The Professional Project Manager

I'm not sure what inspired to me to write this post.

It may have been seeing yet another advertisement pop-up for a project management tool guaranteed to deliver successful projects. It may have been a project manager telling me that their latest process was so good it practically guaranteed project success. It might even have been the CEO of a company telling me that they were sure that as soon as everyone got a certification that all their project worries would be solved. It may even have been some flashbacks from my own early days as a project manager over 20 years ago.

The point I’m trying to make is that amongst all the constant noise about processes, tools, templates, certifications and standards in the profession of project management we seem to overlook, or simply forget, the incredibly obvious fact that people deliver projects for other people.

People.

People like you and me.

Individuals who get together to make up a team.

Customers who accept the deliverable are people too.

Stakeholders who can affect or be affected by the project are people as well.

Are you beginning to see my point yet? It seems as soon as we call some endeavour a project we label it as some kind of mechanistic process that doesn’t need human interaction to succeed. Sometimes it seems that too many project managers absolve themselves of the need to have the ability to interact with people because they can rely on a spreadsheet, or report, or template, or piece of software that will somehow ‘manage’ the project.

It seems that we lose sight of the essential foundational concepts of management. Management (and leadership) is about a person, or a group of people, managing or leading another person, or group of people. In order for this to be successful relationships must be formed. Successful relationships require open communication, trust and mutual understanding.

I’m not saying that processes, tools, templates, certification and standards aren’t important. They are. They are what people use to help and focus their efforts in building relationships. In fact, every tool, technique, process, certification or standard you are considering using should only be used if it helps nurture and sustain real relationships with people. That was always the original intent. But, sometimes it seems that we have given too much importance to these things and lost sight of what really matters.

So, the next time you are considering any sort of process, tool or technique, ask yourself this question – how does this help me build relationships with my project team, customer or stakeholders? If you can’t answer that then you probably shouldn’t be using it.

The most successful project managers I have ever had the opportunity to work with are those with the greatest people skills. The funny thing is that this doesn’t just apply to project managers. Substitute project manager for politician, CEO, community leader or family member and the result is the same.

In New Zealand, where I live, there is a Maori proverb that goes:

He aha te mea nui o te ao
He tangata, he tangata, he tangata

Which translates to:

What is the most important thing in the world?

It is the people, it is the people, it is the people

I am probably doing the proverb a huge disservice by using it in this context, but the intent is what matters. It is people that are most important.

Don’t lose sight of the fact that projects need people, affect people and change people. Use the tools, techniques, processes, templates, certifications and standards to help you do this and I am pretty sure you will be a more successful project manager. In fact, for the past few years, whenever a project manager asks me what they should do to be better at their job I simply say "Work on your people skills".

As always, I welcome your comments.

Taking over someone else's project

This blog was inspired by meeting a project manager who was very excited to tell me that they had just be given the opportunity to manage a large complex project that was already well underway. I didn't find out the reason that the previous project manager was no longer on the job but it got me thinking about the times I have taken over a project that was already underway and the lessons I've learned about this situation.

Taking over someone else’s project can be a real minefield with all sorts of potential problems. You need to ask yourself, and hopefully the previous project manager, why they are moving on from the project. If the previous project manager is not around to ask this then the best course of action is to take the opportunity to go right back to basics.

Take the time to find out the true state of the project. I don't want to sound too cynical here but don't just take the word of the departing project manager or the reports that they leave behind. You now have responsibility for this project, and this responsibility includes examining it as if it was a new project. Take the time to go examine the project selection process and the project charter. Definitely check any lessons learned database for other projects like this and even projects where a project manager left and a new one took over for the lessons they learned. Double check all the reports issued to date and check for accuracy. By doing this you can ascertain what the actual state of the project is and also by doing this level of work you also make the project more your own.

The risk is that the project has some terminal flaws and the previous project manager knew this, or was dropped because of this. In this instance you are setting yourself up to be the latest scapegoat unless you take these steps. This is the biggest risk any project manager faces when taking over an existing project. If you don’t do your homework and due diligence thoroughly you have no excuse if the project turns out to be a lemon.

Of course, the unfortunate flipside is that if a project is truly in free-fall and you have been brought in to do what you can to recover it, then you can also be seen as savior of a project, and whatever you do is an improvement. In this case you have to make sure you keep the momentum going to pull it out of the free-fall and also don’t be afraid to recommend that the project be stopped if it truly is irrecoverable.

If you are lucky enough to take over a project run by an exceptional project manager who had to move for legitimate reasons then you also take the opportunity to learn what they did that got the project to this point. Take a look at their processes, tools and techniques and learn from their successes. This is a great opportunity to professional development.

Whatever the case, if you do find yourself in the position of taking on someone else’s project, don’t assume it just a case of passing the baton and moving on. Perform your own due diligence whatever the case.

The Absolute Importance Of Integrity

Are you a person with integrity? Seems like an easy question to answer, but is it?

Integrity means having a set of values and sticking to them, no matter what.

So to start with you have to have a set of values. Values are those things that you hold most important in your life. They form the foundation of an authentic life. Lots of people say they have values but do they really?

It’s easy to say you value honesty but then be less than honest when you think the situation warrants it. In a professional setting you may not be completely honest with a client about the fees, scope of work or issues you may face hoping that somehow it won’t be exposed along the way.

It’s easy to say you value family but then work long hours at the expense of time with the family. What about saying you value an author’s right to copyright then sharing copyrighted works with others? Saying your business is driven by helping the customer then being driven by the need to generate fees? Saying you value openness then participating in gossip? These are just some of the many examples that test our integrity.

Shared values are what bring people together. A high functioning professional team needs to have shared values and be led by a leader who demonstrates those values. A group of friends is held together by their shared values that form the way they see the world. If you don’t stick to those values then people will know you are not a person of integrity and they may choose to take their business or friendship elsewhere.

Be aware that having integrity means you will lose things sometimes - you will lose contracts because you have been absolutely honest about the issues and the pricing, you will lose friends because you don’t share their values, and you may chose not to go into business with someone because you do not see your primary purpose in the same way. These losses are real, and they will be uncomfortable. The long term benefits outweigh the short term losses. You will develop a reputation as someone who can be trusted, someone who is authentic and you will eventually end up surrounded by those who share you values driven outlook on life.

So if you want to be a person of integrity then you have to stick to your values no matter what. Start the process by explicitly stating what or values are, write them down if it helps. I met someone a few years ago now, who printed their values out on a small piece of cardboard that fit inside his wallet and he carried them around with him. Remind yourself of your values in all your decisions. Be prepared for the consequences - you may have to change your stated values if you don’t like the consequences.

In a professional setting look to the code of ethics set out by your professional association. If you are a project manager then you should read, remember and act on the standards in the PMI Code of Ethics and Professional Conduct (http://www.pmi.org/About-Us/Ethics/~/media/PDF/Ethics/ap_pmicodeofethics.ashx ) at all times.

Most importantly, be a person with integrity. As Dr Seuss’s Horton the Elephant said "I meant what I said and I said what I meant...an elephant's faithful 100%."

Here is a great follow up article from another site Http://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/newTED_85.htm  

I’ve got this rather strange theory about the average work week and it goes something like this – there is no good reason at all to work more than 40 hours – there it is, short and sweet. Do you agree or disagree?

In my opinion the only reason for working more than a 40 hour week is one of the following

1. You’re incompetent and not really able to do the job expected of you. In this case you should get training or resign.

2. You are competent but not a very effective delegator. In this case you need to trust people more and delegate the work more effectively.

3. The job is actually bigger than one person is capable of doing. In this case you need to renegotiate your job description.

So which one is it?

Remember that people and organisations fought long and hard to get a 40 hour work week. They knew it was important for individuals, families and the whole society that people had some time away from work.

Take a look at your employment contract – I’m sure its going to say very clearly that you are paid a certain amount for a certain role and it probably specifies somewhere between 35 and 40 hours a week on average (if it doesn’t then it should – slavery has been abolished you know). There may be short periods where you may have to put in a few extra hours but you should keep track of them and take them off at a time in the future to go relax with your family and friends.

By working long hours you are not working your best during the time you are supposed to be there. You will be tired and inattentive, so really your employer should fire you for not performing your best – ironic huh? This soon becomes a health and safety issue, not only for your own health but also your colleagues. Do you trust a person who works long hours to make the best decisions?

And keep in mind that every extra hour you work during the day past 8 hours has a rapidly increasing diminishing return – that last hour you put in between 8pm and 9pm probably generated 15 minutes of actual work.

Additionally, working long hours does not do you any favours personally. You will be less healthy and happy. You may be saying that one day you will stop but that day may come and go several times before poor physical and mental health, failed relationships, or a sad old age creep up on you. You don’t need me to remind you that no one ever said they wish they spent more time in the office as their last words. Last time I checked in the self-help section of a book store I didn’t see the book called ‘How to work long hours and be healthy’.

Finally, if you are a leader in your workplace you need to lead by example. So work sensible hours, lead a balanced life, and let your followers or team members do the same.

Long work hours aren’t a badge of honour, they are a mark of stupidity. What do you think?

I am constantly surprised by the large number of people acting as project managers who tell me that they have all the responsibility for the success of a project but little or no authority on the project.  

This means that they have the responsibility to deliver the project on time, on budget and to the required specifications but they do not have the authority to get the resources they want, manage the budget or to make decisions affecting critical parts of the project.  If you have more responsibility than authority then you are not a project manager. You are a project administrator, expeditor, facilitator, coordinator or more often than not, simply a scapegoat in waiting.

Would you accept the job of General Manager for Microsoft and then be told that you had no authority to hire and fire, to track and change budgets, to develop and market products and to influence the organisation strategically? Yet the Board of Directors will be measuring you against all these factors and if the company doesn’t do well you will be fired? No you wouldn’t, so why accept the same in project management – after all a project manager is the general manager of a project.

Allowing this situation is setting you up for stress, failure and an early exit from the profession of project management. If the level of responsibility you have is greater than the level of authority that you have then it’s like heading to the guillotine with no way to stop the blade from dropping – don’t do it!

I sense the frustration these people have and I can see the look of surprise and amazement when I tell them that a true project manager has equally high levels of authority and responsibility.

So how do you get equally high levels of responsibility and authority?

Start with your job description. If you have the title of project manager then you should have equally high levels of responsibility and authority. If you don’t, then downgrade your job title to reflect your actual position. Sure, the job title isn’t as good as you want but you will be happier. Make it clear that you will not accept full responsibility without full authority. Furthermore, you won’t accept unequal levels of responsibility and authority.

If you are going to be fully and solely responsible for delivering the project then you need the authority to get the resources you need when you need them, to control the project costs and budget, to oversee and manage changes to the project and to maintain and enhance client relationship to name just a few of the areas you must have authority in.

Only by having equally high levels of responsibility and authority can you truly be a project manager.