the newsletter for project & portfolio managersnow PMP® Certified! Elizabeth Ann Bocage Marryshow...

the newsletter for project & portfolio managers

Milestones - www.pmlg.com

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PMP® Preparation Question of the Month You are the project manager of a $40 million bridge construction project. During the execution of the project work there have been multiple team member conflicts of both a personal and technical nature. What is the best way to handle this situation?

A. Utilize formal authority to resolve conflicts and focus on the strategic objectives of the project.

B. Deal with the conflict early on with those individuals in conflict in a direct and collaborative way.

C. Smooth things over with the team to keep them from becoming too distracted from the work that needs to be done.

D. Hold a meeting with the entire team to resolve a conflict in question.

The correct answer is located on page 4.

In the Trenches with Bill Stewart Project Management…The Oil That Makes the Engine Run by Bill Stewart, President and CEO Project Management Leadership Group

I had an interesting conversation the other day with a strategic planning professional. He had been listening to my excited description of project management for a few minutes and then countered with the following comment. “There are many cylinders (as in car cylinders) in organizations, and project management is just one of them”. I was taken somewhat aback and perhaps a bit speechless. My response was not what I now would say, but I reminded him that without project management that corporate strategy cannot be executed. When strategy is not executed then companies do not complete their journey to their vision.

A Better Analogy for Project Management In retrospect, a better analogy has come to my mind. Yes, companies have many cylinders, or programs. Marketing, New Product Development, Engineering, Finance, Six Sigma, Information Systems, Telecommunications, and many more. Each uses different tactics to provide their products and services. But, the one constant that runs through every cylinder and keeps each one running smoothly is project management and a consistent project management approach. Project management is the oil that keeps the company moving ahead. It flows throughout the organization, reducing friction and burnout, allowing the cylinders to produce at peak power. Without it, problems (fires) flare up, programs stumble, and goals & checkpoints along the highway to success are not achieved. And, as oil has different grades based on the type of engines and conditions that it will be supporting (10W30 or 5W50), we change the constitution of the project management process that we apply to our projects and programs. The greater impact a project has on the program or organization the more intense the methodology to protect the cylinder. Keeping the Engine of an Organization Running If your corporate engine is sputtering and coughing and you find that cylinders are not working together smoothly, isn’t it about time to either change your oil or add some to the engine? Yes, companies are made up of a lot of cylinders working together as the company moves toward its strategic destination. But, without the presence of a consistent, high quality grade of oil, it may find itself broken down and smoking on the side of the road while its competition thunders by. I appreciate you allowing me to play with the above analogy. Unfortunately, too many folks still see project management as “that program you bring out of storage for a particular occasion” and not for what it really is ~ planning, execution, and leadership skills needed to deliver on strategic promises. Always remember to Lead the Way! --BBiillll SStteewwaarrtt



It seemed a lot less complicated

when we just went hunting.







The PM’s Advocate The Advice Column for the Wearied, the Disoriented, and the Fed-up Project Managers of the World

Welcome to the PM’s Advocate. The focus of this issue is the interpersonal struggles that often accompany project teams. Team Members Who Reject All Others’ Ideas

I am having difficulty with a member of my team, “Brian”, who refuses to consider the ideas of other members of the team. He is more experienced than some of the members of my project team, but he doesn’t consider the expertise of the others. How can I get him to adopt a more cooperative attitude before he ends up making enemies of everyone? You must determine why he shuts out others’ ideas. This will guide your response to Brian’s actions and assist him in becoming a more productive member of the team. Is Brian simply trying to establish himself as a valuable member of this team? It may be that he is imposing his ideas as a method to prove his worth, not diminish the expertise of others. If so, consider how you might lead discussions with a positive spin when your team meets together. For example, perhaps it is Brian’s idea that allowed another team member to formulate a better solution. If so, ensure that Brian receives credit for his contributions to the teams’ ability to build stronger ideas. Is Brian not used to working within a team and more of an independent worker? If so, then give Brian the time and opportunity to learn to collaborate. Additionally, Brian will probably be most satisfied working within the team if he also feels that he has independent work elsewhere within his project responsibilities.

He needs feedback from you as his project manager as to where he is collaborating well and how he can improve. It is possible that past experience has caused Brian to take the reigns because he has been expected to do so in the past. Collaboration may be foreign to him. If Brian is used to taking on a leadership role then find ways within the project where he can play this part. Also, encourage him that he can only continue to grow his leadership professionally if he listens to others and allows collaboration and delegation of ideas to occur. Regardless of the reason for Brain’s actions, be sure to apply a positive spin on your discussions with him while also being very forthright about your expectations for his ability to perform and contribute. Team Members Who Don’t Bring Up Their Problems Openly “Donna” is an important member of my project team. She is very experienced and quite valued. The problem is that she can’t admit that she’s not perfect. And, when problems occur regarding her deliverables, I don’t find out until after the damage has been done to the project’s schedule or budget. How can I convince her to come to me earlier with her problems? The PM’s Advocate continued on page 4



The 7th Annual International PMO Summit (IPOS ‘07) Executives and professionals come together to set the direction for program and portfolio management.

For project, program, and portfolio professionals looking for opportunities to brainstorm and network with other like professionals, the only learning conference to consider is the International Program Office Summit (IPOS).

An Amazing Location Just last week, the 7th Annual International Program Office Summit (IPOS ‘07) was held at the Jekyll Island Club Resort. The location for this year’s IPOS was at the lucrative Jekyll Island Club. It was founded by turn of the century tycoons and politicians as a retreat for brainstorming and relaxing – a perfect locale for IPOS attendees. Industry tycoons such as J.P. Morgan, William Rockefeller, Vincent Astor, Joseph Pulitzer, William K. Vanderbilt and other recognizable names such as Macy, Goodyear, and Gould had built their vacation retreats at Jekyll Island.

Exciting Presenters Excellent keynote speakers and panel members shared their experiences and secrets with attendees. Paul Bunch of Merck & Co., presented Merck’s implementation of a PM transformation project along with their key challenges and lessons learned throughout the project. Lisa DiTullio-Harvard Pilgrim Healthcare, described how they established a strategic, enterprise-wide EPMO. Mark Maitland from National Government Services, showed us how interpersonal skills and finesse contribute to the success of projects. Gil Paist-Department of Treasury, described how their PMO entailed the creation of best practices and tools for pm’s. Patti Layne of UT MD Anderson Cancer Center, delivered a presentation on how they identify problems with the delivery of IT projects and processes and how they established the PMO in order to overcome these problems. Samantha Dunbar, Wachovia Bank presented on how their portfolio management activities add value to Wachovia and how it aligns with their strategic vision. Bill Stewart of Project Management Leadership Group wrapped up IPOS ’07 with a presentation on how project management is an invaluable business discipline.



CPMer Spotlight!

Mario Valenciano

Mario was recently voted CPM Top Dogby his peers because of his outstanding leadership and project management skills demonstrated.

Congratulations, Mario!

CPMer Spotlight!

Mario Valenciano



CPMer Spotlight!

Mario Valenciano



There could be a few reasons why Donna has adopted this kind of behavior. It may well be that she is a simple perfectionist who doesn’t like to admit to a problem. It could also be that she has worked in past experiences where she was shot down for bringing up problems early or even told to fix problems on her own without communicating them upward. The best way to deal with this is to sit down with Donna and determine why she feels compelled to hold information from you, the project manager. Be sure to explain to her that you don’t expect her to be perfect, but you always expect her to honestly articulate circumstances that could present larger difficulties to the project whether or not they are within her control. Also, always be sure that she receives whatever support you are capable of giving her to help her overcome problems before they blow out of control. In time Donna can learn to trust you, but you should ensure that you are clear about your expectation that she cannot keep problems under the rug.

Upcoming Events

Leadership is Not a Job Title presented by Bill Stewart October 8 – Atlanta, GA – PMI Global Congress MSP Workshop October 11&12 – Atlanta, GA CPM & ITCPM Boot Camp October 14-19 – Dallas, Texas PMP Exam Preparation October 22-25 – Atlanta, GA Leadership & Team Building November 1 – Atlanta, GA Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) Approach November 2 – Atlanta, GA How Project Management is Changing the Business World presented by Bill Stewart November 13 – Singapore – World PM Week

For more events…visit: www.pmlg.com

The PM’s Advocate continued from page 2

Congratulations! To our CPM Boot Camp™ Graduates who are

now CPM™ Certified! John Briesemeister Vicky O'Reilly James Caldwell Teresa Oglesby Alex Curto Michelle Orr Patricia Furtado Neil Poling Kevin Grimes Latonya Pouncey Saundi Harrison Tony Satinsky Jessica Hoch Elizabeth Smith Sonya Holder Jana Thomas Ken Hunter Albert Thompson Chris Jensen Jennifer Vaickus Daniel Jones Michael Varriale Dan Jurden Kevin Wiersma Elizabeth Lake Chris Williamson Chris Martinez Laura Wilson Kellie McWhorter Karina Wong Christian Nunez Yanqi Xu

And, to our PMP® Exam Prep Students who are

now PMP® Certified! Elizabeth Ann Bocage

Marryshow Peter Helliar Tasha Coleman Kevin Kerr Christopher Cummings Daniel Mootz Dale Hamblen Dionne Williams

“PMI”, the PMI logo, “PMP”, and the PMP logo are registered marks

of the Project Management Institute, Inc. PMP® Prep Question of the Month: The correct answer is B.

the newsletter for project & portfolio managersnow PMP® Certified! Elizabeth Ann Bocage Marryshow...

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