Presentation used while bringing consultants on board client engagements in consulting world

1. On Boarding
Ground rules, expectations and values that
matters!
Suresh Gopalakrishnan, MBA, PMP, CSM
Sgk_00@yahoo.com

2. Agenda
Your Logo
Learning from last lecture
Take away for professional life
Ground rules
My value framework
Why define values/beliefs?
Few things to excel in professional life
Information paradox
1
2
3
✓
4
5
6
7
8 Three things critical to reach the destination
Recommended webinars
Backup slides
9
12
Recommended books
10
11 Recommended TED talks

3. Learning from the last lecture
Last lecture (10 Min) by Randy Pausch, Professor at Carnegie
Mellon University before he died from cancer
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BODHsU3hDo4
We are what we do repeatedly, Excellence is, therefore, not an act but a habit - Aristotle

4. Take away for professional life
When things get tough there are two options – panic and
runaway or face it with courage
Experience is what you get when you don’t get what you want
When you do things incorrectly and no one is giving you an
honest feedback, it is time to move on – it means they have
given up on you
There is a reason for the brick wall
Don’t complain – work harder
Most important – !! HAVE FUN !!
Justification is one of the biggest obstacle in bringing about personal excellence – Bhagavad Gita

5. Ground rules
Single most important thing to remember – “There are no
results inside an enterprise’s walls. The result of a
business is a satisfied customer” – Peter Drucker
Trust is the basis of everything
Theory Y (ambitious, self-motivated and exercise self-control)
instead of X (inherently lazy and avoid work)
Not being on time is the worst thing a consultant can do
Own your mistakes – “To err is human; to own it, divine”
(Aircraft Carrier example)
Think of packaging every solution delivered to clients
Contribution to knowledge repository is critical
There is only one boss. The customer. And he can fire everybody in the company from the chairman
on down, simply by spending his money somewhere else – Sam Walton

6. My value framework
I strongly believe that
Experience shapes our values and
beliefs
To excel in daily life, personal and
professional, practice egolessness,
transparency, collaboration, and
accountability
Be aware of strength and weakness,
equally
Put people first, always
Plan ahead to carry forward
values/beliefs

7. Why define values/beliefs?
You know where you are and where you want to be
Now you need a map that helps you guide to the destination
Defining values helps you with navigation
In addition, others know exactly what matters to you and what
can be expected of you !
Your beliefs become your thoughts,
Your thoughts become your words,
Your words become your actions,
Your actions become your habits,
Your habits become your values,
Your values become your destiny
-Mahatma Gandhi

8. Few tips to excel in professional life
Read the book on Emotional Design by Donald A. Norman
http://www.ted.com/talks/don_norman_on_design_and_emotion?language=en
Be aware of Detail and Dynamic complexity - Develop system
thinking
Learn about EQ, it is as important as IQ!
It is your ability to perceive, control, and evaluate emotions
Take a free test at http://psychology.about.com/library/quiz/bl_eq_quiz.htm
Be aware of the top 10 reason for project failures (Slide 15)
Think from customer’s perspective – ALWAYS! (Slides 16-19)
Be aware of Estimate Convergence graph (Slide 20)
“If I had six hours to chop down a tree, I’d spend the first four hour sharpening the ax” - A. Lincoln

9. Information Paradox
Read first two chapters (free download)
http://www.fujitsu.com/us/news/publications/books/ip.html
Technology only provides capability – be
aware of silver bullet thinking
Understand benefit based business
transformation
Be aware of four critical dimensions of
complexity
Linkage / Reach / People / Time

10. Three critical things to reach the destination
CHANGE
MANAGEMENT
- Vision / Communicate
- Empower/ Celebrate
- Committed users
SOLUTION DELIVERY
- Clear requirements
- Accurate estimation
- Quality Assurance
- Planning/Scheduling
PROJECT SPONSORSHIP
- Project’s strategic alignment
- Sponsor commitment
- Expectation Management

11. Recommended books
In Life and Leadership by Colin Powell
The McKinsey Mind by Ethan Rasiel & Paul N. Friga
Emotional Intelligence by Daniel Goleman
The Power of Habit by Charles Duhigg
Software Requirements: Thorny Issues and Practical Advice
by Karl E. Wiegers
Chapter 2 (free) of “Cosmic Truth About Software
Requirements” (embedded in slide 20)
Strengths Finder 2.0 by Tom Rath
The fifth discipline by Peter M. Senge
The Goal by Eliyahu M. Goldratt
“What we see depends mainly on what we look for” – J. Lubbock

12. Recommended webinars
Subscribe to http://www.itmpi.org
Sample FREE seminars:
Cosmic Truths About Software Requirements
Software Requirements: 10 Traps to Avoid
Navigating the Minefield: Estimating Before Requirements
We Need it By October: What's Your Estimate?
10 Traps to Avoid in Software Process Improvement
The Marriage Between IT and the Business: Making it
Work
The Psychology of Customer Satisfaction
“Every act of conscious learning requires the willingness to suffer an injury to one's self-esteem. That is
why young children, before they are aware of their own self-importance learn so easily; and why older
persons, especially if vain or important, cannot learn at all” --Thomas Szasz

13. Recommended TED talks
Powerful model for inspirational leadership
https://www.ted.com/talks/simon_sinek_how_great_leaders_inspire_action
Tips on how to speak with empathy
http://www.ted.com/talks/julian_treasure_how_to_speak_so_that_people_want_to_listen
How can you build a sense of shared purpose among people?
https://www.ted.com/talks/stanley_mcchrystal
Body language affects how others see us
https://www.ted.com/talks/amy_cuddy_your_body_language_shapes_who_you_are
Why you fail to have a great career
https://www.ted.com/talks/larry_smith_why_you_will_fail_to_have_a_great_career
What motivates us to work?
https://www.ted.com/talks/dan_ariely_what_makes_us_feel_good_about_our_work

14. BACKUP SLIDES

15. 36 Common Project Failure Reasons
Sandbagging is
not the answer
From article “IT Project Management: Infamous Failures, Classic Mistakes, and Best Practices” by R. Ryan
Nelson, University of Virginia

16. Claim is not yet assigned to a rep
DAY
3
You have a pain in the neck. Friend helps you to get medicine. Claim rep had left
a v/mail on your home phone
DAY
4
You are in a car accident. Called the company. Company want you to call the
agent. You call the agent and could only reach voice mail
DAY
1
Able to reach the agent. Someone from claim office will call you
DAY
2
Customer perspective example
Insurance company# 1

17. Customer perspective example
It is a Sunday
DAY
7
Call from second claim rep who handles medical issues
DAY
8
You get connected to claim rep. But he handles only auto claim, not medical
issues.
DAY
5
Car is taken to a mechanic and received a rental car. Neck is still hurting
DAY
6
Insurance company#1 – Contd..
By this time you are ready to look for an alternate insurance firm

18. Customer perspective example
But this is how insurance firm view on claim handling
All calls should be reported through agents
SUCCESS# 1
SUCCESS# 2
Insurance company#1 – Contd..
SUCCESS# 3
SUCCESS# 4
Assignment must occur within one business
day of being reported by the agent
Claim rep should contact the customer within
one business day
Claim should be assigned based on specialty
(auto/medical)
100%
SUCCESS
IN CLAIM
HANDLING
Company views this as a successful claim handling
But customer is already shopping for another agency

19. You are in a car accident. Called the company. Claim rep called in 10
minutes and arrived at scene in another 10 minutes.
Rep arranged an appointment with doctor next day
Rental car arrived in next 30 minutes
Tow truck arrived in 30 minutes and took the car
End of 1 hr all issues have been taken care!!
DAY
1
Customer perspective example
Insurance company# 2
STATISTICS WORTH KEEPING IN MIND
One
week vs.
one Hour
British Airways survey outcome.
Only 8% disgruntled customers complained
23% of those complaints were never recorded
69% disgruntled customers never complained at all
1% increase in positive comments led to $300-500K revenue increase

20. Estimate convergence graph

21. Cosmic Truth About Software Requirements
Copy this link if you cannot open the embedded file 
http://www.processimpact.com/more_about_reqs_book/chapter_2.pdf
Chapter 2

22. THANK YOU!