Learning Organization

I attach a mind map on learning organization following an article from Peter Senge. Seems useful in helping to create a system thinking mind-set. I hope this can help try to work out our problems by having a better method of diagnosing the situation. In other words, making sense of chaos or some sort of situation analysis.

The mind map is more of how to develop a learning organization. A learning organization is a progressive unit supposedly that can adapt to change. But the absence of this environment is a challenge to the project manager. Is he responsible in changing the organization? Sometimes he is viewed as a change agent or a catalyst but really not part of the project scope. So knowing about the qualities of a learning organization maybe helpful in planning tactics or strategy in the project.

Project Management Institute Singapore Chapter's 2007 Annual Symposium

The Project Management Institute Singapore Chapter's 2007 Annual Symposium is scheduled on 22nd November 2007 (Thursday) at Suntec International Convention Center (Level 3), Singapore.

A big turnout is expected so please be there early for the Symposium. The registration starts at 8.00AM. Early comers will get a free car park coupon on first come first serve basis.

If you have not made the payment for the SPMI's Annual Symposium 2007,
kindly send your cheque, made payable to "Project Management Institute
Singapore Chapter" to:

The Treasurer,
PMI Singapore Chapter,
C/o 30, Tanah Merah Kechil Road,
#06-09 East Meadows,
Singapore 465558

Please see above attached Symposium Agenda.

Systems Thinking

I attach a map on systems thinking which I think comes from an article on Peter Senge which I read way back. This method is useful as it offers a way to improve one's cognitive and thinking skills. It provides a broader framework of thinking and understanding that is away from the self-centered model that usual happens in one's own thinking.

So it is a way to improve one mental processes similar to the work of Edward de Bono. But this new framework is much more helpful in resolving organization problems. It is also useful in project management because it takles issues that involve implementing change. Change not only in the processes or organization but also in the way one's thinks and addressess problems. Iam trying to finish an article on 'sense-making' which is another good tool that will prove useful soon.

Sense Making

I started to read articles on sense making and systems thinking to try to understand my recent troubles. There is a need to have a new framework to understand and analyse the current situation as I was unable to apply my usual tools to address the problem. I failed to take into account other factors which maybe beyond my usual field usual vision and understanding. I was blind sided as I found myself out of my compentency.

So concepts like systems thinking which considers the relationship between people within the organization. So I tried to make a mind-map to understand the relationship between the major stakeholder and the politics involved. So this gives me a different view to understand the situation. In this framework, it is not really about tools and techniques and procedures and more about relationship of each part that makes the whole system.

This allows a different aspect in making sense of the situation. 'Sense making' which is about situation awareness maybe is the key to understand the project failures which occurred. Mind maps helps to diagram the relationships between people or the parts within the system and display the whole system.

Mindjet Productivity Pack for MS Office

Mindjet Productivity Pack for Microsoft® Office® is now available.

I have tested the product and has extremely good links to Microsoft applications. Try it out to harness the full power and benefits of your existing Microsoft tools.

A detailed guide is available to help you maximize your applications. The Productivity Pack includes a whitepaper and MindManager maps to help you. See more details in the link below:

http://www.mindjet.com/us/productivity_pack_office/?cid=bridge3

New Model in Place

A new structure has been put in place by Peter and Mary so the boss man will only communicate with Mary in the future. This will centralize the communication so that the message is clear and consistent. In effect, I no longer need to meet with the boss man. I can focus more on the operational side of things while Mary can focus on the tactical and strategic side. I think the boss man likes this arrangement and he has been in a good mood these past days. I hope he does not return to his usual ruthless state.

The new structure has the intended effect of reducing the politics in the department. This move was the brainchild of our CIO who accurately detected the root issues. In fact, it was not a good sight with my constant clashes with the princess and my old supervisor. Now with the new contractor working on the project plus the improvement coming in on the first phase, the project is now well under control. It is a good change coming in with the new support model applied to the boss man and Mary. It is a good change especially with the new major project coming in next year. It lays a good foundation for this major change.

Of course, I have been in the receiving end of the abuse despite all these new moves. I have no choice but to receive the punishment as I share most of the blame. But I hoped to have contributed to it's resolution by junking the old team in the Philippines with the new one in India. It was a needed sacrifice. Hopefully I can now work and focus more on the operational side of things without being distracted by the politics.

Rest and Recreation

I am on holiday for three days. I try to keep work out of my mind but sometimes I cannot help it. I guess this is where we really need to have discipline and forget everything at work. Sometimes it is difficult to forget and the mind can't help but slip into thoughts and memories which bring back the pressures at work. This is the hard part where you can slip into worry and depression without even knowing it.

I checked my mail last Monday and had a few phone meetings with the development team. I did not have a chance to check my mail yesterday. I tried to take my mind of work by playing golf at the nearby nine-hole course. It was great but I cannot help but think about the office. I sometimes feel that the office is a cess pool filled with snakes ready to bite you in the back if you are not careful. Last Friday, I had a few drinks with my old friend in his new job and he suggested that I look for another work - to re-invent myself. This is getting to be a good idea. But I cannot seem to make myself leave until all the problems are solved.

There are some good news these days with some help coming from Peter and Mary. Although their names seem to connote some Biblical echoes, both are really a God send so to speak. I have to be more vocal and that is my personal problem which is to communicate more. I used to be in synch with the world but in recent years I seem to be isolated from the general flow at work. Perhaps I have isolated myself so much that I am lost. Then again I am taking these problems at work personally. I should learn to detach myself from the issues at hand. This is problem because I have always placed my heart at work and try to satisfy everyone. The boss man said that my problem is I have a big heart and I try to solve everything. He is right at that point.

I have to start crawling back out of my rut. It is going to be a difficult time but that is the only option left for me unless I just quit my job. But this is not an option so I have to slug it out with the beasts so to speak. I think it is going to be fun and removing the emotionalism is important because there is a lot of politics in this project that I should avoid by mentally taking all the blame. I am my worst critic and I often second-guess my self that I am paralyze into in action. This is in fact one of the subjects mentioned in Manage Your Mind.