Creating a Successful Project

There are a wonderful number of analogies available to provide perspectives on what creates a successful project. There are the sports analogies and the successful teams that have won championships. There are the cooking analogies and the ability to pull the ingredients together that create a culinary delight. There are the building analogies on how to gather the requirements to create the ideal house. Other analogies such as putting a man on the moon, taking the first flight, and other glorious pursuits have been used to demonstrate how success is achieved. Books have been written diving into the reasons for the successful outcomes analyzing the key attributes, principles, and distinctions that have attributed to success. As a result, we (I use this loosely) have chased these attributes, principles, and distinctions so we could mimic the success of others, failing to recognize that duplication rarely occurs nor is it ever truly desired. Replications are rarely as valuable as the original.

Stories are told of building teams of the best and brightest and success eludes them or buying the best equipment possible only to have it make little to no difference. If it isn’t the best people or the best equipment, what is it that creates success? We’ve even heard stories of getting the best people and the best equipment and still falling short of the goal. Last, we’ve heard the stories of the little engine that could, those “how did they do that” stories causing us to pause and wonder, what does create success in teams, in recipes, and in life? Is there one thing that causes success, or does it require the magic of things working in your favor, circumstances aligning to the desired outcome, luck, or some other ingredient?

I would like to suggest that there is one thing that creates the greatest likelihood of success for an individual or a team, for almost any endeavor. It isn’t talent, although that increases the possibility, nor is it the equipment used, although that can enhance the outcome. It isn’t that circumstances are stacked in favor of the outcome. I would suggest that the one thing that makes a difference is about ways of being.

What do I mean by ways of being? Seems quite vague, I know. It is tangibly intangible. It is about being successful before the results show success. It is about being flexible, before flexibility is required. It is about being aware of what is working and what is not working and then doing something about what is working and what is not working. It is about creating the experience of success and acknowledging successful moments along the journey. It isn’t about the end game being successful, it is about each moment along the way that makes the difference. It is paying attention to the feedback that is being provided every moment of every day, acknowledging that feedback, and then putting that feedback to use in the very next moment. It isn’t about paying attention to the feedback you receive, although that is something that you will do, it is also paying attention to the feedback others receive. It is about viewing every experience as something to learn from, not something to avoid.

Success causes success much like an object in motion stays in motion. When we celebrate the successes along the way an energy is produced. That energy is what can sustain a team when things aren’t working, when we also view those times, the “things aren’t working” times, as opportunities to find what does work, the energy continues to build. When we are focused on what is working, success, and opportunities, there is a winning attitude that is created. A project, driven by the attitude of success, will likely succeed.

Does that mean every project will be seen by others as successful? Short answer is of course not. There will always be those who find fault with the work of others, that is the purpose of critics, auditors, and those who have the job of providing feedback. There is always room for growth and there will always be things that work and things that don’t work. It is the lens we use to interpret that information that makes the difference. When a project doesn’t deliver for a client, a project has delivered something. Bringing light to what worked and what didn’t throughout the project creates the opportunity to shift the project to deliver what the client requested.

Because projects are created by, run by, and completed by people they are inherently unpredictable. The project management world has been working to solve the problem of project success for a long time and I would say it has and has not been successfully solved. Gaining alignment day by day, week by week, month by month, year by year as to what success is for any individual project is what we are really talking about. Seeing a project as successful, painting the picture of success, telling the story of success, and gaining alignment along the way to that success story is the most important job a project manager has. Enrolling the team, the stakeholders, and project leadership in that success is about seeing the success in every moment of the project and celebrating it fully.

I know, so simple it is profound as a friend once said. Telling the story of success and gaining alignment to that story so that all are saying what the success looks like is what creates the likelihood of success. Being the success of the project is what creates the environment for success. What are you practicing today?

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In Search of the Right Way

In my experience, the thing that has gotten in the way of my success, more than anything else, is the belief that there is a right way to do things. The belief that, if I just found the right way, if I just followed all the rules, if only I could discover the magic formula and get it right, I would always be successful. That belief is a fallacy that has used a lot of time and energy without providing much value. It is like the millionaire morning kind of thing. If I chase someone else’s millionaire morning, I will never find my morning. We tend to chase after the right way to do things by looking everywhere except within ourselves. Do not get me wrong, I am not suggesting an eternal internal adventure, alone, without any guidance. I am suggesting that the answer we are searching for, the how do I do this right, is not a destination and it is not a solo trip. And the thought that there is a right and a wrong way has lost its luster. There are ways that work, ways that do not work and when I do something it may work and when you do the same thing it may not work. We come by this right way/wrong way honestly. Think about the tests you took in school. Get the wrong answer often enough and you fail.

Ambiguity is not something that I was taught in school. I do not know too many classes that teach students how to shift when life circumstances change quickly and drastically. Teaching us how to deal with “life” is usually relegated to therapists and mental health professionals. As if we should know how to deal with life circumstances, interruptions, and unforeseen disruptions without being taught how to navigate the feelings that accompany these shifting times.

Being able to navigate challenging circumstances is what leaders do better than most, that is why they end up being the leader in any group. They have discovered what works for them rather than focusing on the right way to do something. They also have discovered how to enroll others in following the path they are suggesting. The path they know will move the team forward, away from, or through the circumstances. Skilled project managers manage the project while leading the team. Being anchored in their leadership strengths, being knowledgeable about what works and what does not work for them, and being enrolling in everything they do, is what a project manager is asked to deliver.

I ride a motorcycle, and what I learned about riding a motorcycle is that it is easy to go fast and straight. The challenge in riding a motorcycle comes when you are riding without going fast and straight. The ladder of risk is a tool used to teach students the dangers of riding a motorcycle. The same holds true for projects, there is a ladder of risks. The same holds true for life, there is a ladder of risk. As an example, when riding a motorcycle, the first rung is a day filled with sunshine, the motorcycle is in excellent mechanical shape including the tires, the road on which the driver is riding has high visibility and little traffic, the rider is in a great emotional state with plenty of rest, has ridden for a few years, has taken a motorcycle safety course within the past two years, and is wearing supportive protective gear including a full-face helmet. When any of those conditions worsen, you move up the ladder of risk. For illustrative purposes, the last rung of the ladder is riding late at night, in the fall with a lot of leaves on the road, on a poorly maintained road, it is raining with low visibility, the motorcycle is in mediocre repair with less than stellar tires, the rider has been drinking and is wearing shorts, a t-shirt, flip flops, and is not wearing a helmet.

It is easy to lead a team when the circumstances are favorable, when you have everything you need to deliver the product or service requested. The skilled project manager leads the project team when everything seems to be going in a direction other than what was planned. It is when the circumstances are changing that the leader becomes the master of change. It is when the risk is high that the leader leans into the risk. It is when the team continually changes that the leader becomes and expert communicator. It is when obstacles arise that the leader looks for the opportunities. It is when the challenges continue to grow that the strength of character is visible. The leader continues to look at what is working and what is not working and continues to be curious about what the possibilities exist in all that is not working.

Leaders are found when circumstances are not what was planned, they shine when things are not going according to plan, they are not looking for the right way to do something, they already know that doing it right does not matter, they know finding what works for them, for the project, for the solution is what matters. I am not suggesting that any path will work, strength of character is part of what a leader brings. I am suggesting that right is a slippery slope, it suggests there is a wrong. What I know today is that there are many things that work, and there are those that do not work. I love to explore the possibilities in what works versus trying to find the right way to do something.

At the end of the day, I practice looking for what worked and what did not work in my day. There are times that I have interactions and I look at what worked and what did not work. Practicing what works and what does not work teaches me that both success and failure are teachers. It teaches me that comparing and trying to find right does not work because it is not my authentic leadership, my authentic empowerment, or my authentic self. Looking for what works for me, using mentorship, coaching, and guides throughout the process, teaches me how to be the leader that I am, rather than the leader that I think I should be. For me, there is no one right way to do something, there is a way that works for the circumstance of the moment. What are you practicing?

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Mindset and Skillset

There are times that I truly wonder how projects really work. I am not talking about the mechanics of projects or project management tools and techniques. How projects are structured, and the tools and techniques used to manage them are common across all industries. These tools and techniques are listed in literature and while they have evolved, they are not exotic and challenging to learn to use and master. The tools are listed in the Project Management Body of Knowledge. Having managed projects for a long time, similar tools used 30 years ago exist today. We have been managing the scope, schedule, cost, quality, resources, communication, risks, issues, vendors, and stakeholders to deliver projects successfully. The how of these different practice areas, or knowledge areas using Project Management Institute language, can be learned. I know project managers who know how to manage these knowledge areas and still have had projects that were considered less than successful. What makes the difference? If it is not how to do the work, then what causes some projects to fail and some to succeed?

I have been writing about vision for weeks, with one goal. To shed some light on the possibility that success or failure has nothing to do with how well a Project Manager does the mechanics of project management. I believe that the success of projects has more to do with the project managers mindset than their skillset. The issue that I see facing most projects is that most teams are extremely familiar with the mechanics, the skills associated with managing projects and unfamiliar with how to navigate the inner world of being a project manager, being a leader on the effort, holding firm on the context of the project, ensuring that everyone is fully engaged and aligned and playing from the same playbook. The mechanics may be fully in place and all the constructs are lined up and everyone may be using the same tools. If everyone is not aligned on the context, the outcome, or what I have termed the vision of the project, the project will not succeed. It is through alignment that win/win can occur. It is through alignment that both/and is available. It is through alignment that everyone on the project moves toward the same goal with the flexibility and fluidity necessary to navigate the changing circumstances of a project.

What leadership principles, distinctions, or norms make the difference in managing projects? After all, in most organizations a project leader is considered a lesser job than a project manager and a project manager is in place to lead the project. Are we first taught to be a leader and then a manager? Are we taught the mindset competencies prior to the skillsets for managing? Do we believe that teaching someone how to manage risk teaches them to be risk managers or will they simply know how to do risk management? There is art and science in each of the practices of project management. The art is in the mindset of the project manager, it is not in the skill set. It is true that the skill set must exist. Understanding how to put a schedule together is an important skill set and qualifies you to manage schedules. To be a schedule manager, there is a mindset that must exist along with the skillset.

What are the qualities of the leadership mindset that makes a difference in the success of a project? What are the leadership principles that cause stakeholders to rally together to create an environment where everyone matters, where everyone has a stake in the project, where everyone contributes to the success? Is it possible to be both leader and manager? The person who inspires and the person to does the management? Is it possible for those attributes, the why and the how, be alive in the same person at the same time? Project managers are asked to generate each of those attributes throughout the life of the project. Project managers are asked to have the mindset of a leader and the skillset of a manager.

The time spent on discussing vision is in large part due to the critical nature of vision to lead. Having a vision and being committed to causing that vision to become real is what drives leaders. Staying aligned to the vision in all decisions is critical for it to be visible to others that the vision will become real. Empowering others, inspiring them to see the vision become real for them, having others align to the vision because of the strength of the vision is what creates the energy to make it come to life for all involved. It is the beating heart of the project, the vision of the successful completion when everyone can celebrate.

So now what? Now that vision is written, aligned to, seen by others, bought into and folks are moving toward that goal, now what? When circumstances change what happens? When the terrain gets uncomfortable what happens next? When things are not going the way things were planned, what happens? The first thing that happens, in those circumstances, is the vision is put in front of everyone. The vision is pulled up and displayed. Everyone is reminded of the vision of the end, what it looks like, smells like, tastes like, and feels like. The vision is the first thing everyone remembers. The vision guides every decision. Yes, there is more than vision. First, practice remembering the vision when you start your workday. Remember why you are doing what you are doing. Be in your vision first, then start your day. 

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Wants Whys and What For

Why on earth would you want to? Why are you doing that? What is your reasoning for that?

It is possible that these questions are created from a place of curiosity. It is also possible that these questions are created from a place of knowing or judgement. I have asked those questions and I have been asked those questions. There have been times when I have received those types of questions with an open heart and willingly hearing them from a place of curiosity. There have also been times that I have heard judgement and ridicule in those very same questions. It is the receiver that is misinterpreting or is it the sender that is creating the energy that is either curiosity or judgement. Say yes. They are both true at the same time. Both sender and receiver create the moment and the associated results. Neither one nor the other can create it in a vacuum. There are no victims in any conversation. Everyone who is engaged is responsible for the outcome. There is not an either/or interpretation, there is always a both/and. These questions are centered around vision and curiosity around vision allows for clarity, discipline, and consistency. When these questions are asked, the answer should be able to be clearly articulated by everyone involved on a project.

I have been spending time writing about vision and how a vision, the imaging of successful outcomes, the imagery of celebration at the result, can create and cause success. The vision, the purpose, the reasons behind the project is what will drive the day to day, moment to moment decisions. Clarity, discipline, and consistency in the vision, reason, or the purpose of the project are paramount for success. It is true for individual and it is true for projects. When an entire team is unified on the vision, when there is clarity around what the vision is, when there is discipline in keeping the vision at the center of every decision made, and when there is consistency and alignment of each team members behavior, a project will succeed. Everyone involved and impacted by the effort will know and celebrate the success. There are not winners or losers when there is a shared vision of success. The client, vendors, team members, leaders, and followers will all win when this type of alignment occurs.

This is the leaders’ primary concern. The results will come when the vision is strong. The results will come when there is mutual commitment to the vision. The results will come when the project decisions are in alignment to the vision. The results will come when everyone stands for the vision of success for the project. The language used sounds similar when talking to team members. The client, vendors, and team members are all “on the same page”. They are clear on the decision matrix, the stakeholder matrix, the communication matrix, and the escalation process. Communication begins to flow with ease as there is not a win/lose, right/wrong, or good/bad mentality. There is one outcome everyone is moving toward, a clear line of sight exists to the end point, and everyone is moving in that direction.

It may sound difficult to achieve and it may be challenging to believe that vision matters that much. Purpose or Vision is how small companies become big companies. Books written about companies and individuals who have differentiated themselves have a common thread. The way they differentiate themselves is their vision, purpose, or their “why”. Considering the key ingredient of success being vision, want, purpose, or the “what for” it would make sense to spend time being clear on that one key ingredient. It is the intention behind the actions that matters most. The actions become empty if the purpose or intention is not articulated, shared, and known by all participants. It is true for companies and people. When someone articulates their reason for creating a business, for their career, or for what they do daily they are speaking into their purpose and their vision.

I would also say that we frequently get lost in the words associated with wants, whys, and what fors. I was once told that it was not important what your vision was, just that you had one. It was not important what your intention was, it was that you walk with it for some time to allow it to teach you what you yearn to learn. The same is true for projects. The words do not have to be perfect and paragraphs to explain will not create clarity. Simplicity and a “less is more” attitude work quite well when articulating wants, whys, and what fors. Establishing a robust vision that allows all aspects of life to be aligned is exhilarating. Values become clear when they are rooted in vision. Making decisions is easier and guilt and shame begin to disappear when alignment to values driven by vision occurs.

Practice curiosity with your vision. Ask questions from a place of childlike wonder to clarify you wants, whys and what fors. Practice with each of your projects as well. Be curious about the reason for the project, for the outcome, and for what the project is creating. Stay forever in practice of being curious about the wants, whys, and what fors.

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Vision, Commitment, and Values

I am listening to Simon Sinek’s book Start with Why, published in 2009. He uses a phrase in the book, “People don’t buy what you do; they buy why you do it.” I wrote about vision last week and as I begin to reflect on 2020, I think vision has a prominent role in how the year turned out for many of us. Vision is impervious to the circumstances of our lives. Vision cannot be altered by circumstances and the influence of circumstances on everyone and everything around us. Vision is a powerful tool available to us and when we have a clear vision the circumstances become, well, circumstances.

The realization or manifestation of a vision is accomplished through people, we cannot create the reality of our vision without others. That does not mean that we are not responsible for every aspect of what we are creating, it simply means we, alone, cannot make our vision real. To cause our vision to come to life we must do certain things, and to do certain things we must first be those things. The things we must BE to DO what is necessary to HAVE our vision come to life are simple and they are not easy.

First, we are challenged to communicate our vision powerfully, through having a powerful vision. A powerful vision moves us forward, creates opportunities that did not exist, causes an industry to change, or inspires a cultural shift. Creating the vision for why you are doing what you are doing is the first step in embracing your own vision for the work that you do daily. Getting in touch with what that is will shift the reason you wake up and go to work. Finding the why for your project can shift every team member to view their work differently. Once you have articulated your why, it is time to BE your vision.

Commitment, staying with it, taking a stand for it, BEING your vision is what causes it to come alive. It takes perseverance, tenacity, and drive to continue to live your vision. It takes consistency in visualizing, in imagining, and in constantly being in relationship with your vision to make it real. It becomes real for you and those who are aligned and believe in your vision. When projects face challenges as they always do, it is believing in the possibility of success that keeps team members striving to continue moving forward. It is in believing that the work that is being done is important that there is a “never give up” attitude. Commitment to the vision is contagious. Vision, when powerful, draws commitment out and causes commitment to BE.

The other way of being that must occur for a vision to be manifested is consistency. There must be a pervasive consistency of attitude, behavior, actions, and words which permeates through the leader and the team. There is no room for decisions that are out of alignment with the vision, there is no room for actions, behaviors, or attitudes that do not align with the vision. There is no room for a lack of integrity in any aspect of being in alignment with vision. When anyone moves in a direction other than the direction the vision ASKS for, the team is out of integrity. Not one person, the entire team. Checking along the way is paramount, always be in relationship with what the vision is asking of the leader and the team and ensure alignment along the way. It is when the team is not aligned that breakdowns in communication, quality, and eventually schedule occur.

Vision is what carries the project through whatever circumstances occur during the project’s duration. This year, 2020, the year of the pandemic, has made that crystal clear. Vision has allowed me to continue to move forward toward what I am creating. Vision has allowed me to see the pandemic as a circumstance that exists rather than a barrier, a roadblock, or something that will prevent my vision from become real. Vision creates ease and flow. Its power is far greater than I had ever imagined. Being able to walk through this pandemic with vision leading the way has created an abundance of possibilities. Vision will carry a team through whatever circumstances arise in any project. Allowing vision to guide the way is the greatest tool a leader possesses.

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Vision, What do You Want, Why and Starting with the End in Mind

What if we as project managers began each project, before the plan is written, the team is selected, or the schedule is laid out, with clearly articulating the vision, the why, the what, and the end? What if we created that using tools such as guided imagery, meditation, or some other experiential exercise? What if we did that daily, not for a week, but for the length of the project? What benefit would be realized by using these techniques as well as standard project management practices such as issue and risk management? Why am I even asking these questions?

A clear vision which creates a mutually beneficial outcome to everyone involved in a project, whether team member or receiver of the product that is created, is contagious and creates extraordinary results. When everyone involved is excited about what is being created the commitment, perseverance, and dedication to success increases. When there is a clear picture of what each will receive from participating fully in the project outcome is success. It is only when there appears to be inequality in what each receives from participating that efforts begin to deteriorate. The beauty of creating a mutually beneficial vision, one that everyone sees themselves as a winner, is the energy that everyone is willing to give to the effort.

One quick note, preventing loss is not a win for most people. In other words, being able to continue to work is not seen as a win. That is not a value proposition to most. It does not lend itself to dedication and willingness to do whatever it takes. It does lend itself to doing the bare minimum necessary to maintain employment. When I hear things such as, they should be grateful to have a job or overtime is expected if they want to continue on, I know that the workplace is focused on win/lose rather than win/win. Ensuring there is a clear value placed on each individual and their contribution is what creates energy and commitment. Devaluing individuals is a recipe for mediocrity.

Another quick note, a vision statement is not what I am driving toward. I agree that a vision statement is powerful and without the imagery of what done looks like and without the accompanying ways of being that embody successful delivery, a vision statement become a poster which is glossed over like the “Hang in There” posters of years ago. We become numb to what they are and what they stand for. If the moment to moment of project life does not embody the vision statement, the vision statement is empty. The moment to moment must be just as loud in celebration as the big wins. What do I mean by that? It means that our integrity, the truth of who we are and who we are being and how we show up to others are in the small moments when it matters most.

All of this leads back to embodying the vision every day. This is accomplished through meditation, guided imagery, and journaling. This is done daily for the life of the project, not once or twice. Taking the time to sit quietly and see the future including the feelings, the visual cues, who is there, and what success looks like at a detailed level. Taking the time to see the future, envision success, and then communicate that fully to the project team in a way that they see their value and their contribution to the outcome is what leaders are able to create. Practicing in all areas of your life, not just your project management, will improve your ability to lead your life. Practicing the small moments through these same tools will increase your awareness and presence to how you are showing up in all areas. What are you practicing today?

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The Great Both/And: Every Project Has It

What is the great both/and? How does it show up in our projects and our lives? How do we deal with both/and things happening simultaneously in a way that limits confusion, uncertainty, and disruption? How do we create a path through, how do we navigate, and how do we communicate what is occurring so that everyone stays focused on the goal?

The great both/and is another way of saying two opposite things happening simultaneously. Two different demands that can be viewed as opposites occurring at the same time. Two circumstances that call us forward in a way that challenges our beliefs, our norms, and our current path. The most poignant circumstance is the death of a loved one after a long illness. There is grief and joy associated with their passing. Opposite emotions caused by the same circumstance. In a project it may be pressure for speed and accuracy which also can be viewed as opposites. “I can do it quickly but I’ll have to cut some corners” or the reverse of “I’ll need some time to get it right” are examples of seeing things linearly, you can have one but it will require you to let go of the other.

Is it possible to do things urgently and in excellence? Let’s assume the answer is yes, we have the ability to act urgently and create excellence along the way. When our belief system suggests these two are opposites and we accept that belief as our truth, we begin to limit what is possible. They are not opposites unless we decide they are. If we simply say yes to a different possibility, say yes to doing things urgently and in excellence, then we have opened the door to finding ways in which to create that as our new truth. What is clear is that urgency is different that fast and producing quality is different that producing perfection. Perfection is an illusion that requires the amount of time someone desires to continue to optimize something that is as optimal as is necessary to move forward. Doing something fast without attention to whether it works or not defeats the idea of speed.

In my experience, it is when we have a predetermined knowing, a belief of some sort, that prevents us from being able to see different possibilities beyond whatever obstacle is preventing a project from moving forward successfully. It is our own limited view that prevents us from seeing a different direction or a new alternative that has eluded us. I was in a meeting this morning where the participants were talking past each other because of their beliefs of how things should go or what the answer should be. We live in a world of both/and, it is not an either/or decision unless we create that in our own perceptions. When I stop and listen, I can hear both sides. When I stop and look, I can see new possibilities. When I sit with a client, I want to create both/and, the possibility that they can obtain what they want and a way to do it in a healthy manner. That is my responsibility as a project manager, to maintain the balance and integration of serving my client while serving the organization I am working for while maintain a healthy work life balance for the project team and myself. It requires seeing both/and in a way where we are all successful.

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Measure, Measure, Measure

I have been measured for my entire life. I am guessing most of us have been. From the moment we were born, we have been assessed in some way, shape, or form. “She is such a good baby, she hardly ever cries.”, “Isn’t he a good boy, he is so polite.”,  or “She is so easy, she already sleeps through the night.”. Those statements could quickly be followed by the comparisons we have been also endured for a good portion of our lives. Yes, from childhood, through school, and through work an assessment has been done to show how we are doing in the world, compared to others, or compared to some standard to which we are exposed. Measurement is part of our lives. It is also part of project life.

As I was researching this article, I found several quick quotes about measurement and performance. Most suggest that what you measure drives the outcomes. That would go for individual and project performance. There is also a clear understanding that measuring for measuring’s sake will not drive improved performance. There must be a purpose to the metric being used, a relevance to the desired performance, and a specific way to identify success through the measurement. Too often, metrics are put in place that drive behaviors that can cause more harm than not. Too often, the metrics used are not balanced to ensure that there is a roundness to the outcomes. An example is measuring how quickly a task is completed without measuring the successful completion of the task. This can be found in defect remediation. Quickly closing defects to have the test cases fail again does not support the project although showing that the team is closing defects quickly is seen as a positive outcome. Closing the lower severity defects to improve the metric also looses sight of the critical defects. In other words, a balanced approach to all that we measure in a project is critical to avoid improving one area to the detriment of another.

What I would love to do is suggest that there are always specific metrics to follow and when those are showing project health your project and for that matter you will be successful. Those metrics do not exist because of the simple reason that all projects are not created equally. What that means is that projects, due to the very nature of what projects are, are never the same and cannot be governed by the same metrics. The technologies change, the circumstances may shift half-way through and you discover what you were measuring before provides little guidance, or the core values of the stakeholders, their primary concerns, their agendas, may be different.

A primary driver of the metrics that require monitoring is the stakeholder community. Let’s say there are 5 or 6 primary categories of metrics to track which align to some of the areas of the PMBOK. For example, the cost may be the most critical metric to track due to a tight budget. It could be that a specific architecture must be implemented, and other areas are flexible. That would mean that tracking changes to the underlying architecture would be monitored closely. Or perhaps quality is the specific driver of the project. Finding out what is most important and then setting those items in priority order will support the project in being able to determine what is most critical to measure and monitor.

Lastly, having the ability to measure is important, however, it is not the only thing that is crucial to a successful project. it is possible to lose sight of what the measures are suggesting when we focus too intently on multiple data points, increasing granularity, and continuous monitoring. We measure to see what is working and what is not working, not simply to measure. Making use of the metrics to formulate a plan of action and then measuring to see what progress is being made against the plan is a healthy use of metrics. Without driving behavior change, process change, or action plans through the implemented metrics, the metrics do not provide anything except reporting. It is not until we implement changes based on our understanding of what the metrics are telling us that we fully comprehend their value.

What about how we measure ourselves and our successes and, yes, our failures? Well, we get to ask the same questions. What am I learning based on what I am measuring? Am I measuring what I value or what someone else values? Is there meaning in the metrics and what actions am I willing to take because of understanding the metric? How can I use this information to put a plan in motion? What does this information tell me about what I am practicing daily? What is the feedback that I am receiving and how can I use it to improve me?  

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Disruption: When Circumstances Change Drastically

Merriam-Webster defines disruption as a break or interruption in the normal course or continuation of some activity, process, etc. It is the etcetera that suggests that disruption can impact all aspects of the circumstances of your life which means that projects are not immune to disruption. That is why risk management exists. Risk management is the practice of working to plan for disruptions in projects. I would suggest that, while we may not have a formal process that we follow, we practice risk management in our every-day lives. I am not only talking about the disruption of the pandemic, although that is quite a disruption, I am also talking about other disruptions, external forces which drastically and suddenly alter the circumstances of your project life.

Here is a scenario to consider. A recent disruption has drastically altered the working lives of every team member on our project. The shift occurred when a powerful external stakeholder determined that the project was not delivering in an acceptable manner and determined that, if an improvement was not realized in a short period of time, the project would be at risk. The change is an expectation of increased attention, commitment, and working hours for all team members. The “all hands-on deck” scenario of projects that are in question of being efficient, effective, and healthy. The “RED” project syndrome of complexity and “bleeding-edge” technology. Whether you have lived through this scenario or not, there are some tools to use to limit the stress that occurs when this scenario hits.

Acknowledgement. First, acknowledge that there is a disruption happening. Get clear on the fact that, whatever yesterday looked like, today is different. Taking stock of what exactly is occurring, the reasons for it, looking at it from the perspective of “what is true about this”, getting to the core of the disruption and what it means for the project is the first step. Acknowledge that everyone played a part in creating the disruption. Acknowledge that moving through the disruption is the path of least resistance. Acknowledge that everyone will participate in moving through to stability and if they choose not to it is a choice. Acknowledge that this disruption also opens doors to possibilities that were invisible before, that it sheds light on opportunities that may not have been available previously, and that the attention it provides may be the energy required to create a successful outcome for the project.   

Just the facts (Data). One of the things that can occur is conversations based on supposition, assumption, and conjecture. What I mean by “just the facts” is ensuring that there is specific, actionable, and accurate data from which to plan. When plans are based on information other than factual data, the plans can be flawed and inaccurate. If you don’t have the data when the scenario hits, it is critical that you enact a data collection capability to ensure that the data is accurate, actionable and specific enough to prioritize the work that must be done to “get things back on track”. Additionally, mechanisms for collection and sustained reporting are required to be able to show progress. Without progress to show the commitment from the team and leadership will lose energy.

Same direction (Vision). Having a clear vision of what must be accomplished and by when is also essential. There must be agreement of what success looks like from those leading the charge to create a clear path to a successful outcome. Ensuring that all stakeholders agree with that vision is also critical. Gaining an aligned commitment to success will ensure everyone is speaking the same language, aligned to the same goals, and can celebrate all successes along the way to ensure sustained engagement.

Communication. Making sure the same message gets to all of the audiences in a way that they can understand, carry around with them, and repeat in a way that shows that everyone is moving in the same direction, aligned to the same goals, and using the same data points is critical. When everyone is sharing the same messaging it creates inspiration, empowerment and ensures everyone shares and is aligned to the same goal. When that occurs, teams can hold each other accountable, leaders can speak with anyone and gain the same message, clarity and alignment occur and confidence and trust is created. Transparency in the communication through authentically sharing the current state, the vision and goals for the future state, and the path for getting there will create an environment that causes alignment and trust to grow.

Self-Care. Each member of the team must be clear on what self-care is for themselves. Without the ability to establish healthy and harmonious self-care rituals the energy required to work through the disruption will wane quickly and the team will lose the elasticity and flexibility necessary to weather a storm. Self-care does not have to be a large amount of time, self-care can be a short walk, meditation, a 2-minute breathing exercise or an hour-long nap. Self-care can look like almost any form of taking a moment to care for yourself. For me, self-care is each moment of each day, choosing what is most important in that moment. Self-care can be working at my desk for an extra 20 minutes so I can sleep well, it can be paying my bills so that I don’t get calls from collectors, it can be eating well, exercising, and resting when I need to rest. I believe taking time for self-care can create sustainable energy because I choose to do what will sustain my well-being holistically.

This list can be used for disruption in our personal lives as well. When disruption occurs such as the death of a loved one, the loss of a relationship, a change to your work life, the birth of a child, or even your retirement it is important to acknowledge that it is a disruption. Once you’ve embraced this as the disruptive opportunity it is move forward by gathering the facts about what is real, be clear on the direction to move toward by taking stock of your vision and goals, be able to communicate with yourself and those in your life about what is happening for you, and build a healthy practice of self-care through the disruption. These are all practices for the big moments and the small moments and the truth of it is that it is in practicing the small disruptions in life that we learn how to navigate the big ones that occur. What are you practicing today?

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Why Can’t You Hear Me?

One of the topics in the Project Management Body of Knowledge published by the Project Management Institute is Communication Management. Certified PMP Project Managers have taken a test which includes questions associated with Communication Management. Additionally, there are a multitude of books written on effective communication including Crucial Conversations, Getting to Yes, Just Listen, Radical Honesty, and How to Win Friends and Influence People to name just a few. So why is communication still one of the biggest issues on projects, large and small? What is it about communicating that is so challenging? Is it our listening, our messaging, or is it simply that we are not present to either what we are saying or how we are listening?

It is not a lack of courses, tools, advancements, or opportunities to practice communication. And it is not as if we do not know it is importance. Communication is how we get things done. What makes communication a pain point for projects? Why does it show up in “lessons learned” so frequently? When a “Go to Green” strategy begins to be put in place, why is it that communication comes up as one of the strategies? Why does communication come up as one of those areas where we could always use a tune up? What can we each do to improve our communication practice?

When we communicate, we get to practice presence. What does that look like? There are some mechanics that we can practice such as putting our phones down, screens facing downward and silenced. We can eliminate other distractions that may interfere with our ability to focus including closing the blinds, placing our PCs in a do not disturb during meetings, and closing down other applications that are active such as email. However, those are only the distractions that can interrupt us as we are present to the meeting we are attending or the conversation in which we are engaged. Practicing presence is a cornerstone to leadership. Being present to the circumstances in which we are participating, moment by moment, without thinking ahead or thinking about the past, being in the now, being fully present to the moment, to the conversation at hand without judgement is a skill and an art.

When it comes to listening, being present to the conversation requires listening to what is said and what is not said. To hear the nuance of the speaker and be aware of what they are sharing. Listening from their perspective, from what they are intending is crucial. It is not listening with a predetermined response, riddled with assumptions, and judging their abilities. It is hearing what they said and seeking to understand, asking questions for clarification, and being able to repeat the words they shared. It may require you to quiet your mind, it may require you to slow your own thoughts, and it may require you to be humble in your listening. Do you remember the commercials from long ago, “Speed Kills”? That is true in communication as well.

When it comes to speaking, being the one who shares the message, being present to who you are speaking with is the “pixy dust”. Meeting the audience, the individuals you are sharing the message with, “where they are”. What in the world does that mean? In business terms it means sharing an executive message with the executives, sharing a client message with the client, and sharing a team message with the team. The information that is shared may be “the same” although it is shared from a different perspective. It means that details may not be appropriate for executives, and the executive message may not inspire the team to deliver. It means that each of these groups are always checking in for the “what’s in it for me” part of the message. Being able to deliver the information in a way for each audience to “get it” is an art.

Practicing communication begins with every relationship. Finding out what works and what does not work when you are communicating is easy. Just ask those who know you for feedback. The way you do one thing is the way you do everything so the feedback they give you will be true in your personal communication and your professional communication. Since you are communicating every day, practicing is easy. What are you practicing today?

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Project Stressors

What is it about projects that seems to generate opportunities to introduce stress into the lives of everyone involved and how do some people find a way through without being impacted by the stress that is visible in so many others? And, if it is true that “The way we do one thing is the way we do everything” then how does that same stress show up in our lives? Are projects stressful because they simply never go according to plan or do we generate the stress because we want to “make it work” rather than embracing the fact that it won’t turn out according to “the plan”.

Last week, I talked about change and some things that can be done to deal with change in a project. It focused on planning for risk, being ready for changes to occur and focused on what can be done. This week, I want to talk about the physical, emotional, and mental way through the stressors of project management. A way to BE while you are doing the necessary activities. It isn’t about having all your risks written down or having the right processes written out or even about having the right technology for managing the risks. While those are important, they aren’t the answer, they are only a piece of the whole. Before any of those tools can be used effectively, the individual using the tools must BE an effective project manager and leader. The goal is the being, not the doing or the having.

When a project gets into trouble, as many projects do, being an effective project manager becomes the imperative. The stressors rise and tensions increase. Fingers begin to point and issues become so much larger than they were only a week ago. Leadership is asking “How did this happen” and the stories get distorted and unclear. People outside of the project begin to point out all the flaws of the project and the team members begin to be put on the spot to explain. Resources are added to fix the problem and control is given to those who haven’t been part of what has happened. Turmoil can ensue. When those things happen, the tensions continue to rise and stress becomes more of a norm than an exception.

Who do you get to be when this happens? What practices will support the team members and all those who have been involved move through the external disruption, turmoil, and added rigor? There are five primary practices that will make a difference during any project disruption. They are to approach the turmoil as an opportunity for learning and growth. Our failures teach us quickly, our successes show us only what we can do today. Continue to say what you do and do what you say from a place of ownership. Our word is important, being truthful and honest with ourselves and everyone around us will help us move through the turmoil. Be curious and listen from a place of wanting to understand others perceptions. We cannot always see what is right in front of us, outsiders see things we can be blind to and their eyes are invaluable. Create a clear line of site rather than assumptions and taking things personally. When we are making assumptions or making it about us our intuition is clouded and we cannot see as clearly as we would simply looking at the facts. Use attention, appreciation and acceptance to stay present to what is happening, grateful for the support and allow the circumstance to be as it is rather than as we would rather it be.

As plans are being created to “right the ship”, “dig the project out of a hole”, or “align the project” the teams will look to leadership for the ways of being that will support getting the project back on track. Having a great plan won’t matter if the team isn’t aligned and the team won’t be aligned if they don’t see that there is a way through. The way through is in how each team member is treated and how leadership is seen as they pull together to create a different possibility for the project. Leading through opportunity, integrity, curiosity, accuracy, and the three As of attention, appreciation and acceptance will make a difference for the team. So when a project goes red or goes off the rails or is tanking or whatever language you choose, there is a way through. Hold on, it will not be a smooth ride, but when was learning through failure ever a smooth ride?

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Welcome to the World of Change

When I started managing projects the projects, I led were relatively short in duration, small teams, and fairly simple. Projects of 6 months or less in duration, team size of 10 or less, and relatively small budgets. As my skills developed, the duration of the projects and the size of the teams I have managed or have been engaged in as a program office manager have grown. Most recently the projects I am involved in are over the expanse of multiple years with team sizes of 300 to 500 supported by the appropriate budget. When the projects were simpler, I would be able to plan them out, taking into account any assumptions, constraints, and risks. The accuracy of my planning was in direct correlation to my ability to predict the risks I would face. Projects with a short duration and small team have minimal risk. Additionally, as the projects grew in duration the probability of something going against the plan also grew. The smaller the projects, the more likely the project would be able to go according to plan. That doesn’t mean that things didn’t go awry from time to time, it just means that the probability was lower.

A good example is the risk of a resource leaving during a 3-month project and a risk that a resource would leave during a 3-year project. The risk exists for both projects. The probability is lower on a 3-month project than a 3-year project. However, the impact on a 3-month project has the potential to be much greater than a resource leaving on a 3-year project. Why discuss risks? Change causes risk in projects. I would say that, based on my experience, risks are about the circumstances of a project changing. In the world of projects, circumstances are defined as everything that can exert pressure on a project to move in a direction other than that which has been planned. Resources, clients, weather, disease, technology, laws, and vendors are all examples of potential areas of impact. In other words, when circumstances change, it can impact a project. The change that is possible is constant and occurs in all projects. The question becomes, how do you handle change. To get a sense of how you handle yourself when faced with change, let’s move away from projects into your personal life. Let’s look at change, circumstances, and risk and how you handle those situations. Like it or not, the saying “the way we do one thing is the way we do everything” is rooted in truth. The way we handle risk, change, and circumstances in our personal lives will give us a glimpse into the world of our flexibility, adaptability, ingenuity, perseverance, and integrity when it comes to project management.

Most of us start our day with a plan of sorts for the day, some plan more than others, but we do have some sense of what we want to do in our day. So when you hop in the car to go to the grocery to pick up a quick dinner and find that the road is closed and a 20 minute round trip is now going to be longer because you get to take a detour or visit a grocery store on the other side of town how do you respond? What about when you go online to start work and your machine isn’t working? In other words, when something disrupts your day, how do you respond? When you find that your plans are being changed for you because the circumstances have changed you have a choice on how to respond. When you embrace change as a potential opportunity, when you see the changes to circumstances as a way of changing your perspective, and when you embrace change as a constant, change is no longer something to be feared, mastered, or avoided. Change becomes the gateway to something different, something unseen or unexperienced, and possibilities that didn’t exist before.

Sounds easy enough. The magic is in shifting your perspective from change being a problem to solve to change being an opportunity to embrace. How to shift? One change at a time. What I mean is, it doesn’t matter how well I’ve handled a change that has happened in the past, what really matters is how I handle the change that I am currently facing. The change that is happening in this moment.

There are two things that I can do to prepare myself for potential change and to get better at handling change. The first is risk management or to look for all of the things that can potentially change and consider what some actions would be to handle that change. This is what risk management is about, looking for potential changes and thinking through the potential options or opportunities to mitigate that change. The other is to review a change that has occurred and review what worked and what didn’t work about how I reacted to the change. This is looking at how I am being about change itself. If I view it as a problem, then it will be a problem. If I view it as an opportunity to learn from, grow from, or to see things from a different perspective I will have a better opportunity to respond in a way that empowers others to work together and collaborate to find alternative options.

So, welcome to the world of change. An exciting place to be seen as a leader, as someone who responds with possibilities when change comes, to work to see the opportunities that exist when change occurs and to embrace the change as a vehicle to advance the project rather than as something that will damage the effort.

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Habits, Habits, Habits

Let’s talk about habits. Those seemingly mindless activities we perform daily. Those things that we love and loathe about ourselves and others. Those things that separate us, because we allow them to separate us, from fully accepting ourselves. My experience is that habits create most of our praise and distain for our selves. Those habits that we see as great we use to create stories of our goodness, kindness, and success. Those habits that we see as holding us down we use to create stories of our lack of worth, inability to change, and distaste of who we’ve become. If all of our habits are learned behaviors and learned patterns for doing things, what is it that keeps us from being able to adjust, shift, and morph into how we would like to see ourselves and to have others see us that way? Is it because we are too lazy to try to do things differently? Is it because we have failed so many times that we’ve given up? Is it just too hard to change? Is it because sustaining behaviors takes effort, accountability, and drive and we aren’t willing to do the work?

Philosophers and scientist have been studying habits since the time of Aristotle. Recently, at least in the past decade, there have been a series of books published to shed some insight into the world of our habits. The most fascinating thing is that most of the books point to a few core concepts designed to support us in understanding why we have habits, habits that work for us and habits that seem to work against us, what a habit consists of, or the pattern of habits, and what is needed to create or change a habit. The most recent habit best sellers are Charles Duhiggs’ The Power of Habits (2013), Stephen Guises’, Mini Habits (2013), S.J. Scotts’ Habit Stacking (2017), James Clears’ Atomic Habits (2018) and BJ Foggs’ Tiny Habits (2019). What I discovered in reading or listening to these authors books is, while my understanding of habits has increased due to scientific studies on how our brains work and the cycle associated with habits, changing habits and creating new habits requires dedication, perseverance, and a willingness to fail often. Each habit that we have is unique to us, while we may brush our teeth at least two times a day, when we do that varies from person to person, so the habit isn’t identical in all people.

There are three common themes in all of these books that make a difference in how we approach creating, changing, or eliminating or replacing habits. The three primary similarities within all of the books are start small, tie what you want to create to something you already do, and celebrate when you do what you say you are going to do. There are more similarities between all of the books and I’ll provide additional insights as we continue the habit and practice journeys. Providing the foundational understanding of what makes a difference in beginning to shift our habits is the purpose of starting with these three prominent ingredients.

The most prominent in all of the books is the simple act of starting small. In Mini Habits Stephen Guise writes about starting the one push up challenge and in Tiny Habits BJ Foggs writes about starting with two push ups. The remaining books have similar theme. Starting small, really small, creates the opportunity to implement the change and be able to repeat it in the same way throughout the day and over an extended period of time. Starting small allows you to practice what you are working to achieve consistently. If you start out with one push up, or even as BJ Fogg did by flossing one tooth, being able to repeat that same behavior daily or throughout the day in the same way is highly likely. Creating the opportunity to practice the behavior consistently is a critical component.

This brings us to the second similarity, tying the new or changed behavior to a previously existing behavior. In Habit Stacking, S.J. Scott provides 97 habits and demonstrates how to create routines out of each of the small habits. In The Power of Habits, Charles Duhigg describes Michael Phelps warm up routine, a series of small habits practiced consistently. When implementing a new or a changed habit, tying it to other successful habits increases the likelihood that it too will become part of a routine. Finding where in your day to implement something new may take some trial and error. Once you’ve tied it to an existing habit, practice it consistently with the other habits you have until it is part of your overall routine.

The last of the three foundational elements is celebration. It doesn’t take much to give yourself praise for maintaining your commitment, your integrity. When you are able to successfully complete the habit that you are changing or the new habit your are creating, a quick smile, an air high five, a swoosh, or a head nod may be all it takes. While it may sound silly, it creates gratitude, one of the most under rated emotions we possess. Gratitude is one of those emotions, greater than success, that can elevate the day. When we find we have done something and done it well, celebrating ourselves as being our word to ourselves is important. Being grateful for our ability to follow through, to have kept our word, and to have done so in letter and spirit. Small, tied to other healthy habits, and celebrating our integrity are where we start with building new habits. Is it really that simple, it can be if we say it can be.

What are the habits that, when used consistently, create the space for successful project management? Is there a set of management habits and leadership habits that are different from each other yet interrelated? How do we tie our habits to the guiding principles, laws, distinctions, or tenets that we’ve read or heard about? And how do all of these relate to the beliefs that we each hold to be true? What I will be unfolding in the next few posts is a foundation for formulating the path of your choosing through being the project manager, the leader, that aligns to you, your truths. It will be based on what I have experienced, what I have studied and applied, and what I have derived based on the years I’ve been practicing project management. The promise I will give you is that this is a journey of discovery and possibilities, it won’t give you THE answer, it will give you opportunities to explore for yourself what works for you. I chased everyone else’s ways of being and doing things for a long time before I discovered that I inherently had a lot of talents that worked well and when I applied those talents, rather than trying to be someone I was not, I was at peace no matter what circumstances were occurring in my life at the time. And so, I invite you to consider for yourself, what will bring you to the place of meaning, purpose, value, and joy in the work that you do and in being a project manager.

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Leadership Challenges: Surprise!

Ever been surprised toward the end of the construction phase by work that wasn’t identified as part of the design phase? Ever been surprised by assumptions made that turned out to be untrue which generates additional requirements? Ever been surprised by testing defects that identified missed construction? Ever been surprised?

If you’ve managed projects there have been moments when, to your surprise, there has been a communication breakdown which identifies additional work required to deliver the scope of a project. The size of the surprise work can be “bigger than a breadbox” and isn’t able to be absorbed into the existing time line. When this happens, it can generate some emotions in the team. This is the time when you, as project manager, get to step into a leadership first, then drive to the management of the effort. What leadership qualities are required at this moment? What, in this moment, will make a difference to the team, the client, and to the project being experienced as successful?

One of the leadership principle that makes a difference in this surprise moment is responsibility. Taking full responsibility for where the project is at the moment the error is discovered, taking full responsibility for the gap in communication, and taking full responsibility for carrying the project forward at the moment the gap is discovered. Let’s dive into what that really means and what it does not mean and let’s take each of the responsibility statements one at a time.

First, taking full responsibility for where the project is means gathering the facts associated with the gap and the steps necessary to resolve the gap. This is the time for excellent questioning skills, falling into a coaching moment, allowing others to answer and tell the story. This isn’t the time to try to fix the communication breakdown or question the team. This is the time to define the issue, determine the course of action to resolve the issue, and determine the impact to the project. Focusing on clearly defining the issue allows the team to develop a comprehensive response. Asking the questions and supporting the team in developing the plan of action to resolve the issue is the first course of business. Once the course of action is a known, the team can begin to move forward.

Next, define where the communication breakdown happened. Finding the communication breakdown is important to avoid future surprises. It is important in this portion of discovery to move away from blame, taking full responsibility for the resolution of process breakdowns and resolving past communication gaps is critical. Leading with questions focused purely on the process and not on individuals allows the team to determine a course of action in updating the process. Ensuring that the team determines a go forward plan for closing the gaps creates team ownership and when the team owns the communication, they will more likely ensure the communication flows in the future.

The last block in the responsibility triangle is communication with the client. Transparency with the client is important as are the project optics. Stating that the team has identified an issue and sharing the meetings taking place to fully identify the issue, what the impacts are to the project, and the associated plan of action tends to work well. Waiting until you’ve begun to make progress on resolving the issue is usually met with the client wanting to know sooner which can cause mistrust. Letting the client know an issue has been discovered without sharing the immediate actions that are taking place to fully define the problem can be met with frustration that there is an issue without any associated information. A clear balance between too little information too soon and waiting until everything is known is, in my experience, the best type of client communication. Updating the client once the you’ve let them know is also critical, ensuring there is some movement on a predetermined and agreed to time frame supports the clients involvement and ability to feel engaged in the decision making.

So when a surprise happens, remember the quality of a leader is to take full responsibility. Responsibility for where the project is, for closing the communication gap that caused the surprise, and for carrying the project forward through by fostering transparency with the client will create a strong experience of a successful project. Surprises happen in many projects, large and small. How you lead your team and the client through the surprise will set you apart in the world of Project Management.

The only question that remains is, how could you have prepared the team and the client for such a surprise? Would love to hear your thoughts in the comments below.

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Feedback: Perception and Interpretation

I was in a meeting in which a project manager brought up a topic that had been discussed in two previous meetings. I didn’t want to take the time to discuss the topic in this specific meeting, as a result, I closed down the conversation by stating that we were not going to be covering that topic, that it had been discussed previously and a decision had been reached, shared the decision, and asked that we move forward onto the reason for the meeting. There was silence and so we moved forward. I received a phone call the next day from the project manager informing me that the interaction in that meeting had made them feel diminished, that I had come across as dismissive. Does their statement make it their perception true? Of course not, that simply meant it was true for them. My perception was quite different. Are either of us right or wrong? No, there is no right or wrong in this situation. It is a matter of perception and interpretation.

Last week you gathered a list of habits that you have developed over time. You marked each habit with a W (working) or a DW (doesn’t work). The list includes things we do (like brushing our teeth) and reactions we have to people, places and things (like honking when someone pulls out in front of us), what I call life circumstances. The purpose for writing down these habits and reactions is to cultivate awareness of your current habits and habitual reactions. Awareness can be compared to knowing your current location on a map. Knowing where you are and having a vision for where you choose to go allows you the opportunity to map a course, to choose a path. Awareness allows you to build your tomorrow through practicing new ways of doing things, new behaviors, and new responses to your circumstances.

Personal assessment of what works and what doesn’t work is important. It provides you an opportunity to see how true your evaluation is through asking others their perception. Like asking someone where you are on a map. Without validation/verification from sources outside of yourself you may be off with where you are on a map which could result in directions that lead you away from where you want to go. Awareness will come when you receive feedback from others. Discussing your list with a trusted individual to gain awareness of how others perceive you is a critical component to growth. Feedback of what is working and what isn’t working is a gift. When your perception doesn’t align with how you are perceived in the world then your growth will take you in a direction that may not gain the results you are seeking. Have someone who knows you go through your list and mark each habit with a W or a DW to confirm what you perceive and how you interpret your reactions or responses to circumstances. Gathering feedback from multiple sources will provide additional clarity which is like triangulating your position on a map. The more sources, the clearer your position.

How could I have handled the feedback I received from the project manager? I could reach out to others in the meeting and ask for their experience of what worked or didn’t work. Hearing feedback from others as a part of other meetings would also support me in understanding if I have a tendency to come across as dismissive. Hearing it once from one person without hearing it from others would indicate that it may have been their experience but others don’t share the same view. The more feedback I can obtain the clearer the information on how others experience me in meetings. If I only hear it from one person it may not be me. If I hear it from multiple sources it may mean I get to look at my reaction and find a different way to handle similar situations.

There are a couple of sayings I’ve heard over the years that feed into this idea of feedback and behaviors. First, if I hear I’m an ass from one person it may not mean anything, if I hear it from multiple people I may want to get a saddle. Second, the way I do one thing is the way I do everything meaning, if I show up as dismissive in a meeting, then I may show up dismissive in other relationships which is a very good reason to look at that behavior or habitual response.

Why all this energy on interpretation and perception? One of the things that has become clear to me is that everything we say we state as if it is THE truth. We tend to forget to notice that what we are really saying is OUR truth. My description of my hand when I’m looking at the back of my hand is different than my description of the front of my hand and yet both are descriptions of my hand. The difference is perspective. Both descriptions are my truth in that moment. It isn’t right or wrong, it is my truth in that moment. Perspective and interpretation belong to the person doing the perceiving and interpreting. So when I receive feedback it isn’t true. It is one persons truth in one moment. The importance of this is immense. Feedback is neutral, we have the opportunity to examine it and try it on and determine whether it is true for us or not. If the same feedback comes from multiple sources, we probably ought to spend some time on determining whether a different habit, behavior or response is needed. One other thought, just because a majority find something that you are saying, doing or being is not normal and needs to fit a specific mold doesn’t mean you should change in anyway. If Galileo, Newton, Copernicus or other outrageous thinkers had changed their belief or what they were stating in their lifetime, our world would be quite different.

Now that we have a healthy list and multiple points of feedback, how do we decide where to start in taking a look at the habits and behaviors we have built up over the years? Where do we start in finding the ways of behaving and healthy habits that elevate our performance, our career and our personal relationships? What work is the most important to start on to make a difference? What do other authors and teachers suggest? Two things are clear, start small and don’t do it alone. 

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What Habits Have You Created?

Why take a look at the habits you have? More than likely you have created habits that work and more than likely habits that don’t work. Taking a look at our habits, which includes the things we do, the way we behave, the things we say, the things we don’t say, the looks we give, and basically any energy that we put into the world. We don’t practice our habits, they are our automatic pilot. We have our “go to” ways of doing things, our “go to” ways of being, our “go to” behaviors. We become predictable.

In order to improve anything we must become aware of where we are. Beginner or expert, doesn’t really matter, there is always something to learn and without knowing where we are, we cannot improve or alter our innate responses. Let’s take a look at life and the stages we go through. In these stages we learn different ways of behaving, different ways of getting what we believe we need to survive. We may learn them differently due to our circumstances and certainly some things we learn can serve us for a period of time. Once they no longer serve us we get to let them go, morph, shift, put them down, or let them fall away. For example, when we are a baby we cry when we are hungry, we cry when we want to be changed, we cry when we are tired. That works for a baby, not so much for a 10 year old. We still feel hunger, need to go to the bathroom and require sleep but we’ve learned different behaviors for getting what we need.

Awareness of where you are running on automatic pilot is an important step in learning what requires practice. This can be created by looking at the habits that you have today. Not yesterdays habits, not what you think your habits are, not what you’d like to your habits to be but capturing what your habits are in reality. Making a list of habits, as many as can be captured. Write down reactions and activities for one week. For example, in the morning, I set my alarm for 5 am. Some mornings I wake up at 5 am and some mornings I turn off my alarm and allow myself to sleep a bit longer. I drink a cup of coffee and check a few things on my phone while drinking my coffee. I walk my dog and listen to a book on my walk. You get the idea of capturing activities. What are also important to capture are reactions to circumstances and people. For example, I feel annoyed when I sleep longer than I’d like, I feel frustrated when I’m late to a meeting, I am distracted when I have something that I’ve forgotten to do.

Capturing those things for 1 week will give you a sense of the habits in your life. Those things that are automatic. You will identify those that work (getting up when my alarm sounds) and those that don’t work (not getting up when my alarm sounds). Seems like a lot of work capturing that information for a week? It isn’t about being perfect about capturing everything every day. Capture the information when it happens so that it is fresh. Be an observer of what is occurring. The purpose is to get a clear understanding of what some of your habits are and begin to become mindful of the things that you’ve wired into your reactions.

This activity is a judgement free activity. It isn’t about picking the good or the bad, the right or the wrong. It is purposefully about looking at how you respond to circumstances and people and capturing what you do during your day. It will show you patterns and will give you a roadmap to explore. The objective is to discover what may be most beneficial to practice to improve your performance.

When I was memorizing a piece to perform I practice the entire piece from beginning to end. I only did this after dividing the piece into sections and practicing those and I could do this only after practicing the building blocks of all music. We have habits ingrained in our building blocks, some of which work, some of which don’t work. Knowing what those habits are will teach us what we get to practice to shift ourselves to become great at what we choose to become.

Explore what habits you have for one week, write them and mark them with a W for what worked and DW for what didn’t work. Having an image of where you want to go is a must. Knowing where you are on the path will allow you to create your journey. One way to be solid about what is working and what isn’t is to ask your coach, mentor or a trusted friend or confidant. They can support you in discovering where you are today

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Choice - What are you Practicing?

The past few posts have been focused on establishing your vision, your why, your reasons for being a project manager to provide an anchor for practicing. Now that there is a clear purpose to you growing your project management capability you will be able to draw on that motivation when you are faced with a choice and you will be faced with choices throughout your day, your career, and your life. Whenever you find yourself making a choice, use your anchor, your why, to guide your path.

Our lives are filled with choices, I know, nothing new about that statement, this is where I’d think to myself, duh – give me something new. Our brain is a problem-solving machine and it creates problems for us so that we can solve them. Yes, our brain actually generates problems so that it has something to focus upon. What do I mean by that? Well, let’s say I’m writing a book and in order to write the book I get to write every day. My brain will come up with so many other things that I have to do that makes writing every day impossible, voila – problem created. This can occur at work, at home, anywhere. Our brains have an immense ability to create a problem where there isn’t one except the ones that are generated by us. Is this a problem, well, not really, and, only if we make it one. Let’s say, trying to eliminate the mental hoop jumping is part of what practicing is all about. Practicing is about creating automatic behaviors which reduce the number of choices we have to consciously make throughout the day which frees our minds to focus on those things which require our attention. If we are practicing well, focused on those things that will make a difference in our careers and other areas of our lives, we will succeed at what matters most to us.

The question becomes, what do we practice so that we can automatically make choices which move us forward. Putting the building blocks in place will allow us to handle things smoothly when a project goes sideways. We will have the mental capacity and the capability to solve the opportunities we are facing. If all of our energy is being used for standard day to day tasks like brushing our teeth, taking a shower, eating, walking or other activities, we will have little energy or mental capacity to tackle the things we get to do throughout our day. What that means is we get to practice those things in our career and our lives that will allow us to move through our days with ease and grace as we look for opportunities to continue to grow.

The way we choose to do things and the way we behave, when done repeatedly, are considered our habits. As I’ve been writing these articles about practicing, I’ve also been reading a myriad of books focused on habits. Practicing skills and behaviors are what create our habits. This isn’t a new take on building habits since the number of books written about habits covers a number of perspectives. Instead of writing about habits and habit building, I’ll provide my insights from the books I’ve read in coming posts.

Before providing some insights from the books about habits, I think it is important to mention the difference I see between habits and practicing. Doing something repeatedly, the same way, is a habit. What is important to note is that habits are things we do like waking up at the same time every day or hitting the snooze button every day and ways we behave like snapping when someone cuts us off in traffic or saying thank you when someone gives us a gift. Habits become habits because we have practiced them, they’ve become ingrained until we do them without thinking about them, they are unconscious and sometimes very hidden from us. Practicing is very different than our habits. Practicing is doing something repeatedly consciously to improve our performance, our skill, or our behavior. Practicing involves pushing ourselves to improve in some way, recognizing when something isn’t working, trying something slightly different and continuously working toward a higher standard. Practicing requires thought and conscious effort. When we practice well, we create habits. A question you can ask yourself before the next post is “What am I practicing today?”

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Vision Reminders to Do the Work

Once you’ve taken the opportunity to uncover your why of project management (and potentially other areas of your life) it is time to bring your why into focus. Keeping it visible, tangible, and ever present allows it to continue to flourish. I find that a sticky note, a vision board, a reminder of some sort is extremely beneficial. There is a boost in energy when my eyes land on what is important to me. I find that seeing it reminds me to be it and being it creates the energy to take the actions needed to be my best at what I’m doing. The actions needed to be my best are what practicing is all about. Practicing, repeatedly pushing my limits, can at times be boring and can fall into mindlessness. The boost of energy to be what I am choosing to be and do it to the best of my ability in any given moment requires reminders. Your why is your reminder of the reasons you have chosen to BE a project manager.

Take 20 minutes to create a picture, a page, a 3x5 card or a big sticky that you can see on a regular basis as a reminder. Create it in a way that you will smile when your eyes land on it. Make it so that it is real for you, a way to shower yourself with the energy of what you want to create with your project management. Whether you recognize it or not, you are creating something in every moment of your day. You are generating something out of nothing with every breath. Just like your cells regenerating, you are evolving into your own creation by navigating the circumstances of your life. Each choice you make, either moving toward or away from your why, is something you are creating. Bringing your best self to what you are creating is what practicing is all about. Having your reminders in place will allow you to continue to practice when you may rather not and while motivation is not the only thing necessary to maintain a practice regimen, it is one of the components that will make a difference.

One thing before closing out this post and I may find myself coming back to it often. Abraham Hicks loves to say “Words do not teach” and I’ve heard other similar phrases. It is like getting caught in a web of books. Reading, studying, and listening to continue to improve whatever we are focused on improving without taking any action. Reading without applying what is being read does not work. Knowledge without action does not work. It is through experience, trial and error, and repeatedly shifting when something isn’t working (which is what practicing is) that we will learn. It is like reading a book with exercises and not doing the exercises or like being in a class, workshop or lecture without participating. It is through choosing to be present, putting ourselves on the line, doing something we’ve not done before, trying something that is uncomfortable and stretches our current mindset that creates an environment where growth can happen.

Take the time, know why you’ve chosen to be a project manager, know what is important to you, get in touch with your reasons that you’ve picked this particular career. It may be the best gift you can give yourself to lighten your step and make the journey enjoyable. It takes time, energy and commitment to become good at something. Let yourself know your reasons so you can make the commitment, create consistency, embrace compassion, generate clarity, and grow your competence. It will give you insights into how you spend your time and what you want to contribute to your own growth. As I’ve been told, do the work, without doing the work, nothing will change.

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Finding your Why for Project Management

This week, we continue to explore practicing from the perspective of what motivates us to practice. We will do this by digging for and identifying the root cause of everything that we choose to practice in our lives. Last week, I suggested writing down all the reasons why you chose (and choose every day) to be a project manager, to practice project management. This week, I’d like you to spend some time with that list and dig into each a bit more. A method which has been supportive to me is similar to the 5 why’s used in Six Sigma, Kaizen and other methodologies to improve processes. Here is, in essence, how it works.

I’d just been let go from a job, I was devastated but also I was filled with fear of what was going to happen if I didn’t find another job. The question that came next surprised me, “Okay, what would happen if you didn’t find a job”. My answer was, I wouldn’t be able to pay my bills. Another question came, “And then what would happen”. My response, I’d have to get rid of x, y and z. Another question. “And if you still didn’t find a job?”. These questions or similar ones came until I had lost all my possessions, sold them and was living somewhere, like a friends, my sisters and at the time, my moms. In other words, we followed the “what would happen next” until I’d lost everything and had gotten to the root of my fear and realized, I’d be okay.

Finding the root of the reasons for you choosing to be a project manager may be supportive, powerful, and insightful if you use a similar method. Pick a reason from your list and ask the next logical question (such as why is that important to you or what would that accomplish for you or what do you mean by that) and if you cannot think of one, call, text, or write your friends, colleagues, coaches or mentors for support in getting to the root cause of your reasons. Getting to the root will allow you to get clear on what is important to you and discovering what is most important may provide insight into your practice.

What I’ve discovered about my reasons, my why’s around almost everything I’m choosing or not choosing to do, is that they all rise up in support of an overall vision for my life. Whether in the area of career, money, family and friends, love life, fun, or personal care which includes mind, body and spirit, every one of the reasons I spend time and energy on any of those areas is in support of my overall vision for the life I’m choosing to live. So as you begin to find the root of the reason for your why around project management, you may discover the root of many of the things you choose to do with your life. My choices are rooted in a vision that is kindness to all, creating a space of inclusion and acceptance for what each of us brings to this world and being of service to the greater good of this world. My vision is rooted in the sacredness of all of life. I know, pretty wu wu or out there or whatever you choose to call it. You may also wonder how project management fits into that realm. We get to explore further how each of the areas of our life, supports the other areas and builds into a rich and robust mosaic which includes being a project manager.

Here is a real-life example for those of you who are still curious about the possibilities, one of the myriad of reasons I can write down is that I am practicing project management today is for the money. When I dig into that reason and ask why that is important over and over, I land on the fact that it affords many of the other things in my life, such as generosity to others, care and comfort to the animals in my home, the house I live in, the yard I’ve cultivated, the family I’ve raised and the self-care I am able to provide myself. At the core, project management allows me the opportunity to create a space of inclusion, acceptance, and appreciation for those that I work with and the projects I work with are to provide healthcare for those who would otherwise not be covered. What I’m doing in project management aligns to my vision for my life which motivates me to practice being the best project manager possible.

You may wonder, are there other careers that would fulfill the vision for my life? Of course there are. There are always other possibilities. The follow-on question is, what else could I be doing that would allow me to fulfill my vision and bring joy to my heart? That would be the purpose behind this blog. Sharing what I’ve learned through my experiences in the world of project management, emotional intelligence and leadership as it relates to and elevates the practice of project management fulfills my desire to give back in a way that being a project manager doesn’t allow. Teaching, mentoring, and coaching are all practices that elevate my project management practice and are what is fueling this blog. More to come next week.

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