Project Management Insights

Is a change in BAU a project was a question that I was asked via my website some time ago. It's a topic I have a strong opinion about, and in this episode, I am going to explain why my answer to that question is Yes!

Don't panic! :) The reason I want to talk to you about this topic is that it could happen on your project and what I want is for you to feel confident in your ability to manage it if it does. Here is my list of six things that you need to do when your critical risk materializes.

You probably realize there are things you don't know. And, maybe you don't. It is not fun when you are in a situation where all of sudden what you don't know surfaces. Here are a couple of ways of handling those situations so you feel more confident and let like to be ignorant.

I want you to draw yourself a map of the groups that you will need to engage with for your project. Then consider, in terms of delivery, is each group green, red or amber (orange). This will help you determine where to focus your time and energy in order to get the delivery you want. It's a different way of leading a project.

#smallprojects #projectmanagement #business

Here are four ways that money is being wasted on a project and most lead back to that problem of not having a clearly defined business case or requirements. Of course, I am going to say that, because as you know they are key to projects being successfully delivered.

Where you focus your attention is the difference between managing and leading. If you want to be a leader it is time to look up and trust, delegate and to work with your team to deliver your project.  Take stock of how you operate and lead to succeed in 2021.

Start 2021 with a project review to health check where you are at on your project journey. Then take the time to revive team spirit and get everyone excited and back on track with what you are wanting to achieve. This is an important step after this holiday period. Doing these things will only add to the likelihood of your project success.

Let's explore only two hours of a Project Managers time to see just how many assumptions and expectations they have, during that time period.

This is the reason you feel so angry, frustrated and fed up with managing projects and something that I am hoping you will learn to notice and change in order to find an easier place to work and manage our projects.

#Projects #ProjectManagementTips #Business

We often see meeting agenda's as a waste of time. Here are four reasons why one is valuable and it's not for the reasons that you probably think.

Let me know which reason you will find most valuable for you.

#Meetings #Business #Project Management

We don't acknowledge and appreciate our key resources enough, in my opinion. We only appreciate them when they are gone, or not they're working on our project any more. Let's explore ways to work so that we can mitigate what happens when/if our key resource moves on or leaves the project.

#Projects #Business

Firstly I want to ask you if you currently run a Project Kickoff Meeting? If you don't then here are the reasons why it's valuable to do so. If you do, then fantastic, here are four ways to make sure that your kickoff meetings are as successful as you want your project to be.

#Project Management  #Projects #Business

Have you considered that undertaking ANY project is a big risk to the project and therefore what you do, as a Project Manager, is business risk mitigation? I'm guessing not. Yet it is very important that you think about your project that way and do what is necessary to mitigate the risk and deliver successful outcomes for the business.

Did you know there is a 'right' amount of conflict to have on a team to make it work effectively? Too much and it doesn't work. Too little and there's no team cohesion either. Let's talk about what is the right amount and the impact of that.

#ProjectManagement #Projects #Business #Leadership

I am guessing you are looking at what a project is from the wrong angle and therefore only setting it up for failure? Why am I saying this, because most people look at a project from the outcome or delivery end, the 'how' first. What is really needed to set a project up for success is to fully understand the 'What' and 'Why'.

Often we can have a Project Sponsor that wants everything or wants to control everything. Or maybe they are difficult by not being engaged AT ALL.

In this episode, I am joined by Jennifer Jones as we talk about Jennifer's most difficult sponsor, one who wanted to know every detail of what was happening, and how she dealt with that.  And ultimately, what she learned about herself and her team in the process.

#Project Management  #Projects  #Stakeholder Relationships #Management

You may, or may not, have a formal project pipeline. That's okay. Let's look at the best way to manage to have any new project just dropped on you, when you already have projects, or a project, that you are working on.  Back to visibility and prioritization which I have spoken to you about before.

#Project Management  #Projects #Small Business #Workload

Do you fear failure, even before you have started your project?  Perhaps you notice that your fear arises during your project work?

Fear doesn't work on projects. It has the effect of shutting down project success. Let's talk about why.

#Small Business  #Project Management #Projects #Business

We've shifted from the space of seeing people in the office to having them work remotely.  Do you trust that they are working and doing what they need to be doing?  It's a big shift for a lot of companies or businesses. And yet, in my experience workers who have the flexibility to work within their own time frames are more productive than needing to fit in the standard 9-5 business day.

#projects #business #workoutput #projectmanagement

Just as with normal face to face meetings you will find that people don't always interact and engage when you want them too.  It is, of course, more difficult when you hold virtual meetings unless they are something that has happened regularly in the past.

Here are three ways to engage people and include them more in your virtual meetings so they don't see them as a waste of their time.

#Project Management #Projects #Virtual Meetings #Small Business

There are four key things that will make a difference in how your TEAM performs and engages to get the work done for you on your project. In this episode, I talk about those four things and the difference they can make to team output.

#Project Management #Projects #Leadership

Life might not be easy right now, either for you or your team. Let's talk about what's likely to be causing stress and how you can work with that. And if you are one of the PM's that may have lost their job, what can you do to move forward during this time.

#Project Management #Projects

With the onset of COVID-19 the way we work has shifted. It's time to shift your thinking about connection and teamwork. Here are ideas for ramping up your communication and connection with team members so they stay productive and focused.

Unspoken assumptions are the things that make problems bigger, issues become risks and risks to materialize. So, learn how to ask the questions to uncover unspoken assumptions so you don't have any of these things happen. By uncovering the assumptions you create more clarity for the whole team, which makes your job a whole lot easier.

#Project Management #Leadership #People Management

It's not a great space to be in as a Project Manager, feeling as though you have no authority. I would question whether it's really authority you need or control. Let me share my ideas on how to feel as though you have more authority or control over what's happening, or have the discussion about shutting the project down.

#Project Management #Projects #Leadership #Business

Too often I see vendors selling the business a solution to their problem before a Business Case or Business Requirements have been developed. This spells disaster. Take the time to develop both your business case AND business requirements without your vendor involved. Then gather information from the marketplace. Don't waste time and money on letting a vendor sell you a solution before you truly understand what the marketplace has to offer.

When you write a Business Case you are asked to show the 'Benefits' to be realized from undertaking the project. Why? Because that's what works for finance. What if we changed that and looked at the value to the business? Value as in, how will it change the people experience. How will the staff be positively impacted by the change?  How will the customer? It's a totally different way of looking at a project, from the businesses point of view. Something that doesn't happen currently.

There is no legitimate reason to rush a project. There may be reasons for needing a specific timeframe, and this still needs to be clear.

The more 'rushing' that occurs the more problems a project is likely to face. Don't put that added pressure on your team by specifying an unrealistic timeframe for delivery. It isn't worth it.

Sure, it's great to have the technology available to support you in capturing ideas and providing information to your team, but don't forget the value of the personal factor. Connecting with your team members in a meeting, celebration, for coffee or lunch, as a group is ten times more valuable than any technology will be. Why? Because people like to be treated as individuals and recognized as a human with feelings and capabilities.

My belief is that we don't look at a project as something that is set up to manage change and this is what creates difficulties. If we ground ourselves in first understanding what the change is that the business wants, then the process for us making that change happen is our project. And if we keep this outcome, the desired change, in our minds during the life of our project, we can't help but deliver what the business wants.

I know it's a crazy question and yet I'm going to guess that at least some of your project team aren't fully committed to the project. How do I know that?  They aren't performing, they aren't even really bought into what it is that you're doing on the project. If you or your team members aren't committed to the project, then how on earth can you expect to deliver on time, and on budget.

You may not think about the people around you, or that you know who could help you solve any major problem on your project that you haven't faced before. People like another Senior Project Manager, for example; or a Project Coach.  Consider the people that you know who could support you at one of these times and connect with them, so if you need their help and support they will be ready and willing to help.

Do you notice that a number of projects in your business/organization are started because someone has a budget to spend and someone else comes up with a bright idea?  The very worst reason to start a project. Let's talk about why that's the case.