Back in the saddle again...that’s what this new year brings up for me. Not that I was ever completely out of it, but due to some challenges that life threw my way, well, let’s just say it was a slippery “saddle” at times.

I’ve noticed that when I was younger, I worked to be in control of my life...and thought I was! Little did I know, at that time, that life can throw out unexpected curve balls, both personally AND professionally. And so those curve balls came, shocking at first, but there nonetheless! So then the learnings became, and still are, about accepting that I am NOT in control of EVERYTHING (ha!). Who I am being and how I handle “life” on a daily basis - with all it’s blessings, gifts, problems and challenges - is where it’s at. And probably will be for the rest of my life!

So, given that the same can apply to your life (again, both personally and from a business perspective), what does 2011 have in store for you? What do you intend to do in 2011 and who do you plan to BE while you are doing it? Stay awake, be present for it all, get support when needed and carry on – which is exactly what I am doing!

In this issue, I have deviated a bit from my regular format. I wanted to address Project Management from 3 different levels – no, not Senior Management, Project Manager and Team Member, but...well, continue reading to find out!

Know that I wish all of you the absolute very best in 2011 and that you manifest all of your heart’s deepest desires.

With appreciation,

Susan

"Always remember: Life begins at the end of your Comfort Zone."
- Neale Donald Walsch

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The Awareness...Leading Up to the 3 Tiers of Project Management

I have been working in the field of Project Management for over 20 years now, as both a Project Manager in the corporate environment and as a consultant/facilitator/trainer. But a new way of looking at Project Management came to me recently; a new way of positioning it and clarifying it for others.

I was explaining coaching to a prospective client a few weeks ago, telling her that business coaching is not just a profession where someone gets trained to become, for example, a business coach or life coach. Coaching is also rapidly becoming a necessary skill, one that is extremely important for managers and leaders to learn and utilize these days to be able to “coach” their employees, not just tell them what to do!

In thinking about this, Project Management is the same. It is an individual skill, and it can also be a career path. AND, on top of this, it is also a way to run an organization. I also realized that I was fortunate enough in my career to have experienced all 3 of these levels.

Expansion on these 3 tiers of Project Management follows.

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The 3 Tiers...

Level 1 (or "small picture")...Project Management as a Skill Set

Yes, as a SKILL SET. When I first got the Project Manager job, it wasn’t long before I realized not everyone could do this job!!! (Never mind WANT to do this job!). Many people I train or coach are managing projects out of a functional department, such as Engineering, IT, Marketing, or even Human Resources. Somehow most of them get things done. So what are some the skills that someone managing projects (and teams) has to have (or develop)? Here’s a few to start:

• Communication skills - keeping everyone “in sync” at all levels (team members, their bosses, your boss and stakeholders)
  • Writing skills – for all those status reports you have to do!
  • Presentation skills – for all those presentations you will make
  • Verbal skills – for all those necessary conversations you have to have
• Organization and Planning skills
  • Planning and organizing the tasks it takes to pull off a project
  • Ensuring that these tasks get done
• Time Management skills – are you busy? Need I say more?
• Delegation skills – to trust people to do their tasks without your interference or perfectionism getting in their way!
• Influencing skills – much of the time the team members do not work for you. Therefore, getting them to do what you need, when you need it is a talent!
• Leadership skills - the ability to drive a team to complete a project on time, within budget, meeting all requirements with high quality!

More to add? Do let me know, as this is NOT a complete list, but just a start! It might also show you where you need to develop a bit!

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Level 2 (or "mid picture")...Project Management as a Career Path

Okay so if you are doing the above and LOVE IT, maybe you can make it your career for a while. If so, here are a few things you might want to consider doing:

• Meet the requirements of the Project Management skill set list above.
• Obtain a position in which your title IS one of, or similar to, “Project Manager.”
• Work in a company that actually has a Project Management department or office (PMO). Companies that have this usually value the contributions of Project Managers immensely!
• Get certified by the Project Management Institute (www.pmi.org) as a Project Management Professional (PMP). My take on this is that if you went to college and know how to study, you can pass this test. (Note: This does not necessarily make you a good Project Manager, just a good test taker!). AND, in my experience, having the PMP designation next to your name will open doors that would not open if you don’t have it. Many companies now specify in Project Manager job postings that a PMP is preferred, if not required, in order to apply for the position.
• Network, network, network!! On the PMI website, there is a link entitled “Chapters” and I’d bet there is one in your area. Meetings are usually monthly (where there is a speaker and a meal), you do NOT have to be a member or a PMP to attend, and meeting others in this field is a great way to learn! And hey, you never know where your next job is coming from!
• The bottom line of the job of Project Manager is to manage stakeholder expectations! If you do this, no matter what is happening with the project, you will be successful!

If you are currently a Project Manager who is also performing a “subject matter expert role,” and if you are serious about Project Manager as a career path, consider replacing yourself with other experts and focusing on project management fulltime!

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Level 3 (or "big picture")...Project Management as a Company Culture

I was lucky. But it took me years to realize it. I “grew up” during my career in an organization in which project management and cross-functional project teams were a way of life...and this was decades ago (not to date myself!). In a way, my colleagues and I basically thought that this was the “normal” way for companies to operate. In the past 15 years since the company was sold and our local facility closed, most of us have come to realize that this is not the case.

So what was it that made our “project organization” what it was?

• I was given a manual upon joining the organization that basically answered the question “How do we manage projects here?” It was what I now call a “Project Management Operational Guidelines” manual.
• They had a project management department staffed with 10-12 Project Managers whose full time job was to manage projects (new product introductions). In other words, we did not work on the project as a team member or subject matter expert; we just managed projects, which in our world, was more than a full-time job.
• Functional managers managed their staffs to be able to get the regular, routine work done AND also had dedicated staff representing their departments as project team members.
• We HAD to have project plans – ones that had to be approved by stakeholders at the onset and reviewed at the end of every phase of the project.
• We had a 6-Phase New Product Development Process that we used over and over on every product that came into our facility.
• We tracked project cost. All people working on projects filled out weekly timecards charging hours to project accounts.
• Project managers presented status updates to senior management and extended management on a weekly basis.
• Project managers were required to have agendas for every team meeting and to publish written weekly status reports to team members and also to our stakeholders.
• Project managers led their teams and were also members on higher level teams that managed the project (and product) on a more global, worldwide scale. Again, meetings were held 2-4 times a month.
• We had a full-time Project Engineer at the Product Management level maintaining our projects on software. It was her job to keep the software updated with current data – and let the Project Managers manage the project, not the software.

While there is more that can be added to what goes into putting together a project organization today (which, by default, changes the organization's culture), this is the environment in which I learned how to do what I do, and it shaped how I facilitate and train today.

“Practical application” is where it's at!

Someone has to get down into the weeds (details) and insure nothing is missed. Someone has to be the “focal point for information” about the project, communicating to all levels of the organization. Some has to have enough project management knowledge, relationship building ability and communication skills to see the project from “conception to endpoint.”

No matter what level you or your organization is at, this is a truly dynamic field, profession, skillset and way to run a business!

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Where is Susan?

Want to meet up? Please email me at  to discuss "piggybacking" on a date before or after an existing client engagement.

February 1-3: Window Rock, AZ
February 8-11: Chicago, IL
February 15-18: Dallas/Fort Worth, TX

March 8-14: NYC/North Jersey area
March 27-30: San Francisco, CA

April 7-12: Fort Lauderdale, FL

May 10-13: Dallas, TX

June 11-20: NYC/North Jersey area