New Journey to Oz ... Results at Last

As a committed, lifelong learner, I try to read a lot of books, particularly as they may apply to management and business. After hearing much about The Secret, I finally obtained a copy a year or so ago. While some of the premise is rooted in modern day physics and string theory, there is an element of "mysticism". No matter how much I've thought positively about it, I'm not able to attract enough wealth to play a significant role in stamping out disease and hunger, or even help an afflicted family member or friend.

In January while in a book store in Washington DC, I tried another book, Bright Sided. While Barbara Ehrenreich has a good point about the over promotion of positive thinking over less emotional analysis and a more balanced view, I finished the book feeling like there was no actionable recommendation.

A few days ago, I heard about the 2004 revised release of The Oz Principle, and find now I can't put it down. It was originlly released around 1994, but the authors felt an update was required and have a few sequel works to build on the original principle. The principle is accountability, and the need for results by looking within for cause, rather than in the actions of others. The authors suggest this is a great way to build leadership. Its filled with great examples of how accepting accountability can pull us out of the "victim" thinking (its not my fault, I don't know why this is happening to me, something or someone other than me and my actions made this happen) and achieve postitive results. Some famous examples include Jack Welch, Janet Reno, and Bill Clinton -- embracing accountability helped them weather adversity and get results.

I'm still reading and I'm sure I'll have more to say about this book in the future.

GTD for PMs Part V - How to Work with GTD

I thought that in this installment, I would take a look at how to best interact with folks (like me) that like to get things done.

Have a Specific Due Date in Mind

People who like to GTD probably work best with a specific due date. If they are told ASAP, it goes into their queue for prioritization. Preference is generally given to date driven tasks, after which they will do their best at prioritizing. My "plate" is typically so full (family and friends, work, volunteer projects for PMI, etc.) that ASAP tasks will frequently be bumped along.

Have Realistic Multi-tasking Expectations

People who can GTD multi task with the best, but there are just some things that shoulddn't be expected. Some tasks require more focus -- when doing them they won't be checking email or be on their cell phone. Related to this is driving -- I've really limited the use of the phone while in the car. Our California freeways are getting too congested for this to be safe. There is an interesting debate on this topic on LinkedIn Answers.

Understand that Innovation and Creativity Take More Time

While working on the Quick Estimating Tool which earned me and my fellow inventors a patent, I was very fortunate to work with folks that understood this. The initial idea came very quick -- it was one of those "flashes" -- after reviewing the problem and what direction the solution was headed in. This sort of breakthrough doesn't happen every day. Most of the time, we work very hard get a little creativity. Be sure to provide more slack for creative tasks.

Have Other Realistic Expectations

Its not always possible to squeeze in one more thing, meet unrealistic deadlines, or other unrealistic deliverables. People who get things done generally do not require a lot of external motiviation, so they are usually working hard to meet your needs.

Allow for Planning Time

Perhaps the single most important way to work with folks that are project managers and get things done is to be sure to allow time for planning. My schedule typucally fills up quickly, usually a week or two in advance. If we can schedule work for three or even four weeks out, that is going to assure you will get your deliverable in the timeframe you need.

GTD for PMs - Part IV

You're pretty good at keeping up with both your project work (more planned, organized and scheduled) as well as other tasks, but every now and then ... INCOMING! Unplanned and unscheduled tasks come pouring in. I found a pass, run, or kick strategy works best here.

Pass
Delegate or recruit help for as much as you effectively can and where you trust you will be supported. Especially where you trust that the task will be done and will be returned to you in good order when you need it. That helps eliminate items on the list you will need to address for a while.

This may also include saying "no" to some things, but its best to use that 2-letter word sparingly. Better: Say "Yes, but here's what I will need to do to get this done as you have asked ...". Then ask the requestor to provide the support or resources you need. Negotiate the deadline too.

Run
In any respectable large workload, there are probably more than a few things which require considerable effort to finish. Before your deadlines hit, run as many of these down the field as you can. Do the hard part, but stop short and don't complete the last 15-30 minutes of work. This is where you may need to put in some extra effort as well. Work at nights or over weekends to continue to run as many tasks down the field as you can.

Kick
As the deadlines near, you will start collecting back the delegated work and have all your tasks down the field. With all your balls lined up just short of the goal line, start to kick tasks over that goal post. Complete those last 15-30 minutes of work just in time to meet all the needs.

Now of course, my scenario is idealistic. You may not be able to get everything over the goal line in time. Following this strategy will get you as close as possible. Then, if anyone expresses disappointment that your didn't finish it all, you have an ideal opportunity to discuss how a project management approach would have assisted you in meeting the unrealistic goals and expectations.

PMP® Challenge Question - 9/15

On 9/1, we had a fairly simple question: What leadership style is being exercised when the team is brought together to discuss a problem and work as a group to solve it?

The answer: consensus.

Now here's the new challenge:

What's the difference between leadership and management?

Any thoughts? Add a comment or drop me a line at sdcamp@aol.com.

The Speed and Economics of Trust

To prepare for the PMI Leadership Institute Masters Class in October, I've been reading a digest of Steven Covey's book, The Speed of Trust. He suggests that trust simply means confidence and that trust impacts (in PM terms) time and cost. We can see how this operates in the world around us:

- the cost of drug packaging increased after the Tylenol poisoning case
- the time to get through an airport increased after 9/11
- the decline of trust in corporations arguably began with Enron, resulting in costs and time for meeting Sarbanes-Oxley compliance

The summary I'm reading only gives one example of high trust (a Warren Buffett acquisition), but in thinking back, high trust has had a positive impact on my project management:

- I've been frequently called upon to handle failing projects or project gaps where execution was critical
- my projects have had regular reviews (weekly or monthly) while others have had more frequent scrutiny to the point where execution was slowed
- working with teams where trust is strong has helped meet or beat parameters and build high performing teams

Covey suggests that the traditional business formula of Strategy x Execution = Results is actually (Strategy x Execution) x Trust = Results. This would move trust from a "nice-to-have" to a critical position, making it required to achieve results.

The book outlines 13 behaviors exhibited by high trust leaders. The first one caught my eye -- its no wonder why most politicians, used car salesmen, and many executives have an issue with trust. The behavior is "Talk Straight". This means to communicate clearly to make sure there is no misunderstanding. No withholding, partial truth, flattery, spin or distortion of facts. (This one is easy for me... as a former New Yorker, I'm always direct).

Another concept I can readily identify with is that one of the four cores for building trust is results. Jack Welch talks about results as having clout or performance chips on the table. Results are evaluated by past performance, present performance, and anticipated future performance. Low Results = Low Trust.

This is a very difficult book to summarize because there are many dimensions of trust which are explored. So my suggestion would be to go out and get a copy because it will be a great tool for building high performance teams and achieving project excellence.

Proactively Managing Expectations

By: Susan Peterson
Copyright 2003, Susan Peterson, All Rights Reserved.

All of us have expectations in life. Some are attainable without much effort. Others take considerable personal effort and a huge dose of good luck. Still others will never be realized regardless of the effort expended or the lineup of the planets in the universe. Project owners, sponsors, customers and clients are no different in the diverse degrees of reality associated with their expectations for project outcomes. The project manager’s key to success in handling the expectations of others is to be proactive rather than waiting for an angry email, an escalated complaint, or nasty verbal abuse.

By now you may be thinking, “Anyone can be proactive as long as he/she is a mind reader.” Actually, the first step is to uncover the true goals (target accomplishments, not the solution) that each project owner, sponsor, customer and/or client has in mind. This step may be more challenging than it sounds. The documented goals may have been set prior to the project manager being assigned to the project. In this situation the goals may actually be solutions, not true goals. In any case the project manager needs to ask leading questions that will uncover the true expectations for the project.

Once the true goals have been uncovered, proactive expectation management can begin. For example, the project completion date is often hopelessly unrealistic. While it may not be politically expedient, the project manager needs to address this expectation early in the project life cycle. Some questions that need to be asked include these:

• What and who are driving the completion date?
• What really is expected to be accomplished by the stated completion date?
• What can be deferred to a later phase?

Once the project manager has this information, he/she knows the actions to take with regard to retaining or revising the completion date. The people who must be kept informed and whose continuing input must be solicited will also be apparent at this point.

Education of the project sponsors et al. is also critical. They may be used to working with project managers who always agree to their requests. I had one project sponsor who called me and said “I have a minor change that will only take 15 minutes of your team’s time.” He was used to project managers accepting his changes. However, he had never been made to realize the connection between his requests and the fact that projects he sponsored were never delivered on time. Rather than saying “no” immediately, I asked for an explanation of his request. I then walked him through the actual time (three weeks) and resource commitment, which included the involvement of his own personnel. I also reminded him that he was on record as saying that the completion date could not be changed. Then I said, “What do you want to give up so that we can include this new request in the project plan?” He laughed, and we then identified activities that could be deleted so that his request could be accommodated. The next time that he called to request a change, he had already reviewed the plan and could tell me what work could be dropped. I also learned that he requested far fewer changes from me than from other project managers with whom he worked.

These are only a few examples of how project managers can manage expectations. While there may be a little “mind reading” involved, proactive expectation management encompasses identifying and dealing with the source(s) of the expectations rather than the symptoms.
____________________________________________
Susan Peterson, M.B.A., PMP, is a consultant who manages diverse programs and projects in both the private and public sectors for individual organizations and consortia. She teaches the Project Management Simulation capstone course in the UCSD PM Certificate program and is a member of the curriculum committee. She can be contacted at susanada@aol.com.

GTD for PMs - Part III

One of the roadblocks to progress we frequently encounter as Project Managers is decision making. Sometimes we might benefit from a strategic framework -- what decision will best align with our mission and vision? But more often than not, we are hurried to make decisions in a world of instant communications and rapid change. How can we avoid analysis paralysis or making the wrong decisions?

Enter Suzy Welch, wife of former GE CEO Jack Welch. Suzy has just introduced what is being hailed as a life changing concept -- 10 minutes, 10 months, 10 years:

All it takes to begin are three simple questions: When faced with a complex dilemma, stop and ask, "What will the consequences of my options be in 10 minutes, 10 months, and 10 years?"

An extremely simple concept, a small modification can make it applicable to financial decisions. Think of the value of the money if not spent in 10-10-10 and weigh against the value of the expenditure in 10-10-10.

For more information about decision making with 10-10-10, visit Suzy's new book site at http://www.suzywelch101010.com/index.htm.

The Clash of the Priorities

By Susan Peterson, MBA, PMP
Copyright 2005, Susan Peterson, All Rights Reserved

All of us juggle a multitude of priorities in both our professional and personal lives. Often, the number and magnitude of priorities may seem overwhelming and even in conflict with one another. Also, the sources/causes that are driving the priorities may have no logical basis. For example, in the space of a few days I’ve been forced to deal with all of the following, each of which has resulted in a new “project” that I must manage:

A car damaged in a church parking lot by an out-of-state hit-and-run driver
Theft of personal data impacting 3,000 people including me
A homeowners’ association that is refusing to enforce the CC&Rs (codes, covenants and restrictions)regarding unauthorized construction by a neighbor
My health insurance organization and related hospital group that have severed a long-standing partnership

The preceding list does not even begin to include the immediate priority challenges of my “other” life such as a client who keeps delaying an inevitable decision by continuing to ask me for “just one more piece of information” or a student who demands an explanation and feels entitled to a “B” or a “C” just for attending class sessions.

How project managers deal with numerous priorities can make or break a project and can directly influence the perception of the success of a project. It can be difficult to objectively apply one standard to a wide variety of priorities, but that is what project managers must do. It is especially challenging when several projects have to be managed simultaneously. The following decision criteria can aid in sorting through a mountain of priorities whether on one project or on multiple projects.

Life or Death

This criterion may sound overly drastic, but it crisply focuses one’s perspective. Unless the activity/event will doom or lead to the demise of the project (or the project manager), it is probably not a top priority item. People who have faced death and survived have been known to say after such experiences that everything else is “child’s play”.

Source of the Priority

Is the priority being driven by personal or political whim? Is the priority “driver” someone who specializes in creating crises? In these types of situations the project manager should assess the strength and importance of the priority driver as well as the impact on the overall project. Treating the source of the priority rather than the symptomatic pressure is more effective in reducing the number and severity of high priority items. Medicine that only treats symptoms doesn’t shorten the length of an illness. So too with priorities -- jumping from one “top priority” item to another only fuels the drivers of the priorities and may actually prolong the agony by increasing the volume of priority items.

Conflicting Priorities

It is often only the project manager who realizes that priorities are in conflict. For example, one department involved in a project may be incentivized to complete its activities rapidly ahead of schedule without regard for quality. Another department involved in the project may actually experience delays in completing its assigned tasks due to inferior handoffs from the other department. In this type of situation it is the project manager who must educate project participants in the realities of not sacrificing the project for the benefit of a single component.

Rapidly Shifting Priorities

Sometimes priorities are changed so quickly and so often that a project manager can feel that he/she is “twisting in the wind”. When priorities shift constantly, a project manager must exercise judgment to determine if the current shift is just part of the ongoing decision instability or is actually a genuine necessary change. This situation calls for the project manager to be the “calm in the storm” in objectively assessing the need for the shift in priorities. Otherwise, those outside the project team quickly learn to bombard the project manager with urgent or top priority requests.

In conclusion it’s a fact of project management that effective priority management is crucial to “staying the course” through the turbulence
that accompanies projects. So, believe in your capabilities and remain focused.

Susan Peterson, M.B.A., PMP, is a consultant who manages diverse programs and projects in both the private and public sectors for individual organizations and consortia. She teaches the Project Management Simulation capstone course in the UCSD Project Management certificate program and is a member of the curriculum committee. She can be contacted at susanada@aol.com.

GTD for PMs - Part II

In Part I, I looked at a few specific techniques which can be used to accomplish more. In Part II, I'd like to look at a few of the motivators -- the things we need to understand to be motivated and motivate ourselves to accomplish more and be successful.

Opportunity Cost
You've probably heard it before -- you can't use the same minute twice. When chosing what we are going to work on, opportunity costs need to be considered. Opportunity cost is a Keynesian term for those things which are foregone due to our choice. The opportunity cost of our tasks often aren't financial. By working on our least important project, we are foregoing the opportunity for more important work. Attending the party instead of working may lead to a late project.

Immediate Progress
Once we choose our task, its often helpful to position the work so we can immediately complete something useful. When I first decided to create this blog, I immediately researched blogging tools and after making a selection, chose my template and performed some initial set up work. Once I did that, I felt an immediate sense of accomplishment. I also had a much better idea on how I could achieve my goal and was able to sketch out my next steps. Over time, the banner and content evolved and I committed weekly time to myself for the necessary activities.

Control Negative Emotions
When provided with a difficult choice or task, our first reactions are often negative -- its too hard, I don't have the skill, I'm stuck with this because Joe and Sue didn't do their jobs, I know I'm going to mess this up. Learn to recognize these thoughts. One at a time, identify them, remove them as barriers, and begin to make positive progress. Dr. Gary Null suggests the following example:

If you are often impatient, you might say to yourself, I'm not going to get upset about the length of this supermarket checkout line. I'm going to choose a magazine off the rack and calmly read until its my turn.

Seek Out Like-Minded Company
Share your perspective and successes with others. You will find the reward of helping others, as well as support and new ideas. Positive feedback will generate momentum. Associating with those not committed to doing their best and making positive progress can be de-motivating or allow you to slip into your old habits. Even if you are not a very social person and can't find people with similar goals, there is now a website to help. Visit http://www.43things.com for more information.

GTD for PMs

People frequently ask me "how do you find the time to do the things you do". Unlike others, I'm not necessarily about multi-tasking -- I can't drive, shave, and read a book at the same time like some freeway drivers. But I do work efficiently and effectively enough to volunteer for PMI and find time for this blog, among others things. This week, I'd like to share some of my secrets.

Know what you value
If you know yourself well, and what you value, you will have an easier time sifting through tasks and prioritizing. I find I naturally select from tasks that support my personal values. Values can drive your actions and direction. If you are unsure of your values, there are plenty of online sites and books which will help you discover your values. At one point I went so far as to create a personal mission statement. Visit Quintessential Careers and Why You Should Know Your Personal Values .

Make personal planning time
Sunday evenings before bed and Monday mornings when I wake up, I mentally review all the key things I have to do for the week. This helps me put the week in perspective. Next, on a daily basis I spend time reviewing my priorites for the day. Looming deadlines go to the top of the list, usually several days before they are due. This helps me remain proactive. I always think about what is the most important and most impactful action I can take. Things rarely happen get scheduled for the last minute.

Make lists
I make mental and physical lists frequently. When I have too much to remember, I start writing things down. As I complete tasks, they get crossed off. When I partially complete something a "/" slash goes next to it. If I'm going to travel, I just update a task list on my Palm Treo so the list goes with me.

Process efficiently
I try to process emails once -- if it will only take a few minutes to respond to or requires a short task to complete, I do it on the spot. If it can be delegated, it gets delegated. If I have to process it later, it goes on the list. Any deadlines need to be noted.

Make every minute count
With much to do, use the "spare" minutes wisely. While waiting on line, waiting on hold, and waiting for other things to happen, I micro-task. This may mean things like outlining a blog article or a series of articles, organizing expense receipts, or making short phone calls.

Use the time, cost, quality triangle
I try to timebox each task. I consider the time, cost, and quality triangle to help me decide how much time and how to best fill it. I redefine quality for each task. If I'm working on an internal task and pressed for time, quality can be lower than a task which has a customer facing deliverable. I also adhere to the "no gold plating" rule, especially on internal or personal tasks.

Know when to re-charge
To make sure I don't burn out, short change family, friends, and loved ones, or just tire out, I have planned down times which I jealously guard. Unless there is a critical emergency or urgent need, these times are dedicated to not thinking about work or tasks.

There are lots of programs, aids, books, and more to help you get things done. I personally find the simpler approach better. There was a time in my life when my "DayTimer" was my "brain". There were clips and post-its, specially folded pages, and dozens of other "codes" to divide up tasks. Over time, I found I was able to organize all that information more simply. If you feel you need some additional help, consider a visit to LifeHacker GTD Roundup for a compendium of tips and tricks. As always, please feel free to share a tip via a posted comment or an email to sdcapmp@aol.com.

Moving on Up in Project Management

A recent PM Hut reader asked "I'm a PM at a small web developing company, but as soon as I can I want to work at a multinational company. I hope you can help me with that." The rest of the message asked three specific questions and also implied this was a move from a small to large environment. Having worked on both US coasts for companies as large as General Electric and as small as one employee, I thought I might be able to shed some light on this in general, as well as address the three questions. I broke the general case down into five specific categories:

Portable Skill Set
As a Project Manager, if you are adhering to the internationally recognized best practices of the Project Management Institute's PMBOK Guide®, you have developed a highly portable skill set which can be used across industries and companies. There is a bit of a "catch" -- the recent Value of Project Management study by the University of Athabasca found there is not one path to project management. As you embark on a new position, there will be a learning period for "local rules". Take the time to find out how they do project management, so you can identify areas where you can immediately contribute and others which might require some ramp up. If you don't have this skill set, visit Learn About PMI Certifications to get started.

Scalable
I often suggest to my project management students that they keep the "bureaucracy" proportional to the company size. A small one month project doesn't require a 50-page project plan and daily status reports. However a 10 year, global project may require something larger. Make sure the supporting tools and techniques you use in your management of projects scale to meet the circumstances.

Maturity of Project Management Practice
I've observed that larger companies often have more mature practices. This can be due to longevity (GE has been around for more than a century and started out small), funding for development, business needs, or continuous improvement, among other things. Reviewing tools such as Kerzner's Project Management Maturity Model and PMI's Organizational Project Management Maturity Model will help you in understanding your environment.

Cultural Sensitivity
For a multi-national company, be aware of how the people you will be dealing with think about time, costs, and doing business as this will impact your ability to control project costs and risks. Australians frequently go on summer "holiday". Some European cultures are know for long afternoon breaks, but late nights -- you may be able to catch someone in the office at 8pm in their time zone. In Japan, silence is usually not consensus, but disagreement or deferment to a higher authority. I don't want to "generalize" anyone, but this should give you a few things to think about and explore.

Support Systems
Larger environments tend to have more support systems in place. Find out how you can leverage these to your advantage. Very small companies, for example, are usually difficult to introduce to change control and earned value management. Larger companies may have the basics in place and you will be able to contribute to their continuous improvement.

Now let's take a look at the three specific questions this reader had:

1. Does the IT PM need to have a programming knowledge?
In general, to be a strong project leader, you should strive to become a subject matter expert. Now this doesn't necessarily mean you have to write code in a specific programming language, but you should develop general skills such as understanding the software project life cycle, how to evaluate and select programmers and programming environments, and other business and industry-related skills. You will be called upon to lead the discussions of estimates and plans, so it would help to have a general knowledge of how the pieces fit and how the estimates are derived.

2. None of us starts his/her career as a PM, so what are the previous positions I need to have before I become a PM at a multinational company?
There is no one path -- any path that helps you acquire the management and people skills to be a project manager will do. Large companies have management training programs, and I was fortunate enough to be able to attend some classes at GE's famous Crotonville management training facility. Find out if such a program is available to you, or investigate PM training or degrees at your local university. PMI members also have access to the PMI Career Framework.

3. What kind of skill do I need to get into that previous position?
Again, no one set answer, however I've always found a strong desire, development of personal goals, and continued demonstration of mastery of related skills to be a good path.

As always, reader questions are invited! Drop a line to sdcapmp@aol.com.

Just for Today

[Happy New Year! I just returned from a 10-day trip to the east coast to visit clients and attend the annual Volunteer Strategy and Planning meeting for PMI Global Operations Center volunteers in Philadelphia. To start off the New Year of the Project Notebook, here is Susan Peterson's message from January 2005 which seems even more relevant today in light of the challenges expected for all in 2009. - RWF]


It’s that time of year when so many of us contemplate a “fresh start” for a better life personally and professionally. Making New Year’s resolutions is often a part of starting this process. However, statistics indicate that few resolutions are still in force by the end of January. One reason for the demise of so many well intentioned goals is that it seems impossible to keep challenging resolutions for the rest of our lives. Some “experts” advocate shortening the time perspective by focusing only on keeping the resolution “just for today”. Project managers can also become overwhelmed by the thought of having to sustain efforts for the entire length of a project. Let’s look at some possibilities for applying “just for today” to common project management challenges.

Just for today. . . I will have the courage and the intestinal fortitude:

To not accept that a project has to be underfunded
I will use the relevant terms and concerns that make the project sponsor realize the true impacts of taking the lowest bid or cutting corners at every step. Sponsors may not care or even comprehend earned value analysis, dependencies or any of a number of common project management terms. However, “decreased net sales revenue”, “lack of customer confidence” and other specifically business-related phrases are more apt to grab the attention of sponsors. I will also rise to the challenge of finding creative (and legal) sources of additional funding so that the sponsor appreciates the seriousness of my budgetary concerns.

To get to the source of unrealistic completion dates
I will uncover what force is driving the project implementation date. I will also work with the client, customer and/or user to determine what really needs to be done by the target completion date. Using education regarding tradeoffs will assist in setting realistic expectations. I will remind myself that these people have probably always been told at the beginning of the project that the target date is “doable”. They don’t make the connection that an upfront “yes” is often followed by a backend “we need a little more time”.

To focus on needs not wants
I will ask questions that cause the client, customer and/or user to dig deep beyond the surface symptoms to get at the real problem or opportunity. At that point, we can all focus effectively on addressing the actual issues rather than spinning off on tangents that will hinder project performance. I will also identify relevant measures of success that are meaningful to the project sponsor.

Let’s not forget the project manager’s need for a “just for today” assessment:

Just for today . . . I will focus on the strengths that make me a good project manager. I will think about the many good things that have happened on the projects that I have managed. After all, there are always plenty of people who are willing to criticize but few who are willing to praise.

May all of your projects be successful . . . and if not, remember the upbeat thought of the “Gone With the Wind” heroine, Scarlet O’Hara, . . . “tomorrow is another
day!”

Susan Peterson, MBA, PMP, is a consultant who manages diverse programs and projects in both the private and public sectors for individual organizations and consortia. She teaches the Project Management Simulation capstone course in the UCSD PM Certificate program and is a member of the curriculum committee. She can be contacted at susanada@aol.com.

The Perils of Being a Good Project Manager

By: Susan Peterson, M.B.A., PMP
Copyright 2008, Susan Peterson, All Rights Reserved

What could possibly be wrong with being a good project manager? After all, we joined PMI so that we could learn more about effective project management. We take courses to continue to improve our project management skills. We may even observe other project managers in order to see firsthand what works and what does not work in successfully managing projects. In this month’s column we address some of the challenges when projects actually do come in on time, on budget and meet performance criteria.

“This Can’t Be True”
Sometimes people, even the project sponsor, do not want the project to succeed. I was involved in a situation in which the top executive of an organization had reluctantly agreed to initiate a major project that would impact the entire company. However, he never missed an opportunity to question positive reports about the project’s progress. Recognizing his strong inclination to undermine the project, I led off a steering committee meeting by saying that the project was meeting its goals and was on time and on budget. This executive grumbled, “If that’s true, it’s the only project in the company that is on track”. He then proceeded to pick at every statement that was made to see if there were any miniscule areas that had problems. While it was not a comfortable situation, I reminded myself that he really wanted the project to fail and that his doubts would continue throughout the project. Fortunately, the other key people in the organization knew that the project was critical to the growth of the company and did everything that they could to ensure the success of the project. I met separately with these individuals on a continuing basis to address the actions that needed to be taken to overcome the negative attitude of the sponsor.

“You Won’t Mind Losing a few People, Dollars, Etc.”
For some unexplained reason organizations may feel that a project that is proceeding successfully is “fair game” to be “raided”. By this statement I mean that a good project manager may find that his/her project is subject to losing people, budget, or other project resources. Sadly, some project managers operate perpetually in a crisis mode. They are always out of money, need more people or are faced with “insurmountable” obstacles. Rather than recognizing that these individuals are poor project managers that should be removed from the projects, some organizations continuously rally to the cause of these people. Project managers whose projects are progressing successfully may have requests to transfer key people from their teams to these struggling projects. They may have to defend keeping their assigned budget rather than “baling out” mismanaged projects. In these types of situations it is crucial to have strong justification for all planned resources in order to fend off panic raiding of successful projects.

“We Never Hear Anything About Your Project”
At one point in my career I managed several successful projects for an organization in which other projects were perpetually behind schedule, over budget and never met expectations. Shortly before I left this organization for a more positive environment, another project manager said to me, “We never heard anything about your projects”. She continued by explaining that my projects did not have angry people and that the projects concluded on time and within budget. Therefore, she said that no one ever “made a fuss” about the projects. I had to agree that while my projects had major visibility, they were never subject to scrutiny due to negative outcomes. I often felt that it was a source of embarrassment to the organization that projects
could actually be effectively managed. For years the prevailing attitude had been that no project could possibly succeed. Once it had been demonstrated
that projects could be well managed, this organization could not accept success.

In conclusion, good project managers cannot be complacent. While it would appear that successful project management should be a treasured target accomplishment, there are always those people who cannot fathom that projects can actually accomplish what they are intended to do. After all, various sources state that as many as 60% to more than 80% of all projects fail. Therefore, when a project succeeds, it must be a “fluke” or “something must be wrong”. Good project managers must be proactive in addressing threats to their success. May your new year be filled with the best of projects and outcomes!

Susan Peterson, M.B.A., PMP, is a consultant who manages diverse programs and projects in both the private and public sectors for individual organizations and consortia. She teaches the Project Management Simulation capstone course in the UCSD Project Management certificate program and is a member of the curriculum committee. She can be contacted at susanada@aol.com.

Projects to Watch: Spring Garden Alive!

What do you get when you mix innovation, mentoring, education, and project management? Spring Garden Alive!, a product of PMI Founder Jim Snyder, PMI Delaware Valley Chapter, the School District of Phildelphia, Devry University, and the PMI Education Foundation. Here's what I learned about this project while in Denver for the 2008 North American Leadership Meeting.

Using Perkins Title IV funds targeted at improving the life skills of High School students, the project teaches Project Management Skills within the Phildelphia school system. Students undergo a rigorous application (based on academic achievement and attendance) and testing process and have dual enrollment in high school and college (Devry University). The Delaware Valley Chapter of PMI supplies the mentors for the program which includes as instructional topics:

• Charter and Scope
  
• WBS
  
• Network Diagrams
  
• Budget
  
• Resources
  
• Project Control Plan
  
• Risk Plan
  
• Procurement Plan
  

The project students work on centers around developing a vacant lot near the school district headquarters. A number of students have already "graduated" from the program which has expanded to two Project Management classes. In addition to gaining 21st Century Life Skills, students completing the program are encouraged to further their education with the college credits earned by the course.

The PMI Education Foundation is actively seeking sponsors, mentors, instructions, and more to advance the program, perhaps taking it to other school districts based on the current levels of success, making it a "project to watch".

Back to Basics

If you had a small audience with limited project management skills (or at least a limited definition of what it meant to be a project manager) and had just one hour to cover some information, including time for an interactive session, what would you do? This was the challenge I was confronted with this week.

My product is around 25-30 slides of basic information: definition of project and project manager, top 3 critical success factors for projects, the special benefits of project management (improved execution on strategy, innovation), and some information necessary to instruct on creating a task list and then adding estimates and resources. The exercise will be to come up with a high level plan which we will then refine over the coming weeks.

The primary audience consists of education administrators. Coincidentally I found a really good article on project management for primary and secondary educators on the PMI Education Foundation web site. The author, Kim Liegel, PMP has a web site named Make it Happen! What's really good about this site and the materials is it conveys the message that you can make things happen WITH PLANNING. This is difficult to convey to people in this age of "Just Do It".

Too often Just Do It turns into Ready, Fire, Aim type of progress. Partway through a complex project, its realized that something is seriously wrong and the end goal can't be met. Sometimes these setbacks aren't enough to initiate a planning effort, and things progress with Ready, Fire, Aim until goals are never met, or met in the distant future by accident.

I'll be on the road most of next week and will try to let you all know how this planned session on planning turns out. If you have any thoughts on other approaches for a one hour presentation as I've outlined, please drop me a comment on this post or email sdcapmp@aol.com.

Project Management of Corporate Initiatives

Last Thursday evening I had the opportunity to hear Renee Speitel, the former VP of the Engagement PMO for HP, speak at the PMI San Diego Annual Executive Event. I hear Renee has also been actively working with PMI CEO Greg Balestrero to continue the "evangelization" of Project Management to executives.

Renee's presentation was very straightforward and the logic was easy to connect with. Her premise is that Project Managers are under-utilized in many companies. They typically work on four types of projects: IT implementations, services delivery, software development, and R&D product development. PMs typically bring four major skills to the table:

- able to manage the basic triangle of time, cost, and performance
- utilize planning and tracking tools
- have subject matter expertise
- risk management

Some of the additional strong characteristics mentioned included:

- leadership
- business and finance skills
- attention to detail
- situational thinking

Given these strengths, Renee suggested that PMs might also be utilitzed to manage corporate initiatives such as corporate risk planning, HR initiatives, IT consolidations, cross functional programs, and mergers and acquisitions. By manage, she stressed this didn't just mean come in and track the tasks, but actually manage the projects.

One of several examples cited was the HP acquisition of Digital/Compaq. A team of project managers was assembled to study the two corporate structures and actually plan the merger, step-by-step. This way, as the merger progressed, clear decisions were made about how to absorb and manage duplicate functions in the two corporations.

As PMI continues to promote these ideas to executives through global programs such as Forbes Forums and large companies such as HP adopt these ideas, my expectation is future opportunities will open up for Project Managers at all levels of corporate activity. A side effect will be that Project Managers become stronger business leaders and owners in companies and their own corporate initiatives.

Cultural Change Required

Introducing Project Management for projects and companies may require some cultural change to gain acceptance. This is especially important for high tech projects, achievement of productivity and cost control, and environmental improvements. But resistance to change is a part of our human nature -- we are insecure and threatened, and even at times resentful of change. Change can be a threat to the in fluence of governments, unions, and other powerful groups.

To plan this change requires projects. Projects which encourage early adopters, those who would be change agents, and other users and beneficiaries of the project result to slowly adapt to the new outcomes and future. Within the corporate environment, there is a pretty solid list of things we can do to overcome resistance to change: training, team building, surveys, performance reviews, and job enrichment, just to name a few. Out in the world beyond corporate walls requires even more effort and I'd like to take a few moments to highlight a few I happened upon recently.

1) Recent efforts by the PMI Education Foundation include creation of Project Management as a life skill training materials for K-12 education, including teacher guides, projects, lesson plans, and more. In the US, education is clearly in trouble as studies have shown the longer kids are in school, the worse they perform. I'm also familiar where eight or more unions are barriers to change -- education seems to be about the adults, rather than the children. Teaching Project Management as a life skill will benefit future generations of Project Managers who will meet less resistance and be more skilled at managing projects and making the changes necessary. At the same time, it will expose the adults to the necessary new thinking required.

2) Two years ago, a devastating earthquake rocked Pakistan and rebuilding is still under way. This is a country where everyone admits "nothing works" and the infrastructure of the modern world is limited or non-existent in many areas. To help the people be more self-sufficient, the government of Pakistan rejected the "import" of skilled workers from other countries, perferring to bring in those who could teach natives the management and labor skills required for the rebuilding effort. While the rebuild will admitedly take longer, everyone now believes the benefits will be enormous.

3) Fashion designers in Sweden didn't have the funding to compete with neighboring Denmark and the events and outlets were drying up. Sponsors were nowhere to be found. A major corporation stepped in and sponsored a number of events themselves for the last couple of years, with the hopes of attracting more media attention, more sponsors, and most of all, more buyers. The result? A Fashion Week in Stockholm that had 6 trade fairs, 44 catwalk shows, and most of all, attracted 30,000 visitors.

To learn more about Pakistan and Stockholm, please see PM Network, February 2008, Volume 22, No. 2. For more information about the PMI Education Foundation and its programs, please contact the Foundation at PMIEF@pmi.org or drop me a line at sdcapmp@aol.com. Additional information is also available at Project Management Life Skills.