Back from assignment

I just got back a few days ago from Bangkok. It was a hectic week but rewarding as the application was deployed and the users trained. It will still take awhile before the users get used to the application. Weening them away from MS Excel will be difficult because of the ease of use. But the benefits cannot be denied since it will cut out a lot of work. The weather was good in Bangkok and we had a good time in the evenings having dinner and drinking beer. I felt sad leaving especially with the warm and accommodating team. But I wanted to see my family.

I am off again this Sunday for a 3 week training on ERP. It will be a good three weeks although I expect some people in the boss man's company like Philip to create trouble. Working in that company is getting to be surreal. It's like common sense and logic do not rule. The boss man seem to be grasping and struggling. The princess is not cooperative and it's affecting our integrity. It is difficult to move fast when people really see no value in being aggressive. I am caught in the middle and I cannot seem to move. I hope to convince the princess to work in the direction I want.

I am sad that the business project leader is leaving next month. It was a good and exciting project that we worked on and I learned a lot from him. I had the feeling that I was lifted from mediocrity and worked in another plane. He is really a superior being in the best sense of the word. I often wondered how I allowed myself to muddle my own thinking with reading too much books and believing on to many theories. Learning from actual experience and being less bookish is the way to succeed in the real world.

I especially admire that way he uses his computer like a tool. It's like a samurai welding his sword. He is not really a great wizard but his facility with simple tools like e-mail, word and excel allows him to put words and or actions to reality with a few deft manipulations of these applications. HE manages to marshall the perfect amount of effort and thought to produce the correct memo, spread sheet calculations or work plan. He treats his computer like a mere instrument to wield his management magic.

On the other hand, I look at my computer with reverence. As if the slightest touch would destroy it. So I am careful and reverent and sometimes seldom use my own computer at hand. But now I am emboldened to use it the way my friend does - like a crude instrument such as hammer. It is this speed and efficacy of using the computer that make him very effective. While in Thailand I filled an application to join the writer's mentor program. A very good initiative by the government. I hope I get accepted to develop my writing skills. Like a second career in my middle age as explained by Peter Drucker. I attach a mind map on being a film director as my second career dream.

Deployment in Bangkok

I will be travelling to Thailand in a couple of days. Phase I of the project will be going live. After some tight situations, the application now seems to be working fine. Sadly the project leader will be moving to another company in August. So it is important to implement the project right away to his staff in Bangkok to have our foot in the door. I did not want to travel so soon to Thailand until the remaining patches are installed. But there will be no more time left with the project leader leaving. I have learned a lot from him and he will be sorely missed.

The other project with the boss man is the problematic one. I never realized that things would turn out badly. Actually not that bad except in the pressure I received from all the others. It may have been a mistake to bring my old boss into the meeting. But I felt it was inevitable in order to control the princess. Now he is the main critic if I am not careful. I felt depressed during the weekend after thinking about the meeting last week. It was not a particularly brutal meeting but was painful nevertheless.

The trip to Bangkok was challenged but I think that it was more a aimless shot not meant to highlight any issue but just to throw mud around. I felt fatigued and tired after all these activity but I think we are turning a corner. The trick is to observe your body and take a rest when needed. I attach a mind map on natural medicine to keep us healthy when faced with all the stress in the office. I think I will be able cath my breath in Bangkok.

New MindManager now on sale !

The new version of Mind Manager is out in the market! I have been using visual thinking techniques (usually drawing by hand) since 2001. I discovered Mind Manager a year later while searching the web. I found it the best visual tool then and it still is the gold standard to beat today.

I think visual thinking is now getting into the mainstream with more people using mapping tools like Mind Manager to help them in their work.

I quote portions of their press release below:

SAN FRANCISCO, CA, May 30, 2007 – Mindjet® Corporation today announced the highly anticipated and immediate availability of the next generation of its popular visualization software, MindManager® 7, along with its new Project Management Jetpack and online map gallery. The new MindManager 7 for Windows and Macintosh have received widespread acclaim for new and improved features that increase effectiveness in managing information and projects.

MindManager 7 optimizes both individual and team productivity and delivers quick results to achieve new levels of project and process improvement, communication and interactions, as well as access to and management of key information. New enhancements in MindManager Pro 7 include powerful integration capabilities with Microsoft Office products and easier browsing in a completely redesigned Microsoft Fluent UI with logically grouped tabs, saved queries and views, new map styles and galleries for faster formatting, and enhanced ScreenTips. MindManager 7 Mac offers a powerful new way to select topics with rules, which can be saved and applied as filters; printing enhancements that allow users to print large maps across multiple pages and add headers and footers and borders to printed maps; enhanced import and export capabilities including OPML, HTML, Text Outline and more.

Excellent Early Acceptance of MindManager 7

MindManager 7 received strong early acceptance during Mindjet’s beta testing phase and early look reviews, and has received over 100 positive references in articles and blogs for its powerful new features that make it easier to interact with ideas and information, increase effectiveness, and improve collaboration.

About Mindjet

Mindjet makes software that helps people visualize and use information. Its leading product, MindManager, enables individuals and teams to work smarter, think creatively, and save time everyday. There are over 880,000 licenses of MindManager used globally by 85 of the Fortune 100 companies and more than 50 percent of Global 2000 organizations. Mindjet is headquartered in San Francisco with offices throughout the world and is backed by the leading international venture capital firms, Investor Growth Capital, Inc. and 3i. For more information, visit www.mindjet.com

See more of the press release at:

http://www.mindjet.com/us/company/press_center/about_press_news_release.php?s=1&release_id=05302007

My thanks to Gaelen O’Connell, Customer & Field Marketing Manager of Mindjet for spreading the news on Mind Manager Pro 7.

Unix deployment

Another tough meeting with the boss man yesterday. I think these session should be called the bash the project manager day. I am always in the defensive with everyone having a field day on my expense. Luckily I was able to keep my nerve. I hope I am building some point during the meetings while rolling with the blows. The rope-a-dope of boxer Muhammad Ali. I didn't think I would be using boxing strategy in my meetings. But looks like it is the only metaphor I can use to describe the strategy.

Basically, the plan is keep doing the job despite the criticism. Such as writing the specifications, organizing the meeting, writing the minutes do the nitty gritty work despite the criticisms from the arm chair managers. It's a good thing I am on leave today to relax and enjoy myself. I am still left with my other project which is not doing great. I wonder why I find myself always in this position. Strangely, I learned from my fried that I have gotten the highest percentage increases for the past 3 years. I think that is some vindication for me. In a company like these, the raise goes to the good soldier not the high flying know it all managers. The organization in fact was called the Mexican army with too many generals. In our case, there are to many managers.

On my other project, deployment to the staging environment has not turned out well. Apparently, the Java program contained hard-coded elements that works in a Microsoft system but now has problems in a Unix environment. A silly mistake which is caused by a simple syntax issues where Microsoft recognizes '\' backlash to distinguish directories while Unix recognizes '/' forward slash to distinguish directories. It's good we have another company doing code review to isolate this issues.

I attach a mind map on critical thinking I made long ago in the hope of improving the way I think.

Anger management

I am being teased by my friends in the office of having a short fuse. I have had at least a few recent incidents where I raised my voice during meetings in the S project. The princess remarked that I need to have a vacation. The business leader has agreed that I should go on a few weeks leave. Of course, after going live on the first phase of his project. At lunch yesterday, we were all eating together and my boss jokingly said that I seem to have anger management issues based on the feedback he hears from the princess and the business leader.

I think they are right. I guess the strain is getting to me as I am working on two major projects with demanding clients. But then again, most of the conflict is within the department and most disagreements I have had is on the steps to go forward. Sometime I feel that I am the only person talking sense. Perhaps it is because I am the oldest serving person within the team and we have different viewpoints. There is an article in one of the latest issues of the PMI magazine on handling gaps in perception. I hope this can help me when I find the time to read it.

But I guess I do need a vacation. I never had a vacation leave since the start of the year. The key on working effectively is to seek for a balance between life and work. These days I feel that I am the odd man out. So I attach a mind map on treating your self right. It is supposed to help find time from a stressed out life by doing some things you enjoy. Good to heed the advise to be fresh and continue to have the energy and sanity to fight the battles at work.

Back from business trip

I just returned from a trip to Manila, visiting our developer with the business leader. We conducted a series of workshops for the next release of the software even if the first release has not been done yet. Not really a good way to go. Something like rapid prototyping. But it was the only alternative left with the series of delays. The business leader was not happy and he sent out his main concerns to my boss. On the last day of the workshops, we reviewed the concerns and met with the head of the development team. We discussed the action plan and the meeting went well. The coming weeks will be very tight.

On top of this project is the ongoing S project. We met yesterday with the head of the contributors. It was a preparatory meeting for another one scheduled on Thursday. It was actually the first time we have sat together to discuss the details. As usual there was a source of contention with the princess but we managed to keep it civilized. I am glad we involved my former boss who has moved on and is now the boss of the princess. He is very useful in guiding the princess. Of course her views are legitimate and it will take some give and take from both sides. It will be a struggle in the coming weeks especially with my other projects.

I am in a classic bind where I am multitasking between several projects. I am also playing numerous roles in each project which is a bit taxing. For instance, the most urgent task at hand is to finish the solution requirements specification which is a task done by a functional analyst. Now I have to play this role again and still be the project manager. I am concerned also on my other project which need attention in terms of monitoring the deliverables from the developer. I also have to complete another specification once we get the business requirements for the next release.

The advise the business leader gave me when he assessed the situation last week was for me to step up and and start leading. He felt that I have more experience on managing the developers and I should work and guide them directly, spending more time in the developer's premises if needed. I think that was good advise and I need to lead more despite my workload. I attach a mind map on leadership with some good tips.

Idea maps as visual blogs

I just started thinking why idea maps seem effective. Usually blogs or journals are the easiest way of expressing our inner thoughts and feelings. Perhaps because the spoken and written word is the way we are taught to express ourselves so it comes easily to us.

Now visual thinking introduces a different way of expression. We can express ourselves and our inner thoughts visually. Mind mapping provide simple rules to follow (to prevent us from descending towards incomprehensible doodles). Are we headed towards a way of visual communication where all we do is send idea maps to communicate? No more verbal or written e-mails but mind maps.

Sometimes the same feeling of relief is felt when we finish a blog or journal entry as when we finish a mind map. It's as if some pressure or stress has been released with the act of writing or visual mapping. The psychological result is the same: serenity (due perhaps to clarifying thoughts or experiences and expressing ourselves). So which method is better? Do we communicate more effectively in a visual manner?

I wonder if the princess can focus and express herself better if she practices visual thinking. She again wrote an email pointing faults and grandstanding. I sometimes feel she like to read her mails in the same way that some people like to hear their own voice. But I am being unkind. She is just getting emotional but she has a way of zeroing out into off tangent subjects that never fails to provoke me so I end up being emotional as well. So I have to stick to the high ground and focus on the issues.

I attach a map on improving relationships at work. One key skill in this area is negotiation and persuasion. I need to move away from being reactive and emotional and focus more on the issues at hand.