Below is a short list of common leadership styles:

• Servant leader: is someone whose role is to lead as a steward or keeper of business resources whether they are human, financial or otherwise. The whole focus of a servant leader is to serve others while continuing to stay focused on accomplishing the goals of the business with integrity.
• Collaborative leader: a person who leads with the thought that critical business relationships cannot be managed through the use of formal systems but requires the presence of connecting and collaborative interpersonal communication. This type of leader has the need to safeguard their business processes, while facilitating interactions with others and patiently dealing with all business decisions.
• Transformational leader: is a leadership style that challenges themselves and others to achieve higher levels of motivation and morality. A transformational leader concentrate on “transforming” or “encouraging” others to assist each other, to take care of each other through encouragement, synergy, and looking out for the business as a whole.

Personally, my leadership style is a combination of Servant and Collaborative leadership as I manage my business. What is your leadership style? Do you have other leadership styles you would like to share? Please feel free to leave a comment.

Image: http://www.flickr.com/photos/jimmy_macdonald/504953757/

Post from: EveryJoe

What’s your business leadership style?

Below are some of the things that stood out to me as I tested the software:

• It is a free tool
• Easy to sign-up and able to start using the program right away
• Had to get use to the interface and the concept of storyboards versus a layout such as a Gnatt chart

How you can get started with Pivotal Tracker:

• Learn more about Pivotal Tracker
• Sign-up

Once you test Pivotal Tracker, please leave your comments and share about your experience.

Post from: EveryJoe

Software Review: Pivotal Tracker

Teamwork is defined by Webster online dictionary as…

So the old adage that “one for all and all for one” is something to keep in when working as a team member on a project team. It’s not about one person shining above the rest but it’s about each team member working as a whole to accomplish the same project goals.

I believe that sharing from ones experience is always helpful to others so I thought I would share a few things that should be kept in mind when developing a project team:

• Teach each other something new
• Enjoy and celebrate the special moments of success
• Alternative planning should be kept in mind if a roadblock occurs
• Me is not the center to a successful team but We is
• Working as one helps to keep the team focused
• Original thinking should be encouraged and applauded
• Remember that the team is only as strong as it’s weakest link, so build up everyone
• Keep focused, keep strong and keep your goals in mind

I would love to hear some of the creative things that you have done to foster teamwork on your projects. Please feel free to leave a comment or question on this post.

Image credit: Kim Beasley (creator)

Post from: EveryJoe

Project Management and Teamwork, perfect partners

What to know more about and how it works, watch the video below. Feel free to leave your feedback.

Image & video credit: Thomas Burg, creator of MindMeister

Post from: EveryJoe

Project Management Tool: MindMeister acquires MindMaker

The acronym C.A.S.T. was developed to help you tackle all the projects all year long with a systematic approach. Each letter signifies a different element to help you stay focused on your project goals.

T – stand for teach your team to work as one. If you have team members that do not work together that will make your projects less productive.

• When a team works as one, you will find that there exists a harmony. This harmony will keep your team focused on the main goal, which producing quality work.
• It is important to communicate with your team and let them know precisely what is expected. All too often miscommunication occurs which will lead to less productivity.
• When gathering a team it is best to find members that can work together and will aid in the project management’s success. Do not be afraid to dismiss a team member that is not willing to work as a team, this is imperative to the team working as one unit.
• Motivation is essential. You must stay motivated and your team will sense it and strive to be just as motivated.

Try applying the C.A.S.T. system to your project goals this New Year. You will find that your projects will be completed in a timely fashion with less stress on your part and a successful team that works together. Begin the New Year on a positive note with projects planned and a team that is focused. Although it may not be easy at first glance the C.A.S.T. system when applied efficiently will in turn produce quality work in less time.

Image credit: Kim Beasley (creator) using an icon from http://Softpedia.com

Post from: EveryJoe

Project Management and the New Year, part 5

S – Stay focused and control your risk factors. There are many risk factors that can impede a project and staying focused will prevent this from occurring.

• In order to stay focused you must determine and identify the project that is to be completed. This must then be revealed to your team, which will enable everyone to be focused.
• How do you control your risk factors? This is not difficult if you are aware of the possible factors and have a systemic plan in place. It is important to keep the lines of communication open if you are working with a team. The project is one of importance and communicating the importance level to your team is quite significant.
• Apply sub goals to your project management focus. You must have an ultimate goal to achieve, but by applying sub goals your team will remain focused. After each sub goal is completed a sense of accomplishment will ensue which will in turn keep your team eager to get to the next level.

Controlling risk factors may seem difficult at first, but once a plan is determined it will not be difficult at all. Remember that your team will feed off of your insecurities. You must remain focused in order for them to follow. Keeping your focus on the project at hand will not only ensure that each task will be accomplished but all the goals will be completed in the time manner that you have scheduled. Your ultimate goal is to have a team that works well together but most importantly gets the projects completed. Applying the tips shared thus far using the C.A.S.T. system, will give you and your team a clear vision and simplify the tasks and projects ahead.

Image credit: Kim Beasley (creator) using an icon from http://Softpedia.com

Post from: EveryJoe

Project Management and the New Year, part 4

A – stands for Always keep your project’s scope in mind. Although it may seem mundane that we must keep the scope of our project in mind it is absolutely necessary. In order to be productive and efficient with the project we have planned the scope must be identified. Once the scope is identified and determined the work can be then tackled and you and your team will be on the same page. Below are a few tips to help guide you and your team into staying within your project’s scope.

• Using a project management system will help you determine your scope or task and will keep you focused.
• Determining the scope will enable you and your team to focus on the project and not get distracted.
• Communication is important when trying to maintain the focus on the scope of your project. You are your team must be on the same page and all desire the ultimate goal of completing the task efficiently.

Unfortunately it is very easy to get distracted but with a project management system in order, the distractions will be few if at all. The scope is something that must be kept in highest of priorities. Only then will your project be a success and you and your team will work together as a unit and not as individuals that are easily distracted. Keeping a chart or log of the tasks that must be accomplished is imperative to the success of your project.

This will not only keep you focused on the purpose or scope but it will keep your team motivated to remain focused as well.

When you avoid distractions you and your team will work in harmony and you will find that the projects will be completed with less stress. Efficiency is the ultimate goal in project management and keeping your project’s scope in the forefront is imperative to achieving success.

Image credit: Kim Beasley (creator) using an icon from http://Softpedia.com

Post from: EveryJoe

Project Management and the New Year, part 3

C - stands for Control of your project’s time line. That sounds easy enough but how do you apply it to your team and your work? Below is a quick list of things to keep in mind when keeping control of your projects.

• It is important to control your time line, which can be done by developing a schedule. Using a schedule will keep you and your team on the same page and working towards the same goal.
• Using a project management system will simplify this task for you. A project management system will help to keep you and your team focused on the project at hand. It is very easy to get distracted and begin a project or tasks, only to realize later there is a deadline that must be met and you are not prepared.
• It is not easy to accomplish tasks or projects on your own, but with a team and a project management system the tasks will be accomplished more efficiently.
• Setting a goal and listing what will need to be accomplished to satisfy that goal is very important. More importantly is sharing this goal and list with your team. By sharing your project goals with your team, projects and task can be accomplished at a quicker pace with less stress.
• Sticking to a time line is extremely important and following the C.A.S.T. system will enable you to get your projects accomplished.
• As the team leader or person in charge of the project team it is your responsibility to set a time line for all to follow.

You will find with a bit of organization and time management your projects will be attended to and completed in a timely fashion. Controlling the project’s time line is one goal to strive for this coming year and the stress will be replaced with projects and a more organized team. Apply the acronym C.A.S.T. to your resolution list for the coming year and apply it to all your projects. You will find your time is better managed and tasks will be easier to finish. Be sure to watch for the next post to this series, where we will discuss always keeping you project’s scope in mind.

Image credit: Kim Beasley (creator) using an icon from http://Softpedia.com

Post from: EveryJoe

Project Management and the New Year, part 2

To start things off with a level foundation, I have created an acronym from the letters of C.A.S.T. to help you concentrate on the important things and not the distracting things. When managing projects in the New Year, just try out the C.A.S.T system to see if it will help you stay focus on your project goals:

• Control of your project’s time line
• Always keep your project’s scope in mind
• Stay focused and control your risk factors
• Teach your team to work as one

Let’s break these down further. First controlling your project’s time line. It is important to set a schedule for your project, which means that using a project management system is best to use in order to keep things timely. Using a project management system will force you to keep to your schedule and will keep you focused on the project. It is very easy to get distracted so determining a time line will keep everyone focused on the task at hand. Secondly, always keep your project’s scope in mind, it is very easy to wander and delve into more than one project at a time, but doing this will make you less efficient and the projects less than desirable. It is wise to outline your particular project’s scope and focus on that scope.

Thirdly, it is extremely important to stay focused and control your risk factors. Setting your goal to complete a project at a given time will help with keeping you focused. Remaining focused will ensure your project will be successful and will be completed in a timely fashion. Finally the most important of all is to teach your team to work as one. It is important to have a team where everyone works together to accomplish the final goal. Cohesiveness is very important when it comes to teamwork. It will make your project run smoothly and in the end be successful, which is what the ultimate goal should be.

Sticking to the C.A.S.T. system will not only keep you more focused but you will find that more projects will be accomplished in a timely fashion. You will be less stressed because you are following a system that will keep you and your team focused. Let this be the ultimate goal for the New Year, remain focused and your projects will be successful. Which in turn will make you and your team happier and more productive.

Image credit: Kim Beasley (creator) using an icon from http://Softpedia.com

Post from: EveryJoe

Project Management and the New Year, part 1

As a project manager with almost 15 years of experience, one of the important things that I have learned is that project management tools are very important to the success of a project. I have used Microsoft Project, Zoho Project and tested many others but have found for my business that Zoho Projects is best to use (checkout the Software Review: Zoho Projects). I can integrate it with Zoho’s other products which makes managing my clients, projects and team much easier.

Special Tips for new virtual project managers:

• Remember to C.A.S.T. your projects in order to streamline them better. What to learn more about C.A.S.T. then checkout the article series “Project Management and the New Year, part 1“.
• Have a mentor who will help you understand how to manage the ROI (Return-On-Invest) for your projects successfully. For more details checkout “Project Management and ROI: What’s in it For You?“.
• Documentation, processes, and teambuilding can be the best way to create a strong and synergized team.
• Always remember to allow for buy-in from your team members and clients so that each part can have a sense of ownership for the projects that you manage.

Now on to the feedback from the resources for this series. They have great information to provide.

Question 7: Are there other project management tools that you use on your #VirtualTeam projects?

Question 8: What pointers would you share with some who is just starting to build their #VirtualTeam?

Each of the resources above have been using virtual teams to not only grow their business but also to streamline processes. This is the last in a four-part series answering questions about building a virtual team.

Images are screenshot of the actual Twitter conversation provided by Kim Beasley

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Using Social Media to Build Your Virtual Project Management Team (part 4)