Don’t
use structure to solve culture
I recently attended a great workshop on projects and
programme management by the people AtTask
(Link 1) included in the workshop was an excellent presentation by
`Stephen Carver (Link 2)
Stephen worked on projects in the oil business before moving
on to work at Virgin before working directly for a global CEO as head of
Project & Programme Management Strategy. He is an Honorary Fellow of the Association
of Project Management (more info at Link 2)
Stephen was so prolific with his ideas I anticipate at least
four or five blogs arising from some of the things he shared and the thinking
that it inspired. Here is my first.
Stephen talked about 3 types complexity which effect
projects and programmes
1. Structural complexity – eg
the complexity of many components, aspects, factors
2. emergent - eg working in
changing environments, or with new circumstances
3. socio-political – eg the
complexity of people, politics, culture, motivation, politicians
I have long said that Project management is about dealing
with uncertainty and Leadership is about delivering clarity. So we recognise
and agree the challenges.
There are 5 levels of project management capability and most
organisations over-rate their ability…
1) chaos – this is no coordination, control, structure and
success is random or luck
2) patchwork –
project success is personality driven rather than structured and
systematic
3) dictatorship / lip-service – there are tools, templates
and processes, that some follow
4) flexible methodology –right things done in the right way,
without being too prescriptive
5) instinctive – co-ordination, communication and
collaboration are the natural order
Below (right at the bottom!) I have outlined 7 questions to
help you asses the 5 levels of project management.
What is interesting is levels 1, 2 & 3 are about having
the right structure whereas 3, 4 & 5 are about managing emergent &
socio-political issues which cannot be done by formula.
When (70%?!) of projects go wrong the tendency is to fix the
structure (task, budget, control) not address the problem which is
emergent& socio-political e.g. people, politics, mood, culture, WIIFM
I have previously said that giving people shoes and a plan
doesn't make them a marathon runner. Similarly structure (Tools, Templates,
Training, Techniques) doesn't guarantee success. So what does? Well the answer
to that will be in my next blog.
In the meantime, consider this….
As a Project Manager I understand tasks and products, but as
a Change Leader I appreciate that tasks are just a manifestation of behaviour
and products are ostensibly a means of outcome (eg happiness) . All too often
we manage the tasks and products, but fail the behaviour and outcome with the
result we don’t achieve our goal (eg happiness, security, confidence etc.)
Success comes from mentoring and coaching and the tool is language.
LINKS
About AtTask
About Stephen Carver
Impact of words, tone & body language = 7%-38%-55% BUT
rule is mis-understood http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Albert_Mehrabian
ciCHANGE FEEDBACK
Thanks to Rob Quinlan and Alexsis Wintour for their feedback
on the initial draft of this Blog.
Please share your thoughts either directly by email or via
Social Media
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ciChange is sponsored by Total Solutions Group http://www.tsgi.co/
THE AUTHOR
Tim Rogers is an experienced Project and Change Leader. He
is founder of www.ciChange.org and
curator for www.TEDxStHelier.Com .
He is Programme Manager for the commercialization of Jersey Harbours and Jersey
Airport. He is also Commonwealth Triathlete and World Championships Rower with
a passion for teaching and learning and is a Tutor/Mentor on the Chartered
Management Institute courses.
Mob: 07797762051 | Twitter @timhjrogers | Skype
timhjrogers
SAMPLE QUESTIONNAIRE
Question 1 - Management Control
1. Level1 Project management is inconsistent and
managed according to individual preferences.
2. Level2 There are some experts on key
projects.
3. Level3 There is a defined approach and it is
applied in all projects by capable staff
4. Level4 Project a key tool for the delivery of
change. Focus is on measurement and analysis of performance.
5. Level5 Project management as the optimal
approach to change delivery is organization-wide.
Question 2 - Benefits
Management
1. Level1 Benefits can be differentiated from
project outputs.
2. Level2 Benefits are recognized as an element
within project business cases.
3. Level3 There is a centrally managed and
consistent framework for defining and tracking the realization of benefits from
project outputs.
4. Level4 There is a focus on delivery of
business performance from project outputs.
5. Level5 Benefits and approach to change is
assessed as part of the development of
organizational strategy.
Question 3 - Financial
Management
1. Level1 There is little or no financial
control at project level. There is a lack of accountability and monitoring of
project expenditure.
2. Level2 Project business cases are produced in
various forms. Overall cost of the project is not monitored or fully accounted
for.
3. Level3 There are centrally established
standards for the preparation of business cases. Project managers monitor costs
and expenditure in accordance with organizational guidelines and procedures.
4. Level4 The organization is able to prioritize
investment opportunities effectively in relation to the availability of funds
and other resources.
5. Level5 Project financial controls are fully
integrated with those of the organization.. There is evidence of continual
improvement.
Question 4 - Stakeholder
Engagement
1. Level1 Stakeholder engagement and
communication is rarely used by projects
2. Level2 Projects will be communicated to
stakeholders, but this is linked more to the personal initiative of project
managers than to a structured approach
3. Level3 There is a centrally managed and
consistent approach to stakeholder engagement and communications used by all
projects.
4. Level4 Sophisticated techniques are used to
analyse and engage the project stakeholder environment.
5. Level5 Communications are being optimized
from extensive knowledge of the project stakeholder environment, to enable the
projects to achieve their objectives.
Question 5 - Risk Management
1. Level1 There is minimal evidence of risk
management being used
2. Level2 Risk management is recognized and used
on projects, but these are inconsistent
3. Level3 Project risk management is based on a
defined process
4. Level4 There is evidence of opportunity
management and management of risk aggregation.
5. Level5 Risk management is embedded in the
organizational culture and underpins all decision-making within projects.
Question 6 - Organisational
Governance
1. Level1 Some informal governance of projects
exists. Roles are unlikely to be formally defined.
2. Level2 Project management from an
organizational perspective is beginning to take shape but with ad hoc controls
and no clear strategic control. Roles and responsibilities will be
inconsistent, as will reporting lines.
3. Level3 Centrally defined organizational
controls are applied consistently to all projects, with decision-making
structures in place.
4. Level4 Clearly aligned project
decision-making processes integrate with broader organizational governance.
5. Level5 The governance arrangements for
projects are a core aspect of organizational control, with demonstrable
reporting lines to Executive Board level
Question 7 - Resource Management
1. Level1 There is some recognition within the
organization of the need to manage resources effectively but little evidence of
resource acquisition, planning or management.
2. Level2 Resources are being deployed across
the organization and individual projects have an approach to resource
acquisition, planning or management. However, there is little evidence of
consistency of approach.
3. Level3 The organization has a centrally
defined and adopted set of procedures and management processes for acquiring,
planning and managing project resources.
4. Level4 Resource management for projects is
considered at a strategic level within the organization. There is evidence of
resource capacity management, through capacity planning, in order to meet
project delivery needs.
5. Level5 Resources are deployed optimally.
There is clear evidence of load balancing and the effective use of both
internal and external resources across projects.
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