A proposal to review the effect of progressive muscle relaxation Essay

Huck Finn :: essays research papers

The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, by Mark Twain, is an account of a youngster who winds up in numerous capricious circumstances. In the novel, Huck is continually changing his setting. It is possible that he is on the land, at the shore of the forceful Mississippi waterway, or upon a little pontoon skimming downstream. Since Huck lives on both the shore and the stream, the peruser can think about the contrasts between them. To Huck the stream has feeling of opportunity. Contrasted with life on the shore, Huck accepts the waterway ought to be his home. For his partner, the runaway slave, Jim, life is constantly risky on account of the cost on his head. Likewise there are constantly concealed risks that can spring up whenever. Huck Finn, the child of the town boozer, experiences considerable difficulties living with the Widow Douglas and her sister, Miss Watson. Huck grew up living wild out in the open, simply going however he wanted. Presently he living in a house, with two women that are exceptionally severe with habits. Despite the fact that, he doesn’t runaway back to the forested areas, he despite everything wishes he could return to the simple living in the graceless outside. When Huck’s father learns of his riches, he grabs Huck, and returns him to a lodge on the opposite side of the stream. After rehashed beatings Huck escapes and makes the scene look as though he had been killed. He at that point stows away on Jackson Island, and comes back to his life of opportunity. Additionally on the Island is Jim, Miss Watson’s runaway slave. Subsequent to discovering that the men of the town are scanning for Jim, the two burden up on a pontoon and sail down the stream. Huck’s life has changed definitely through these course of occasions. At the point when he was living around he learned habits, and how to be enlightened. Presently he is drifting calmly down the Mississippi River cool as a cucumber. For Jim, life on the stream is continually undermining. They should go around evening time, and cover up during the days. Jim’s plan is to go to the Ohio waterway, and travel north into the free states. One night, in a tempest they glide past Cairo and can't cruise back upstream, to the Ohio. Jim’s mystery is placed in peril, when two cheats, are gotten by Huck. They get some information about the nearness of Jim, on the pontoon, yet Huck is astute with his answer. Huck Finn :: expositions explore papers The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, by Mark Twain, is an account of a youngster who winds up in numerous capricious circumstances. In the novel, Huck is continually changing his setting. It is possible that he is on the land, at the shore of the strong Mississippi stream, or upon a little pontoon skimming downstream. Since Huck lives on both the shore and the stream, the peruser can think about the contrasts between them. To Huck the waterway has feeling of opportunity. Contrasted with life on the shore, Huck accepts the stream ought to be his home. For his buddy, the runaway slave, Jim, life is constantly risky due to the cost on his head. Additionally there are constantly shrouded dangers that can spring up whenever. Huck Finn, the child of the town alcoholic, experiences serious difficulties living with the Widow Douglas and her sister, Miss Watson. Huck grew up living wild out in the open, simply going however he wanted. Presently he living in a house, with two women that are exceptionally exacting with habits. Despite the fact that, he doesn’t runaway back to the forested areas, he despite everything wishes he could return to the sim ple living in the graceless outside. When Huck’s father learns of his riches, he abducts Huck, and returns him to a lodge on the opposite side of the waterway. After rehashed beatings Huck escapes and makes the scene look as though he had been killed. He at that point covers up on Jackson Island, and comes back to his life of opportunity. Likewise on the Island is Jim, Miss Watson’s runaway slave. Subsequent to discovering that the men of the town are scanning for Jim, the two burden up on a pontoon and sail down the waterway. Huck’s life has changed definitely through these course of occasions. At the point when he was living around he learned habits, and how to be socialized. Presently he is skimming calmly down the Mississippi River cool as a cucumber. For Jim, life on the waterway is continually undermining. They should go around evening time, and cover up during the days. Jim’s plan is to go to the Ohio waterway, and travel north into the free states. One night, in a tempest they coast past Cairo and can't cruise back upstream, to the Ohio. Jim’s mystery is placed in danger, when two fakes, are gotten by Huck. They get some information about the nearness of Jim, on the pontoon, however Huck is astute with his answer.

Blank Generation On Discovering Oral History

Blank Generation On Discovering Oral History Currently based out of Vancouver, British Columbia, Rachel  Rosenberg is a library technician and published writer; at 14, a short story of hers appeared in Chicken Soup for the Teenage Soul 2 and she can therefore be considered a literary equivalent to the little redheaded girl from 1982’s film adaptation of Annie. She has produced freelance articles, creative nonfiction essays and short stories. When I was growing up in suburban Montreal, my dad and I used to go to the local library together almost every week. There wasn’t much to do in Ville St. Laurent; it was close enough to downtown that most people left the area to attend events, so we had a mall but no movie theatre and coffee shop options were limited to Dunkin Donuts and Tim Hortons. Our library was large and spacious with three levels of books to unearth. I’d always been a voracious readerâ€"in third grade, I borrowed my dad’s copy of Stephen King’s Firestarter because I was looking for a more complex read than what I was then enjoying: a series of Full House spin-off novels. I wasn’t great in school, struggling with math and science in a way that made the classroom a place of frustration and anger. School was where I dragged myself every morning, uniform slightly askew out of spite, and got told that I did everything wrong. I spent a lot of time in detention, mostly for skipped classes and untucked uniform shirts (I was especially resentful because our school forced us to wear a uniform despite the fact that it wasn’t a private schoolâ€"what other public school in North America did that?). School made me feel stupid, whereas the library let me feel curious and hopeful. Books were filled with writing that didn’t require a thesis statement, and I felt that authors were my people. It was there, in the shelves of adult nonfiction, that teenage-me spotted a red book spine with the words Please Kill Me written in torn paper style, like a kidnapper’s note. Holding the book in my hands, it felt illicit: the skinny, ill-looking men clutching their bleeding hearts; the aggressive phrasing; and pages full of drug addiction, drag queens, and general New York City badassery. The full title: Please Kill Me: An Oral History of Punk Rock. Though I’d never listened to punk rock at the time, the cover and first few pages worth of stories had me intrigued. It was funny and wild, these pages inked with lives that were unimaginable to me. Plus, for a furious girl, the more I read about punk the more I wanted to find these CDs in my local HMV. What makes an oral history so distinct from a regular ol’ history is the stories from the people involved, not just the musicians and journalists, but groupies and club managers. The people who are on the sidelines often have great insights because the pressure wasn’t on them in the same way; they were watching as history was made. A good oral history will give the reader a feel for the personalities involved: you read Lou Reed in his own meandering, strange words, or hear the frustrated ranting of a New York Doll complaining about his fellow band-mates. The unfiltered structure gives a visceral, hands-in-the-dirt vision of the time and place. To this day, I think Please Kill Me did it the best out of all the punk rock histories I’ve readâ€"the characters are so vibrant that it really immersed me in the scene of 1970s NYC punk. Cut to many, many years later. Oral histories have suddenly become a fad in pop culture reporting, and not just in books, as magazines have begun reuniting bands and the casts of popular TV shows. Plenty of book-form oral histories have been published in the last couple of years: Meet Me in the Bathroom, about the New York City music scene between 2001 and 2011, Everybody Loves Our Town, about Seattle’s grunge scene, and As If, an oral history of the movie Clueless. In the mid-90s, though, I’d never read anything like that. The book introduced me to new bands that quickly became favorites, revealing that punk is more than leather jackets and a bad attitude, but myriad different styles and characteristics. It was experimentation, with noisy, technically impressive bands like Television. It was dorky, if you listen to The Ramones’s many love songs. It was comforting, listening to a song like Richard Hell’s “Blank Generation” and realizing that my teenage apathy was normal. Finally, it felt like a world that was attainable because the whole point of it was doing what you wanted and finding a way to make it work. Without a library, I’d have never made this discovery. Now, I work as a library technician, surrounding myself with page after page of different worlds, and helping people find writing that will change their lives. 1970s punk is still my favorite, powering me up to fight against a world that often seems to want us to feel small and stupid.   Other recommended music histories (not oral histories but they really round out Please Kill Me): England’s Dreaming by Jon Savage, Rip It Up and Start Again by Simon Reynolds, and From the Velvets To the Voltoids by Clinton Heylin. Sign up for True Story to receive nonfiction news, new releases, and must-read forthcoming titles.

How the physical effects of ageing affect an elderlys self...

How the physical effects of ageing affect a persons self esteem and self confidence As a person becomes old they seem to lack in confidence. For some this isnt the case but ageing can affect it in many ways. Not only positively but negatively too. Self esteem is how someone feels about themselves as a person but self confidence is how they protray themselves to others around them. Some being very confident but others not being confident at all. Compared to when they were young the elderly may lose there self confidence as they begin to age and there are many reasons for that. A lot of people tend to be very negative towards life because some may be embarassed about themselves such as the old ageing look grey hair, wrinkles and†¦show more content†¦Not everyone feels that they have to stay in just because they are old and worthless. Every person is different in there own way, whether they lack in confidence or not. I can understand why old people do tend to lose confidence as it isnt very nice to have to walk around with wispy grey hair and old wrinkly skin. It is embarassing for them and if they do love to take pride in there appearence then seeing themself as old can knock there confidence a lot. A lot of people are very insecure with the way they look as they dont want to be stared or laughed at. It is very understandable for an elderly person to be the way they are. Its not everyones cup of tea to go out and socialise, many like to stay in there own environment where it is comfortable but by being forced to go out to these centres it could actually make a person gain confidence despite the fact they dont have any at all. It is a real ice breaker and I even feel that it is a really great way to help someone to become happy again. It says that it caters for everyones needs, even the ones that struggle with every day life. They dont leave anybody out so nobody has an excuse to not socialise. It is a confidence boosterShow MoreRelatedUnit 4 - Developing Through the Life Stages - Task 3, P4, P53808 Words   |  16 Pagesthe life stages Task 3 P4 amp; M2 P5 amp; M3 P4 amp; M2 Because people don’t always age in the same way as others there are different possibilities of what may occur during ageing, some people may develop serious problems in their fifty’s while others may not develop any problems until they’re in their nineties. Physical changes The menopause occurs when the hormone levels oestrogen and progesterone in a woman falls and the body stops producing eggs, once this starts to occur then menstruationRead MoreEssay about Improving Senior Health2015 Words   |  9 Pageswebsite, â€Å"The world is rapidly ageing. While this is an important challenge for the developed world, 70% of all older people now live in low or middle-income countries. Population ageing is also occurring much faster in these countries. This means they will have a much briefer opportunity ti build the infrastructure necessary to address this demographies trend†(Our Ageing World). Now that the elder population is increasing the main focus should be on the elderly and spending more time taking careRead MoreDis Engagement Theory And The Active Theory2072 Words   |  9 Pagesdevelopment. Socio Dis-engagement theory shows that the ageing claims that elderly people are disengaged from society and social role models due to their inevitability of death. However disengagement theorists have said that that elderly people begin to disengage themselves from previous social groups realising that they will die in the near future. Moreover the people from the dis engagement theories were one of the first theorists of ageing that were developed and acknowledged by social scientistRead MoreUnit 4:P4: to Describe Two Theories of Ageing –Disengagement and Activity P5 – Describe Physical and Psychological Changes Due to the Ageing Process M3: Use Examples to Describe the 2 Theories of Ageing D2: Evaluate the2204 Words   |  9 Pagesdescribe two theories of ageing –disengagement and activity P5 – Describe physical and psychological changes due to the ageing process M3: Use examples to describe the 2 theories of ageing D2: Evaluate the influence of 2 major theories on health and social care provisions. The activity theory The Activity Theory was originally an idea that was proposed by Lemon Bengtson amp;Peterson this proposal was seen to have a much more hopeful and positive view on ageing in comparison to the disengagementRead MoreHealth and social care unit 4 p53291 Words   |  14 Pagesï » ¿P5, 5a, 5b – M3 Explain the physical and psychological changes which may be associated with ageing. Physical changes that you can see as you begin to get older are: You’re Organs: As you begin to get older your muscles within your digestive tract can start to become really weak and would possibly start giving you the risk of having a lot of constipation. Also as you get older your heart is beginning to get less efficient and would not be able to pump the blood around your body like what itRead MoreSemiotics, The, And The Greatest Obsessions Of Beauty By Hayao Miyazaki1577 Words   |  7 Pagesforms which exists in symbolic visualisations and consist of significant meanings behind a message. By analysing the syntagmatic structure of the film, directed by Hayao Miyazaki, one can gather that the film s overall intent is portraying the effects of war and pacifism and the greatest obsessions of beauty by juxtaposing signs, symbols, denotation, connection and myth. My analysis is separated into 4 juxtapositions: war, pacifism, beauty, ugliness and consumerism; each identifying the signifiesRead MoreCare of the Older Person Essay3297 Words   |  14 PagesHow can nurses ensure that older people are treated with respect and dignity whist being cared for in hospital or in the community? The aim of the following essay is to explore how nurses can ensure that older people are treated with respect and dignity whist being cared for in hospital or the community. The essay will seek to gain an understanding of the biopsychosocial influences associated with dignity which affect the older person. Age concern describe dignity to mean that everyoneRead MoreThe Information Behavior Of The Elderly6585 Words   |  27 PagesThe Information Behavior of the Elderly Who are the elderly? For the purposes of this paper the elderly, who may hereafter be referred to as seniors, senior citizens, and/or older adults is defined as persons over the age of 65. Senior citizens are one of the fastest growing populations in both the United States and Canada. It has been projected that the population of senior citizens in the U.S. will double by 2026. This population is by no means homogenous and, for the purpose of studies, isRead MoreMusic Therapy in Dementia Care2952 Words   |  12 Pagesis an extremely common disease among the elderly, with 4 million Americans currently suffering from the Alzheimer’s type alone. Figures show that 3% of people between the ages of 65-74 suffer from the disease, rapidly increasing to 19% for the 75-84 age bracket, and as high as 47% for the over 85s. Therefore, it is easy to see why Dementia is such a large part of many people’s lives, whether they are suffering from the condition themselves, or have an elderly relative who r equires full time care justRead Moreageisum2235 Words   |  9 Pages Modern society view’s aging as a form of sickness and the elderly as persons who are closer to dying and death. This is what is often portrayed in our mass and social media. When considering issues of aging sociologists have found that more positive characteristics are often said for persons under sixty five years than for over sixty five years. For instance , growth and development, beauty, good health, happiness are more likely to be listed as characteristics of being under sixty

Essay History and Structure of Venice - 2497 Words

History and Structure of Venice Problems with format ?Venice is one of the most fascinating places to travel in Europe.? Its intrigue lies in its unique beginnings, its dominant past, and its remarkable people and their buildings.? Its foundation is unique because of the need for protection that drove the early Venetians to their new home and the location of this new dwelling-place:? ?Rarely in human history has a vigorous and progressive civilization arisen in a less likely place than the mud flats of the Venetian lagoon.?1? Venice rose to power by its domination of the sea and reached its climax during the years of the Renaissance.? It is during this time period that it truly became ?the bride of the Adriatic and the unchallenged†¦show more content†¦by fishing and drying seawater to get salt.8? This lifestyle was disrupted in the fifth and sixth centuries when mainlanders from Venetia fled to the marshy islands. ?As the Roman Empire was crumbling in Italy, Huns, Goths, and Lombards began invading towns in the north.? Citizens of Padua, Verona, and Vicenza were forced to travel to the islands of the lagoon.? The most influential invasion occurred in 452 when Attila the Hun drove everyone out of Venetia and they settled ?on the muddy, reed-covered islands of the Rivo Alto.?9? Alethea Wiel claims that the residents of Venezia decided to ?fix an abiding and permanent dwelling-place among the isles and estuaries of the sea; and that moment may be looked upon as the date of the foundation of Venice.?10? The newcomers discovered a thick layer of clay was under the islands.? They put down wooden piles into the clay, then covered these with oak logs and rocks to create the foundation of Venice:? ?it is strange to think how from the shifting unstable formation of mud-bands and sand-isles a city would arise, whose beauty would remain unequalled.?11? In the year 466, the citizens of the Venetian lagoon elected fourteen representatives (one from each island involved) to form a town council.? As more mainland towns were invaded, the populations of the islands rose, causing twelve more councilors to be added in 584.? In 697, theseShow MoreRelatedThe Italian People, Culture and Cities in Movies, Questions and Answers778 Words   |  3 Pages(1) How do the films discussed link the concepts of ‚crime’ and ‚travelling’? What makes travelling such an interesting phenomenon within the crime genre? Please also refer to the narrative structure of crime films. Travelling has used to be an activity that entirely differs from our everyday life, an escape in order to find authenticity. Travelling forces people from their comfort zones and lead to new emotions, new actions, new perceptions, acquired through the prism of another reality. For a longRead MoreComparison Between Roman And Roman Civilization1622 Words   |  7 Pages The fresco was based upon an event in the history of Rome famous at the time, the encounter between Pope Leo the Great and Attila the Hun. Although the fresco has historical inaccuracies within it, the fresco as an allusion to classical civilization was clear. Although the actual event was at Mantua, the picture implied that the event occurred at Rome, perhaps to evoke more strong memories of Roman civilization. The event marked the end of the Hunnic invasion, and represented one of the last momentsRead MoreThe World Of The Eastern Hemisphere1497 Words   |  6 Pagesand infamous Genghis Khan. Marco Polo was only six years old when his father and uncle set out eastward on their first trip to Cathay (China). He was by then fifteen years old when his father and his uncle returned to Venice and his mother had already passed away. He remained in Venice with his father and uncle for two more years and then three of them embarked the most courageous journey to Cathay the second time. Thi s journey thus began the medieval period of intercourse between China and the dominantlyRead MoreVisit At St. Mark s Basilica1539 Words   |  7 Pagesglass-blowing studios on Murano than just the touristy ones. http://fhands.com/HQnKU1D (italylogue.com) Tour the Doge’s Palace Right next (and partly connected) to St. Mark’s Basilica, the Doge’s Palace is arguably the second most important â€Å"attraction† in Venice after the basilica (if you don’t count the city itself as an â€Å"attraction†). While there are several good reasons to pay the hefty admission fee to tour the Doge’s Palace (Palazzo Ducale in Italian), probably the most popular stop on the tour is whenRead MoreThe Merchant Of Venice : Tragedy, Comedy Or Tragicomedy1363 Words   |  6 PagesProfessor Silva English 200 13 January 2017 The Merchant of Venice: Tragedy, Comedy or Tragicomedy Can time and historical events affect the categorization of a literary piece? William Shakespeare’s The Merchant of Venice is a play that is difficult to classify in a specific genre. It is often referred to as one of his problem plays. This means that it does not easily fall into a single category. Most literary sources categorize The Merchant of Venice as a comedy because it fits the description by havingRead MoreRoman Empire: Roman Bath Houses1298 Words   |  5 Pagesrevived in Venice soda-Lime was developed by glassmakers off the island or Murano in about 1450, and Venetians called this clear, thin glass cristallo. In England, where deforestation was a problem during the 15th century, glassmakers were needed in around1615 to use coal instead of wood in the glassmaking process. Around 1675, the English learned to add lead oxide to the basic glass formula, and this resulted in solid, heavy and durable containers gradually replaced the fragile glasses of Venice. (RIBARead MoreGuido Ruggieros the Boundaries of Eros: Sex Crime and Sexuality in Renaissance Venice1551 Words   |  7 PagesTV, to movies, to the internet. One might think that in the early centuries, such disregard for the privacy and dignity of the sexual act never existed. But as we can see in Ruggieros The Boundaries of Eros: Sex Crime and Sexuality in Renaissance Venice, historical facts beg to differ. By using criminal records, he takes us into a world that, although it is many centuries long ago, is much like todays society in their way of committing sexual crimes and sexual behavior. In my opinion, Ruggiero doesRead MoreThe Religious Emancipation Of The Crusades Essay1738 Words   |  7 Pagesimperishable glory in the Kingdom of Heaven† (Durant 587). However, just as religion can be attributed to the reason for Urban’s crusade, so too can the financial and economic goals of both the Church, nobility, and common folk. Changing economic structure in the medieval period fostered a need for change in commerce and trade. With that, came an ambition from the lower class to change their socio-economic status. The emergence of the merchant class, desire for commerce and trade among centralizedRead MoreGondola Case Analysis1129 Words   |  5 Pagesdifficulties whilst trying to balance heritage and culture, pricing structure, and will highlight recommendations and customer’s reactions. The report will contain definitions, strategies and theories gathered from relevant marketing texts. 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Skills of a Project Manager Free Essays

string(256) " your project managers need more technical skills than they already possess\? On larger complex projects, such as systems integration projects or multiple-year projects, there are frequently too many complex technologies for the project manager to master\." 13_26_ch02. fm Page 13 Friday, September 8, 2000 2:43 PM Chapter 2 Basic Skills for Project Managers Be not afraid of greatness; some are born great; some achieve greatness—others have greatness thrust upon them. William Shakespeare Twelfth Night Introduction Before now, we had discussed project management in the broad sense, that is, from the perspective that any type of project—industrial assembly line, new construction, or technology implementation— operated by the same sets of rules and processes. We will write a custom essay sample on Skills of a Project Manager or any similar topic only for you Order Now For the remainder of this book, we focus on the last type of project and its leader—the IT project manager. Project managers are a very special breed of people. They are in much demand and will be increasingly so as the need for effective technologists continues to soar. Good technology project managers are trained, not born. They develop skills through experience and education. They become better project managers each time they successfully deliver a project. They learn new techniques and apply them on their projects. They learn lessons—sometimes the hard way—to be better managers in the future. 13 13_26_ch02. fm Page 14 Friday, September 8, 2000 2:43 PM What Does a Project Manager Do? Briefly, technology project managers fulfill the following broad requirements: G G G G G G G G Define and review the business case and requirements by regular reviews and controls to ensure that the client receives the system that he or she wants and needs. Initiate and plan the project by establishing its format, direction, and base lines that allow for any variance measurements and change control. Partner with the end users, work with project sponsors and other management to establish progress and direction of the project by achieving goals, reaching targets, solving problems, mitigating risks. Manage the technology, people, and change in order to achieve goals, reach targets, and deliver the project on time and within budget. Manage the project staff by creating an environment conducive to the delivery of the new application in the most cost-effective manner. Be able to manage uncertainty, rapid change, ambiguity, surprises, and a less defined environment. Manage the client relationship by using an adequate direct yet complete and formal reporting format that compliments a respected and productive relationship. Drive the project by leading by example, and motivating allconcerned until the project accomplishes its goal. Now let us examine the skills and qualities needed to meet these requirements. Necessary Skills The skills that a good project manager possesses are many and varied, covering the entire spectrum of the human personality. We can divide these skills into a number of specific categories, namely: 14 Chapter 2 | Basic Skills for Project Managers 13_26_ch02. fm Page 15 Friday, September 8, 2000 2:43 PM Personal Skills Project Managers must be able to motivate and sustain people. Project team members will look to the project manager to solve problems and help with removing obstacles. Project managers must be able to address and solve problems within the team, as well as those that occur outside the team. There are numerous ways, both subtle and direct, in which project managers can help team members. Some examples include the following: G G G G G G Manage by example (MBE). Team members will be closely watching all actions of the project manager. Therefore, project managers must be honest, direct, straightforward, and knowledgeable in all dealings with people and with the project. A good manager knows how to work hard and have fun, and this approach becomes contagious. A positive attitude. Project managers must always have a positive attitude, even when there are substantial difficulties, problems, or project obstacles. Negative attitudes erode confidence, and a downward spiral will follow. Define expectations. Managers who manage must clearly define what is expected of team members. It is important to do this in writing—get agreement from the individual team members. This leaves no room for problems later, when someone states â€Å"It’s not my job. † Performance expectations must be defined at the start of the project. Be considerate. Project management is a demanding job with a need for multiple skills at many levels. Above all, be considerate and respectful, and give people and team members the time and consideration they deserve. Make people aware that their efforts are appreciated and the work that they do is important, because it is. A letter, personal word, or e-mail of appreciation goes a long way. Be direct. Project managers are respected if they are direct, open, and deal with all types of problems. Never conceal problems or avoid addressing them. If a problem is bigger than the project manager or the team can deal with, escalate it to senior management. Never make commitments that cannot be delivered. Finally, a favorite and personal rule of the author: â€Å"Underpromise, then over-deliver. † 15 Necessary Skills 13_26_ch02. fm Page 16 Friday, September 8, 2000 2:43 PM Technical Skills There are two schools of thought about the level needed for technical skills. Some project managers prefer to have little technical knowledge about the projects they manage, preferring to leave the technical management to other junior managers, such as programming managers or network managers. Others have detailed technical skills of computer languages, software, and networks. There is no hard and fast rule. It really depends on the type and size of projects, their structure, resources available, and the project environment. Questions that project managers should ask include the following: 1. What types of technical problems require management? 2. Who will solve them? 3. Is it done with quality and satisfaction? 4. Who can I rely on in my project team? 5. What outside resources, if any, can I draw on for assistance? As with all employees, project managers should have the technical knowledge and skills needed to do their jobs. If managers lack these skills, training is one option; being mentored or coached by a more experienced individual is another. Senior management should ask the question, Do your project managers need more technical skills than they already possess? On larger complex projects, such as systems integration projects or multiple-year projects, there are frequently too many complex technologies for the project manager to master. You read "Skills of a Project Manager" in category "Papers" Technical training that provides breadth may be useful. On smaller projects, the project manager may also be a key technical contributor. In this case, technical training may enhance the abilities of project managers to contribute technically, but it is unlikely to improve their management skills. One thing is abundantly clear—the project manager is ultimately responsible for the entire management of the project, technical or otherwise, and will require solutions to the technical issues that will occur. 16 Chapter 2 | Basic Skills for Project Managers 3_26_ch02. fm Page 17 Friday, September 8, 2000 2:43 PM Management Skills Project managers need other key skills besides those that are purely technical to lead and deliver on their projects successfully. A good project manager needs to understand many facets of the business aspect of running a project, so critical skills touch on expertise in the areas of organization, communication, finance, and human resources. The following a re examples of the management topics used in training effective project managers: G G G G G G G G G G G G G G G Project planning, initiation, and organization Recruiting people and keeping them Effective project negotiation Software tools for project management Accurate estimating and cost control Project execution and control Developing powerful project presentations and reports Personal and project leadership Managing risk and making decisions Effective problem management Performance management Managing the projects within the organization Project management professional (PMP) exam review Growing and sustaining a high-performance team Managing change within an organization This last skill cannot be over-emphasized. Although we worry about whether the technology selected is the correct one for the organization and will lead to success, projects do not generally fail because of lack of adequate technology. Statistically, most projects fail because the â€Å"soft science† portions of the project have not received enough attention—the human factor has not been adequately addressed. Change, whether for good or for bad, is stressful on an organization and its personnel. The ability to manage this change is one area in which any good project manager would do well to hone skills. Necessary Skills 17 13_26_ch02. fm Page 18 Friday, September 8, 2000 2:43 PM Coping Skills A good project manager has to acquire a number of skills to cope with different situations, conflicts, uncertainty, and doubt. This means: G G G G G Being flexible Being persistent and firm when necessary Being creative, even when the project does not call for it Absorbing large volumes of data from multiple sources Being patient but able to differentiate between patience and action Being able to handle large amounts of continuous, often unrelenting stress G Additionally, good project managers have high tolerance for surprises, uncertainty, and ambiguity. Projects rarely progress the way that they are defined, and managers need to manage the uncertainty that comes with that. Manage One Project—or Many? There is no simple answer to this question: some managers are able to juggle multiple projects and disparate deadlines successfully, and others are not. In these days of multiple projects that have to be delivered quickly, it is very possible that management will require managing multiple projects. However, this brings a risk. Will project managers be stretched too thin? Again, there is no single, reliable answer. Project managers and senior management need to ask themselves some basic questions: G G How much support will be provided? How many people are on the project? Are they part-time or fulltime? What are the management challenges? An adequately budgeted project may require less effort to manage than one that is extremely thin. Chapter 2 | Basic Skills for Project Managers G 18 13_26_ch02. fm Page 19 Friday, September 8, 2000 2:43 PM G G G Are all the projects in the same physical location or will the project manager spend a lot of time traveling? Do all the projects involve the same technology? The same business cultures? The same set of stakeholders? How many of the projects have important deadlines that are close together? The answers to these questions will aid in determining whether multiple projects can share a management resource. The more complex the projects from the standpoints of staffing, budgeting, and technology, the more likely it is that they will need a dedicated resource to manage them adequately. Project Management Skills Development One of the surest ways to align strategies and work force competencies with enterprise vision is to create a road map from vision to execution. A skills management process starts in the future and works its way back to the present. An IT skills management process, for example, links the enterprise vision to a technology forecast. The technology forecasts to required skills, the required skills to the IT skills inventory, the skills inventory to the IT staff’s competence levels, and the competence levels to gaps and to the time frame during which those gaps need to be filled. Leadership, team building, marketing, business savvy, project management, manufacturing know-how, functional expertise, and institutional knowledge all are part of the skills picture. Skills management serves as an order for managing the work force (see Figure 2–1). It lays out a road map for skills development, work role definition, career tracks, resource management, staffing allocation, workload balancing, and learning. With a road map, all members of the work force can fit their strengths, weaknesses, and alternatives into the enterprise’s plans. Skills management is becoming a lifeline in a turbulent IT labor market. Midsize and large enterprises, businesses in the private and public sectors, aggressive and conservative companies—all are looking at skills management with renewed interest. Many enterprises now recognize that the combined lack of enterprise planning, imagination, and Project Management Skills Development 19 13_26_ch02. fm Page 20 Friday, September 8, 2000 2:43 PM Enterprise Objective Forecast Where does the enterprise want to be in 36 months? What information, technologies and skills will it need to get there? What skills are in-house (e. g. , technical, business, leadership and project management)? What skills will it need in 12 months? 24 months? 36 months? How valuable will today’s skills be in 12 months? 24 months? 36 months? How proficient are the IS staff members in the established and the needed skills? What education and training will the enterprise offer, to whom and how will it provide this? What sources of IT skills — internal and external — can we use to fill the gaps? Skill Inventory Skill Definition Strategic Skill Valuation Proficiency Levels Learning Portfolio Sourcing Figure 2–1 Skills Management—A Road Map for the Work Force (Source: Gartner Group, Inc. ). foresight are as much to blame for today’s labor crunch as is the shortage of relevant IT skills. In that climate, skills management can be a powerful tool for bringing discipline, rationale, and cross-pollination to an underused process. Even more enticing, many IT professionals, under the mantle of career â€Å"entrepreneurism,† will throw in their lot with enterprises that have clearly committed to and funded skills management programs. Having a road map with which to guide career development is more meaningful than wandering until serendipity strikes. Three years ago, when large organizations first began covering the area of skills management, it was a process reserved for the most progressive enterprises. By methodically and meticulously forecasting, classifying, analyzing, and taking inventory of skills, progressive enterprises could identify the urgency and volume of skills gaps, create focused training programs, and add some rational thinking to their sourcing strategies. Skills management continues to satisfy those needs, even fos20 Chapter 2 | Basic Skills for Project Managers 13_26_ch02. fm Page 21 Friday, September 8, 2000 2:43 PM tering a niche market of consultants and software developers that are eager to bring order to IT Human Resource management. Before moving on, it is beneficial to make sure that everybody is speaking the same language. In the Gartner Group’s definition of perspective, skills management is a robust and systematic approach to forecasting, identifying, cataloguing, evaluating, and analyzing the work force skills, competencies and gaps that enterprises face. Although many programs and initiatives adopt the label skills management, most of them focus on skills inventory and fall short in analysis and forecasting. A well-designed skills management process injects a stronger dose of discipline, coordination, and planning into work force planning, strategic planning, professional training and development programs, resource allocation maneuvering, and risk analysis and assessment. Enterprises can reap several lessons from skills management. Skills management works if it: G G G G G G Defines skills for roles Forces forward thinking Forces some documentation of what makes an IT professional especially proficient Strengthens the organization Leads to focused training, risk assessment, sourcing strategy, and resource allocation via gap identification Attracts high-level endorsement Does not define work roles Lacks plans or incentive for refreshment Communicates its purpose poorly Provides differing language and terminology Force-fits skills and work roles to policies, rather than driving new frameworks Skills management does not work if it: G G G G G Project Management Skills Development 21 13_26_ch02. fm Page 22 Friday, September 8, 2000 2:43 PM Skills Management Case Study A North American manufacturing company set a goal to boost revenue by $300 million within three years. Key to the growth was a new way of dealing with information and IT. First, hoarding of information by divisions had to give way to enterprise ownership of information. Second, ubiquitous access to information required a managed and enterprise-wide migration to standards, interoperability, common platforms, and client/server technology. Finally, the vision of ubiquitous access depended on substantially upgrading the IT organization’s skill base, supplementing and supplanting mainframe skills with skills associated with distributed processing and client/server application development. The company embarked on an ambitious initiative designed to cultivate the technical skills and business understanding of the IT professionals. The initiative—notably, company-wide skill identification and continuous training—will help the company to raise its skills level and will give IT employees control of their professional development. Elements of the IT professional development initiative included: G Identifying eight areas of IT professional skills, technical skills being only one area (a detailed discussion on the eight areas identified follows this list) Assigning company values to skills for the near term, short term, and long term Evaluating employee competence levels within the eight areas of IT professional skills Providing continuous training in critical skills, both technical and non-technical Establishing an IT mentor program Supervisors providing performance planning and coaching Establishing team and peer feedback Flattening the IT organization from 18 to 5 titles Chapter 2 | Basic Skills for Project Managers G G G G G G G 22 13_26_ch02. fm Page 23 Friday, September 8, 2000 2:43 PM G Mapping skills and performance values to â€Å"salary zones† within the flatter organization With the help of outside experts, IT executives identified more than 125 skills in eight areas of IT professional development. The eight areas of focus for IT professional development and a sampling of associated skills include: G Customer focus—employee possesses knowledge of customers’ business needs and expectations; delivers constructive qualitative feedback to customers, meets deadlines, and works with customers to set requirements and schedules Technical skills—employee possesses skills related to programming, computer-aided software engineering, desktop client services, enterprise infrastructure applications, technical software, and hardware support Product or technology evaluation and expertise—employee analyzes and compares products, makes sound recommendations within the company architecture, understands and recognizes limitations of technologies, can communicate the fundamentals of technology to others, and uses technical team resources to resolve or avoid technology-based problems Business and application expertise—employee possesses knowledge of business-specific applications, knows company’s business and local operations, knows the broad application envir onments (e. g. order entry and accounting), and understands general concepts of business management Project management—employee handles projects of certain size and complexity, estimates project costs and schedules with a degree of accuracy, executes project to plan, manages multiple projects at once, builds teams and organizes team resources, and knows project management tools Interpersonal skills—employee performs as team member or team leader, contributes knowledge to the team and to the organization, and communicates effectively Administrative skills —employee has understanding of budgeting, interviewing, economics of the business, and salary and review process 23 G G G G G G Project Management Skills Development 13_26_ch02. fm Page 24 Friday, September 8, 2000 2:43 PM G Soft skills—employee displays leadership, forward thinking, initiative, drive for education, and commitment to organizational structure and development. Each skill receives a weighting factor based on its strategic significance to the company during the next 12 months, the next 12 to 24 months, and the next 24 to 60 months. A skill considered critical to the company earns a weight of 6; a skill with no value to the company earns a weight of 0. After the company skills are identified and their weights assigned, employee skills are crosschecked against the company skills and assigned a score based on the employee’s competence level. Employee competence levels range from 6 to 1, that is, from mastery to basic understanding. (A competence score of zero is reserved for skills that are either not applicable or not possessed by the employee. Employees then compare their competence scores with those they receive from their peers, team leaders, and supervisors. To see the scoring mechanism in action, assume that the company assigns COBOL programming skills a weight of 4 for the next 12 months and a weight of 3 for the following 12 to 2 4 months. At the same time, an IT employee earns a score of 3 for average skills in COBOL programming. Given the framework, the value of those skills to the employee will be 12 during the next 12 months, but the value will decline to 9 during the next 12 to 24 months. Continuous training is considered essential to the program’s success. Here, the IT executives are seeking to develop an implicit promise between the company and the employees. The company promises to provide the resources and opportunities for training—time, funding, and identification and valuation of strategic skills— if the employees promise to use the training to bridge gaps in the company skills base and in their own skill levels. Armed with the company skills inventory and personal competence scores, employees who take the appropriate training will see their value to the company rise. Employees who choose to forgo appropriate training will see their value diminish. On the plus side, the skills and training program has forced the company to view the IT organization in terms of skills and long-term corporate objectives, not simply in terms of head count. Moreover, employees have responded positively to a program that puts professional development in their hands. On the negative side, skills identification and buy-in from IT managers take so long that the initiative risks losing momentum. 24 Chapter 2 | Basic Skills for Project Managers 13_26_ch02. fm Page 25 Friday, September 8, 2000 2:43 PM Keys to a Successful Skills Management Endeavor Three areas must be worked out for a skills management initiative to be successful: 1. Employees have to adopt the program as their own, rather than as a management dictate, including the employees assuming control of their own professional development 2. Supervisors have to surrender some control over employee development 3. Executives must ensure that employees use metrics as a tool for professional development, not as a weapon in cutthroat competition As enterprises turn to technology to reach the next level of corporate performance, IT organizations should identify the skills they need to meet the corporate objectives. Through a program of skills identification, IT organizations can see the holes in their coverage, set priorities for projects, define which training is required, and determine which skills may need third-party coverage. A commitment to funding for training is essential. Conclusions Rarely has a professional field evolved as rapidly as project management. It is totally different from what it was even 10 years ago. The struggle to stay abreast of new and rapidly evolving technologies, to deal with accumulated development and maintenance backlogs, and to cope with people issues has become a treadmill race as software groups work hard just to stay in place. A key goal of disciplined project managers is to avoid the surprises that can occur when these surprises almost always lead to bad news: canceled projects, late delivery, cost overruns, dissatisfied customers, outsourcing, termination, and unemployment. Indeed, we need to develop management by surprise (MBS) as a project management technique! Keys to a Successful Skills Management Endeavor 25 13_26_ch02. fm Page 26 Friday, September 8, 2000 2:43 PM As we have discussed in this chapter, project managers are a special breed of people. The skills that they develop are a cross between a diplomat, ballet dancer, and a Marine Corps drill sergeant—all while having the patience of Job. These skills will serve them well for future higher-level positions as Vice Presidents, Chief Information Officers (CIOs), and Chief Executive Officers (CEOs) of the corporations for which they work. The culture of an organization is a critical success factor in its efforts to survive, improve, and flourish. A culture based on a commitment to project management and delivering quality projects and effective management differentiates a team that practices excellent project management from a flock of individual programmers doing their best to ship code. Projects rarely fail—but people do. 26 Chapter 2 | Basic Skills for Project Managers How to cite Skills of a Project Manager, Papers Skills of a Project Manager Free Essays Chapter 2. Basic Skills for Project Managers Be not afraid of greatness; some are born great; some achieve greatness—others have greatness thrust upon them. William Shakespeare. We will write a custom essay sample on Skills of a Project Manager or any similar topic only for you Order Now Twelfth Night Introduction Before now, we had discussed project management in the broad sense, that is, from the perspective that any type of project—industrial assembly line, new construction, or technology implementation— operated by the same sets of rules and processes. For the remainder of this book, we focus on the last type of project and its leader—the IT project manager. Project managers are a very special breed of people. They are in much demand and will be increasingly so as the need for effective technologists continues to soar. Good technology project managers are trained, not born. They develop skills through experience and education. They become better project managers each time they successfully deliver a project. They learn new techniques and apply them on their projects. They learn lessons—sometimes the hard way—to be better managers in the future. 13 13_26_ch02. fm Page 14 Friday, September 8, 2000 2:43 PM What Does a Project Manager Do? Briefly, technology project managers fulfill the following broad requirements: G G G G G G G G Define and review the business case and requirements by regular reviews and controls to ensure that the client receives the system that he or she wants and needs. Initiate and plan the project by establishing its format, direction, and base lines that allow for any variance measurements and change control. Partner with the end users, work with project sponsors and other management to establish progress and direction of the project by achieving goals, reaching targets, solving problems, mitigating risks. Manage the technology, people, and change in order to achieve goals, reach targets, and deliver the project on time and within budget. Manage the project staff by creating an environment conducive to the delivery of the new application in the most cost-effective manner. Be able to manage uncertainty, rapid change, ambiguity, surprises, and a less defined environment. Manage the client relationship by using an adequate direct yet complete and formal reporting format that compliments a respected and productive relationship. Drive the project by leading by example, and motivating allconcerned until the project accomplishes its goal. Now let us examine the skills and qualities needed to meet these requirements. Necessary Skills The skills that a good project manager possesses are many and varied, covering the entire spectrum of the human personality. We can divide these skills into a number of specific categories, namely: 14 Chapter 2 | Basic Skills for Project Managers 13_26_ch02. fm Page 15 Friday, September 8, 2000 2:43 PM Personal Skills Project Managers must be able to motivate and sustain people. Project team members will look to the project manager to solve problems and help with removing obstacles. Project managers must be able to address and solve problems within the team, as well as those that occur outside the team. There are numerous ways, both subtle and direct, in which project managers can help team members. Some examples include the following: G G G G G G Manage by example (MBE). Team members will be closely watching all actions of the project manager. Therefore, project managers must be honest, direct, straightforward, and knowledgeable in all dealings with people and with the project. A good manager knows how to work hard and have fun, and this approach becomes contagious. A positive attitude. Project managers must always have a positive attitude, even when there are substantial difficulties, problems, or project obstacles. Negative attitudes erode confidence, and a downward spiral will follow. Define expectations. Managers who manage must clearly define what is expected of team members. It is important to do this in writing—get agreement from the individual team members. This leaves no room for problems later, when someone states â€Å"It’s not my job. † Performance expectations must be defined at the start of the project. Be considerate. Project management is a demanding job with a need for multiple skills at many levels. Above all, be considerate and respectful, and give people and team members the time and consideration they deserve. Make people aware that their efforts are appreciated and the work that they do is important, because it is. A letter, personal word, or e-mail of appreciation goes a long way. Be direct. Project managers are respected if they are direct, open, and deal with all types of problems. Never conceal problems or avoid addressing them. If a problem is bigger than the project manager or the team can deal with, escalate it to senior management. Never make commitments that cannot be delivered. Finally, a favorite and personal rule of the author: â€Å"Underpromise, then over-deliver. † 15 Necessary Skills 13_26_ch02. fm Page 16 Friday, September 8, 2000 2:43 PM Technical Skills There are two schools of thought about the level needed for technical skills. Some project managers prefer to have little technical knowledge about the projects they manage, preferring to leave the technical management to other junior managers, such as programming managers or network managers. Others have detailed technical skills of computer languages, software, and networks. There is no hard and fast rule. It really depends on the type and size of projects, their structure, resources available, and the project environment. Questions that project managers should ask include the following: 1. What types of technical problems require management? 2. Who will solve them? 3. Is it done with quality and satisfaction? 4. Who can I rely on in my project team? 5. What outside resources, if any, can I draw on for assistance? As with all employees, project managers should have the technical knowledge and skills needed to do their jobs. If managers lack these skills, training is one option; being mentored or coached by a more experienced individual is another. Senior management should ask the question, Do your project managers need more technical skills than they already possess? On larger complex projects, such as systems integration projects or multiple-year projects, there are frequently too many complex technologies for the project manager to master. Technical training that provides breadth may be useful. On smaller projects, the project manager may also be a key technical contributor. In this case, technical training may enhance the abilities of project managers to contribute technically, but it is unlikely to improve their management skills. One thing is abundantly clear—the project manager is ultimately responsible for the entire management of the project, technical or otherwise, and will require solutions to the technical issues that will occur. 16 Chapter 2 | Basic Skills for Project Managers 3_26_ch02. fm Page 17 Friday, September 8, 2000 2:43 PM Management Skills Project managers need other key skills besides those that are purely technical to lead and deliver on their projects successfully. A good project manager needs to understand many facets of the business aspect of running a project, so critical skills touch on expertise in the areas of organization, communication, finance, and human resources. The following a re examples of the management topics used in training effective project managers: G G G G G G G G G G G G G G G Project planning, initiation, and organization Recruiting people and keeping them Effective project negotiation Software tools for project management Accurate estimating and cost control Project execution and control Developing powerful project presentations and reports Personal and project leadership Managing risk and making decisions Effective problem management Performance management Managing the projects within the organization Project management professional (PMP) exam review Growing and sustaining a high-performance team Managing change within an organization This last skill cannot be over-emphasized. Although we worry about whether the technology selected is the correct one for the organization and will lead to success, projects do not generally fail because of lack of adequate technology. Statistically, most projects fail because the â€Å"soft science† portions of the project have not received enough attention—the human factor has not been adequately addressed. Change, whether for good or for bad, is stressful on an organization and its personnel. The ability to manage this change is one area in which any good project manager would do well to hone skills. Necessary Skills 17 13_26_ch02. fm Page 18 Friday, September 8, 2000 2:43 PM Coping Skills A good project manager has to acquire a number of skills to cope with different situations, conflicts, uncertainty, and doubt. This means: G G G G G Being flexible Being persistent and firm when necessary Being creative, even when the project does not call for it Absorbing large volumes of data from multiple sources Being patient but able to differentiate between patience and action Being able to handle large amounts of continuous, often unrelenting stress G Additionally, good project managers have high tolerance for surprises, uncertainty, and ambiguity. Projects rarely progress the way that they are defined, and managers need to manage the uncertainty that comes with that. Manage One Project—or Many? There is no simple answer to this question: some managers are able to juggle multiple projects and disparate deadlines successfully, and others are not. In these days of multiple projects that have to be delivered quickly, it is very possible that management will require managing multiple projects. However, this brings a risk. Will project managers be stretched too thin? Again, there is no single, reliable answer. Project managers and senior management need to ask themselves some basic questions: G G How much support will be provided? How many people are on the project? Are they part-time or fulltime? What are the management challenges? An adequately budgeted project may require less effort to manage than one that is extremely thin. Chapter 2 | Basic Skills for Project Managers G 18 13_26_ch02. fm Page 19 Friday, September 8, 2000 2:43 PM G G G Are all the projects in the same physical location or will the project manager spend a lot of time traveling? Do all the projects involve the same technology? The same business cultures? The same set of stakeholders? How many of the projects have important deadlines that are close together? The answers to these questions will aid in determining whether multiple projects can share a management resource. The more complex the projects from the standpoints of staffing, budgeting, and technology, the more likely it is that they will need a dedicated resource to manage them adequately. Project Management Skills Development One of the surest ways to align strategies and work force competencies with enterprise vision is to create a road map from vision to execution. A skills management process starts in the future and works its way back to the present. An IT skills management process, for example, links the enterprise vision to a technology forecast. The technology forecasts to required skills, the required skills to the IT skills inventory, the skills inventory to the IT staff’s competence levels, and the competence levels to gaps and to the time frame during which those gaps need to be filled. Leadership, team building, marketing, business savvy, project management, manufacturing know-how, functional expertise, and institutional knowledge all are part of the skills picture. Skills management serves as an order for managing the work force (see Figure 2–1). It lays out a road map for skills development, work role definition, career tracks, resource management, staffing allocation, workload balancing, and learning. With a road map, all members of the work force can fit their strengths, weaknesses, and alternatives into the enterprise’s plans. Skills management is becoming a lifeline in a turbulent IT labor market. Midsize and large enterprises, businesses in the private and public sectors, aggressive and conservative companies—all are looking at skills management with renewed interest. Many enterprises now recognize that the combined lack of enterprise planning, imagination, and Project Management Skills Development 19 13_26_ch02. fm Page 20 Friday, September 8, 2000 2:43 PM Enterprise Objective Forecast Where does the enterprise want to be in 36 months? What information, technologies and skills will it need to get there? What skills are in-house (e. g. , technical, business, leadership and project management)? What skills will it need in 12 months? 24 months? 36 months? How valuable will today’s skills be in 12 months? 24 months? 36 months? How proficient are the IS staff members in the established and the needed skills? What education and training will the enterprise offer, to whom and how will it provide this? What sources of IT skills — internal and external — can we use to fill the gaps? Skill Inventory Skill Definition Strategic Skill Valuation Proficiency Levels Learning Portfolio Sourcing Figure 2–1 Skills Management—A Road Map for the Work Force (Source: Gartner Group, Inc. ). foresight are as much to blame for today’s labor crunch as is the shortage of relevant IT skills. In that climate, skills management can be a powerful tool for bringing discipline, rationale, and cross-pollination to an underused process. Even more enticing, many IT professionals, under the mantle of career â€Å"entrepreneurism,† will throw in their lot with enterprises that have clearly committed to and funded skills management programs. Having a road map with which to guide career development is more meaningful than wandering until serendipity strikes. Three years ago, when large organizations first began covering the area of skills management, it was a process reserved for the most progressive enterprises. By methodically and meticulously forecasting, classifying, analyzing, and taking inventory of skills, progressive enterprises could identify the urgency and volume of skills gaps, create focused training programs, and add some rational thinking to their sourcing strategies. Skills management continues to satisfy those needs, even fos20 Chapter 2 | Basic Skills for Project Managers 13_26_ch02. fm Page 21 Friday, September 8, 2000 2:43 PM tering a niche market of consultants and software developers that are eager to bring order to IT Human Resource management. Before moving on, it is beneficial to make sure that everybody is speaking the same language. In the Gartner Group’s definition of perspective, skills management is a robust and systematic approach to forecasting, identifying, cataloguing, evaluating, and analyzing the work force skills, competencies and gaps that enterprises face. Although many programs and initiatives adopt the label skills management, most of them focus on skills inventory and fall short in analysis and forecasting. A well-designed skills management process injects a stronger dose of discipline, coordination, and planning into work force planning, strategic planning, professional training and development programs, resource allocation maneuvering, and risk analysis and assessment. Enterprises can reap several lessons from skills management. Skills management works if it: G G G G G G Defines skills for roles Forces forward thinking Forces some documentation of what makes an IT professional especially proficient Strengthens the organization Leads to focused training, risk assessment, sourcing strategy, and resource allocation via gap identification Attracts high-level endorsement Does not define work roles Lacks plans or incentive for refreshment Communicates its purpose poorly Provides differing language and terminology Force-fits skills and work roles to policies, rather than driving new frameworks Skills management does not work if it: G G G G G Project Management Skills Development 21 13_26_ch02. fm Page 22 Friday, September 8, 2000 2:43 PM Skills Management Case Study A North American manufacturing company set a goal to boost revenue by $300 million within three years. Key to the growth was a new way of dealing with information and IT. First, hoarding of information by divisions had to give way to enterprise ownership of information. Second, ubiquitous access to information required a managed and enterprise-wide migration to standards, interoperability, common platforms, and client/server technology. Finally, the vision of ubiquitous access depended on substantially upgrading the IT organization’s skill base, supplementing and supplanting mainframe skills with skills associated with distributed processing and client/server application development. The company embarked on an ambitious initiative designed to cultivate the technical skills and business understanding of the IT professionals. The initiative—notably, company-wide skill identification and continuous training—will help the company to raise its skills level and will give IT employees control of their professional development. Elements of the IT professional development initiative included: G Identifying eight areas of IT professional skills, technical skills being only one area (a detailed discussion on the eight areas identified follows this list) Assigning company values to skills for the near term, short term, and long term Evaluating employee competence levels within the eight areas of IT professional skills Providing continuous training in critical skills, both technical and non-technical Establishing an IT mentor program Supervisors providing performance planning and coaching Establishing team and peer feedback Flattening the IT organization from 18 to 5 titles Chapter 2 | Basic Skills for Project Managers G G G G G G G 22 13_26_ch02. fm Page 23 Friday, September 8, 2000 2:43 PM G Mapping skills and performance values to â€Å"salary zones† within the flatter organization With the help of outside experts, IT executives identified more than 125 skills in eight areas of IT professional development. The eight areas of focus for IT professional development and a sampling of associated skills include: G Customer focus—employee possesses knowledge of customers’ business needs and expectations; delivers constructive qualitative feedback to customers, meets deadlines, and works with customers to set requirements and schedules Technical skills—employee possesses skills related to programming, computer-aided software engineering, desktop client services, enterprise infrastructure applications, technical software, and hardware support Product or technology evaluation and expertise—employee analyzes and compares products, makes sound recommendations within the company architecture, understands and recognizes limitations of technologies, can communicate the fundamentals of technology to others, and uses technical team resources to resolve or avoid technology-based problems Business and application expertise—employee possesses knowledge of business-specific applications, knows company’s business and local operations, knows the broad application envir onments (e. g. order entry and accounting), and understands general concepts of business management Project management—employee handles projects of certain size and complexity, estimates project costs and schedules with a degree of accuracy, executes project to plan, manages multiple projects at once, builds teams and organizes team resources, and knows project management tools Interpersonal skills—employee performs as team member or team leader, contributes knowledge to the team and to the organization, and communicates effectively Administrative skills —employee has understanding of budgeting, interviewing, economics of the business, and salary and review process 23 G G G G G G Project Management Skills Development 13_26_ch02. fm Page 24 Friday, September 8, 2000 2:43 PM G Soft skills—employee displays leadership, forward thinking, initiative, drive for education, and commitment to organizational structure and development. Each skill receives a weighting factor based on its strategic significance to the company during the next 12 months, the next 12 to 24 months, and the next 24 to 60 months. A skill considered critical to the company earns a weight of 6; a skill with no value to the company earns a weight of 0. After the company skills are identified and their weights assigned, employee skills are crosschecked against the company skills and assigned a score based on the employee’s competence level. Employee competence levels range from 6 to 1, that is, from mastery to basic understanding. (A competence score of zero is reserved for skills that are either not applicable or not possessed by the employee. Employees then compare their competence scores with those they receive from their peers, team leaders, and supervisors. To see the scoring mechanism in action, assume that the company assigns COBOL programming skills a weight of 4 for the next 12 months and a weight of 3 for the following 12 to 2 4 months. At the same time, an IT employee earns a score of 3 for average skills in COBOL programming. Given the framework, the value of those skills to the employee will be 12 during the next 12 months, but the value will decline to 9 during the next 12 to 24 months. Continuous training is considered essential to the program’s success. Here, the IT executives are seeking to develop an implicit promise between the company and the employees. The company promises to provide the resources and opportunities for training—time, funding, and identification and valuation of strategic skills— if the employees promise to use the training to bridge gaps in the company skills base and in their own skill levels. Armed with the company skills inventory and personal competence scores, employees who take the appropriate training will see their value to the company rise. Employees who choose to forgo appropriate training will see their value diminish. On the plus side, the skills and training program has forced the company to view the IT organization in terms of skills and long-term corporate objectives, not simply in terms of head count. Moreover, employees have responded positively to a program that puts professional development in their hands. On the negative side, skills identification and buy-in from IT managers take so long that the initiative risks losing momentum. 24 Chapter 2 | Basic Skills for Project Managers 13_26_ch02. fm Page 25 Friday, September 8, 2000 2:43 PM Keys to a Successful Skills Management Endeavor Three areas must be worked out for a skills management initiative to be successful: 1. Employees have to adopt the program as their own, rather than as a management dictate, including the employees assuming control of their own professional development 2. Supervisors have to surrender some control over employee development 3. Executives must ensure that employees use metrics as a tool for professional development, not as a weapon in cutthroat competition As enterprises turn to technology to reach the next level of corporate performance, IT organizations should identify the skills they need to meet the corporate objectives. Through a program of skills identification, IT organizations can see the holes in their coverage, set priorities for projects, define which training is required, and determine which skills may need third-party coverage. A commitment to funding for training is essential. Conclusions Rarely has a professional field evolved as rapidly as project management. It is totally different from what it was even 10 years ago. The struggle to stay abreast of new and rapidly evolving technologies, to deal with accumulated development and maintenance backlogs, and to cope with people issues has become a treadmill race as software groups work hard just to stay in place. A key goal of disciplined project managers is to avoid the surprises that can occur when these surprises almost always lead to bad news: canceled projects, late delivery, cost overruns, dissatisfied customers, outsourcing, termination, and unemployment. Indeed, we need to develop management by surprise (MBS) as a project management technique! Keys to a Successful Skills Management Endeavor 25 13_26_ch02. fm Page 26 Friday, September 8, 2000 2:43 PM As we have discussed in this chapter, project managers are a special breed of people. The skills that they develop are a cross between a diplomat, ballet dancer, and a Marine Corps drill sergeant—all while having the patience of Job. These skills will serve them well for future higher-level positions as Vice Presidents, Chief Information Officers (CIOs), and Chief Executive Officers (CEOs) of the corporations for which they work. The culture of an organization is a critical success factor in its efforts to survive, improve, and flourish. A culture based on a commitment to project management and delivering quality projects and effective management differentiates a team that practices excellent project management from a flock of individual programmers doing their best to ship code. Projects rarely fail—but people do. 26 Chapter 2 | Basic Skills for Project Managers How to cite Skills of a Project Manager, Essay examples

Taming Of The Shrew 2 Essays - The Taming Of The Shrew, Operas

Taming of the Shrew 2 In the Taming of the Shrew, Petruchio recognizes, respects and desires Kate's intelligence and strength of character. He does not want to conquer or truly tame her. He is a man who is very confident in himself and does not want or need someone to massage his ego. Petruchio seems to me to be a man of sport and challenge and likes to surround himself with witty, challenging people. He wants in a mate what Kate has - fire. From Petruchio's response to his friend Hortensio (I.ii.64-75), it might be said that Petruchio came to Padua to make himself richer by marriage, to any woman, no matter how wretched. Petruchio is not in desperate need of money (I.ii.56-57). He tells Hortensio (I.ii.49-57) that his father has died and that he is out in the world to gain experiences he cannot at home and only secondarily to find a wife. Also, immediately before this declaration, is the scene of misunderstanding between he and his servant Grumio about knocking on the gate (I.ii.5-43). I see this exchange as demonstration of his enjoyment of verbal sport, a good example of Petruchio's sense of humor and his appreciation of things non-conventional. Though Petruchio may not agree with what society has determined to be proper and dignified, he is aware of the importance of appearing to conform. In what he says to Hortensio, I feel he is simply extending this sport and humor into the ironic. It is in Hortensio's description of Kate that I believe Petruchio's interest is captured. Hortensio describes Kate (I.ii.85-89) as wealthy, young, beautiful, properly brought up intolerably cursed, shrewed and froward. Though Hortensio finds the last three traits negative characteristics, Petruchio appears to be a man who also posses, and is proud of, these negative qualities. That the qualities are considered negative in Kate and not Petruchio is a reflection of the societal standards of the fifteen hundreds. It was okay for a man to be that way, but not a woman. Petruchio is the kind of man who would want a mate with similar qualities to his own to challenge him, sharpen his wits and keep his interest. If he had wanted someone who was conformed to societies expectations, or who had already determined to deceive by concealing opinions and views, he would have chosen someone more like Bianca. However, Petruchio is a clever man who sees beyond fa?ades because he uses them, in addition to a lot of irony himself (II.i.46), (II.i.283-289). It is clear in Grumio and his other servants (as demonstrated in the opening of act 4 (IV.i.1-113) that Petruchio prefers the interesting to the conventional. But because Petruchio understands the ways of society, he knows he must demonstrate to Kate the importance of proper public appearance. To Petruchio it is appearance rather than genuine conformance that is important. Otherwise, the woman he loves would be called names and treated in ways Petruchio might be required by honor to defend. In his ironic way, Petruchio does speak consistently about making Kate yield to him (II.i.124,136), (II.i.269-271) and of his monetary motivation (II.i.123,124). But, his methods are sportsman-like (Falconry, (IV.i.183-190) and game-like demonstrations of the outrageous (beating Grumio because Kate's horse stumbled IV.i,68-80). Petruchio's servants like him very well and enjoy his entertainments. In what Petruchio says following he and Kate's first meeting (when her father walks in with Gremio and Tranio (II.i.269)) it becomes clear just how heavily Petruchio employs irony. He states that he is born to tame and conform Kate. Though the servants he has chosen to surround himself with are neither tame nor conforming to what most would consider proper servants. He also says he must and will have Katherine for his wife. This is a man who is completely taken by this woman: he called her properly by her formal name and says he will have her. Petruchio is as taken by Kate's person as the ot her suitors are taken by Bianca's beauty and coyness. In the above scene, Petruchio tells Kate to never make denial. He knows she is not yet convinced, but is telling her to trust him and go along with what he says for the sake of appearance. This slowly