Keep Your Ego in Check | The T2 P.R.O.J.E.C.T.S Framework

When billionaire investor Warren Buffett bought the now one-hundred-year-
old retailer Helzberg Diamonds in 1995, he followed a simple rule:
stay out of the way. Buffett resisted doing what many investors do after
making an acquisition—that is, stepping in and making changes, even
when they might be necessary.

Instead, he simply marveled at the retailer’s success and recognized the
talented people running the show, and he chose not to interfere. Barnett
Helzberg, the previous owner of the company, was so impressed by
Buffett’s behavior that he wrote the book What I Learned Before I Sold
to Warren Buffett. When you take your ego out of the picture, Helzberg
writes, better decisions get made because everyone focuses on what is best for the company.

“Egoless management,” he explains, “can be your greatest strength.”

In a team setting, entering a planning session with an egoless attitude
is vital because every project and iteration is different and brings its own
challenges and dilemmas. It’s tempting to cut corners here and seek an
easy fix by drawing on past experiences or get defensive when other people question your ideas. But it also limits your ability to innovate and look ahead. Instead, encourage team members to be open-minded and reserve judgment.

From the start, be transparent with your team and establish, as a ground-rule, that no one should take anything personally. Strive for integrity
and excellence and remember that the key to your team’s success is fostered by the mindset you all share.

Key Takeaways
+During planning sessions, encourage team members to embrace their identity as a team and recognize that each person has a role.

+Begin each iteration by reminding team members to respect one another and begin with a clean mental slate.

+Talk about what the team is doing, not what individuals have done.

+Make room for every person’s idea so that they realize they are all in the project together.

+Establish that all victories are earned by the entire team.

Learn more about Getting the Job Done - Practical Advice and Real-world Anecdotes to Manage Successful P.R.O.J.E.C.T.S at
https://projects.t2group.us