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Influence resources that have competing priorities

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Michele Carter Program Manager| Precision Coating Co. Marlborough, Ma, United States
I'm creating a project management training module for our study directors to provide knowledge and tips/tools that they can use to better manage projects. One area I am looking for assistance on is how to influence resources that have competing priorities and the study director/PM have little to no control over.

What approach have you used to influence resources that have competing priorities? Are there any tips/tools that you have tried?
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Edward Daniels Project Manager| Independent Glen Burnie, Md, United States
Always a conundrum in these cases, i will directly approach the resources and hear them out. Negotiating comes in, but until you know what the competing priorities are, you may not be able to come up with effective negotiating strategy.

A while back, i have had back-to-back projects that my boss thought was impossible. He happened to mention it and i readily volunteered. Involving the resources directly will at least give you an insight into how they process situations. I always advise my PMs to ask and never assume anything. If "Study Director/PM have little to no control over" resources, they can listen, treat the resources as stakeholders and win them over.
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1 reply by Michele Carter
Mar 28, 2017 12:38 PM
Michele Carter
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Thank you, Edward. Appreciate you sharing how you were able to influence resources with competing priorities.
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Michele Carter Program Manager| Precision Coating Co. Marlborough, Ma, United States
Mar 28, 2017 12:05 PM
Replying to Edward Daniels
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Always a conundrum in these cases, i will directly approach the resources and hear them out. Negotiating comes in, but until you know what the competing priorities are, you may not be able to come up with effective negotiating strategy.

A while back, i have had back-to-back projects that my boss thought was impossible. He happened to mention it and i readily volunteered. Involving the resources directly will at least give you an insight into how they process situations. I always advise my PMs to ask and never assume anything. If "Study Director/PM have little to no control over" resources, they can listen, treat the resources as stakeholders and win them over.
Thank you, Edward. Appreciate you sharing how you were able to influence resources with competing priorities.
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Sergio Luis Conte Helping to create solutions for everyone| Worldwide based Organizations Buenos Aires, Argentina
First, you have to define "better". It is a subjective matter. Second, people (I am assuming that you are talking about people when you are talking about resources) ALWAYS have competing priorities because they have personal priorities mainly and somebody must align those with organizational priorities. That is because project stakeholder process is a must and must be performed from the very begining. In our case we use a selling method as a tool. The method is Solution Seling or SPIN selling selling method.

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