Helping Project Managers to Help Themselves

"Gosh, this is a huge problem!” Renu said, leaning forward, elbows on the table, hands clasped in front of her.

Bert smiled, pleased with Renu’s reaction. Bert was a newly-promoted warehouse supervisor, having worked in the warehouse for two years fresh out of high school. He proved himself to be a hard worker with a lot of promise. Renu, the plant manager, saw Bert as a high-potential employee who had the passion and talent to ultimately take her job someday.

“I’ve been saying this was a problem for a long time,” Bert said.

“So what do you think we should do about it?” Renu asked.

Bert stopped for a minute, not expecting the question. “Well, I’m not sure.”

“You’re not sure?” Renu asked, her eyes locked with Bert’s.

“Um, no, not yet.”

“Not yet?”

Bert could feel the little droplets of perspiration forming on his forehead.

“Bert, you bring me a problem, but no proposal on what to do about it?”

“Well, I, uh, didn’t think we’d be talking about solutions here.”

Renu saw what was happening and decided to turn the meeting into a teachable moment.

“Bert, you and I have talked about your potential and you know how vested I am in your success. Anyone can identify problems; people who only identify problems are average at best. The ones who rise above are those who not just articulate a problem, but also follow it up with a proposed solution. Did you see how engaged I was when you articulated the problem to me?”

“Uh huh.”

“Right, I was bought into your problem. That was the time to articulate what should be done about it-- when you had my attention. When you come in without a solution to your problem it leaves me frustrated. I really want to know what you think and want to see your problem-solving skills in action. Does this make sense?”

Bert gave a slight smile, realizing that the meeting turned into a selling idea lesson. “It does.”

“Good, now how about we get together again in a couple of days and try this again.”

“Sounds good, I’ll get time on your calendar,” Bert said as he got up from his chair.

“Very good. Take care, Bert, and close the door on your way out.”

Tollgate 3: I understand what you want to do about it

After agreement on the problem, the next step is to articulate your course of action. This could be in the form of a target solution that addresses the problem or specific steps you think need to be taken to come up with a target solution. The important thing here is clarity. Whatever you propose, make sure it’s specific, quantifiable, realistic, and relevant. Specific means that you’ve drawn a clear line between the problem and the course of action; that it’s clear to the exec how the course of action addresses the problem. Quantifiable means that the course of action is measurable; that it would be clear whether or not the course of action was actually attained. Realistic means that the course of action can be realized given available time and resources; that the exec could secure what is needed to execute the course of action. Relevant means that the course of action is germane to the scope, values, and priorities of what the exec controls or has influence over; proposing something that is out scope of what the exec can influence will just get you a “I can’t do anything about this,” response.

By no means should you be like Bert and present a problem without a course of action. It labels you as someone who raises problems without recommendations on how to solve them. Anyone can raise problems; it’s the competent professionals who articulate what to do about them.

Again, positive engagement from the exec is crucial. Getting some questions and context is a good step to securing the exec’s buy-in. Things could get difficult if the exec disagrees with the course of action accompanied by your inflexibility to deviate from your proposal. Be very in tune to what the exec is communicating and look to incorporate some of his or her thinking into your course of action.

~~~~~

Execs can’t do all the thinking in an organization. They rely on competent, clear-headed thinkers to not just blurt out things that are wrong, but to articulate rational courses of action to make things better. Don’t leave an exec hanging with a well-defined problem and no proposed solutions.

We’ve gone through three tollgates thus far:

• Tollgate 1: I believe you’re credible
• Tollgate 2: I acknowledge the problem
• Tollgate 3: I understand what you want to do about it

Next up is part 4 of The 5 Tollgates of Selling Up.

“This is a big price tag,” Rhonda said as she looked through Tom’s proposal.

Tom didn’t expect the resistance he was getting from Rhonda, his organization’s vice president. Tom had just been promoted to manager of a small team and was in it to make a splash in the organization. He unveiled a bold proposal to implement new enterprise software that would replace an existing system that had been in place for several years.

“Yes, it’s a high price, but this is leading-edge technology that will help propel us into the future. Our current system uses old technology that will be obsolete. Now is the time to act.”

“But what we have is working and stable,” Rhonda said.

Tom’s frustration grew with Rhonda’s resistance. “Yes, today it’s working, but what about tomorrow?” Tom asked.

Rhonda looked at her watch. “Tom, we’re just about at time. Let me give you a bit of coaching.” Rhonda was big on cultivating her staff and used situations like this as teachable moments.

“Um, OK,” Tom said.

“I love your passion and creativity. Those attributes will serve you well as you progress in your career. Do you want to know where you missed the mark on this proposal?”

“Sure.”

“You presented a solution without a problem.”

“Well, I . . .” Tom stammered as he flipped through his slides.

Rhonda stood up. “It’s not there, Tom. If you want to sell on a solution you’ve got to clearly articulate the problem you’re trying to solve. Give it some thought, OK?”

“I will. Thanks, Rhonda.”

“Take care,” Rhonda said as she left the room.

Selling up tollgate 2: I acknowledge the problem

Once you’ve made it through tollgate 1, I believe you’re credible, you now have to convince the exec that a problem exists. This is where objective facts and data take center stage. The key here is balance. If you come off like the black and white opening scene in an infomercial with a person feigning utter disgust while trying to peel a potato, then you’re going to be viewed as jaded and will undercut your own credibility.

Also key to explaining the problem is articulating the consequences of not addressing the problem. When an exec not only understand what the problem is but also has a clear picture of the tangible consequences of not addressing it, you’ve accomplished both explaining what the problem is but why it’s important to address.

So what about if what you’re trying to sell isn’t a problem that needs fixing but an opportunity that needs to be seized upon? The approach is no different. Support the opportunity with objective facts and data and explain the consequence in terms of what happens if the opportunity isn’t pursued.

As with tollgate 1, look for positive engagement from the exec. Confrontation on the problem statement could mean you haven’t convinced the exec there’s a problem, and silence on the exec’s part could be a sign of disinterest.

~~~~~

Execs live in a world of problems to solve, and constantly have to decide which problems to pursue and which to leave on the back burner. If you want your exec to take action, you have to convince him or her that there’s not only a problem, but it’s one worth pursuing. Next time you propose a solution take the deliberate step to clearly articulate the problem you’re trying to solve.

We’ve gone through two tollgates thus far:

• Tollgate 1: I believe you’re credible
• Tollgate 2: I acknowledge the problem

Next up is part 3 of The 5 Tollgates of Selling Up.

“He’s clueless,” Alan said to his peer, Tracy as they walked out of the meeting.

Alan had gone into his presentation to his VP, Amir thinking it was in the bag. What in his mind should have been a slam dunk turned out to be 30 minutes of inquisition-like questions, debating of assumptions, and skepticism of his solution, all followed by a “We’re not going to do this.”

“I just can’t believe how out of touch he is,” Alan continued. “The solution is as plain as the nose on his face, and he can’t see beyond his own incompetence!”

Tracy was quiet as the two walked and Alan continued to sputter. After a few minutes, Alan couldn’t help but notice Tracy’s silence.

“What do you think?” Alan asked.

“How about we go in the conference room and chat,” Tracy said.

“Sure.” Alan had always respected Tracy’s judgment and how she commanded the respect of not just peers and followers, but also her management. The two went into the conference room, Alan shut the door, and they sat.

“Alan, you’re incredibly bright and very passionate about your work.”

“But. . .” Alan said, waiting for the other shoe to drop.

“You haven’t yet mastered how to sell up.”

“Sell up?”

“That’s right.”

~~~~~

Let’s leave Alan and Tracy’s conference room chat for a minute. In my professional career I’ve had many opportunities to sell an idea to an exec. Sometimes I was successful in getting my idea sold, while other times I failed quite miserably. As I progressed in my career and sat more on the other side of the table, sometimes I bought what was being sold and sometimes I put the kibosh on it. Getting experience in both roles helped me better understand what both the exec and the person selling an idea go through and the barriers that can bog things down. I’ve locked on what I call “five tollgates” an exec goes through when being sold an idea. In full transparency, I did not do extensive research on the tollgates other than talking with several other execs about their points of view and corroborating it with my own experiences. What I have seen though, is a greater success rate in selling an idea when I create content that gets me through each tollgate in my pitch.

To explain the first tollgate, let’s go back to Alan and Tracy.

~~~~~

“What’s selling up?” Alan asked.

“In my experience there are five tollgates an exec has to make it through before he or she will buy into an idea and take action. Let me ask you a question, is this the first interaction you’ve had with Amir?”

“It is.”

Tracy smiled. “That explains things.”

Alan gave her a puzzled look. “What do you mean?”

“You never made it through the first tollgate.”

“What’s the first tollgate?”

“You never established credibility,” Tracy said.

“I didn’t?”

“No. In my experience, execs have to see you as credible before they’re willing to listen further. If you don’t have credibility with the exec and haven’t taken steps to establish it, you’ll likely not make it through the tollgate.”

~~~~~

Selling up tollgate 1: I believe you’re credible

An exec wants to know that you speak from an informed position on your idea. If you already have a reputation for being credible, you’ll likely have a low or nonexistent barrier to making it through this tollgate. If you’re an unknown entity with no preceding reputation, having good facts and data to demonstrate you know what you’re talking about will help you. The difficulty comes if you have a preceding perception as not being credible. While many execs will give people an opportunity to recover from a negative perception, they still will likely have a higher barrier that you will need to break through if you hope to make it through the tollgate.

If you already have a reputation for being credible, don’t worry about spending a lot of time convincing someone you should be listened to. If you’re an unknown like Alan or have a negative credibility reputation, then you’ve got to spend time with facts and data convincing the exec you should be listened to. A good tip that you haven’t broken through the tollgate is either getting repeatedly challenging questions about your idea or getting no reaction at all. This second one is tougher because the exec could just be politely letting you get through your spiel taking as little time as possible. The best sign that you’ve made it through the tollgate is getting a couple of questions that you respond to directly and candidly, with the exec acknowledging your answers and showing engagement in what you have to say.

The bottom line to making it through the tollgate is to get a good understanding of where you stand with the exec. If you’re a known and respected entity, then do a bit of show-and-tell that demonstrates you’ve done your homework. If you’re an unknown or clawing up from a deficit position, then you may need to place more focus on establishing your credibility before the exec will hear you out. If you’re not sure where you stand, talk to someone who knows you and has some exposure to the exec and have them coach you. It may seem like a bit of work up front but if done well can make all the difference in how your idea is received.

Next up is The 5 Tollgates of Selling Up-Part 2.

Sheesh.

Recently I received two LinkedIn requests to connect, one from a rep at a well-known insurance company and the other from a financial planner at a well-known financial services company. In the first request the rep told me that the insurance company notified him that my construction company is eligible for a special program that grants an immediate discount.

Sounds great; the problem is I don't own a construction company.

Twice I asked him to tell me who at the insurance company notified him. He finally responded with a “nobody notified us,” even though in his original message he was “notified by <insurance company> that my construction business qualifies for the discount.”

In the second request the financial planner told me he works with a few employees of LonniePacelli.com and would love to walk me through his investment process.

I have two employees; myself and my wife, who confirmed with me she is not sitting on a wad of cash and investing without my knowledge.

I asked him which LonniePacelli.com employees he worked with. He responded and weakly blamed it on an auto-response that he used for other clients. He did apologize for the inconvenience, but the fact that he gave a bogus excuse didn’t sway me.

I am intentionally not divulging the company names nor the individuals who sent me connection requests; there's no need to do that. Getting these two messages caused me to think more about these types of requests and the impression it left on me. With the financial services request, the financial planner blamed it on technology and didn’t take the time to review a very short LinkedIn message before sending it off to me. With the insurance request, the rep flat-out lied to me when I pressed him for an answer.

Sloppy financial planner. Shady insurance rep. Neither worthy of my business.

One can argue that the sloppy financial planner just made an honest mistake. Maybe so. However, the financial planner was pitching me on him managing my money. Do I really want someone overseeing my nest egg who doesn’t even take the time to read a simple LinkedIn message before sending it? Sorry, but no chance. The first and lasting impression he left, even though he apologized, was one of someone who doesn’t pay attention to details. Not a good impression for a money manager to leave.

Now onto the insurance rep. After he saw I wasn’t going away he sent me a response which directly contradicted with his original message to me. So, he not only sent me a bogus first message, but when he sent me the second one, he didn’t even bother to read what he first sent me. Why in the world would I trust someone with my insurance needs who doesn’t respond, then when pressed for an answer gives me conflicting answers? Not a chance.

Neither of these individuals considered not only the negative impressions they as people left on me, but also the negative impression I now have of both companies represented. I’ll probably forget both of their names, but I won’t forget either company.

The point here is simple. Do whatever you can to make your first impression positive. If something goes awry (which occasionally it does), own up to it, apologize, and ask for a second chance to make a great impression. Humbly admitting your mistake can work to your advantage and help you get the outcome you desire. Just don’t let your lasting impression be sloppy or shady.

My very first job was baking bagels at age 15 back in Connecticut. When my family moved to Arizona a year later, I bagged groceries and stocked shelves until I graduated high school, then sold clothes while in college. After getting my degree I joined Arthur Andersen & Co. as management information consultant where I worked in Phoenix, Chicago, and Seattle. After 11 years I went to Microsoft where I worked for nine years before leaving to homeschool our son. My professional life now is as an author, publisher, consultant, and disability inclusion advocate. It’s a journey that I never anticipated and am thankful for the great life learnings it afforded me.

Through the years I’ve experienced countless bumps and bruises, made lots of mistakes, and had a few successes along the way. One of my biggest growth areas, though, was in my scaling up as a leader. So much of what I learned came through making my own mistakes versus learning from others. To help you avoid touching the stove (trust me, it’s hot), I compiled a list of some of my most valuable (and painful) learnings. Hope they’re helpful.

Lean in during a crisis

• Say “I’m focused,” not “I’m nervous.” Others want to know you’re in control.

• Be calm when everyone else is freaking out.
• Sometimes your best alternative is your least-worst alternative.
• Don’t be evasive or “go dark.” Others will make up their own answer if you don’t give it to them straight.
• Immediately get alignment on the goal and what needs to happen next, even if you don’t know all the steps to get to the goal.
• Act deliberately to match the urgency of the situation.

Execute with purpose

• Be manic about bringing clarity to chaos.
• Think good-enough to solve the problem; don’t polish the apple.
• Respond when asked for help, but ensure others are helping themselves too.
• Be clear on what, who and when and hold others accountable for getting things done.
• Be decisive but be willing to admit when you’re wrong.
• Make and follow through on tough decisions empathically and intentionally.
• Don’t let the urgent crowd out the important.
• Schedule everything in your calendar, including down time.

Cultivate others

• Be accessible, not open door; you need to get things done too.
• Respect others’ time like you want yours respected.
• Genuinely seek and candidly share wisdom.
• Don’t delegate tasks to complete, empower problems to solve.
• Do what you say you’ll do, and expect others to do the same.
• Create an environment where others feel comfortable asking for help. 

Be a great communicator

• Have high value per word (Two ears, one mouth).
• Ask clarifying questions to ensure understanding.
• Ask knockout questions to challenge thinking.
• Watch others for verbal and nonverbal cues and adjust your actions accordingly.

Behave like you belong in the position

• Walk and talk with purpose, not like you’re out of control.
• Be politically aware, not politically driven.
• Never do anything that causes someone to question your integrity or principles.
• Know what life contentment (personal, professional, financial, etc.) looks like and work to achieve it.
• Don’t make your position look so taxing that no one else would want it; no sending 2 a.m. emails.

I’d love to know what you think of my learnings or if you’ve got questions. Ping me here!