Management: Risk - Seba Solutions...project risk management are to increase the likelihood and impact of positive events, and decrease the likelihood and impact of negative events

Copyright 2014© SEBA® Solutions Inc. All rights reserved. 1

Risk Management:

Texas Hold-em Tactics for the Project Manger

PMI Pharmaceutical Community of Practice

2014

SEBA® Solutions Inc.

(321) 269-1222

[email protected]

www.SebaSolutions.com

Copyright © 2014 SEBA® Solutions Inc. All rights reserved.


The Speaker

Dr. Brown has spoken to audi-

ences from Anchorage Alaska

to Amsterdam. He is a Certi-

fied Speaking Professional

(CSP) by the National Speak-

ers Association. Less than

10% of professional speakers

worldwide have the Certified

Speaking Professional desig-

nation. It is the highest earned

designation in the speaking

industry. Participants say his use of stories and

humor bring critical truths to light, in an enter-

taining way that leaves them motivated to take

action. He provides brilliant bluntness on real

world, common sense practices for project man-

agement and leadership. An IBM executive

stated after Dr. Brown’s keynote speech “If we

all took the time to step back and remember what

Dr. Brown taught us, we would be unstoppable

in the marketplace.”

The Professional

Dr. Brown has run his own com-

pany, SEBA® Solutions, for over

fifteen years. He had a career at

NASA that included "hands on"

experience as a team member, pro-

ject manager and serving in execu-

tive level organizational leadership

roles. He has a patent for a project

scheduling methodology, and has

received numerous awards includ-

ing "Engineer of the Year" from

the Cape Canaveral Technical Societies and is a re-

cipient of the "NASA Public Service Medal" for ex-

ceptional contributions to NASA’s mission. He has a

Ph.D. in Industrial Engineering from the University of

Central Florida, a MS in Engineering Management

from Florida Institute of Technology and a BS in Elec-

trical Engineering from Tennessee State University.

He is a licensed Professional Engineer (PE), a certified

Project Management Professional (PMP).

The Author

Dr. Brown is the author of The Handbook of

Program Management published by McGraw-

Hill. He has also been published in the PMI

Community Post, PM

Network, PE Magazine,

and many other periodi-

cals. His online video

based training courses

have been used by com-

panies large and small

and provide actionable

takeaways with a mini-

mum time investment for

participants. His new

book Kill What’s Ugly

While It’s Young® is based on his signature key-

note speech, and scheduled for release in 2015.

The Person

James is the son of a career Marine and was born in

Beaufort, South Carolina. He grew up under strong

discipline. He believes

in the values of hard

work, preparation and

persistence. James is

married and the proud

father of two sons. He

resides in central Flor-

ida with his wife

Vanessa. An avid surf

fisherman , his favorite

activity is catch and release fishing for Roosterfish on

the beaches of Mexico.

The Guarantee

A fun, thought provoking experience will be had by

all, with everyone leaving motivated to improve them-

selves and the organization, as well as being armed

with tools to make it happen.

James T. Brown PhD, PMP, PE, CSP


SEBA®

Solutions Inc. Copyright 2014

2www.SebaSolutions.com

Poker Popularity

• On CNBC’s High Net Worth TV Magazine host Tyler Matheson described Poker…– As the new golf…people are talking business at the

poker table now.

– The best poker players are also astute and successful business people.


Trends and Truths I recently came across a huge headline that read “Top 10 Global Project Management Trends for

2011: Leadership Skills tops the list.” Since I have a goal of lowering my blood pressure in 2011 this

article was not helpful as it caused me to have a pressure spike. Even more startling was that this arti-

cle stated this trend was identified by a ”panel of experts” although they neglected to name them.

Saying leadership is a trend in project management is like wine experts saying “good grapes will be a

trend for making good wine” or an NFL football analyst stating “blocking and tackling will be trend for

success in football.”

Leadership is not a trend in project management. It is a fundamental truth!

A truth that exists today, a truth that existed 100 years ago and a truth that will exist 100 years from

now. If you are committed to being a better project manager in 2011 and beyond it starts and ends with

leadership. Identifying the right thing to do or the right course of action is usually easy. Leading your

team, customers and stakeholders to do the right thing is often where the challenge lies.

Studying and applying leadership skills pays life long dividends

We live in an age of commoditization…where organizations want to say a “project manager” is a

“project manager” is a “project manager.” Never allow yourself to be commoditized. There is an an-

cient truth that basically says if a person is skilled in his work he will stand before kings…he will not

stand before ordinary men. One sure way to not be commoditized is to develop your leadership skills

to a level of effectiveness where you clearly stand out above others.

This is not difficult because most project managers don’t study leadership and human behavior regu-

larly. They take a “I already know that approach.” When it comes to leadership, I work my brain like

it’s a muscle. When I exercise a muscle I have no problem doing three sets and working it every other

day. A simple two step formula for continual leadership development is below:

1. Read one or two ancient wisdom truths daily from...

a. The Art of Worldly Wisdom

b. The Art of War

c. Any other ancient wisdom text

2. A leadership book monthly (Sales books count as leadership books)

If you do this continually after five years you would have read 60 books on leadership and well over a

thousand leadership truths. Most of what you have read will be things you already know, or have read

before. However, it will give you a level of depth, perspective and sharpness that will skyrocket your

effectiveness. People will not be able to identify what makes you so effective… they won’t be able to

put their finger on it… but the results will speak for themselves.


SEBA®



Poker, Projects and Risk

Management

• Great Poker Players…

– Know how to make probabilistic assessments.

– Know human behavior.

• Great Project Managers…

– Know how to make probabilistic assessments.

– Know human behavior.


Dr. Brown’s Top Ten

Project Manager Success Factors.

Communication is often listed as a project management success

factor and you will notice it is not listed specifically on my

list. However, all of the factors below are contributors to suc-

cessful project communications.

1. Establish crystal clear single point accountability (For

everything... tasks, risks, issues, assumptions etc.)

2. Be a relationship builder

3. Assure commitment from the team and stakeholders

4. Avoid over committing yourself and the team

5. Know how to prioritize and prioritize everything (This

also means you are skilled at aggregation, disaggregation

and re-aggregation)

6. Ensure goals, objectives and requirements are SMART

(Specific, Measurable, Agreed Upon, Realistic, Time Con-

strained)

7. Have a process to identify and resolve issues and conflict

(quickly)

8. Write and require complete risk statements for all impact do-

mains

9. Understand your planning horizon and plan accordingly

10. Know how to follow up gracefully


SEBA®



Risk Management

Project Risk Management includes the process of conducting risk management planning, identification, analysis, response planning, and controlling risk on a project. The objectives of project risk management are to increase the likelihood and impact of positive events, and decrease the likelihood and impact of negative events of the project.

Source: PMBOK® Fifth Edition, page 309. PMBOK® is a trademark of the Project Management Institute, Inc..


Why reputations are becoming a

reality in the digital landscape

Suppose as a project manager you could pick who you would like to work in support of your project's

tasks. In addition to the ability to pick, you could look across the organization and see the actual perform-

ance rankings of the people bidding on/available to do your work. These performance rankings were accu-

rate and evaluated the team member’s real work history of performance by role.

This may sound like a fantasy but I had the opportunity to hear Pat Toole, Vice President and Chief Informa-

tion Officer at IBM speak on September 14, 2010 and he stated IBM is doing just that for some of their ap-

plication development.

The digital reputation

In IBM's process application developers have a “digital reputation” that is visible to project managers. This

reputation includes ranking on cycle time, quality, schedule, reuse and cost. Rankings are also provided for

different roles like planner, developer, tester, etc.

Project managers can look at a developer’s digital reputation before making a selection as to who will do the

work. I have personally used Elance (http://www.elance.com ) to have a variety of work done in support of

my own business and this system sounds similar with the exception being it is internal to a company.

Do the application developers like it?

Mr. Toole also stated the application developers like the system and enjoy building their digital reputa-

tion. This is not surprising to me because people want to be recognized for good work and a system like this

does it in a fair and open manner. Too many times the real contributors can go unrecognized in an organiza-

tion and a system like this minimizes the likelihood of that occurring. I am willing to guess some of these

developers are as concerned about their ranking as my son is concerned about his Halo ranking on XBOX.

I use both eBay (where sellers have a digital reputation) and Elance (where service providers have a digital

reputation) with great confidence. It is a natural progression that this type of public reputation of perform-

ance history will find its way into the work environment with great benefit.

Some other takeaways from Toole’s speech

When they work to get the process right (through simplification) there is typically a 3 to 1 payback.

In order to drive profitable growth you must have strong, credible data.

They manage emergencies like the fire department. They send a truck with everything (all of the ex-

perts). Once it has been established what is actually wrong then they decide who can return and who has

to stay and fight the fire.

His major stakeholders rank his performance every quarter.

More than 55 percent of their employees do not work in traditional work environments…therefore col-

laboration is critical.

http://www.elance.com/


SEBA®



My organization does a __________ job

of risk management

1. Excellent

2. Adequate

3. Poor

4. What is risk management?

8%

42% 40%

10%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

Excellent Adequate Poor What is risk management?

Data from the PMI Mass Bay Chapter — March 2014


Should a Leader Repeat Themselves?

I had the opportunity to hear Michele Markham, CIO of HD Supply speak on July 22, 1010. Her talk was

both informative and interesting. She spoke about her management philosophy and how she dealt with the

challenges of consolidating HD Supply’s information systems, given that it is a combination of a number of

businesses.

Michele said many valuable things but this newsletter will focus on one statement she made. “She has

learned that repeating herself is necessary. She says the same thing at every project meeting.” How

many times has something gone awry and you know…I mean you know you told them "how to avoid calam-

ity" or "not to go down that path" or" this is the the project direction" or whatever.

Sure you told them.

But did you tell them again and again?

We hate to repeat ourselves. Since we were small children we are taught not to repeat ourselves. It is con-

sidered crude, rude and condescending. People are always very quick to say “You already told me that” or

they give you that look. Additionally when you know you are repeating yourself you feel like you are boring

others and frankly often feel bored yourself.

Tom Hopkins said “Repeat anything often enough and it will start to become you” I say “Repeat it to your

team/organization often enough and it will start to sink in” Consider the following excerpt from my book,

"The Handbook of Program Management”

… Therefore it is the role of the program manager to reiterate the vision and why and how the tasks and cur-

rent plan relate to that vision. This is a continual effort and has to be performed repeatedly. Additionally,

the program manager must make sure that project managers understand this and relate this to their project

teams. In the rowing sport of sculling a coxswain sits at the front of the boat oar less but has to steer the boat,

motivate the crew, make the crew aware of where they are in the race and make the tactical calls for the

race. To maximize performance the coxswain’s job is to continually set course direction and cadence to en-

sure the crew performs well as a team. Program managers are challenged to develop a stable culture in a

dynamic and changing environment. The crystal clear communication of program vision is an anchor that

helps stabilize the program culture. It is very detrimental to assume people will remember the vision and the

overall purpose of the program, project or their task. People get so wrapped up in their near term deliver-

ables and challenges that overall vision and purpose is often forgotten when it is a key element to the deci-

sion processes that must take place on a daily basis.”

So repeat yourself!

Do not feel guilty…ignore the bored expressions. Somebody needs to hear it again, somebody didn’t hear it

the first time, and somebody won’t think you are serious if they just hear it a few times. Continually set

course direction.


SEBA®



Probabilistic Assessments

• Probabilistic assessments can be done.

• Accuracy is often not exact or perfect.

• Accuracy doesn’t have to be exact or perfect.

• Accuracy required to improve risk management

decisions is easily achieved.


“The book proved to be a very quick read

and loaded with excellent insight into Pro-

gram Management. The section on Stake-

holder management was especially inter-

esting, Dr. Brown describes a ranking sys-

tem and communication techniques that are

extremely helpful. Risk man-

agement is also a section that

has good approaches for man-

aging a successful program.”

“The book takes you step-by-

step through the basics of set-

ting up the structure necessary

for a robust program environ-

ment. Where needed, examples

and pointers are included, with

tips and scenarios throughout

the chapters, and the essence of

each chapter is boiled down to a

useful list of "Keystone" prin-

ciples at its close.” Calvert

Kendrick

...This book was better than a handbook,

at least how I think of handbooks. It read

very well (unlike my stereotype of a hand-

book which a choppy, reference guide) and

was full of "gems" from real example pro-

jects and programs. The other word is

"Program". While it's of course true that the

book focuses on Program Management, my

issue is that it is an excellent book for Pro-

ject Managers, as well. - Rich Maltzman

"Brown's book captures the essential skills of program and project

management. It serves as a "how to" guide for those entering the busi-

ness, as well as a refresher on the skills and attributes for those ready

to take the next step. The book effectively defines the leader's role in

creating the team culture and environment for success". - Eugene F.

Kranz, Apollo 13 Flight Director, Retired Director NASA Space Opera-

tions, Author - Failure is not an Option

Why this book will make you a better program manager,

project manager and leader of teams!

“The chapter that covered stakeholder man-

agement was another excellent chapter that I

have since asked all of my Program AND

Project managers to read. I did this because

it's an excellent chapter on helping the Pro-

gram and Project Managers to understand

what stakeholders

REALLY expect of them.

Additionally he goes over the

types of stakeholders that you

can run into and simple yet

If you are a program manager, or thinking of

becoming one, you will want this book. Dr.

Brown shares his wisdom on the program

management without overburdening you with

methodology. In reading the book, I often felt

like I was having a discussion about pro-

gram management with a knowledgeable

and experienced colleague. J. F. Simmel

“The book is a very useful

and pragmatic approach to

Program Management. Dr.

Brown provides real world

examples and guidance for

improving your skills. He

also does a great job ad-

dressing the leadership skills

required to be a successful

program manager. A highly recom-

mended read for program managers

and those aspiring to be one!” Joe

Savage

ww

w.P

rogra

mM

anag

emen

tBo

ok

.com


SEBA®



Extreme Outcomes, Likely

Outcomes

• As a project manager we should always know

best case, worst case, expected value, planned

value (baseline).

– This characterizes our risk, and is an input into the

decision process.

– Expected Value is probability times impact.

• These are outputs of probabilistic assessments.


Is Your Focus a Fallacy? Last month I facilitated an executive level leadership retreat. I was an observer the first day of the retreat

and would facilitate the development and prioritization of organizational goals and challenges on the sec-

ond day of the retreat. The first day was dominated by a discussion of “Challenge A”, what the organiza-

tion had done about “Challenge A” and what they were going to do to rectify “Challenge A”. The discus-

sion was intense with folded arms and strong opinions.

On the second day all of the organizational challenges were brainstormed by the group and I facilitated

the prioritization of these challenges using the Analytic Hierarchy Process. Take a guess where

“Challenge A” ended up in relative importance compared to the other challenges. Yes…you guessed it…

at the bottom. They had all been focusing on “Challenge A”, disturbed by “Challenge A” and disrupted

by “Challenge A” and it was the least important of all their challenges when they looked at the entire pic-

ture in context.

They unanimously agreed to stop talking about “Challenge A” and get on with what is truly impor-

tant. “Challenge A” was very irritating… it just wasn’t important comparatively to the rest of the organi-

zations challenges. This leadership group wasn’t bad…or misguided…they are human beings. You and I

have seen this behavior before and odds are high you and I will see it again because...

Human Beings Over Focus on What Is Irritating

As human beings we easily are distracted by something that is irritating, or perceived as incorrect, ineffi-

cient or unjust and it becomes our focus. I have dealt with project managers in organizations that blame

the project management methodology for all their problems (because the methodology is irritating) but

the methodology wasn’t the problem… they were the problem.

What is Irritating You is Often Not What is Most Important

As a leader you must constantly pay attention to what you are focused on…what your team is focused

on…and what your leadership is focused on. Always put the focus in context with other challenges and

goals to determine if it truly warrants the focus (time, resources, energy) it is getting. This is easier ac-

complished as an individual and for what you may control organizationally, but you must have a strategy

and plan to lead and guide those who are outside of your control to a proper focus.

Prioritize! Prioritize! Prioritize!

This is why prioritization is so important. Every project manager and leader should be skilled in prioriti-

zation methods and ensure when discussing anything they understand what they are discussing in the pri-

oritized context of the big picture because it may not be worth discussing at all. Those of you who have

been in my training classes have heard me say it time and time again “The key to being a successful pro-

ject manager is knowing what to ignore.” People and organizations that fail at project management often

get consumed by the unimportant, to the point they miss the early opportunity to deal with what is truly

important.


SEBA®



Extreme Outcomes, Likely

Outcomes

• In poker, in project management, and in life

you don’t get averages, you get outcomes!

• Project managers must be ready for the outcome.

When we use expected value we can show,

best case, baseline, expected value, and worst case.

107 11.3 13


Book Review

Mojo: How to Get It, How to Keep

It, How to Get It Back if You Lose It

Years ago a consultant I respect said "One of the most important things I have learned in dealing with clients is not finding

the right answer but finding a way to communicate the right answer so they accept it"

I have not met Marshall Goldsmith personally but I presume he excels at this type of verbal communication because he has

the rare quality to do this with the written word. This book will be a best seller like his earlier book "What Got You Here

Won't Get You There."

Here are just 10 excerpts from Mojo that resonated with me.

1. "The good news is that nearly all of the challenges we'll deal with here have simple--although not easy--solutions (there

is a difference between simple and easy)." Goldsmith provides these tools in the latter sections of the book.

2. "...but sometimes no matter how positive we feel about what we are doing, we fail at showing it on the outside. We are so

focused on completing our task that we assume people can read our hearts and minds. We think our good intentions should

be obvious. They can't possibly be misconstrued."

3. "...the Mojo Paradox...Our default response in life is to not experience happiness. Our default response in life is to not

experience meaning. Our default response in life is to experience inertia...our most common everyday process-the thing we

do more than anything else-is to continue doing what we are already doing."

4. "Very few people achieve positive lasting change without ongoing follow-up."

5. "As you go through your day...evaluate every activity on a 1 to 10 scale...on two simple questions. 1. How much long-

term benefit or meaning did I experience from this activity? 2. How much short-term satisfaction or happiness did I experi-

ence from this activity?"

6. "One of the greatest obstacles to changing our Mojo is here-in the paralysis we create with the self limiting definitions of

who we are."

7. "...we confuse our need to consider ourselves to be smart with our need to be considered effective by the world...One of

the most pernicious impulses of successful people is our overwhelming need to prove how smart we are...I say its pernicious

because the need to be "the smartest person in the room" often leads to some incredibly stupid behavior."

8. "A company named DDI did some fascinating research that showed the average American spends 15 hours a month criti-

cizing or complaining about their boss."

9. "These four "losing" arguments all have the same results...only lower our Mojo... 1. Let me keep talking... 2. I had it

rougher than you... 3. Why did you do that... 4. It's not fair."

10. "If I could write a headline that sums up the last ten years of the American (and other rich country's) workplace-and the

next thirty years as well-it would be this: "That Job is Gone!" That's the cold water I'd throw in the face of every man or

woman who thinks his or her future can be understood by looking nostalgically to the past."

Goldsmith is a master at integrating and emphasizing his points with stories. He unequivocally states in Chapter 16 "This is

a self help book."

I have learned the cost of a self help book is not the price you pay...that cost is simply out of pocket costs. The time you

invest in reading and applying what is inside is the real price and this book is well worth your time and effort.


SEBA®



Probabilistic Assessment

Data Requirements

• If you don’t have data use judgment.

• If you have data make sure it is valid.– My experience has been in 3 of 4 cases people make

decisions with data of questionable credibility or an invalid decision process.

• Without data, judgment is still helpful for assessing probability.

– Precision is often overrated.

– Sick Sigma™


Conflict Management for Project Managers Course Description: Organizational success is rooted in successful relationships at all levels. Conflict is a natural part of any

work environment and must be addressed in a positive effective manner. When properly handled, con-

flicts are resolved in a manner that maintains relationships and produces mutually agreeable outcomes.

When improperly handled, conflicts can create barriers to organizational efficiency that can linger and/or

spill over to other areas outside of the original situation. This course focuses on conflict management and

negotiations through prevention and resolution.

Learning Objectives: After completion of this course the participant will be able to:

Understand key human behavior elements and their impact on conflict

Prevent and minimize conflict through the establishment of strong relationships

Resolve conflict in a positive way

Effectively negotiate with project stakeholders

Leverage trust to facilitate conflict resolution

Apply different negotiating strategies

Recognize the negotiation approaches that consistently produce the best results Appreciate the role of communication in conflict and negotiations

Participant comments about Conflict Management for Project Managers

This class was like a suspenseful and action-packed movie where I didn't want to miss a thing! 5/5 (not

1/5) of my my mind was fully engaged. Dr. Brown is a brilliant master and student of human behavior.

M. LaVigne, Essilor of America Inc.

Information + concepts can be put to immediate use + increase an employee's

chances of success as a team member or project manager. G. DeToro, Sypris Elec-

tronics

I have participated in several conflict resolution classes/courses/seminars and have

found this one to be one of the most useful in relating to actual real world situa-

tions. J. Naughton, Diebold

EXCEEDED EXPECTATIONS! Dr. Brown is extraordinary! I never leave his seminars unsatisfied. - a

lot of things to bring back to the office and apply. K. Scangarello, Nielsen

Outstanding program, loaded with practical, useful, actionable information presented in an upbeat and

optimistic manner. M. Dettl, Gordon Food Service

One of the most useful, informative conferences I have attended. This information has the potential to

transform your professional and personal life. G. Sullivan, Palm Beach State College

Outstanding - This was one of the best programs on conflict I have ever attended. D. MacNeil, C/D/H


SEBA®



The data we use for input to risk

management decisions is __________.

1. Credible

2. Sort of Credible

3. Questionable

4. Based on moon phase

14%

45%

31%

10%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

Credible Sort of Credible Questionable Based on moon phase



A Tale of Two Experts

In the November 2009 issue of Florida Sportsman Magazine there is an article featuring Larry “The

Fishman” Finch. Many of you know I am an avid surf fisherman and Larry Finch is one of the best surf

fishermen in the world when it comes to catching Florida Pompano, (one of the most expensive fish that

swims). Larry is a commercial surf fisherman and can legally catch 100 Pompanos per day. Pompano

average 2 pounds each and the wholesale price is $3.50 per pound. On a good day he can make $700.00

fishing from the shore. Trust me when I say he has good days.

Big Pie Mentality

What is unique about Larry is that he will share what he knows. He will tell you exactly how he does

it. If you meet him on the beach or at a seminar he will show you exactly how he does it. Some of

Larry’s commercial fishing brethren despise the fact that Larry shares information that took decades to

learn and collect. In the November issue of Florida Sportsman he did exactly that. He shared to the

point of listing his personal cell phone number in a widely published magazine just in case a reader has

questions they can call him personally. Larry is the kind of expert that enjoys enlightening and educat-

ing others. He believes if he shares, he creates a bigger pie for himself and others.

Small Pie Mentality

Another surf fishing expert I know, also a renowned Pompano fisherman is the opposite of Larry. He

not only doesn’t share his knowledge but provides misleading information. He is hard to contact and

doesn’t return phone calls or emails with regularity if he doesn’t consider you a peer on his level of ex-

pertise. He is the kind of expert that wants to be recognized as the expert but doesn’t want to share his

knowledge and when pressed to share he doesn’t tell you everything to ensure you have to come back

and worship at his expert throne. He believes if he shares his expertise his piece of the pie gets smaller.

Knowledge is a Form of Power

Some experts will share power and others will horde power. As a project manager it is important to as-

sess all the experts that support your project. An expert that does not readily share and make themselves

available can become a stumbling block and a source of contention for the project team.

When you have an expert that doesn’t share, as project manager you must take proactive steps to ensure

availability and knowledge transfer. Set expectations at the start of the project. Expectations can include

a targeted turnaround time for questions; Agreed upon times for their availability; Structured training

briefings where their knowledge is shared. Most experts are not like Larry Finch. Most will not freely

and completely share information. Whenever expertise is shared express appreciation for the expert that

makes them self available and shares their knowledge. Also ensure that credit for proposals and solu-

tions goes to those who are truly responsible for generating them. Often experts provide input and solu-

tions only to see others receive the accolades for their work which contributes to a reluctance to share.

He Who Learns Teaches

If you are an expert and reading this consider generously sharing your knowledge. It is my belief that

the ancient proverb “he who learns teaches” is correct. The more I share and address questions the more

I learn and the more my expertise increases. Additionally because I am committed to self development

as any and all experts should be, my expertise is not static but always growing. Whatever your field of

endeavor you should know more about it tomorrow than you do today. Sharing knowledge creates trust

and relationships.


SEBA®



Probabilistic Assessment

Using Judgment1. Is the probability of this event greater than or

less than 50 percent?

2. If less than 50 percent Is the probability greater than 25 percent or less than 25 percent?

3. If less than 25 percent Is the probability greater than 12.5 percent or less than 12.5 percent?

4. Accuracy with judgment beyond this point is strictly for those project managers who need another project to keep them busy.


Book Review - Managing, by Henry Mintzberg

Mintzberg presents the most comprehensive and descriptive model of management functions I have seen. His model describes

three planes that represent where managing takes place. The planes are the information plane, the people plane and the action

plane.

I will not describe his model in detail here. However, it is important to note the model is not simple. It has been my personal ex-

perience that people and organizations crave simplifying assumptions to the point they embrace them as the only truths that are

needed. So, if you are looking for the "three steps to..." or the "five essential factors..." or the "eight ways to" this book is not for

you.

The real world is complex

There is nothing inherently wrong with simplifying assumptions as long as we remember circumstances and context are always

more complicated than that. Mintzberg correctly points out how a lot of management or leadership books focus on one compe-

tency or aspect and what is needed is a balance/blending of many aspects. Specifically he states "...it is time to recognize that man-

aging is neither science nor a profession; it is a practice, learned primarily through experience, and rooted in context."

Therefore, if you are a manager and believe you can always get better at it, this is a book you should read. It provides a context for

management. It does not tell you what to do in specific situations. I personally believe that greatness (at anything) is the summa-

tion of knowledge of a lot of little things. Everyone can get the basics right, but it is the subtleties that result from knowledge and

real life experience that create exceptional levels of performance.

With regard to the book itself the book has key points in bold text and this makes it easy for time constrained readers to quickly

scan to items of importance and then dive in where there is an interest.

Here are ten interesting and/or valuable points I found in the book. There are many more but I will just list these from my per-

spective:

I. Much of an informed manager's information is not even verbal so much as visceral...seen and felt more than heard.

II. In the leading role managers help to bring out the energy that naturally exists in people.

III. Managers are gatekeepers and buffers in the flow of influence. (Mintzberg's description of 5 ways managers can get this wrong

is priceless)

IV. The pressures of managing are not temporary but perpetual.

V. Managing is no job to approach with hesitation: it simply requires too much of the total person.

VI. Successful managers are flawed, we are all flawed, but there particular flaws are not fatal, at least under the circumstances.

VII. Managing contains many inescapable conundrums. (Chapter 5 documents these and is worth the price of the book by itself)

VIII. The self study questions for managers in Chapter 6 is a powerful tool to improve your performance as a manager.

IX. A remarkable number of effective managers are reflective: they know how to learn from their own experience; they explore

numerous options; and they back off when one doesn't work to try another.

X. Measure what you can, but then be sure to judge the rest: don't be mesmerized by measurement.

If you are a high level leader this is a book that is worthy of giving to your managers and then scheduling a monthly meeting

where a single chapter is reviewed and the important points and take-aways are discussed.


SEBA®



Risk and Reward

• I do not…

– Eat canned tuna

– Swim/get in the ocean

– Jump out of airplanes

• I do…

– Vacation in Mexico

– Ride ATV’s off-road in

Mexico

– Have stocks in my IRA


1 hour video based courses ==> Six ten minute segments, Available online 24/7, Fluff free...just the information you need to be

successful ! Works on IPad’s!

Th

ese

are

no

t se

lf s

tud

y P

DU

’s b

ut

Cate

gory

A P

DU

’s f

rom

a P

MI®

Reg

iste

red

Ed

uca

tio

n P

rov

ider

!

Here’s a quick and easy way

to improve your project

management capability with

10 one hour online courses! I have just completed

the 10 short online

courses. I must say,

they were the most use-

ful courses I have ever

attended or done online

as they cover areas that

other courses don’t. M.

Joo, PMP, Tetra Pak

Again, the most excellent and usable information

imaginable. These are not only intellectual guide-

lines to determine the course of our thinking but also provide a framework for real ac-

tion in the workplace. R. Ott

Change Management

Fantastic! I appreciate you asking me to trust you in the be-

ginning. I am a brand new PMP and after hearing your opening

remarks my head was spinning. I decided to trust you and I am glad I did. Great infor-

mation! Great presentation as well. I actually understand it! S. Anderson

Critical Chain

Most companies assume project man-

agers already know how to manage an

international conference call. This course provided good information that should be used by ALL not just project man-

agers. Very clear and concise course. S. Sawyer

Collaboration Strategies for International Conference Calls

This course provides great advice on presentation skills and how to handle presentations that I

have never had in any other class. Very useful and practical information which will defi-

nitely improve my skills. R. Miller

Presentation Skills

Packed full of useful information. I particularly liked the comment about how assess-

ment tools serve as the input to the project managers judgment process…. PMBOK® can’t

do it alone. L. Taylor

Project Requirements

Excellent comparison of critical path, both resource leveled and not resource leveled. This

course highlighted the need for resource leveling in a very graphic and eye opening way.

T. Graham

Resource Leveling

Dr. Brown did it again, this course should be titled risk management made easy, It also

gave me the tools needed to shine in the area of risk management instead of shying away

from risk identification. F. Whitfield.

Risk Identification

This course gave me a much better understanding of qualitative risk analy-

sis then I previously had. K. Plaku Qualitative Risk Assessment

An excellent tool for getting to grips with the essential elements of managing Stake-

holders. It has proven to open up my mind to many more options and strategies

to employ in my role. I have neglected the necessity for a game plan in this area in past. Not any more thanks to this

course.. C. Payne

Stakeholder Management

Great information for producing clear and understandable documents that accomplish the ob-

jectives. I wish I had taken this course many years ago, and I wish the project managers

who worked for me had taken it as well. Thanks for presenting these great ideas. J. Bennett

Technical Writing


SEBA®



Differentiating Between

Issues and Risks

• In the following example…

– If you do not have the customer sign off on the requirements what is the probability of cost overruns and schedule delays?

• Is this an Issue or a Risk?


Got Testing?

In the United States we are on the brink of the American football season. America’s team, the Dallas Cowboys

have a new stadium with a new high definition scoreboard that is 60 yards long, 24 yards high and has 30 million

bulbs (it’s Texas huge). Unfortunately, in the first game the scoreboard became part of the game when a football

hit it during a punt. In fact during the pre-game warm-ups it was clear the scoreboard is so low that when a punter

kicks the ball there is a potential it will hit the scoreboard.

At a cost of $40 million dollars you would think that the scoreboard would have been installed so that punts would

not hit it. The owner of the Dallas Cowboy’s Jerry Jones said "they did all kinds of analysis and the score-

board meets the NFL’s specifications."

Sometimes Analysis and Specifications are not enough

As a project manager the question you should have for Jerry Jones is that with all the expert analysis and specifica-

tion review... "did you take a punter out onto the field and see if he could hit the scoreboard when he actually

kicked the ball?"

Regrettably, this scenario occurs in project management all the time. Expert analysis and specifications indicate no

problem; but when it is time to go operational all kinds of problems show up that were not part of the analysis or

specification. I worked for a NASA executive that had one plaque that sat in isolation on his large desk. When he

retired I asked him for the plaque and he gave it to me. The plaque reads:

“One Test is Worth a Thousand Expert Opinions”

Everyone usually agrees testing is a good thing. The challenge is that testing is sometimes expensive and time

consuming. Additionally, if (more likely when) a project gets under schedule or cost pressure testing is something

that everyone looks to cut to solve the immediate problem. This often happens to a degree that you cannot find

rationality anywhere you look. You could fill a book with the excuses and rationale that justifies eliminating or

scaling back testing.

When in doubt, test. When not in doubt, test.

When the Space Station that is now in orbit was originally under construction there was a powerful group of peo-

ple that did not want to do integrated testing on the ground. They justified this position by using the logic that

there are interface control documents, rigorous specifications and change control. Integration testing on the

ground was hugely expensive. Fortunately cooler, more logical heads ultimately prevailed and the price was paid

and the testing was conducted. If you live in the real world I don’t have to tell you they found lots of unanticipated

problems that would have been remarkably difficult (and embarrassing) had they occurred in space. As is usually

the case…

Testing is cheap compared to the alternative

Don’t be surprised when stakeholders don’t think of testing, say there is no time for testing or don’t want to pay

for testing. You must do everything in your power to preserve testing to ensure the integrity of your deliver-

able. This includes selling the value of testing to stakeholders at the start of the project. The earlier you can incor-

porate testing into the schedule the better.

If they choose to cut testing in any way make sure they understand the risk, they accept the risk and they are ac-

countable for the risk. (Note the emphasis on they…not you.) Remember, in project management they try to take

everything from you and then they give you all the blame when something is not right. They are not evil, that is

just the way the system works. Forewarned is forearmed.


SEBA®



Differentiating Between

Issues and Risks

• Issues are something that are actionable.

• Risks have uncertainty associated with them.

• Issues must be managed as risks in organizations that lack leadership.

– If project management were a loaded gun, a lot of organizations would die from self inflicted wounds.


Calculated Failure

Calculated failure can be a critical element for driving organizational change and assuring the right, logi-

cal, common sense course of action is taken. It is an underutilized but necessary strategy, especially in or-

ganizations that treat their limited resources as if they are unlimited. Program and project managers are

often shocked when I instruct them to do this in training classes. But every system should have calculated

failure points.

Calculated failure is controllable failure.

For example, in an electrical system fuses and circuit breakers serve as calculated failure points. The fuse

protects the system and is the trigger point for system evaluation to assess the cause of the failure. Auto-

mobiles have calculated failure points or crumple zones to control the energy and lessen the impact during

a crash. If you don’t make calculated decisions about failure points in a system, then failure is subject to

happen haphazardly or in unanticipated areas.

One client’s circumstance.

I once had a client at a Fortune 100 company whose program was overworked and she wanted to prioritize

all of her projects. Her employees had been working sixty-plus hours per week for almost a year, with no

relief in sight. When she presented her plan to her leadership team, they told her there was no need to pri-

oritize the work of her program because her organization had not missed any deadlines. That is, she had

never blown a fuse. I advised her to create a strategy of calculated failure points to protect her organization

for the long term.

As the program manager she is responsible for the long-term viability of the program, not just the short-

term deadlines. At the pace she was working her team it was only a matter of time before one of her key

program personnel would quit or get sick, resulting in an uncalculated failure with significant repercus-

sions beyond her control. (Uncontrollable Failure). We should never forget that the most capable and tal-

ented people on the team have the greatest opportunity to transfer out of the organization or leave the com-

pany.

What are your calculated failure points?

If you don’t like the term calculated failure then use fail safe points. One of the advantages of using a

stage gate process in project management is because if properly implemented it provides the opportunity to

assess what is not right and stop the process until it is addressed. The goal of calculated failure is the

same... to assess and fix what is not right, not just for the specific failure but the system as a whole.

In a perfect world calculated failure may not be necessary, but unfortunately, we must succeed in a world

where the “do more with less mentality” has created an environment where expectatations and promises

are often more than can be realistically achieved. Logic should prevail to bring circumstances back to real-

ity, but when sound logic is ignored the strategy of calculated failure is a viable one.

Adapted from The Handbook of Program Management


SEBA®



True or False: I must manage issues as

risks on my projects because my

organization lacks leadership

1. True

2. False

63%

37%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

True False



Book Review

Ignore Everybody: and 39 Other Keys to Creativity, Hugh MacLeod

This book is currently ranked number 1 on Amazon's list of best selling leadership books. It contains some valuable universal

truths presented in an interesting way. I would classify it at as a "Leadership Lite" book worthy of downloading to your Kin-

dle or stashed in your briefcase to be read on an airplane. (See my one big reservation about this book at the end of this re-

view before you purchase)

I love "fun to read" leadership books versus the "utilitarian", "old fogy" "Harvard Business Review" style and this book is fun

to read. I still read the utilitarian books...I just suffer through them. What makes this book good is the stories to illustrate

points are the author's own.

Here are my top eight takeaways from Ignore Everybody.

1. The more original your idea is, the less good advice people will be able to give you.

2. Good ideas alter the power balance in relationships that is why good ideas are always initially resisted.

3. Your idea doesn't have to be big. It just has to be alone. The more the idea is yours alone, the more freedom you have to do

something really amazing.

4. The price of being a sheep is boredom. The price of being a wolf is loneliness. Choose one or the other with great care.

5. Being good at anything is like figure skating - the definition of being good at it is being able to make it look easy. But it

never is easy. Ever. That is what the stupidly wrong people conveniently forget.

6. Your job is probably worth 50 percent of what it was in real terms ten years ago. And who knows? It may very well not

exist in five to ten years...Stop worrying about technology. Start worrying about people who trust you.

7. Part of being a master is learning to sing in nobody else's voice but your own...Put your whole self into it, and you will find

your true voice. Hold back and you won't. Its that simple.

8. The biggest mistake young people make is underestimating how competitive the world is out there.

Point Number 6 is Profound!

I think point number 6 (Stop worrying about technology. Start worrying about people who trust you) is worthy of further dis-

cussion. In today’s woeful economy or tomorrow's boom or bust economy your relationships matter more than your techno-

logical expertise. It won’t matter how many certifications you have to your name if you lose your job, or your company goes

out of business… the starting point to recovery (or going to the next level) is your relationships.

Relationship Building is Risk Management for Your Career

This is why I recommend everyone should not only be a member of professional organizations but play an active role in

them. Professional organizations are diverse communities that will exist in good times and bad. Relationships developed

there will serve you well throughout the normal ups and downs of your career.

Your career might always be up and you may never need these relationships but just like in project management, bad things

sometimes happen to good people. Fostering relationships in professional organizations is good risk management and in the

majority of cases you get more out of it than what you put into it. By the way, relationship building is more than having 500+

contacts in LinkedIn.

I recommend this book with one big reservation.

The captions in the cartoons are racy to say the least and not suited for the corporate environment or youthful readers. If the

racy cartoons were toned down or removed I would have immediately sent a copy of this book to all of my clients. So my

clients will have to choose to buy this book themselves knowing that some of the content is rated R.


SEBA®



Risk Attitudes

• Project managers need to pay attention to the role

of attitude and personal bias as it relates to risk.

• There are three predominant risk attitudes.

1. Risk Neutral.

2. Risk Avoiding.

3. Risk Seeking.


Cost Cutting is Not Cost Savings -

How Good is Your Leadership? I attended an event at Disney this month. Although I am not a fan of theme parks, I love to visit Disney so I

can participate in and watch their service. It is always excellent. The place is always clean. The employees

are always well mannered and ready to serve. This is exceptional for an organization their size, scope and

with the amount of human interaction that takes place daily.

I want you to close your eyes for a second and think of the leaders one or two levels above you… In fact

write their name down on a piece of paper to aid in the visualization. Now answer the question below.

Some of the leaders I worked for would definitely put Disney in a worse condition. First they would

say "we are spending too much money keeping this place clean" and cut the cleaning staff. Then they

would say "the employees don't need that much training" and cut training past the bone to the marrow.

Next they would say "all this landscaping is unnecessary and we could save huge amounts of money on

water and fertilizer if we took the flowers out." They would then make the place flowerless. They would

then pat themselves on the back for saving water and protecting the environment by eliminating the land-

scaping and apply for some kind of award.

As a result of the actions above there would be significant short term cost reductions. As a result of these

same actions revenue would also decrease because customer satisfaction would also decrease. Their re-

sponse to the lower revenue numbers resulting from fewer customers would not include looking at increas-

ing service, their response would be calling a meeting to identify what else could be cut because revenues

are declining. I know this message may not be timely in this economy but…

It is in fact a risky short term solution since customers have long memories of poor service. A lot of organi-

zations like to blame the economy for their ills when the economy may be 20 percent of the problem and

poor leadership over a period of years is 80 percent of the problem. Poor leadership is 80 percent of the

problem in a lot of cases because they are over focused on cost and under focused on putting their employ-

ees in a position that allows them to be successful and maximizes the service level to their customers.

In order to save money or shorten schedules, some leaders often pressure project managers to shorten the

requirements process, trim the testing, or delay the documentation, etc. etc. Six months to a year later these

same leaders then question why this or that happened or why the project manager doesn't have more con-

trol of the project. Nothing comes for free, everything has a price and the price will be paid at some

point. Free is not an option.

If your leadership worked for Disney, would Disney be in better or worse condition?

Cutting More Costs Often Means Saving Less Money

Cutting Cost at the Expense of Cutting Service is not a Long Term Solution

The Cost Cutting Principle also applies at the Project Level


SEBA®



Risk Neutral

• The risk neutral

person would make

every decision based

on pure logic.


Leadership Skills for Project Managers Course Description: This course provides participants with leadership skills to successfully navigate all the challenges in

a demanding project environment.

Learning Objectives: After completion of this course the participant will be able to:

Identify the traits of successful leaders and emulate the characteristics of successful leaders

Build a strong team

Establish consensus

Recognize the importance of being a observer and learner of human behavior

Understand the importance of relationship building

Appreciate what motivates different individuals within project teams

Know the different types of power leaders can use

Conduct effective meetings

Engage team members to resolve issues

Establish processes to communicate effectively

Create escalation strategies to facilitate resolution of complex problems

Tactfully deal with stakeholders on sensitive issues

Lead a project to successful completion

Participant comments about Leadership Skills for Project Managers

One of the most effective programs I have attended on training project managers to become pro-

ject leaders." P. Harbin, Hospital Corporation of America

Was extremely valuable. It is the common sense that we know but continually ignore combined

with a unique perspective of how to effectively use the tools. H. Walter, Tyco Electronics

It was one of the best programs I have attended in my 20+ years of project management. I can

relate to James and see many ways I can improve my performance. It makes sense to me both per-

sonally and professionally. D. Downey, TEK Systems

I have at least 2 dozen takeaways, with 2-3 ready to be implemented/included in project manage-

ment work right away. I also liked the depth/detail of materials and the library recommendations. J.

Cunningham, L. R. Kimball

Excellent, Inspiring and Relevant. Dr. Brown is an excellent speaker, presenter. Not just theory

but practical application. R. Blouse Volvo 3P

Dr. Brown distills leadership in project management down to a few key elements with clarity

and humor. He dispels the notion of a magic bullet. K. Henschel, ConAgra Foods

Top notch. relevant, tight, well presented. A. Spangler, IBM


SEBA®



Risk Avoiding

• The risk avoider (risk

averse) is willing to

pay a premium to

avoid a risk. Most

people are risk

avoiders.


Why you should never “Dumb It

Down” for the Customer

I cringed when I heard a project manager say he had to “dumb it down” for a conversation with a stake-

holder. In my opinion there is no such thing as “dumbing it down.” There is only effective communica-

tion. When someone says or has the mindset of “dumbing it down” they are implying or believe a certain

level of superiority. There is more to communication than words. If you have lived long enough you

probably have had an encounter with someone who was “dumbing it down” when talking to you and

odds are high you felt/feel negatively about that person.

I love statistics and math. A lot of people hate these subjects… usually not because they are difficult but

because the teachers they had for these subjects were poor communicators… the difficulty is primarily

because of the poor instruction they received. In my experience the best teachers were always the ones

who could communicate their points so everyone understood.

Do your communication skills pass the 7th grader test?

If you have ever attended one of my classes you have probably heard me say “no matter how complex the

idea/point is we should be able to speak or write about it at the seventh grade level.” If you cannot do

that the person whose knowledge is in question is your own… because if we truly understand something

we can communicate it in simple terms without leaving an impression of “dumbing it down.”

If you can’t pass the seventh grade communication test, then you need to increase your own level of un-

derstanding. Yes… when I say this I sometimes receive looks of doubt from Solution Architects, PhD

engineers, PhD geologists and other highly technical people… but equal numbers of highly technical

people agree with my seventh grader communication principle. The ancient African proverb “He who

learns, teaches” applies here.

Communicating simply is a valuable skill!

This month I attended a conference on “Advanced Analytics” and heard Anne G. Robinson, PhD, Direc-

tor, Information and Data Strategy Customer Value Chain Management for Cisco speak on how Cisco is

using analytics. Anne hires PhD scientists and basically stated: “the key question when interviewing a

job candidate for her group is to ask them to explain a complex subject in simple terms.” If they can’t do

that they are not a strong candidate because they won’t be able to communicate effectively with the cus-

tomer which is essential for success.

Strong communication is always on the customers terms!

In fact even though it was a conference focused on “Advanced Analytics,” surprisingly, most of the pre-

senters (who were all high level leaders with technical backgrounds) talked about the importance of peo-

ple relationships for success. A common failure scenario is to let the focus/euphoria of the tool/data/

results overshadow the people relationships.

Effective people relationships require strong communication. Strong communication is always on the

customers terms and that is not from a position of superiority. Don’t “dumb it down”…simply commu-

nicate!


SEBA®



Risk Seeking

• The risk seeker is

willing to pay a

premium to accept

risk. Most successful

companies are risk

seeking.


SEBA provide the best value in online project management train-

ing. Where value means distilled knowledge without fluff. The

topic you need when you need it. Choose a topic based on a cur-

rent project management challenge. Choose a topic you just want

to know more about. Each course is only $49

The Presen-

tation Skills

course was

a valuable

use of my

time. It re-

enforced

the best

traits for

creating and delivery of a presenta-

tion that will get results. The SEBA

design of breaking the courses down

into smaller segments was great - I

was able to address phone calls and

emails in between chapters, without

losing where I was at in the

course. Also the mini quizzes at the

end were relevant and reinforced the

key points of the chapter. L. Luytjes,

PMP,

Nicor

Gas

“The

Change

Manage-

ment semi-

nar is full

of terrific

informa-

tion and is

presented

well. It covers what Change Man-

agement is, why it is needed, who

needs to be involved, how to go

about it, and pitfalls to look out

for. The one page document that

goes along with the seminar is also

very helpful because it covers the

major points and a checklist to

succeed. I have that printed out and

sitting on my desk now. Thanks,

James for covering an important

topic and a fun & interesting semi-

nar!”

Susan Arnold, VP of Project Man-

agement, HowStuffWorks

1 hour courses

Six ten minute segments

Available online 24/7

Fluff free...just the infor-

mation you need to know!

OnePdu.com is a website of SEBA Solutions Inc., a Registered Education Provider of the PMI

Here's a Quick & Easy Way to Build

Your Professional Capability in

Convenient 1 Hour Chunks.

100% Guaranteed or You Pay Nothing!

ww

w.s

ebas

olu

tio

ns.

com

/on

lin

e-co

urs

es/


SEBA®



Risk Management over the

Project Timeline

Time

Ma

gn

itu

de

Number of Risks

Impact

Of

Risks

We should consider

being more risk seeking

here, but are usually risk

avoiding.

We should consider being

more risk avoiding here,

but are usually risk

seeking.



SEBA®



My organization makes unnecessarily risky

decisions because of schedule, cost or

customer pressure1. Never

2. Occasionally

3. Regularly

4. Most of the time

5. Help me find a new job

0%

31%

42%

15% 12%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

Never Occasionally Regularly Most of the time

Help me find a new job



An Overlooked Strategy

for Assigning Project Managers

Traditionally, project managers are assigned to a project and are expected to oversee the project from beginning to

end. There is nothing wrong with tradition, and this method of assigning project managers does have its advan-

tages, such as continuity and strength of relationships with stakeholders.

Non traditional - Starters, Relievers and Closers

A powerful strategy that is often overlooked is to assign project managers by project phase. For example, in base-

ball, pitchers are typically categorized as starters, relievers, and closers. Starters usually have a history of very

good performance and are considered more capable than relievers. Relievers are considered capable of maintaining

control but typically are not as strong as a starter or a closer. Closers are often considered better than starters and

their use is limited to the special situation when the game is almost over and a win is on the line.

Consideration should be given to assigning project managers in the same way a baseball manager assigns pitchers.

In other words, the most senior personnel can be used to kick off the project to ensure a good beginning. Once the

requirements are established and baselined, a transition can occur to a more junior project manager capable of

maintaining control for a project that has a good start.

The transition must be formalized!

This transition has to be formal, with “sign-off” among the two project managers. The stakeholders must also be

prepared for transition and may be included in the transition process. Once the transition is complete, the junior

project manager may run the project until the project is ready to close. Then a switch can be made to a project

manager who is more skilled or who specializes in closing projects.

This phased approach to assigning projects helps the program manager maximize the use of his most highly and/or

uniquely skilled project managers. Additionally, because of these different skill sets, some project managers have a

natural affinity and ability for starting or closing projects and excel at it.

Additional benefits for changing project managers

You can take this method of assigning project managers a step further when outsourcing or when global operations

are concerned. Depending upon the experience balance, the outsourced project manager may serve as the most

experienced project manager, and he or she can start the project. Or, in the case of global operations, to ensure

consistency in operations in different locations, a subset of project managers may start all projects.

This phased approach of assigning project managers can help struggling project managers. Additionally, a side

benefit of assigning project managers by phase is that the organization and stakeholders learn to accept the fact

that project managers will be changed. Therefore, when you have to change a project manager for another reason,

the organization more readily adapts and there is less of a stigma of failure if the move was for nonperformance.

Realize that this phased-approach strategy requires a strong checklist for defining what needs to be accomplished

to make the project successful. However, this is not really additional work, because the transition checklist should

exist anyway. After all, over a program’s life, odds are very high there will be project manager changes mid-

stream due to other factors.


SEBA®



Summary

• Great Project Managers take action based on their

probabilistic assessments and knowledge of human

behavior.

• It doesn’t have to be sophisticated or precise for the

majority of project management circumstances.


If you liked the articles in this handout pack-

age, fill out the blue form and get signed up

for Dr. Brown’s free monthly newsletter “It’s a

Project Manager’s World” or sign up yourself

at http://www.sebasolutions.com/newsletter/

Contact Information for Dr. Brown

SEBA® Solutions Inc.

[email protected]

www.SebaSolutions.com

www.ProgramManagementBook.com

321.269.1222

321.577.0210 fax

Bringing Dr. Brown to your company is easy and pays for itself!

After looking at a lot of project management training providers we

brought Dr. Brown in to conduct the Project Management Solutions

course for our project managers and organizational leaders. I per-

sonally attended the course and must say the course exceeded all of

my expectations. It was one of the best training investments we

ever made and is still paying dividends. Of course we brought Dr.

Brown back for more training."

B. Price, Senior Vice President, CBC Companies

mailto:[email protected]

http://www.SebaSolutions.com

http://www.programmanagementbook.com/

Documents

Management: Risk - Seba Solutions...project risk management are to increase the likelihood and impact of positive events, and decrease the likelihood and impact of negative events