To achieve your deliverables, what do you need to influence?
From the An Influential Project Manager Blog
by Colin Gautrey
Today, more than ever, a project manager needs to be an influencer.
The purpose of this blog is to stimulate your journey towards greater influence. With influence, you can overcome the roadblocks thrown in your way, overcome opposition, align stakeholders and, enjoy your role even more.
However, since I know you are busy, the posts here will be short (about a minute), thought provoking and also drive you towards action.
Feel free to connect with me, ask me questions, and share what's good here.
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Taking a strategic approach to the influence you need to effect around your project will help you to plan your influence more effectively.
Most people, when they start to figure out what they need to do to influence something, think of the obvious actions, those right in front of their noses. This is good; however, it may well be a complete waste of time.
For instance, you probably wouldn't waste your time engaging a stakeholder who is about to be fired or given a new job far away.
Strategies don't need to be complicated. In many cases, they are merely the major stepping stones to arrive at your destination.
Looking from the end back to today needs to be harmonised by looking from today towards the end goal.
- Imagine you have achieved your deliverable. What were the key influence goals need to be achieved to make it possible?
- What are the most important things you need to influence to land your project?
- What things are not so important and could be deprioritised?
- Now, to achieve these influence goals, what plans do you need top to in place?
Influential project managers apply clear focus to their goals, especially the influence they need to achieve to achieve them.
Posted on: January 10, 2017 11:59 PM |
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Comments (2)
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Deepesh Rammoorthy
ICT Project Manager ( PMP®AgilePM®Certified ScrumMaster® (CSM®))| Australian Red Cross Blood Service
Tarneit, Vic, Australia
Who you need to influence is a key factor in determining your road to success on your project. Vitally important is the "Identify Stakeholders" process in your Initiating Process group in PMBOK. once you identify the stakeholders, you obviously also do the Power/Interest/Influence Matrix to find the best strategy that you will undertake to influence them. The same matrix will also help determine the stakeholders that I need to keep an eye on but are least important to my project success.
"When" to influence is another key consideration. when your project constraints of time/cost/scope/quality/business case are threatened, you need to reach out and influence that one person , be it your sponsor or your stakeholder, that will assist in putting you back on track."
"How/How best " to influence will tell me what medium to use. Can I invite this stakeholder to a football game seeing that they love football too? Nothing helps build a rapport with people more than an informal social meeting outside of work.
Regarding tools , If I have a well formed and well thought out Communication Management Plan and a Stakeholder Management Plan , I am half way on the road to success.
Colin Gautrey
Author, Executive Coach and Trainer| The Gautrey Group
United Kingdom
Some very good points you're making here Deepesh. Thank you for adding helpful ideas too.
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