Lead to Order Part 3: Change Orders

Listen to Episode #4

You can find the Playbook for this episode here.

What About Change Orders / Project extensions?
How do SI’s approach CO’s scope/budget?
How soon should you know about it and how formal should the notification be?
Should you allow the SI to work at risk?
With agile projects how do you draw a firm functionality line?
If you inherited a project budget off the rails where would you start to unravel it?

Lightening Round & Recommendations

How Do You Leave It At Work?

This is a hard one and something most have to continually work at – as evidenced by the “free for all” conversation while discussing it.

• Collectively we believe that checklists, having email “black outs”, working out and for at least half of us the occasional glass of wine or G&T and for the other half a green tea to help unwind.
• Keeping focused on what is important – putting things in perspective – is core to any kind of work /life balance
• If you work at home, designate an area for work and try to limit your work to that space.

Team Building

How do you bond a team to prepare them for potential tough times?

• Recognize that that teams are just a collection of humans and the most important thing is to build trust, get them to a point where they know they are there for each other.
• As a leader empathy and compassion matter- they don’t make you seem soft – and humor is fundamental.
• This is the part of the episode where LoriA explains a status report that was once delivered in Haiku.  We feel sure this is a first and, well, her description in the podcast is worth a listen. (Editors note: Two of us on this podcast can confirm this actually happened…)

TV Shows

• Maryam – This Is Us – Binge-worthy and the perfect mix of funny and emotional with multiple story lines so it appeals to to all types of people. Special shout out to Chris Bell who once threatened to de-friend her if a character died, because she sucked him into the show addiction with her.
• Andrea – Big Bang Theory – smart, funny and good for all ages and guaranteed to be showing on a channel somewhere in the world 24 hours a day.  Apparently her family gave her the Big Bang Theory Game for Mother’s Day. No words….
• LoriA – Grace & Frankie – Again,  smart and funny and also innovative in that it treats over 70 women like real people.  Their new business venture alone is worth watching for.  (Plus it has the always amazing Lily Tomlin and we spend a few minutes in awe of how amazing Jane Fonda looks at 79)
• LoriW – Netflix Chef’s Table series – There are 3 seasons and hey  take some of the best chefs at the best restaurants around the world and tell their story.  Not only is the food amazing, but the stories are so compelling.  Kind of like This Is Us, but with better food.