Newsflash: There’s Something More Important Than Your Methodology!

What’s the best project management methodology? I am asked that a lot, and you know what?
It doesn’t matter what you use.
The point of having a supportive yet prescriptive set of processes, policies and templates to help you manage a project is to ensure that you do exactly that – manage it. A methodology gives you shortcuts and best practices to help you, but it won’t do it for you. Adherence to a methodology won’t ensure project success. There’s something far more important that will help you get to where you want to be – adequate, committed project leadership.
Thanks goes to this month’s Leadership Sponsor, ProWorkflow. Please visit their site to learn more about managing your projects online.
proworkflowMany methodologies are put together by companies so that their project managers have a bespoke set of processes, specific to their business and dovetailing into their other business processes. The problem is, in many cases, that the methodology by nature has to be pretty generic. Businesses can’t legislate for every sort of project, in every team, in every business situation, so the methodology is only going to be right 80% of the time anyway.
Whichever methodology you use – a bespoke one for your organisation or an ‘off-the-shelf’ one like PRINCE2, you’ll have to apply it pragmatically. That’s where leadership comes in.

Leading your project
Having a methodology is great, don’t get me wrong. I’m all for saving time by using standard processes and supporting new project managers by ensuring all the steps are followed. Methodologies do support project success by providing a framework for project managers, stakeholders and the rest of the team to follow.
But they aren’t enough alone, and putting all your trust in a methodology is naïve.
A project leader knows when to follow the methodology and when to ignore it. The trouble is, you have to know the methodology inside out before you can ignore the bits that don’t apply. When you choose to ignore something in the process, it should be because you understand the consequences of doing so, not simply because it looks too difficult or you don’t think it’s relevant. Sometimes a project leader will work inclusively with his or her project team (you can take the Catalyst test here to find out if you are an inclusive leader!), sometimes it’s a decision you can take alone.
That’s why I always advocate leaving every section in a template document. Don’t delete the sub-headings or sections that aren’t relevant to your project. Instead, write “not required” in the space underneath it. This shows that you haven’t forgotten about the section or ignored it or not understood it. You have actively considered it and decided that for this project, in these circumstances, it is not required.

Leading and improving
Project leaders do more than just lead their projects, tailoring the methodology as they go by actively considering and then ignoring the bits that don’t apply this time. They also provide feedback to the owner of the methodology (normally the PMO) about what could be improved. Being able to build relationships is one of the key traits of a leader, according to Jeff Hodgkinson, Gary Hamilton and Gareth Byatt in a paper for PMI, and the PMO (or other owner of the methodology) is a critical relationship if you haven’t got that one sorted already.
Organisations evolve, but unfortunately many project management approaches and process manuals don’t. OK, they might be updated to reflect a new accounting year or some other external process changes that impact on managing a project, but I’ve seen many methodologies that have stayed the same for some time.

The best sports news sites you’ve never heard of

There are numerous websites, YouTube channels and blogs on the world wide web for you to get your daily dose of sports news updates and opinions. At one end of the scale, Sky Sports, the BBC and the top British newspapers often cover the same topics, breaking news and previews.

Then there are fan blogs and video channels of which many are dedicated to one team – their favourite. Which is fine if they are the same team as yours.

If you are a football or sports fan who wants to get updates from more than one team and are unimpressed by the traditional mainstream media, then here are four recommended sports news sites you may be unfamiliar with:

Football Blog
The guys behind Football Blog have been around for a number of years now but haven’t always got the coverage they deserve. Their team provide cutting edge analysis and opinion across the top European football divisions, including the English Premier League, Spanish La Liga and Italian Serie A, as well as the UEFA Champions League and Europa League competitions.

Tactical analysis, previews, history and opinion on the top stories and key players are just some of the topics covered on Football Blog, which provides fresh content every day. Their in-depth posts often educate or leave you intrigued.

Previous popular posts have included full transfer roundups, Chelsea’s failed tactical experiment versus Leeds United and the career of Alex McLeish. Yep, they cover just about everything there is to be covered!

Suggested site: Football Blog

Talking Sports
From the United Kingdom to the United States now as the Talking Sports blog comes from the other side of the ocean. However, it’s not only their home leagues they cover, such as the NFL, NBA and NHL, but they really do live up to their name with the broad range of sports they cover.

You will find content from a much greater range of sports, including Formula 1, Cricket, Football and Horse Racing. Instead of giving you the same news content that everyone has covered, Talking Sports aim to enlighten you and create thought-provoking content for its readers to enjoy.

Their definitive list of the most popular sports in the world proved a success.

Suggested Site: Talking Sports

Football Talk
One of the cult blogs in terms of football coverage, Football Talk has been around for more than a decade now and has a loyal fanbase without ever cracking the mainstream. Their team of writers cover the top Premier League teams… and Tottenham Hotspur.

They often break news stories before the likes of the BBC, whilst giving in-depth match previews, match reports, interviews, video content and post-game analysis from all the big Premier League and Champions League matches. Transfer rumours, transfer deals and opinions on players and managers are just some of the other topics covered on a daily basis.

Opt For Preventive Care To Reduce The Cost of Healthcare

People often do not prioritize their health and visit the hospital or their doctors while detecting some disease-causing symptoms in their bodies. However, preventive care is the best possible way everyone can undertake and cease the risk factors before the symptoms become dangerous and life-threatening. The following article will focus completely on preventive health care and how it helps reduce further costs involved with healthcare.

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What is Preventive Care?

Preventive health care or prophylaxis involves the measures that people consider for preventing any diseases. The form of healthcare includes utilizing medical services or precautions that fight against the potential health crisis. It is the most important step that people can adopt in better management of their health.

Several factors such as genetic predisposition, lifestyle, environmental factors, and disease agents affect people’s health. Hence, everyone must undergo periodic health check-ups and screening tests from the doctors.

People opt for preventive health care for maintaining better health, and eliminating the disease becomes serious. Preventive care in conjunction with medicines will save a patient from health breakdown and save money from future expenses, especially if the patient is suffering from a chronic disease.

What are the Preventative Care Services?

Here are some of the examples of preventive health care services, along with their frequencies. ·

Annual Check-up (1 per calendar year): During the annual check-up, the doctor or Primary Care Provider (PCP) checks all areas of a person’s health, including physical and psychological. Examining the patients in detail helps in detecting any health care concerns in the early stages.

· Flu Shot (1 per year): Most health plans include flu shots and protect the patients from all strains of flu viruses.

· Mammogram (1 calendar year, after the patient attains the age of 40 years): Patients over the age of 40 must undergo routine x-rays of breast tissues and check for signs of cancer and other abnormalities. Some health plans might cover the costs of 3D imaging. ·

Colonoscopy (usually once in every decade after the age of 50) for detecting colon cancer.

· Vaccinations, including boosters for such as measles, rubella, polio, etc. administered during childhood.

Preventive health care helps keep people productive and active, enabling them to earn well during their senior years. Studies show that approximately 35% of people have to consider early retirement, even before they are financially ready. Opting for affordable, preventive care helps in reducing the numbers.

Why Should Patients Opt for Preventive Care?

Access to preventive health care helped reduce healthcare costs among Americans, as the physicians can prevent or treat the disease before the patient needs emergency room (ER) care. Almost one-third of costs in America include hospital care, which is undoubtedly very expensive. In 2010, 21.4% of adults paid at least a visit to the emergency room, which reduced to 18.6% in 2017. Adults not having affordable access to preventive care are more likely to pay a couple of visits to the emergency room.

Statistics show that 7% of the adults in the age group of 18-64 paid visits to the ER in 2014, as they had no other option, regardless of their health insurance status. About 77% of Americans went to the emergency rooms due to complications in their health, including those whose doctors advised them for emergency room care. Approximately 15.4% of uninsured adults in 2014 are more likely to use the emergency room, as they lacked other providers.

Undoubtedly, the cost of ER care for uninsured patients was extremely high. Hospitals provide care, even if the patient fails to provide fees for their services. As hospitals must recover the cost, they shift to Medicaid and health insurance premiums, which increases the healthcare cost for everyone.

Impact of Preventive Care Cost on Health Care Costs

Chronic diseases are the major leading cause of death among people, either preventable or manageable with regular visits to health care. These include:

· Heart diseases

· Cancer

· Stroke and

· Chronic lower respiratory diseases

Poor nutrition and obesity are the leading cause of heart disease and stroke. Genetics and smoking lead to lung cancer, which is the most common type of cancer. Obesity also risks several other forms of cancer.

Treating these chronic diseases is expensive, even before they reach emergency room status. Approximately 90% of the 3.5 trillion USD includes health care expenditures for people suffering psychological problems and chronic diseases. Patients who never went for preventative care or did not have any prescription coverage failed to afford the treatments, screenings, regular check-ups, and medications that would manage the underlying conditions of the disease. Instead, they head up to the emergency rooms with cases of strokes, heart attacks, and other complications.

However, with regular access to affordable, preventive care, the patients were more likely to discover and manage their chronic conditions. Doing so lowers the chances of visiting the emergency rooms and investing more into expensive treatments for those diseases, which passed regular management. With the decrease in the expenditure for treatments, the overall healthcare cost also decreases for everyone, as the hospitals no longer try to cover the treatment cost of the uninsured patients.

When and What Preventive Health Care is the Most Suitable?

A patient’s primary health care provider will help him or her coordinate the most suitable shots and tests. While analyzing the beneficial shots, the health care provider will consider certain aspects such as family history, age, sex, current health status, and several other factors.

Conclusion

Preventive health care often covers 100% of health plans and offers the patients several benefits both in cost and health. However, if the patient experiences doubts or are in dilemmas about the things covered and tests conducted, he or she must communicate with the physician at the earliest.

Everyone knows, “health is wealth.” If a patient is healthy, he or she will perform the best. However, it is also important to adopt a healthy lifestyle, reducing the risk factors and saving the patients from spending money on medicines.

5 Online Video Editors without Watermarks

With video sharing at an all-time high across all social media platforms, using an online video editor makes your life easy. For example, the YouTube Platform alone uploads millions of videos a week. The right tool can give you a competitive edge. Thus, finding an editor with no watermarks is your best ally to promote your business with video content. After all, watermarks distract viewers when it comes to branding. Need an online video editor with no watermarks? Take a look at the top choices below.

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Factors to Weigh When Selecting an Online Video Editor
With so many video editors online, it can be overwhelming to pick just one. Though most of them share the same purpose of crafting stunning videos, they are not created equal. Even online video editor tools share different characteristics. Here are some factors you must weigh when selecting a digital solution:

Some online video editors are free to use with no watermarks. This is your best bet when you have a limited budget. However, others require a fee so you can remove the watermark. Most editors also offer tiered rates that provide more features the higher the level. Thus, when choosing an editing tool, you must assess your budget and your purpose. All of this will tell you how much you can afford to spend.

The Price
Online video makers come with a broad range of features, from hundreds of transitions to funky animation. The key is finding the tool that you feel comfortable working with. If you have computer memory issues, then pick an editor with cloud-based storage help. Similarly, having access to templates and footage will be helpful for newbies. Most of all, finding a tool with “no watermark” is a priority

The User Interface
Some digital tools are quite complicated. There’s a learning curve, so you need to study first before feeling at ease to use the tool. If you’re new to this field, finding a video maker with an easy user interface works best. Consequently, this means you don’t have to spend hours editing. With drag and drop features and a few clicks of the mouse, you will enjoy the finished product in a matter of minutes.

The Objectives
If you intend to create video ads for your business, then access to a business suit with professional themes works best. When releasing short video commercials, you definitely cannot choose an online video editor with watermarks. It will confuse your target market because they may end up thinking you’re advertising some other product.

Top 5 Video Solutions With NO Watermarks
If you need to create ads, tutorials, explainers, and other videos with no watermark fret not. These top five solutions assure you can create stunning works of art without other people’s branding. Let’s get started.

Promo.com
This lives up to its name by helping you promote your brand well on social media and anywhere else. It offers free to use with no distracting watermarks. Even the basic package comes with lots of templates and free music that assures you can create with ease. If you want to enjoy more features, you can pay for an affordable upgrade. This tool assures you can access:

Thousands of pre-designed templates
Millions of stock video clips and photos
Extensive copyright-free music
Ability to do voice-overs
Animation, effects, transition
Background, colors, fonts
Moreover, if you feel unsure about what to do, 24/7 live chat support is ready to offer assistance anytime. You can actually chat with a real-life customer service agent and not some random bot.

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Movie Maker Online
The biggest perk of Movie Maker Online is there are no registration requirements. Just hop onto the site and start editing. There’s no need to download on your PC and install. Most of all, it is free to use, and your final product will have no site labels or watermarks.

This online video editor lets you upload your photos and footage with ease. Moreover, you can add effects, transitions, and music. Best of all, other than editing videos, this tool allows you to:

Edit photos
Make animations
Create collages
Craft slideshows
Make GIFs
WeVideo
If you want to upload stuff from your phone gallery and have the final edited output within seconds, WeVideo is a great ally. It is compatible with android and iOS mobile. Moreover, it also works with your PC without downloading it. It provides a cloud-based storage system that offers unlimited saves.

In addition, WeVideo allows you to upload and edit any file format. You can swiftly edit, no matter where you are, and immediately share on your site or social media profiles. This allows you to enjoy these perks:

Free stock photos
Extensive video clips
Free music
Various effects
Hippo Video
Try Hippo, another online video editor with no watermark. This tool means you don’t have to download any software. As long as you have internet access, you can edit in the virtual world. This tool allows you to import and export any files from the following:

Gmail
Google Suite
Google Drive
Other cloud-based storage apps
This solution has everything to satisfy your needs. Enjoy its library packed with clips, photos, effects, and music. You can trim, cut, blur, add emojis, or include callout options. Moreover, you will enjoy using templates for whatever you want to create. Best of all, Hippo Video allows you to narrate using the mic tool.

VSCD Free Video Editor
This wonderful tool has no download, no ads, and no watermarks. Just download this software from its site, and you can begin editing. However, your device must meet certain specifications so the app will run.

From there, you can edit all types of file formats and enjoy super effects. With your mouse, you can readily alter images and footage. It also comes with a chroma key that helps you adjust color. Moreover, it has an excellent audio editor for the best sound equalization and volume correction.

The Final Wrap Up
With so many online video editors, it can be overwhelming to choose just one. However, it is okay to have a few editors in your marketing tool kit. And a digital solution with no watermark works best because it will help solidify your branding. Remember, the right tool plays a crucial part in ensuring you edit and share high-quality video content that makes an impact.

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