Buy MindManager 7 for Mac Now & Get MindManager 8 for Mac Free!
To celebrate yesterday’s announcement that MindManager 8 for Mac is coming, Mindjet is offering this special MindManager Mac promotion! Read the rest of this entry »
Archive for category MindManager for Mac
Mindjet is committed to providing compatibility with Snow Leopard. We’re planning to release an update to MindManager 7 for Mac by September 15th that will completely support Snow Leopard.
This update will be available to our customers free of charge.
Stay tuned, next week I’ll also be sharing some exciting news about MindManager Mac.
Change management consultant Stephen Billings wrote recently, "It’s time to stop thinking of resistance as a force opposing the change you want to see." One way to alter the perception of resistance is to map it out using the Force Field analysis developed by one of the founders of modern psychology, Kurt Lewin.
Lewin’s Force Field analysis can be visualized using an easily understood and simple to use mind map. The map can be used to list, discuss and evalute the various forces for or against a proposed change. It provides the the ‘big picture’ perspective and allows you to evaluate the impact of change by weighing the pros and cons of the situation. With a team, it encourages discussion and agreement on the relative priorities of factors on both sides of the equation.
Download the MindManager Force Field Map
Other ways to use the Force Field MindManager map include:
-
List pro’s and con’s.
-
List actions and reactions.
-
List strengths and weaknesses.
-
Compare ideal situations and reality.
-
In negotiation, compare the perceptions of opposing parties.
-
List "what we know" in the left column, and "what we don’t know" in the right.
Social media expert, Jay Deragon, explores how the force field analysis can be applied to to uncover hidden opportunities in the social media space by closing the expectation gap between the social network operators and user’s desires. He concludes, "The difference is one of thinking abundantly with possibilities or with scarcity and control of the current environment."
What changes are happening in your life and work that can be viewed more clearly using this mapping technique?
Many project managers use MindManager to develop detailed project plans. It provides an easy way to build out a detailed ‘work breakdown structure’ both individually and collaboratively. Andrew Wilcox, consultant & trainer, illustrates this concept nicely in his blog post, Using MindManager 8 for Task Planning. The same technique could be applied to drill down into complex problems, creating progressively smaller issues.
Let’s take a look at an example of how to break down a problem using a MindManager map.
Here’s an example where a restaurant owner wants to investigate why there has been a significant drop in revenue. Since there can be many causes, the owner decides to break it down into smaller parts to have greater focus.
The map’s growth settings were adjusted to be a ‘right-facing’ map and the main problem was entered as the central topic. The next level of the map contains factors that contribute to the problem, information relating to it or questions raised by it. Information is added into the map, repeating this process until all of the problem’s components and contributing factors to the problem are understood. At this point, there will be a much deeper understanding and holistic view of the larger issue which should ultimately lead to better resolutions.
By breaking down the problem into smaller parts, Mindjet can help you focus more specifically on the real problems, understand their causes and develop appropriate resolutions.
Feel free to leave a comment or tips you’d like to share with the larger Mindjet community!
The year is almost over with 2009 just around the corner. Here’s another strategic planning map from the December Mindjet newsletter. There is no better way to brainstorm and capture ideas, refine and organize them into a plan that you can manage and monitor. Build and manage your plan with MindManager or have your team join in via Mindjet Connect so everyone can contribute.
For more information on how to build your strategy in five easy steps, check out the complementary article in Mindjet Connections.
There’s a lot changing out there with the economy and business environment. I won’t go into all of that. You read the news. Or at least the blogs. With so much change, I thought it would be good to show a way to capture all this information into a single place to help you make better strategic decisions.
With this downloadable PEST analysis template, you gain visibility into a longer horizon of time and see the “big picture”. This will help you clarify strategic opportunities and impending threats. By looking outside your organization to see the potential forces of change, you can take your planning process from tactical into the strategic.
The PEST Analysis is a framework that you can use to scan the external macro-environment in which a firm operates. PEST is an acronym for the following factors:
- Political factors
- Economic factors
- Social factors, and
- Technological factors
Review the template, add your notes and take advantage of the map markers to tag and mark each item’s importance, impact, time frame, how it is changing and type of change.
How are you planning 2009? Add you comments below.
If you want to keep in touch, beyond this blog, here are some ways to connect with me.
As you head into the new year, it’s time to take stock in where you are, what you have accomplished and where you are heading. In this process, you might find yourself asking…
-
Were your objectives clear this year?
-
Did they align with your goals?
-
Are you where you want to be today?
-
Where would you like to be next year? Or in the next few years?
Setting objectives helps individuals and teams focus, get on the same page and define what ‘done’ looks like. I’ve put together a ‘Goals and Objectives template that highlights an effective way to align your goals with meaningful and measurable objectives using Mindjet MindManager.
Mapping Your Goals and Objectives
One of the benefits of mapping your objectives is to make sure that they support your goals. Let’s start by taking a look at the difference between goals and objectives and how they are related.
Open up the template, and start adding goals for 2009 into your map. These goals can be personal or professional, it’s up to you. If you’re new to MindManager, here are some tips and tricks to help you get started (Windows, Mac, Web).
Setting ‘SMARTER’ objectives
Start adding ideas into the template about how to reach each of your goals. These will ultimately be your objectives. For now, free yourself from constraint and start adding ideas without any judgment.
Once you’re satisfied with your list of ideas (or approaches), it’s time to refine and prioritize them by using the template’s guidelines to create ‘SMARTER’ objectives. For each idea, use the guidelines to prompt you with a series of questions that validate and help refine objectives until they are all Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, Time-bound, Extending (reaching), and Rewarding set of objectives. If your ideas do not satisfy the criteria, then remove them from your map.
Test each of your objectives to make sure they are clear, concise and challenging yet achievable. Keep refining your objectives until they all meet the SMARTER criteria and repeat this step until you feel confident that you have enough SMARTER objectives identified to reach your goals. When setting objectives for teams, it is important to engage the team in the process. Make sure your collective goals and objectives are thoroughly defined, roles are assigned, expectations communicated, accountability established and deadlines set.
Using Your Goals and Objectives Map
It’s a powerful practice to record your goals and objectives. It’s the first key step in achieving them! Check them frequently. Use your map as your compass throughout the year. Before embarking on a new task or assignment, check your map to help you decide what to do and more importantly, what not to do. Use your map to keep a record of your victories and track your progress throughout the year.
Make the most of your efforts in 2009 by mapping your SMARTER objectives to your goals!
What are your Goal and Objective setting tips? Share in the Comments!
If you liked this article, please share it on del.icio.us, Digg or one the other bookmarking services below. We’d appreciate it.
.
