PROJECT MANAGEMENT & ORGANIZATIONAL BEHAVIOR: THE RULES OF EFFECTIVE INFLUENCE

Influencing others goes a long way in becoming organizationally effective. And feeling better about your world and yourself.

Stephen Covey is my guru on this and all related subjects that pertain to effective people. Click here to read my blog entry about his highly acclaimed book, "The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People."

The power to influence others is important in any setting. Currently, more of my work is within the field of project management and I find that this subject has become more significant.

I’ve listed some practical guidelines below. None originated from me. Their “correctness” comes from their mention in other topics concerning human interactions.

1. In the short-term, you should build common interests through negotiation.

2. In the long-term, work on building trust, confidence, and respect for each other. If you have integrity and honesty, seek to demonstrate those qualities at every opportunity. If you don’t—well, you’re not my kind of a person.

3. Make hard decisions when necessary. However, be empathic with people who are adversely affected by those hard decisions. What’s empathy? To me, it’s being in the other person’s shoes and feeling what they feel and then returning to your own and communicating that you understand how they feel.

4. Avoid making enemies. An opponent is someone who disagrees with you and wants a situation to have a different outcome from yours. An enemy, on the other hand, is someone who has taken your disagreement to a more personal level and seeks to harm you. Discourage your opponents from becoming enemies by demonstrating genuine integrity and honesty. Do not be manipulative or double-cross them.

5. Be a worthwhile ally. This doesn’t mean that you have to offer your wholehearted and unreserved support for every action of your allies. Rather, it means that you should support people when they have worthwhile goals even if you do not directly benefit.

6. Do you know what a “fair-weather” sailor is? This is a sailor who sails only when the weather is safe and nice. Likewise, don’t be a fair-weather friend. Don’t demonstrate that you care about your allies only when the situation is safe. Demonstrate your support even if you expose yourself to political risk. In the long-term, you’ll earn not only their respect but the attention and respect of others.

7. Be generous with your favors. Do not dispense your favors conditionally. Do not dispense your favors on the condition that you expect an equal exchange or quid pro quo. Do favors when they are appropriate and within your power.

8. Ask for favors when you need help. Refrain from reminding those whom you seek help of any previous favors that you did for them. People of integrity will remember and act accordingly.

9. Keep your lines of communication open across barriers and, difficult as it may be, especially during times of conflict.

10. Make it clear by your actions and choices that you will do what’s right and beneficial to the organization.

11. Be aware that others do not necessarily follow the same code of principles that you do. Act with integrity but don’t be naïve to the reality of the behavior of others.

12. Do not win the battle and lose the war. There will be life after the most important project. Do not win at the cost of your principles. Take a long-term perspective. I know it's easier said than done. And even when I know, I still make some of these mistakes. That's what being human is, isn't it? We just have to try and keep on trying.

IMPROVING ON YOUR NEW YEAR’S RESOLUTIONS

It’s that time of the year again. “I’m really going to lose weight this time.” “I’m going to devote more time to my family.” Instead of resolving specific issues how about a sweeping makeover instead?

This makeover is explained in a classic book, “The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People.”

If you’re ready to do that, read the book or listen to the recorded version. The book is a blueprint for personal development. It’s easy to understand, it's effective, but it requires your commitment to work.

Don't let the challenge daunt you. It’s worth it. It contains a remarkable set of inspirational standards for everyone who seeks to live a full, purposeful and good life. Its lessons are applicable today as they were yesterday and tomorrow.

It explains human principles and values that together create the foundation for your personal success. It shows how your success depends more on your character than on your personality. It explains how underlying characteristics such as integrity, courage, and patience determine your future more than your outward behavior.

“The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People” has sold more than 15 million copies in 32 languages and 75 countries and was ranked as the top best seller by the New York Times and Business Week. It was named as one of the two most influential business books of the last century by Executive magazine. It's author, Dr. Stephen Covey, has been likened to a modern-day Plato. Dr. Covey teaches that each of us can live our best life possible by living a principle-centered life. Practicing those seven habits will let us do that.

As the title implies, the blueprint for personal development consists of seven habits. Here they are:

Habit 1 - be proactive

Take charge of your destiny. Hold yourself accountable to yourself. Learn to control your environment, rather than have it control you. Your greatest power is the power to make choices. All choices have consequences. If you want good things to happen, make good choices. Above all, hold yourself accountable to yourself and yourself alone.

Habit 2 - begin with the end in mind

Identify what your values are. Imagine yourself going to a funeral wake. Four persons will deliver eulogies for the deceased. One is a family member, the second is a co-worker, the third is a neighbor, and the fourth is a fellow church member. You peer down at the deceased and realize that it’s you! Now, on a sheet of paper, write down the key words you would like them to say about you. What you’ve just written down are the values that matter most to you.

Habit 3 - put first things first

Now that you know what matters most to you, organize and implement those activities that bring you closer to those things that matter most. Any other activities that don’t are unnecessary and may even be bad for you.

Habit 4 - think win-win

Your achievements largely depend on the cooperation of others. Think win-win. Both of you must gain something from a transaction. When both of you are assured of that, you improve your chances of cooperation.

Habit 5 - seek first to understand and then to be understood.

Of all of our human skills, the most important one is communication. Think about it. We communicate four different ways: (1) by writing, (2) by reading, (3) by speaking, and (4) by listening. Of the four, we’ve all been taught the first three. But how much time was spent learning how to listen? This habit teaches us how to listen—how to first understand the other person before anything else. Practice this and watch how your relationships develop and stay positive.

Habit 6 - synergize

Cooperate. This habit fulfills habits 4 and 5. Synergizing creates a whole that is greater than the sum of its parts. You’re usually able to find a better solution together than if you solved it yourself. Or achieved a greater goal than if you attempted it yourself.

Habit 7 - sharpen the saw

Constantly renew yourself. Your self has four parts: (1) your spiritual self, (2) your mental self, (3) your physical self, and (4) your social/emotional self. All four parts need to be fed and developed. Take the time and effort to do that.

Take the challenge. Practice the seven habits and amaze yourself. Good luck and have a fruitful New Year!