PMcrunch

Successful delegation requires granting both responsibility and authority. These two, combined properly, constitute “empowerment”. However, these two are often not properly executed by the project manager or program leader, and the blame is often placed on the delegate, not on the leader! We, as project and program leaders, need to look at ourselves in the mirror and ask if we are delegating properly.

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Time off is not just a luxury. It’s a responsibility of leadership for project managers and program managers. Especially in summer, where schedules tend to be a little lighter, it is easier to take some time off and connect with others who also are taking time off. Taking time off helps us personally, as well as our families and social relationships, but it is also a big gain for members of our project team, as everyone appreciates an organization that acknowledges and values time outside of work.

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As Project Managers, our propensity to assess and manage risks needs to align with our understanding of the level of leadership required on the project. We need to understand clearly the range and depth of our responsibilities on the project in order to effectively manage risk. Otherwise, our risk management program may be over or under what is really required. Here’s my thinking on why.

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How does the emergence of Web 2.0 collaborative capabilities and networks effect the organizational landscape, and how does that effect project and program managers? I think the key to answering this question is to look at what is happening to interpersonal relationships, power centers, and influence within organizations to see how this is changing as a result of this emerging development. I find that we can gain insights into this by observing from the following point of view: a. Organization charts are the way the organization is “supposed” to be, and b. Web 2.0 collaboration reveals relationships, and hence organization structure, as it really is. Let’s explore…

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As leaders and professionals, we are called upon to be at our best all of the time! Not only to we need to maintain and improve personal performance, but we as project managers and program managers are frequently responsible for the performance of others. One challenge is how we manage the plethora of positive and negative feelings that inevitably come our way in the course of our professional endeavors. I have been thinking about how we can be more aware of what happens inside of us emotionally that needs to be managed in order to achieve top performance consistently.

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Leaders know that great insights often come from the people doing the actual work. Faced with “higher level challenges,” leaders and leadership teams tend to lose touch with those doing the work. Whichever end you find yourself in this dilemma, whether you are on project team, lead a project team, or lead a program, take some time to refresh your thinking and “dismiss the hierarchy’, if only temporarily. It will help to keep motivation alive in yourself, your team, and your organization.

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There has been a tremendous amount of buzz more recently about PMOs, otherwise known as Project Management Offices. Here is what a select group of experts are saying about PMOs today.

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Project organizations really are not unlike other organizations. Like a small, medium, or large sized corporation, projects have specific objectives that need to be supported by its own project culture. Projects inlcude collections of people and stakeholders, surrounding a concept or idea and particular action, take on a persona. Discovering, and even more important creating, and maintaining the character of that persona, is an important job of the project manager and supporting organization.

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The old adage goes like this: “It is much better to tell someone what to do than how to do it”. Violation of this rule is often the cause for less than optimal performance. Here are some reasons why and some ways to handle this common management miscue.

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Sometimes – more often than we like – a “circular reference” enters the scene, and it can threaten the success of your project – or even the success or an entire portfolio or organization. As a Project Manager and leader, you need to stop circular references by intervening strongly and showing the way!

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