Three Leadership Strategies to Boost Organizational Project Management

Bruce Harpham PMI Toronto Chapter - September 12, 2016

How can leaders bring organizational project management to life? We already have certifications and standards to leverage. What we need is leaders equipped with the right strategy to put these ideas into action.

Before going further, you might well ask, “Is it worth it to promote project management at the organizational level? Can’t we simply do great work as individuals?” Consider Brian Grafsgaard’s experience consulting with organizations to improve their productivity.

Practitioner Spotlight: Brian Grafsgaard, Q Consulting
Developing a strong organizational project management culture is difficult; that’s why companies bring in experts. “A common question in my work with leaders is, ‘Are we doing the right work?’ in projects,” Grafsgaard explained in an interview. “A high level of organizational project management means a consistent approach on projects and business cases. With a consistent approach, executives know what they are going to get, which increases trust.”

In his decade of consulting work with various organizations, Grafsgaard has found that highly mature organizations promote consistency, year in and year out.

Prior to his consulting career, Grafsgaard’s career included a variety of professional experiences starting with roles in computer programming. He places a strong emphasis on growing the profession by developing standards and certifications. Grafsgaard worked on the PMI Standard for Program Management, Requirements Management: A Practice Guide and the PgMP (Program Management Professional) credential. These contributions also mark him as a thought leader in the profession.

Lead From Where You Are
You don’t need a formal leadership role at the top of the organization in order to promote an organizational project management. Instead, you need a commitment to the profession and the drive to use it to achieve results. It’s important to lead and advocate for a strong project management culture because that approach lifts up everyone. Use the following strategies to raise the profile of organizational project management…

Leadership Strategy 1: Practice Ethical Project Management
In corporate governance, ethical codes and behavior are set and lived out by top management. Take inspiration from this concept: Mark yourself as a leader by acting ethically. If you want to achieve organizational project management, you need this discipline. In addition, PMI members and credential holders are expected to uphold high ethical standards.

Use the following action points to set the tone for ethical projects:

• Estimates: Use transparent methods to develop estimates and explain your approach.
• Reporting: Avoid using project management jargon to cloud the true status of your project. Use direct language such as, “We are over budget and I am concerned” rather than pointing to complex charts.
• Procurement: Pay invoices to your suppliers on time even if you have to escalate to Accounts Payable. Failing to honor payment terms and deadlines is one of the fastest ways to cause frustration with your suppliers.

Leadership Strategy 2: Practice Process Discipline
The financial management discipline has been a force for improving efficiency and oversight. That capability has spread far beyond the finance department. Nearly every manager is expected to monitor and control their expenses.

Likewise, project leaders can improve their organization in the same way by applying process discipline throughout their work. A key inspiration that brought me into the field was being in meetings with a project manager who brought a high degree of organization and focus to work.

Apply this strategy with the following techniques:

• Review errors for systematic causes. When an error derails a project, everyone scrambles to put the project back on track. After cooler heads prevail, apply a root cause analysis to determine what factors contributed to the problem. (Note: Resist the urge to start with the all-purpose “Idiots did this!” explanation.)
• Create and refine checklists. Checklists are a proven strategy to reduce errors. As circumstances change, take the time to update checklists or assign this task to the appropriate person.
• Invest in process training and systems. Some organizations cannot practice process discipline because they don’t know how. If that describes your situation, take the time to learn Six Sigma principles to improve in this area.

Leadership Strategy 3: Market the Value of Project Management
Talking up the value of project management to people outside of the profession is the third leadership strategy. Despite the growth of the profession, many people remain skeptical and confused about its value. As your project management team achieves additional wins, take the time to communicate these wins to the stakeholders.

Leverage these methods to market project management within your organization:

• Draw connections between results and wins. In addition to praising individual success, point out that reliable project results are created through use of a consistent project methodology.
• Create branding for your project management group. Branding has never been more important for individuals, departments and companies. Without a clear brand message, you are likely to be forgotten. At a minimum, develop a tagline (e.g., “Reliable results every time”) and a logo for your department.
• Become involved in talent management. Present project management as a career path when your organization recruits new talent. Recruit your group’s top performing project manager to represent the profession at these events.

Continue Your Leadership Growth
Becoming an effective leader is a never-ending journey. The PMI Talent Triangle™ explicitly calls out leadership skills as an important area for professional development. Continue your journey by using these books:

• Tribes: We Need You to Lead Us by Seth Godin: Best known for his marketing books, Godin’s book demonstrates that every society, department and company needs more leadership. This short book will inspire you to lead using your courage, expertise and modern internet tools.
• The 360 Degree Leader by John C. Maxwell: Maxwell has written over a dozen books on leadership skills; this one directly speaks to the needs and concerns of project managers. Maxwell shows how leaders in the middle of the organization lead by their staff and follow those above them.
• Start With Why by Simon Sinek: Can you clearly communicate your project’s vision? Inspiring your project team to engage and participate is a powerful leadership skill. With examples from Apple, entertainment and cars, Sinek shows the way.

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