Can anyone explain to me what the role play of an Executive Director is on the same Project where a Project Manager is placed, ie; interference of PM's duties, inadequit experience as ED trying to overrule PM's decisions etc... Saving Changes...
Good morning: I would suggest that the role of the Executive Director is less important than your view of what activities are being performed by the ED. The real problem brought forward in your post does not have anything to do with roles, but rather your view that your Executive Director is less experienced than you, and is trying to insert themselves into the primary leadership role on the project.
So the real question isn't what their role is, the real question is why do they feel they have to step in?
The cause could be anything, including because they can. However, other reasons could be they are new to their position and are trying to understand the full scope of the project and will back out once they understand. Or they may be concerned that there is insufficient progress, or that there has been schedule slippage and no one has explained why. You need to answer not only the questions asked, but also those that have not been asked. What is not being provided to the Executive Director that makes them think that they need to be involved in the project at such a low level? What steps should you take to reassure them that you have the project in hand?
You need to meet with them and learn what they believe their role is on the project. Be prepared to discuss issues, risks, schedules, costs, change management, issue management, etc. Information is the only way you're going to regain your leadership role.
Lastly - remember that they are the Executive Director. This may be their first executive assignment and they want it to be a success. If you cannot assist them to be successful, then you might be the one seeking a new assignment. Find out and understand their motivation, face the issue directly and deal with it. Managing upward is more difficult than managing downward - both are skills that a good PM needs in their toolkit. Saving Changes...
George PearsonProject Manager| Dodsal EngineeringDoha, Qatar
Hi Donald, yes you are very correct in your assumptions however I wish to explain the following as well about the ED.
On this Mega Project I was brought in after the failure of 4 PM's prior to me and was informed that I needed to turn the project around from a total loss of USD58mil to the current situation where the loss has turned around to a current profit of USD 25Mil 1 year later. Taking into account that our current project value is USD 425Mil and daily due to FDC's and SI's I am raking in more profits for the company.
It is only of late, +- 3 month's where I have had constant interference and snarling remarks that I want to take his chair and that I should be taking care of the construction only and not the financials. However when I did not take care of the financials the ED was also not taking care of what he was supposed to be taking care of which was the financial side of this project.
He would also every 3 Month's spend 1 month on vacation and the financials then had to be taken care by me. This is how I found the week spot in the company re the contracts department being out of control and not bidding correctly thus making huge mistakes and losses. These were hidden from me for month's until I found a loop hole and started investigating why the other PM's failed on this Project.
Currently we are in closing down phase and +- 2 months left to close-out. Now the ED has resigned and says he feels he is not needed and that the Project is at an end and I can finish it off. Saving Changes...
Hans RobbersSenior Director| SalesforceVlissingen, Netherlands
Hi Ana
The ED is the escalation level for the customer and the coach/guide for the pm. In my opinion his role is not to overrule a pm or to take over the tasks of the pm.
His focus on the client relationship and act as a sounding for the pm
I see from your last post that your ED problem is going away. Whenever key functions are managed by someone above the PM - you are exposed, unless there is easy and complete communication between the parties. Based on your assessment of the activities of the previous PM's and their difficulties - had you asked when you were brought on to the project, I might have suggested during turnover a complete project review.
Whenever you are coming into a project in crisis - unless you are able to completely understand what has been done, what hasn't been done, and what remains to be done, your signing up for failure.
Part of the key to understanding why critical items weren't delivered is - of course - the financials. I cannot imagine how you were able to manage your schedule without understanding the money. If you were seeing schedule slippage - that would indicate that you were having finance problems. If you were still leaking money and it didn't show in the schedule - then it could only lie in the procurement process - as you found out.
Lastly - it sounds to me like you have done what every good PM does - find an innovative solution to a project problem. Congratulations on Phase end - good luck going forward. I would suggest that you will probably be paired with this ED again sometime in the future - your success will be viewed as his success as well - you two seem to make a good team - at least to upper management. I would suggest you prepare yourself for your next trip into the maelstrom. Saving Changes...
George PearsonProject Manager| Dodsal EngineeringDoha, Qatar
Hans/Donald
Again Donald you are correct as there is already talk of pairing in future Project, my nightmare.
Hans what you are adding I find correct as he should have laid the rules down that I the PM am his eyes, ears and instructions from me are as if it were from him personaly, however this was quite the contrary and I think he saw me as a threat. I proved him wrong and this made the competition even more tense as he felt left out with nothing to do.
Nevertheless thanks I have gained some valuable info which I will keep for future reference. Saving Changes...
Huw EvansSenior Manager, Projects and Partnerships| Vicinity CentresMount Waverley, Vic, Australia
It may be too late for this project, but for the next it's worth identifying the roles and responsibilities of everyone in the project team, including the Project Manager & ED. Once there is a document outlining who is responsible for what, it can remove the grey areas & get back to fact based discussions. Saving Changes...
"Technology is a gift of God. After the gift of life it is perhaps the greatest of God's gifts. It is the mother of civilizations, of arts and of sciences."
