In her book, "Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance," Angela Duckworth writes that talent and IQ matter, but without genuine effort, they're merely the promise of what's possible.
Grit means completing a project in spite of obstacles. Since every project or work of passion presents obstacles, grit is the only thing that makes a project succeed.
According to Duckworth, grit can be developed by cultivating interests, practice, purpose, and hope--and associating with people who are gritty themselves.
Cultivating grit is the relentless discipline of trying to do things better, of blending your moments of deliberate practice to stretching outside your comfort zone. At the same time, hope enables you to persevere when things get tough. By fostering the belief that your talent and abilities improve with practice, you're able to think more optimistically by testing the reasons behind setbacks and failures.
While grit can be advanced from within, having similar people around to whom you can turn for help and encouragement is critical to achieving what matters to you the most.
In pursuit of their passion, people are often tempted to quit. That could be because they're bored or don't think a project is sufficiently important. Here's where perseverance should come in so that they press on.
But what if they don't persevere?
To get insight into your passion, ask these questions: What matters most to me? What would I rather be doing? What do I like to think about? Where does my mind wander? How do I spend my free time? What do I find unbearable?
Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance
Publisher: Scribner, an imprint of Simon & Schuster, Inc.
Pages: 352
Scope creep: It can destroy a project from within
What is scope creep?
It's the threat of a project exceeding the control of its manager.
Any major project must be clearly defined, documented, and confined to specifications. If the manager is not in control, the original vision of a project can expand beyond its initial goals, boundaries, budget, and possibly destroy itself in the process.
Scope creep begins with the subtle addition of new designs without approval for increases in time, costs, and resources. It is no secret that facing scope creep is a daunting challenge.
To defy scope creep, the project team must have all the research and information necessary to produce the desired product on time and within budget. Not surprisingly, less than a third of completed projects meet these basic expectations.
According to TechRepublic.com, the guidelines for controlling the scope of a project are:
Submit the project overview to the project drivers for their review and comments. Develop a detailed order list for reference throughout the project. Provide general descriptions of the functionality of deliverables to be outlined during the project.
Change approved deliverables into actual work requirements. Divide the project into major and minor milestones. Complete a reasonable project schedule for approval by the project drivers.
Assign resources, then use the PERT (project evaluation review technique) to determine the work breakdown and critical path to project conclusion. Since this plan will change during the course of the project, evaluate it carefully.
Finally, prepare for the inevitable arrival of scope creep. Quickly introduce order forms for approval. Educate project drivers on the most effective methods of combating scope creep.
With these steps in mind, the alert project manager can control the project instead of the project seizing the reins from its manager.
Savvy tips for your trade show exhibit budget
Here's how to keep your budget in control and maybe even save money on your trade show space.
Space cost: According to trade show experts at Nimlok.com, the cost of exhibit space will consume about 25 to 35 percent of your budget. When apportioning the necessary space, carefully evaluate the number and composition of your attendees. Also, contact the event organizers about their cost per square foot. If they offer early registration, take it. You'll save money.
Professional designers: Check out some professional exhibit designers in the area. In the long run, a savvy designer could save you money with plans that can reconfigure space, require fewer materials, and pack more efficiently.
Confirm shipping cutoff dates with the event manager. If you stay true to the shipping dates, you won't incur extra fees for late shipping.
Drayage is the cost of the event's professionals who transport your exhibit from the warehouse to the booth space you've reserved. Their rates are usually based on weight. As a result, using such lightweight materials as fabric graphics can save you still more money.
Check installation and dismantle costs: Installation and dismantle teams (I&D)) set up your exhibit before the trade show and take it down afterward. Although smaller presentations may not require I&D, the more elaborate displays often do. This can be expensive.
Get your designer involved with setup and teardown: Build an exhibit that meets your goals while streamlining setup and teardown time.
Calculate return on investment: The Transportation and Marketing Sales Association offers numerous methods of calculating ROI. However, you can get a quick estimate of ROI by dividing the overall cost of the trade show by the number of quality leads it generated.
