν τις υπόλοιπες εταιρείες να εφαρμόσουν κάτι ανάλογο. Η άνευ έρευνας αγορά και εφαρμογή εργαλείων είναι μια πολύ κακή επιλογή για τις εταιρείες. Επομένως τι προτείνουμε ; Οι δική μας πρόταση έγκειται στην υιοθέτηση των εταιρειών της Διεργασιοκεντρικής λογικής και την αναζήτηση των εκτιμήσεων ειδικών συμβούλων για την αξιολόγηση και την εύρεση της καταλληλότερης λύσης. Επομένως επιμένουμε στην άμεση χρήση αυτής της μεθοδολογίας που έχει τη δύναμη να απεγκλωβίσει τις εταιρείες απο την υποαπόδοση και να ανοίξει δρόμους για την κατάκτηση της κορυφής
Giannis Giataganas
IT related
Monday, 7 December 2009
Outsourcing: CIOs' tips on getting it right
By Nick Heath
Published: 24 November 2009 13:00 GMT at silicom
http://services.silicon.com/itoutsourcing/0,3800004871,39661655,00.htm?s_cid=298
Outsourcing deals typically promise to deliver cost savings and increased efficiency - but all too often the promises fail to match the reality.
At the National Outsourcing Association's Sourcing Summit last week, two heads of IT shared their experiences of how to get the best out of outsourcing agreements and make sure they're delivering long-term value.
Highways Agency
Four years ago the Highways Agency - which is responsible for maintaining the UK's motorways and some A-roads - relied on more than 100 contracts with external companies to deliver a wide range of its IT services.
On joining the organisation in 2005, Highways Agency director of information Denise Plumpton inherited the whole portfolio of outsourcing deals - different contracts for helpdesk, different contracts for application support and different contracts for telecoms - along with a number of in-house staff.
"It was like looking at a bowl of spaghetti - it did not seem to have any coherence and it was not clear who was doing what," she told the conference.
Plumpton decided the best approach was to end its existing outsourcing deals, bring infrastructure management and business analysis roles back in house and to sign a deal with a single outsourcer Atos Origin to handle the rest.
The contract, struck in 2007, sees Atos Origin managing the Highways Agency's IT infrastructure, datacentres, telecoms, desktop and providing application support.
The deal costs the Highways Agency about £20m per year but has cut its annual IT spend by about 10 per cent, delivered a fast return on investment and "continues to deliver further savings year-on-year", according to Plumpton.
"I wanted to get simplicity, clear accountability for delivery and get efficiencies out of cost as well.
"It produced significant savings without reducing the quality of service," Plumpton said.
A large part of the savings is derived from the economies of scale that Atos Origin's operations can provide.
"For example, for the service desk, if we have a lot of calls then Atos Origin are able to roll out a bigger team to handle them without us having to pay for that larger team each time we need it," she said.
As a result of this flexibility, satisfaction levels with service desk support among the agency's 2,500 desktop and laptop users have also been rising, she said.
Tube Lines
By the end of this year Tube Lines - the company responsible for maintaining a large part of London Underground's rail network - is on course to have fewer than 24,000 calls to its service desk and a 95 per cent reduction in the number of severity one and two system faults.
It's a far cry from 2005, when Tube Lines racked up 75,000 calls to the IT helpdesk, with much of the blame being laid - unfairly - on outsourcers that were providing services to the company, and IT opex was 40 per cent higher.
According to head of IT at Tube Lines Adrian Davey, the problem lay with the way Tube Lines handled the outsourcing contract. "We were not committed to making it work," he said.
The turnaround began with Davey holding meetings with Tube Lines' internal IT team every morning to discuss 'severity one' computer faults to discover what was going wrong with the organisation's systems.
He then set about improving Tube Lines' relations with its outsourcers and reviewed the outsourcing contract line by line, replacing technical goals with business service targets.
"It was about ensuring the quantity and quality of the information reaching the end user and not the server uptime," he said.
Davey found that as the efficiency improved he needed less and less people to manage Tube Lines' wholly outsourced IT infrastructure and was able to reduce the internal IT team, from 50 people in 2005 to just six today.
Giannis Giataganas
IT related
Published: 24 November 2009 13:00 GMT at silicom
http://services.silicon.com/itoutsourcing/0,3800004871,39661655,00.htm?s_cid=298
Outsourcing deals typically promise to deliver cost savings and increased efficiency - but all too often the promises fail to match the reality.
At the National Outsourcing Association's Sourcing Summit last week, two heads of IT shared their experiences of how to get the best out of outsourcing agreements and make sure they're delivering long-term value.
Highways Agency
Four years ago the Highways Agency - which is responsible for maintaining the UK's motorways and some A-roads - relied on more than 100 contracts with external companies to deliver a wide range of its IT services.
On joining the organisation in 2005, Highways Agency director of information Denise Plumpton inherited the whole portfolio of outsourcing deals - different contracts for helpdesk, different contracts for application support and different contracts for telecoms - along with a number of in-house staff.
"It was like looking at a bowl of spaghetti - it did not seem to have any coherence and it was not clear who was doing what," she told the conference.
Plumpton decided the best approach was to end its existing outsourcing deals, bring infrastructure management and business analysis roles back in house and to sign a deal with a single outsourcer Atos Origin to handle the rest.
The contract, struck in 2007, sees Atos Origin managing the Highways Agency's IT infrastructure, datacentres, telecoms, desktop and providing application support.
The deal costs the Highways Agency about £20m per year but has cut its annual IT spend by about 10 per cent, delivered a fast return on investment and "continues to deliver further savings year-on-year", according to Plumpton.
"I wanted to get simplicity, clear accountability for delivery and get efficiencies out of cost as well.
"It produced significant savings without reducing the quality of service," Plumpton said.
A large part of the savings is derived from the economies of scale that Atos Origin's operations can provide.
"For example, for the service desk, if we have a lot of calls then Atos Origin are able to roll out a bigger team to handle them without us having to pay for that larger team each time we need it," she said.
As a result of this flexibility, satisfaction levels with service desk support among the agency's 2,500 desktop and laptop users have also been rising, she said.
Tube Lines
By the end of this year Tube Lines - the company responsible for maintaining a large part of London Underground's rail network - is on course to have fewer than 24,000 calls to its service desk and a 95 per cent reduction in the number of severity one and two system faults.
It's a far cry from 2005, when Tube Lines racked up 75,000 calls to the IT helpdesk, with much of the blame being laid - unfairly - on outsourcers that were providing services to the company, and IT opex was 40 per cent higher.
According to head of IT at Tube Lines Adrian Davey, the problem lay with the way Tube Lines handled the outsourcing contract. "We were not committed to making it work," he said.
The turnaround began with Davey holding meetings with Tube Lines' internal IT team every morning to discuss 'severity one' computer faults to discover what was going wrong with the organisation's systems.
He then set about improving Tube Lines' relations with its outsourcers and reviewed the outsourcing contract line by line, replacing technical goals with business service targets.
"It was about ensuring the quantity and quality of the information reaching the end user and not the server uptime," he said.
Davey found that as the efficiency improved he needed less and less people to manage Tube Lines' wholly outsourced IT infrastructure and was able to reduce the internal IT team, from 50 people in 2005 to just six today.
Giannis Giataganas
IT related
Thursday, 18 June 2009
Aναζητώντας τέλειους Project Managers
Δε θα κουράσω πολύ αυτή τη φορά, απλά θα αναφέρω τι πρέπει να έχει και να κατέχει ένας project manager. Αν και είναι φυσικό να αναζητούμε κάθε φορά συγκεκριμένα χαρακτηριστικά σε ένα διαχειριστή έργου(ανάλογα με τη φύση της εργασίας και τη φιλοσοφία της εταιρείας), πολλές φορές αυτά που ψάχνουν οι κηνυγοί των αυριανών project manager είναι λιγο πολύ τα παρακάτω:
-Ηγεσία
-Ικανότητα διαχείρησης(εκπλήρωσης διαδικασιών). H διαχείρηση δεν έχει μια κατέυθυνση(managing in four directions, Boddy & Buchanan 1992)
-Καλές σχέσεις με τους πελάτες
-Ικανότητα επίλυσης τεχνικών ζητημάτων
-Διαχείρηση συγκρούσεων
-Διαχείρηση Ομάδας
-Διαχείρηση Ρίσκου και αλλαγών
κάποιοι μπορεί να αναρωτηθούν αν η γνώση αρκεί για να μπορέσουμε να ανταπεξέλθουμε σε όλα τα παραπάνω. η απάντηση είναι πως δεν αρκεί αλλά χρειάζεται ταλέντο και προσωπικότητα για να μπορεί κάποιος να υποστηρίξει κάποιες από τις παραπάνω απαιτήσεις/ικανότητες/δεξιότητες' πείτε το όπως θέλετε. έστω τώρα αν υποθέσουμε πως εκεί έξω υπάρχουν άτομα που είναι γεννημένα για αυτή την απαιτητική θέση, το ερώτημα που τίθεται είναι πως θα μπορέσουν να καλλιεργήσουν αυτό το ταλέντο. Η απάντηση δεν είναι άλλη απο την απόκτηση εμπειρίας και τη τριβή. Η άποψη μου είναι: όσο νωρίτερα τόσο καλύτερα.
Πριν κλείσω θα ήθελα να αναφέρω πως η απαιτητική αυτή θέση έχει και πολλές ευθύνες προς όλες τις κατευθύνσεις:
-προς τον ίδιο τον οργανισμό
-προς το πελάτη
-προς τα μέλη της ομάδας του
-πρός τους ανωτερούς του που δε θέλουμε σε καμμία περίπτωση να τους εκπλήξουμε αρνητικά
Θα επενδύσω λίγο απο το χώρο μου για να αναφέρω τα δημοφιλή γνωρίσματα του καλού διαχειριστή έργου κατά τους Meredith & Mantel(2000)
-καλό τεχνικό background
-ώριμο άτομο
-διαθέσιμο πάνω απο όλα
-κάποιος που τα πάει καλά με τη διοίκηση
-κάποιος που μπορεί να κρατά την ομάδα χαρούμενη
-κάποιος που έχει εργαστεί σε πολλά διαφορετικά τμήματα
-κάποιος που μπορεί να περπατήσει πάνω στο νερό...
αυτό είναι που θέλουν οι εταιρείες στο τιμόνι ενός έργου! έναν άνθρωπο που μπορεί να καθοδηγήσει και να ηγηθεί της αλλαγής. Ενα μικρό επαναστάτη απέναντι στη ρουτίνα..
εύκολο; καθόλου.. Εφικτό; ναι!!
Giannis Giataganas
IT related
-Ηγεσία
-Ικανότητα διαχείρησης(εκπλήρωσης διαδικασιών). H διαχείρηση δεν έχει μια κατέυθυνση(managing in four directions, Boddy & Buchanan 1992)
-Καλές σχέσεις με τους πελάτες
-Ικανότητα επίλυσης τεχνικών ζητημάτων
-Διαχείρηση συγκρούσεων
-Διαχείρηση Ομάδας
-Διαχείρηση Ρίσκου και αλλαγών
κάποιοι μπορεί να αναρωτηθούν αν η γνώση αρκεί για να μπορέσουμε να ανταπεξέλθουμε σε όλα τα παραπάνω. η απάντηση είναι πως δεν αρκεί αλλά χρειάζεται ταλέντο και προσωπικότητα για να μπορεί κάποιος να υποστηρίξει κάποιες από τις παραπάνω απαιτήσεις/ικανότητες/δεξιότητες' πείτε το όπως θέλετε. έστω τώρα αν υποθέσουμε πως εκεί έξω υπάρχουν άτομα που είναι γεννημένα για αυτή την απαιτητική θέση, το ερώτημα που τίθεται είναι πως θα μπορέσουν να καλλιεργήσουν αυτό το ταλέντο. Η απάντηση δεν είναι άλλη απο την απόκτηση εμπειρίας και τη τριβή. Η άποψη μου είναι: όσο νωρίτερα τόσο καλύτερα.
Πριν κλείσω θα ήθελα να αναφέρω πως η απαιτητική αυτή θέση έχει και πολλές ευθύνες προς όλες τις κατευθύνσεις:
-προς τον ίδιο τον οργανισμό
-προς το πελάτη
-προς τα μέλη της ομάδας του
-πρός τους ανωτερούς του που δε θέλουμε σε καμμία περίπτωση να τους εκπλήξουμε αρνητικά
Θα επενδύσω λίγο απο το χώρο μου για να αναφέρω τα δημοφιλή γνωρίσματα του καλού διαχειριστή έργου κατά τους Meredith & Mantel(2000)
-καλό τεχνικό background
-ώριμο άτομο
-διαθέσιμο πάνω απο όλα
-κάποιος που τα πάει καλά με τη διοίκηση
-κάποιος που μπορεί να κρατά την ομάδα χαρούμενη
-κάποιος που έχει εργαστεί σε πολλά διαφορετικά τμήματα
-κάποιος που μπορεί να περπατήσει πάνω στο νερό...
αυτό είναι που θέλουν οι εταιρείες στο τιμόνι ενός έργου! έναν άνθρωπο που μπορεί να καθοδηγήσει και να ηγηθεί της αλλαγής. Ενα μικρό επαναστάτη απέναντι στη ρουτίνα..
εύκολο; καθόλου.. Εφικτό; ναι!!
Giannis Giataganas
IT related
Thursday, 9 April 2009
Ο φόβος φιλάει τα έρμα.....
θα ήθελα να κάνω μερικές παρατηρήσεις βάσει του παραπάνω άρθρου που μπορείτε να βρείτε στο http://www.medium.gr/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=3192:2009-04-09-07-06-59&catid=67:2008-09-01-08-36-34&Itemid=89 και το οποίο διάβασα χάρη στο φίλο μου Νικο.
Αρχικά λοιπόν, όταν κάποιος είναι αποφασισμένος να πάρει σκληρές αποφάσεις, απλά το κάνει.. και είτε δικαιώνεται για αυτό, είτε αποδέχεται τις συνέπειες. Δεν υπάρχει μέση οδός και κατά την γνώμη μου δε πρέπει να υπάρχει. Αρκούν λοιπόν οι πράξεις και φυσικά επόμενο είναι τα λόγια να περιττεύουν. Ο πρωθυπουργός μάλλον σε κάθε του εμφάνιση λέει πως δε θα ανεχθεί πλέον τίποτα και θα είναι αμείληκτος και δραστικός.... Έχω την εντύπωση πως τα αναφέρει μήπως και τα πιστέψει ο ίδιος κάποια στιγμη. Πάντως κανείς άλλος δε τον πιστεύει. Αυτό είναι και το τίμημα του μεγάλου ηγέτη. Πρέπει να έχει το θάρρος και τη δύναμη να αποφασίζει εκέι που όλα φαίνονται δύσκολα και οι πράξεις μπορεί να στοιχίσουν. Ο πρωθυπουργός λοιπόν κατα τη γνώμη μου μπορεί να "κατηγορηθεί" για απραγία και μάλιστα σε μια περίοδο που οι αποφάσεις είναι κρίσιμες για το τόπο μας. Πέρα απο αυτό, ένα άλλο στοιχείο για το οποίο κρίνεται ένας ηγέτης είναι οι αξιωματικοί που έχει επιλέξει να τον συνοδεύουν σε αυτή τη πορεία. Μπορώ να πω με βεβαιότητα πως ο κ. Καραμανλής ως στρατηγός δεν έχει καμια ελπίδα μιας και οι αξιωματικοί του τον προδίδουν ο ένας μετά τον άλλο. Και αυτή είναι η μια όψη του νομίσματος....
Νομίζω πως ήρθε η ώρα να διηγηθώ μια μικρή αλλά φοβερή ιστορία που περιγράφεται στο βιβλίο "Η τέχνη του πολέμου". Ο Σουν Τζου γεννήθηκε στο κράτος Τσι. Το βιβλίο του για τη τέχνη του πολέμου του εξασφάλισε μια ακρόαση απο τον Χο Λου, βασιλιά του Βου. Ο βασιλιάς λοιπόν ήθελε πέρα απο το βιβλίο που είχε διαβάσει να δει ζωντανά μια επίδειξη του Στρατηγού και μάλιστα του ζήτησε να την εφαρμόσει στις παλλακίδες του. Έτσι παρουσιάσθηκαν 180 γυναίκες. Έγινε κατανοητό σε όλες τους πως δεν επρόκειτο για αστείο. Ο Στρατηγός αφού εξήγησε ποιες είναι οι κινήσεις που θα έπρεπε να κάνουν και αφού έδειξε πώς πρέπει να εκτελέσθεί κάθε μία από αυτές, ρώτησε αν έγινε κατανοητός. Οι γυναίκες απάντησαν καταφατικά. Ο Σουν Τζου επανέλαβε τις εντολές τρεις φορές και τις εξήγησε άλλες πέντε. Μετά έδωσε τη διαταγή ¨κλίνατε επ' αριστερά¨. Οι γυναίκες ξέσπασαν σε γέλια. Ο Σουν Τζου σοβαρός είπε"Εάν οι κανονισμοί δεν είναι σαφής και οι εντολές δε γίνονται πλήρως κατανοητές, αυτό είναι σφάλμα του διοικητή". Κατόπιν επανέλαβε τις εντολές τρεις φορές και τις εξήγησε άλλες πέντε. Μετά έδωσε παράγγελμα "κλίνατε επι δέξια". Οι γυναίκες ξέσπασαν ξανα σε γέλια. Ο Σουν Τζου είπε:"Όταν οι οδηγίες είναι σαφείς και δεν εκτελούνται, αυτό είναι παράπτωμα των αξιωματικών". Διέταξε λοιπόν να αποκεφαλιστούν οι επικεφαλείς του αριστερού και δεξιού ζυγού. Ο βασιλιας τρομοκρατήθηκε με αυτή την αποφαση και δήλωσε απολυτα πεποισμένος πως ο Στρατηγός έλεγχε τα στρατευματά του ζητώντας να μη θανατωθούν οι 2 παλλακίδες. Ο Σουν Τζου όμως δήλωσε¨Ο υπηρέτης σου έχει ήδη διορίστεί διοικητής απο την Υψηλότητά σου και όταν ηγείται του Στρατού δεν έιναι υποχρεωμένος να υπακούει σε όλες τις εντολές του ηγεμόνα.¨ Διέταξε λοιπόν να θανατώσουν τις δυο γυναίκες. Επανέλαβε το παράγγελμα και όλες οι γυναίκες εκτέλεσαν όπως διατάχθηκαν. Δε τόλμησαν να κάνουν τον παραμικρό θόρυβο. Μετά απο αυτό, έστειλε έναν αγγελιοφόρο να πει πως ο στρατός είναι έτοιμος για επιθεώρηση...
Το συμπέρασμα είναι πολύ απλό. Ένας ηγέτης πρέπει να ηγείται του στρατού του και να παίρνει σκληρές αποφάσεις όταν χρειάζεται. Αν ο κ. Καραμανλής "έπαιρνε κεφάλια" κάθε φορά που ξεσπόυσε ένα τεράστιο σκάνδαλο, να είστε σίγουροι πως αυτά δε θα είχαν φθάσει τον αριθμό που είναι τώρα!!! Ο πρωθυπουργός όμως έχει καταφέρει με τη πολίτική που ακολουθεί να κάνει όσους είναι τριγύρω του να κρυφογελάνε και να έχουν αποθρασυνθεί, όπως ακριβώς έκαναν οι γυναίκες στις δυο πρώτες διαταγές του Στρατηγού. Ο Καραμανλής λοιπόν έχασε το παιχνίδι απο τις κακές επιλογές που έκανε ή από αυτές που δεν έκανε ποτέ.. Η ανατροπή του σκηνικού φαντάζει δύσκολη. Όμως ακριβώς επειδή μιλάμε για πολιτική και η πολιτική απέχει πολύ απο τα μαθηματικά.... Ποτέ δεν είναι αργα! Ας δούμε τουλάχιστον ένα Καραμανλή που δε θα φοβηθεί να ηγηθεί επιτέλους αυτής της βάρκας που γέρνει επικίνδυνα.
Giannis Giataganas
IT related
Αρχικά λοιπόν, όταν κάποιος είναι αποφασισμένος να πάρει σκληρές αποφάσεις, απλά το κάνει.. και είτε δικαιώνεται για αυτό, είτε αποδέχεται τις συνέπειες. Δεν υπάρχει μέση οδός και κατά την γνώμη μου δε πρέπει να υπάρχει. Αρκούν λοιπόν οι πράξεις και φυσικά επόμενο είναι τα λόγια να περιττεύουν. Ο πρωθυπουργός μάλλον σε κάθε του εμφάνιση λέει πως δε θα ανεχθεί πλέον τίποτα και θα είναι αμείληκτος και δραστικός.... Έχω την εντύπωση πως τα αναφέρει μήπως και τα πιστέψει ο ίδιος κάποια στιγμη. Πάντως κανείς άλλος δε τον πιστεύει. Αυτό είναι και το τίμημα του μεγάλου ηγέτη. Πρέπει να έχει το θάρρος και τη δύναμη να αποφασίζει εκέι που όλα φαίνονται δύσκολα και οι πράξεις μπορεί να στοιχίσουν. Ο πρωθυπουργός λοιπόν κατα τη γνώμη μου μπορεί να "κατηγορηθεί" για απραγία και μάλιστα σε μια περίοδο που οι αποφάσεις είναι κρίσιμες για το τόπο μας. Πέρα απο αυτό, ένα άλλο στοιχείο για το οποίο κρίνεται ένας ηγέτης είναι οι αξιωματικοί που έχει επιλέξει να τον συνοδεύουν σε αυτή τη πορεία. Μπορώ να πω με βεβαιότητα πως ο κ. Καραμανλής ως στρατηγός δεν έχει καμια ελπίδα μιας και οι αξιωματικοί του τον προδίδουν ο ένας μετά τον άλλο. Και αυτή είναι η μια όψη του νομίσματος....
Νομίζω πως ήρθε η ώρα να διηγηθώ μια μικρή αλλά φοβερή ιστορία που περιγράφεται στο βιβλίο "Η τέχνη του πολέμου". Ο Σουν Τζου γεννήθηκε στο κράτος Τσι. Το βιβλίο του για τη τέχνη του πολέμου του εξασφάλισε μια ακρόαση απο τον Χο Λου, βασιλιά του Βου. Ο βασιλιάς λοιπόν ήθελε πέρα απο το βιβλίο που είχε διαβάσει να δει ζωντανά μια επίδειξη του Στρατηγού και μάλιστα του ζήτησε να την εφαρμόσει στις παλλακίδες του. Έτσι παρουσιάσθηκαν 180 γυναίκες. Έγινε κατανοητό σε όλες τους πως δεν επρόκειτο για αστείο. Ο Στρατηγός αφού εξήγησε ποιες είναι οι κινήσεις που θα έπρεπε να κάνουν και αφού έδειξε πώς πρέπει να εκτελέσθεί κάθε μία από αυτές, ρώτησε αν έγινε κατανοητός. Οι γυναίκες απάντησαν καταφατικά. Ο Σουν Τζου επανέλαβε τις εντολές τρεις φορές και τις εξήγησε άλλες πέντε. Μετά έδωσε τη διαταγή ¨κλίνατε επ' αριστερά¨. Οι γυναίκες ξέσπασαν σε γέλια. Ο Σουν Τζου σοβαρός είπε"Εάν οι κανονισμοί δεν είναι σαφής και οι εντολές δε γίνονται πλήρως κατανοητές, αυτό είναι σφάλμα του διοικητή". Κατόπιν επανέλαβε τις εντολές τρεις φορές και τις εξήγησε άλλες πέντε. Μετά έδωσε παράγγελμα "κλίνατε επι δέξια". Οι γυναίκες ξέσπασαν ξανα σε γέλια. Ο Σουν Τζου είπε:"Όταν οι οδηγίες είναι σαφείς και δεν εκτελούνται, αυτό είναι παράπτωμα των αξιωματικών". Διέταξε λοιπόν να αποκεφαλιστούν οι επικεφαλείς του αριστερού και δεξιού ζυγού. Ο βασιλιας τρομοκρατήθηκε με αυτή την αποφαση και δήλωσε απολυτα πεποισμένος πως ο Στρατηγός έλεγχε τα στρατευματά του ζητώντας να μη θανατωθούν οι 2 παλλακίδες. Ο Σουν Τζου όμως δήλωσε¨Ο υπηρέτης σου έχει ήδη διορίστεί διοικητής απο την Υψηλότητά σου και όταν ηγείται του Στρατού δεν έιναι υποχρεωμένος να υπακούει σε όλες τις εντολές του ηγεμόνα.¨ Διέταξε λοιπόν να θανατώσουν τις δυο γυναίκες. Επανέλαβε το παράγγελμα και όλες οι γυναίκες εκτέλεσαν όπως διατάχθηκαν. Δε τόλμησαν να κάνουν τον παραμικρό θόρυβο. Μετά απο αυτό, έστειλε έναν αγγελιοφόρο να πει πως ο στρατός είναι έτοιμος για επιθεώρηση...
Το συμπέρασμα είναι πολύ απλό. Ένας ηγέτης πρέπει να ηγείται του στρατού του και να παίρνει σκληρές αποφάσεις όταν χρειάζεται. Αν ο κ. Καραμανλής "έπαιρνε κεφάλια" κάθε φορά που ξεσπόυσε ένα τεράστιο σκάνδαλο, να είστε σίγουροι πως αυτά δε θα είχαν φθάσει τον αριθμό που είναι τώρα!!! Ο πρωθυπουργός όμως έχει καταφέρει με τη πολίτική που ακολουθεί να κάνει όσους είναι τριγύρω του να κρυφογελάνε και να έχουν αποθρασυνθεί, όπως ακριβώς έκαναν οι γυναίκες στις δυο πρώτες διαταγές του Στρατηγού. Ο Καραμανλής λοιπόν έχασε το παιχνίδι απο τις κακές επιλογές που έκανε ή από αυτές που δεν έκανε ποτέ.. Η ανατροπή του σκηνικού φαντάζει δύσκολη. Όμως ακριβώς επειδή μιλάμε για πολιτική και η πολιτική απέχει πολύ απο τα μαθηματικά.... Ποτέ δεν είναι αργα! Ας δούμε τουλάχιστον ένα Καραμανλή που δε θα φοβηθεί να ηγηθεί επιτέλους αυτής της βάρκας που γέρνει επικίνδυνα.
Giannis Giataganas
IT related
Saturday, 28 March 2009
Οικονομική Κρίση
Η οικονομική κρίση αρχίζει να κάνει έντονη την εμφανισή της και στον Ελλαδικό χώρο. Το φαινόμενο αυτό έχει τρομοκρατήσει αρκετές εταιρείες που στην προσπάθειά τους να προλάβουν την κατάρρευση ή την αποφυγή ζημιών, παίρνουν σκληρά μέτρα που είναι τις περισσότερες φορές κατά του εργατικού δυναμικού που πασχίζει να τα βγάλει πέρα. Το μέλλον είναι αβέβαιο και τίποτα πλέον δε διασφαλίζει και την σταθερότητα της εργασίας των ανθρώπων. Όμως θα ήταν καλό οι ελληνικές επιχειρήσεις και κυρίως οι άνθρωποι που παίρνουν τις αποφάσεις να κοιτάξουν όλες τις εναλλακτικές πριν καταλλήξουν στην επιβολή αυστηρών μέτρων και την ακολούθηση μιας πολιτικής λιγο πολύ γνωστής σε όλους. Θα χαρακτήριζα τις περικοπές και τη μείωση δυναμικού, αποφάσεις που παίρνει ένας κακός καπετάνιος που δε ξέρει πως να κυβερνήσει το πλοίο του σε μια φουρτούνα, αποφάσεις ενός κακού στρατηγού που είναι αδέξιος στη σχεδίαση των στρατηγικών του κινήσεων. Ενός αρχηγού που έχει τη λογική του καημένου προσπαθώντας να σώσει ντουβάρια και τείχη όταν αυτά μέσα δεν θα έχουν πλέον τους στρατιώτες που δίναν νόημα και ζωή στο οχυρό.
Ο Κ. Μπουραντάς που είχα την τύχη να έχω καθηγητή τόνιζε και τονίζει συνεχώς: Ηγέτης είναι αυτός που κάνει τα πράγματα διαφορετικά. Θα συμφωνήσω και θα συμπληρώσω πως ένας επιδέξιος ηγέτης δεν είναι αυτός που θα βγάλει το σπαθί του και θα χύσει αίμα στο πεδίο της μάχης. Είναι αυτός που θα κερδίσει τις μάχες πριν τραβήξει οποιοδήποτε σπαθί. Είναι αυτός που θα κερδίσει έξυπνα την μάχη με τις κινήσεις και τις αποφάσεις του πρίν καν γίνει αυτή...
Το ξέρω, μακρυγόρησα για να φθάσω σε ένα συμπέρασμα διόλου απογοητευτικό.
Πρέπει οι έλληνες managers να είναι πιο διορατικοί και να αντιμετωπίζουν τις προκλήσεις της αγοράς με φαντασία και όχι να ακολουθούν τη περπατημένη οδό. Δεν πετάω στα σύννεφα ούτε είμαι εκτός πραγματικότητας αλλά δεν είναι ψέμμα πως οι έλληνες managers μπορούν και πρέπει να τα καταφέρουν καλύτερα απο το να παίρνουν γρήγορες αποφάσεις που τους βγάζουν απο το κόπο να σκεφτούν πιο έξυπνα.. Η εταιρεία δεν πρέπει να διαχωρίζεται σε περιόδους κρίσης(όπως συνήθως γίνεται). Η επιχείρηση πρέπει να είναι πάντα μια γροθιά και οι managers θα πρέπει να προσπαθούν να συντονίζονται με το υπόλοιπο εργατικό δυναμικό και να υπάρχει αλληλοκατανόηση. Είναι γεγονός πως ακόμη και η κρίση δημιουργεί ευκαιρίες. Αρκεί κάποιος να μπορεί τις δει και να πράξει ανάλογα.
Giannis Giataganas
IT related
Ο Κ. Μπουραντάς που είχα την τύχη να έχω καθηγητή τόνιζε και τονίζει συνεχώς: Ηγέτης είναι αυτός που κάνει τα πράγματα διαφορετικά. Θα συμφωνήσω και θα συμπληρώσω πως ένας επιδέξιος ηγέτης δεν είναι αυτός που θα βγάλει το σπαθί του και θα χύσει αίμα στο πεδίο της μάχης. Είναι αυτός που θα κερδίσει τις μάχες πριν τραβήξει οποιοδήποτε σπαθί. Είναι αυτός που θα κερδίσει έξυπνα την μάχη με τις κινήσεις και τις αποφάσεις του πρίν καν γίνει αυτή...
Το ξέρω, μακρυγόρησα για να φθάσω σε ένα συμπέρασμα διόλου απογοητευτικό.
Πρέπει οι έλληνες managers να είναι πιο διορατικοί και να αντιμετωπίζουν τις προκλήσεις της αγοράς με φαντασία και όχι να ακολουθούν τη περπατημένη οδό. Δεν πετάω στα σύννεφα ούτε είμαι εκτός πραγματικότητας αλλά δεν είναι ψέμμα πως οι έλληνες managers μπορούν και πρέπει να τα καταφέρουν καλύτερα απο το να παίρνουν γρήγορες αποφάσεις που τους βγάζουν απο το κόπο να σκεφτούν πιο έξυπνα.. Η εταιρεία δεν πρέπει να διαχωρίζεται σε περιόδους κρίσης(όπως συνήθως γίνεται). Η επιχείρηση πρέπει να είναι πάντα μια γροθιά και οι managers θα πρέπει να προσπαθούν να συντονίζονται με το υπόλοιπο εργατικό δυναμικό και να υπάρχει αλληλοκατανόηση. Είναι γεγονός πως ακόμη και η κρίση δημιουργεί ευκαιρίες. Αρκεί κάποιος να μπορεί τις δει και να πράξει ανάλογα.
Giannis Giataganas
IT related
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