The business case should be enough to justify the reasons for going ahead with a project, but I agreed when it comes to the hard sell of selling the benefits of a project to stakeholders and team members then this is distinctly lacking. There is two types of selling going on. First their is selling the project to the client to get project go ahead, there is selling the project to team members (especially if the project team are employee of the organisation where the project is being implemented) and if you wanted to expand it further to employees, customers and the general public. As project manager, in our mind the selling has already occurred and we are in the operation phase of implement the decision. Selling in project management takes the form of maintaining motivation and momentum of the project team. How we sell depends on who we are selling to their take on value for money.
Daire
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1 reply by Luis Branco
Jan 20, 2020 12:02 PM
Luis Branco
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Dear Daire
Thank you for participating in this reflection and for your opinion
Do you think it is not important to sell the project to the team? And the managers? What about other stakeholders?
Saving Changes...
Luis BrancoCEO| Business Insight, Consultores de Gestão, LdªCarcavelos, Lisboa, Portugal
Jan 20, 2020 11:22 AM
Replying to Daire Guiney
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Dear Luis,
The business case should be enough to justify the reasons for going ahead with a project, but I agreed when it comes to the hard sell of selling the benefits of a project to stakeholders and team members then this is distinctly lacking. There is two types of selling going on. First their is selling the project to the client to get project go ahead, there is selling the project to team members (especially if the project team are employee of the organisation where the project is being implemented) and if you wanted to expand it further to employees, customers and the general public. As project manager, in our mind the selling has already occurred and we are in the operation phase of implement the decision. Selling in project management takes the form of maintaining motivation and momentum of the project team. How we sell depends on who we are selling to their take on value for money.
Daire
Dear Daire
Thank you for participating in this reflection and for your opinion
Do you think it is not important to sell the project to the team? And the managers? What about other stakeholders?
...
1 reply by Daire Guiney
Jan 20, 2020 12:18 PM
Daire Guiney
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Dear Luis,
The easy way to maintain moral, confidence, motivation and the general well being of the team is ask and look for their feedback and contribution and to justify the reasons for implementing the project in the first place. By not including them in this process you are excluding any suggestions that they may have that could greatly impact the project to the positive. Also if they ultimately become end users of the product or service, then they may have a negative view of the project. However if the project sponsor has given the go ahead, then the project will get implemented with or without their approval.
Dear Daire
Thank you for participating in this reflection and for your opinion
Do you think it is not important to sell the project to the team? And the managers? What about other stakeholders?
Dear Luis,
The easy way to maintain moral, confidence, motivation and the general well being of the team is ask and look for their feedback and contribution and to justify the reasons for implementing the project in the first place. By not including them in this process you are excluding any suggestions that they may have that could greatly impact the project to the positive. Also if they ultimately become end users of the product or service, then they may have a negative view of the project. However if the project sponsor has given the go ahead, then the project will get implemented with or without their approval.
Daire
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1 reply by Luis Branco
Jan 20, 2020 12:27 PM
Luis Branco
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Dear Daire
Thank you for your opinion
He wrote: "However if the project sponsor has given the go ahead, then the project will get implemented with or without their approval."
Under these circumstances, does the project have to be sold to the team?
Saving Changes...
Luis BrancoCEO| Business Insight, Consultores de Gestão, LdªCarcavelos, Lisboa, Portugal
Jan 20, 2020 12:18 PM
Replying to Daire Guiney
...
Dear Luis,
The easy way to maintain moral, confidence, motivation and the general well being of the team is ask and look for their feedback and contribution and to justify the reasons for implementing the project in the first place. By not including them in this process you are excluding any suggestions that they may have that could greatly impact the project to the positive. Also if they ultimately become end users of the product or service, then they may have a negative view of the project. However if the project sponsor has given the go ahead, then the project will get implemented with or without their approval.
Daire
Dear Daire
Thank you for your opinion
He wrote: "However if the project sponsor has given the go ahead, then the project will get implemented with or without their approval."
Under these circumstances, does the project have to be sold to the team?
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1 reply by Daire Guiney
Jan 20, 2020 1:16 PM
Daire Guiney
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Dear Luis,
It would depend on how invested the team is in the outcome of the project. Also if they are an internal or external project management team. On most projects, project teams are assigned to project, execute and finish up the project without the need to be 'kept in the loop' about the need to implement the project. To answer you question, No I do not think their is an over riding need for each member of the project team to be sold on the reason for implementation of the project.
He wrote: "However if the project sponsor has given the go ahead, then the project will get implemented with or without their approval."
Under these circumstances, does the project have to be sold to the team?
Dear Luis,
It would depend on how invested the team is in the outcome of the project. Also if they are an internal or external project management team. On most projects, project teams are assigned to project, execute and finish up the project without the need to be 'kept in the loop' about the need to implement the project. To answer you question, No I do not think their is an over riding need for each member of the project team to be sold on the reason for implementation of the project.
Daire Saving Changes...
George FreemanThought Leader | Author | Architect| Florida, United States
Luis,
When it comes to a project manager being involved in “selling,” I like to provide the following statement:
- If the word "sell" strikes you as an inappropriate word, then phonetically pronounce the word backward, and you will find what you will end up with if you don’t execute this portion of your job: "less."
When you are employed as an “accountable PM” for an enterprise (i.e., not a consultant), you may be called on in the very beginning when the project is just an idea in the mind of a potential sponsor. Under this scenario, the following may happen:
- 1. Potential sponsor goes to PMO with an idea for a project - 2. PMO assigns an architecturally aware PM to execute due-diligence with the potential sponsor and gather facts. - 3. PM executes workshops to validate assumptions gathered from the initial due-diligence. - 4. If currently understood value proposition if substantive, then potential sponsor solicits or executes a mandate for the project. - 5. After receiving mandate, project goes into the queue of the PMO for prioritization. - 6. NOTE: In this process, the PM is advocating (i.e., selling) the project.
Dear George
Thank you for participating in this reflection and for your opinion
It had never occurred to me:
"If the word" sell "strikes you as an inappropriate word, then phonetically pronounce the word backward, and you will find what you will end up with if you don’t perform this portion of your job:" less. ""
Saving Changes...
Ed Tsyitee JrConsultant | Consultant Tucson, Az, United States
I don't recall reading about any sales in a project management book.
But, in a project, there are both hard and soft sales happening. And the majority of it happens without anyone being aware of it.
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1 reply by Luis Branco
Jan 21, 2020 5:53 AM
Luis Branco
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Dear Ed
Thank you for participating in this reflection and for your opinion
Very interesting what you wrote: "But, in a project, there are both hard and soft sales happening. And the majority of it happens without anyone being aware of it."
Saving Changes...
Deepesh RammoorthyICT Project Manager ( PMP®AgilePM®Certified ScrumMaster® (CSM®))| Australian Red Cross Blood ServiceTarneit, Vic, Australia
Daniel H Pink , in his book " To Sell is Human" says that we are all in the Sales business, no matter what our job title is , We are marketing/selling our services, value proposition , skills on a daily basis to another person. So albeit it was not about Sales in project management , it was sales in life....and Life is a series of projects.
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1 reply by Luis Branco
Jan 21, 2020 5:57 AM
Luis Branco
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Dear Deepesh
Thank you for participating in this reflection and for your opinion
Very interesting what you wrote:"So albeit it was not about Sales in project management , it was sales in life....and Life is a series of projects."
There are two types of selling we experience as PMs.
1. Selling the value of project management (and our individual brand) to the organization.
2. Selling recommendations to decision makers.
All the soft skill competencies required to be an effective sales person will apply to being an effective PM.
Kiron
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1 reply by Luis Branco
Jan 21, 2020 5:58 AM
Luis Branco
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Dear Kiron
Thank you for participating in this reflection and for your opinion
Very interesting what you wrote: "All the soft skill competencies required to be an effective sales person will apply to being an effective PM."
Saving Changes...
Luis BrancoCEO| Business Insight, Consultores de Gestão, LdªCarcavelos, Lisboa, Portugal
Jan 20, 2020 4:19 PM
Replying to Ed Tsyitee Jr
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I don't recall reading about any sales in a project management book.
But, in a project, there are both hard and soft sales happening. And the majority of it happens without anyone being aware of it.
Dear Ed
Thank you for participating in this reflection and for your opinion
Very interesting what you wrote: "But, in a project, there are both hard and soft sales happening. And the majority of it happens without anyone being aware of it." Saving Changes...
