I read an article the other day that Stakeholder Management is
not a good phrase to use since no one likes to be managed, especially the
stakeholders on projects. Stakeholder Management is the very last topic in the Project
Management Book of Knowledge (PMBOK) and is described as the process associated
with identifying stakeholders, planning stakeholder engagement, managing
stakeholder engagement, and monitoring stakeholder engagement. In non-PMBOK terms,
what it is about is being present to, aware of, and engaged with everyone
involved in any way with the project because if they are involved, they can
impact or be impacted by the project.
In reviewing the PMBOK, it sounds very scientific, crisp,
and, while complicated, achievable. Stakeholder management is a way to describe
how a project manager takes into consideration every group that can impact or
be impacted by a project. That includes clients, users, team members, the
government, and a myriad of other possibilities. The biggest issue project
managers face in Stakeholder Management is people are not predictable. While
you may work diligently to pull together the ideal list and the ideal plan, the
landscape will be ever changing because stakeholders are people. The truth of
the matter is that using the word stakeholder as an identifier depersonalizes the
relationships the project manager must foster, build, consider, and be present
to.
Gathering the list of groups can be a challenge and, as the
project progresses, project managers often discover missed groups or previously
unidentified factions as organizations shift and change over time. Project managers
are also met with turnover which can alter the agreements made previously. Understanding
that, at the heart of managing all these relationships, boundaries play a critical
role in all relationships and that these project relationships are no different
will benefit most project managers. Additionally, boundaries set early and often
can simplify managing communication, scope, schedule, and many other aspects of
the project.
What do boundaries look like in project management?
Agreements, written agreements in the form of decisions. Decisions made
jointly, documented, and returned to again and again to ensure everyone
remembers the agreements made and when there is a change to the agreement, that
an impact assessment is performed to determine if the change will require more
time and effort and if so, how much more. Why does that matter? How often have
you moved a boundary and had to do more work because the boundary moved? It
could be a minor adjustment and an easy agreement to make and before you are
fully aware, your status report is a 100-page document created weekly by 4
people which was never budgeted for in the first place.
There are many instances when the little things eat away at
a budget. The larger changes are easier to recognize, analyze and take care of
through change management. It is the incessant requests for a small adjustment
here or there that extends work beyond what was considered in the beginning of
the project. Setting a clear precedent that each ask made by anyone engaged in
the project may be a change to an established boundary that was used in budgeting
time, effort, and cost for the project allows decisions to be made, captured and
the project to be managed. Boundary setting is one of the primary jobs of a
project manager. Working with various groups to establish agreed upon boundaries,
documenting the boundaries, and discussing the boundaries again and again
allows everyone the opportunity to work together toward a mutual goal. It is in
the moments when a boundary surprise hits that communication becomes strained.
Learning how to establish boundaries, the ebb and flow associated
with adjusting boundaries, allowing shifts to occur and making it clear what
those shifts cause in the management of the project, and keeping a clear record
of the changes that occur throughout the project is a large part of project
management. This practice of boundaries is critical to work and personal
relationships. Clarity, agreement, and fluidity all matter. Boundaries matter.
What are you practicing today?
