Project Management

The Project Manager’s Influence, Part 2

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by Lynda Bourne

In my last post, I discussed one of the more effective approaches for understanding team interaction: the McKinsey 7-S framework. The basic premise of framework is that there are seven internal aspects of an organization that need to be aligned for a company to succeed:  

  • Strategy: The agreed-upon approach to accomplishing the project’s objectives
  • Structure: The way the project team is organized, including who reports to whom
  • Systems: The tools, techniques, and processes used by the team to execute the strategy
  • Shared Values: The core values of the team that are evidenced in its culture and general work ethic.
  • Style: The behavior patterns of the team, how people interact, and their approaches to leadership and authority
  • Staff: The makeup of the team — “having the right people on the bus,” as Jim Collins writes in his book Good to Great
  • Skills: The existing skills and competencies of team members

Project managers can have the most impact on style and shared values. These elements are typically set at the beginning of a project and new team members tend to adapt based on what they see from their colleagues.

Changing these elements mid-project is difficult. If you start right, the tendency will be to perpetuate the good behaviors as the team grows.

However, if you need to spur a shift, I suggest taking these steps:

  • Start with shared values. Are they consistent with your structure, strategy, and systems? If not, what needs to change and how can those changes be implemented?
  • Examine the hard elements next. How well does each one support the others? Identify where changes need to be made. The project’s objectives don’t change but everything else can be adapted (including the strategic approach) to maximize the chance of a successful delivery.
  • Finally, look at the soft elements. Do they support the desired shared values? Do they support the desired hard elements? Do they support one another? If not, what needs to change?

As you adjust and align the elements, you'll need to use an iterative approach. Make adjustments, then analyze how those changes have impacted other elements and their alignment. This may sound like hard work, but the end result of better performance will be worth it.

What are your tips for shifting your team’s style and shared?


Posted by Lynda Bourne on: March 29, 2017 04:23 AM | Permalink

Comments (10)

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Eduin Fernando Valdes Alvarado Project Manager| F y F Fabricamos Futuro Villavicencio, Meta, Colombia
Thanks Lynda

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Mudassar Khan Program (Project )Manager| Woodward Canada Inc Peterborough, ON, Canada
Thanks Lynda the 7-S system really helps

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Nasrullah Mohammed Portfolio Manager| Advanced Electronics Company Riyadh, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
Thanks for sharing Lynda.

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Rami Kaibni
Community Champion
Senior Projects Manager | Field & Marten Associates New Westminster, British Columbia, Canada
Interesting Points - Thanks Lynda !

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Lynda Bourne Director, Professional Development| Mosaic Project Services Pty Ltd South Melbourne, Vic, Australia
Thank you for the feedback - 7-S is one of many tools that can be used to help improve team performance.

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Eduin Fernando Valdes Alvarado Project Manager| F y F Fabricamos Futuro Villavicencio, Meta, Colombia
A greetings from Colombia Lynda, a student EAN University

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Drew Craig Sr. Agile & Product Coach| Vanguard Philadelphia, Pa, United States
Lynda, thank you.

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Shridhar Shukla PM I| Technology Ind, India
Excellent..

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Karthik T Senior Engineering Manager| Nike Bangalore, Karnataka, India
Great points, thanks

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Stéphane Parent Self Employed / Semi-retired| Leader Maker Prince Edward Island, Canada
The greatest thing I find I can do, Lynda, is to model the desired behaviour. I can't ask my team members to do something I am not willing to do myself.

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