Simple Truths: The Top Performer's Guide to Project Management

TPG_ProjManagement_INT

7/12/07

The

11:01 AM

Page i

Top

Performer’s Guide to

Project management Susan J. Benjamin

TPG_ProjManagement_INT

7/12/07

2:12 PM

Page ii

Copyright © 2007 by Susan J. Benjamin Cover and internal design © 2007 by Sourcebooks, Inc. Sourcebooks and the colophon are registered trademarks of Sourcebooks, Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means including information storage and retrieval systems— except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles or reviews—without permission in writing from its publisher, Sourcebooks, Inc. This publication is designed to provide accurate and authoritative information in regard to the subject matter covered. It is sold with the understanding that the publisher is not engaged in rendering legal, accounting, or other professional service. If legal advice or other expert assistance is required, the services of a competent professional person should be sought.—From a Declaration of Principles Jointly Adopted by a Committee of the American Bar Association and a Committee of Publishers and Associations All brand names and product names used in this book are trademarks, registered trademarks, or trade names of their respective holders. Sourcebooks, Inc., is not associated with any product or vendor in this book.

Published by Sourcebooks, Inc. P.O. Box 4410, Naperville, Illinois 60567-4410 (630) 961-3900 Fax: (630) 961-2168 www.sourcebooks.com Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Benjamin, Susan The top performer's guide to project management / Susan Benjamin. p. cm.

ISBN 978-1-4022-0965-9 (hardcover) 1. Project management. I. Title.

HD69.P75B448 2007 658.4'04--dc22 2007026130

Printed and bound in China.

LEO 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

TPG_ProjManagement_INT

7/12/07

11:01 AM

Page iii

Acknowledgments Project management is about working with people—trusting them, relying on them, and, above all, enjoying the process together. And so, for this book, a big thank you goes to my personal, and often impromptu, team: Josh Stella, for his careful comments and encouragement; Ellen Tunstall, for her seemingly endless support; and Dan Silverman, for his insights, ideas, and really great jokes. And special thanks go to Adam, who tolerated all those hours I sat at the computer typing—and was a great sport through it all.

Of course, nothing prepares you better to write a book about project management than having projects to work on. And for that I must thank my clients, who entrusted me with their projects, big and small. I learned so much from those who knew how to put a project together, those who made the experience smooth as ice cream. But special appreciation goes to those who didn’t have these skills; the lessons I learned from them are indispensable.

TPG_ProjManagement_INT

7/12/07

11:01 AM

Page iv

TPG_ProjManagement_INT

7/12/07

11:01 AM

Page v

Table of Contents Introduction.........................................................................1 Chapter 1: In the Beginning . . ........................................5 Business Results .............................................................5 Other Financial Considerations....................................7 Think It Ain’t So?..........................................................9 The Importance of “But Maybe . . .”.........................10 Quick Q&As. . ............................................................12 Other Questions You Must Ask..................................14 Chapter 2: Who’s Who in Project Management ..........17 The Team—and What You Should Know About Them............................................................................18 Don’t Make the Project Manager’s Biggest Mistake When Managing People..............................................29 Meet My Friends: Forming, Storming, Norming, and Performing............................................................29 Quick Q&As ................................................................31 Chapter 3: Shaping a Vision and Drafting a Plan .........35 Top Components of a Business Plan..........................36 Quick Q&As ................................................................41

TPG_ProjManagement_INT

7/12/07

11:01 AM

Page vi

Security Measures........................................................63 Chapter 4: Fingers to the Pulse ......................................69 All About Push Me/Pull Me .......................................69 Internal Communications ...........................................74 Communication Models .............................................79 External Communications ..........................................86 Chapter 5: What to Do When Disaster Hits the Fan ..93 Risk Management........................................................93 PERT .........................................................................101 When the Worst—or Almost Worst—Happens.....104 Don’t Forget to Cross-Risk! .....................................107 Chapter 6: Happy Endings ...........................................109 Closing a Project .......................................................109 When the End Comes Too Soon.............................114 Index.................................................................................117 About the Author ............................................................122

TPG_ProjManagement_INT

7/12/07

11:01 AM

Page 1

Introduction You’ve doubtless heard plenty about project management.

Trust me, every large business down to every two-person outfit has myths aplenty. Things like, “Project management requires considerable training—possibly a high-level degree.” Or, “Project management requires a huge investment in expensive technology.” In fact, for some, the whole idea of project management seems more complicated than the project they’re actually managing.

So sit back, relax, and chill, because project management is probably something you do every day. Married? Have kids? Then project management is already a routine part of your life. You must balance a budget (a.k.a. household expenses), keep to a schedule (from the moment you walk in the door to when you get the kids fed, bathed, and in bed), and address personality conflicts. And trust me on this one, too: Managing employees and clients can be a whole lot easier than managing kids.

“So what’s the difference?” you may ask. The answer: volume and complexity. Project managing for a business comes with a bigger budget, a greater number of people, and more diverse interests and roles. Still, you’ll be amazed at how familiar the project management terrain can be and

TPG_ProjManagement_INT

7/12/07

11:01 AM

Page 2

The Top Performer’s Guide to Project Management

how much you really already know. Before we get going, though, read these pointers; they’ll help: The Time Equation: Plenty of tools abound for helping you manage your project. Many are technologybased, but not all. They require effort from both you and your team. You’ll need to document your actions, calculate risks, assess your progress, consult with outsiders . . . but beware. Project management can function like a black hole, sucking you into a cold, clammy time warp where, while you’re working like crazy, you’re spending too much of your time on project management requirements and not enough time on the project itself.

The Problem: So, you have a project to manage.

People rely on you. Money’s involved. Oh, and so is your reputation. Naturally, you want everything to flow beautifully without a hitch. Forget it. The most astute project managers know that every project has problems.

Your jobs are: (A) Not to panic; (B) Strategize—quickly; (C) lead your team to a solution; and (D) Expect another problem somewhere down the pike. The problem with problems? You start believing the project is failing— not that you’re going through a natural part of the project management process. This may shift your thinking from that of a confident leader to that of an insecure [2]

TPG_ProjManagement_INT

7/12/07

11:01 AM

Page 3

Susan J. Benjamin

micromanager. So remember: That’s not the case. Just find a solution and move on.

Pursuing the Fine Art of Perfection: Don’t do it.

Pursue flexibility so you can adapt your project management plan and manage the expectations of your clients, team, and everyone else as you go. In fact, plan to build in a cushion for every stage of your systematic process.

Think developing a strategy will take your team a week?

Build in a week and a half. If you wrap it up early, no problem. Think you need $100,000 to complete the last phase of your project? Get $25,000 more. Think you need $100,000, but you’re only getting $75,000? Then figure out ways to get wiggle room in other areas of the project. The fine art of perfection is to gracefully not achieve it and get great results anyway.

Oh, and one other point: Please, please have fun. I’m not saying this as a cheerleader or a good-time gal. I mean it in the most serious, non-fun business sense imaginable. The more fun you have, the more involved your team becomes and the better your project. So, enjoy.

[3]

TPG_ProjManagement_INT

7/12/07

11:01 AM

Page 4

TPG_ProjManagement_INT

7/12/07

11:01 AM

Page 5

Chapter 1 In the Beginning . . .

Business Results So why are you managing the project? Because your boss told you to? Because your client wants it? Because that’s what your organization does? . . . The list of possibilities is endless. But the real reason— the only reason— is that your project brings in some sort of business result to whomever is receiving it.

This may seem like common sense: Why invest employee time and money into a project unless it brings in business results? But you’d be amazed. Your clients, teammates, even your boss, may have reasons for initiating the project that have no relationship to business results whatsoever. So, your job, right from the get-go, is to identify those desired results and to determine how, and even whether, to reach them.

In many ways, consider those desired results the solution to a problem. And in project management, every problem is ultimately about money. Yes, money makes every organization go ’round, and every task—from supplies to your business purchases to the employee holiday party—is all about money. Trust me; I mean this in the warmest, most humble sense. Here are two examples:

TPG_ProjManagement_INT

7/12/07

11:01 AM

Page 6

The Top Performer’s Guide to Project Management

Scenario 1 Organization: Shelia Craig’s Dance Company, a small, nonprofit dance school that hosts performances for the community Problem: The company wasn’t getting enough participants at the concerts or in the classes. As a result, it was barely staying afloat and not fulfilling its mission of bringing arts to the community.

Solution: Elevate the company’s exposure in the community by networking through the dance company’s board and launching an integrated marketing campaign.

Identifiable Outcome: Increase the size of the classes by five students apiece and increase the number of spectators at performances from approximately seventy-five per show to one hundred or above. This will bring in an additional $7,000 a year.

Scenario 2 Organization: Financial Services Corporation, a wellestablished company that provides a healthy range of products and services Problem: The Financial Services Corporation was losing market share. Though it had been around for almost [6]

TPG_ProjManagement_INT

7/12/07

11:01 AM

Page 7

Susan J. Benjamin

fifty years, a disproportionate amount of its profits came from one niche offering. New, more nubile attractive companies were sprouting up all over the financial landscape, offer diverse products and services and gaining market share. FSC was secure—but only for the time being. It risked a buyout or some other certain dismal ending as these younger companies gathered financial and corporate strength.

Solution: Reinvent FSC. This meant expanding its offerings—not by adding services, but by expanding on what already existed. In the process, FSC needed a stronger employee base, which meant offering early retirement or buyouts to some, and training to others, while hiring new employees with exceptional talents. FSC also needed to take two other steps: gain recognition in the marketplace and position themselves itself to buy out other companies.

Identifiable Outcome: Increase profit by 15 percent per year for five years after the phased project is in place.

Other Financial Considerations Of course, profit isn’t your only financial consideration when managing a project. For example, you must consider your budget. If you have a start-up, how much capital do you have? And, equally important, where can you go if your well runs dry and your project is very, very thirsty?

[7]

TPG_ProjManagement_INT

7/12/07

11:01 AM

Page 8

The Top Performer’s Guide to Project Management

If you happen to own a small business run out of a home office, then capital may be a concept reserved for the bigger guys; you’re probably running your project solely on cash flow. Take heart; it’s not just you. This unfortunate reality of small business operation influences most projects. Sure, you know how much cash you need each month, from your project’s inception to delivery. But do your customers pay on time? Will the cash be there when you need it? Will you need to borrow from your line of credit? How much interest will you accumulate? What other projects compete for your dollars?

Here are a few other questions to ask yourself, followed by a recommendation: • What is the rate of return? Generally speaking, the higher the rate of return, the more desirable the undertaking.

• What is your break even point? In other words, how long will the project take to recoup its present investment? Months? Years? What tolerance does your organization have for that time period?

• How much money will your project make? How much will it save?

• What are the opportunity costs? What will you forgo to undertake this project not just in terms of cash, but in quality of life, fulfilling your dreams? All those non-quantifiable aspects of project management really do add up.

[8]

TPG_ProjManagement_INT

7/12/07

11:01 AM

Page 9

Susan J. Benjamin

• What are the costs of not doing the project?

As for the recommendation, it goes like this: Don’t go it alone! Get help from a financial professional, or at least a seasoned project manager. If you happen to be in the money business, definitely seek help! You need outside input. Just like a shrink—you can’t analyze yourself.

Think It Ain’t So? Countless project managers claim that their project doesn’t have a quantifiable outcome. The protests get more pronounced when dealing with intangibles from research to public relations campaigns. Trust me, the quantifiables are there. If not, the project managers should simply refuse to participate in the project. Okay—that’s drastic, but at the very least, the project manager should recommend that the client, or whoever else is behind the project, rethink it.

If you happen to be among the skeptics, though, here’s the fit: Research: Where does your funding come from? How will the project influence that? Or what type of result do you expect from the research? To advance a process to the next level? To win approvals from experts? How many experts?

And what will their approval bring?

[9]

TPG_ProjManagement_INT

7/12/07

11:01 AM

Page 10

The Top Performer’s Guide to Project Management

Services: How do you rate the success of the service? Can you quantify customer satisfaction in surveys and, better yet, the resulting financial benefits from customer retention to new business? How many hours do employees spend providing the service? Do you intend to cut those hours while maintaining results? How much money will you save in the process?

Products: How well does your product sell? If it is a new product, how will it compare to products from your competitors? If increasing your sales, how much of an increase do you hope to gain? In what time period? And what factors will speed that process along . . . or possibly slow it?

Nonprofits: Even if you work for a nonprofit, you still need money to stay afloat. So treat your projects as if you were a profit-making enterprise. How does everything— from solicitation letters to community programs—affect your bottom line?

The Importance of “But Maybe . . .”

When determining the business outcome, you need to clearly identify risks. There are countless ways of doing this. The simplest is what’s known as “force-field analysis.”

Create a tablegraph where you outline the deficits of the program, then the benefits. Assign a score from five (the highest benefit) down to one. Then, tally the results. Here’s [10]

TPG_ProjManagement_INT

7/12/07

11:01 AM

Page 11

Susan J. Benjamin

an example from a company who that is considering updating its manufacturing plant: Deficits

Score

Financing

4

uncertain

Benefits Customers want the new

Score 5

products that the project will allow us to provide

Employees

2

Rate of production and

will resist

volume of output will

change

increase

Employee

2

training is

Environmental factors;

4

2

possible “green” effect

timeconsuming and expensive Will need to

3

Risk management

expand or

considerations; project

move facility

will put us well above

4

safety codes Total: – 11 + 15

The beauty of force-field analysis is this: Once you decide to initiate the program, you get information that [11]

TPG_ProjManagement_INT

7/12/07

11:01 AM

Page 12

The Top Performer’s Guide to Project Management

helps make the project work and you know how to troubleshoot for the issues that may arise. For example, the project manager can address the morale and resulting work issues that employees face due to change (the–2) with a strong internal marketing campaign. The cost is nominal, just employee time at meetings (approximately two hours, total) and the time involved in getting articles in the internal newsletter or emailed updates.

Quick Q&As Q. I have a client who wants us to implement a new technology program. He read about it in the Harvard Business Review and thinks it’s a great idea. It will cost the company about $500,000, given the time required to implement and test the tool, train employees, and pay for the technology itself. I think it’s a bad investment. The project has too many risks and not enough need. What do I do?

A. Remember that force-field analysis we just talked about? Conduct one with your client, and he or she should be convinced that the project isn’t worth doing. Or, even better, you can determine a way for the project to work. Perhaps you don’t need to implement the tool company-wide, but target key areas. Or maybe you can conduct a pilot program, then determine the risk and adapt the plan from there. This will [12]

TPG_ProjManagement_INT

7/12/07

11:01 AM

Page 13

Susan J. Benjamin

mean slowing the implementation time, but you will get bigger and better rewards in the end.

Q. I have no idea what the quantifiable outcome of this project will be. My boss, who handed me the project, doesn’t know, either. What do I do?

A. The best bet is a two-part strategy: Part I: Identify the possible outcomes by talking to the decision-maker, whether that’s your boss or a client. Ask them clear and targeted questions—don’t be vague. Here are a few examples: Vague: How much effort do your employees currently need to devote to this task?

Targeted: How many hours a week do your employees devote to this task, and what is the hourly breakdown of their salaries?

Vague: What do you hope to accomplish once we’ve completed this project?

Targeted: How do you specifically think this project will benefit employee productivity?

Part II: Research for more possible outcomes, using this information as a starting point. You can garner plenty [13]

TPG_ProjManagement_INT

7/12/07

11:01 AM

Page 14

The Top Performer’s Guide to Project Management

through internal data, such as spreadsheets and annual reports, or you could conduct a comparative study using similar projects from other organizations. You can also find a gold mine of examples from business journals or through project management organizations, such as the Project Management Institute. Your research can also be based on your own experience. Have you worked with a business this size before? Completed the same sort of project? Apply what you’ve learned to the task at hand.

Other Questions You Must Ask • Is the outcome reasonable? Everyone wants to increase their profits by a million dollars in a year, but is that reasonable? What evidence do you have? Plenty of businesses, particularly small businesses and startups, have gone belly-up by launching expensive and time-consuming projects based on pipe dreams.

• Do these results have longevity? If you’re going to introduce a new product to the marketplace, will its popularity endure over time? Is it simply a fad? Will the market become so saturated that the expense of adding it to your product menu will leave you starving in the end?

• Do you have the resources necessary to implement and sustain the project successfully? Obviously, you [14]

TPG_ProjManagement_INT

7/12/07

11:01 AM

Page 15

Susan J. Benjamin

need financial backing. But what about a workforce? Is your current workforce experienced enough? And, if not, will you be able to find the right employees? Can you afford to pay them what their expertise and experience requires?

• Are you the first on the business block to integrate the new program, offer the new product, or attempt the new strategy? If so, beware. There might be good reasons no one’s tried it before. Or, quite possibly, you might confront unpleasant obstacles as you attempt to clear a path through the unknown.

• What is the political environment of the organization?

Will you get resistance or support from key players— the CEO or president in particular? Are the employees reluctant to change? If so, will the organization get behind new initiatives to move them forward?

[15]

TPG_ProjManagement_INT

7/12/07

11:01 AM

Page 16

TPG_ProjManagement_INT

7/12/07

11:01 AM

Page 17

Chapter 2 Who’s Who in Project Management No question, the success of your project depends entirely— yes, entirely—on the people involved in it. Let’s start with the bad news: All of these people have unique interests, areas of expertise, and approaches to everything from pouring coffee before a meeting to addressing emergencies.

Sound sticky? Well, it is. Now for the good news: As a project manager, you can anticipate difficulties, manage them, and get everyone who counts to buy in wholeheartedly.

And speaking of buy-in, let’s look at two concepts critical to project management: buy-in and ownership. Then we’ll examine the all-star cast of project management and how you can get the best from them.

Buy-in: Buy-in is exactly what it implies—the participants in your project agree to, or “buy,” the reasons why the project exists in the first place, as well as doing what they can to move each stage forward. The opposite of buy-in is forcing people to do something they don’t like, understand, or believe in. And you know what happens then: failure.

TPG_ProjManagement_INT

7/12/07

11:01 AM

Page 18

The Top Performer’s Guide to Project Management

Ownership: Ownership is a more mature version of buyin. Now participants own the project; they consider it their own. Did you suggest or even design it? No matter; they will defend it for the duration, if they feel that it’s theirs.

The Team—and What You Should Know About Them Clients Yes, for most project managers, the client is something of a Darth Vader. Clients are: mysterious, powerful, and omnipresent. So, it’s important to remember that you follow your client’s advice every step of the way, living and dying by the motto: “The client’s always right.”

Realistically, your client may have the budget and desire to launch a project, but not the knowledge, insight, or skills to do so. Instead, your job is to make them think they’re always right by guiding them to make the right decisions.

Get ownership at every stage of the project. However, to get buy-in, you need to simultaneously let the client feel in control using these three strategies. Each works remarkably well.

Strategy 1: Choices.

Give the client choices at critical points in the process. For example, Shelia was a marketing consultant for a large [18]

TPG_ProjManagement_INT

7/12/07

11:01 AM

Page 19

Susan J. Benjamin

technology firm. She needed to get the clients to buy into an image that would appear at every stage of the campaign.

Rather than simply present the image to the client and hope for the best, she gave the client three versions to choose from. The image they chose was their image. They would support and defend it even though Shelia had already narrowed it down and approved all three versions.

Strategy 2: Positioning A critical part of giving the client choices, or even presenting strategies within your project management plan, is to position the information in a way that, as they said in the Godfather movie, it’s an offer they can’t refuse. Say you’re integrating a new software system as part of your project. Rather than simply recommend it, state the advantages first. Then ask if this option sounds good to them. Don’t forget to add the caveat: “If not, I can find other options.” This will give them a sense of control, although, most likely, they’ll agree.

Later when Shelia was recommending marketing approaches to her client later, she positioned it this way: “With this approach, you can reach your three target customer bases at once—and at a time when they’re most likely to buy. Does this sound good to you?” The client nods.

“Great. If not, we can look at other options, but clearly this one will yield the strongest results.”

[19]

TPG_ProjManagement_INT

7/12/07

11:01 AM

Page 20

The Top Performer’s Guide to Project Management

Strategy 3: Reminders Many project managers think that once the client agrees to something, they’re really on board. But remember this: Your client has countless other projects swimming through his brain, no matter how important yours is. So, later on in the process, you need to remind him not only of the decision, but that he made it. The reminders need to be subtle; otherwise you may inadvertently be accusing them of being scattered, absent-minded, or inaccurate in their comments—which, of course, they might be, but that’s not the point.

So, here’s what Shelia might say when presenting her project plan: “As you can see, I incorporated every aspect of the image and all the vehicles for reaching the target customer base that you suggested.” Or, if discussing software, you might say, “Just wanted to let you know we're testing the software that you chose and all indicators prove that the choice was a good one.”

Other pointers: Alert them to changes early on. All projects are, as they say, subject to change. Actually, changes—and lots of them— are inevitable. Although your client may know this consciously, the changes may set off alarm bells you want to avoid. So, let your client anticipate the events as soon as possible. For example, you could say something like, “We [20]

TPG_ProjManagement_INT

7/12/07

11:01 AM

Page 21

Susan J. Benjamin

may need an additional two weeks to complete the testing.” Then, should you need that extra time, the client won’t be surprised. As always, give the client a choice in the matter when possible. To do that you might add, “We want to make sure the project flows smoothly, so I think it’s worth the extra time, don’t you?”

Place bad news in the most positive sense: No one likes bad news, but if you place the bad news correctly, they’ll dislike it less. Think of this as the medicine theory. No one likes to take medicine, but we take it because we want to feel better, live longer, and reap the countless other benefits. Apply that concept to bad news, too. Here’s how: Medicine: You can keep that menacing fever down by taking two Fever-Away tablets every day.

Project: We can be sure the technology is compatible organization-wide by testing it for two additional weeks. Or: We can reach the right media outlets by modestly increasing the budget.

Be clear and unambiguous. Be clear in your project management plan, including making schedules and listing projected outcomes for specific tasks to manage your client’s expectations.

[21]

TPG_ProjManagement_INT

7/12/07

11:01 AM

Page 22

The Top Performer’s Guide to Project Management

Do: Present reasonable results, using a range, whenever possible. For example, you might say, “The testing phase will take from three to six months.” That gives you wiggle room if all else fails, especially if six months is much longer than you expect.

Do not: Over-promise. Sure, your client may want a three-month project to be completed in two weeks. And sure, you want to agree. But don’t do it. Your client will only be disappointed and you’ll be frustrated from trying.

Avoid time warps. If too much time goes by, beware. Your client may feel forgotten. So, stay in touch. Even if the news is “no news,” remind the client she’s in the forefront of your mind.

In some ways, think of the client as a love affair. Even though you have lots of other projects and lots of other clients, let the client believe you’re monogamous to her. And regular communication helps. You can send her regular clients end-ofweek updates that they can expect, or drop them a line when the time gap between you has widened. Otherwise, you may get a “Dear John” letter, and who wants that?

Avoid drip-drop communications.

True, you want to stay in touch, but not too much. If you have tidbits of information to pass along—none radically important—bundle up the tidbits and send them as a single message.

[22]

TPG_ProjManagement_INT

7/12/07

11:01 AM

Page 23

Susan J. Benjamin

Do: Provide timely information and bullet each point so the client can quickly see all of them.

Do not: Overwhelm the client with information or provide yesterday’s news.

Employees Consider your employees a family, with all of a family’s potential for dysfunction, meaningful interaction, love, and resentment. Only, unlike a family, the relationship can end with no guilt, tears, or alimony involved. Here are a few pointers: Assert your vision up front. Your vision should mirror the client’s vision of the project or reveal how it supports your organization’s mission quantifiably and qualitatively. The clearer the vision, the more excitement you will generate and the more unified and directed your team will be.

Create a simple “vision” chart. Shelia’s looked something like this:

[23]

TPG_ProjManagement_INT

7/12/07

11:01 AM

Page 24

The Top Performer’s Guide to Project Management

Vision Tier

Vision

Evidence (outcome)

Tier 1

Create a marketing

Client increases sales

campaign that successfully

or reaches target goals of

reaches client’s core

new customers and

customer base in May and

customer retention

June, when they’re actively purchasing Tier 2

Tier 3

Position ourselves as experts Additional follow-up in their brand and market

work; most likely with

position

the Web site.

Generate exposure through

Referrals, inquiries, or

awards and commendations

purchases from 10-–20

for our marketing efforts

new businesses within

through industry associations the next fiscal year

Determine expectations and keep them center stage. Be clear about your expectations of your team members—and their expectations of you. You can be concrete by, for example, saying that you expect the team to complete every deliverable on time. If you are more abstract and say you will provide immediate feedback when your team requests it, they won’t emphasize turning everything in on time.

A few other pointers here: [24]

TPG_ProjManagement_INT

7/12/07

11:01 AM

Page 25

Susan J. Benjamin

Be specific. This makes it possible to address these expectations later. Stating they must provide deliverables on time is more specific than telling them to “provide excellent customer service.”

Develop these expectations with your team, not for them. Do this early on in the process. These steps get you ownership from everyone involved.

Write these expectations on a simple chart that’s easy to see. Keep it posted in your conference room or in some other visible place.

Expectations of . . .

The Project Manager

Expectations of . . .

The Team

Provide feedback at weekly

Follow up on all assignments

meetings.

with regular updates, either as tasks are completed or in team meetings.

Contact team within twenty-

Alert project manager and others

four hours of any changes

in team to any slow-downs or

the client requires for project.

other changes to the plan within twenty-four-hours.

[25]

TPG_ProjManagement_INT

7/12/07

11:01 AM

Page 26

The Top Performer’s Guide to Project Management

Alert team immediately if going Share information as on leave or will be otherwise

you receive it.

unavailable.

Hold regular Monday

Get agreement from team before

meetings with team to

suggesting new approaches to

review progress.

the client.

Maintain objectivity. It’s critical that you are objective in all your communications. Otherwise, you’re setting yourself up for trouble on all fronts. The difference between subjective and objective communications, in case you’ve forgotten, is this: Objective: Measurable, based on fact and observation Examples: 20 percent, within two weeks, passes all tests Subjective: Vague and based on interpretation and emotion Examples: Small, soon, does well Motivate through urgency. Strong project management relies on timing. One task must get done before you can initiate another. You must meet deadlines, overcome obstacles, and treat every task as if it were paramount to your project. That means at every stage you must project an undertone of urgency, in your tasking, in your [26]

TPG_ProjManagement_INT

7/12/07

11:01 AM

Page 27

Susan J. Benjamin

follow-up, and in your feedback. Notice the difference in these approaches: Not urgent: We really need to get this done by March fourth, okay?

Urgent: March fourth is the deadline—no matter what.

Not urgent: Better be sure to double-check the data to make sure it’s accurate.

Urgent: The data must be on target, so let’s check it twice.

Take an integrated communications approach. All communications are not the same, although all serve a purpose. So, when communicating with your team, take an integrated approach to every important message.

For starters, write down every date and time you pass a responsibility on to a teammate, even on the fly. People tend to remember less of what they hear than what they read. A quick email recapping your instruction will seal the requirement or point. Having a meeting? Make sure someone takes notes, whether they’re just outlining the main points or taking formal minutes. Then send them to your team members to make sure everyone is in line and in agreement.

Also, use visual supports when possible. Some people respond to the information in flowcharts and graphs better than information in words. In the next chapter, you’ll see some indispensable visual tools, including the [27]

TPG_ProjManagement_INT

7/12/07

11:01 AM

Page 28

The Top Performer’s Guide to Project Management

Responsibility Assignment Matrix and the Work Breakdown Structure. But don’t scrimp on the narrative.

The message is always more important than the medium of delivery, which leads to a final tip about PowerPoints: Don’t make the mistake of sending print-outs of your PowerPoint slides. They tend to be general and insubstantial and leave most people scratching their heads.

Contractors and Suppliers Outside resources, whether suppliers or contractors, are a mixed bag. If you happen to be one, you know what I mean.

Some are exceptional and go above and beyond to aid your business, and others only work to make a buck. Many, perhaps most, pursue add-on work as much as they do the quality of their current project. And, no matter how devoted they may be to your project and organization, their first loyalty is unquestionably to their own company.

That’s why it’s critical that you outline your expectations in the clearest terms right from the start. Emphasize the outcome of their efforts as a measure of their success. The deliverable must adhere to the specific standards you set.

Stakeholders “Stakeholders” is a catchall word referring to anyone who has an interest in your project. Stakeholders could include [28]

TPG_ProjManagement_INT

7/12/07

11:01 AM

Page 29

Susan J. Benjamin

employees outside the project, managers from other departments, a specific customer group, and, of course, the client and your boss. Your job is simple: You must engage and satisfy the stakeholders. Okay, it’s not so simple. But you can do it—just keep reading.

____________________________________ ________________

Don’t Make the Project Manager’s Biggest Mistake When Managing People You may be managing former colleagues, coworkers, or friends. This role shift can create difficulties. You are now leading them and not collaborating with them, as before.

So, it’s critical that you take an entirely objective approach: Everyone has a function and an outcome they’re supposed to provide. If they don’t provide it, apply heat. If they do provide it, move on. Nothing personal. _________________________________________________ _______________________

Meet My Friends: Forming, Storming, Norming, and Performing Rumor has it that most teams go through four stages: forming, storming, norming, and performing. Whether your team will actually go through these stages in that particular order is anyone’s guess, but at one time or another, you’ll hit each of these marks. Let’s take a quick look: [29]

TPG_ProjManagement_INT

7/12/07

11:01 AM

Page 30

The Top Performer’s Guide to Project Management

Forming: The team comes together. If you’re developing a start-up, the forming stage is something of a lovefest. The team is sharing a vision of success; the future looks paved in a gold so bright it might be blinding.

However, your job is to keep the team focused on reality. You must create a clear sense of the difficulties, demands, and challenges—as well as the rewards, and even fun—that lie ahead.

Storming: At this point, the metaphorical (and possibly literal) party is over and reality creeps in. Team members may vie for positions of influence or may butt heads over strategies. For the small business or just about any start-up, this phase can be deadly. You may need to redirect the project or replace some team members with others. Of course, if your team members have experience working on projects, they know what to expect and will take the bumps with relative calm. Regardless, you must exercise your leadership strength: Address conflicts, focus the team on goals, and remain available and alert.

Norming: Now, your team starts to come together.

Processes click into place and you can gradually withdraw from micromanaging and let the team function on its own.

Instead of putting out fires, settling disputes, or focusing your team on priorities, you can help the team members take ownership of particular aspects of the project.

[30]

TPG_ProjManagement_INT

7/12/07

11:01 AM

Page 31

Susan J. Benjamin

Performing: At last, the moment you’ve been waiting for. . . more or less. Your team members function on their own, and your job as project manager, while still important, fades into the background. Sure, fires will flare up. And sure, your client may push some unexpected demands on you.

But your team can coalesce, brainstorming for solutions and bringing their members’ experience together to keep the project on track. The real moment you’ve been waiting for will come soon enough, though: when your project has ended and the rewards—and satisfaction—are oh-so-sweet.

Mourning: I know I said oh-so-sweet, but some teams, especially the better ones, go through a mourning period.

Think of it as the end of a love affair. You need to remind them of the good times and assure them that other projects—and yes, even more appealing projects—lie ahead.

We’ll talk more in the last chapter of this book.

Quick Q&As Q. How do I know which employees to pick for my team?

A. Use the criteria that you would when making a new hire. They include: • Expertise in a particular area • Experience navigating difficulties as they arise [31]

TPG_ProjManagement_INT

7/12/07

11:01 AM

Page 32

The Top Performer’s Guide to Project Management

• Reliability (so you don’t have to worry about deadlines) • Compatibility with other members of your team, in terms of work style, customer orientation, and other issues • Enthusiasm regarding the project • Familiarity with your client’s culture and concerns Q. How do I address personality conflicts within my team?

A. That depends on the conflicts and why they exist.

It’s possible that one of your team members, while perfectly competent professionally, has some serious personality issues. Most common are passiveaggressives—who consistently let the team down while pretending not to—and negative thinkers, who don’t inspire anyone and bring everyone down. In this case, you need to monitor the team member carefully to ensure that they get the job done with minimal disruption to others. If the problem seems serious, contact your manager or the human resources department at your organization.

If the conflicts are less extreme, talk to the perpetuators in a private meeting. Remind them that work issues and conflicts over strategy are not personal and that all of you are focused on completing the project in a highly professional manner. Then, remind them of [32]

TPG_ProjManagement_INT

7/12/07

11:01 AM

Page 33

Susan J. Benjamin

their individual roles and responsibilities—as they affect the project—and resolve any issues from that standpoint.

Q. How about contractors? Which attributes should I focus on with them?

A. You may be tempted to hire a contracting firm because of its glossy image, fame, or mind-numbing marketing approaches. But beware: A renowned firm may send you its entry-level staff or may have been resting on its laurels for years, trading on its reputation and too busy with other clients to address your needs.

When selecting contractors, be sure that you: • Interview the actual contractors who will be working on the project—not the boss or salesperson who represents them.

• Contact at least three of their other clients to ensure their claims have a foothold in reality.

• Make sure that the contractor has experience in your line of business. Someone who can use a keyboard isn’t a software specialist, although some firms may pass them off that way.

• Read the contract and review it with your lawyer before you sign it. Make sure the language lets you slip out of the agreement easily if the work is substandard.

[33]

TPG_ProjManagement_INT

7/12/07

11:01 AM

Page 34