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August 2011
“The single biggest problem in communication is the illusion that it has taken place.”- Hans Selye quotes
Inside This Issue
From the Editors desk
Theme article -
Communication
Challenges
Featured article-
Towards a Project
Centric World
Aug-Sep 2011 chapter
happenings
Upcoming chapter
events
Leader Speaks
Book Review
Members Corner
Closing Note
Communication happens
Oral
Written
Virtual (tools)
Non-Verbal
VOLUME 6 ISSUE 2 OF FY2012 22 OCTOBER 2011
A Newsletter from PMI Pearl City Chapter, Hyderabad
―Communication works for those who work at it.‖
- John Powell
―Effective communication is 20% what you know and
80% how you feel about what you know.‖ - Jim Rohn
―Do not mix YOUR WORDS with YOUR MOOD!
Because you will get many OPTIONS to CHANGE your
MOOD, but you will NEVER get any OPTION to
CHANGE DELIVERED WORDS!!!!‖
Communication Challenges in Managing Projects / Programs!
To quote Peter Taylor's book, The Lazy Project Manager, "Reporting is not
communicating." Many Senior Executives don't have time to read fantastically accurate
and detailed reports - people are simply too busy to take that kind of deep dive.
Page 2 of 20
OCTOBER 2011 SPANDANA
Few important links
FAQs
PDU Qualifying
Activities
Volunteer Opportunities
Old Newsletters
Global Recognition
PMI Pearl City Chapter is a proud winner of the 2011 PMI® Community
Award for Chapter of the Year (Category II).
This award will be presented during October 2011 by PMI in recognition for
the 2010 activities, initiatives and commitment to promoting project
management within the community. This award honors and recognizes
chapters who have made the greatest contribution to the development and
implementation of the ends of the Project Management Institute.
Get Ready!
PMIPCC to plan for grand
celebrations of its 10th
anniversary along with many
connecting events and
conferences during 2012. Get
ready to participate, learn,
connect, enjoy and volunteer!
From the Editor’s Desk
Dear Readers,
There has been an overwhelming response and some wonderful feedback after the release of the last issue of Spandana during August 2011. We are
glad that most of the readers appreciated the efforts, structure and the content that was compiled and published.
We want to share some good news with you that during the last quarter PMIPCC has crossed the 1000 mark of its members count! Besides this most
gratifying development the chapter has been recognized by PMI as a winner for the 2011 Chapter of the Year award! The chapter wishes to
express its highest appreciation for the valuable membership and the unstinted volunteer support.
We believe that the key to success of this newsletter may not alone lie in collecting, compiling, editing and publishing relevant content and images on
an ongoing basis to the benefit and interest of our readers; it also lies in closely involving the chapter members and volunteers in doing so. We have
earlier sent invitations seeking member contributions and recognitions to publish in this issue; however the response has not been very encouraging!
We are in need of your support in this endeavor since we want to use this as a channel to provide insights to various path breaking events and
programs from the chapter and also to recognize praiseworthy accomplishments of the chapter members and volunteers. As informed earlier, through
Spandana, we want to bring out few thought provoking and informative articles on a select theme and a noteworthy feature in every issue to cater
to the interest of both new and seasoned practitioners in Project / Program / Portfolio Management.
As Project / Program management practitioners we might have attended some soft skills training sessions related to Communication and could have
also read few books; perhaps we could have extended the same to our project teams. However has that really been sufficient and has it solved all our
communication woes? If it has, then why do we face so many challenges regularly at our work place on account of poor or inadequate
communications? We hope for this October 2011 issue, our selected theme on ―Communication Challenges in Managing Projects / Programs
will be beneficial to you and your teams. The featured article is on ―Towards a Project Centric World‖ which I have read few years back where the
author talks about the need to look beyond IT projects into business projects and involve more business sectors into project management practices.
We are happy to start two new sections from this issue as announced earlier Leader Speaks and Members Corner! The chapter wholeheartedly
thanks Mr.Siva Kumar Nuti (SK) for spending his valuable time in answering our interview in a very candid manner which has been posted under
the space Leader Speaks for the benefit of not just our readers but many other project/program management practitioners!
Before the calendar changes into a new year this might be last issue for 2011. Season‟s Greetings in advance! Happy reading!
Enjoy..Learn..Connect..Practice..Share.. Looking forward to know your Spandana…
Best 3 feedback entries sent with your learning‟s and observations as well as the First 3 entries with concrete suggestions may get you
due recognition from the chapter! Do send your feedback to [email protected].
Lavanya A, PMP
Chief Editor, Publications and Communications
PMI Pearl City Chapter, Hyderabad
Page 3 of 20
OCTOBER 2011 SPANDANA
People in organizations typically end up spending over
75% of their time in interpersonal situations; thus it is no
surprise to find that at the root of a large number of
organizational problems is poor communications.
Effective communication is an essential component of
organizational success whether it is at the interpersonal, inter-
group, intra-group, organizational, within team members, with
project / program sponsors, with stakeholders, or external levels.
Faxes, teleconferences, video conferences, webinars, the world
wide web, and other technological advancements guarantee that
we can communicate with virtually anyone, anywhere today.
However, it's up to us to ensure that the messages we send are
clearly understood by the recipient.
Several senior project managers and program managers with
proven experience agree that many projects have been either
delayed or derailed due to communication problems. It may
therefore be advisable that project managers, even at the outset,
analyze and set up effective communication channels to facilitate
proper and timely exchange of information.
Communication affects performance. Therefore, if you want high-
performance teams working on a project, you need effective
communications entrenched to make sure you get these kinds of
results. Without well-established channels, it is likely that the
project will fail. Successful project managers typically have good
communications skills that include being able to effectively present
the issues, listen and act on feedback, and foster harmony among
team members.
In most organizations project managers need to be skilled in both
communicating downward to motivate their project teams and
communicating upward to influence their reporting managers.
Yet while inefficient communication with team members comes
with its own set of issues, ineffective communication with senior
management may put the whole project at risk.
In today‘s knowledge age, the whole person and relationships
matter. People matter the most because they are the most
important component for responsiveness and achievement of
project goals. Unlike scope, schedule and other resources,
people are best led not managed. When project performers
and stakeholders understand, are aligned, and motivated, the
project change moves from a proposal to reality. The alignment
is accomplished through relationships. Relationships are
created and evidenced by conversations / communication. A
relationship can be defined by the last five conversations that
shaped it so communication is critical. Relationships matter
because a relationship is where commitments are created.
There must be some suitable mechanism in place to ensure
that all information gets conveyed promptly and unambiguously
to the intended recipients.
The Importance of Effective Communication Tips to avoid and overcome Communication Challenges in Managing Projects / Programs!
- compiled by Lavanya A, PMP
According to a recent survey, the biggest cause of project
failures has been Poor Communication - as selected by
40% of the survey responders. The first question dealt with the
survey responders concept of the number one characteristic of a
good project manager. Not surprising, 52% responded that
the project manager needs to be a „good communicator‟.
In fact, Good Communicator far outdistanced everything else.
CCoommmmuunniiccaattiioonn ttaakkeess ppllaaccee tthhrroouugghh vvaarriioouuss mmooddeess ssuucchh aass
vveerrbbaallllyy iinn ppeerrssoonn oorr oovveerr tthhee pphhoonnee,, tthhrroouugghh ee--mmaaiill,,
wweebbiinnaarrss,, tthhrroouugghh mmeemmooss,, wweebbssiittee uuppddaatteess,, tthhrroouugghh
cchhaarrtteerrss aanndd pprroojjeecctt ppllaannss,, aaddddeenndduummss aanndd ssttaattuuss rreeppoorrttss..
Page 4 of 20
OCTOBER 2011 SPANDANA
Barriers to Effective Communication There are a wide number of sources of noise or interference that
can enter into the communication process. This can occur when
people know each other very well and should understand the
sources of error. In a project environment setting, it is even more
common since interactions involve people who may not have years
of experience working together with each other, communication is
complicated by the complex and often conflicting relationships that
exist at work. In a work setting, the following suggests a number
of sources of noise:
Who to Communicate?
Executive Sponsor /
Business Sponsor
Project Team Members
Customers / Clients
Partners
Community Stakeholders
Project Manager
Program Manager
Program Management
Office (PMO)
When to Communicate?
Communication schedule will
be driven not only by the
needs of the intended
audience and the availability
of the information to be
communicated. They can be
daily, weekly, bi-weekly,
monthly, bi-monthly etc.
based on the needs of the
project or the program. When
a critical milestone of a
project is nearby it becomes
imperative to communicate
more regularly.
A high percentage of frictions, frustrations and inefficiencies are directly traceable to miscommunication or lack of communication.
Project communication is about sending the right information
to the right people at the right time. For this purpose, there
should be a well thought-out communication plan put in place.
The Communications Management Plan should comprehensively
cover the methods for obtaining and sending out project
information and proactively take preventive steps to remove any
possible communication barriers.
The Major Elements of Project Communications:
What to Communicate?
Contracts / Statement of
Work
Project / Program Charters
Project / Program Plans
Status Reports
Project / Program
Dashboards
Minutes of Meeting /
Agendas
Issues / Risks /
Deliverables log
Progress updates
Best Practices / Lessons
Learnt
Reviews / Observations /
Milestones etc.
• Noise
• Inappropriate medium
• Assumptions / Misconceptions
• Emotions
• Distrusted source, erroneous
translation
• Language differences
• Poor listening skills
• Receiver distortion: selective
hearing, ignoring non-verbal
cues
• Power struggles
• Distractions
• Usage of too many jargons and
acronyms
• Defensiveness
• Perceptual Biases
• Lack of knowledge on the
subject
• Cultural differences
Do you know 93% of what you say remains unsaid!
It ain‟t what you say!
In today's scenario where virtual teams are becoming common,
communication is becoming increasingly critical as more and more
projects are undertaken in collaboration with multiple agencies and
thus faulty communication can have far-reaching repercussions. If
all people involved in a project or program are not kept informed
as to what is happening, there are many instances seen where it
can be chaos when changes occur.
TThhee ppuurrppoossee ooff pprroojjeecctt oorr pprrooggrraamm ccoommmmuunniiccaattiioonn iiss ttoo
eennssuurree tthhaatt aallll tthhee ccoonnnneecctteedd ppeerrssoonnss ggeett tthhee rriigghhtt
iinnffoorrmmaattiioonn aatt tthhee rriigghhtt ttiimmee aanndd sstteeppss mmuusstt bbee pprrooaaccttiivveellyy
ttaakkeenn ttoo rreemmoovvee aallll lliikkeellyy ccoommmmuunniiccaattiioonn bbaarrrriieerrss..
In difficult or uncomfortable situations, most people worry
about what‘s going to come out of their mouth. Truth is, GGeett
YYoouurr BBooddyy LLaanngguuaaggee RRiigghhtt and you have mastered the
most basic interpersonal communication skill. And the other 7%
will take care of itself.
Page 5 of 20
OCTOBER 2011 SPANDANA
How to Communicate?
There are many different means of communication available face to
face, e-mail, intranet, internet, regular mail, phone, video
conferences, reports etc., etc. These can be grouped into 2 groups:
"Push" communications and "Pull" communications.
Push communications requires you to push the information onto
the recipient as the name would suggest, while Pull
Communications requires the recipient to actively retrieve the
information from a central source. Web sites and centralized
repositories are examples of pull communications, while e-mail and
meetings are examples of push communications.
Separate history from future. Too much reporting of what
happened last week may not be of much value to the project unless
it contains information that will influence future decisions. Historical
data is needed by accountants and business administrators; project
managers, project leaders and team members need information
that is forward-looking, focusing on what might happen in the
future and what needs to be done to improve the situation.
Proactive communication can help overcome many mistakes.
How good are your Communication Skills?
Many years ago, a good project manager might have gotten away
with being a poor communicator. The business clients typically
didn‘t like it, but as long as the project manager could deliver, the
client may have been inclined to let them do their own thing. In
today's world, however, projects need to be undertaken in
partnership with the business, and this partnership absolutely
requires solid communication.
Here are some common problems that can be often seen to
undermine effective communications.
Sending an email and assuming that no response
means it is an agreement.
In today's world of high technology, we may not yet find a
person complain that they don't get enough email. Usually just
the opposite is true. We are bombarded with emails from those
who really have something to say, but unfortunately from people
who have the desire to copy EVERYONE, and also from those
that are just spamming. We as a culture have yet to master this
technology, which can allow the truly important information to
float to the top and the unimportant filtered out. It is a mistake
on the sender's part to assume that the message has been read
without any response.
Holding a meeting to discuss the subject and have no
minutes or results of the meeting to show for it.
We live in a fast-paced society and it seems like we are always
on the go, from meeting to meeting. But as the problems we
solve get more and more complex, it is ever more important to
document decisions and discussions and index them in order to
quickly reference them when questions arise. We often see prior
decisions get unravelled and teams go through a long drawn out
re-hashing of prior discussions ONLY to arrive back at the
starting point from which we came. Wouldn't it have been easier
to have reviewed prior minutes to understand how the decision
came to be, first?
Assuming that if someone is nodding their head in a
meeting, then they understand.
This is not just a cultural issue, but a fact that many people in
this world fear conflict and will nod their head in agreement only
to undermine the decision once the meeting is over. Don't be
fooled by a nod of the head. Work with each team member on
obtaining that confirmation back that, they understand the
discussion or decision. Allow them with the opportunity to ask
questions. If an individual has a tendency to not speak up in
meetings, work with that person individually to ensure their level
of understanding.
Not using explicit and unambiguous communications.
Have you ever been in a meeting and someone is going on and
on and on about a subject? Have you ever 'tuned' out only to
have to ask the person state their position again? Wouldn't it be
nice to state what needs to be stated - no more, no less?
How we communicate is affected by frame of reference,
emotional states, the situation and preferred styles of
communication.
IInnaaddeeqquuaattee
ccoommmmuunniiccaattiioonn iiss tthhee
ssoouurrccee ooff ccoonnfflliicctt aanndd
mmiissuunnddeerrssttaannddiinngg.. IItt
iinntteerrffeerreess wwiitthh
pprroodduuccttiivviittyy aanndd
pprrooffiittaabbiilliittyy..
Page 6 of 20
OCTOBER 2011 SPANDANA
If you find people are confused about their end-dates or if
they are doing work they don‘t need to do, think about
whether you communicated to them effectively or not.
Don‘t consider communication to be a necessary evil.
Instead, use it to your advantage to help your project go
smoothly with less frustration, less uncertainty and no
surprises.
Written Communications are vital in projects
For project managers who have had projects go wrong, there
always seems to be that one communication or decision that you
wish you had documented. Deciding what should be written and
what can stay verbal is a touchy road. You do not want to over
document so that your written documentation loses
effectiveness. However, you do not want to under document
either. The same keys that applied to formal versus informal
apply to written versus verbal. If it effects time, cost, or scope,
then it should be written. If it is just a quick update or just a
status conversation, then it can stay verbal.
Written communications are more effective when conveying;
complex information, information requiring future action, when it
is the receivers preferred style, a message that could be
misunderstood, a message that needs to be retrieved for future
reference.
Common Problems with Written Communication
To discover someone's primary mode of communication: (1)
Listen to the verbs they use; (2) Watch their eye movements
during a discussion; (3) Observe their behavior; (4) Ask how they
prefer to receive new information; and (5) Be aware of your own
preferences.
Some project managers unfortunately don‘t understand how to
communicate well and are poor communicators to begin with. If
you think you are in this group, you should look for training or
mentoring opportunities to become better skilled.
However, in most cases, the problems with communication are
not lack of skills, but a lack of focus and common sense.
Many project managers place communicating proactively on
the bottom of their priority list. When they do communicate, it
tends to be too short and cryptic, as if they are trying to get by
with minimum effort possible or it tends to be too lengthy and
mostly deviating from the intended focus point of the subject
causing misinterpretation and confusion.
The key to communicating is to keep the receiver as
the focal point not the sender. Try to think about what
the receiver of the communication needs and the information
that will be most helpful to them.
While creating a status report, put all the information
necessary for the reader to understand the true status of the
project including accomplishments, issues, risks,
dependencies, scope changes, etc.
For the most part, if you ever surprise someone, it is a sign
that you are not communicating effectively. (The only
exception is when the project manager is also surprised!)
As the late U.S. State Department
spokesman Robert McCloskey once
famously said, ""II kknnooww tthhaatt yyoouu bbeelliieevvee
tthhaatt yyoouu uunnddeerrssttoooodd wwhhaatt yyoouu tthhiinnkk II ssaaiidd,,
bbuutt II aamm nnoott ssuurree yyoouu rreeaalliizzee tthhaatt wwhhaatt
yyoouu hheeaarrdd iiss nnoott wwhhaatt II mmeeaanntt!!""
Virtually everyone handling projects has experienced times
when they were frustrated because they just couldn't "get
through" to someone. They felt as if they were speaking an
unknown language or were on a different "wave length."
CCoommmmuunniiccaattiinngg eeffffeeccttiivveellyy iiss mmuucchh mmoorree tthhaann jjuusstt
ssaayyiinngg oorr wwrriittiinngg tthhee ccoorrrreecctt wwoorrddss..
What about the solution?
There is more to effective communications than just being able to
express yourself verbally. You must be willing and able to
listen to others! Learning to listen is more than half the battle.
Listening is the way you learn what is going on and how it
affects people. Usually, when there is a problem in project or a
program, it's because the project manager or program manager
hasn't listened to what is going on until it's too late and the
situation has occurred.
WWhheetthheerr iitt''ss aa ffaaccee--ttoo--ffaaccee mmeeeettiinngg oorr aann oovveerrsseeaass ttrraannssmmiissssiioonn,,
ccoommmmuunniiccaattiioonn iiss aa ccoommpplleexx pprroocceessss tthhaatt rreeqquuiirreess ccoonnssttaanntt
aatttteennttiioonn ssoo tthhaatt iinntteennddeedd mmeessssaaggeess aarree sseenntt,, rreecceeiivveedd,, aacctteedd
uuppoonn aanndd uunnddeerrssttoooodd..
• Inadequate information
• Poor organization
• Imprecise word choice
• Grammar
• Tone
• Wrong sentence structure
• Overlapping / redundant / unclear data
• Irrelevant visuals or color codes
• Usage of jargons / acronyms not
understood by all
Page 7 of 20
OCTOBER 2011 SPANDANA
When it comes to project management, communication takes up 90% of a project manager's time. That's right, 90% of their time.
5. Set expectations clear when sending to groups -
Sometimes when decisions may require input from a select
group, by all means include them all in the TO: line - but
make it clear what is expected and by when. And if different
people have different tasks, highlight them early in the
email, ideally in the first paragraph. Don't leave the
assignment "hooks" until the end. Most people will skim and
stop reading before they get there.
6. "Tag" emails appropriately with urgency information
- If you all share the same email system on the project,
there are often automated tools and rules that you can use
in common, such as Exchange with Outlook. However, that
is not always the case. So make it simple use "A:" – Action,
"U:" - Urgent (with "!" importance flag), "I:" –
Informational etc.
7. Wait – Write the email, proofread it, and then sit on it for a
little while. Knock off a couple other tasks before you have
second look at it. If your emotions were flaring when you
wrote the email, a little time can allow these emotions to
settle, allowing you to evaluate the message in a different
light.
8. Pick up the phone! – While email can be a convenient
communication channel, certain discussions need to be
handled over the phone, or if possible, in person. If you
notice that the situation is starting to deteriorate, don‘t
send another email, it‘s time to pick up the phone or
arrange a face to face meeting.
References
Information for this article has been derived, in parts, from
o Project Communication Obstacles Adapted by Ivy N. McQuain MBA, Edited by: Michele McDonough
o Identifying Communication Styles For Business Success by Susan
Pilgrim
o Project communications: A plan for getting your message across By
Jason P. Charvat
o Project Communications - How to Keep Your Team Engaged and
Informed By Dave Nielsen
o How To Communicate Effectively by Marc and Angel Hack Life
o Project Communications: Cutting through the noise by Gary Nelson,
PMP
o PMI Knowledge resources
How can we solve email communication problems?
There isn‘t a single answer, but here are pointers for help:
1. Be Clear, Be brief – Write short email messages with a crystal
clear point. Be clear about why you are writing and what
response you expect. Do not write long winded confusing
paragraphs that leave room for misinterpretation.
2. Check relevance to the subject line – Always use a
indicative subject line. Email content should synchronize and
convey the message linked to the subject line and not deviate
from the subject line.
3. Proofread – Proofread your message multiple times. If the
email deals with touchy subject matter, have a third-party read
it over as well. This can give you added perspective on how well
it will be received by the intended recipient.
4. Verify who are on „TO‟ and „CC‟ lists – Preferably have only
one responsible person if you want action. Only one person
should be addressed in the "TO" line, the person responsible to
act on the email, others who only "need to know" but are not
responsible for the action should be in the "CC" line.
Email is an extremely popular form of
communication in both project and
program communications, but it can often
lead to major problems if the underlying
tone of the email message is
misinterpreted at one end.
If the parties involved are in different emotional states of mind, the
slightest disagreement via email can quickly spiral out of control
leading to a full blown argument. Similarly senders may often forget
that they need to make it simple for a receiver to read, understand
and act on it. Problems also arise when a sender assumes or
expects a receiver to read email multiple times to understand the
underlying message.
In a World so full of Emails!
Page 8 of 20
OCTOBER 2011 SPANDANA
Towards a Project-Centric World - by Mike Harding Roberts
As organizations become ever more dependent upon IT
systems to transact their business, projects become far
too important to leave to IT. Mike Harding Roberts considers
what "process-based" organizations such as banks and
insurance companies can do to become more engaged in
managing the projects that shape their future.
Strategic IT
"There's no such thing as an IT project" so said my boss many
years ago. "There are only business projects, some of which
involve IT, some of which don't." Now it‘s no longer the case.
Projects developing systems that will run an organization‘s
business are clearly critical to the organization‘s success, even
survival. Yet some organizations leave the management of these
projects to their IT department and they, the users, get involved
(sometimes reluctantly) when IT asks them to (which is usually at
short notice). How often has one heard "the project failed because
the users weren't properly involved"?
In process-based organizations, banks and insurance companies
for example, most work is triggered by external stimuli. Someone
walks in to cash a cheque, someone rings up to insure their car.
The resulting task is relatively short, virtually identical to many
other tasks, and is executed independently of other tasks.
Managers who grow up in these organizations develop a
management style appropriate to this reactive, immediate world.
Projects
People who grow up in project-based organizations have a
different work experience. From the age of sixteen when they
joined, say, as a bricklayer they were working to a project plan.
The customer does not ring up and say "Now lay brick no. 357."
No, the project plan determines when each task will be done.
Tasks can be long and complex, may have unique features, and
are most certainly related to other tasks.
People who run these organizations know all about planning. For
them the goal isn't so much to answer the phone within three
rings, but to achieve the project goal three years away.
At the extremes these are two very different styles of
management. The trouble is, when you come to do projects in
inherently process-based organizations there is a real opportunity
for culture clash. People may observe the resulting friction but not
realize its underlying cultural cause.
In the process world you make a decision and tomorrow you're
doing it that way. The idea that you must decide things in detail a
year in advance just does not ring true. Beside, his boss has given
him no headcount for extraneous activities like projects.
IT people will tell you that the three things most likely to make
projects succeed are planning, planning and more planning.
Whereas business people might tell you that they don't see the
need for all that planning - they in the business just get on with
the work and do it. And they may even see planning as an
irritating, initial delaying tactic used by IT people to avoid ever
doing any real work.
So, how do we overcome these cultural challenges? People who
run businesses are bright people - when it is explained to them
what projects are all about and why they are different, they
quickly get the message. But all too often nobody has taken the
trouble to explain what a project sponsor should do, what the
systems development process actually is, why and when the users
should be involved and so on.
Challenges and Changes
Many transactions, like holiday
insurance, are now completed
with no human intervention.
Computers increasingly perform
the day to day business processes
and consequently business people
are less and less involved in
performing the operational tasks.
What are they increasingly doing? Changing the business: new
products, new processes, new ways to market. And how does
organizations effect change? Projects. Projects are the way
change is affected.
In the past a business manager might have managed a number of
people all of whom were performing essentially the same
operational task. Now and increasingly, some of the manager's
people will be performing operational tasks but others will be
involved in projects - and some doing both concurrently.
Those involved in projects are not working for their boss; they are
working for a project manager.
Page 9 of 20
OCTOBER 2011 SPANDANA
Business Leadership:
Who are the project managers? In the past they would have been
IT people. Increasingly business people manage "IT" projects.
The business may even have a pool of people whose profession is
now project manager. They may well be certificated, for example
by the Project Management Institute. They will be called upon to
manage the organization‘s major projects, particularly systems
development projects.
All business people who become involved in projects (not just the
project managers) receive project management education.
However, invite a senior manager to a project management
course and he will see the words "management course" and
conclude he does not need another one of them! The idea that
project management is an additional set of management
techniques has to be sold.
The education is not how to use a PC based planning tool or how
to do PERT network analysis. It is not training in the bureaucratic
impositions of a complex methodology. It is not training in how to
pass a project management examination. It is training in how
projects are run.
It includes an insight into the black art of software development -
though the education reveals it isn't such a black art after all, and
that business people are quite capable of taking a leadership role
in it. The business, including the HR department, understand that
when an individual is managing a project they can have the title
"project manager" even though they are not a manager in the
organization. Similarly the title "project director" can be given to
an individual who is not a Director.
Business people understand that when they are assigned to work
on a project, full time or part time, they are working for the
project manager even if the project man-ager has a lower job
grade than them.
The project hierarchy takes precedence over company hierarchies
and seniorities.
The role of the business manager changes: they not only manage
day to day operations but also provide career management for
those people rented out full time or part time to project managers.
Servicing the immediate needs of the business and providing
people for projects naturally conflict. The business manager has a
more challenging management job. And they may also be thrust
into projects themselves, even into a project management role,
with no previous project experience.
In the past a company would have had a deep, static
management hierarchy designed principally to manage the
operational work being done by large numbers of people at the
bottom.
There were clear functional
chains of command - you had a
boss for whom you worked. The
need now is more for resource
pools: a pool of financial skill, of
engineering skill, of legal skill,
etc.
The people are available to do projects. In the extreme case if
there are no projects they have nothing to do. The company
hierarchy does not manage any work, it manages the people.
One-off project hierarchies manage the work.
Every year each person‘s boss gives him his appraisal based, of
course, on the input from project managers and others. A familiar
concept in project-based organizations, but a culture change for
hitherto process-based organizations. If business people do not
see working on a project as part of their "proper job" it is hard to
get their commitment. If the person knows his next appraisal
partly depends upon feedback from the project manager he has
an incentive to do the project work as well as he would his
operational work.
Project Culture
If project management is viewed as an IT discipline it is difficult to
get the business fully engaged in it. Most IT organisations have
project management standards. However these are often
integrated with technical IT standards, voluminous and perceived
as unnecessarily bureaucratic. Experienced IT hands don't need to
read them. Business people are often unaware of them or see
them as relating only to IT people.
Project management rules and guidelines must become the property of the business, not the property of IT.
Competitive Advantage:
AA sseenniioorr uusseerr oonnccee ssaaiidd aa pprroojjeecctt iiss lliikkee aa ttrraaiinn:: yyoouu ssttaarrtt iitt ooffff
tthheenn iitt ggooeess iinnttoo aa lloonngg ttuunnnneell aanndd eemmeerrggeess aass aa qquuiittee
ddiiffffeerreenntt ttrraaiinn nneeiitthheerr wwhheerree nnoorr wwhheenn yyoouu eexxppeecctteedd.. IInn hhiiss
ccoommppaannyy IITT wwaass tthhee ttrraaiinn ddrriivveerrss..
Page 10 of 20
OCTOBER 2011 SPANDANA
The project manager, from the business, must have weekly updates of status and the sponsor a monthly
report of status and outlook to completion. At major checkpoints the sponsor should be obliged to
authorize continuation, in writing, based upon an updated cost/benefit case: is the project still worth
doing?
Business people must see projects as being a part of their job, indeed an interesting and rewarding part.
They understand that projects build the future. They want to be part of that. Senior managers reward
project performance at least as much as performance in running day to day activities. Eventually business
people find it incredible that anyone would propose they should not be managing and taking leading roles
in projects, and find it hard to believe it was ever so!
Many organizations now have a full project management capability - they can comfortably work in project mode when the need arises.
Others are in transition. Others do not realize there is a transition to be made. Whilst running the business operations remains the key
focus, senior managers in project-capable organizations have the ability to manage projects as efficiently and effectively as they do the
business operations. They know that new products are born out of projects and that running these projects well means getting good quality
products to market sooner. They know that an effective project management capability confers competitive advantage.
Aug-Sep 2011 happenings at PMIPCC
As a part of the community development initiative, a
talk on the ―Role of Faculty in enabling the students to
transition from Campus to Corporate‖ was held on 6th
Aug 2011 at GNITS college which was conducted by
Ms.Nagini and Ms.Sunanda.
PMIPCC has setup a stall with support from volunteers
and volunteer leaders to promote PM in MBA students
and faculty during MTC Global Sankalp convention
held at FAPCCI auditorium on 27th Aug 2011.
As part of PMIPCC Clusters initiative, IBM conducted
its first cluster meeting on 29th Sep 2011.
Board members of the chapter participated in the PMI Region
11 Leadership Institute Meeting held on 7th and 8th Sep 2011 in
Bangalore before the Annual PM National Conference.
As part of its Membership reconnect drive, the chapter has
communicated to a database of 4500+ PMI members, PMP‘s,
prospects etc. from the region during the month of September.
The chapter conducted 6 training programs during Aug - Sep
2011 among which 4 of them were 4 day PMBOK workshops
for public and corporate participants. The chapter also initiated
contact classes to help the members and past participants to
prepare for PMP exam by organizing 1 day PMP Exam
Readiness Classes in Sep 2011.
About 100+ participants have been trained in the programs
conducted by the chapter during this period with the aid of
volunteers and faculty members.
Chapter volunteers at PMIPCC stall
during MTC Global Convention
Community development initiative at
GNITS College
Chapter leaders at PMI Region 11 LIM, Bangalore
Page 11 of 20
OCTOBER 2011 SPANDANA
Network Meeting:
Bipin engrossed the audience with his wit and graceful sense of
humour. The slides he presented were very simple yet drove right
to the point - that too quite effectively. He emphasized that a
CXO always looks at a PM as a trouble shooter and customers
actually cannot be termed as unreasonable. Bipin highlighted with
examples role of Communication and Negotiation in effective
Project Management and importance of follow up.
He suggested ways to influence projects, the focus imperatives
and how feed forward is needed today more than feedback. He
suggested audience to read the book on Execution by Larry
Bossidy and Ramcharan.
Jesse explained in brief the basics of Agile and how it works. He
mentioned about lean thinking, light weight methodology. He
used Forrester research data that showcased dominant approach
to IT. Jesse also shared trends in today‘s salary market and the
importance of Agile certification in the industry. He gave brief
overview of various Agile certifications.
Jesse along with Joe Kittan (Director, PMIPCC Academy) updated
members about the upcoming ACP 3 days workshop which for the
very first time is being launched by PMIPCC in November 2011 in
Hyderabad at a discounted rate to help the practitioners prepare
for PMI-ACP exam.
Those chapter members who completed their PMP certification
during Apr - July 2011 were felicitated with a certificate of
appreciation by Mr.Suresh Chandra (President, PMIPCC ) who
congratulated the new PMPs. Ms.Lavanya A (Director-Member
Services, PMIPCC) gave insights to various new initiatives taken
up for members and the upcoming events from the chapter like
PMBOK, CAPM, Agile and PMP exam readiness workshops,
webinars etc.
The meeting ended followed by sumptuous dinner and
networking. Most of the members expressed enthusiasm and
were looking forward for such opportunities to get together,
network, connect and also participate in interactive sessions on
interesting topics.
Two eminent guest speakers - Mr. Abhirama Krishna and
Dr. Susanta Misra shared their experiences with the members.
Abhirama Krishna handled the topic “Are your team
Network meeting pictures
Webinars:
Phalguna talked about challenges in Project Management and
importance of tracking Project Performance and highlighted that
A Project without Metrics is like a Car without Headlights! He
shared details with participants on metrics categories - Project,
Process and Product / Services. A good Project Manager should
have a mechanism to measure Time, Cost, Quality, Resources
and Scope of the project. This session provided an overview of
different types of metrics, how to choose right metrics and how to
manage them.
Phalguna shared mechanisms on when and how to collect,
communicate, control and report metrics. He also shared
examples of some metrics along with few project dashboards.
Sudhindra gave an understanding on the Project Managers role
for better results and performance, the key aspect being that A
Project Manager needs to play an integrator‘s role. He mentioned
that the entire success factor of a Project Manager depends on
planning. He made participants aware that there will be ups and
downs in the life of a project manager.
The evolution of Project Manager from an early practitioner till
mature practitioner till an expert and then the career path
towards program manager was explained with simple examples.
The first webinar session of this year was successfully
conducted on 30th Aug 2011 by Mr.Phalguna Ramaraju on
the topic What first time or new Project Managers need
to know about Project Metrics and was attended using
gotowebinar by some new Project Managers of the chapter.
The second webinar session of this year was successfully
conducted on 29th Sep 2011 by Mr. Sudhindranath Neela
on the topic The Essential Journey of a Project Manager
and was attended by some enthusiastic Project / Program
Managers of the chapter.
The Member Network Meeting was held on 19h Aug 2011
at Hotel NKM Grand, Hyderabad. Two eminent and
experienced speakers graced this event – Flt Lt Bipin
Pendyala and Mr.Jesse Fewell gave brilliant talks on their
respective topics, How effectively are you able to
influence and negotiate with your key Project /
Program stakeholders? and Agile Frameworks & your
career.
Page 12 of 20
OCTOBER 2011 SPANDANA
PMI ID Name PMP Date
1942682 Mr. Narasimha Addanki, PMP 18-Aug-11
2151580 Shamsheer Ahmed, PMP 18-Aug-11
2084699 Mr. Harinath Aithagoni, PMP 25-Aug-11
2123114 SIVA KUMAR AKKIRAJU, PMP 24-Aug-11
1593517 Mr. Ravi Shankar Allanki, PMP 17-Aug-11
2128399 KUMAR AMARDEEP, PMP 18-Aug-11
2124377 Raghavendra Kumar Apparaju, PMP 24-Aug-11
1682005 Mr. kamalakar - arakala, PMP 23-Aug-11
1481465 Mr. SANDEEP KUMAR ARDHAPURKAR, PMP 23-Aug-11
2016997 Dr. Metramulu B, Ph.D., PMP 18-Aug-11
2125693 Ashirvad Babu, PMP 24-Aug-11
2142235 Rajiv Baheti, PMP 30-Aug-11
2087677 Mrs. Vandana Baheti, PMP 23-Aug-11
1117469 Mr. Sai Kumar Bandi, PMP 25-Aug-11
1782671 Mr. Sanjay Kumar Bhandari, PMP 17-Aug-11
1841138 Mr. Murali Bhogadi, PMP 16-Aug-11
1897169 Mr. Ajay Bonam, PMP 19-Aug-11
1478609 Mr. Anirban Chakraborty, PMP 22-Aug-11
1968490 Mr. Rakesh Chalisgaonkar, PMP 02-Aug-11
1791591 Mr. madhav surya challapalli, PMP 29-Aug-11
1838396 Mr. Suresh Kumar Chapparapu, PMP 26-Aug-11
2110684 Mr. Deepak Chaudhary, PMP 29-Aug-11
2112250 Subrahmanyeswara Rao Chilaka, PMP 01-Aug-11
2062071 Mr. Sita Rama Raju Chodavarapu, PMP 22-Aug-11
1741549 Ms. Smita Choudary Katragadda, PMP 01-Aug-11
1547247 Ms. Rani Devadass, PMP 02-Aug-11
1642340 Mr. Srinath Devarshetty, PMP 10-Aug-11
2128835 Damodara Reddy Dodda, PMP 16-Aug-11
1852844 Mr. Mohammed Farooq, PMP 30-Aug-11
2016991 Mr. Sudarshan Raj G, PMP 18-Aug-11
1944023 Mr. Ravinder Narayan Ganla, PMP 19-Aug-11
2089038 Mr. PRAVEEN KUMAR GOURI, PMP 23-Aug-11
2039395 Mr. Mahesh Gudipati, PMP 18-Aug-11
2124462 Anamika Gulani, PMP 17-Aug-11
2081958 Mr. Mangaldeep Gundoju, PMP 17-Aug-11
1836171 Mr. Krishna Prasad Julakanti, PMP 24-Aug-11
2123323 Ravi Jupalli, PMP 24-Aug-11
1930467 Mr. Pinakin Dinesh Kakkad, PMP 16-Aug-11
2117552 Raghuram Kamarajugadda, PMP 18-Aug-11
2145009 Kala Kasavajhala, PMP 30-Aug-11
1292158 Mr. Amarender Reddy kesireddy, PMP 29-Aug-11
1248084 Mr. Mohammed Khasim Khadeer, PMP 26-Aug-11
2119489 Yelchuru Vishnupriya, PMP 04-Aug-11
PMI ID Name PMP Date
1928483 Mr. moinuddin khaja, Ph.D., PMP 22-Aug-11
1686828 Mr. Azhar Mohammed Khan, PMP 01-Aug-11
2144534 Srikanth Koka, PMP 30-Aug-11
1632086 Mr. Sathyanarayan Reddy Komirelli, PMP 26-Aug-11
1729733 Mr. CHANDRASEKHARA REDDY KOMMAREDDY, PMP 30-Aug-11
2124378 Srinivas Krovvidi, PMP 25-Aug-11
2158800 Pradeep Kumar, PMP 23-Aug-11
2127516 Rahul Kumar, PMP 23-Aug-11
2144568 Krishna Kishore Malisetty, PMP 29-Aug-11
2094507 Mr. Nageswara Rao Manchi, PMP 24-Aug-11
2122223 Srinivas Manne, PMP 18-Aug-11
1241052 Mr. Srinivas Sriram Mantrala, PMP 18-Aug-11
1712433 Mr. Aloysious Rosario Marian, PMP 23-Aug-11
2100226 Mr. Raja Kumar Venkata Naga Meruva, PMP 24-Aug-11
2075758 Mr. Biswaranjan Mohanty, PMP 30-Aug-11
1966682 Ms. Surya Kala Moturi, PMP 03-Aug-11
1837207 Mr. Chandrashekar Nateshan, PMP 23-Aug-11
2031350 Ms. Swati Nirwani, PMP 16-Aug-11
1175649 Mr. Venkata Ravikanth Parcha, Sr., PMP 18-Aug-11
2123087 Prasanna Pattam, PMP 29-Aug-11
2127637 UPADHAYAYULA PAVAN KUMAR, PMP 17-Aug-11
1941619 Mr. Ravi Shankar Pedaprolu, PMP 22-Aug-11
2143287 Vijaya Chand Peddi, PMP 25-Aug-11
1953612 Mr. Vikash Prasad, PMP 29-Aug-11
914000 Mr. Raghuram Pulla, PMP 24-Aug-11
1073393 Mr. harish punreddy, PMP 16-Aug-11
1202652 Mr. Rajesh Kumar Revelli, PMP 29-Aug-11
2118400 Venkat Sathyavolu, PMP 29-Aug-11
1953703 Mr. Sameer Saxena, PMP 25-Aug-11
2150769 Saijd Shaikh, PMP 22-Aug-11
1962909 Mr. Rahul Manohar Shinde, PMP 16-Aug-11
1792538 Mr. PRAKASH PANDURANG SHIRODKAR, PMP 23-Aug-11
2029518 Mr. Murali Mohan Siddojigari, PMP 30-Aug-11
2086877 Mr. Bharath Kumar Sole, PMP 24-Aug-11
1911028 Ms. Jyotsna Sripada, PMP 22-Aug-11
2008835 Mr. Harish Kumar Susarla, PMP 16-Aug-11
2094829 Mr. Sivaram Prasad Tadepalli, PMP 25-Aug-11
1878694 Ms. Shrividhya Aiyer Uppuluri, PMP 17-Aug-11
1179990 Mr. Ramakanth Urlam, PMP 18-Aug-11
1490563 Mr. Sastry Sree Rama Vadali, PMP 19-Aug-11
1977144 Mr. Raju Vaddadi, PMP 23-Aug-11
2023163 Mr. Eesh Dev Varma, PMP 29-Aug-11
2124094 Vijay Yadlapalli, PMP 29-Aug-11
LLiisstt ooff NNeeww PPMMPP‟‟ss ooff tthhee CChhaapptteerr iinn AAuugg -- SSeepp 22001111
Hearty Welcome to all the New Members of the chapter!
132 New Members have joined PMIPCC
and 84 old members have renewed their membership between Aug-Sep 2011
Page 13 of 20
OCTOBER 2011 SPANDANA
Upcoming National and
International events from
PMI and PMI India
PMI Leadership Institute
Meeting during 20-22 October
2011, NA
PMI Global congress 2011
during 22-25 October 2011, NA
PMI Singapore Regional
Symposium during 14-15
November 2011, Singapore
Project Management Research
and Academic Conference 2011
during 9-10 December 2011,
Pune, India
Member / Volunteer Recognition
Our chapter volunteer Ms. Sunanda Gundavajhala‟s outstanding volunteer efforts have been recognized with Recognition of Excellence Award by PMI in 2011.
Join us in congratulating Sunanda..
Volunteering for PMIPCC has revitalized me and has perked me up as no other PERK could. Networking and working has enhanced my knowledge and gave a fresh perspective on Project
Management. It is a great satisfaction and richly rewarding working as a volunteer. -Sunanda G, PMIPCC Volunteer for SLCB
New / Improved
Initiatives for our Members:
Igniting Spirit of Success –
Interactive learning
sessions
PM Mentorship Program
Professional development
initiatives
Knowledge Management
activities
New Member induction
program
Member Satisfaction survey
Upcoming Trainings, Events and other initiatives from PMIPCC
Bi-monthly Member Network meeting is on 28th Oct 2011. Exclusive Panel discussion
with senior business leaders from different industries on the topic
„How can Business Growth be enhanced through Effective Project / Program
Management Practices? What are the Challenges that need to be overcome?‟
October webinar is on 31st Oct 2011, topic ‗Managing and Working with Virtual
Project Teams!‟ Webinars will also be scheduled during November and December
2011.
Igniting Spirit of Success series –first interactive learning workshop for half day by
corporate business leader and eminent leadership mentor Mr.Abhirama Krishna is on
5th Nov 2011, topic „Crafting high performance teams through leadership‟.
Training Programs:
PMBOK Public Workshops (4 days, 35 contact hours)
22nd, 23rd, 29th, 30th Oct 2011
19th, 20th, 26th, 27th Nov 2011
10th, 11th, 17th, 18th Dec 2011
First time ever ACP Workshop (3 days) on 11th, 12th and 13th Nov 2011
PMP Exam Readiness Workshop (1 day)
CAPM Workshop (3 days, 23 contact hours)
Launch of PM Jumpstart - new Project Management Overview Workshop ( 1 day)
Customized PM Overview Pilot Workshop for Government for one AP District
collectorate officials (1 day)
First chapter volunteers meeting of FY2011 is scheduled on 5th Nov 2011 to
induct, involve, inspire and engage new volunteers actively in various activities.
Mini conference to be hosted by PMIPCC on the proposed theme „Business Realities
and Project Management Trends in 6 industry sectors Automobile, Defence,
Infrastructure, Healthcare, Real Estate, IT & ITES‘.
PMIPCC plans to launch elective course on Project Management for students of
Engineering and Management colleges from this year which will be conducted by the
experienced practitioners from industry who are volunteers of the chapter.
Page 14 of 20
OCTOBER 2011 SPANDANA
Leader Speaks
Siva has over 20 years of experience in the IT industry with a 10 year stint in the US providing managerial and technical consulting services to several Fortune 500 organizations. Siva brings demonstrated leadership in varied areas of Relationship Management, Business Development and Global Delivery requiring CXO level interactions. Siva is a graduate of Birla Institute of Technology and Science, Pilani and started his career at Tata Consultancy Services, Chennai in 1990. Subsequent to his stint at TCS, he has played several key roles in organizations such as CHC, IMRGlobal (/CGI), Satyam Computer Services Limited and HCL Technologies. Prior to joining GSS, Siva lead the Mainframe and Midrange technology practice at HCL in addition to leading global delivery for HealthCare and Life Sciences segment. Earlier on, in his career, Siva provided leadership for Mainframe technology practice, delivery leadership for HealthCare and Life Sciences segments. He was also part of the leadership development group at Satyam and took part in key organizational change management initiatives.
Leader Profile
Siva Kumar (SK) Nuti, Chief Operations Officer,
GSS Infotech Ltd.
1. Can you describe in brief about the importance of Project /
Program Management in your industry sector based on your
experience?
SK: In the IT Industry, especially in the context of work that is
outsourced to a company, projects are the core value creation
opportunities which help service providers forge sustainable and
long term business partnerships with their customers. A Project
is conceived to address a specific set of business needs.
Fulfilment of these needs in the budgeted cost, time and within
the acceptable quality standards forms the basis for building
trusted relationships between service providers and their
customers. This will lead to enhanced business opportunity for a
service provider. Project Management is one of the key
components to ensuring that the stated objectives are realized.
2. Since you come from an industry where most of the services /
solutions and projects deal primarily with the IT skills,
competencies and experiences, has communication been a real
big challenge in the successful delivery, innovation, business
growth and sustainability?
SK: Typically, customer organizations with whom we conduct
business are large and tend to be distributed across
geographies. Usually, a project requires cross functional teams
from across the organization coming together to spell out their
requirements and finally ensure that the outcomes meet their
expectations. An IT project starts with capturing the
requirements (from these cross functional teams), interacting
with various stakeholders on a continuous basis as the project
goes through design, build, test, install and user training phases
and ensuring that the expectations are met with. As you can
visualize, success of a project / program significantly depends on
communication and coordination with all stakeholders
through the project.
If you add offshore project execution to this mix, the complexity
is further multiplied. Organizations in the IT industry have taken
steps to minimize this complexity through the institutionalization
of processes. However, I believe that there is still room for
improvement in this key component.
3. What according to you is the key factor that is MISSING in most
of the Sr.Project Managers/Program Managers/Sr.Program
Managers today as per their expected role?
SK: In my observation, over the last 10 years or so, the
PASSION is either going down or missing.
Needless to say, there are several factors that may be
contributing to this. Some of the factors that I have come
across are as follows:
Ecosystems expectations / issues – o Availability of people with right skills and
experience o Availability of appropriate infrastructure o Misaligned / Mismanaged expectations between
customer and service provider (Sales, Delivery
and Corporate) o Manage with what is available / given mindset
Personal expectations leading to lower motivation levels
Competency of the Manager – I am stating this to be the
last factor as my assumption here is that organizations
would exercise enough diligence prior to naming someone
as Sr. Project / Program manager
Page 15 of 20
OCTOBER 2011 SPANDANA
SK: Demand Creation for services is essential to
business leadership. Understanding the customer needs
(business problems), customer behavior, markets, industry
trends and some amount of business finance are essential to
succeed as a business leader. Project / Program
management essentially forms part of what I call, Demand
Fulfilment and is a delivery function.
While this experience helps, I strongly advocate
professionals at the Program Management level to pursue a
career in Customer Relationship Management and
Sales (responsible for new business development) as this
will make them well rounded personalities and make them
acquire skills in Demand Creation leading to a career in
business leadership.
7. What are the various measures / parameters of Project /
Program management do you consider important for your
current organization? How can these measures impact your
business growth?
SK:
a. On time delivery b. First time right c. Business value delivered – instances where we are
able to offer consulting support to the customer
(where we are ahead of the curve)
Factors stated above leads to better customer experience
(delight) and most of the time lead to repeat business and
enhances stickiness, leading to business growth.
8. What kind of challenges do you often face in your business
related to people management?
SK: People are the most complex entities to manage and
successfully managing this complexity is essential in a
people industry. The common challenges faced are:
Expectations – People have a preference to work on
one technology Vs the other, work on a particular type
of project, as one is perceived to be superior
Attitude – I see people wanting to play much larger
roles that may not be supported by their learning or
experience; people seem to want the ―next thing‖
without walking that ―extra mile‖.
Attrition – The challenges stated above leads to
eventual attrition and issues associated with attrition
4. What should be the ideal selection criteria for the roles of
Sr.Project Managers / Program Managers / Sr.Program Managers
in your industry?
SK: In my observation, following are some of the traits in people
that made a significant positive impact on successful execution or
projects;
a. Strong desire / passion to succeed b. Strong communication and coordination skills (oral and
written) c. The attitude or ability to distinguish right Vs wrong and
be able to articulate the same d. Ability to manage expectations e. Ability to negotiate f. Ability to identify / set / balance priorities g. Strong people skills (understand team‘s needs, support
them and be there with them) h. Strong technology background – one or the other
technology, it does not matter (ability to connect with
people at a technical level matters) i. Strong delivery background – must have managed
people, projects j. Ability to understand customer behavior
In my experience, a large number of these traits are observed in
people who have spent a significant amount of time with the
customer, preferably at the customer location. I found expats
doing a great job most of the time.
5. Can you mention any key challenges that you have faced when
you transformed from a Sr.Project Manager / Program manager
to a business leader / unit head / regional head / CXO etc. in
your profession? What has aided you to overcome them?
SK: Good question. The challenges that I had to deal with are
primarily in meeting the expectations of the ecosystem. In the
Indian IT industry, the demands on a business leader are quite
complex and most often they deal with conflicting priorities
coming from various stakeholders. I transitioned from the US to
live in India in 2003 and used to believe in satisfying the
ecosystem all the time. The best advise that I ever received from
one of the leaders I was fortunate to work with was to be thick
skinned and follow the 80/20 or even 70/30 rule all the time.
Since then, I consciously practice ―Prioritization‖ and am very
happy if I am effective 70% to 80% of the time.
6. What should Sr.Project Managers / Program managers /
Sr.Program Managers be doing according to you in order to take
a career path towards becoming future business leaders?
Page 16 of 20
OCTOBER 2011 SPANDANA
9. Any suggestion to improve Project / Program management practices across the IT and ITES sector?
SK: I have seen a lot of emphasis on process orientation in the industry over the past 10-15 years. Organizations acquire certifications at
different levels on capability maturity. I would like all these champions to ask a simple question – ―Can I deliver a project similar to the
one I just completed, 10% faster, better, cheaper‖. If we are able to answer this question, then I consider that we have achieved
something.
I feel that People Capability Maturity (competency maturity) is as important as process maturity. I strongly believe that organizations in
the IT servicers industry must emphasize and truly become compliant on ―People CMM‖, prior to attempting higher levels of maturity on
processes. This obviously needs a systematic approach to human capital management and is an effort that takes a long time to achieve,
but I feel it is worth the time and effort.
10. Any suggestions to aspiring or new practitioners who want to steadily move towards Project Management from technology, sales, pre-
sales or functional management roles?
SK: It is important to experience 360 degree view of an organization if anyone aspires to achieve business leadership. I used to
advocate this to people who are on the fast-tracker program to business leadership. I recommend people to establish base set of skills
in a given function during their formative years in the industry depending on the career path they choose.
For someone aspiring to achieve business leadership, I recommend ―Delivery Project Management (Establish understanding of a
technology, intricacies of delivery and expectation management) Pre sales (gain an understanding of customer needs, competition
and construct solutions to win) Customer relationship management Sales Business leadership.
One should spend enough time in each of these functions to a) understand the function b) apply skills to make a difference. In my
observation, successful people have spent 5-6 years in building and achieving excellence at the foundation level and then spent possibly
2 to 3 years in each of the functions before getting to the leadership roles!
Book Review
This is the book that shows how to get the job done and deliver results. Whether you‘re running an entire
company or running a project or are in your first management job.
Larry Bossidy is one of the world‘s most acclaimed CEOs, a man with few peers who has a track record for
delivering results. Ram Charan is a legendary advisor to senior executives and boards of directors, a man with
unparalleled insight into why some companies are successful and others are not. Together they‘ve pooled
their knowledge and experience into the one book on how to close the gap between results promised and
results delivered that people in business need today.
In Execution, the authors dissect what Bossidy calls a leader's most important job. While Bossidy writes
about personal experiences from an executive's perspective, Charan digs into the practical application of the
actions Bossidy describes.
In the year 2000, 40 CEOs of the Top 200 Fortune 500 companies were let go. This is because sometimes even smart, highly regarded
people fail to produce critical results. Results they promised to deliver. Larry Bossidy and Ram Charan believe this is fast becoming an
epidemic not to the volatility or unpredictability of the business environment, but to the direct consequence of the lack of execution. The
thesis here is that execution – the real job of business leaders and the key discipline for success today – bridges the gap between what
leader want to achieve and the ability of their organizations to deliver it.
Page 17 of 20
OCTOBER 2011 SPANDANA
People then work together to create a strategy, building block by block, a strategy in sync with the realities of the marketplace, the
economy and the competition. Once the right people and strategy are in place, they are then linked to an operating process that results in
the implementation of specific programs and actions and that assigns accountability.
The Building Blocks of Execution:
What exactly does a leader who‘s in charge of execution do? How
does he keep from being a micromanager, caught up in the details
of running the business?
Know your people and your business.
Insist of realism.
Set clear goals and priorities.
Follow through.
Reward the doers.
Expand people‘s capabilities.
Know yourself.
Part I: Execution – The Fundamentals
There are three critical points to understand:
1. Integral to strategy, execution is a discipline that prosecutes the
three core processes of people, strategy, and operations with rigor,
intensity, and depth.
2. It is the major responsibility of the business leader, who gets
things done by taking responsibility of the business leader, who gets
things done by taking charge of running the three core processes
(no delegation).
3. Execution must be a core element of the organization‘s culture,
embedded in the reward systems and in the norms of behavior.
These points are built on seven essential behaviors of leadership, an
effective framework for cultural change, and having the right people
in the right place.
Leaders;
must know their business
have acquired a lot of knowledge, experience, and wisdom
which they must pass on to the next generation of leaders
directly influence the behavior of the organization and
behaviors deliver results
must change the beliefs that influence people‘s behavior
have the most important job of selecting and evaluating
people
Though the judgment, experiences, and capabilities of people
make the difference between success and failure, many leaders
do not pay enough attention to the quality of this resource – the
one thing under their control.
Instead they pay more attention to budgeting, strategic planning,
and financial monitoring, when they need to commit as much as
40 percent of their time and emotional energy to selecting,
appraising and developing talent.
Critical Point: Boards, CEOs, and senior executives place too
much emphasis on education and intellectual qualities and
neglect to determine how good a person is at getting things
done.
Part II: Execution – The How
If leaders model the right behavior, create a culture that rewards
execution, and have a consistent system for getting the right
people in the right jobs, the foundation is in place for operating
and managing the people, strategy, and operations processes
effectively. Bossidy and Charan stipulate that the people process
is the most important, for people create strategy and translate
strategy into operations.
“Follow-through is the cornerstone of execution, and every leader who‟s good at executing follows through religiously.
Following through ensures that people are doing the things they committed to do.” - Larry Bossidy
In the opinion of Bossidy and Charan the heart of execution lies in three core processes; the people process, the strategy process and the
operations process. Every organization uses these processes in one form or another, but Bossidy and Charan believe that most organizations
allow them to stand apart, like separate silos. An execution culture is about the intersection of the three areas.
The leader‘s most important job—selecting and appraising people—this is one that should never be delegated. As a CEO, Larry Bossidy
personally makes the calls to check references for key hires. Why? With the right people in the right jobs, there‘s a leadership gene pool
that conceives and selects strategies that can be executed.
Page 18 of 20
OCTOBER 2011 SPANDANA
A robust process:
accurately/exhaustively evaluates individuals
provides a framework for identifying and developing all
levels and kinds of leadership
is the basis of a strong succession plan
Most companies evaluate the jobs people do today instead of
focusing on whether individuals can handle the responsibilities
of tomorrow.
This kind of framework must be built on:
linkage to the strategic plan/milestones (near, medium,
and long terms) and operating target
including specific financial targets
development of the leadership pipeline through
continuous improvement
decisions on what to do about non performers
Most companies have three major flaws in their
budgeting/operations process:
1. The process does not provide for robust dialogue on the
plan‘s assumptions
2. The budget is built on desired results, but does not
specify the actions that ensure those results
3. The process does not provide coaching opportunities for
people to learn the whole business, nor does it develop
the social structure for working together for a common
cause
Thus, an operating plan must include the programs the
business is going to complete within one year:
product launches
marketing plan
sales plan
manufacturing plan that stipulates production outputs
production plan that improves efficiency to reach specified
earnings, sales, margin, and cash flows
Execution makes an important contribution to the leadership
literature as it offers a sensible perspective on the hands-
on/hands-off balance and provides a good counter-balance to
the books that simply advocate: think up a strategy, empower
your people and let go!
OOnn aa TTaannggeenntt!!
What are you waiting for?
Many times when we want to accomplish something,
we wait to get started.
We wait for better times, brighter people, more money, and on and on.
When we dream of some distant accomplishment,
we should consider timing.
Often we delay action until it is too late. We miss our windows of
opportunity by needlessly waiting to get started.
We must evaluate our reasons for delay and decide if they are really
valid. If not, what are you waiting for? Get started.
Want to start a new hobby, initiate a new plan, visit your hometown,
run a marathon, ride your bicycle across the country, start a family, or
investigate a new field? Get started.
If you don’t, you may miss your opportunity.
What are you waiting for?
You may not be able to dedicate as much time, but you can take tiny
steps, make new friends and refresh old memories. Taking active
steps in the direction of your dreams will help you prepare to jump at
the opportunity when it arises.
What are you waiting for?
Make a plan. Develop intensity for the project. Grow into the task.
What are you waiting for?
Source: www.ordinarypeoplecanwin.com
Page 19 of 20
OCTOBER 2011 SPANDANA
Organizations spend huge money and time on initiatives to
strengthen management of projects, but still we keep witnessing
examples of poor delivery performance, disappointment of the
customer, over-run etc. every year. One of the prime reasons
behind all these challenges is the need for greater strategic
perspective within organizations when it comes to project
management. Projects are challenging, and probably will always
be, but they must be strategically aligned to support the overall
strategy of the organization and in-line with the mission of the
organization.
Here are some recommendations on what project managers can
do to overcome these challenges:
Challenge #1 - Lack of Clarity in the Scope of the Project
The Scope Statement is the basis for project decisions & helps to
determine if the complete project or a project phase has been
completed successfully. This document will form the basis for an
agreement between the project team, the customer & project
sponsor.
Defining scope through the planning process keeps things in
control, reduces risks and the need for frequent changes. If
required, project team can redefine the scope even during
execution and aim to gain a clear understanding of the
stakeholders needs.
As the project progresses, one may find that the scope of the
project has changed. To address this, it is important to
communicate approved changes to all stakeholders because
success is measured by the ability to have achieved all the
requirements as outlined in the Scope Statement, with all
approved Project Change Requests.
Challenge #2 - Wrong tool for the job
Many companies attempt to manage projects using desktop
software applications like MS Project or MS Excel. The main
challenge with using desktop software to manage projects is that
these applications were not designed for collaboration between
geographically spread teams.
The minute such plans are emailed to the team, it‘s outdated as
the information is not real-time. Projects are inherently dynamic &
efforts change by the hour and sometimes minute.
A project management solution that is 100% web-based solves
these issues by allowing project managers and their team
members who are spread across the globe to access project
information from anywhere in the world, at any time. The project
information is centralized in one database and posted in real-
time, assuring that all project stakeholders can view the most
recent information about the project.
Challenge #3 – Project Sponsors Role and Expectation
Project sponsors should be trained on their role in ensuring
project success. This aids the project manager and increases the
likelihood of project success. This type of training provides
sponsors with an understanding of what the expectation is, on
their part, to help manage project issues, to approve project
scope and to provide timely approvals. As a result resources are
more likely to be allocated in accordance with project
importance, as they tend to continuously use a set of standards
to ensure needs are taken care of when required.
While sponsors may not be managing the project on daily basis
but their understanding plays major role in ensuring project
success.
Challenge #4 - Shifting Organizational Priorities
The ever-changing nature of economy and environment creates
uncertainty on organizational priorities. Unfortunately, the project
manager has little control over these occurrences, but here are
steps to help reduce the impact of these changes:
Immediately inform the team...Explain why the change is
occurring, and then use the change management process to
manage the change.
If the project has been cancelled, complete with a close
evaluation report on the project to date. In case these
projects reappear within 1 or 2 years with new team
assigned, with different deliverables, the retained
documentation will assist this new effort enormously
because the knowledge will not be lost.
References:
PMBOK 4th Edition www.pmi.org
http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/pmbok.html by Duncan Haughey,
PMP
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Project_management
http://www.eweek.com/c/a/Video/CIO-Interview-Key-Project-
Management-Challenges
Members Corner
How to face and overcome Project Management Challenges? by Alankar Karpe, PMP
Page 20 of 20
OCTOBER 2011 SPANDANA
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