A new book for executives, and project managers, has recently been published. It’s called Coming UnScrooged, written by A. Drayton Boylston, a well-known executive coach.

Based on the classic Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol, Boylston gives us the story of a modern CEO. This executive has lost his bearings in a world of wealth and success. He’s also about to lose his family and his job. Cutting corners is taking a toll on his life - one that he doesn’t even recognize.

Boylston calls himself a “Rescued Executive,” so he knows what he’s talking about. His vision is to rescue one million executives from the lives that they have created for themselves. Lives that are frantic and filled with anxiety. Lives where the money is good, but the living ain’t easy.

Want to help an executive rescue him/herself? Give them this book. It not only shows the problems, but also the solutions.

This book is easy to read, so get a copy soon. You might recognize someone you know, work for, or - maybe - even yourself.

RescueInstitute.org

I know, we’ve all read the Pareto Rule, nodded our heads in agreement, and then put our noses on the grindstone and continued to do what we’ve always been doing. <shakes head sadly>

As executives and project managers, our jobs are to get work done through other people. If you’re really good at that, you spend a lot of your time talking with people. Motivating, learning, begging, pleading, etc. You find that the only time you have left to actually manage the project, or the department, is after everyone else leaves work for the day.

Would you like to find out how to change the way that you work in order to get more done and have more time for yourself? Then revisit the Pareto Rule. Eighty percent of your success comes from twenty percent of your work. If you can identify that twenty percent, how much more successful could you be by spending all of your time on it?

A copywriter named Gary Bencivenga - one of the most successful in the world - has an article about this very thing. As usual, I can’t think of a better way to put it than Gary does.

There are two things that he mentions in his article that are near and dear to my heart - having a NOT-TO-DO list and managing your time by prioritizing your activities.

Here’s the link to Gary’s article: http://www.bencivengabullets.com/bullets.asp?id=26

He’s planning a follow-up article on this subject and I’ll let you know when it’s published.

Enjoy!

or

What do the Dumb-dumbs in the executive offices know?

In the first two parts of this series, we learned how to decide which executive to start building a relationship with, and what we need to do in order to advocate project management processes in our company. In this final part of the series, we’ll talk about a very important, but often overlooked, part of the advocacy process - when to advocate.

Part 3: When

After you’ve done all your homework and learned about selling, it’s time to start working.

As with any communication between people, timing is important.

Choose a time to talk with your executive when a project has succeeded in a way that the executive can appreciate.

The worst time to talk with an executive is when a project has failed, or is on the road to failure.

Even when a project is proceeding well, there’s no proof for your pudding.

Be careful to understand the executive’s timing as well. Just after layoffs are announced is probably not a good time. Wait for a few days - or until the assistant lets you know that it’s okay.

Choose a time to talk when you won’t be interrupted. It’s often a good idea to get out of the office - lunch, coffee, dinner, or some other place where the two of you can talk openly.

Because you’ve gotten to know a bit about this executive, you’ll know how much small talk he/she wants. Many executives want to get to the point quickly - even at dinner.

Summary

We’ve talked about the who, what, and when of talking with executives about the value of project management practices.

Be picky about who you talk with. Choose with care.

Build a relationship with that executive. Base your talks on the benefits that project management practices will bring to the strategy that the executive has.

Choose your times to talk very carefully. Make sure you’re both ready to talk, and go somewhere that limits interruptions.

This is only the starting point. There’s so much involved - people skills, communication skills, strategic thinking - that it takes time.

There are two main points:

1. Build a one-to-one relationship with the executive
2. Talk with one executive at a time

Until next time . . .

or

What do the Dumb-dumbs in the executive offices know?

In part 1 we learned how to decide which executive to start building a relationship with. In this part of the three-part series, we’ll learn the beginning steps about what to do next.

Part 2: What

Selling is NOT evil.

Here are a couple of definitions that I prefer.

Sell - to persuade another to recognize the worth or desirability of something
Sell - to cause to be accepted; advocate successfully

American Heritage Dictionary

Besides thinking of ourselves as advocates, we’re also teachers. Whether we want to or not, as project managers we teach people about project expectations every day. They come to expect success, or failure, based on what we deliver.

When we consistently deliver successful projects, it’s much easier to advocate the process.

Learn how to sell. Read books, take classes, talk with salespeople. There are many sales techniques - and some are not relevant to what we do. I’ve found that techniques that use relationship building work best for this type of sale.

Then translate the word “sell” to “teach” or “advocate.”

We don’t convince other people of anything - they convince themselves. We supply the information for them to do that.

The best information to give them is the benefits of project practices. Answer this question: What will they get?

Be careful here and really study this point. Benefits are not features. A feature would be the project schedule. A benefit would be opening a new market.

Next time, we’ll talk about when to sell project management practices.

Until then . . .

or

What do the Dumb-dumbs in the executive offices know?

As project managers, we know that the processes we use are valuable. We want to help our companies to succeed. It makes sense to us that using project management throughout the company will lead to success.

No brainer, right?

Wrong.

Executives see projects as operational processes, and not part of a successful business strategy. Which means that they see project managers as staff people, not executive managers.

How do we do that?

As project managers, we need to learn more about the business of our companies. Do you know your company’s business plan? Marketing plan? Sales plan?

In this three-part post, I’m presenting some ideas on how to get started talking with executives about the value of project management practices. We’ll talk about the who, what, and when.

Part 1: Who

I mentioned that executives view projects as operations, not strategy. That’s the key to unlocking the mystery of executive support.

As project managers, we understand the strategy that we use to manage a project. We also know to break that strategy down into tactics.

Just like a project plan maps out the project strategy, the business plan maps out the company’s strategy.

In a project the communications plan and risk management plan are tactical support for the project plan. It makes sense that the marketing plan and sales plan are tactical support for the business plan in a company.

Knowing the strategy, as well as the tactical details, allows us to see our goal before we get there. It’s the same in running a business.

Executives deal with the strategy of the business, and their direct reports deal with the tactical details.

So when you want to talk with an executive, remember that strategic solutions are their only interest.

So how do we find out about the company’s strategy?

Do the research and read the plans. It may take some relationship building with people in marketing and sales in order to get access to the plans. There are many advantages to having these relationships - but that’s another subject.

Find out more information about the various executives in your company. Does any one of them have a project management background? Do they come out of an industry that views project management as a core competency?

Choose the person who you find you have the most in common with. When building any type of relationship, people are more comfortable when they can bond at some level.

One of the criteria for choosing an executive is how likely that person is to be open about his/her concerns.

How do you find that out? By talking with other people in your company. Figure out who knows the most about the people at your company. You may need to start talking with people outside of your own department.

One of the things that I learned in the Navy is to always treat the commanding officer’s secretary, the finance person, and at least one corpsman with great respect. These people can make, or break, your career.

The CO’s secretary can help out in many, many ways - from information to head’s up notification to scheduling time with the CO.

The finance person keeps your payroll records and authorizes your pay check. That’s someone to keep happy.

The corpsman maintains your medical records - including your shot records - and can make your transfers a living hell. Don’t make that person angry.

It’s the same in companies. If your executives have assistants - whether it’s an admin assistant, executive assistant, or personal assistant - those are the people who know the most. Build a relationship with them.

When you’ve learned about the company’s strategy and chosen an executive to talk with, then you’re ready to begin the sales process. That’s the What.

Until next time . . .

Would you rather talk to a brick wall than an executive at your company? Do you wonder why executives don’t have time to talk about project management? Then this call’s for you!

I’ll be participating in a conference call hosted by PM Lessons Learned (Henry Will is the founder). Here are the details:

Thursday Nov. 16, 2007, at 9PM (EST/NYC)

“Tips from a PM who’s also an ex-executive: How to talk with executives about the value of PM practices” - Diana Lindstrom, PMP (that’s me!)

For the phone number and access code, go to http://www.pmlessonslearned.com/

Just in case the link doesn’t work, here’s the info:

Conference Dial-in: (712) 432-6060
Access Code: 424424#

I’m looking forward to speaking with you then.

In September, I heard Billy Jean King (US tennis player; instrumental in getting laws passed to provide equal opportunities for female sports in high school and college (aka Title 9)) talking about leadership.

She said that followers choose leaders. Not the other way around.

What do you think?

Conductors of great symphony orchestras do not play every musical instrument; yet through leadership the ultimate production is an expressive and unified combination of tones.
- Thomas D. Bailey

How is project management like conducting an orchestra? In many ways.

A project manager does not need to be the subject matter expert to be able to lead the project team. Some people think that this is blasphemy.

But here’s why it’s not blasphemy.

Project managers must know:

- the technical and business requirements of the project product
- those areas of expertise and skills required
- the best process for producing those requirements
- the corporate culture and how to navigate it
- how to manage people and resources

Just like a conductor knows the musical piece that the orchestra is playing, the project manager must know the ebb and flow of the project process. A conductor doesn’t play every instrument, but he knows every note in the piece. He knows the phrasing of each movement. He knows the entry and exit point of each instrument - what instrument plays and when.

A good conductor also understands at a profound level how the instruments interact. Sometimes the strings carry the main melody while the brass provides a bed of deep, resonant notes. The percussion section maintains the foundational beat, keeping everyone together.

A good project manager knows when each member of the team needs to be contributing and what they need to do. The PM knows how to keep the project moving at just the right pace. That project manager understands that she is the foundation for the project - keeping everyone working together through her leadership.

A good project manager “conducts” the project. She doesn’t run herself ragged trying to perform all the parts.

The biggest failure that I can see – with the limited knowledge we have right now – in FEMA’s response to Hurricane Katrina was a failure in leadership.

Now that a new director has been appointed at FEMA, we’ll see if he has what it takes to succeed.

How do we know if someone’s a leader? And do project managers need to be leaders?

Someone’s a leader if the people around her/him are willing to do their jobs at 100%. Some of the characteristics of a leader are:

• Able to communicate vision
• Able to develop strategies to reach that vision
• Able to develop tactics to support those strategies
• Able to create passion about that vision

Think about leaders like Martin Luther King, Jr., and John F. Kennedy. Both of these men had vision. They were both passionate about their visions. And they were able to get other people passionate enough to take action toward achieving those visions.

As project managers, we need to have a vision for every project – no matter how large or how small. And we need to communicate that vision to everyone around us. That’s a 360 degree radius.

Project managers are great at developing strategies and tactics – those are the tools of our trade. But do we create passion in other people for each of our projects?

Write a comment here and tell me how you create passion for your projects. I love to hear what you’re doing.

© Diana Lindstrom All Rights Reserved

Now that I’ve taken a European-type holiday, I’m back. A lot has happened in the world during the holidays – and since. Joining the billions of people across the globe, I am saddened by the loss of life caused by the tsunami in the Indian Ocean.

Back to project management.

Do project managers have to be technical subject matter experts (SMEs)? Is it better for a project manager to have expertise in managing projects? Or is it better for a project manager to have expertise in the technical requirements of the project product?

This question is often debated in project management circles. It’s also hotly debated at the senior executive level. Each one of us has an answer based on our own experiences and knowledge.

My answer: Project managers do a better job of management if they are NOT technical SMEs.

You may be shocked or stunned with this answer. So let’s look at the reasoning behind it.

When I’m managing an engineering design project, I pay close attention to the electrical requirements of the project. I spend time reviewing the details of the electrical design including the types of drawings, the exact specifications, and the drafting standards. The role I take on is that of final reviewer of the electrical design, or technical SME.

While I’m spending time and energy reviewing the electrical design, I am not spending time planning and executing the project. Now, I’m as fond of 70-hour work weeks as the next person, but there’s no reason for me to spend this additional time as a technical SME. I already have at least one on my project team.

By adding a layer of review, I’m also telling my electrical SME that I don’t trust him/her. Why else would I take the time to review everything he/she’s already reviewed?

And what about those times when my comments are directly opposed to the assigned SME’s comments? The engineer who’s actually producing the design gets frustrated – and rightfully so.

So now I have three people on my project team who are frustrated – the design engineer, the technical SME, and me. And all for no constructive reason. It certainly doesn’t help the project.

When I manage a project where I am NOT the SME in any technical area, I spend my time and energies doing the planning and executing of the project. I interview the technical SMEs in order to plan the project. I spend much more of my time educating stakeholders about the project. My priority becomes communicating with my team. I monitor the project more closely. All of this leads to a more successful project – on time, within budget, all stakeholders happy. So I am the project manager SME.

Now the question becomes, do you want a full-time project manager, or a part-time project manager? If the answer to that question is that you want a part-time project manager who is also a technical SME, then you must not want a successful project.