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Acquiring the Best Talent for Crucial Project Leadership Roles

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Acquiring the Best Talent for Crucial Leadership Roles

Introduction

Leadership Roles in Context

Challenges/Impact

Best Practices

Next Steps

Q&A



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Leadership Roles in Context

"The quality of leadership, more than any other single factor, determines the success or failure of an organization."

-Fred Fiedler and Martin Chemers in “Improving Leadership Effectiveness”


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Portfolio Management

Lifecycle Management

On Specification

Project Management

On Time On Budget

Execution Leadership

Technical Execution

Strategy/Governance

Project, Portfolio & Lifecycle Management:Leadership Roles in Context



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The Integrated Process Framework:

Software

Development

Lifecycle

Architectural

Engineering

Design

Consumer

Products

Biopharma

Development Government (includes Aerospace

& Defense)

Deliverables Deliverables DeliverablesDeliverables Deliverables

Project management = Business controls: On-time (Schedule), On-budget (Cost)

Portfolio management = Right projectsPlan/Select/Measure/Respond

Lif

ecyc

le M

anag

emen

t “O

n S

peci

fica

tion

”


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IT Methodologies

On Specification

Project Management

On Time On Budget


Technical Execution

Strategy/Governance

Business Analysts, DBAs, Solution Architects

Program Mgrs, Project Mgrs, Schedulers, Project Administrators

DevelopmentQA

Documentation

Leadership Roles in Context: Information Technology


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R&D Methodologies

On Specification

Project Management

On Time On Budget


Scientific Application

Strategy/Governance

Clinical Research Analysts CRO Management, Study Director

Medical Affairs Director

Clinical Trials ManagersProgram Mgrs, Project Mgrs Schedulers, Project Administrators

Medical Writers, Data Analysts Clinicians, QA

Clinical Research Associate

Leadership Roles in Context: Pharmaceutical Industry



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Challenges/Impact

“Challenge is a dragon with a gift in its mouth. Tame the dragon and the gift is yours.”

- Noela Evans



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Challenges

Unrealistic timelines

Unclear requirements

Hiring technical talent vs. leadership talent

Overemphasis on skills vs. results

Process gaps (client and staffing partner)

Staffing as a commodity

Cost of commoditization

Inability to meet objectives with suboptimal team



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Challenge: Unrealistic Timelines

• Planning with procurement often takes longer than expected

• Aligning candidate availability with realistic onboarding date

• Best leaders aren’t always the most available leaders• Competing with too many other high priority initiatives

• You need the person you’re hiring in order to make time to hire the person…

• Multiple inputs to decision process • Unrealistic understanding of time commitment necessary

to “get it right”

Expectation: Staffing

process is quick



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Challenge: Unclear Requirements

• Understanding what capabilities are really needed

• Providers need to understand the “big picture”

• Whisper down the lane: Hiring Manager Recruiter Provider

• Difficult to know what you’re looking for prior to meeting potential candidates

• Requirements sometimes need to change (to compromise?) in order to align with who is available vs. who is optimal

Expectation: We need the right

person now!



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Challenge: Hiring Technical Talent vs. Leadership Talent

GIPS & GAW vs. technical “know-how”

• Cultural alignment trumps technical knowledge

• Misaligned values are more difficult to overlook

Leadership talent is much more difficult to assess

• Leadership is taken and not given: Often creates challenges for contracted leaders

• Some people make things happen, some people watch things happen, and some people ask…



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Challenge: Overemphasis on (technical) Skills vs. Results

• Work history and education• High initiative and self-motivation• Flawless execution• Leadership of teams• Similar success• Adaptability• Personality and style• Cultural and team fit

Expectation: You need someone who will

effectively get the job

done



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Challenge: Process Gaps (Client and Recruiter)

Spending the time to help partners “get it right”

Providing feedback

Trusting provider references

Funding confirmation

Aligning expectations among provider - procurement - requestor



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Challenge: Staffing as a Commodity

• “Redo” – rarely happens• Morale

What is the cost of getting it wrong vs.

getting it right?

• If the replacement cost doesn’t act like a commodity, can it really be a commodity?

Easy replacement mentality vs. what

would it really cost to replace the resource?

• Commodity = Vendor?• Value add = Partner?Which relationship do

you need?



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Challenge: Cost of Commoditization

What are the real costs of sub-optimal hires?

• Hiring costs: fees, training• Lost opportunity costs: revenue, profit,

efficiency, customer loss• Excessive management, mental

anguish, frustration, wasted time



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Challenge: Inability to Meet Objectives with Suboptimal Team

Hiring the wrong key leader causes the whole team to fail

• The leader “sets the standard”: Poor performance from a leader sets a standard of poor performance for the team

• An expectation is set that poor performance is tolerated: Other team members know this person isn’t living up to expectations



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Best Practices

“Historical methodology, as I see it, is a product of common sense applied to circumstances.”

- Samuel E. Morison

#1



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Suggested Best Practice

Communicate process and

define requirements

Find the best candidates

Review/ compare/select

for follow-up

Prepare for candidate interview

Conduct interview

Select the right candidate

Conduct the post-decision

process



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Best Practices: Communicate Process and Define Requirements

Once need is identified, communicate process and target dates to interested parties

Identify requirement and confirm the position is approved and funded

• Substantial department goal: Describe the situation or problem• Obstacles: What obstacles to success will the person encounter?• Action: What action will overcome the problem (implement, manage, organize, develop create)?• Results: What results will define success?

Understand what’s really needed (right ratio of technical vs. leadership talent)

Define the plan/timeline for interview/selection/hire

Ensure internal constituents are in agreement as to priority: HR, Finance, internal team members, stakeholders

Balance job skills vs. results



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Best Practices: Find the Best Candidates

Decide how to fill the need

• Internally• Externally, with internal sourcing• Externally, via partners (need to identify the best staffing partner)

Communicate requirement and (if necessary) hire and solicit staffing partner(s)

Communicate the requirement, including the “big picture” clearly



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Best Practices: Review/Compare/Select for Follow-Up

Be crisp/timely with scheduling, running interview, following-up – in front of the candidate

Respect candidates. The best people are not a commodity – don’t treat them as one

Develop results vs. skills matrix and score and compare each candidate• Excel spreadsheets provide objective means (skills vs.

results matrix )



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Best Practices: Prepare for Candidate Interview

Use the results from skills vs. results matrix to determine focus areas for interview

Use a structured assessment tool to collect feedback

Assign roles for all involved internal parties

Set the stage before asking questions• Get candidate excited about job• Discuss critical success factors• Share candidates role in the future vision

The success-based interview:• Use pre-structured core questions• Focus on self-motivation/governors of success• Train yourself to always ask for examples



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Best Practices: Conduct Interview

Drilling in to candidate’s ability to deliver required results

Define what the candidate will need to be good at and explore this during the interview

Force yourself to postpone biases• Don’t fall victim to 1st impressions – remain objective (phone screen prior to face-to-face interview

helps)

Use the interview to evaluate the 5 best predictors of long term success:• High initiative• Flawless execution• Leadership: Execution by leveraging through others• Past success• Adaptability (to your environment)

Listen deeply and be respectful



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Best Practices: Select the Right Candidate

Utilize skills vs. results to objectively select the best candidate• GIPS and GAW over technical skills?

Coordinate among all parties

Review and select candidates provided by staffing partner(s)



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Best Practices: Select the Right Candidate

Include ratings in the following areas:• Work history and education• Initiative and self-motivation• Flawless execution• Leadership of teams• Similar successes• Adaptability• Personality/style• Cultural and team fit

Include data gathered from standard interview questions

Collect substantive feedback from all interviewers

Document key areas of concern

Validate thorough reference check (subordinates, peers, bosses, customers, vendors, etc.)

Provide feedback to everyone who invests their valuable time (value add = partner?)



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Best Practices: Conduct the Post-decision Process

Procurement/orientation/onboarding

Get the new person productive quickly• Badging• Technology• SOPs

Review all Best Practices process steps• Ensure all steps have been completed and communicated• Identify areas for improvement

Next steps…

Project Assistants



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Project Assistants’ Value Proposition

Project Assistants is a consulting firm that provides innovative solutions which ensure flawless execution of organizational strategy, typically in a project intensive environment.

Reduces risk Maximizes ROI

Speeds realization of

business value

Drives effective

organizational change



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Project Assistants’ Practices

Project & Portfolio Management

Services

Collaboration Services

Education and Competency Development

Application Development

Project Management Outsourcing

Platinum Staffing

ProjectCommander



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Next Steps…

Schedule a complimentary PPM Maturity Improvement Readiness Briefing Determine requirements for successful PPM improvements in your

organization Project management reporting Technology environment Resource planning methods PPM Governance

Review: Project Assistants methodology used to improve PPM capabilities through a

review of your organization’s current and desired future state Using a Roadmap to develop scope and justify investment in PPM and the

supporting PMO organization Common PPM challenges:

Ill-conceived PPM technology deployments & their harmful effect on PPM initiatives Common training and competency development shortcomings Finding the appropriate PM methodology and guidance



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Next Steps…

Contact Jan Goodman to schedule a PPM Improvement Readiness Briefing for your organization: 302.477.9711 Toll-free 800.642.9259 [email protected] www.projectassistants.com

Register for our upcoming webinars: Go to www.projectassistants.com/events.html to learn more about our

upcoming webinars.

Q & A

Contact Project Assistants:302-477-9711

[email protected] www.projectassistants.com

Conclusion & Adjournment

Thanks for attending today!