Tag Archives: Careers Advice

Project Management Communications, Project Management War Stories, project teams

When relationships fail – project management woes

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Interesting topic, as relationships are the basis of life – whether it is partners, children, pets, colleagues, or suppliers to name a few. So how do we keep a relationship healthy and happy? A starting point has to be managing expectations, you commit to a certain level of engagement and this must be clear from the outset. Most of the time, with personal relationships this tends to be easier as you agree to call or do something and as long as you keep on top of your commitments then you have a healthy relationship. In work it can be difficult to juggle relationships especially when you are very busy and are constantly asking for parties to do something for you (usually because it is in the plan). So when things occasionally go sour or you inherit a bad relationship with a client or supplier, what should you do?

Come back

  • What went wrong – talk to all involved to get a greater understanding of when the relationship started to struggle.
  • Discuss feelings – all sounds very touchy feely I know but just listening to others and letting them vent their frustrations can relieve tension greatly.
  • Listen to all points of view – don’t just listen to those who shout loudest, take time to speak with those who seem to be happy (it is often these who are just “getting on with it” grumbling under their breath).
  • How can we put things right? Having taken in all views and opinions it is time to sit down and work out a strategy to improve the working environment moving forward. Take an inclusive approach, call a meeting with all involved and talk through your ideas and reassure everyone that you are acutely aware that things need to change and will.

I remember back when I first started managing my own projects, my programme director told me to refer to the plan with workstream leads who were not prioritising my projects. I did as I was told for a while but found that this corporate threat was damaging my relationships, I decided to take a different approach, bearing in mind I was working within a matrix environment so often had to go to their managers with the threats. I decided to spend some time with each workstream lead, visiting them in their work environments, having a coffee and chat about their workloads. I found that explaining the benefits to them completing their commitments to my projects and sympathising with their woes really started to build relationships to the point that they were very honest about statuses and pressures from others within the business. From this I met with other managers to discuss how we could all get what we needed. It wasn’t completely fool proof but certainly made for a more productive and happier work environment. Just remember that yes there is a plan but just because it is there doesn’t mean it will be followed without some intervention and management of expectations.

Careers Advice, Graduates, Job Applications, Job Hunting

UK Job Snobs

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Interesting to hear a snobbery emerging from the 16 to 24 year olds in the UK regarding taking up jobs considered beneath them, graduates with the attitude that they should be able to walk into a role which is in the field they have studied in or trained for. For me this also begs the question as to whether those with such attitudes have ever worked at all, a Saturday job or paper round were standard for myself and my peers when we were growing up. In fact by the time I had reached college age I was so experienced in waitressing that I was managing restaurants to fund the luxuries in my life such as car and mobile phone whilst studying full time.

Work Experience

It was these types of jobs, and believe me I have delivered pizzas, worked in factories, behind bars, and even stuffed compost into plant pots at the local nursery in my studying years, which really help to build you as an employable person for roles deemed more professional but also mould you and demonstrate to employers your ability to adapt to working environments.

Here are a few skills you will gain:

  • Team work
  • Following instructions
  • Time keeping
  • Attendance
  • Complaints handling
  • Customer service
  • Commercial acumen
  • Problem solving
  • Cash handling

Now add these to your qualifications, and look how much more attractive a package you are presenting to potential employers. We all have to start somewhere; naturally all employers are a little hesitant to hand out employment contracts to those straight out of education, but those who have references and proven they can do what it takes to fund their lifestyles are naturally set ahead of those that have always been supported financially by others.

I have provided careers advice to people from all backgrounds, from graduates to Director level – the graduates I have always encouraged to take any job, if they have no experience. Ideally if you can go in at a low level role within a large organisation then you will have the scope to prove yourself and move up the career ladder, but gaining any work experience is valuable and integral to achieving your career goals. For those looking to get into project management, it is important to get your foot through the door then look to get involved in projects. This is often the case for most PM professionals, falling into the field by being asked to assist on projects in addition to your usual role. In a time of austerity, with a lot of competition for the sought-after roles you need to do everything you can to enhance your employability.

Interviews, PMO, Project Management, Stakeholders

Project Manager Interview questions – stakeholders

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I always receive a mixed response from candidates regarding interview expectations, most are confident that once they are interviewed they will be offered the job – great to have such confidence and I hope the theme continues that way. However there are a number of candidates who find interviews terrifying, understandable if you haven’t had much experience of interviews or it has been a long time since your last one. The element of not knowing what to expect is where the fear kicks in for most, in this article I want to address Stakeholders.

Now, whether you are a Senior Programme Manager or a Project Admin, stakeholders are arguably the most important element of project success. Whenever I have seen a project not reach success, it has often come back to a failing communication element.

stakeholdersHere are some questions based purely on the stakeholder aspect which you should look to consider and compare with your own experiences, so you can create a number of responses to use in your forthcoming interviews. Remember to take a holistic approach to your responses, giving detail about the project/situation, your actions and finally the results achieved.

  • How do you identify the key stakeholders on your project?
    • Realistically this can be as simple as a meeting with all involved and/or;
    • Rating their level of interest and involvement in the project.
  • Once identified, what do you do next?
    • Think about stakeholder mapping, communication plans etc.
  • Give me an example of a strained stakeholder relationship, what did you do to resolve the issue?
    • A great question, which answered correctly, can really draw out your relationship building skills. Soft skills as more important than process in PM.
  • When working with external stakeholders, how do you ensure a balanced communication process is maintained?
    • This is an interesting question; it could be a trick to see what information you are willing to share with outsiders to the company. Always difficult to gauge how organisations work, some are transparent whereas others like to keep all issues in-house. Of course the core part of the question is really asking how you keep in touch with the external parties, always check questions which might generate a leading response.

Once you have some good examples to talk through – practice, give the questions to your partner/friend/colleague and run through them, ask them back what you just told them to see if you are communicating clearly. Practice makes perfect and it is all too easy to get embroiled in internal terminology (from your current/previous company), and you need to be able to engage all at the interview including HR and other non-PM people.

Contractors, Job Hunting, Project Management

Project Manager Contractor – marketing, your business checklist

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As a contractor, whether you are a Project Manager, PMO, Programme Manager, Change Manager, Business Analyst, Consultant to name a few, then you know only too well that you as a professional are selling your services to businesses. Yes, that’s right you are a business and as such you need to ensure you are doing all the right things to secure that next assignment.

Here’s a checklist of areas you should be addressing as a minimum to ensure you meet your goals:

  • CV – Your CV needs to be in good shape, not only are you required to have a well written document – it needs to clearly demonstrate your skills and abilities. Look to set the bar with your competitors by creating an inclusive piece of information which also includes your style/approach.
  • Website – More contractors are turning to online marketing through creating their own websites which include a comprehensive CV, case studies, contact info and further examples of achievements. This can also be a great opportunity for you to add in your style and challenges you have overcome.
  • Blog – A blog is a great way to keep fresh information flowing online (or as part of your website), it is a less formal tool which can be used to display your observations of current affairs, open up discussions with your peers over management styles, and it really does show your knowledge and commitment to PM.
  • Networking – Whether it is using your current contacts or generating new ones, this is a fantastic way to gain insight into the industry. By always keeping in touch and not just when you need something you will forge strong relationships and others will be more willing to offer up information/help/recommendations for roles etc.
  • Creating opportunities – Do your research, understand what industries are hot at the moment and identify where you can find a way into organisations. Find out who you should be speaking with, generate meetings, offer up solutions, be prepared to go the extra mile and you will be surprised by the results you harvest.

 Business cards

For further information on writing an effective contractor CV click here.  Additional information about approaching job applications through a number of routes can also be found here and identifying unadvertised roles here.