Hi All --
A while ago, in preparation for my presentation at ProjectWorld this week, I
asked for responses to these questions:
1. What are some of the obstacles you face when you try to implement good PM
[project management] practices?
2. How do you overcome (or try to overcome) these obstacles?
While a couple of folks made suggestions about the presentation strategy I
should use to handle the session, most respondents answered the questions as
listed above. As promised, I hereby summarize the answers I received.
[Individual comments are separated by long dashed lines (-------------)].
Thanks to everyone who replied!
Michael Greer --
mgreer6062@aol.com
Author of _The Project Manager's Partner_ (HRD Press), _ID Project
Management_(Ed. Tech. Pub.) and other PM Resources -- For free handouts, etc.
see:
http://members.aol.com/GreersPM/mg-home.htm
---SUMMARY OF RESPONSES BELOW ----
From:
fgaziano@dailyherald.com (Gaziano, Frank)
To:
mgreer6062@aol.com ('
mgreer6062@aol.com')
In my limited experience with project management the biggest obstacle is
peoples desire to get right to the task and not PLAN
Frank G.
-----------------------
My answer is in # #
1. What are some of the obstacles you face when you try to implement good PM
practices?
#in many companies, upper management knows that their employees cannot make
commitments... and often the management willingly over committs to its
customers and does not want this over commitment to become public knowledge,
so they hush hush it up in ineffective project management. Company culture (as
is manifested in project management) supports this over-commitment
policy by having project management that is full of cover-your-ass and
fear, lest the truth be said too early to the customer.#
2. How do you overcome (or try to overcome) these obstacles?
#You have to look at the whole essence of aggressive commitments to
understand that often project management in itself is a managerial sub-set
serving over commitment. Ineffective project management serves corporate
goals the same way that turnover serves ineffective management...See the
following article on aggressive commitments and project management:#
http://www.geocities.com/Eureka/Plaza/4031/oc.html
Allon Shevat
Allon Shevat
General Manager,Growth Resources Institute
Tel Aviv, Israel
Web site:
http://www.GR-SITE.COM
email:
ashevat@netvision.net.il
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In a message dated 97-11-21 03:52:19 EST, you wrote:
<<<< Just in case the audience doesn't generate a wide enough variety of
obstacles and solutions, I'm trying to gather a range of examples to share.
Any ideas or war stories you can provide will be appreciated. >>>>
Michael,
This may or may not be relevant to your needs: Before changing jobs last
month, I spent 15 years in the automotive industry working for import
manufacturers (Nissan and Hyundai). The car business is notorious for its
"flavor-of-the-month" approach to business, especially marketing. Hyundai
especially (though it's not alone) is notorious for constant "fire drills." A
fire drill is an assignment that a) requires that you drop any and all work on
your plate; b) has little or no application to your objectives; and c) is
totally unimportant in terms of organizational success.
Project management implies something that takes place over time. The biggest
obstacles to project management in such a setting are constantly changing
priorities that often render projects useless before they're completed and
time-consuming "drop-dead" assignments that destroy plans and schedules.
Rarely do these obstacles reflect relevant changes in the market or the
business.
Tom Dell
Sr. Mgr., Training & Development
AST Computer
Irvine, CA
-------------------------------------------------------
From:
Paul.Hsi@ncal.kaiperm.org (Paul Hsi)
To:
MGreer6062@AOL.COM (Return requested)
MONEY
-------------------------------------------------------
In response to your request... the biggest problems I see are
organizational in nature. Some aspect of the project "belongs" to
another department (or is outsourced), or is otherwise under the
control of someone that you don't manage. Sometimes you even have to
manage "up" to get a project done. Deadlines and priorities can be
extraordinarily sticky under these circumstances.
Ways to deal: Build relationships and ramp up the communication
levels! Share goals, benefits, reasons for decisions -- and
consequences. Summarize meeting notes, including action
plans, to copy to individuals present -- and selected supervisors.
Do extra checking back on the project status. Make sure individuals
know how other aspects of the project depend on their contributions
-- and how much their work is valued. Be alert to conflicting demands
on critical people that you may have to negotiate around. Say "thank
you" and share credit -- the more that the people outside of the
department *want* to work with you, the more they'll be an advocate
for your project over others.
In other words, the better you "play well with others", the more
likely you'll be to get your work done. :-)
Hope this is helpful. I have used your book (and site) on
project management for Instructional Design a lot, and find it very
useful. IMHO, good project management is one of the core
competencies for the next millenium...
Good luck with your workshop. Will look forward to your summary.
Linda Gilbert
Georgia Center for Continuing Education
The University of Georgia
GilbertL@gactr.uga.edu