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Hear Susan
Speak
Listen to her
20 minute interview with David Wolf on 9/28/07
(.MP3 format, 14.5 MB)
Susan Junda
Dynamic Solutions
P.O. Box 3874
Albuquerque, NM 87190
(505) 888-4786
the Dynamic Solutions Electronic Newsletter
January 2008
Below is our debut e-newsletter. It has been wonderful hearing from so many of you - know that I really appreciate your support in this new endeavor! I look forward to more comments and feedback.
Best regards,
Susan
What's
Going On Out There - a message from Susan
Over the past 10 years, I have taught many people and have become privy to many project management issues in today’s fast paced world.
These issues include, but are not limited to, working projects “part-time,” having too many projects to work on, team members being spread too thin on too many projects, senior management not prioritizing projects, getting team members to keep their commitments - and the list goes on and on.
Is it complex? You bet. Unmanageable? Absolutely not! Even if your situation is not quite as complex as described above, the plan for this e-newsletter is to address your challenges over the next few months, as thoroughly as possible - and offer solutions, tips and techniques to resolve some of your most pressing project and team problems. The focus will be from 3 levels - Senior Management (organizational), the Project Manager, and the Team Member, as appropriate. This allows the readers to utilize time well and read only what is pertinent to them - OR - they can read ALL the perspectives and learn what it’s like to “walk in another’s shoes.”
Please feel free to send me YOUR most pressing issue or challenge, using the “Ask Susan” link below. Your issue may be addressed in a future newsletter!
So read on! I am glad you are willing to participate in this journey with me!
All the best,
Susan
Project Management World
The Problem...
Many people who are managing projects are doing it out of a functional department (i.e., engineering, IT, marketing, etc.) and NOT from a Project Management Department or Project Management Office.
While this situation CAN be manageable, a problem occurs when these people, in addition to managing projects, have to continue working their “regular” work load because they never got any work taken off their plates to give them the time to manage projects.
Scroll down to see the solution from all three perspectives or jump to the Senior Management, Project Manager, or Team Member perspective.
The Solution...
From the Senior Management (or boss) Perspective...
Many of the individuals who get asked to manage a project from a functional department do so because they are the high-performers in the department. They are the quick decision makers, the super-heroes, those who will do anything to “not fail” as an individual contributor.
When bosses add “manage this project and team” to a high-performer's plate without reducing his or her “regular” workload, it indicates that they might not really know what it takes to manage a project and team.
Think about these things:
- It takes TIME to organize and plan a project, especially in the initial stages.
- The people you ask to manage the project WANT to be successful. Many times, what they get is a lot more stress because it’s difficult to keep up with everything on their plates.
- Most subject matter experts do NOT delegate well, therefore, “letting go” and letting the team “own the project” can be a challenging experience. Managing a team of individuals and learning how to get the work done through them demands an entirely different skill set than that of doing working alone.
- Does this person WANT to learn to become a project manager? OR would they rather stay the “subject matter expert”? It is VERY difficult to do both successfully. And again, the skill set of a Project Manager is extremely different than that of an individual team member and could take a while (maybe years...) to develop. Look at who exhibits Project Manager characteristics -- then decide if you are willing to allow them the time to develop them.
- Are you willing to reduce this person's workload so that they can learn the tools of planning and executing a project and managing a team? If you really need them as the "subject matter expert," maybe the job should go to someone else.
Bottom line, when you make the decision to move a high-performer into a Project Manager role, consider the above points and find those who WANT to learn this skill set, as it IS a very different job than the one they have been doing as an individual contributor. Then give them the TIME (and training) to do the job successfully.
From the Project Manager Perspective...
If you are working projects out of a functional department, you are most likely really busy, regardless of whether or not you have the title of “Project Manager” or whether or not you had work taken off of your plate to give you time to do this new job.
Suggestions:
- Learn how to manage ONE project well. Find a project planning methodology and use it (WBS, logic network, resource matrix, estimating, scheduling) - consistently. Not having a WRITTEN and approved Project Implementation Plan for every project you are managing causes much of the chaos that teams experience. There is nothing like "making the plan" visible so that all involved can not only hear what is happening but can actually see it (and agree to it) too!
- Once you get the "task" side of Project Management down, you can then start watching what is happening around you - with your stakeholders, with your team, with your client. Clear, concise and timely communications are the key to managing the project well - from setting expectations in the beginning through smooth execution of the project. Create templates, have regular meetings and status reviews -- and document, document, document...it's one way to keep everyone on track!
- Have a serious dialogue with your boss about expectations and work load in this new role. You might have to educate your boss on what it really takes to plan and execute a project well!! And it takes time, something no one has much extra of these days. My first year of being a Project Manager was extremely stressful -- learning the product space (I was in New Product Development), learning the Project Management process, and most of all, learning how to get the work done through a team of people (who didn't report to me) rather than doing it all myself (and once I got through this, I really loved the job and the freedom I had in it)! Bottom line: It is important to come to agreement with your boss about taking some work off your plate to give you the time you need to manage the project (and team), NOT just work on it!
- The most important suggestion: Take care of yourself, your health and the balance in your life. It’s too important NOT to do so! Stressed out Project Managers sends this energy out to the team members rather than keeping them (and yourself) calm! So do what you need to do to stay grounded and calm, even in a crisis -- as it is a major component of being able to do this job well!
From the Team Member Perspective...
So you are being torn in 2 directions - you have your “regular” work (or “real job”) and now you have been assigned to a project team with one of your co-workers as Project Manager.
Good communication skills certainly come in hand at this time:
- Get clear with your boss about expectations about your work on this project.
- Get clear with the Project Manager about the responsibilities (tasks, dates, quality levels, etc.) expected of you on this project. If the Project Manager has a written project plan (hopefully one that was developed with the team), it will make your life much easier than "winging it."
- If your workload is too heavy, make a list of all you are doing and the due dates. Then schedule a meeting with your boss to show him/her the list. Share how you’ve prioritized all of your work and see if there is agreement. Revise and eliminate responsibilities as necessary. Poor quality work due to lack of time serves no one!
Ask/Tell Susan
Do you have any questions, comments, suggestions for improvement? If you do, I'd love to hear them. Your feedback will help make this e-newsletter better. To send me your feedback, .