Global Project Strategy
I am often asked what I have learned from decades of experience in project management as well as teaching project management in the United States, Asia, and the European Union. While it is difficult to summarize those lessons in a few short paragraphs, here is how I respond.
Most of us recognize that at the very center of every success or failure is the project manager. Sometimes he or she is helped by the project sponsor or by a project coach, but it is the project manager who holds the key to performance more than any other person or more than any other factor.
In general, we can say that effective managers have a higher likelihood of performing well than less effective managers. Of course some effective managers fail and some less effective managers succeed, but in most situations the effective managers prevail.
Indeed, all the top-management support, funding, tools, skills, seminars and certifications cannot compensate for a manager whose leadership and management skills do not measure up to the demands of the job.
What do we mean by “effective managers?” They are the managers who are not only skilled in the social, management, and technical skills that represent the very foundation of our profession, but they are those who, under the stress of everyday pressures and challenges, can deliver “effective” results. They are capable of turning what Chris Argyris calls their “espoused theories” into “theories-in-action;” the ability to transform what they have learned through education and experience into action. Using a more common expression, they are managers who not only can talk the talk but can walk the walk.
Effective managers understand the business objectives of a project, are committed to contributing toward the competitive advantage of the organization, and are willing to step-out-of the box to achieve those results. Finally they are the managers who leave their egos at the door and in the words of Jim Collins, author of the business bestseller “Good to Great,” possess humility and will. They are collaborative and open, yet at the same time they have the will and courage to succeed and achieve institutional goals not their own.
Here’s the tough part. After studying many projects and after years of experience what I have found is that the percent of effective project managers is about the same as the rate of successful projects … about 50 percent.
While the fifty percent who lead less successful projects know just about as much as those who are more successful, the difference is that less successful managers, for many reasons, have difficulty putting into practice what they know. For them the espoused theory is more accessible than their theory-in-use. They can talk the talk, but something gets in the way of the walk. This is especially true when it comes to using social, political and negotiation skills but can also be true when using the tools of our trade from planning to control.
My experience has taught me that, given the right partnership between the company and its project managers, those managers that have trouble walking the walk can change. Good projects can become great projects and in the process, good project managers can become great project managers.
So, how do you make this journey?
I invite you to begin right here.
Try the “projects tips” on this site, read our monthly “GPS Newswire,” and explore the “project failures” that help us understand how even the best managers at the best companies go wrong.
If you need a more personalized approach, we offer a range of consulting services that can help you improve project performance. It is a program in which we work with you on specific projects and help you improve the project management culture with an eye not only on the current project but future projects as well.
Finally, I would be happy to deliver my message at your company facilities or at a professional meeting.
Please give me a call (603-767-0480). I try to return calls within 90 minutes.
Thank You.
Barry Shore, PhD