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I’ve now launched a new blog at www.consult-llewellyn.com

Flogging dead horses

We all see the statistics associated with project failure. For instance, according to a study by Gartner, almost 40% percent of IT projects fail or are abandoned before completion. Most project managers are afraid of being labeled as quitters or failures. Perhaps it takes more courage to admit that your project is a failure than to accept it (with no choice) when you finally walk over the cliff’s edge. Let’s be frank, continuing with a hopeless project is like flogging a dead horse …and wasting huge amounts of money in the process. It doesn’t make very smart business sense does it.

62 tips for consulting success

If you’re an independent consultant, you constantly need to have your ear to the ground and know how to market yourself. Having a skill to sell is simply not enough. I’ve always enjoyed the marketing challenge, and learning new ways to sell myself and in fact I had a sales and marketing career before entering the IT world.

Work-life balance

If you’re one of the many whose narrowed view of life consists primarily of work and sleep, perhaps it’s time to step back, take a good look at yourself and ‘get a life’.

I find it very sad when I see people devoting virtually all their time to the company they work at. Come on, what sort of life is that? Is that really a life?

Risk management culture

Most well run organisations will have risk managed at four distinct levels which are; Corporate/Strategic, Programme, Project and Operational. To do this effectively, a framework for managing risk needs to be designed and implemented to address the following:

Managing yourself and others

All managers have a team to manage but all managers have themelves to manage too. It’s tough being a manager. You need to get through the day getting your own work done and looking out for your team. As managers move further up the ladder, they receive less mentoring and training.

How’s your CV looking?

I’ve been recruiting quite a few PMs for a couple of clients recently and so I’ve had literally hundreds of PM CVs pour in. Now some of these CVs are very good indeed, but note I say ’some’. If anyone is looking for a change in career, a shift up gear, in a current or new organisation, they need to spend time (real time) on creating a CV that will make them stand out amongst the others, because in the job market the CV is the sales brochure.

100 Rules for NASA PMs

These have been floating around the net for quite a few years and I happened to stumble across them again and thought I should share them with you. All credit goes to Jerry Madden at NASA for this compilation. None of it is rocket science but they’re all good reminders for anyone in management. I know it’s a long list and I thought of separating them into easily digested bite sized chunks. But then I thought not, so here they are for your travel reading or for pasting on the walls of the office.

Share what you know

We should always try to mentor people around us who know less than us. They don’t have to know that much less and you don’t need to know that much more. But if you share what you know with others, that can only be a good thing.

Being an independent consultant

A consultant is an independent contractor who sells professional expertise in a particular area of specialisation. The consultant performs work for a fee within an agreed time frame with his customer. Note that I’m not talking about consultants who are employed by a consulting firm. I’m talking about people who stand on their own two feet and are independent consultants in their own right, who run their own business.

Cost of living overseas

Just over a month ago I wrote about the cost of living and included a survey from 50 cities. Today’s post is similar except that it looks at 144 cities and includes more information. I was intreviewed yesterday by a writer for the PMI magazine in the US about things to consider when looking at overseas opportunities. Cost of living is certainly one of them and this data is especially useful for those considering their first or next role in a new country.

Why govern a programme?

One of the authors of the Gower Handbook of Programme Management is Paul Rayner and just over two years ago, he conducted a survey which showed that whilst the world was moving closer to a common theory about what Programme Governance is all about in theory, the reality was very different.

PowerPoint health warning

Not many of us can claim not to have fallen prey to ‘PowerPoint’ abuse in our lives. We all know that clutter, small text and dozens of slides are simply NOT good. Just as with alcohol, we know that PowerPoint abuse can make us look rather foolish in front of large groups of people, and yet we still go out and do it. Some more regularly than others!

Top 10 best & worst communicators

I just came across an amusing post on Bert Decker’s Communications Blog. It’s the Top Ten (Best and Worst) Communicators of 2006 list. No surprises to see who came bottom of the list! Take a look here and whilst you’re there, have a read of some of Bert’s excellent aticles on communication including “The Five Biggest Mistakes CEO’s Make in Speaking“.

People skills

I know I often write about communication, but let’s face it, life would be hopeless without it and so would anyone in business. Yet only a minority spend time and effort improving their communication skills in adult life. Much of project and programme management is about managing people and for that you need a plethora of people skills.

What’s going on?

I’ve always made a big effort to keep my team members in the picture when it comes to project or programme status. Aside from the usual discussions which go on throughout the week, I’ve used weekly status meetings, weekly messages and intranets for doing this.

All change

A fomer colleague in the UAE asked me for a Change Request Process and Template yesterday. I sent him a change CR log too. By putting a change process in place, you can easily monitor and control the amount of change that takes place, providing the process provides each of the key steps for managing change within projects are included.

Bring me solutions, not problems

“Bring me solutions, not problems” is a phrase that former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher was well known for using.

It’s so easy for people to moan and for many, it’s a habit. Managers need to train their staff not to only moan. Sure they can still have their whinge, but insist that if they bring you a problem, they must also suggest a solution.

21st century leaders inspire

My ‘Tony Robbins’ post the other day was about inspiration. I got to thinking a little more after I posted it and I thought that every Leader worth their salt should possess and regularly demonstrate the “ability to inspire”.

21st century leaders do not sit in their ivory office feeling dominant and powerful with their name on a closed door.

A new year ahead

With 2006 at an end, we will celebrate the new year this afternoon with some hot wine at home with some family. Then we’ll meet friends and enjoy a walk through Prague with food and drinks en-route to arrive at Prague Castle before midnight. From there we will look down on the city, enjoy the fireworks and toast in 2007.

Tony Robbins inspires

Oh yes, two Blogs in one day. Well to tell the truth, I was excited to share with you, Tony Robbins’ performance at the prestigious TED Conference. It’s attended by the world’s most influential thinkers and leaders, including the founders of Google. What’s more, this guy has helped me for years and I’m a huge fan of his.

Improving communications

Whether we are managing a project, programme, regional branch, global corportation, personal or social relationships, one of the most fundamental areas of failure by so many people is in in Communication. This one word can make or break so much and it’s one of my pet subjects that I have enjoyed learning about for many years.

When you need a new PM

I know what it’s like; all of a sudden a decision is made to hire a new Project Manager. The thought of that extra set of hands on deck is bliss, but first; where do you find this new PM and how do you know they’ll be up to the job?

Getting what you’re worth

Last night my young cousin called from the UK and asked me about contract rates for IT Project Managers. He’s currently studying for his PMP. I told him that there are PMs who make over £1000 per day and there are many who have to work 5 times as many contract days to earn that money.

Consultants or Freelancers?

I had an interesting chat yesterday with a guy in Sweden who was calling himself a freelancer. I saw him as a consultant actually. The distinction between the two terms might not appear important, but in a world where words often shape our behaviour and attitudes, it does become important.

Does Your Boss Wear Prada?

After salsa classes last night (oh yes!) a few of us had some dinner and drinks at La Casa Blu. We got on to talking about Meryl Streep’s cold-hearted character in the movie; “The Devil Wears Prada”. If your boss is somewhat of a devil, someone you’ll never get along with, admire or respect no matter how hard you try, there are a few things you can do.

PMI 250,000 Race

I was renewing my PMI membership yesterday and noticed that the PMI is fast approaching 250,000 members. To celebrate, they are holding a PMI 250,000 Member Race in which the winner will be the person who correctly guesses the month, day, hour and minute that the 250,000th member joins PMI. The other winner will be that 250,000th member. They’ve got some nice prizes on offer actually.

Sitting on Risk

An old colleague popped up on Skype yesterday and asked me if I had a Risk Plan he could use. If you’ve approached your project or programme well, you’ll have a Risk Plan/Strategy document. If you don’t, then why not? My old colleague was ‘attending to the missing Risk Plan’, but in reality, he was merely out to get a tick in the box in his project schedule.

Say Thank You

A few weeks ago I wrote about the ‘Weekly Message’.  Yes I know we’re all far too busy to write one, but we also know that that’s a bit of a lame excuse for not doing anything we don’t particularly want to. I would write a little every day through the week so that my weekly message is all done by ’sending day’. And the benefits to you, the people you manage and the organisation outweigh such a small overhead.

66% fail, delay or overspend

Over the weekend I was in touch with Steve Lynn - a doctoral candidate at Kennedy Western University, USA and a Project Management Practitioner. Steve very recently conducted a survey among ProjectsAtWork.com subscribers to gather quantitative information on the importance of specific project management initiatives to their organisations.

Our Opportunities

This is no era to sit back and say, “you get all the luck” to people, especially when there are so many opportunities awaiting everyone. Over the last few years, I have not applied for any of the assignments that I have undertaken. All my business has come from a valuable network of people. So far, the same applies to my Recruitment Business where I’m filling management roles across the Gulf, into Turkey, up into Greece then further north in Finland.

OGC Successful Delivery

The other day I met up with Paul Byrne – a Programme Manager who used to be based in Prague. Paul is an MSP (Managing Successful Programmes – OGC) Practitioner, and as we enjoyed a glass of Gambrinus in a local Prague bar, he kindly shared 300mb of programme management material with me. Cheers again Paul!

Listen Hear

I interviewed someone on the phone this morning for a three month contract in Spain. The rate was EUR 1100 per day and the position was business management focused. My candidate was a very experienced guy with an incredibly impessive CV. He was articulate, confident and knowledgable. HOWEVER, despite being a EUR 1k+ a day consultant, he failed dismally in the all important area of ‘listening’.

International Cost of Living

Many European professionals with a sense of adventure will consider the option of going to work overseas, although far less actually take the plunge. One of the most profitable places to work in recent years has been the Middle East and top of the list for many is Dubai. But this hotspot is experiencing spiraling costs, although life is still tax free there.

OGC’s P3M3 Version 1.0

You, me and thousands of others including the OGC, know that too many projects fail or run horribly over-budget or late. Always proactive in the advancement of project and programme management, the OGC has identified the following key areas of failure which we should focus on in our efforts to manage and deliver projects and programmes successfully:

Jack of All Trades Recruiter

In my years as an independent consultant, I’ve received hundreds of calls from recruiters. Like many, I have suffered the recruiter who has no idea of what a particular job he is trying to fill entails. He has never participated in an IT project, has no idea of what the letters PMP, PRINCE or ITIL actually mean, and does not understand the full range of qualities which make a high calibre IT Project or Programme Manager, particularly in the Middle East.

Benefits Management

An area which many programmes seem to lack is Benefits Management. This seems a bit silly when the fundamental reason for beginning a programme is to realise benefits through change; whether it’s to do things in a new way or to do things that will influence others to change.

Documentation

Documentation is the physical expression of any project or programme. Unwritten codes, concepts, risks, etc are but ideas that float around. When they are documented, they are suddenly taken seriously and take on a new look.

Whilst all project and programme managers should have the communication ability to create clear and concise documentation, nothing beats the added luxury of a good Technical Author.

Our 10 Intelligences

Most people who are gifted in numbers or words with perhaps an MBA, PhD, or well paying job are believed to be “intelligent”. But the true meaning of intelligence covers a far wider area than that which is covered off by the job, qualification or salary.

Howard Gardner, Professor Robert Ornstein, Tony Buzan and others became aware that there are in fact different types of intelligence and that each of them acted in harmony with one another when properly developed. The list of ten is as follows:

New accreditation body for ITIL

The APM Group (APMG) in Britain has now signed a contract with the Office of Government Commerce (OGC) to become the new accreditation body for ITIL.

Should PMs be tech experts?

I was flicking through my blog role this morning and I came across an interesting article by Dick Billows which discussed the question of whether a PM should be a technical expert. I say ”no, providing they are supported by a strong lead architect or technical workstream leads”. I know plenty of people who feel otherwise, but I have also seen PMs pull rank (on technical issues) on technical gurus who have far more technical knowledge than the PM.

Take a look at Dick’s view on this at http://www.4pm.com/atom.xml

Patrick Mayfield’s Blog

I just want to mention one of the blogs that I keep an eye on. It’s that of Patrick Mayfield. This is the chap who was asked by the UK Government to help them manage the development of a best practice method managing projects. That best practice was eventually launched as PRINCE2(tm).

Czech 100 Best

I was invited to the “Czech 100 Best” last night, where the Czech Republic’s most outstanding companies are recognised for their achievement. It was held in the Spanish Hall at Prague Castle which is one of the most stunning examples of historic architecture I have seen anywhere in the world. And of course the Castle is spectacular especially when lit up at night as it peers down on Prague.

PRINCE2 Vs PMP

When it comes to requested job qualifications, most of us realise that PMP is the favoured PM method among the more ‘American’ organisations, whilst PRINCE2 is very British and vastly popular throughout Europe and Australia.

Removing the relics

Earlier this week, an old colleague was complaining to me about bully-style PMs he had to work with. It reminded me that in the 1970’s a survey amongst business executives revealed that many felt there was no place for empathy, compassion, or the general notion of emotional intelligence in the workplace.

PMs with no experience

I’ve been surprised at the number of people who have applied for the Telco PM ad that I posted last week when their CV is full of technical jargon, with no mention of project management except perhaps; ‘led team of people’. It brings to light the lack of understanding that technical folk have for Project Management, and of course their misconceptions of what a PM actually does.

Project Managers wanted

If you are looking for a stable yet exciting opportunity to manage projects in some of the most attractive regions of the Middle East, then read on.

I have been asked to source no less than six Project Managers for one of the most dynamic organisations in the Gulf region. The successful candidates could have the opportunity of living in the UAE, Bahrain or Kuwait to manage Banking or Telco projects in these and other GCC countries.

More than process driven

Aside from the best practices of PMP, OGC, etc, human qualities play a critical role in setting a high calibre manager or leader aside from the masses.

These human qualities are not just for work. They enhance our family, social, sporting, spiritual and other areas of our lives. I spent a few years at the top of international water ski racing and many of the principles I learned from the likes of Anthony Robbins, helped me win international medals, to achieve what I never thought was possible (and who others told me was not possible) and to pick myself up when I’d been knocked down.

Risk management tools

A former colleague asked me about Risk Management tools last night, hence this post.

Most of us have used the old faithful Excel spreadsheet and MS Word templates to manage risk. When the project is small and risks are minimal, that might be a sufficient approach. But what if the project is expensive, high profile or destined to be home to an extensive catalogue of risks?

Because you’re worth it

I recently had a client ask me to help source a very specialist consultant for a short term assignment. The resource was found on the other side of the world and that was a stroke of luck as this kind of person is never in short supply of business.

The surprise came when the client expected the consultant to fly half way round the world, pay for his hotel and work for free for 5 days whilst they decided whether the consultant was the right man for the job.

The client was promptly told that this was not going to happen and we walked away from the business.

My message here is, whilst some people think they can have it all their way because they do within their own company, what they seem to forget is that there is a big ocean outside their goldfish bowl that doesn’t need them. That high calibre consultants can pick and choose.

If you rate and respect yourself as one of those high calibre consultants, I hope you’ll always be strong enough to walk away from the occassional unreasonable offer.

Risk – it’s not rocket science

I read an interesting article about risk and opportunity in the aerospace industry this morning. Whilst PMBOK considers risk as both negative and positive, the folk in aerospace consider risk as negative and opportunity as positive. Good risk management is not about fear of failure, but removing barriers to success. After all, project and programme management is success oriented, focused on producing products and services for customers. When the success orientation is combined with risk management, opportunity management emerges, which is the identification of opportunities to help attain project goals, and the identification and implementation of actions to capture those opportunities. Below are the keys to success taken from a Space Risk Management Symposium. Whilst their view on risk is slightly different from PMBOK’s, the points are not rocket science and can help most managers running IT projects and programmes.

• Sound risk and opportunity management cannot save a poorly planned program with bad processes
• Prevent the competition between risks and opportunities
• Prevent unhealthy competition between teams
• Risk and opportunity management provide diminishing returns if overused
• The costs of pursuing opportunities and managing risks must be weighed against the expected benefits
• An environment should be created to encourage risk and opportunity management
• Risks and opportunities are not just normal variations in plan
• Recognise the difference between risks and opportunities
• Opportunities are not “positive risks”.

Change

I had a phone call this morning from someone complaining about the change going on in his software company in Prague. Yes change …it’s something that many resist, especially when it involves some effort on their part or fear of the unknown. Yet process improvement can and does work when performed well. But it’s not just about process and planning – it’s about smart communication.

Due to human nature, whether your objective is to achieve a CMMI level of maturity, ITIL compliance or otherwise, the human element of the change involved is often the greatest challenge.

Pain is a great motivator for changing the way people work. Show them their pain and demonstrate the benefits of moving away from that pain by adopting the change.

Another key to change involves communication – lots of it! Many managers are so focused on the process, the schedule, the risk, etc, that they forget that the change involves real people and that overcoming their resistance will make their task of implementing change a lot easier. Show people the price being paid for current process, explain clearly the benefits of change. Allay their fear of extreme change by involving people in the process of designing the change and look for allies. All this is done through clear and considerate communication.

Emotional intelligence also comes in handy. Read my recent post on that subject here.

PRINCE2 updates

I’ve spoken to a few aspiring PRINCE2 Practitioners recently who are gathering PRINCE2 material from colleagues, including the PRINCE2 manual.

Make sure you get yourself an up to date PRINCE2 manual to study with. It only costs £55.25 and you can buy it directly from the TSO in the UK. The older version that your colleague might give you could mean the difference between a pass and a fail at the exam.

This document lists some of the changes that can be found in the latest version.

The Gower Handbook of Programme Management

The brand new Gower Handbook of Programme Management is a significant development in Programme Management and it was launched on 12th October 2006.

The 626 page book is the most complete reference on the topic of Programme Management, compiled by a team of six authors since 2002.

The six authors are well known in the field, and are:

Geoff Reiss, Malcolm Anthony, John Chapman, Geof Leigh, Adrian Pyne and Paul Rayner

You can order The Gower Handbook of Programme Management and read more about it here or here.

£95.00 / US$185.00
ISBN: 0 566 08603 4 October 2006
626 pages Hardback

Milestones

I’m 43 today, and as Bernard Baruch once said; “old age is always 15 years older than I am”. The first snow of winter fell on Prague this morning too.

It’s another milestone in that all important programme called ‘life’ which has been a superb adventure thus far. We’re all managing a similar programme and we all do it in our own unique way, experiencing a blend of wins and challenges along the way.

But as well as these pre-defined milestones called birthdays, our years should include other major and minor milestones. A few of my recent milestones have been to move home, climb Kilimanjaro and launch a new business. I’ve done them all in the last 3 weeks so it’s been a busy time.

Now I have some birthday cake to cut so excuse me …

Planning

I’ve just moved home in Prague, hence the few days since I last updated the blog. Nevertheless, things went exceptionally well. It was incredible to watch the three removal guys in action as they strapped solid mahogony pieces of furniture to their back and carried them up 8 sets of stairs.

We had pre-packed, sealed and labeled everything well and the move was complete in just four hours, whilst the removal company had planned for eight. The cable tv, phone and internet lines are in, the paintings are hung and the 2500 books are stood nicely on the shelves again.

Good planning was key here. The words of a Czech removal guy and the words of an IT manager. Simply put in PRINCE2 terms; planning provides information on; i) what is required; ii) how it will be achieved, by when and using what equipment and resources; and iii) when events will happen. It’s not rocket science is it, although it’s an element of project and programme management which some of the most well educated and positioned professionals fail on.

Believe it or not, I’ve seen a large programme involving hundreds of IT resources move forward with less than 20% of the projects having a basic project plan in place. Of course this is an example of poor project management. But it’s also an example of poor programme management and poor leadership too. The fault begins with senior leadership for allowing this flakey approach to filter down from the highest level.

It’s simple, well known, yet it still holds very true; “He who fails to plan, plans to fail” – said Dr. Esdaille.

Emotional Intelligence

As an independent consultant, I’ve come across an interesting mix of managers and leaders over the years. I’m sure you can relate to me on this one when I say that I quietly shake my head in disbelief at some. Often there’s been a clear gap in their emotional intelligence department. Some, like Saddam Hussein, will sit in their ivory towers until someone removes them one day. Wow the names are now springing to mind  Let me explain …

Emotional Intelligence (EI) doesn’t fit with “historical models of leadership” that tend to conjure up charismatic and sometimes despotic images. However, people often use the same language for leadership today – bold, brave and tough with a strong sense of purpose and resolve. However, this is not how successful leaders function today.

Why?
Because today’s workforce does not accept the autocratic style often adopted by leaders following historical models of leadership. Leadership has had to evolve to match a growing sense of democracy and independence in the workforce. Employees now have far more options and choices than the foot soldiers of yesterday.

Daniel Goldman is well known in the EI arena and has recently established the four domain of EI;

Self-awareness
Emotional self-awareness – Accurate self-assessment – Self-confidence

Self-management
Emotional self-control – Transparency – Adaptability – Achievement orientation – Initiative – Optimism

Relationship-management
Inspirational leadership – Influence – Developing others – Change catalyst – Confict management – Building bonds – Teamwork & collaboration

Social-awareness
Empathy – Organisational awareness – Service orientation

So aside from PRINCE2, MSP, PMP, etc, why not continue to develop your emotional intelligence too?

You can find some further reading on EI at www.eiconsortium.org

People issues and PRINCE2

We all know that project management is about being methodical, logical and consistent. But as PEOPLE make projects happen and not machines, all PMs need to deal with the often unenviable task of managing folk who can cause difficulties for the manager who is trying to plan and run a good project.

The handy sized “People Issues and PRINCE2″ helps us prepare for some of the characters we will inevitably come across when managing projects and programmes. To give you a flavour of this interesting read, I’ve listed a few of the section headings below;

Dealing with resource conflicts
Typical people issues
Managing performance and dealing with non-delivery

I like the part where the book looks at ”Traits of project board memers” and discusses 5 common types;
i) Senior ditherers
ii) Natural leaders
iii) Terrorists
iv) Micro-managers
v) Statesmen

Now doesn’t that make you think of a few people you’ve crossed paths with?!

You can buy the book direct from www.tso.co.uk (direct link to book)
ISBN: 0113308965

The programme office

There was a KPMG survey conducted a few years ago that I like to refer to. It highlighted the importance of the programme office and found that 98% of organisations with a mature programme office reported a 100% project success rate.

In the IT world, this statistic sounds to good to be true, but it need not be. The fact remains that many leaders are still unaware of the importance of programme management and the programme office that supports it.

The finest programme office support I encountered was at EDS in the UK. The key elements to its success were strong sponsorship from executive management and a first class programme office manager.

Acknowledge and support the critical importance of programme mangement and the programme office and you will almost certainly enjoy greater project success in your business.

Doing what it takes

I’ve just returned from my climb to the summit of the highest free-standing mountain in the world – Kilimanjaro. On a personal level, it’s a very satisfying accomplishment which notched up one of the toughest days in my life. Up and down the 5,895 m (19,340 feet) volcano in Tanzania, and a total of 108km of walking in 6 days, in a climate ranging from +25′c to -20′c. It was no picnic.

This was a goal I had set myself over a year ago when I read about the adventure in a magazine I found in the the pocket of my plane seat from London to Prague.

The critical period was day 5 when we began the last 7 hr walk to the summit at midnight, in torchlight. My girlfriend blacked out at 5,000m and was taken down by the assistant guide. I continued up (we had agreed our contingency plan before the trip) and I began to acquire the symptoms of altitude sickness – headaches and nausea, but I did my best to control it.

I hadn’t been able to get any sleep before midnight and I had already walked almost 50km in the previous 4 days. Exhaustion, the culmination of tiredness, high altitude and physical wear-down, was the next hurdle that I faced, along with the snow covered rocks, 60mph winds and the 1cm layer of ice that was now encasing my equipment and outer clothing. From 5,400m I focused intensely on each and every single step I took, with internal reminders of how far I used to push myself as a young water skier in my days with the British team.

We reached the top at sunrise, witnessed the breathtaking views of the eroding glaciers below and savoured the exhileration of the accomplishment.

Projects, programmes and corporate goals require an ingredient that I needed to succeed last weekend. That is the commitment to do what it takes to achieve the ultimate goal. Don’t let process, rules, people or anything else kill your objectives. Do what it takes to succeed.

When cultures collide

I head off to Tanzania in Africa tomorrow morning to climb Kilimanjaro. 5895m high (19,340 feet in old money), it’s a 6 day trek to the top of the highest free-standing mountain in the world. I read about it a year ago and thought, “that seems like a great adventure”.  As I packed my bag today, and wondered what the guides will be like, my mind wandered off to Geert Hofstede who has produced some excellent reports on how values in the workplace are influenced by culture.

I once read Richard Lewis’s When Cultures Collide – interesting material for anyone venturing to work in a new land. Funny in parts too.

I’ve seen a number of instances of good managers falling foul of not appreciating the culture which sits within a manager from another country. You can read more about this at: www.geert-hofstede.com

In the meantime, my blog is on hold until I return from Africa in a few weeks.

Why CEOs need effective PMs

Shock McHorror!
McDonald’s had a US$1 billion Project designed to tie all its operations into a real-time digital network and improve competitiveness. After just two years from conception, US$170 million was written-off and the project was cancelled. This marked the most expensive and extensive information technology project in the company’s history, according to the article McBusted on Baseline Magazine (July 2003 issue).

Would you believe it?
A joint venture between Marriott Corp, Hilton Hotels Cop, Budget Rent a Car, and AMR Information Services (AMRIS), designed to increase shareholder value ended in court after four years of poor project management, including unclear product definition, missed deadlines, overwhelming number of changes, and poor communications practices.  US$ 213 million where written off related to the project before litigation among parties began.

The writing’s on the wall
Standish Group’s 3rd Quarter 2004 Research on the IT industry indicated that 18% of all surveyed projects have failed (cancelled prior to completion or delivered and never used) and 53% are challenged (late, over budget and/or with less than the required features and functions).

These are just a few examples of how bad project management SERIOUSLY impacted corporate results and SERIOUSY mattered to CEOs, CFOs, COOs and shareholders! Am I getting my point across?

What can senior management do to ensure effective Project Management?

Paul C. Dinsmore is a PMI Fellow and the author of 11 books on management and project themes. Some time ago he wrote an article about why CEOs need good Project Managers. Here are the keys topics that require attention from top management to make sure strategic projects are carried out in alignment with the objective of increasing shareholder value:

• Project Portfolio Management
• A System of Governance
• Organisational Support and Tools
• Skilled Resources (Projects Managers & team members)
• Milestone or Stage Gate Reviews
• Transition to Operation and Benefits Management

Paul conculded that CEOs are constantly challenged to translate strategies into shareholder value. The stakes of not doing so are becoming extremely high. An organisation’s level of excellence in enterprise-wide project management is important to senior management that is focused on ensuring that value creating strategies are implemented as well as to security analysts who wish to develop improved insights about the value realization capability of organisations.

You can read Paul’s full article here

Where’s your weekly message?

It’s Friday and when managing a project or programme, it’s the day I would normally write my “Weekly Message” to the team and other internal stakeholders. Or Wednesday or Thursday depending on the country.

In addition to the day to day communication with the team, status meetings, etc, I’ve found that an informal email covering the following has tremendous impact:

1. Project / programme status overview
2. Risks and issues (addressed and new)
3. Team member birthdays, holidays, etc
4. Looming tasks and milestones
5. Congratulations on individual and team achievements
6. Strong appreciation for the team’s work
7. Advice on communication
8. Motivational quotes
9. Other topical and relevant subjects

Written quite casually but with great sincerity, it was almost like my weekly blog.

Don’t be one of those managers who spend far less time showing appreciation than they do showing disappointment to their team. PRINCE2, PMP, MSP, etc is the theory of management. Communication is the human element which involves personal qualities such as emotional intelligence. On that favourite subject of mine, Patrick Mayfield published a great piece on emotional intelligence last month. 

If you take a few minutes each day to build your weekly message, when it comes to the end of the week, you simply fine tune it, send it out and enjoy the background effect of some real positive impact on your team. It’s also an excellent informal style of regular communication to senior internal stakeholders. Written well, this is any manager’s opportunity to create some spin.

Launching the blog

I’m in the throws of diversifying into the recruitment of IT Managers and my focus is on both the European and Middle East markets.

I’ve been publishing ’stuff’ for over 15 years and have written email newsletters for 10 of those so I umed and ahed as to whether I should publish yet another newsletter or get into this blogging thing.

After reading about the pros and cons I felt I should at least keep up with progress and have a crack at a blog.

I’m going to write about topics which interest me and which I hope will be of interest to IT managers who work or aspire to work in Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA).

At the same time, I know how critical high calibre project and programme managers are to delivery executives, chief operating officers, presidents, managing directors and anyone else who has the pleasure of having the buck stop with them. So the blog will certainly be of interest to them too.

The reason I’m focusing my recruitment arm on the IT management market is quite simply because I know it well, I’ve done it well, and I’ve always enjoyed the benefits of a healthy stream of work.

If you have been so far, thanks for reading and enjoy the ride ahead.