PICK SMART Improvements

Contractors will never have enough resources to solve all problems or take advantage of every opportunity they face.

D. Brown Management Profile Picture
D. Brown Management
June 23, 2018 2 minute read
Share
Leadership Tools: P.I.C.K S.M.A.R.T. Improvements.

There are a couple tools that can be used to align the team around the best utilization of resources:

PICK Chart:

  • Brainstorm the potential improvements with a cross-functional team.  This is about creating alignment as much as prioritization.  
  • Consolidate your list down into a manageable number of items - no more than 20.
  • “Force Rank” them first in order of impact highest to lowest then on execution risk to distribute them into the four quadrants.  This is harder than it seems. Try having several people do it independently then discuss and decide.  
  • Think about this as a tool that is continuously used - what might be in the “Kill” or “Challenge” categories today may be in the “Implement” category in a few months. 

SMART Improvements:

  • Starting in the “Implement” quadrant begin identifying specific improvements that can be made within the next 1-30 days.  
  • Your focus is on making progress towards your goal - beginning to climb the mountain.  Your whole path will become clearer as you start the climb.  
  • If the improvement item is too big break it down making it more specific.  
  • Set a regular weekly meeting rhythm to review progress, identify new items, adjust and keep climbing.

This seems easier than it actually is and it takes a lot of energy to keep progress moving forward.  As you gain momentum with the team you can continue to refine the process.  

Fee Structures for Preconstruction Services and CM@Risk Projects
How much should you charge? How much can you charge? How should you structure it? What do you really want out of it? Answering these four questions sets the stage for effectively selling your preconstruction services.
Related Article
Project Delivery - Lease Leaseback
Project Owners typically manage the financing of the project. In certain circumstances this does not always make sense, which is where Lease-Leaseback or Build-to-Suit project delivery methods come in.
Related Article
Responsibility Assignment Matrix (RAM) and Contractor Growth
A responsibility matrix is a simple but powerful tool for helping everyone on a project and in the company see who is responsible for what. With a few added columns, it can easily indicate when, what tools, and link to the "how-to" procedures.
Related Article