 Reforming Project Management |
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Friday, August 15, 2003
Climb on the 'Blind Men' Bandwagon
The Blind Men and the Elephant, Mastering Project Work is gathering quite an entourage. In yesterday's Ask Annie column for Fortune Magazine Annie refers to David Schaltz's book when giving her advice to an engineer who writes, He Used to Work for Me, but Now He's Working Against Me. Annie consulted David Schmaltz before offering her advice. David said, It's easy to conclude that your own experience and perceptions are somehow adequate to describe the whole 'elephant,' but that's rarely the case. So first, in your own mind, make the most generous possible assessment of your colleague's curious behavior. Then sit down with him and, without making accusations, ask him to describe how he sees the situation. Challenge your certainties. Often people see an enemy where there is none, start to do battle, and then are surprised to find they've provoked an actual war. Schmaltz recommends caution: Just getting rid of someone whose behavior is bugging you is the way teams get destroyed. On really high-performing teams, people don't waste time obsessing over who did what. For better or worse, the whole team did it. This engineer may be tested if he follows Annie/David's advice. Can he suspend his views long enough to inquire collaboratively with the other engineer? And can he listen generously when the other speaks? And he was just looking for advice. Looks like he got way more than he asked. Hop aboard! Thursday, August 14, 2003
There Can Be No Such Thing as a Project
So claims David Schmaltz in his book The Blind Men and the Elephant, Mastering Project Work. Those are words only a self-described heretic could utter. The key word is "thing". While we speak of projects as nouns, the experience of a project is much more like a verb. I won't make this a book review. Instead, I'll just share a few moving passages. Perhaps that will get you to buy this book. Get extra copies to share with you boss and your project team mates. He identifies six characteristics of project communities who become coherent:
People create a common rhythm together, not unmanageable chaos. Project an alluring future, and people cohere. They might battle endlessly over differing theories about how to get there, like our blind men around their elephant, but it's there theologies that are in dispute, not their objectives. Their individual passion binds them to their commonality. David Schmaltz goes on to claim that we know all we need to know to be good project team members. "We are each expert at being human." Let's bring that human-ness back to the center of our project work. Maybe then we will experience the thing...that wonder of projects. Wednesday, August 13, 2003
Project e-Tip of the Week
In this week's Project e-Tip I suggest project managers/leaders adopt an emergent approach to planning and delivering their projects. I contrast an emergent approach with the approach of operating to a fixed baseline plan. Most projects are neither fully emergent or fixed to an original plan. We all know that. However, it doesn't keep us from measuring and reporting to a baseline. Nor does it keep us from wanting to deliver the project the way we conceived it to be. Let the pendulum swing towards an emergent approach. Let's stop fighting with the uncertainty and unknowability of the future. We can't win.
Please share your thoughts on this Project e-Tip. And, let's hear your proposals! Tuesday, August 12, 2003
One Last Book for Summer Reading
The Blind Men and the Elephant: Mastering Project Work, by David Schmaltz. I wrote about this book last week in my posting For PMs Who Might Someday Have to Deal with Human Beings. I received the book yesterday afternoon. I read 1/3 of it this morning. The reviews don't do this book justice. David Schmaltz is my new kindred spirit. No kidding! David uses his personal journey to show us what we already know. What's that? Projects always turn out different from our early plans. If they don't, then they don't succeed. The uniqueness of the project participants shape the successful projects based on what each of them wants from their participation in the project. When we make room for individual expression and pursuit of purpose we set the stage for success. I have not finished the book. I will tomorrow. Perhaps I'll reach a different conclusion. Either way, I will report to you. In the meantime, order this book. Consider it a gift to yourself -- one last book for summer reading. Sunday, August 10, 2003
Pumped Up About Project Leadership Coaching
I've spent the last three days with a group of great people led by Dave Buck. Ostensibly the weekend was about branding and being boldly oneself. It turned out to be so much more. Of the many breakthroughs for me this weekend, I thought you might enjoy hearing about three. First, a little background. Greg Howell and I are kicking off a pilot of a coaching program for project managers/leaders this month. We call it the Project Leader Studio™. We will be working with 15 project managers for the next six months to develop their leadership skills and practices. We call it a studio because they will be learning as they lead.
Phew. I'm so glad this is a pilot. I have so much to learn! p.s. We'll be offering another Project Leader Studio™ in October. Visit the Archives for more postings |
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