We covered the first five Bill Swanson tips in part one, so here’s part two:
6. Work for a boss with whom you are comfortable telling it like it is. Remember that you can’t pick your relatives, but you can pick your boss.
- As with everything, there are exceptions to the comfortability in terms of who you report to. But the key here is that you must be able to break it down to your boss without any spin. In my current position, I’ve been lucky enough to work for people who accept the no spin assessment of things when we’re talking one on one. And that is the key. You’re expected to be a team player with customers, vendors and other business units and sometimes you have to keep the frank assessment to yourself.
7. Constantly review developments to make sure that the actual benefits are what they are supposed to be. Avoid Newton’s Law.
- Many times we set upon projects in the IT field that have a perceived benefit, but once undertaken we realize that the benefit isn’t there. In times like this you need to be the person to step up and point this out and take appropriate actions. Don’t assume the project is going to find another purpose. Define the action plan to either get the project’s benefits reanalyzed or scuttle the project. If you do decide to scuttle the project, look for any relevant benefits you can take away.
8. However menial and trivial your early assignments may appear, give them your best efforts.
- You should always do your best, regardless of how you see the impact of your efforts. Sometimes, in large corporations you may be given a piece of a project that seems to be unimportant, but to the rest of the team is very important. Remember, each task you complete reflects on you and your team.
9. Persistence or tenacity is the disposition to persevere in spite of difficulties, discouragement, or indifference. Don’t be known as a good starter but a poor finisher.
- This tip really nails IT projects in a corporate environment. We can all get excited about large, business impacting projects, but there will be roadblocks. Don’t let the initial excitement become tempered by the obstacles you will face. See it to the end and learn as you complete the project. Circle back at project completion and document what you’ve learned and how to deal with the obstacles on future projects.
10. In completing a project, don’t wait for others; go after them, and make sure it gets done.
- Many people have “deferitis.” They defer to others to be the leader or the point person when it comes to getting a project completed. You can’t do that. You have to be the one to step up and make sure your IT project is shepparded through the corporate maze.
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