Colin D. Ellis's Blog, page 27

How To Be A Great Communicator At All Levels

Every resume that I read when I was hiring new project managers had two common items: Delivered a $1.5m IT project Great communicator at all levels The thing about point number one is that great project managers – Conscious Project Leaders – would never claim responsibility for delivering a $1.5m IT project, regardless of whether they had […]

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Re-drawing The Project Organisation Structure

When we talk about organisational structures in projects, we typically talk about line vs. matrix management responsibilities. In a line management structure, Jane hires me and sets my goals for the year. I meet with Jane on a regular basis and discuss my progress towards my goals and it is Jane who appraises my performance at the end of the year.

In a matrix management structure, Jane still hires me. However, my goals may be set my Matt (or Peter or Christina) depending on the work that I'm undertaking at that time. It is Matt who I meet on a regular basis to discuss progress against my goals and he provides feedback to Jane at the end of the year on how I've done.

Projects should exist in this matrix organisational structure where responsibility is shared for the completion of tasks and the achievement of outcomes.

The problem that we have in projects is that this environment of shared responsibility is then drawn in a hierarchical way that makes it look anything but shared. Instead it points to one person – let's call them the Project Blocker.

 

It's the Project Blocker's responsibility to make sure that everyone knows what they need to do and if they need a decision, they have to come back to them. The Project Blocker assumes control in times of crisis and chairs all the important meetings about all the important things.

If Project Blocker #1 can't resolve an issue, then Project Blocker #2 is called upon to assume control and chair all the meetings until the issue is resolved, at which point Project Blocker #1 picks up the project again.

Projects that behave in this way stifle innovation and decision-making within the team and create environments that consistently lose good people.

A better way to draw the project team is to highlight the key relationships required between the groups involved in doing the work. Better still is to get those people involved – at the planning stage – in drawing the relationships themselves. Re-drawing the project organisation structure in this way creates a different kind of environment. One that drives autonomy and removes the need to bring every decision back to a single Project Blocker.

 

This is something that MIT (Massachusettes Institute of Technology) did in the 1960s and, more recently, Deborah Ancona talks about in her book X-teams: How to Build Teams That Lead, Innovate and Succeed. She calls it 'distributed leadership', where one tier is replaced with many expandable networks and where people can easily move in and out of the structure.

I like this approach as it encourages other people to lead, make decisions and create relationships across the organisation. These networks become self-sufficient, try different things within the constraints they have and seek guidance only when it's required. It means the project manager then becomes the 'captain' of the project team, setting the example and ensuring that the game plan and goals are continually understood and tracked.

Of course, these kinds of structures, and the way that they're drawn, require a different kind of project manager, a Conscious Project Leader. Someone who is not held back by the old ways of doing things or the behaviours of those around them. Someone dedicated to creating a culture that's truly unique and memorable. Being a Conscious Project Leader is a choice that more project managers need to make.

Re-drawing the project organisation structure won't change the world, but it might just change the way the project team gets things done.

Re-drawing The Project Organisation Structure

When we talk about organisational structures in projects, we typically talk about line vs. matrix management responsibilities. In a line management structure, Jane hires me and sets my goals for the year. I meet with Jane on a regular basis and discuss my progress towards my goals and it is Jane who appraises my performance at […]

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7 Traits of Conscious Project Leaders

At a recent event, one person asked me what the key traits were of Conscious Project Leaders. It’s a tough question to answer as I’m always worried that people are looking to shortcut the process of being a project manager. You really can’t do this. Project management is often referred to as ‘the accidental profession’, […]

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The 7 Traits of Conscious Project Leaders

At a recent event, one person asked me what the key traits were of Conscious Project Leaders. It's a tough question to answer as I'm always worried that people are looking to shortcut the process of being a project manager. You really can't do this. Project management is often referred to as 'the accidental profession', yet there's nothing accidental about learning to lead, building teams and being technically good at what you do. This is what Conscious Project Leaders do. They choose to be the difference.

Having given it some thought, there are seven traits that are immediately recognisable in Conscious Project Leaders. Traits that you don't see in many other people responsible for projects. Traits that you remember and talk about. Traits that you then expect of all project managers and are frequently disappointed.

Conscious Project Leaders have vision

They know that to create a project that means something, they have to build a vision first. Create a statement of intent around what the future looks like once the project has been completed. They know that this provides clarity and excitement and allows the team to connect what they do on a daily basis, to the future of the organisation.

'A vision releases us from the weight and confusion of local problems and concerns, and allows us to see the long clear line.'
- The Art of Possibility - Benjamin and Rosumand Stone Zander

Conscious Project Leaders role model the right behaviours

They understand that it's behaviours that will make their leadership style memorable, both positively and negatively. They understand that to succeed they need to be kind, caring, thoughtful, proactive and courageous and that anger, aggression, deceit and selfishness will only undermine what they're trying to achieve. They know that consistently displaying positive behaviours will encourage a supportive and productive culture.

Conscious Project Leaders know the team well

And I don't just mean their name and job title. They could get that by looking at LinkedIn. They take the time to understand each individual at the start of the project. Their experience, their personality, their family, the things they enjoy and the things they don't. They understand what it means to be empathetic and can recognise when things aren't right. They encourage, reward and recognise and won't get down on you for being human.

Conscious Project Leaders create teams of leaders

They understand that for projects to be delivered in line with stakeholder expectations, they can't become the bottleneck for decisions. They know that only through creating a team of people that can readily accept responsibility, can they expect to succeed. They don't just explain tasks; they explain the behaviours, techniques and communication skills required to be successful. They mentor their team to be better versions of themselves in the name of progress.

'It is your job to generate the basic attitude of the group and give direction to the decisions that your people are going to make'
- Emotional Capitalists, Martyn Newman

Conscious Project Leaders know their stuff

They understand the value of the paperwork in relation to what they need to achieve. They can articulate the benefits. They're proficient at the planning techniques. They know the language (and know when to use it). They can do visual. They can do detail. They can be agile and waterfall. They can facilitate, stand-up and sit down for meetings. They manage risks, deal with issues and understand the importance of reporting. They never use methods as a crutch or a stick.

Conscious Project Leaders put the stakeholders at the heart of everything

They understand for the project to be considered successful, then customer satisfaction is paramount. Satisfaction with the design, build, test and implementation of the products. Satisfaction with the process or methods used to get there. Satisfaction with the way that they lead the team and keep the stakeholders informed. Satisfaction with the timeliness of information provided. Satisfaction with the progress against the constraints set for the project. They always ask, 'what's the right thing to do by the customer?'.

Conscious Project Leaders make hard work fun

They are fully aware - through their experience - that projects are stressful and take all necessary steps to ensure that this stress isn't borne unnecessarily. They look for ways to leverage the humour within the team by encouraging working environments that spark interest and create conversations. They take their work seriously but not themselves and ensure that the team do likewise. They create events that remove hierarchies and that create stories, talked about for weeks afterwards.

'A WOW project is dynamic, stimulating, a major bond builder with co-workers...inspiring...where everyone else wants to be'
- The Project 50 (Reinventing Work), Tom Peters

You never forget Conscious Project Leaders. They're so much more than seven traits, yet they will tell you that they're just doing their job. They take none of the credit for successes and all of the blame for failures. In a world full of continual project failures, we need more Conscious Project Leaders. Will you join us?

There's No Such Thing As A 'Best Practice' Project Method

The processes that work for company A will not work for company B.

The approvals that company A needs aren’t the approvals that company B needs.

The project manager in company A does different things to the project manager in company B.

The project managers in company B will manage the budget, the project managers in company A won’t.

The paperwork used to capture the project plan is different in company A and company B.

Neither company A nor company B (or company C, for that matter) does all project meetings well, regardless of what they’re called (e.g. governance, stand-up, team).

Project reporting in company A is more comprehensive than company B.

The project sponsors in company A have more on their plate than company B.

Risk management will be a problem in company A and company B.

Implementing paperwork and audit trails only adds value to company A and company B if it’s required in the first place and improves the quality of project delivery.

Auditors will find the holes in the methods of both company A and company B.

The methods that company A and company B implement today, will be out of date tomorrow.

The stakeholders don't care about methods – they just want their project delivered to their satisfaction.

‘Best practice’ will cost you money you will never see a return on.

There’s no such thing as a ‘best practice’ project method. Any method is only as good as how it’s applied by the people that use it, within the culture they work.

In the hands of inexperienced project managers a project method is avoided.

In the hands of administrators it’s a tool for procrastination.

In the hands of managers, it’s a weapon.

In the hands of team builders, it’s a tool for collaboration.

In the hands of leaders, it’s a guide for success.

In a stagnant project culture a project method is ignored.

In a pleasant project culture it’s ignored.

In a combatant project culture it’s ignored.

In a vibrant project culture it’s essential.

Stop searching for ‘best practice’ project methods and start investing in the best leaders.

They’ll display the best behaviours. They’ll create the best cultures. They’ll encourage others to be like them and deliver the best projects. The stakeholders will be happy all the time and the organisation will consistently evolve.

The only thing that should be best about your projects is your people. Take care of that and the methods will take care of themselves.

There’s No Such Thing As A ‘Best Practice’ Project Method

The processes that work for company A will not work for company B. The approvals that company A needs aren’t the approvals that company B needs. The project manager in company A does different things to the project manager in company B. The project managers in company B will manage the budget, the project managers in […]

The post There’s No Such Thing As A ‘Best Practice’ Project Method appeared first on Colin D Ellis.

Every project manager needs a mentor

When I got my first project management job, I got lucky. I got to work for someone who was prepared to show me the right way to do things.

I had no idea what project management was and had been hired on my ability to build relationships, so to say that I needed help was an understatement.

1997 was a time before it became fashionable to read about all this stuff in a book and assume you could do it. It was also a time when the internet wasn't really a thing you could turn to. Instead, you looked to those people who'd delivered things before.

I had questions. Lots of them. Particularly around where to start, how to overcome difficult people, what techniques to employ to build a plan and how to manage risk. We were on a tight schedule to complete a number of geographically diverse projects in the two and a half years we had until 31st December 1999, and I was mildly panicking about my role in that.

Not only did my mentor (as I recognise him now) provide me with the knowledge to do the things I needed to do, he encouraged me to read about other things (in the library, remember those?!) at the weekends. He would demonstrate the right way to talk to people, build my confidence by accentuating the positives of my work and would provide honest feedback on the mistakes that I made.

He was never judging, nor do I recall a time he ever lost his temper with me and at the end of our working time together not only was I a good project manager, but I was also a better me too.

Every project manager needs a mentor.

We have a lot to do to improve the image of our profession. To move it from one of arrogance and blame to one of humility, humanity and success. Good mentors can help us do this.

Mentoring isn't something that can be read about in books. It's anecdotal and can only be found in hearts and minds. It's someone else's experience, enjoyment, frustration, success, and failure. It's the sum of the personalities that they have dealt with in the situations they have overcome.

It's important to find the right person as not everyone can be a mentor.

In her book Think Great: Be Great, Lailah Gifty Akita breaks a mentor down as follows:

M = Motivator

E = Empowers

N = Nurture

T = Teacher

O = Originator

R = Role Model

What I love about this model are the final two letters as most people think that mentors are just people who've 'been there and done that.' A good mentor is more about what they're continuing to do now, rather than what they did in the past. They're pushing you to try new things and adopt new ways of behaving and, in every way, they are people you look up to and aspire to be. They understand the new generation, the new methods and those things that are important in our world today and build them all into their feedback and approaches.

Mentoring is now valued by senior leadership; it's seen as a good use of training budgets as opposed to the traditional 'send them on a course' approach. Good mentoring is an investment (of time and money) which is why you should choose yours carefully. Steven Spielberg said: 'The delicate balance of mentoring someone is not creating them in your own image, but giving them the opportunity to create themselves.'

More and more organisations are now building project management communities of practice to share ideas and introduce new concepts or ways of behaving. I'm working with three organisations this year to run monthly project management mentoring clinics around specific topics, which provide those who attend with advice, encouragement, techniques and information to collaboratively build capability around getting things done.

In his article What's Keeping Project Managers From The C-Suite, Bruce Harpham talks about IBM's approach to mentoring 'IBM did not rely on knowledge management software alone to share project management wisdom. The company actively encouraged project management classes and mentoring.’

Organisations such as the Project Management Institute and the Australian Institute of Project Management run mentoring programs for their members and there are many independent mentors in the marketplace. A good way to find one would be to ask others in your networks for recommendations or approach people whose work and behaviours you admire. Remember though, just because a person has experience doesn't make them a role model with original ideas. You should interview yours before you start, taking time to run through Lailah's model and asking them questions such as 'how do you motivate your mentees', 'what original ideas do you have that may help me' and 'how will you ensure that I'm being the best person that I can be'.

Good mentoring is priceless and is something that you'll never forget, despite the passing of time.

Project Meetings: You're Doing Them Wrong

I'm currently mentoring a senior project manager, who asked me to sit in on one of their project team meetings. It's fair to say that the meeting - while good natured - was fairly shambolic and they ran out of time before getting to item three on the 11 point agenda.

In the de-brief afterwards, I gave the group 15 tips to help them run productive project meetings:

Finding a time when everyone's free is good, but getting their commitment to attend is better. A 'tentative' doesn't mean they're comingMake sure that there's an agenda in the meeting invite which also states the objectives of the meeting. What's in it for the attendees?Only invite the people that absolutely need to be there. Meetings are not the place for FYIsSet the expectation with regards to phones and laptops at the start of the meetings and by that I mean tell everyone to put them away. If they insist on using them throughout the meeting it's obvious they need to be elsewhereStart on time and finish on time. Finishing earlier - having achieved the objectives - is even betterStop starting meetings on the hour or on the half hour - that's just convention - start them at ten-past, for example, to give people time to get thereDon't say 'it's alright' if people come in late - it's notIf people have to take calls or leave early, ensure that they apologise to the room (not the chair) in advance - it shows respect for the other attendeesMake sure you give people enough time to read documents if you're looking for their feedback - one day is not enoughDon't allow side conversations while someone else is talking - it's just plain rudePeople who are invited in to present should only stay for their portion of the meeting - then they should leaveMake sure there's some laughter to lighten the mood (and maybe even some biscuits) - make your meetings enjoyableMake sure that the actions at the end of every meeting are clear and have been agreed to - so people know what they're on the hook forOh and make sure that people have completed the actions when they said that they would (you may need to remind them in between meetings) - make accountability in your meetings mean somethingThank everyone for their time and input - because they're busy and made time for you.

Did I miss anything?

 

Last chance to get free postage and packing on my book, due for release on Friday 5th April. Pre-order your copy here.

Project Meetings: You’re Doing Them Wrong

I’m currently mentoring a senior project manager, who asked me to sit in on one of their project team meetings. It’s fair to say that the meeting – while good natured – was fairly shambolic  and they ran out of time before getting to item three on the 11 point agenda. In the de-brief afterwards, I […]

The post Project Meetings: You’re Doing Them Wrong appeared first on Colin D Ellis.