April 2011 Issue: Project Problem Solving

Welcome to Our April Issue

All projects have problems, large or small, technical or human – and project managers must be able to identify them early on so that the project is not irreparably harmed. The best way to handle difficulties is to call on the cooperation and collaboration of the project team and be ready with the necessary tools and skills in your repertoire to deal with anything that comes up. 

Included in this issue:

• Performing a Project Intervention
• Free Webinar on Better Project Conversations
• Project Management Q&A
• Dealing with Commitment Issues
• Five Myths of Project Breakdown
• Know the Right Way to Handle Complaints
• The Value and Application of Quick Fixes
• Problem Solving Tips and Tricks

Next Issue: Closing the Project

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pmPractitioner is published as a service to the project management community. Each issue provides practical project management solutions and tips adapted from a variety of business publications and resources.

Performing a Project Intervention

At times, even the best planned projects go off track. If good monitoring and risk management practices are in place, a runaway project should not get too far before being caught. Too often, however, signs of trouble are not recognized early enough and timely and decisive action is not taken to get the project back on track.

Following are some key guidance/steps to consider when planning for project intervention:

• Use the project plan, including baselines and criteria established during planning, to determine if the project is in trouble.
• Make the call that the project is in trouble when you first notice the signs (wishing for the trouble to go away, won’t help – decisive action will!).
• Announce it to key (internal) stakeholders. Keep the focus on the problem, not on people. Dissuade denial and blame by stating the facts, and by showing your “plan of action” for turnaround. Get buy-in to initiating corrective action.
• Determine who should perform an analysis (project health-check or audit).
• Have the person or team performing the analysis, submit an initial set of recommendations for a turnaround plan.
• Engage project team to develop/review (and finalize) the plan for turnaround and to update/revise project plan based on turnaround actions required.
• Embrace the revised plan as for a new project and ensure proper monitoring and controlling based on the revised plan.
• Address project leadership gaps and team management processes as needed to keep the project on track and stakeholders informed (transition from recovery to “maintenance”).

From Action for Results, Inc.

Free Webinar: Conversations that Build Stronger Relationships

Time: 1:00-2:00 p.m. Eastern U.S. Time
PDUs: 1
Level: Intermediate

REGISTER HERE

Project managers are often challenged by how to initiate tough conversations with critical project stakeholders and team members.  There’s little wonder why:  Have you ever received contradictory messages from different (or even the same) key people, but didn’t know how to confront the discrepancy?  Ever had difficulty getting team members to share a sense of urgency about delivering the project?  Find it hard to get your senior team engaged in making difficult trade-offs when they don’t even want to hear the choices?

Many project managers have learned to “suck it up” when their attempts to communicate are rejected, which is not in the best interest of the project.  They will try to resolve the situation on their own, or hope it improves without intervention—often to find out that just the opposite is true. The issues that derail, sidetrack, or slow down projects most often have their roots in interpersonal barriers, which prevent timely resolution of issues.

If we were to learn to communicate better with one another, with more transparency and collaboration, we might in fact prevent many of the technical issues that surface from the inability of the organization to raise risks and make trade-offs proactively.

What can you do to build relationships based on active engagement and outcomes-oriented dialogue?  In this May 10th webinar led by our senior consultant Mike Halperin, we’ll introduce tools and concepts that will help better frame the why’s and how’s of these tough conversations on critical project management problems.  Attendees will also be introduced to several strategies that, if used, will facilitate conversations that build stronger relationships that ultimately lead to more effective projects.

April Project Management Q&A

Test your project management knowledge with these questions or use them as an exercise to help prepare for your PMP certification exam.

1. Your project manager believes that team members must be watched closely and cannot solve problems on their own. She insists on a large budget for bonuses to motivate her team and keep them on track. You would categorize her as which type of manager?

2. Your Project Management Office has put into place a variety of communications mechanisms for projects such as electronic databases, a secure project website, and virtual office support software. Collectively, these are referred to as:

Answers appear at the end of the newsletter.

Dealing with Commitment Issues

It’s great when a project team is made up of individuals whose sole focus is the successful completion of the project at hand. Often, though, team members are from different functions and their commitment to the project can wane, depending on how heavy their other responsibilities are. Pay keen attention to ensure that you know when commitment decreases and have ways to solve the problem before it has an impact on the project.

Warning Signals

• Stress levels increase as team members realize how much longer than anticipated the tasks will take.
• Some team members are consistently absent or late and their deliverables are lacking in timeliness and quality.
• You have trouble getting in touch with some of your virtual team members.
• Some team members participate minimally in conference calls and in meetings.
• Some team members do not communicate (e-mail, phone, other) unless specifically asked for it.

Strategies

• Check-in with the team member to identify reasons for being late or not delivering and agree on actions needed to get back on track.
• Introduce yourself to the managers of your team members and define how you can best manage priorities if the team member is not 100% dedicated to your project.
• If/when commitment to the project is in question, connect with team members’ functional managers or sponsor to see if the reasons have to do with conflicting priorities. Develop a plan jointly with the team member and their manager to improve performance.
• Keep track of how often you have contact with your team members individually, outside team conference calls and meetings.  Set up a schedule for talking with or meeting with each team member regularly via e-mail, telephone or visits.
• If dealing with virtual or off-site team members, go to where they are instead of asking them to be the only ones to travel. Sometimes, there’s no substitute for face-to-face meetings to help a team member re-connect with the project.

Bottom line: It’s your responsibility as project manager to make that extra effort to keep everyone committed and involved.  Your interest and energy will go a long way in making that happen.

From Project Team Effectiveness, Action for Results, Inc.

The Five Myths of Project Breakdown

Myth One: We’ve Got It Covered

Often, we minimize or deny project problems - all projects have glitches, don’t they? However, if we deny the problem exists, then solving it becomes impossible.

Reality: Know that very often, the problem you’re running up against is not unique. If the problem is universal to projects, chances are the answer is also.

Myth Two: It’s Those Other People Causing the Problem

If it’s always somebody else’s fault, we place ourselves in the position of ‘victim’ – not a very good feeling.

Reality: You can avoid confusion through inclusion. Inclusion during the planning stage enables us to discover conflicts and potential breakdowns up-front. Keep up ongoing communications throughout the project as things change, so everyone knows what to expect.

Myth Three: Communication Takes Too Long

Although the solution to Myth Two is communication, very often we think we don’t have the time to properly communicate. We may feel a constant sense of urgency to get the job done – now.

Reality: Shift from racing to pacing. At certain points in the project, we must trade speed for accuracy. Involving people takes time – but if we don’t, sooner or later we’ll pay the price.

Myth Four: Stress Equals Success

Somewhere along the line the belief came into being that if you’re not stressed-out, you’re not working. However, when we become overwhelmed by constant overload, productivity actually goes down.

Reality: There is good stress out there – the kind that generates enthusiasm for the challenge, gets our adrenaline pumping and keeps us motivated. The trick is to maintain awareness of when the stress level begins to move us out of that ‘zone’ of optimal performance.

Myth Five: Satisfy the Specs By Any Means Necessary

Delivering a project to specification, on time, and within budget is an adequate definition of project success. It’s not, though, if the customer is unhappy.

Reality: Both the people and the project must be fulfilled. However, this is a natural outcome if we increase inclusion, pace ourselves appropriately and remember how important it is to work from the zone.

From Working at Warp Speed, Barry Flicker, Berrett-Koehler

Know the Right Way to Handle Complaints

Do you cringe when a client or stakeholder comes to you with a complaint? Most of us do. It’s human nature. However, project managers need to learn to welcome complaints and view them as opportunities for improvement. 

When someone comes to you with a complaint, you are being given a chance to set things right.  Treat project complaints in the same way that top customer service departments do:

• Never Use Excuses: Adopt the attitude, “We do our best to solve every problem. Your satisfaction is important to us.”
• Apologize: “We’re sorry” speaks volumes to let clients know you care.
• Recognize Complaints as Opportunities, Not Confrontations: Respect the person for sharing the complaint.
• Set Realistic Expectations: Don’t mislead or over-promise.
• Never Blame the Person: Even if they are wrong, blaming a client is almost always received as a personal attack.  Find a more effective way to solve the problem.
• Solicit Feedback: Make it easy for clients to let you know how they feel.
• Empower Front Line Team Members: Give your team members as much authority as reasonable to resolve complaints on the spot.
• Budget for Correcting Mistakes: Correcting mistakes is a cost of doing business. Don’t chance losing a valued client by trying to scrimp on costs.
• Fix the Problem: Mistakes are made during every project. Don’t take complaints as personal attacks.  Admit your errors and work to solve the problem.  Make it better for your client.

From Welcome Customer Complaints, Rhonda Abrams

The Value and Application of Quick Fixes

When evaluating problems, it is easy to get caught over-studying things to the point where obvious solutions may be overlooked.  In modern project management, there are so many complex problem-solving tools available today, that we sometimes find ourselves trapped in mountains of analysis data, when simple solutions are right under our noses. 

In many cases, it may be possible for you to avoid costly over-analytical problem-solving. Whenever your project encounters something that is obviously wrong and the solution is clear, try using the common sense Quick Fix approach. 

• Empower team members: Whenever something is so apparently wrong and the solution is so obvious, empower team members to immediately fix it, and do it right. If a team member sees something that can be improved on the spot, don’t hesitate: Just Do It!  Make this a part of everyone’s job, everyday.
• Establish and communicate clear boundaries: Quick Fixes can improve project performance and save time and costs. However, boundaries must be established and controlled.  Whatever is sensible for the project will work. Generally, the most effective projects place the highest reasonable limits of authority at the lowest organizational levels possible. Ensure that team members know their limits of authority to implement Quick Fixes.
• Think holistically: Before implementing a Quick Fix, think about how it will impact other components of the project. If it will not have an adverse impact on anyone or anything, then it is likely a good fix.
• Think ease: Before implementing a Quick Fix, think about how easy it is. If it will not be a quick and easy fix, then perhaps it should be analyzed in more depth.

From Organization Effectiveness, Action for Results, Inc.

Problem Solving Tips and Tricks

Add a Fresh Perspective to Problem Solving

The next time you’re having a problem-solving meeting and getting nowhere, try inviting people to the session who have no formal “expertise” in the topic. Rules and assumptions do not limit these folks. Their questions, ideas, and challenges will help the group uncover dangerous assumptions and push the group to explore uncharted territory.

From Unleashing Meeting Creativity, Tom LaForce

Give the Problem Center Stage

Having a project meeting that centers around a specific problem? Write the problem out on a flipchart and place it at the front of the room to keep everyone focused on why you’re there.

From Customer Service for Dummies, Karen Leland and Keith Bailey, IDG Books

How to Stop Project Rumors

When a rumor threatens to harm your project, answer questions directly and with frankness. Call a general meeting if necessary. Team members and other key stakeholders need to see your face, hear your voice and watch your body language if you are to convince them you are telling the truth. Do not attempt to stop the rumor with a memo.

From Managing by Storying Around, David Armstrong, Doubleday Books

Resolution First . . . Litigation Last

If you have a contract dispute with a supplier or client, consider litigation last, not first. Most times, litigation makes matters worse. Using lawyers to speak for you tends to fan the flames of conflict. 

Resolution, on the other hand, actually gives you a strategic advantage – it offers you an action option rather than closing you off to reaction. Plus, directly discussing the problem takes less time and money than fighting through the court system. 

In your resolution talks, remain open and flexible. Try to avoid placing all the blame on someone else. If appropriate, be willing to accept at least part of the blame.

From Getting to Resolution, Stewart Levine, Berrett-Koehler Publishers

Answers to April Q&A

1. The correct answer is ‘a’ (Theory X manager).

McGregor, who developed Theory X and Theory Y as managerial motivation models, describes theory X managers as those who believe their employees dislike work and try to avoid it, lack ambition and have little capacity for problem solving, prefer constant directions and avoid taking responsibilities and are motivated by physiological and safety needs.

Answer ‘c’ (Expert power) is incorrect. Expert is a form of referent power, earned when the PM is viewed as an expert on some topic or issue as gains compliance because s/he “knows best.”

[Executing], Human Resource Skills for the Project Manager, Vijay K. Verma ©1996, PMI

2. The correct answer is ‘a’ (Information Distribution tools). These are a Tool and Technique of Information Distribution.

Answer ‘d’ is incorrect. “Communication Methods” might seem right, but these refer to the methods of information distribution (teleconferences, meetings) and not of storage and retrieval.

[Executing], PMBOK Guide, Fourth Edition p. 260