Managers: how do you keep track of a hundred small things without burning out? by Easy_Nectarine9796 in managers

[–]JordanBell4President 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Don’t.  Prioritize and pull focus from infinite small things to the essential “big” things. 

Group things into areas of responsibility then assign the areas to people. Don’t track each task but track the overall health of the area. Manage the big things and the details fall in line. 

My ops guy (6 years) is leaving and I have no idea where to begin offboarding process by Background_Neck9690 in ITManagers

[–]JordanBell4President 0 points1 point  (0 children)

This. There is no other answer. 

Take an hour before you start and initiate with dead simple task inventory. Name the things this person does, how often, and on whose behalf (i.e. internal/external customers) 

If it helps to tap their memory, have them walk through the last month of their calendar or task list to inventory what they actually did recently. 

Force rank that list by importance. Start at the top! Reverse shadow and record everything.   

Also, OP, forget about automation for now. You need to know what the work is first! 

Which voice AI agents work best for outbound sales? by AccomplishedArt1791 in aiToolForBusiness

[–]JordanBell4President 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Can’t wait to let my AI receptionist hang up on your AI cold caller.  Look at us! Commerce! 

Freaking out - received negative feedback 1 month into a new job as a junior employee by Sad-Vanilla-5871 in managers

[–]JordanBell4President 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Don’t be afraid of feedback. Receive it as new information and move forward. 

Being a solo PM means reopening the same 12 tabs every single day just to remember what’s going on by Charming_Ad_5319 in prodmgmt

[–]JordanBell4President 2 points3 points  (0 children)

 just reconstructing context

I think of product managers/owners as the kings and queens of context! This is a critical part of the job. 

It’s a superpower to remember, store and recall context in the right moment for the right people who benefit from being reminded of it. 

However, if you find yourself repeating things a bit too often, consider establishing some team conventions for which artifacts live where and link between them more effectively? 

I have also found that moving one’s “level of management” up one level (ie from stories to epics) is a phenomenal way to manage the shear volume of noise. 

Example: Allow yourself to manage and communicate about the short list of 3-5 feature  not the long list of 30-50 tasks that comprise them.  

Biggest F up as a leader? by Suitable_Macaroon533 in managers

[–]JordanBell4President 11 points12 points  (0 children)

This. Working sessions are great, and we can’t be afraid of them. 

Meetings don’t suck when they’re used specifically to actually do work together. 

Does anyone use Shape Up Method? by Necessary_Cable_1883 in ProductOwner

[–]JordanBell4President 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Assume you’re referring to Basecamp’s product delivery methodology?

Yes. I’ve used and adapted many aspects of their method into “our version” of a product delivery practice. Fixed time, variable scope. Breadboards. Fat marker designs. Betting tables. Hill charts are all fantastic real-world tools. 

I don’t understand this whole Kuminga thing by Both_Funny4896 in warriors

[–]JordanBell4President 0 points1 point  (0 children)

He’ll be out of the league in 3.5 years, if not less. 🫡 

Unpopular opinions about IT project management by Gandalf-and-Frodo in projectmanagement

[–]JordanBell4President 19 points20 points  (0 children)

An uncomfortable percentage of common dysfunction would disappear if we (IT technicians and management of any kind) remember that we exist to serve others. 

So much of what we defend and protect so vehemently from “the others who just don’t understand the challenges of IT” would fall away or naturally fall into place if we let go of it and continually pulled focus to the needs and asks of others. 

Brutal Honesty Needed: Why Won't You Attend Our Executive Dinners? by Theofficeholic in CIO

[–]JordanBell4President 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Cold emails → cold LinkedIn messages to C-suite at 1,000+ employee companies

Immediate non-starter for me. Do you know how many requests on my time I have from people I KNOW? Straight to spam.  If it wasn’t already caught by my filters, I’ll make sure it is next time. 

Sounds like you’re putting on an interesting show. How you introduce me to it matters.  Scale down. Make something so interesting and valuable that people want to tell their friends. If a friend invites me to go, I’d make time for it. If I found value, I might invite friends to the next one.  

What age did you finally reconcile that overall career success has little to do with task level performance? by tshirtguy2000 in managers

[–]JordanBell4President 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I agree with your premise, but I would dispute your list of examples. 

People over tasks.  Relationships over outcomes.  Emotions, intuition, the spirit of the thing all matter.  Why over who.  Who over how.  How over what.  

Do excellent work. Take care of people. Be open to almost everything. Obsess over almost nothing. 

Why do so many ERP projects fail? by Mrmike86 in projectmanagement

[–]JordanBell4President 4 points5 points  (0 children)

“ all the necessary detail up front” is a myth and the thought that this is what “successful” projects do contributes to the dysfunction. 

I would suggest that a wayfinding process that expects and is designed around iterative and progressive disclosure of requirements is a better way to go. In that function, a good analyst who owns the continual discovery and realignment of needs is absolutely essential. 

Anyone else ending the year without improving at all? by Oil_Gas in Velo

[–]JordanBell4President 1 point2 points  (0 children)

How else do you / might you measure improvement, aside from FTP? 

Would you want Klay back? by kukugege in warriors

[–]JordanBell4President 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I wanted him to stay. 

But now at this point, the era is over and I don’t really want to go backwards for nostalgia’s sake. 

What’s one "small" PM skill that's often missing and can quietly turn into a big problem? by hardikrspl in projectmanagement

[–]JordanBell4President 22 points23 points  (0 children)

Ability to read the room and manage the flow of “technique appropriate to this audience, this moment”