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Courage in Project Management
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SlideShare Objectives1. A definition of courage in the workplace 2. Project situations that require courage3. Infusing courage in project managers and
teams
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…the ability to do something that you know is difficult or dangerous.
http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/courage
…a brief singular occurrence, that rare moment of unity between conscience, fear and action, when something deep within us strikes the flint of love, of honor, of duty, to make the spark that fires our resolve.
John McCain as quoted fromCourage as a Skill, January 2007https://hbr.org/2007/01/courage-as-a-skill
Definition of Courage
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Courage at WorkNor does it emerge from nowhere
Reardon, Kathleen. (January 2007) Courage as a Skill. Retrieved December 4, 2014 from https://hbr.org/2007/01/courage-as-a-skill
Is rarely impulsive
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Courage at Work
It is really a special kind of calculated risk taking
Reardon, Kathleen. (January 2007) Courage as a Skill. Retrieved December 4, 2014 from https://hbr.org/2007/01/courage-as-a-skill
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Business courage from making decisions
Great business leaders teach themselves to make high-risk decisions
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Courage Formula at Work
1. Setting primary and secondary goals2. Determining the importance of achieving them3. Tipping the power balance in your favor4. Weighing risks against benefits5. Selecting the proper time for action6. Developing contingency plans
Reardon, Kathleen. (January 2007) Courage as a Skill. Retrieved December 4, 2014 from https://hbr.org/2007/01/courage-as-a-skill
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Project Situations That Require Courage
Accepting a stretch assignment Giving bad news Expressing an unpopular opinion Addressing poor performance Facilitating a large high-stakes meeting Asking for help Requiring accountability Delegating
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Project LeadershipLeave the company better off than how you found it
Treasurer, Bill. (2008) Courage Goes to Work. San Francisco: Berrett-Koehler Publishers, Inc
Leave the people better off than how you found them
Try
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Building Courage in the Team
You’re success as a project manager will be determined by how well you manage workers who are too comfortable, too afraid, or too much of both.
Treasurer, Bill. (2008) Courage Goes to Work. San Francisco: Berrett-Koehler Publishers, Inc
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Three Buckets of Courage
Treasurer, Bill. (2008) Courage Goes to Work. San Francisco: Berrett-Koehler Publishers, Inc
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Examples of Courage in Project Management
Accepting a stretch assignment Giving bad news Expressing an unpopular opinion Addressing poor performance Facilitating a large high-stakes meeting Asking for help Requiring accountability Delegating
Try
Try
Tell
Tell
Trust
Trust
Tell
Tell Trust
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Helping To Fill The Buckets Jump first Create safety Harness fear Adjust the degree of comfort and discomfort
Treasurer, Bill. (2008) Courage Goes to Work. San Francisco: Berrett-Koehler Publishers, Inc
TRY TRUST TELLThe courage of action and pioneering “first attempts”
The courage of relying on the actions of others
The courage of “voice” and truth telling
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Jump first Demonstrate initiative Pave the way Try something innovative Setting the stage
Treasurer, Bill. (2008) Courage Goes to Work. San Francisco: Berrett-Koehler Publishers, Inc
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Jumping First - Real Life Experiences Power of the context diagram A more effective status report Decision workshop Be the job you want (program manager) Create a scrum team
Treasurer, Bill. (2008) Courage Goes to Work. San Francisco: Berrett-Koehler Publishers, Inc
Try
Try
Try
Try Trust
Tell
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Create Safety Value forward-failing mistakes Provide air cover from upper management Spend time with your team
Treasurer, Bill. (2008) Courage Goes to Work. San Francisco: Berrett-Koehler Publishers, Inc
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Create Safety - Real Life Experiences Support a team member in a more responsible role
– Encourage– Provide mentoring– Demonstrate patience
Sticking up for the team– Deal with a bully – Working through a problem– Support truth telling
Safe team forums Sensitive escalation
Treasurer, Bill. (2008) Courage Goes to Work. San Francisco: Berrett-Koehler Publishers, Inc
Tell
Try
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Harnessing Fear Build a Robust Protective Frame
– Gather facts – Learn from others who have faced similar
challenges– Get training to improve skills needed to face
the task Normalize Fear
Treasurer, Bill. (2008) Courage Goes to Work. San Francisco: Berrett-Koehler Publishers, Inc
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Harness Fear - Real Life Experiences Facilitating a 21 person decision meeting
– Being prepared– Trust my skills in facilitation (but okay to feel the fear)– Be flexible, be tough
Giving and receiving bad news – Create an environment of safety, manage your reaction– Encourage early warnings– Focus on problem, don’t criticize– Utilize SOAR (situation, opportunity, action result)– Look for the lesson
Treasurer, Bill. (2008) Courage Goes to Work. San Francisco: Berrett-Koehler Publishers, Inc
Try
Tell Trust
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Adjust Degree of Comfort
Skill stretching assignment Solidify new skill Build to more complexity
Treasurer, Bill. (2008) Courage Goes to Work. San Francisco: Berrett-Koehler Publishers, Inc
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Adjust Degree of Comfort - Real Life Experiences A stretch assignment
– New product launch project support Promoting a project manager
– Applies a consistent project framework– Can run a larger project– Can run multiple projects– Require more independence in being able to:
Deal with conflict Leverage relationships for results Solve an organizational problem
Treasurer, Bill. (2008) Courage Goes to Work. San Francisco: Berrett-Koehler Publishers, Inc
Try
Trust
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Ask “what do YOU want?”
Treasurer, Bill. (2008) Courage Goes to Work. San Francisco: Berrett-Koehler Publishers, Inc
It’s easier to get people to perform uncomfortable tasks when those tasks tie in to the attainment of their personal goals.
It only takes four words to understand the career aspirations of your workers – because when you know what people want, you are in a far better position to match their aspirations to the company’s goals.
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References
Treasurer, Bill. (2008) Courage Goes to Work. San Francisco: Berrett-Koehler Publishers, Inc.
Reardon, Kathleen. (January 2007) Courage as a Skill. Retrieved December 4, 2014 from https://hbr.org/2007/01/courage-as-a-skill