Stakeholder Management – Boundaries Matter

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?

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Meditation: Creating Your Competitive Advantage

I have been on an interesting journey for the past month. I decided to read a book that had little to do with project management. The book is Breath by James Nestor. I was curious because I have sleep apnea and my wife has asthma. I read it to improve my sleep which I believe is an important part of my wellbeing. I did not read it to improve my project management capability, I read it to improve my life in general. Little did I know that the journey I started for sleep apnea would have an impact on many areas of my life including my relationships, my general health, my energy level, and my career.

The books importance is teaching us about breathing as an integral part of our lives and the impact optimal breathing can have on us physiologically and mentally. What it did for me was to bring attention to the fact that I spent little time thinking about the basic act of breathing and what it can teach me.  Most importantly it mentioned an organization which teaches breathing techniques. I decided to take a shot and see what it had to offer. I connected with the organization and have taken two of the workshops it offers out of curiosity. That journey started on February 5^th. I began seeing benefits from the breathing and meditation practices i learned from The Art of Living organization and have done some additional research since that first workshop. As a result, I have added breathing and meditation to my morning routine. My mornings consist of focused breathing and meditation for about an hour.

Project Management can be a stress filled job. The tug and pull of project delivery, working diligently to find the balance between client desires, team capability, budget, time, and the other constraints of most projects can be draining. The continuous barrage of to do lists, action items, issues, and risks while maintaining clear communication and creating an environment that gets things done challenges most project managers. Between meetings and creating deliverables there are too few hours to complete the work. Working from home makes it even easier to work well over fifty hours a week which puts a strain on your personal relationships. All of this causes stress and stress has been associated with physical concerns such as muscle tension, headaches, and sleep disturbance. Stress is also linked to psychological issues such as anxiety, depression, anger, and reduced cognitive abilities. These symptoms show up in our behavior such as exercising less, angry outbursts, over or under eating and other less than healthy behaviors. If you have any of these symptoms, meditation may be something to check out.

Why meditation? Studies have shown that meditation reduces anxiety, increases mental clarity, lengthens your attention span, improves sleep, and enhances self-awareness. These are just a few of the benefits of meditation. Why would this make it a competitive advantage? Consider the difference in your life if you were able to be in a stressful environment without reacting to that stress. Consider the advantage you would have if you did not react to a project not going as planned but navigated it by thoughtful consideration of the possibilities. Consider the difference in your life in general? Being in the present moment, grounded in the facts, and in a state of mind that is calm and aware allows anyone the opportunity to make decisions with clarity rather than panic, foresight rather than knee jerk.

What I am not saying. I am not saying that meditation is the answer to the project ills that project managers face. I am not saying that meditation will fix the problems associated with projects that are failing. I am not even saying that meditation will make you an exemplary project manager. I am suggesting that meditation may support your journey as you strive to be the best project manager you are capable of being. I am saying that meditation will do for you what the studies have shown it does for most. I am suggesting that it may make a difference in your life and your career as a project manager. I am also suggesting that practicing it consistently and regularly is a way to take time for your own well-being. A way to spend time with yourself and continue to expand your awareness of you. What are you practicing today?

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Communication: Assumptions and Expectations

In this blog, we will explore the communication tools that will limit the misunderstanding that can occur on projects. The misunderstanding stem most frequently from assumptions and expectations and limiting the possibilities associated with those two areas will support project success.

Ever run into an issue where a team member assumed that turned out to be incorrect? I certainly have and it caused additional delays in delivery. Ever had a client be frustrated with a response because they interpreted the answer differently than you did? I have and it caused a significant amount of effort to gain clarification and keep the project on track. The bookends of assumptions and expectations can be disastrous for a project. Especially with the modular nature of our software systems these days. The “plug and play” of small areas of expertise and the misinterpretations, assumptions, and missed expectations can cause immeasurable rework and a break down in trust.

If there were an easy answer to this age-old dilemma in project management. It is simple and simple does not mean it is easy. It is challenging, it can be time consuming, and it is can be counter intuitive. The desire to get work done quickly and into the hands of the client is often the reason that there are delays in delivery. The adage time takes time is a true metric in project management. Wanting to land a deal, the level of effort is trimmed so that the bid can be won. What that can cause in the project is a scarcity mind set, where there is a belief that there simply is not enough time to complete the project. While that may or may not be true, beginning a project believing there is not enough time creates a series of decisions that limit the time at the beginning of the project when the decisions regarding the governance and framework of how the team will interact are being formed. This is where a lack of alignment between the various stakeholders begins and where the greatest possibility exists to establish those processes that will limit rework throughout the project.

The truth is, this is not only true in project management, but also for many relationships. Think about it for a minute. Ask yourself, are there examples in my life where a few minutes of conversation would have prevented a misunderstanding? Has there been an occasion where I made assumptions that were different that what happened? When I have expectations of how things are going to be handled and it turns out differently, does it matter to me? What about when I think there is alignment and I later discover that I misunderstood? If it is possible in my personal life, certainly it is possible in my professional life since it is all the same life. The saying, “the way we do one thing is the way we do everything” is another way of saying we frequently handle all things in a similar manner.

The key to these issues, time scarcity, assumptions, and expectations, is communication. Not just any type of communication, it is based on the art of asking questions, lots of questions. It is also built upon the communication tool of repetition. That are is to say what you are going to say, say what you say, and then recap what you said followed by asking what the group or individual heard. It also means that every decision made can be changed, with one caveat, that the impact is documented and agreed upon.

What I have seen repeatedly is changing a process and not being clear that the process has changed, making an exception and not documenting the exception, adjusting to meet client expectations without tracking the cost for every aspect of change. There is an ebb and a flow to every project, a give and take, a balance between client needs, the cost, and the value realized. The other key to note, it is not the big things that end of costing the most. It is the little agreements along the way that cost the most in the long run. An hour here or there is not much, and it adds up. It sets presidents that set additional presidents. Each time that occurs, the margin erodes until it is gone.

Once again, this is not project management specific. This happens in all relationships and it is not about keeping score, it is about limiting the frustration and resentments that can occur when there is a lack of balance. Communication, exploring through questions, writing down agreements, introducing it repetitively will anchor everyone in the language and the agreements made. Continuing to be flexible and adjust works well as does capturing the impact of the changes made and ensuring that there are limited assumptions and expectations.

In summary, ensuring assumptions and expectations are uncovered at the beginning of the project and taking the time to document them will foster a level of alignment and understanding across the stakeholder relationships. Probing questions, restating the agreements, and clarifying changes in processes and agreements supports in healthy communication. The simple tool of say what you will do, do what you said, say what you did allows everyone to be clear on the processes being followed. This simple practice in all relationships will add clarity and reduce misunderstandings. What are you practicing today?

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Building Blocks

I was sharing with a colleague the other day about the building blocks, the basics of well-being. I believe project management is an extension of ourselves. When we are taking care of ourselves, we are taking care of our project management. The integration of the various areas of our lives into a cohesive tapestry ensures that we are continuously practicing similar things whether we are working on personal relationships or work relationships. There isn’t an either/or, there is only a both/and. When we are mindful of how we are treating ourselves, we become mindful of how we are treating others. There is no separation. That doesn’t mean we don’t make mistakes; it does mean there is no ill intent behind the mistakes we make. The building blocks of well-being have corollary building blocks in project management.

What my colleague shared with me is resistance. They made it clear that it isn’t that simple, that it isn’t about the building blocks, if it were that simply we would have all figured it out by now. I recognize that resistance, I’ve felt it and thought it and held to it tightly. The shear thought that the building blocks make that much difference is preposterous. The thought that if we consistently practiced the basics every day that results would come. If we focused on the building blocks instead of the end goal, that the end goal would begin to come into view. It cannot be that simple or I would have figured it out by now!

What if we hypothesize that our national health crisis is due to the denial of the fact that the basic building blocks are the answer? What if all the fancy diets and exercise programs that we’ve been trying out and continue to search for is a longing to prove our pre-conceived notion of “it has to be harder than simply implementing the basics”? What if the same is true for project management? That we continue searching for an easier, better, more efficient way to manage projects without implementing the rudimentary practices? If it were that simple, we would have figured it out by now!

To create a life filled with success, we must focus on our well-being, the well-being of mind, body, and spirit. To create a successful project, we must focus on the well-being of our project, the health of our client relationships, line of site to the end, and team. To be an excellent project manager, we must practice the basics of project management and before we can do that well, we must practice the basics of well-being. We use our bodies to conduct work, whether it is on the football field or in the office, we must become mindful of our bodies to ensure excellence in delivery. Practicing the basics of our well-being teaches us how to practice the basics of project management to create optimum health. The lessons we learn for our own self-care, translate to the career we choose, the relationships we build, and ultimately the life we create.

Resistance to this is normal, natural, and healthy. The answer is simple and challenging. It isn’t complicated. I’m suggesting it is simple and it is challenging. While we continue to understand a great deal more about why the basics work, the fundamental answer hasn’t changed. Don’t get me wrong, a lot has been refined over the years, we have a deeper appreciation for the complexity associated with how things work together. The fundamentals we are challenged to be consistent with to enable our well-being are food, sleep, movement, breathing, and meditation. Practicing these daily is the challenge when all of life seems to ask us to take an easier path. The basics of project management which we are challenged to be consistent with are the management of risks, issues, action items, scope, and resources. Just as life has a way of challenging our ability to care for ourselves, circumstances occur in projects which makes it challenging to stay consistent with the basics.

What is it that makes a difference? What we are practicing matters. Where we choose to focus our energy matters. Focusing on the basics, practicing excellence in those basics of self-care and project management, allows us as project managers to move through the day with ease and flow. Having the basics taken care of means we can focus our energy when something unplanned occurs. The fundamentals will support moving through any circumstance with grace. What are you practicing today?

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Trust

One of the keys to being successful as a project manager is having relationships built on trust. It is one of the key ingredients to successful relationships in life and business relationships are no exception. We are rarely successful in life without that core tenant as a corner stone to our relationships. Trust allows for mistakes to occur without suspicion of an underlying motif. Trust suggests that the information provided is the best information available and that there isn’t anything hidden or held back. There are two primary qualities that build trust.

Integrity

In his book, The Four Agreements, Don Miguel Ruiz terms it “Be impeccable with your word”. Another way to say it is do what you say you would do. All the documents that are delivered on most projects are moment in time deliverables. We write out the processes, procedures, and guidelines that everyone on the project will follow. It includes when we will provide information, what information we will provide, and when it will be provided. Those agreements about how the project will be governed, is the responsibility of the project manager. They are responsible for ensuring that everyone on the team, client, and team member alike, are aligned with how the project will flow. When projects last years, this critical component may change over time. It is equally as important that the documentation that says how we will conduct business is kept up to date. This allows new team members to join and understand how to integrate with the rest of the team.

Just as everything is built one moment, one segment at a time, so it is with trust. It isn’t just the project governance that matters. Trust is built on showing up on time for meetings, by delivering on action items when you say you will, by reviewing changes to documents prior to the changes being made, by eliminating surprises whenever possible, and by simply being in integrity with all that you do and all that you deliver for your client. It is also by using facts, not suppositions, when relaying information. It is by eliminating hearsay through the questions that you ask, by ensuring you are working from the lowest common denominator, and by ensuring that you have the facts that are available at the time. One of the things that caused me problems early on in my career was by conveying information without the facts that were available. Learning to ask the questions was the biggest lesson that I learned. The saying is “don’t make stuff up”. Don’t assume anything in your communication with your team or your client. Ensure you have the facts regarding the information you are conveying and, if not, do not convey anything until you are able to back it up with the facts.

One of the pitfalls of being a project manager is coming from a place where you must have the answers, you must know because everyone looks to you to have the answers. The result can be that you begin to miss asking the questions because you are coming from a place of knowing rather that a place of not knowing. Thinking you know what is happening based on past projects or past events can sometimes blind you to what is occurring on the project you are now leading. Blinded by the past, you may fail to ask the questions to understand the present situation. Staying in a place where I don’t know, where I don’t have the answers and am curious about getting to a place of understating has been a successful approach for me. Being a master at asking all the possible questions to ensure that the information that you are receiving is also not based on preconceived notions is a skill worth developing.

Building trust starts with doing what you say you are doing, the other is to say what you are doing. In other words, when things must change to fit the changing circumstances, explaining what you are doing because of the circumstances is equally as important as continuing to do what you said you would.

Don’t See Intention in Others Mistakes/Don’t Make Assumptions

Another core tenant in building trust is coming from a place of trust. “Don’t Make Assumptions” is the second agreement from the book, The Four Agreements. The foundation for building trust with others is coming from a place of trust in them. Rather than seeing their actions as containing ill intent or making assumptions about what they are working toward, start with the facts associated with the circumstances and have a conversation about the situation. Whenever your come from is fear or distrust, you will receive the same in return.

Trust Yourself

The last ingredient is to always trust yourself. We each start our days with the intention of doing our best, rarely does anyone start out their day by choosing to be anything other than their best. Trust that you start your day with the intention of being successful, trustworthy, honest, kind, and fair. Start your days with the choice of enjoyment in all that you do during the day. Come from a place of we can, team, and collaboration. Work with integrity, trust, openness, and your relationships will thrive. Choosing to work in a way that you know everyone is doing their best, just as you are doing your best, allows for mistakes to be made and learned from rather than condemned. Your client will appreciate your approach when you are working from a place of trust. Practice it with yourself and see the difference it makes in all your relationships. What are you practicing today? 

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