Teachable Moments: Let Them See the Progress

Michael Parry has extensive project management, business intelligence and analysis experience as a consultant, coach, facilitator or executive coach for difficult projects. He is also significantly engaged as an instructor for public and private client courses through multiple PMI Registered Educational Providers. Areas of expertise are focused on making things happen with a solid understanding of the environment in which they have to happen. He serves as a key figure in a major consulting organization, directed the sales, conceptualizing, designing, building and delivering of complex enterprise-wide solutions and strategies, with emphasis on financial, energy and government clients.

 

Teachable moments are formed when you have done something--regardless of the outcome--and learned from the experience. Learning makes us better at what we do and provides a great opportunity to develop others and sharpen skills. We’ve compiled our best Teachable Moments from our community members for you to learn from and share with other project managers.

A number of years ago, I started working for a major consulting organization as a director of about 60 people who ran a number of projects each year. I was told that I was to improve the effectiveness of the organization and the revenue and profitability of our projects. Initially, that seemed reliant on my traditional management skills and so I took the job, believing that I could make a difference.

Each employee of the organization was compensated partly through salary and partly through a bonus. Bonuses were paid in March of the year following when they were earned. One part of the bonus was calculated based on revenue of consulting projects versus the goals set for each year. The second part of the bonus calculation was based on the profitability of the projects that the individuals were involved with.

But in the past few years, due to decreased revenue and profits, the bonuses had become very small. After getting to know my fellow employees, it became apparent that many had different projects and …

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