Tom

The Importance of Listening and Feedback for Project Managers

Tom · Aug 8, 2008 · Leave a Comment

Much can be said about communication when it comes to project management. Everyone on the team needs to be clear on their assignments and understand the goals of the project. Where some project managers need improvement is in the area of listening and providing feedback.

Being a better listener leads to higher productivity and improves the potential for influencing and persuading others as well as negotiating effectively, all which lead to better project management.

First of all, let the speaker know you are paying attention and hearing what they are saying. A nod of the head doesn’t mean you necessarily agree, but the speaker will know you are listening. Stop what you are doing and use body language such as leaning forward a bit. This will also help you to pay attention and keep your mind from wondering.

Don’t interrupt. Let the person speaking finish and, after a few seconds of silence, respond. At this point what you say is very important. You can either recap what has just been said, ask a clarifying question or make a relevant comment that lets the speaker know you understand the message.

The feedback you give is important. Acknowledge to the speaker that you understand their points even if you don’t agree with them. Just knowing you have listened and taken their position under consideration will earn respect and encourage future sharing of ideas.

Finally, don’t rush to judgment. If what the speaker says makes sense, be open to changing your mind, especially if it will improve the project management process.

Communication: face-to-face vs. email

Tom · Aug 1, 2008 · Leave a Comment

Through all phases of project management there must be effective communication taking place. The method of communicating is a question that deserves some attention. With the development of technology more and more project managers are moving toward a reliance on electronic communications which has several benefits.

Email and other electronic communications allow project managers to work around team members’ schedules so they can continue work without having to stop for frequent meetings to handle the details of the project. Email is instant and allows for an efficient exchange of information. In addition, communicating via email gives the sender the chance to research and think about what they will say before they say it.

Consequently, some might argue that email enables team members to “pass the buck” more easily or simply ignore an email to buy time or avoid face-to face communication. In project management this can be detrimental. While email has its place, the most effective and powerful way to interact is in person. You can’t replace looking someone in the eyes to get a handle on how the project is really progressing. Face-to-face communication also builds trust and minimizes the possibility of misunderstandings and misinterpretation.

There is a place for both in project management but it is essential to have a balance of the two. Think of using email to communicate data and exchange project information. However when discussing personnel or when making decisions that might have a substantial impact on the project, face-to-face is most likely the way to go.

Resource Leveling

Tom · Jul 30, 2008 · 1 Comment

One of the most difficult things in project management is making sure that work is allocated equally. The last thing a project manager wants to do is to overload one or more team members while leaving others with too little work to do. The question then is how to make sure each resource has work equivalent to the amount of time available.

First of all, make sure the Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) is thorough and accurate, listing all resources and activities. Next, identify the most critical tasks and allocate your best resources for that work. By starting with the most important tasks first, the chance for successful project management is more likely. Now it’s time to begin resource leveling.

Check to see how many hours is available per team member for work then determine how many hours have been allocated to each person. If the number of hours allocated is above what is available they are over-allocated. If the opposite is true then there is under-allocation.

Tasks should then be adjusted so that the number of required work hours are equivalent to the number of hours available. Once this has been accomplished the critical project resources have been leveled. Next, do the same with the non-critical tasks.

During project management it is important to closely monitor resource utilization as tasks are completed. It might be necessary to make adjustments in allocations so that the project continues to run efficiently. However, if leveling has been carefully administered, these changes should be minimal.

The Apollo Syndrome and Project Management

Tom · Jul 29, 2008 · Leave a Comment

As project manager you do your best to put together a team of highly qualified individuals. After all, in project management you want everything to run smoothly and efficiently, right? A discovery by Dr. Meredith Belbin called the Apollo Syndrome however proves that the project manager should think twice before loading a team with highly analytical minds.

In his studies Belbin found that having too many people with a high mental abilities was, in many instances, detrimental to the teamwork process. The people studied spent much of their time trying to persuade the team to adopt their own views as well as figuring out ways to point out weaknesses in the rest of the team’s ideas. They had difficulty reaching consensus in decisions and team members focused on their own work, paying little attention to what their fellow team members were doing. Occasionally the team would pick up on the fact they were having problems, but would then overcompensate to avoid confrontation. This led to even more problems in making sound decisions.

If, during project management, you see the Apollo Syndrome happening it should be addressed immediately. First of all, ask the group what they agree on. You may not get a concrete answer in which case you should be more assertive and get them to focus on areas of agreement. A helpful project management tool is a flip-chart which can be used to record the things everyone can agree upon. This exercise should help the team realize how unimportant their disagreements are and get them working toward common goals.

Conflict Resolution in Project Management

Tom · Jul 28, 2008 · Leave a Comment

The inevitable conflict that occurs in project management may not necessarily be a bad thing. Conflict occurs when individual goals or needs clash. One reason it is so common in project management is because projects often include people with different ideals and personalities. The term conflict generally carries a negative connotation however conflict can be constructive and serve to help to build relationships and improve team dynamics. The key is in the resolution of that conflict.

The project manager must be able to address problems while respecting individual differences. Maintaining good relationships should be a top priority. Be calm and treat one another courteously even if you are under a great deal of pressure.

Be careful not to confuse the person with the problem. Sometimes project managers believe people are just trying to be difficult when, in effect, they are making a valid argument. By listening carefully to the problem you end up debating real issues and have a better understanding of why the person has taken such a position. In addition, when you understand where the person is coming from you are better able to defend your position.

Revisit and agree on the project objectives then take a close look at the facts surrounding the situation. By working together you could find the answer lies in a third position involving compromise or in thinking outside the box. The fact that you arrived at this decision jointly will foster respect and help maintain or build a good relationship.

There are many ways to deal with conflict in project management and these are just a few ideas for turning a potentially volatile situation into one that positively impacts the project.