Are we there yet?

By PQC editorial staff

We are constantly told that time is money and unfortunately, lots of it gets lost in disorganization and disruption. On top of that, we also deal with a constant barrage of technology, people, and tasks that can contribute to that disorganization.  So, as you can imagine, the most important part of any project is time management.  In order to conduct and complete a project successfully, are you doing everything you can to ensure timeliness and efficiency?

If time management is the most important part of any project, then planning and scheduling are the most important processes in managing a project. There are six processes associated with project time management:

* Activity definition

* Activity sequencing

* Activity resource estimating

* Activity duration estimating

* Schedule development

* Schedule control

Notice a pattern there? It seems the words "activity" and "schedule" come up quite often, and for good reason. The most basic part of any project is an activity that can be further broken down into tasks; and of course, a schedule is the most basic thing you need to manage time at all. Scheduling activities in a responsible and educated way is the key to successful project time management.

Identifying activities and scheduling them is a great first step to effective project time management, but it's not that simple. Anyone can take a guess at how long an activity will take, what you have to do is come up with the best estimate, as well as make allowances for the possibility of it being a little off.

So to ensure that your project isn't derailed by an activity taking longer than planned, it's best to schedule some slack or float. That simply means you have made room in your schedule for the risk of unexpected delays and the project won't go off track when these delays occur.  The time spent on a project and its costs are directly proportional. Your schedule may very well determine the budget, and a mistake in scheduling could cause you to break your budget. 

Getting the schedule right before you start is important! As long as you get the best advice you can about how long activities should take and schedule slack to allow for miscalculation, your schedule should stand the rigors of the project cycle.

If you want to increase your time management competencies, 

visit our workshops and seminars page:

http://www.pqcinternational.com/en-us/solutions/humancapitaldevelopment/workshopsseminarssoftskills.aspx 

and register for our time management one-day workshop. 

  

To learn more, visit:

http://www.pqcinternational.com 

Get to know us! 

The top ten advantages of SharePoint

By PQC editorial staff

It's no secret that businesses and organizations are always looking for ways to improve efficiency, and as much as we hate to admit it, none of us are perfect. Thus, no matter where you work or in what field, there will always be room for improvement.

One of the best ways to increase operational efficiency and to reduce human error is by improving business processes. When it comes to increasing efficiency, Windows SharePoint Services offer top of the line technology that encourages collaboration as well as enables easier access to information. SharePoint also runs on Windows server 2003, which allows for easier installation. 

There are many benefits to using Windows SharePoint Services within your organization, but at PQC, we decided to make it easy on you with our Top Ten List of SharePoint benefits.   

1. Improve team productivity with easy-to-use collaborative tools
2. Easily manage documents and help ensure integrity of content
3. Get users up to speed quickly
4. Deploy solutions tailored to your business processes
5. Build a collaboration environment quickly and easily
6. Reduce the complexity of securing business information 
7. Provide sophisticated controls for securing company resources 
8. Take file sharing to a new level with robust storage capabilities 
9. Easily scale your collaboration solution to meet business needs 
10. Provide a cost-effective foundation for building Web-based applications

For a full list of features and to gain more experience and understanding about SharePoint, check out our workshops and seminars page at http://www.pqcinternational.com/en-us/solutions/humancapitaldevelopment/workshopsseminarscomputerskills.aspx

Register today and earn PDUs while also gaining valuable knowledge and increasing your computer skill competencies.

To learn more, visit:

http://www.pqcinternational.com 

Get to know us! 

Are you a leader or a boss?

By Jennifer Seifert

Do you often find your company in a constant state on conflict? Are projects not getting done and are clients being brought in at a slower pace than expected? Then it's time not only to evaluate your company and associates, but YOU as a leader.

Being a boss and a leader are generally the same concept but have some striking differences. Nobody likes a bossy boss, but everyone likes a leader who leads. Being a boss is just that; being concerned not with the company's affairs, but with your own. In short, being a selfish leader.

A boss brings the company down while a leader builds the company up. You cannot sit behind your desk all day expecting your associates to do all the work for you. Be a proactive leader to allow your business to reach new heights.

Don't play the blame game and tell associates that they are not doing their job, when another sector of the company is not pulling their weight either. This will reduce associate morale; thus, decreasing productivity. Not only that, but your associates will not want to work with (or for) you if your attitude is that of a boss.

The following are some key differences between a boss and a leader. Evaluate yourself based on this list. Which one are you?

• A boss drives associates; a leader coaches
• A boss depends on authority; a leader depends on goodwill
• A boss inspires fear; a leader generates enthusiasm
• A boss says, "I"; a leader says, "We"
• A boss places blame for breakdowns; a leader fixes the breakdown
• A boss knows how it's done; a leader shows how it's done
• A boss uses people; a leader develops people
• A boss takes credit; a leader gives credit
• A boss commands; a leader asks
• A boss says, "GO"; a leader says, "LET'S GO

Do you see yourself in any of these scenarios? If you do, ask yourself, "What can I do to become more of a leader and less of a boss?" No one likes to be bossed around and no one likes to work for someone who feels entitles to do so.

To learn more, visit:

http://www.pqcinternational.com 

Get to know us!  

March of Dimes: PQC walks for babies!

Throughout the month of April, WeCare Foundation had done a tremendous job with many different outreach programs that benefit to the community and with the motto of PQC, “WeCare! Giving Without Borders.” March for Babies was one of the greatest events we had participated in. This project was organized by the WeCare and Happiness Brigade teams. Preparations began one month in advance. The preparation process took all team members but the result paid off.

On April 27th, March for Babies started at 7:30 a.m. with registration, continued on with T-Shirt contest at 8:25 a.m., then a quick 15 minutes of a Zumba warm-up exercise before the actual walk. Our CEO had a great time with the twist and turn and other team members also joined in. After the warm-up, everyone moved to the starting line and began the walk with the MC’s instruction. As each team crossed the start line, their team name was announced accordingly through the microphone.

At the beginning, we were all together, then there were a few of us in front, then few were a block behind, and then there were a few at the end of the line. We eventually caught up with each other, but our CEO, his wife, and Dayna with the double stroller were enjoying the 4.3 miles walk way at the back. As we accomplished each mile, we got cheers by March for Babies volunteer members who greeted us with a bottle of water to quench our thirst.

Five of us finally reached the finish line joining Tim Shobe, our first associate to complete the walk. We went inside and lined up to pick up hotdogs, cookies, bananas, and an energy bar, then sat down on the grass to enjoy our team picnic time. About ten minutes later, our last four team members crossed the finish line.

So far, PQC raised $465 for the March for Babies program and the amount is continuously growing. This money will be donated to March for Babies organization to support programs in our community that help moms have healthy, full-term pregnancies and to give hope to our babies. Thanks everyone who came out to the Atlanta Walk!