Drive to Success

Success. Attaining a desired outcome, getting what you want, or reaching a destination can all be considered success. Success is what ever we define it to be so why do projects fail? The answer seems obvious when you consider the definition of success. Projects fail because we don’t start with a well-defined outcome, a clear destination, or the clarity of what is wanted. Why is project success so elusive? We’ve built methodologies around our inability to define success, they are called iterative and agile. We have shortened the project cycle so that we can adjust to change rapidly, and the change isn’t always the circumstances of the project. The change can come from within such as indecisive clients and resource turnover. The world of managing projects is really a world of managing change, issues, and risks. If you really want to master project management, master change, risks, and the inherent issues that arise.

I know, it seems obvious when I stop and consider those things that create the most fluctuation in a project schedule. Yes, loss of resources causes fluctuation and loss of resources is generally a risk on most projects. Yes, changes in policy, laws, or other external influences causes fluctuation and are also risks to every project. Contracts with vendors expiring, software licensing, or the weather can cause project delays, and are also risks to most projects. Planning for project risks supports a project manager in building contingency into the project schedule. What I’ve also experienced is that most contingencies are used in the first 20% of the project timeline which indicates we either use our contingency (time or money) too soon or we don’t plan for enough contingency.

I’ve also experienced loose change management at the beginning of a project with tighter change management controls towards the end of the project. In other words, change is easy to absorb at the beginning and much more challenging later in the project. I realize that agile is a way of avoiding this and, in my experience, falls short as frequently as waterfall or iterative methodologies. I’ve watched similar occurrences on TV shows such as Fixer Upper. At some point, only so much change can occur. The important thing is to ensure the client is making conscientious choices ever step of the way and clearly understands the impacts of the choices being made. Conceding early and giving in to demands to maintain an easier relationship is not always the answer that works best for a successful project. There are times when laying out the facts clearly and showing change clearly is paramount. Otherwise, the entire budget will be used, and the project will begin to lose money. It is paramount that concessions be made sparingly, and the financial impact be clearly articulated to the client every step of the way.

The how to of managing change, risks, and issues has some mechanics associated with each of these areas. Most of it has to do with managing the relationship with the client and most of that relationship is rooted in intention. The intention of most project managers that are successful is about building a relationship that is rooted in finding the win/win of every obstacle, every issue that arises, and every decision that must be made. It is the intention of finding a path where both parties succeed in achieving what will create a lasting partnership where project success is found. I’ve experienced projects where distrust has eroded the relationship and the project flounders. I’ve experienced healthy relationships and watched challenging projects thrive. The relationships that have been the most successful are those rooted in mutual benefit to all parties involved.

Learning the mechanics of change, risk, and issue management is an important beginning to successful project management. The PMBOK and other literature can teach the critical aspects of those capabilities. However, the mechanics will only allow for monitoring and capturing metrics and demonstrating project health. The critical aspects of these capabilities are rooted in intention. I’ve read that 90% of leadership is in the intention of the leader with 10% is rooted in the mechanics. If that is the case, intention is the driver, and the mechanics are secondary. Intentional project management is about leadership, being clear with the client on the intention of the use of each of these capabilities and gaining alignment from the client on how to apply each of these to the project will build a solid relationship and a successful outcome.

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Principles of Successful Project Management

What skills really matter when hiring a project manager? The PMBOK divides the capabilities into the knowledge areas, all of which are weighted based on a notion of importance. Every time I consider a project manager for hire, I consider the same areas represented in the PMBOK as important and weigh some more so than others. The knowledge areas (integration management, scope management, time management, cost management, quality management, human resource management, communications management, risk management, procurement management, and stakeholder management), when balanced appropriately, provide the framework for successful and effective project management. These knowledge areas all fall within certain process areas within the PMBOK. Those process areas (initiation, planning, execution, monitoring and controlling, and closing) are generally well established within most organizations and there are usually well-established tools and frameworks for knowledge areas as well. If that is the case, that most processes, tools, and frameworks are in place, how do projects fail? Is it the project manager’s abilities or the circumstances of the projects? Put another way, is it possible for a project manager to be successful whether or not the project succeeds?

Let’s look to sports for the answer to that question. Let’s assume that every game is a project. Let’s also assume that the project manager is the coach of the entire team. Some of the best coaches have unsuccessful games and yet they are still held as great coaches. These coaches have had unsuccessful seasons and still are seen as great coaches. They’ve been unsuccessful in big games and small. So, to respond to the question, yes, it is possible that successful project managers have unsuccessful projects, so it is possible that the circumstances of the project itself influences its own success. The question becomes, how does a project manager maintain their own success when they find themselves in an unsuccessful project? The answer to this can be found in the principles of successful and effective project management.

These principles are based on years of experience managing successful and unsuccessful projects for various companies representing various industries. They are based on fundamental principles which are proven by years of use. You may recognize some of the principles as adaptations from other books, postings, you tube videos, and other works. While none of these may be new (after all, Aristotle said “It is not once nor twice but times without number that the same ideas make their appearance in the world.”), they are presented here with a focus on project management.

The list of principles I’ve gathered are:

·       Vision Drives Success

·       Staying Open to All Possibilities Reduces Perceived Obstacles

·       Being Curious Provides the Space to Ask Questions

·       Willingness to do What it Takes When Project Health is in Jeopardy

·       Strength of Character and Personal Values Matter

·       Communicate 360 often

·       Be Responsible for the Outcome No Matter What

·       Change When Change is Needed

·       Take Risks When Risk is Called for

·       Act with Urgency

·       Go to the Source Don’t use Assumptions or Second-Hand Information

·       While Responsible for it All You Don’t Have to Do It All

This is not a comprehensive list, like many principles they are intertwined and woven together in a tapestry. This list may change over time AND it I will be elaborating on each of them.

Practicing each of the principles in our daily life, in the small things we do every day is what matters most. Being a successful project manager is intertwined with being successful in life. Each of us decides what that looks like. The beauty of life is the fact that we all get to trust the process, live within the circumstances of our lives, and find the magical pixy dust that keeps us alive and well to journey another day. The magical pixy dust is found in the journey itself, in the way we rejoice in each moment we breath and in the care, we give ourselves and our fellow travelers. What are you practicing today?

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Intentional Project Management – Part 2

The tools of project management are designed to capture and provide metrics on the health of projects. As an example, let’s explore the basic tool, the project schedule. We use it to report on whether we are ahead or behind the original plan, whether the level of effort is greater or less than planned, whether the number and types of tasks were appropriate, and a myriad of other metrics. When we wrap our project schedule reporting in intention, then what we convey and how we convey it may differ. The data is still the same, the intention behind the use of the data matters. When we randomly report on the information without setting a clear intention it can be used in a way that demoralizes and disconnects the team. This can happen with any of the project management tools used to govern a project.

The project manager can set the tone of the entire team through their communication on the project. Setting, declaring, and gaining alignment on the intentions of the metrics of a project may be more important than establishing the metrics in the first place. Metrics are the tool a project manager uses to gauge what is working and what is not working. When the communication is focused on what is not working, the project can easily loose energy and spiral toward the negative side of reporting on the metrics. Being clear about what metrics mean through the intention of what they are conveying creates opportunities to interpret the meaning as the metrics were intended.

Why the fuss? When there are a myriad of organizations providing oversight on a project there is opportunity for misinterpretation of the status being reported based purely on the metrics. It is easy to take the data and interpret it in a way other than what it is intended to convey. Distrust can begin to seep in which makes it increasingly difficult to stay on task due to the volume of conversations around the information rather than staying focused on the work that must be done. Finding myself in conversations around the status report and what it is really saying wastes everyone’s time and energy. Ensuring there is alignment on the intention of each piece of information being reported upon allows for clear communication.

How does a project manager set, declare, and gain alignment on the intention of the data being reported upon? If you’ve not spent time in setting intentions and spending time being aware of your intentions, meditation is something that may support you. I’ve discovered that taking the time to consider the stakeholders and the current circumstances of the project supports determining the intentions of the metrics used. I understand that similar metrics are used in most projects and setting the intention for their use is what can differentiate how those metrics are interpreted by those auditing, benefiting from, or involved with the project. Ensuring everyone sees the metrics in the same way will save quite a bit of re-explaining time.

Practicing setting intentions with the metrics will begin the practice of intention in your project management. You will know how it is working through the feedback you receive. Not the direct feedback, although that is beneficial. It is through the indirect feedback that we gain most of our insights into what is working and what is not working. If you are finding yourself in the “defense of the metric” conversation, the intention of the metric was not aligned to by the stakeholders. If instead everyone is using the metrics in the same way and there is conversation around what is working and what is not working the alignment has occurred and everyone can have a meaningful discussion about what must be done to improve the project.

Practicing intention is something that will prove useful. Next week we will continue to explore the use of intention as we step into driving the project team and working with others. What are you practicing today?

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Intentional Project Management

When I started in the field of project management my focus was learning the mechanics associated with project management. Learning about pillars of project management outlined in the Project Management Body of knowledge focusing on doing each of these areas of study to the best of my ability. Learning how to convey clearly and concisely where a project was, what was happening, how it was going, where the pitfalls were, and what areas needed attention. I became successful doing project management. Managing larger projects, high profile projects, and delivering for the clients of the organizations for which I worked. The thing that wasn’t working is that the relationships I had with the teams I worked with was lacking. Frequently I sacrificed relationships for getting the job done, driven to succeed at all costs. I didn’t realize that I was also sacrificing myself, working long hours and not finding much joy or pleasure in the work I was doing.

Today, I would venture to say I have many project management skills. I have my PMP certification and continue to study project management and the techniques and tools that support project managers. I’ve studied many methodologies, read many project management texts, and practice using various techniques daily. I’ve mastered scheduling tools, spreadsheets, and other software used to convey project status. I’ve enhanced my technical skills so that most of the constructs that are needed to discuss and deliver on time and on schedule are weaved into what I do daily. I’ve played a “how many by when for how much” game for a long time and have applied the tools and techniques to my life outside of work.

Learning all the tools and techniques available continues to shape and mold my personal project management abilities and style. Having a large and full toolbox allows me to shift when something isn’t working, to apply the best tool for the circumstances, and to leverage those tools that apply to most projects to their fullest. What has been most enlightening are the tools and techniques associated with mindfulness, meditation, and intention. These areas of practice have not only changed what I do, it has change how I do things, and most importantly how I show up to others. This also extends into my personal life. What is most interesting is that, while I’ve studied and read a great deal about these practices and worked to apply the teachings of these practices to my work, I’ve discovered that it isn’t possible to learn these alone. What I mean by that is that it requires feedback to learn and grow and feedback comes from other people.

Feedback is provided to us every moment of everyday either directly or indirectly. Life is a feedback rich environment when we pay attention and listen. Mindfulness and meditation support us in being present to the feedback we are receiving, and intention is the lens through which the feedback flows allowing us to use the feedback to further ourselves and our intention. Amazingly, when we stop and notice, we provide ourselves feedback on a regular basis as well. I’m not talking about the voice that is the critic, I’m talking about the emotional feedback of laughter, smiling, tears, and other emotions. They are our physical feedback. While we may judge that feedback, learning to be in relationship with these feelings and looking at them as feedback is healthy. I’m also talking about the feedback our bodies provide us, the sore backs, tight shoulders, or other physical ailments. These also provide us valuable information.

Over the next few weeks, we will explore intention, meditation, mindfulness, and feedback. If you choose to join me, we will start the day with intention and meditation. We will become aware of the feedback being provided by circumstances, people, and ourselves. We will capture moments throughout the day and capture what worked and what didn’t work. We will then look to shift what didn’t work and double down on what worked using our intention to further ourselves and our practices. Life is an adventure, what are you practicing today?

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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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