Mudassir Iqbal

How to fail Eloquently Change is inevitable. The same can be said for failure, which is part and parcel of professional life. Failure is tough  to handle and tougher to talk about, but an unfortunate reality. “Learn from your failure!” is what we usually hear, but it’s easier said than done. But take my word for it—it will come with a little effort and practice. Here, I want to discuss not why projects fail, but how we as project managers should react in the face of failure. Defining Failure “Failure” is one of those words that is rarely understood. It means different things to different people. My understanding keeps changing. Today when I fail, I clinically analyze the level of failure using a variety of parameters that I learned during my career on different jobs. Failure has a wide range of possibilities when it comes to a project, and it changes through various phases (of both your career and your projects). It reminds me of when I complained to my first manager that...

An argument that I have with myself daily on the job is whether I am a project manager or a business analyst. Should I advise on the solution, or should I stay in the PM lane and let the solution architect and the business side deal with it? Many of us project managers have transitioned to this position via a business or system analysis path, so I, therefore, believe that we’re the best to judge this unique relationship in terms of the roles that both should play. Let’s take a closer look. With the growth of business evaluation, we have all observed a certain tension in the leadership of ventures. Years ago, the business analyst—along with the project manager—was just another team member. Today, business assessment has become even more crucial to success; the project manager and business analyst must operate closely together. How does that work in practice? At times, not so well. That’s not surprising considering the varying perspectives of these two roles. Project managers are o...

Perform Under Pressure “When the going gets tough, the tough get going.” We’re all familiar with this saying, and many people believe that they are better off under pressure. But in the 18-plus years of my career, I never felt that. Let’s get this straight: No one performs their best under pressure. There are situations that bring the best out in you, but that’s completely dependent on your surroundings and the methodology you follow. I may not able to comment on your surroundings, but I hope the following tips will work for you in most cases… 1. Think of high-pressure moments as a challenge instead of a threat. Many employees see pressure situations as threatening. which makes them under-perform at work. Considering pressure as a threat damages your self-confidence and provokes fear of failure. It’s a great idea to shift your thoughts. Instead of seeing it as a risky situation, see it a challenge. When you see pressure as your challenge, you are enthused to give the atte...

Many business owners think that getting peak performance from employees is simple—just tie cash rewards to goals. This technique is a mistake. One size doesn’t fit all, as every human being is at a different stage of their life and will be motivated by different rewards and recognition. The biggest challenge in creating the right initiatives can be the human resource department, which may suggest this kind of scheme simply to match its KPIs. Here are some reasons why monetary rewards are not the answer for inspiring motivation: 1. They’re shortsighted. A reward may give a short-term boost in productivity to achieve the desired target, but employees may tend to overlook their other responsibilities (and the reason they are getting paid in the first place). A  recent paper  by the Incentive Research Foundation notes that “There is growing academic evidence that investments in non-cash rewards can elicit equal levels of performance for less cost than cash.” 2. Intrinsi...

In today’s world where we are experiencing massive changes in all facets of life (the largest ever after the third industrial revolution), project management has become quite pervasive. In this era of Industry 4.0, the methodologies we learn in this field are being used in almost every other industry around the world. It’s thought-provoking to consider the upcoming demand for project management—and in turn, project managers—in this fast-changing world where: innovation cycles are becoming shorter and shorter AI and robotics are threatening many jobs (or at least functions within a job) job roles are becoming more competitive and have started to encompass functions that are/were not directly part of the position outsourcing is threatening job functions that are not value added With my current assignment, I am experiencing outsourced project management, with some of the project managers’ usual functions handed over to operations teams.\ Let’s have a look at the future of ...

Strengthening professional networks inside the workplace is as important as the networks you build outside your professional life. Building long-lasting professional relationships require you demonstrate sound business ethics and principles, and that you validate considerations expected of an excellent employee. Help Employees Navigate the Organization Every employee has a certain position in the hierarchy of the organization, however, that doesn’t mean that anyone should feel inferior or demoralized. Every leader must understand the operations within the organization. The company’s culture sets the precedent for the professional personalities it hires. You should help employees to understand why they were hired and why they are the best fit for the particular role eventually leading to overall project success. Invest in Employee Networks and Loyalty Are you confident that your employees feel they can trust you? Do you empower and provide them with tools essential to boost the i...

Business Analysis Core Concept Model (BACCM) Creating the BACCM -  By Julian Sammy, EBA, IIBA The Business Analyst Core Concept Model (BACCM) comprises of six fundamental concepts that are interrelated through a dynamic theoretical system. Undeniably, this is a powerful tool for a systematic understanding of controlled organizational change. This defines the framework for the business analysis profession. Let’s explore the six critical components of the model. Change: It refers to a controlled transformation of a business. The aim is to promote favourable change and avert the downsides. It transforms the organization to improve its value. A change can be achieved by initiating a project or a program. These changes can be managed as consistent improvement initiatives. In terms of its relations with other model components, a change will involve various stakeholders in different ways. Also, it may be revolved otherwise in different contexts. Stakeholder and Need: An ind...