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1 Managing up – Keeping projects from falling down Your presenter is: Alison Sigmon, M.Ed., LPC, PMP

Managing up to keep your projects from falling down

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Managing up - Keeping your projects from falling down. Think managing up is just brown-nosing in disguise? Think again. Managing up in projects done well will bring clarity, commitment, ownership, and support your project needs to meet time lines, get resources, and nail project objectives. In this webinar we will explore how to work with higher ranking stakeholders in way that gets results and creates wins all around.

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  • 1. Managing up Keeping projects from falling downYour presenter is:Alison Sigmon, M.Ed., LPC, PMP1

2. Whats on tap for our time together today Check roles and responsibilities Managing up is not kissing up Assess, Prep, & Deliver to senior management What you do defines you Hot tips, best practice Conclusion 2 3. Project roles &responsibilities3 4. Project team members Project Manager Functional Managers Team MembersBusiness PartnersSponsorSenior Management4 5. Project family membersProject Manager Project Manager Plan, coordinate, & integrate work efforts of the project Provide leadership and motivation Communicate with stakeholders Manage expectations & conflict Functional ManagersTeam Members Present issues & make recommendations Be proactive & organizedActively problem solveFacilitate and control the workMaintainStakeholders focus & commitmentSponsor Understand the(Business Partners) project management process Predict, embrace, & influence the organization Manage & use resources efficiently and effectively Obtain authority to make decisions and take risks in theSenior Managementbest interest of the project5 6. Project family membersSenior ManagementProjectsProject Manager Gives project managers authority to get the work done Approves the final project plan Addresses conflicts beyond the project managers control Gives time for planning Sets Managers Functionaltriple constraint priorities MembersTeam Issues and signs the project charterProcessSupports the project management processWorks with stakeholders to finalize requirements Stakeholdersstatementand scope Sponsor(Business Partners)Clearly communicates project expectationsSupports risk identification and contingency planningProject EnvironmentProtects the project from external influencesSenior ManagementOrganizes work into projectsDetermines priorities among projects6 7. Obstacles to together At any given time, one-third of 90% of PMs time isthe workforce is redoing thespent communicating. other two-thirds work. Working at cross purposes; Unclear expectations Competing agendas and priorities Turf politics Lack of alignment or common direction firefighting results Agreement on the plan but actions not consistent with decisions Candid communication and collaboration inhibited Questionable strategies accepted out of fear of retaliation Processes not used Mixed environmental messages about work priorities Lack of executive management support & stakeholder availability80% of executives say they dont setaside enough time for analyzing the 65% of top executive teamsroot cause of problems.say trust is an issue. 8. Work together differently Managing projects to Coach successful completion meansTeam working across lines of business with people who might have quite different interests.Peers The trick is to get themCollaborate Senior moving in a commonManagement direction. But the approach changes based on who they are. Manage Up8 9. Managing up is not kissing up According to Thomas Zuber and Erika James, managing up is the process of consciously working with senior management to obtain the best possible results for you, for them, for the business, and for the project. not Itspolitical maneuvering or kissing up. It is a deliberate effort to bring understanding and cooperation to a relationship between individuals who often have different perspectives.9 10. Managing up is stretchingWhen someone tells you that you need to manage up, what he or she is really saying is that you need tostretch yourself. You need to go above and beyond the tasks assigned to you so that you can enhanceyour managers work, says Rosanne Badowski, co-author of Managing Up: How to Forge an EffectiveRelationship With Those Above You. Find out what level ofcommunication seniormanagement needs. Understand what issuesand concerns areimportant to them. Figure out how you canhelp them succeed.So whats a project manager to do? 10 11. Own itWhats the best option?Take the bull bythe horns andTake Charge! http://mychinaconnection.com/english-idiom/take-the-bull-by- the-horns-a-way-to-solve-a-problem/11 12. Advising upwardsAdvising upwards might be closer to what project managers do with seniormanagement. Its a PMs job to get clear fast on where SM should focus on. Build credibility and trust Show up with solutionsMinds cant be changed overnight Senior management needs to advise uptooRisk is not bad news Understand their expectations and drivers Know that Style matters Become an influencer Dont assume youve got a handle on theirviews Take care of the relationship Dont assume they know the what, why,and how on your project12 13. You might want to consider a few things before diving in. 13 14. Assess, Prep, & Deliver Continue to care & feed those relationships14 15. Care & feeding start to finish Build the relationship early & often Be thorough & follow through Credibility Be realistic about what you can & cant do Know when to get their input Get clear on requirements Agree on timelines Alignment Understand communication expectations Define your authority Know their motivations Identify what is a win for them Priorities Assess feasibility relative to project resources Know what they care about today15 16. Assess when managing up Style matters Leverage strengths Know pet peeves16 17. Style matters Communication Experience Understand the senior managers preferred communication style and flex to it.ConsumptionReaders. Information on paper first so they can understand.Listeners. Hear the information first then written version.Doers. Dive into brainstorming together.FormatAnalytical. Need data to support presented ideasConceptual. Just need high level points.Skeptical. Evidence of success in other situations.Frequency & MethodAnalytical. Need time with data. Spreadsheets.Driver. Key points. Fast.Expressive. Live more often than not. Visual.17 18. Leverage strengths, compensate weaknessesLearn senior management stakeholder strengths and selectively use them.Strong in communication recruit them to be a champion.Big picture oriented leverage them as a liaisonWiz at resourcing ask for help with staffing needsCompensate for their weaknessesKnowing where theyre weak means you can find ways to better support. Doing things totake the load of can go along way to them supporting the project when you need it most.18 19. Pet peeves Watch for hot buttons What sets them off or irritates them? - Being late - Poor spelling and grammar - Swearing - Not contributing Listen to them. Watch them. They will tell you or someone else will convey pet peeves verbally or through their behavior.19 20. Prepping for managing up Time, Timing, & Trends Communicate, communicate, communicate! Present20 21. Time, Timing, TrendsRight information at the right timeThey need information but it must be specific to their needs, help them do theirjob, and help them make their decisions. Brevity scores. Make the point in 30 seconds Smell it before stepping in it. Know the difference between an issue and a risk Deal with it. Dont go to them for every little thing Avoid the carpet. Dont wait until its too late to share problems21 22. CommunicationRight information the right wayManagers are busy people. Communicate and never assume your bossunderstands the why, what, and who of the project. Consistency counts. Instills trust and confidence in you. Flex for them. Communicate in the format they like to see in it. Loop them in. Whenthey are left out of the loop for too long, they start to get antsy. Kill assumptions. If you leave them wondering, they usually think the worst. Have it their way. Figure out what info they need. Figure it out fast and get it to them.22 23. PresentRight information to the right personSenior management needs information to be fast and succinct. Considerwhats important to them, but also know whats important to the project.Balance their needs with the needs of the project.Be crisp, clear and articulate. Know your stuff inside and out & be ultra prepared when presenting.Have purpose. Consider why youre meeting with this person. Change an attitude? Get a decision?Be targeted. Reach out to the right person.Right content. Consider their preferences. Diagram? A spreadsheet? Bullet points?Political pulse. Stay in touch with their attitude about the project.Be helpful. Yours is not the only project on their plate.23 24. Delivering to senior management What to do when meeting Tips to facilitate the discussion Disagreement Your behavior defines you24 25. While in the moment with SM Remember the range of acceptability. Know your project needs. Undersell and over deliver. Dont make promises you cant keep. Know your numbers. Be realistic with the timeline and budget to accommodate for unforeseen challenges and cost increase. Make the time productive. Focus on solutions not problems. Be objective. Its not about you or them. Its about the project. Draw pictures. People are typically visual. Be timely, factual, & clear. They will respecthttp://papershine.com/archives/2006/ you for it even if they dont like what they hear.25 26. Discussion tips Be professional. Separate the people from the problem Start with end first. Get to the point then fill in the gaps. Tell the truth. Give them all the facts. Dont tell them what you think they want to hear. Seek feedback. Listen, understand. Take control.Propose a solution & outline a plan of action. Keep the big picture in mind. The project supports the business & customers. Follow up. Do what you say youre going to do. http://www.wired.com/epicenter/2008/01/four-tricks-com/26 27. Its okay to disagree but Speak up when you know its not in the best interest of the project, the business, or senior management. Use the project charter, methodology, business objectives, etc to challenge decisions. Be thoughtful about how you disagree and debate. Cant keep saying yes. Scope creep will happen. Your project will likely fail in that case. 27 28. Always remember project priorities come firstThey want what they wantwhen they want it but No one stakeholder type is moreimportant than the others. Customers are not more importantthan technical staff. Vendors are notmore important than employees. Assess high priority stakeholdersand deliverables against the projectneeds. Part of managing up is helpingsenior management understand that.Highlight and give options within thetriple constraint.28 29. What you do defines youDont go over their head orbehind their back. Itll makethings more difficult for yourproject.Build trust with seniormanagement before going totheir peers without themknowing.29 30. What you do defines you continuedAvoid throwing a stakeholder under the bus even if itis deserved. It usually has to be cleaned up by SM andthey hate it.Dont burn bridges with stakeholders particularly SM.You may end up working for the person youve injured.Make your project stakeholders look good.Dont write long emails. They dont have time and itmight garner input where you dont want it.30 31. Hot tips, best practice for managing up Pick tools that help the project & thestakeholders stay informed Gut check your role in the project Always listen, gain understanding Use levity, humor when appropriate Ask for help when you need it Consult with others even other execsfor advice Make it easy for them Keep the big picture in mind31 32. In conclusion Be clear on roles, responsibilities, and project needs. Be flexible but dont always bend if its not in the best interest of the project. Assess, prep, and deliver the right information to the right person in the right way at the right time. Consider the receivers style and communication needs. Do your homework & do what you say youre going to do. If you cant, let them know ASAP. Questions???32 33. Thank you! Alison Sigmon, M.Ed, LPC, [email protected] Twitter @alisonsigmon33