Andy JordanPresident| Roffensian Consulting S.A.Cherry Grove, AB, Canada
As PMs we know that we live through some of these war stories, but stakeholders often don't realise what we are going through - they don't have an awareness of what is going on at the frontline.
I always try and educate stakeholders on what's happening, and why those things are potential issues, but does anyone have any suggestions for how we can 'put stakeholders in our shoes' and help them to understand the war stories that we are living and how they can help? Saving Changes...
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Andy JordanPresident| Roffensian Consulting S.A.Cherry Grove, AB, Canada
And as a follow up to this.... How do we understand what it's like for stakeholders? I'm sure they have project war stories as well. Saving Changes...
Marcos AriasManaging Partner| CX MDDunwoody, Ga, United States
I believe that you point out a very real and sometimes daily experience for project and program managers. In answer to your first question, I utilize 2 approaches when possible. The first is preventative which attempts to avoid a breakout of war. If regular stakeholder checkpoints are established, then most of the communication misfires are either avoided or bubbled up without having a chance to fester or impact the project.
The second is reactive because sometimes no amount of prevention can eliminate a blowup. In this case, we tend to use the informal warning mechanisms of project delay communications (ad hoc meetings, email, phone calls, etc.), and formal mechanisms of yellow and red jeopardies which catch VP attention. Saving Changes...
Marcos AriasManaging Partner| CX MDDunwoody, Ga, United States
In response to your second question, I believe the key is awareness. A project or program manager needs to be aware of what is happening at the stakeholder level. I have used two ways in which I address awareness.
The first way is an awareness of the portfolio of projects and programs that matter to stakeholders. Most organizations have project and program roundtables/readouts. Project and Program managers need to not only readout and pay attention to their own projects and programs, but to attentively listen (and in some cases react if there is a linkage or dependency to their own projects) to the rest of the portfolio. In this way, a project manager can understand the full weight of issues the stakeholder is reacting to and understand how they might behave to one's own projects.
The second way is to obtain feedback with stakeholders through 1-on-1's. In these short brief feedback sessions, a project manager can not only get feedback on their projects, but also probe for experiences/war stories from the stakeholder that can provide valuable insights. These awareness techniques are invaluable in my estimation. Saving Changes...
