Standards Only Go So Far

The other day I ran into a co-worker who seemed a bit preoccupied. “Hi Pat, how's it going?” I asked seeking to distract her from her preoccupation. “Oh, they could be better.” replied Patricia, obviously irritated, although I couldn't tell if it was at me or what ever preoccupation I was distracting her from. “My project is just irritating me. We just started a month or so, and I'm not sure we're going to make the deadline.” “Really?” I asked in that leading tone that was really attempting to say oh, this sounds good, do tell me more, without actually... Read More»

Who Cares?

In my experience, the most successful projects are inclusive...that is, they make sure that all of the right people participate in the right communications at the right time. A couple of weeks ago, I had the task of hiring someone to hem several pairs of dress slacks. This simple project ultimately went well, but reached a moment of complete standstill, just because I wasn't applying this truth about being inclusive to my own life. Okay, let me back up a bit. I'm neither tall nor particularly talented with needle and thread. My five-foot-four (and-three-quarter) inch frame just isn't quite long... Read More»

The PMO Fish That Got Away (You Should Have Seen it!)

The charm of fishing is that it is the pursuit of what is elusive but attainable, a perpetual series of occasions for hope. ~John Buchan Probably the biggest challenge associated with launching and maintaining a successful PMO is having the fortitude and spirit to keep on fishing. PMO's must evolve to survive. PMO's must also have continuous executive support to thrive. Yet, for some PMO leaders, gaining executive support is like the fish that got away - they nibble on the bait, only to jump off the line while being reeled in. Some people who fish believe the Number One... Read More»

Competence and Complacency: A Project Manager’s Friend and Foe

In this week's blog, I'd like to deliver on a promise I made last week, to offer a breakthrough in thought leadership for project management. This is a piece of advice that is often overlooked and frequently endangers projects - do not get complacent. It sounds simple, but it isn't. What I share here is based on 40 years of PM experience. I've been lucky enough to serve as a project manager on great teams at places like IBM and with the consulting companies I've owned. I have reviewed hundreds of troubled projects. Some projects were huge, worth millions, and... Read More»

How the performance and commitment you get result from what you "expect"

I sat facing the new VP, waiting for our meeting to start - and wondering whether I was about to get fired from my Director of Engineering role Either that, or I was about to get lectured, hammered, chided, and/or warned, for not being an experienced enough manager to suit him. After all, he had just been brought in to replace the founder of our start-up ("time to have some professional management now that the big company has bought you guys") and I was in my late 20s and even younger and less management-experienced than the founder. I was expecting... Read More»

Experience Matters

I recently attended a PMI event on the age old question of what makes a project more successful than another. The discussion started by stating the obvious need to focus on the 5 W's, but also the importance of 'how' things are done. The discussion was primarily philosophical, asking us to each think of the differentiators. There isn't a one size fits all approach to success, and while checklists and "best practices" are helpful, I believe it's the team's application and foresight that goes into the application of a tool or method that determines success. Sure, guidance from other sources... Read More»

Managing the Common Cold... as a Project

In that all of us long-term Project Managers see just about everything as a Project, I decided to put this to the test. As you can probably guess, I'm presently suffering from a brutal head cold (and I am talking BRUTAL - the "just kill me now" kind of cold) that I know came to me via the germ pit aka the public school system. This is how I see the details: Timeline: a) Expected duration 10 days utilizing 24 hour days, 7 day weeks b) Chance of schedule overage – 30% (based on personal historical data) Day 1 Day... Read More»

What Is The One Thing That Best Determines Project Success?

In my voluminous spare time, I have been polling my network of project managers. My poll question is this: What is the single most important determinant of project success? Each time I have asked this question, I first encounter a long pause. Then, the person responds with something like, "There are numerous success factors: access to expert users, active sponsor support, clear project goals, blah, blah, blah. I don't think I can pick just one." I understand that but if you had to pick just one, what would it be? This generates a much longer pause. I coax a bit,... Read More»

Lessons in Setting a Project Schedule

Deadlines! They can be like quicksand. The harder we fight to meet deadlines, the more of them we seem to miss. The anxiety practically whispers in your ear, "you're about to miss another deadline." If your current project life is an anxious one where you feel like you're trying to swim out of quicksand, I can relate. I remind myself of what that felt like often so I don't forget the importance of a project schedule. When I've found myself in project quicksand it's usually because I didn't create a detailed, well thought out, and accurate schedule or because my... Read More»

The Project Manager Vision

You can seize only what you can see. A great leader's courage to fulfill his vision comes from passion, not position. Every Project Manager should manage his/her career as a project, or we may say like a program. We must manage many projects in our life and one of them is our professional developement as a project manager. To grow up personally and professionally should be a project manager obligation. It needs time, effort, passion, persistence and patience. To get a handle on vision and how it comes to be a part of a good leader's life, understand these things:... Read More»