Colin Gautrey

Seven Things Your Opposition Hopes You’ll Never Learn

July 13, 2016 by Colin Gautrey

It is entirely natural to have opposition. In fact, I would encourage it. Unless you have opposition the game is too easy ― isn't it? Well I hope you think that because otherwise you might be wasting your talent, ambition and energy. Opponents stretch thinking, pressure test proposals and balance the corporate agenda. Without opposition you may end up with an organisation being dominated by a powerful few; and this can wreak havoc on the strategy, results and morale ― at least in the medium term. Yet, desirable though it is, the fact remains that the opposition will still want to win. They may be mature and tell you that it is all about making the right decision for the business, but don’t be fooled. Underneath the rhetoric is a real person. They, like you, much prefer Read More

Chapter One: A Project Manager’s Perspective

June 14, 2016 by Colin Gautrey

This book is all about taking action, and I want to hit the ground running. Most problems and challenges in life are a matter of perspective. Adopting alternative perspectives enables you to see the problem differently. It doesn't mean that one viewpoint is right or wrong. It is simply a technique that can give you new insights and potentially, a solution that will work. So, in this first chapter I want to challenge you to think about project management from a few different perspectives. Read More

The Vision and Engagement Gap at the Top

June 13, 2016 by Colin Gautrey

In some recent research* it has been found that the number one skills gap among executives is the ability to build vision and engage stakeholders to make it happen. Without vision and engagement not a great deal is going to change, and implementing change is another oft quoted deficiency in the senior ranks. The Vision Gap To my mind, there are three main Read More

Disrespecting Your Leader

June 5, 2016 by Colin Gautrey

Nine out of ten leaders are not respected by nine out of ten of their followers. Well, that’s the way it often appears when you get a group of people together in a room talking about leadership. This also came across loud and clear earlier this year when I was researching line management relationships. Part of the problem is that respect is a concept that varies wildly in interpretation, especially in diverse populations. But, does respect even matter these days? Read More

Corporate Politics: Necessary Evil or Waste of Time

June 4, 2016 by Colin Gautrey

A little while ago one of my private coaching clients was expressing his frustration about the political activity surrounding his work. This stimulated me to ask my connections about their views on this common feature of organisational life...

What's your take on this, necessary evil or total waste of your time?

I'd love to hear your thoughts, here are just a few of the hundreds of responses I received: Read More

Help! Stakeholder on the Warpath

May 20, 2016 by Colin Gautrey

Outside the saloon bar, footsteps could be heard. Approaching slowly, spurs clattering on the boards as each step brought the intimidating presence of the stakeholder closer. The shadowy silhouette, complete with Stetson, paused briefly, the steaming sunlight concealing the set of his face, and the weapons he carried. Violently swinging the doors open, taking a step inside the room, he boomed… “So, we’re here to talk about the figures are we?” Or at least, this is how it appeared to Aisha, a client of mine who had been dreading this particular showdown. The problem was that this stakeholder was on the warpath, and had been gunning for Aisha for a few weeks. That all Aisha wanted to do was to help him seemed to matter little. Luckily, we had a little time to talk it though a few hours before the meeting that helped her to prepare. The key points of her approach included: Read More

Courageous Ways to Influence People

May 16, 2016 by Colin Gautrey

There are many ways to influence people. Positive ways build long-term relationships, although there is a risk that in the short term you may not get what you want. Negative ways of influence are perhaps more likely to get you what you want today; but in the long run, your influence will wane even faster than your relationships. This is because the positive ways are focused on doing the right thing by others and helping them to act and take decisions which are good for them — while the negative ones pay little heed to their benefit.

Let's Focus on the Positive Ways.

Some of them may challenge your notion of what is prudent. That is fine. My purpose here is Read More

Seven Ways to Become More Visible

April 29, 2016 by Colin Gautrey

Are you getting recognised by the people who count in your organisation? It is one thing being really good at your job, expert in your field and able to bang in big results, and quite another getting noticed. Getting noticed means that you have to be out there building relationships with key people. Those with power and influence, those who can help bring your forward and make you shine. Yet this is easier said than done. Firstly, you are busy doing your job. Secondly, they are busy doing their job. And finally, why would they be interested in you in any case? That it is not easy doesn’t make Read More

Making an Impact at the Top Table

April 28, 2016 by Colin Gautrey

The easiest way to make a big impact at the top table is to have big responsibilities. Ideally, bigger than most of the other people you have to work alongside. The type of roles which grab this limelight and, to a large extent, the organisation is reliant upon. Functions such as Sales and Operations are typically those that sit in this powerful position, but the constituents are dependent on the type of organisation you work for, and also the context in which it has to succeed. You are probably reading this because you do not have one of these roles and are struggling to make the necessary impact to be able to fulfil your own responsibilities — and deliver the results expected by your line manager. You have probably also Read More

How to Navigate the Matrix

April 11, 2016 by Colin Gautrey

Most people at a middle or senior level in large organisations have at least two bosses, usually dubbed the solid and dotted-line bosses' — the classic matrix structure. Often, these bosses are conspicuous by their absence — tied up on other pressing projects and initiatives. When you do get a one-to-one, it is usually a hurried conference call focusing on their priorities, and often at odds with the “other” boss' ideas. When you point this out, a frequent response is the insistence that you need to deliver on your objectives and should be capable of making it happen. So, in order to make things happen, you have to be able to influence both of your bosses to feel bought-in to the way you are pushing things, and you have to single-handedly influence the myriad of peers — all of whom also have many bosses and stakeholders. Complicated work! Increasingly, this problem fits into a global organisation where time zones and cultural differences exacerbate the complexity. But, let’s face it, that’s what you’re paid for, isn’t it?

Understanding This Challenge

The first point to recognise is Read More

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