Emil AngleroSr. Program/Project Manager| Verizon Business PMOHastings On Hudson, Ny, United States
Ok, you work your head off, you plan every detail, you make every meeting and contribute... then here comes the Governance and the Steering committee meetings! You take your turn on your project you give your details and issuse etc, then your manager comes back and says, you are talking to much, your all over the place, you say to much for something to small... what do I do, whats the difference between the two meetings, which one do talk and which one do you point and leave...?
Please help me before I loose my job... Saving Changes...
Jiju NairSenior Manager| Fannie MaeReston, Va, United States
Looks like you and your Manager needs to establish a protocol on how you would report to Governence committees versus normal project reporting. In some organizations, the Program Manager responsible for multiple projects would give a high level update on the projects (risks/issues/progress) and the Project Manager will be called upon to clarify or answer any specific questions.
However, if you, as a PM is responsible for project status reporting in front of high level committees, you will need to sit down with your Manager before each meeting and review the report that you had drafted. Once in front of the committee, you will have to stick to what was agreed upon between you and the Manager. If there are sensitive issues that need to clarified, you will have to inform the committee that you will get back to them after doing some fact finding. You will then have to loop back with your Manager and then report the result back to the comittee via email.
But first, you will need to setup this meeting with your Manager with an open mind. Best of luck.
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I also support what Jiju has said it is good advice and certainly by involving your Manager prior to the Governance and the Steering committee meetings between the two of you decisions can be made what should be reported leaving out the nitty gritty, swift effective meetings that would satisfy these high level people. Saving Changes...
Sunilkumar ElisettyProject Management and Six Sigma Process ConsultantChennai, Tamilnadu, India
These meetings would be called differently in different other organizations like Senior Manager Review, Critical projects Review by Senior Leadership Teams etc., You and your manager have to establish expectations and come to an agreement on the report as to how you both respond to the questions by the governance committee on the projects and what explanations need to be given and if there are any issues/risks that has to be dwell more you could respond them in an email.
You could consult other project managers who had already undergone this type of meetings and try to get some questions and prepare answers for them with respect your projects in consultation with your manager. There must be a standard process as to how these meetings will be conducted. Please read through the process document to get more insight into these meetings and that would help you better in preparing for the meetings. Saving Changes...
I have been in the position where a subordinate either raises completely new issues in senior reviews, or having apparently agreed on the key issues to report, then wanders into other areas of the project. The advice you have already received about getting your manager on-side with you is powerful. Only in exceptional circumstances should you consider going to senior review without a discussion with your manager. You already appear to understand that not getting that meeting will generate friction!
Is your organization clear about the role / remit of the Governance and Steering committee. For example, a project board based on PRINCE2 would not be expecting to resolve any technical issues that might arise. They should be informed that issues exist, and your management approach to resolve the matter, but one should not expect that they will offer guidance on potential solutions. Seeking advice on the technical resolution would not be sensible in that context.
It seems to me you need to work with your manager on 'tuning' your political awareness. Note that this is different to becoming political per se. It is about being aware of the context in which these senior committees are operating, what they expect from you, what skills they bring to the discussion, and from that knowing how they can help you (and your manager) address project issues.
If you have not damaged your relationship with your manager too much, that might be something to consider doing fairly soon. Saving Changes...
I agree with Sunilkimar's point that understanding your manager's expectations will be helpful in your preparation for the meetings. Expanding on Doug's point about increasing political awareness, it might be useful to take a look around at the other PMs who were (presumably) presenting reports at the same meeting (you mention taking your turn) and work out who presented well. You could use this as a conversation starter with your Manager to understand what the perceived differences are. Saving Changes...
Anonymous
In this situation a RACI chart might help clarify the expectations. RACI charts are useful in clarification communication tasks such as project reporting, process responsibilities, etc. Saving Changes...
Sunando ChaudhuriDirector - PMO & Governance| ModonDist: Burdwan, West Bengal, India
Hi Emil,
I would suggest a very simple solution, you are best placed though if you think it can be so simple in the circumstances you are in. I would recommend that considering Steering Committee/ Senior Management meetings are generally well documneted and planned in advance, you come out with an agreed timescale with your manager with reference to the St. Com schedule. You prepare your report (what you want to say), which issues you want to discuss and the severity and send it off to your manager 2-3 days in advance. If need be, have a calendar meeting with him and that should keep him quiet in the leadership meetings. I personally think the key is, If he or she (your manager) is letting you speak in the St Com meeting, you need to get your report ratified by him in advance. I am sure you have some sort of a communications plan published for the project, add such a review with your manager in there which should make it official. Hope you have a better reviews next time..regards Saving Changes...
Gail MitchellPresident| Arc Performance IncSaint John, New Brunswick, Canada
First lets address the difference between the meetings:
Governance needs to know that your project is following policy. That the $ and resources being used have been approved, that the project scope is in the same arena as what was approved and that you're generally on track. In a governance meeting the only issues to raise are if you're outside those parameters. In which case your manager needs to be comfortable with your message and your sponsor/key stakeholders need to be well aware.
A steering committee should include key stakeholders in your project. The SC should provide guidance and support so that you can get the resources you need, decisions you need, etc. Again, don't go into detail with the issues you are working with your team. Here, you should create awareness of large issues that the team is struggling with (especially cross department issues); or may have significant impact on cost, schedule, scope; and raise issues that you need help with. Again, any issues you are raising here should be well socialized...if the problem is that SC member Sara's department don't have the time to do project deliverables, you need to have fully explored this with the team members from her department and you need to at least reach out with a voicemail and email to Sara making her aware and inviting discussion to resolve.
The key PM skills & techniques that relate to your question are: stakeholder analysis, communication planning and issue management.
Its a good question. I wish you the best resolving it. Saving Changes...
There have been some excellent suggestions on here on how to tackle the issue that you are currently facing and I am sure that you will manage to turn this situation around!
Worth considering perhaps for future projects is to check what your various stakeholders expect from different project meetings at the start of the project and document this in an agreed communications plan. That way you can find out exactly what your stakeholders want from you in terms of frequency, type, format and content of communications, whether that be in relation to written or verbal communications and maximise your chances of delivering to their expectations. Saving Changes...
Russell GeakeProject Management Consultant| Deciduous Partners LtdLostwithiel, Cornwall, United Kingdom
Emil,
is there another issue at hand here? one between you and your manager perhaps (I hope they don't read this, but then it might help if they do). Looking at your position and qualifications you are more than capable of knowing how much detail to give to a project - I don't think it is for your manager to say anything regarding your input to the Governance and Steering Committee - if they think you are speaking too much they will say "thank you" and move on to the next person. I had this very early on in my career - I was in a high level meeting, for the first time and I really dissagreed with one of the participants views on the project - I spoke with my manager about it, thinking that I had been out of order and he gave me that same advice, it didn't matter that it was my first major corporate project or that the person I was dissagreeing with was significantly my senior within the organisation.
You may want to email one or two of the committee and ask them for their opinion and guidance. They should be honest enough to tell you. Your manager may be trying to keep you quiet so that they are not shown up. It is your responsibilty to inform the committee of what you think they should know, and they can ask questions if they need to.
Hope you are still in your job, have moved on to a better one, or that your manager improves...either way, best wishes. Saving Changes...
