Guessing is not a strategy: How to build decision velocity with AI and real-time data
June 10, 2026 | Live Webinar
Social Responsibility in Program Management
| Program managers are looking to the future and how best to serve business -- and society -- in a more responsible way. Global trends in corporate responsibility now include sustainable energy, combining improvements in efficient use of energy and renewable energy sources. Enterprises that join this trend will likely prosper. Program managers are responsible for aligning an enterprise's business with its long-term strategy, and for sensing emerging trends that need to be embraced. "Green" technologies, for example, are one such trend program managers should recognize and plan projects and programs around. Organizations like Nike, Taiwan Telecom, Delta and Corning have recently built "green" factories, for example, using such technologies. If program managers don't follow worldwide trends like this, it will affect the organization's long-term ability to compete and prosper. In this way, program managers echo the role of the program management office (PMO). The PMO and the program manager are the main force for business strategy alignment. They adjust the resource allocation and business priorities within projects and programs by launching projects they believe fit the organization's business strategy, and stopping those that don't. The best that we have to offer in our profession is to be forward-looking and socially responsible. What are you doing to be socially responsible? |
Project Delivery Teams are Stakeholders, Too
Categories:
Stakeholder Management
Categories: Stakeholder Management
| We talk a lot about stakeholders. But we often forget that people who actually do the work within an organization's project portfolio and programs are stakeholders, too. And if they're to be effectively supported and motivated to help the organization's project delivery system succeed, you must recognize their needs and aspirations. Here are four broad stakeholder groups that every organization should be paying attention to: Team members: There should be clear direction and support to help project team members accomplish their work and earn the opportunity to grow into a leadership role. Project manager: Success for project managers lies in planning and managing the overall project he or she is responsible for. Organizations can foster their success by providing a supportive environment with effective governance and access to project management skills development. Program managers or project directors: This is a role focused on achieving organizational objectives through the work of other managers. Successful program managers will deliver organizational change and benefits that correlate with stakeholder and sponsor needs and expectations. Organizational support for these senior roles should focus on creating an environment where the managers can create value for the organization. Portfolio management and project management offices (PMOs) support organizational governance structures. These management roles are focused on providing strategic advice to the executive. Portfolio managers assess current and planned projects and programs on a routine basis to recommend the optimum mix for future resourcing. The PMO manager provides input to the portfolio management process based on the performance of current projects. Additionally, he or she provides input to the organization's overall governance structure. Success in the roles of portfolio and PMO managers is being a 'trusted advisor' to the executives in the organization. From an organizational perspective, effective stakeholder management focuses on supporting the managers and helping them support the business. Recognizing the needs and aspirations of each of these groups of stakeholders is important if they are to be effectively motivated and supported so they can help the organization be successful. Do you feel these brief descriptions fit the roles in your organization? Do you consider members of project delivery teams as stakeholders? |
Project Managers On The Go
Categories:
Leadership
Categories: Leadership
| Project managers often travel a lot for work, but you don't have to disappear into some kind of black hole. It's a matter of claiming specific pockets of time based on what's most appropriate for that period. When flying, for example, I might book myself for two hours of focused work on project documentation, like the project plan or strategy documents. If I'm stuck waiting for a connecting flight or in my hotel room, I use that time to catch up on emails. Traveling is also a good way to network. Try to connect with people who might help you resolve project challenges or look at issues in a new way. You might even want to find out how they stay productive while on the go. As a project manager or a team member, I can still be in action and engaged in the project -- no matter where I am. Is traveling a hindrance or a non-issue for you? How do you stay productive yet balanced during your business travels? |
Former LinkedIn Exec Says People Have the Power in Social Media
Categories:
PMI Global Congress 2011 - EMEA
Categories: PMI Global Congress 2011 - EMEA
| For all the hype about the massive transformation wrought by the social media revolution, it still comes down to individuals. "We've all heard of social media. It's nothing new. It's about people and it's about their relationships," said Kevin Eyres, former managing director of LinkedIn Europe, in his keynote speech at the PMI® Global Congress 2011--EMEA in Dublin, Ireland. And it's no different for project and program managers. They should be leveraging social media as a competitive advantage to build business relationships and gain professional insight. "Social media gives us a different way to interact," he told attendees from around the world. For the skeptics content to sit on the social media sidelines, Mr. Eyres issued a warning: "Is all this social stuff important? It is. This is not going away," he said. "Use social media for knowledge and information sharing with the right tools in the right context." That could mean following project management thought leaders on Twitter for an early jump on trends. Or, it could mean joining a discussion on one of PMI's communities of practice. No matter the social vehicle, there's a willing and able audience of project professionals ready to pitch in on project problems as a way to help "the greater good," Mr. Eyres said. He compared it to the community effort behind open source software. For all the power of social media, though, you shouldn't just "hang out" on social media. Go in with a true purpose backed up by a plan -- using the same skills you would on any other project. "You guys are project and program managers. You're good at this," he said. To get started in social media, simply listen and then slowly build up who you are and what you're focused on for a consistent online brand image. "If you start throwing out random things, you lose your authenticity," Mr. Eyres said. "Pick out things you're passionate about." On LinkedIn, for example, it's not just about how many connections you have. Mr. Eyres set 50 as the minimum number to get value. But he encouraged project and program managers to remember the context. "Don't be a promiscuous connector. It doesn't do you any good," he said. "Consciously build up a network of influencers." Done right, social media can boost your career, too. "You're building a brand for yourself," he said. "You're an entrepreneur and you are your own best business." For starters, make sure your online presence plays up what you want potential employers to focus on. PMI's Career Central LinkedIn Group can also provide tips and tools. Mr. Eyres did acknowledge the risks of social media and advised people to "understand what information you're making public and choose friends wisely." If you make some mistakes along the way, that's okay -- but you need to put yourself out there, he said. "Your relationships and network matter more than ever." |
Communicating Project Perceptions with Stakeholders
Categories:
Stakeholder Management
Categories: Stakeholder Management
| When you deliver a message to a stakeholder, the impact that it has on him or her can vary depending on the individual. The same person can react quite differently to similar messages at different times. For example, let's say you need to advise two senior managers about a US$50,000 reversal in an expected project outcome. One manager had no idea there was a problem in the first place. The other manager heard through the grapevine that your project was facing a US$500,000 reversal. For the manager who thought that everything was OK, US$50,000 is bad news. But since the other manager's perception was that a major disaster was looming, US$50,000 seems like good news. There are several factors at play in this situation. One is certain peoples' perception of the work you are doing. The perception may be unrealistic, but it's real to the person holding it. Where your message falls in the stream of information the person is dealing with also plays a role. If yours is the one bit of good news in a bad day, for instance, you may get a much warmer response than if your bit of good news is swamped by other spectacular events in other parts of the business. The challenge of communicating with stakeholders is not knowing the perceptions they currently hold of you and your project. You also have no control over the other news he or she receives in a given day. The only solution is to listen carefully to the feedback from the stakeholder. Then try to put your message and the feedback in context and adjust accordingly. It helps if you are in regular two-way communication with your key stakeholders and if you are tapped into their grapevine as well. By being connected you will be able to understand a little of the "ambient temperature." You can adjust the way you communicate and the timing of the communication to increase the chance of a successful outcome. Then expect the unexpected. How much time do you spend thinking about the impact of key communications? What are some of the ways you've found success in communicating with stakeholders? |