here's a copy of the article I wrote in 2017 on this very topic:
"I’ve written previously about the need for a project manager to proactively plan for a smooth transition if someone else will be assuming the role on one of their projects.
Should you be fortunate enough to find yourself taking over from a project manager who has followed some of those suggestions, it will make your life easier.
But often we don’t have that luxury.
When projects get into trouble, rightly or wrongly, the project manager may have been identified as a convenient sacrificial lamb and you might join the project after they have been expeditiously shown the door. Other times the individual might have just been moved to a different, higher priority project but they did not maintain a complete, accurate project control book or they may simply not have the time to help with your onboarding.
In such cases, what should you do?
Meet the sponsor
Even if there are documents such as a charter or project management plan, there’s no substitute for learning about the needs and wants of your sponsor as early as possible. Developing a productive, symbiotic relationship with this critical stakeholder will often make the difference between success and abject failure.
Make sure you take the time to understand what they expect from you from both a communications and expectation management perspective, but also gauge their willingness to support you when decisions, issues or risks have been escalated to their attention.
Meet the team
Recognize that the team will be experiencing the change churn of having lost a leader.
If the previous project manager was despised, you will bear some of that baggage and will want to ensure that you don’t get drawn into a comparison competition with your predecessor or having to defend the value of project management. On the other hand, if the team adored their project manager, you may face suspicion and resentment and will have to avoid the temptation to become defensive about why you were placed in the role.
Be curious, ask questions, but most important, strive to be a servant-leader, giving the team some time to grieve but also demonstrating your value by escalating or ideally removing any hurdles that have hampered their productivity.
Trust but verify current state
Status reports, feedback from the sponsor or the team might provide you with insights into the project’s state, but seek evidence that supports their assessment.
Identify recent milestones and confirm that different stakeholders agree that those have been successfully met. Once you understand what milestone is coming up, check with the sponsor and team to ensure that there is alignment towards its completion. Ask questions about the top three risks and issues. Check the financial health of the project with your finance partners to ensure the books are in good shape.
While a project plan might exist for your project, you should still create a personal onboarding plan reflecting the specific activities you will need to complete to be effective in your new role. Treat this role transition as you would any meaningful project – plan the work, and then work the plan!" Saving Changes...
Ganesh KumarProgram ManagerBangalore., Karnataka, India
Hi Paulin, Understand the real reason why you have been asked to take over someone else’s project. You should interview the project sponsor, key stakeholders, contractors, and key project team members. Review project documents, correspondence, management reports, contracts, progress reviews.
First revisit the Business Case that was submitted, validate the justification, ensure that continuing the project delivers the solution. Understand the factors correctly as it needs historic information, inputs from sponsor, and management. What drives the Business, could be a resource, process, or condition that is vital for the continued success and growth of a business. That has a major impact on the performance of the business, constantly updated with the latest trends in markets & technology.
Project Assumptions: Events that need to occur for the project to be successful and are often accepted as true without proof. Costs increase in the cost of resources that impact the project significantly and compel the organization to reconsider the decision to continue. Delivery of business outcomes and when the process of a project’s implementation is proactively managed to ensure that the organization obtains the results expected.
Project Risks—The project may be a outcome of a risk, identified during the time of initiation, which might have become an opportunity.
Top of the things that came to my mind, will add to discussion thread….
All the best. Saving Changes...
Andrew SoswaTechnology leader| Leading global financial institutionElk Grove Village, Il, United States
Log everything. Since you are learning by 'drinking from a firehose" - you will hear past agreements, assumptions, requirements, needs, wants, pain points... Never a truth or a full story. In essence, do not trust until each team signs off in blood that it was coded, tested, reviewed, and ready to implement.
Everyone will have his/her own version. When I got dropped a 3.5 years 50 stakeholders / completely new system - a program of projects - to "just deploy it to production" - at that time - I asked the Champion to allow me to treat everything that was done as done, and I would only manage the outstanding issues. The Champion signed off on that to move with the project but still held me accountable for the entire project. Saving Changes...
Sergio Luis ConteHelping to create solutions for everyone| Worldwide based OrganizationsBuenos Aires, Argentina
In my personal opinion @Kiron´s article is a great article. I read it in the opportunity he published and I directed people to take the article into account each time this type of questions were published. Try to synthetize, remember that people "define" the success or fail for each initiative. And remember something which is critical in this type of situations: you will have to live with the faults of the past, most of the times.
In my personal opinion @Kiron´s article is a great article. I read it in the opportunity he published and I directed people to take the article into account each time this type of questions were published. Try to synthetize, remember that people "define" the success or fail for each initiative. And remember something which is critical in this type of situations: you will have to live with the faults of the past, most of the times.
Thanks for the kind feedback, Sergio!
Kiron
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1 reply by Sergio Luis Conte
Jul 20, 2020 6:27 PM
Sergio Luis Conte
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You are welcome. I think you know, at least because the time we interacted here and in linkedin, I am not "politically correct" when I wrote something because this and linkedin is my space to learn from people comments and improve myself. So, I wrote my comment because you deserve it.
Saving Changes...
Sergio Luis ConteHelping to create solutions for everyone| Worldwide based OrganizationsBuenos Aires, Argentina
Jul 20, 2020 11:32 AM
Replying to Kiron Bondale
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Thanks for the kind feedback, Sergio!
Kiron
You are welcome. I think you know, at least because the time we interacted here and in linkedin, I am not "politically correct" when I wrote something because this and linkedin is my space to learn from people comments and improve myself. So, I wrote my comment because you deserve it. Saving Changes...
Thomas WalentaGlobal Project Economy ExpertHackenheim, Germany
Paulin
Kiron's advice is great and comprehensive.
If I get into a running project, I read the orgchart first. It will give me the key stakeholders. I will schedule 1:1 with them and ask them about their personal view on the project, its issues, and achievements and their expectations/wishes. If there are personal conflicts, they will tell you. If there are important stakeholders not mentioned in the orgchart, they will tell you. As you should be listening, avoid probing, show empathy and compassion, understanding, you will lay the ground for future trust and leadership.
Compiling this, you have your own issue list, prioritize it (people before documents) and start working. Obtain permission from the sponsor(s). Saving Changes...
Peter RapinSubject Matter Expect; Project Delivery| Independent ConsultantOntario, Canada
Two discrete and important parts to project management are the technical (reports, plans, charts, etc) side and the people side. The technical side is the easy part. I believe in the early going you have to pay particular attention to the people, the extended team.
They say "assume the best and plan for the worst". The best is that everyone is on board, understands the project and their role, are focused on the same objectives, are committed to collaboration and transparency. They appreciate you as the named PM and will support you in every way. The worst is that people will try and take advantage of the situation to better achieve their personal objectives. Some may feel they have been overlooked or that this is an opportunity to enhance their role.
How to deal with it? Develop a PM transition risk assessment and management plan complete with event identification, probabilities and impact assessments and appropriate mitigation measures as warranted. If the worst, or some of the worst, happens you are prepared to deal with it. If only the best shows up, no harm done. Saving Changes...
Andrew SoswaTechnology leader| Leading global financial institutionElk Grove Village, Il, United States
Sometime when I read others posts, where answers are provided from PMI-edque perespective and with proper PMI language - I envy you. My AR-risk, take-over projects are much more complicated, full of political games. Hard to trust anyone. Saving Changes...
