insight: issue 2 november 2013

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+61 8 6316 4416 http://catharaconsulting.com

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Level 29, The Forrest Centre 221 St. George's Terrace, Perth WA 6000

Welcome to the second edition of INSIGHT.

What a year 2013 has turned out to be!

A multitude of events have affected us all in some way, including the State and Federal Elections, the End Of Financial Year, the suggested slow down in the mining sector, and global economic pressures such as influences from China and the recent shutdown of the American Government.

Whist the International Monetary Fund (IMF) has slashed Australia’s economic growth prospects, in addition to warning that unemployment will surge next year to its highest point in a decade, there’s conflicting information stating that business confidence has surged to a 42-month high on the back of the Coalition election win, and that overall the number of job adds in September rose to the highest level this year.

Whatever industry you are in, now is the time to take a step back and evaluate what you are doing and why. The slow down in pace gives organisations the perfect opportunity to do something different, something new, something innovative.

At Cathara Consulting, we have been focusing on our internal company processes, revisiting our strategic direction and company values, training and development of our people, and our communications management and marketing strategy.

It would be terrific to see WA businesses pulling together to influence our local economic confidence, investment in their people and bring back that optimism that makes Australia such a great place to be.

Issue 2 November 2013

Inside

Welcome The Cathara Consulting Team

Lessons Learned…But Not Forgotten Lessons learned from implementing a PMO.

Antifragility: Benefiting from Chaos The assumption is that risk is ‘bad’. What if we could make our lives not just less vulnerable to randomness, but anti-fragile so as to benefit from change, confusing information and unpredictability?

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“If you hire people just because they can do a job, they’ll work for your money. But if you hire people who believe what you believe, they’ll work for you with blood and sweat and tears.”

- Simon Sinek

Inspire

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Becoming A Person Of Influence It’s not enough to have expertise – you also need influence.

If you are interested in learning more, of if you are interested in contributing to future editions of INSIGHT, email the Editor at [email protected].

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Issue 2 :: November 2013 I N S I G H T

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Mindfulness: What Is It?

Develop healthier relationships When we are mindful, we focus and listen more attentively, and are more aware of what is happening with others.

There’s quite a buzz around mindfulness at the moment. So what is it? In ‘The Happiness Trap’, Dr Russ Harris defines mindfulness as “Consciously bringing awareness to your here-and-now experience, with openness, interest and receptiveness.” In an increasingly hectic world, where many are struggling to keep up, practicing mindfulness everyday will help you to:

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In order to make changes in an organisation, it is not enough to have expertise. You must also have influence. To compete for limited management time and attention, and to increase the impact of your ideas, you need to become a person of influence. This is true for both consultants and experts within an organisation.

A recent study in Harvard Business Review identified four key competencies:

1. Trailblazing,

2. Toolmaking,

3. Teamwork; and

4. Translation.

These four competencies help functional specialists to become people of influence. Individuals who combine all of these competencies are best equipped to gain widespread influence.

Trailblazing is the recognition of new opportunities to use and demonstrate expertise. This involves the identification and framing of important business issues that are not currently being addressed or are on senior managements radar.

Becoming a Person of Influence

Lainey Murphy

Sleep better And when you’re well rested, you function so much better in every capacity.

Build present moment awareness You are not so hung up on the past or the future – you live in the now.

Gain, or improve, self-acceptance You become less critical, kinder, and more loving to yourself.

Tune in to the next issue for some tips on how to build the practice of mindfulness into your everyday life.

Develop that much yearned for work-life balance We’re all looking for it, or SHOULD be looking for it. After all, what’s life when you’re not living?

Become happier We become more content with our lives: what we have, what we are doing, and who we are.

Individuals who combine all of these competencies are best equipped to

gain widespread influence.

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Issue 2 :: November 2013

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Toolmaking is the development and deployment of tools to share domain expertise in areas that have been identified through trailblazing. These are tools that help C-level executives analyse and interpret key issues, and include reports, spreadsheets and guidelines. The key factor here is to readily share this information to allow it to be widely used, and to ensure that the tools are accessible and relevant.

Teamwork means extending your reach to include the insights and knowledge of others. The process is to simultaneously convince others of your own relevance and skills whilst including their expertise. This is a matter of identifying allies and collaborators to help improve the tools by engaging with other experts throughout the organisation.

Translation involves making complex issues understandable for decision makers. This involves using simple, tailored reporting approaches such as traffic lights, and working directly with executives to consider what the outputs are really saying. Translation is helping to identify the key factors and their implications to assist executives who are often time poor and being confronted with large amounts of information to filter through.

About the writer: Lainey Murphy is a Director at Cathara Consulting, and helps clients with their resourcing and contracting management needs.

Without support from senior management it is difficult to build influence, therefore the nature of influence from experts must align with the organisation’s needs. In some cases, using only two of these competencies may be enough to gain some level of influence, but using all four is the best approach to becoming a person of influence in your organisation.

The Cathara Consulting Client Handbook provides you with an insight into us – where we came from, our vision, what our company principles and values are, as well as what we specialise in, and our point of difference. You can access the handbook at: http://issuu.com/catharaconsulting/docs/cathara_consulting_client_handbook

Have You Seen Our Client Handbook Yet?


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It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to know that your health is directly related to how well you perform. For most of us, when we think about this relationship, we relate it to sports and recreational activities, which require the physical exertion of energy. This is a great example of the link between being physically healthy in order to perform well. However, what most of us fail to think about is the unavoidable relationship between poor physical and mental health, and poor work performance.

One piece of research published in 2010 on the savings that can be made from workplace wellness programs, found that, “medical costs fall by about $3.27 for every dollar spent on wellness programs and that absenteeism costs

The Great Health Investment Michelle Marsh (RN)

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fall by about $2.73 for every dollar spent.”

To put it simply, poor physical and mental health decreases the profitability of businesses.

The Benefits of a Healthier Workforce A healthier workforce leads to:

• More productive and effective employees;

• Reduced medical costs;

• Decreased resignations due to illness and/or injury; and

• A reduction in absenteeism and presenteeism.

This in turn increases morale, resulting in:

• Increased staff satisfaction;

• Increased work efficiency;

• A reduction in staff turnover;

• Attracting highly desirable new employees;

• A positive workplace culture;

• A reduction in training and education costs through the retention of experienced staff.

More and more companies are now seeking ways to improve their employees’ health and wellbeing by providing support and education.

Poor physical and mental health decreases the

profitability of businesses.

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About the writer: Michelle Marsh (RN) is the Managing Director of Premah Pty Ltd. Premah provides ‘Preventative Maintenance for Humans’ through employee support programs and health campaigns within the workplace and specialises in customising these programs to suit the uniqueness of every company.

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Within these companies, some are experiencing huge success and savings from the health programs implemented, while others are left frustrated by the lack of uptake and participation.

Effective Wellness Programs While the scope of programs is unending, it is evident in research that an individualised approach combined with long term health promotion is the most effective way to go.

An effective wellness program will include the following aspects:

• Mentoring;

• Goal Setting;

• Physical and Mental health support (appointments and services);

• Relevant health campaigns; and

• Incentive Programs.

And finally, any programs implemented within a workforce must be monitored and evaluated to ensure a positive return on the investment made into health and wellbeing.

References:

Katherine Baicker1, David Cutler2 and Zirui Song3 (2010), “Workplace Wellness Programs Can Generate Savings”

Larry A. Tucker, PhD Amy J. Cook, MS; Neil R. Nokes, MPH; Troy B. Adams, PhD (2008), “Telephone-Based Diet and Exercise Coaching and a Weigth-loss Supplement Result in Weight and Fat Loss in 120 Men and Women”

Matthew W.Kreuter and Victor J.Strecher1 (1996), “Do tailored behavior change messages enhance the effectiveness of health risk appraisal? Results from a randomized trial”


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Lessons Learned… But Not Forgotten

Janine Ripper

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I’ve been involved in project management for just over 12 years, with the last 4 spent focusing on PMO’s and project management best practice for clients across a variety of industries.

I’ve seen the good, the bad and the ugly, and learned a lot from every experience. Unfortunately, I’ve also picked up a load of white hairs – a side affect of getting older and the stress that comes with the job. Luckily though, I’ve been able to help a lot of people, which is the main aspect of what I love about the job.

Here are some of the lessons learned that I’ve picked up along the way:

The Policing PMO A PMO is not a policing body, although this can be what they morph into. These types of PMO’s give other PMO’s a bad name.

As someone who has worked in one of these PMO’s, I can assure you that there is nothing fun in continually having to enforce processes and tell Project Managers that they have done something wrong, past deadline, or not at all, or to demand reporting for reporting sake and attendance at meetings for meetings same.

I’ve seen the good, the bad and the ugly, and learned a lot from every experience.

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Empathy needs to come into play, as well as tailoring to suit the environment and people involved, for if everyone is spending all of their time chasing their tails, producing reports, updating schedules and financial models, and so forth, then when do they have time to actually manage their projects? Realistically, it’s the PMO’s job to make it easier.

The Admin PMO A PMO is not an administrative body shop, although more often than not it becomes a hub of administrative activities or is what they are seen as by those outside of the PMO.

This is one of the key risks to a PMO implementation, and on fruition, can be demoralizing for those in a PMO. After all, the purpose of a PMO is to provide support to management in their decision-making, provide a value add service to support the delivery of change, to develop standard processes and tools, and to provide advice on best practice. It is not to spend day in and day out performing administrative tasks such as filling the printer with paper, organising morning teas, and writing minutes.

PMO staff need to be empowered with the necessary authority to do their jobs. This needs to be addressed right up front,

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embraced, and continuously communicated (or marketed) and reinforced to all stakeholders. Never assume that people know or will remember the purpose of a PMO, or the role of PMO staff. Further to this, the right people with the right experience need to be recruited into the right roles within PMO, with those roles having defined responsibilities.

Senior Management support & commitment Support and commitment from senior management is critical to a successful PMO implementation. This will also ensure that the PMO aligns to corporate strategy, and that the PMO has the backing (both financially and commercially). Without it, it can be like hitting your head against a brick wall, and end with the early closure of a PMO.

A PMO is NOT an instant fix Do not underestimate the time it will take, the tasks that will be required and the change management that will be needed for a successful PMO implementation. It is important to note that success wont happen overnight - a PMO is part of a long-term transformation, whereby a well-established PMO will progressively deliver benefits as it becomes embedded in the way an organisation does its work. It is also important to note that a PMO will not solve every business problem.

Think of it as a project – define the scope, break it down into stages, assign a dedicated project owner and project manager, identify the stakeholders, and then identify sponsors from all stakeholders and gain agreement on

Never assume that people know or will remember the

purpose of a PMO.

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roles and responsibilities, including risk and issues management, and escalations. Run it and report on it as you would a project. And remember, there will be resistance to change, so communicate, communicate, communicate!

Tailoring There is no one size fits all. It’s all about tailoring. Assess the organisation – see what they already have in place. They may already have an overarching risk management strategy. Use the organisations existing processes, tools and strategies (if in existence) as a basis for the establishment of PMO processes and standards. There is no need to reinvent the wheel if you don’t need to and saves a lot of time.

Further to that, assess their maturity – both organisational and project management related. Do they have tools or systems in place that can be tailored, or are they reliant on spreadsheets and shared drives? Do they have an awareness of governance and risk management, and do they require intensive reporting? Don’t force them to do something they are not ready for – it is critical that you adopt an incremental approach. This will assist with change management and result in a gradual improvement in project management maturity, customer satisfaction, and organisational reputation.

As with every project, a lesson learned is only as good as the actions that take place moving forward. It is important to harness those lessons and use them to introduce improvements, but to also note them as risks that may impact the success of your PMO implementation.

About the writer: Janine Ripper is a Manager and the PMO/PM Practice Lead at Cathara Consulting.


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In business we try to avoid risk or variability of outcomes through procedures and policies, or a reduction in the impact of risk through contingency planning. The government does the same thing through regulation. There is the assumption that risk is a bad thing.

What if we could make our lives not just less vulnerable to randomness, but anti-fragile so as to benefit from rapid changes, ambiguous information and volatility? An analogy is a weed that spreads and grows more rapidly each time it is cut up, or the mythical hydra, which grows two heads every time a head is chopped off.

Antifragile: Things That Gain From Disorder by Nassim Nicholas Taleb (2012), explores the idea of anti-fragility. Antifragile: Things That Gain From Disorder is a logical extension of Taleb’s earlier books about risk, The Black Swan and Fooled by Randomness, which rationalise that random events will never be predictable due to our inability to anticipate situations that have not occurred before. For example, before the discovery of black swans in Perth by explorers, it was assumed that all swans were, by definition, white. A “black swan” event is therefore an event that cannot be inferred from existing information. Antifragility is attained by not attempting to control future outcomes, but in expecting that the unexpected will occur and being in a position to rapidly gain information and adapt accordingly.

Taleb uses the example of a bank executive, contrasted with his brother who is a taxi-driver. Both brothers earn about the same amount, but the taxi-driver has more variability in his daily income, while the bank executive earns the same amount each week. However, if there is an economic downturn, the banker may lose his job and find it difficult to secure another. This is fragility. On the other hand, the taxi driver is out on the street all of the time and has information that allows him to rapidly adapt his business to the changing circumstances, thus continuing to thrive. This is antifragility.

Taleb’s view is that organic systems will rapidly adapt, and even benefit from some stresses. If someone goes to the gym and lifts weights, the muscle will first break down but

There is an assumption that risk is a bad thing.

Antifragility: Benefiting from Chaos

Organic systems will rapidly adapt and even benefit from some stresses.

Graeme Woods

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Our specialists provide the following high-quality products and services for clients.

Our Products & Services

PMO We have experience in all facets of PMO’s from implementation, through to review and improvement, management and mentoring.

Project & Program Management We combine our proven ability to deliver on time, on spec and within budget with our in depth knowledge of a variety of industry areas.

Testing We understand the importance of system testing within the software development lifecycle, and efficiently and thoroughly test your systems.

Business & Systems Analysis We work with stakeholders to design and implement high-quality solutions.

Business Improvement We apply lean thinking principles to assess, provide recommendations, and implement improvements for organisations across all industries.

Strategic Advice We quickly assess the current state and business needs of organisations, and engage with executives to come up with recommendations and assist with defining, refining and implementing strategies that are the right fit.

If you are interested in any of our products or services, contact us on +61 8 6316 4416 for a confidential discussion.

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then rebuild to become stronger (anti-fragile). If someone has a cold and lets their body rest, they will recover and gain some immunity. On the other hand, if we take antibiotics every time we get sick, the act of intervening (or over treating a minor illness) weakens our overall immunity. Allowing the natural operation of organic systems (including free markets) is an important part of antifragility.

What are the business implications of anti-fragility?

1. Firstly, control is an illusion, given that many risks cannot be anticipated (in the same way that someone who has only even seen a white swan could never expect a black swan). Defining a narrow set of risks and putting a lot of safeguards around them can lead to a false sense of security.

2. Secondly, the “X” factor cannot be predicted, but is still latent. The best approach is to ensure that an organisation is nimble enough to adapt quickly, rather than ignoring the early signs of risk.

Often, non-intervention in a minor adverse situation is actually the best approach since the costs from intervention are likely to be higher than the costs of non-action. The temptation is always to “do something” even when it is best to do nothing.

How can antifragility be gained?

Antifragility can be gained in business by being close to the market and listening to changes, then rapidly adapting - thereby leap-frogging competitors, rather than by attempting to impose a business model that is no longer relevant.

In ones career, antifragility is gained by acquiring a range of skills, being realistic about real job security, and keeping options open rather than locking oneself into a single position

Antifragile: Things That Gain From Disorder, by Nassim Nicholas Taleb, was published in November 2012 by Random House in the United States and Penguin in the United Kingdom.

Whilst a wide-ranging and, at times, obscure book, I recommend reading Antifragile: Things That Gain From Disorder with an open mind.

About the writer: Graeme Woods is a Director at Cathara Consulting, and helps clients with corporate strategy as well as the management of complex projects.


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How to Manage a Project Well Janine Ripper

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Some have the perception that project management is easy – it’s all about lining ducks in a row apparently and then sending them on their merry way.

I’m going to have to disagree there!

Project Management is a challenging, and at times highly stressful job, involving a lot of hair pulling (if you have hair left), or otherwise greying hair. Don’t get me wrong; project management can be a highly satisfying career. There is nothing like seeing something come to fruition, from the early concept and design phases, right through to implementation and beyond, whatever project it may be [we are in the middle of a bathroom renovation at the moment, and the Project Manager in me is excited to see it progress - glad that I build some fat into the schedule to cater for those unforeseen plumbing issues]. When done well, managing a project is a glorious achievement.

So, how does one manage a project WELL?

Communicate, communicate, communicate

Regular, clear communication keeps the right people interested, and drives projects in the right direction, ensuring everything remains transparent, and that the project succeeds. Good communication prevents misunderstanding, unpleasant surprises and gossip, ensuring that everyone is on the same page.

I tell you, working on a project, or in a project team where people communicate, there is good morale, project outcomes are being achieved and the stakeholders are satisfied is like a breath of fresh air.

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Put the hard yards in up front

Theoretically speaking, the more time and effort you put in in the early stages of a project, the easier the project will be to manage. Make sure that your scope is well defined at the start of the project, get everyone involved and get everything out on the table. Identify your stakeholders and their expectations, list the dependencies, constraints and risks, and confirm your deadlines and reporting requirements! Work through everything with a fine toothcomb and document and baseline it. Oh, and make sure you gain acceptance and share it with the relevant stakeholders. That’s it – communicate!

Demonstrate leadership

It's all about leading by example. Project Managers need to be able to build and motivate their teams to do what is needed to be done the way it needs to be done...and they need to know how to get them to go that extra mile when its called for. The only way to do that is to practice what you preach, and to get out from behind that project plan, roll your sleeves up, and get involved.

Don't ignore risks & issues like you would a bad smell...

Risks can become issues, and issues can become…well, bigger issues. No one wants that. Sure, there are some things that can't be avoided, but time and time again I see risk management relegated to the black hole, only to result in disaster. Risk and Issues management doesn't have to be an onerous task. If you put the work in up front, involve your project team and stakeholders in the process, and COMMUNICATE, there will be no nasty surprises, and people will be there to help if or when needed.

Foster strong relationships - in all directions

Project Managers need to manage upwards, downwards and sidewards in order to achieve the desired results. With strong relationships comes trust, cooperation and the willingness to help. Oh, and most importantly support from those that count. You can't do this without - you got it - COMMUNICATION!

Incorporating all of these factors into your project management approach will result in increased project success, as well as stakeholder and client satisfaction.

“Setting an example is not the main means of influencing others, it is the only means.”

~ Albert Einstein

Do you do all of these?

Is there anything you can improve on?

Is there anything you can add to the list?

I N S I G H T

Copyright © 2013 / Cathara Consulting Pty Ltd. / All Rights Reserved

About Cathara Consulting

Nick De Lima is from Mumbai, India. He has worked as a Business Analyst for the last six years. He worked in the U.S and in England prior to heading to Perth, Australia to complete his Masters degree.

As a Business Analyst, Nick uses many non-conventional ways to complete his work. According to Nick, doing things differently keeps him interested in the work and helps him stay focused. He swears by the Six Sigma DMAIC methodology and says that it can be used to solve nearly every problem.

Nick enjoys playing tennis and soccer. He competed in the Tennis West League last season, and enjoys listening to rock music. Nick feels that Australia is the place for him and Cathara Consulting is in the process of helping him obtain his permanent residency.

In Profile: Nick De Lima


w: http://catharaconsulting.com

Cathara Consulting was conceived as a new type of consulting firm that provides quality work, deep insight into IT and business focus.

Our vision is to provide true value and quality to our clients, coupled with the specialist knowledge and access to skills found only in tier 1 firms. We achieve this by investing heavily in the training, mentoring and development of our people. This focus on skills distinguishes us from our competitors.

Our focus is on quality delivery and results, not simply charging hours. Our clients pay for the results we produce. We offer a money back commitment to delivering on our promises.

Our name comes from the Greek word katharos, denoting purity, simplicity and straightforwardness. This word symbolises our goals of ethical business dealings, partnership with our clients and integrity as well as a single-minded focus on the interests of those we work for.

p: +61 8 6316 4416

Level 29, The Forrest Centre, 221 St Georges Terrace, Perth, WA, 6000

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https://twitter.com/CatharaC

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http://www.linkedin.com/company/cathara-consulting

insight: issue 2 november 2013

Documents

perth wa

highest level

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georges terrace

local economic confidence

forrest centre

end of financial year

wa businesses