IT Project Mechanic

Having implemented a “few” PMOs, I can share a phenomenon that many of you can relate to – the notion that “Portfolio Management” or “the PMO” is going to make an IT department’s situation different because of their existence. I can sadly say that I’ve heard too many seat pocket ideas (like those found holding executive magazines in airplanes) blurted out with conviction, such as, “Well, we have Portfolio Management/a PMO/fancy software – why is this happening?” when problems persist. (more…)

The single most important component of project management is communication. Communication is also the one area discussed by PMI and the PMBOK the least and largely left to the imagination of Project Managers. The Standish Group produces a report titled “The Chaos Report” in which they review IT Projects and various aspects of managing projects in IT. For years, the ratio of successful projects against the whole has been at or below 1:3 – that is only one out of three projects are successful. Up to 81% (in one survey) of IT Projects are unsuccessful for one reason or another.

In the forums presented by the Project Management Institute, and featured in PM Network magazine, there are surveys that cover a wide range of topics. One of these was “Why Projects Fail”. Out of 193 respondents, 167 of these said that communication related issues were the primary cause of failure in their projects.

So, not to understate the point – this is a giant, vital and clear project success factor you have to become an expert in if you hope to deliver projects.

There are a few truths about project communication that go without saying:
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It isn’t enough to be right, or to have an idea that will make the problem go away if you are presenting something “new”. In a majority of cases, others (that you work with) are reluctant to believe an idea or position that they aren’t familiar with. It’s not a trust issue, per se, in many cases – it’s easier to say no than to think about the idea presented and formulate a response. No is easier than accepting that a good idea is out there they didn’t think about. It isn’t a universal truth – but this happens more often than not.
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In nearly every case, I witness and experience the act of selling as a Project Manager. On a daily basis, I provide to my clients the same exact steps as a consultative sales professional does. There are two distinct differences between the sales professional and the Project Manager:

1. The Project Manager doesn’t “sell” as a full time job – it is a skill that is needed for parts of the project management method.
2. The Project Manager rarely “prospects”.

The first difference should not come as a shock – the fact is that PMs have lots of skills that we use to great affect that don’t consume a huge amount of bandwidth. The second difference may not make any sense if you have never had the fortune of selling or have been exposed to the selling process.
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Most Project Managers think selling as a PM’s skill is some sort of an oxymoron – being a PM is the opposite of selling. You manage and report the facts, deal with estimates and manage a group of people. The sheer fact of the job limits the ability for a PM to sell, right?

I couldn’t disagree more – PMs must sell, and we sell every day. Some call it negotiation, some call it “positional” authority, but break it all down and we’re selling our hearts out to get the project out the door. We sell to and with our team, to our stakeholders and definitely selling is an integral part of the client relationship. Don’t worry; I’m going to explain my assertion.

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