Recently I had some tough projects, how the heck did I get through them - I am still not sure.  We all do it, we face challenges that require change and somehow we dig deeper and get through, it is a life necessity.  

This we can easily relate to project management environments in our work-worlds.

We roll out a project and hand it over to operations.  The project was unique, so had some uncertainty (so there is no project that goes 100% according to plan).  There also is a small percentage of stakeholders that will "buck" the new project solution, and just are not ready or willing to change.  So how do we get through this transition.

One method is to break it down and focus on all key stakeholders, one person at a time.  You should also ask for help from others since likely you can't do it all.  But key is to formally plan it, develop a matrix, identify each person and then the decisions and actions needed related to each person, then assign an owner to that task.  (this is also where that very detailed Stakeholders Matrix comes in very handy).

You likely don't have time to go to each individual, but what you could do is bring ones together as a group then help each one of them find it in themselves, embrace their inner confidence and face the transition both individually and as a team.

Part of the energy I got to continue through my recent transition came from this article, which is a nice one to share. It is more on the individual/personal side vs the Project/technical side of things, but that is the beauty of project management - when you involve people, you must let aspects such as emotion and inner-self-awarness be part of your planning.

Each individual faces their own transition battle when working to roll out and successfully integrate a project.  This article identified 13 tips on helping with that:



13. Eat food that nourishes you.

For more details about the article and definitions around each tip, check out the link:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/rakel-sosa/transitions_b_6038054.html

Are we too polite to ask for sign off on certain things.  Every PM should have a sign-off log.  It is well within your accountability to ask for a sign off and enter that sign off into your Sign Off Log.

It is human nature to forget what we have agreed to, especially if asked to approve something verbally and our mind is occupied on 5 other things at that moment, and in the heat of the moment we agree, but in the end, were rushed into it or did not put the focus and priority that we should have.

Put some formality and structure and consistency around sign-offs.  This will be better for both the person signing off and the person requesting the sign off.

The type/means of sign off you ask for is dependent on the size/complexity and also the level of person (CEO vs Director).  Different means of sign-off include:  signed paper, signed electronically, response of approval in an email, verbal, etc.

A more common approach used today (especially if requiring multiple sign-offs) and also now being accepted in court more and more is approval and acceptance via email.  It mostly depends on how you word the email to them and then how they respond.  E.g. when sending the email, at a minimum, clearly state "Please print your name and the words Approved and the date, in accordance to the Item you are approving".  Then put a clear description of the item you are asking them for approval and acceptance..  Then also state to the effect "upon entering in the words "John Doe, Approved, Jan. 13, 2014, you are accepting and approving the item as described below and this will be formally entered into the Project Management Approvals log.  The implications and next steps of this sign-off include: .......... <<<< then enter a statement or bullet points what this sign off means and what will be the result and next steps>>>>....."

How you word the email can be customzied for your company, the KEY thing though is to be consistent.  Create a template of text for the email and have it followed by all people requesting a sign-off.

Another example of a work instruction/set of guidelines can be seen at:  sign-off process

A sign-off formalizes that the proper people were communicated to.  Then they must also take it seriously and provide any feedback at the time.

Examples of things that you can be asking for approvals/sign-off include:

• Deliverable Sign-Off
• Milestone Sign-Off
• Document Sign-Off
• Issue Sign-Off
• Change Request Sign-Off
• Resource Change Sign-Off
• Procurement Sign-Off
• Test Plan Sign-Off
• Testing Sign-Off
• Audit Sign-Off
• Project Sign-Off

Sign-Off Log columns include:  ID, Item Title, Item Description, Date Requested to Sign, Date Signed, Signer Name, Signer Title, Signer Department/Co., Type of Sign-off, Comments, Actions, Status

For items that require a high number of sign-offs, you should create your own log specific to that item (e.g. Change Requests, Issues, Risks, etc).

We must continue to include dynamic PM approaches on our tool belt (Spiral vs Waterfall).

Many organizations (directed right from the top) still follow a strict waterfall approach.  This approach is easier to budget, schedule and assign ownership/accountability, however, it is not easier to provide a solution that the customer is happy with.

We live in a world where the customer/end-user changes their mind throughout the project and new findings, influencers, technologies and products become available monthly.

Some world leaders are not following the old way and are pushing for more innovation and "Smart Projects" that will not have a clear solution.  So our approach must include a "Smart" mentality that is more fluid and open to change and adaptability (more like a Modular or Agile approach).  The optimum way to think is in a Modular approach, which is adaptable for your type of project but the concept is very well explained in this link..... Modularity

I highly recommend you include the links above on your tool belt, PMI has a great method (the PMBOK) however it is not the only one.  Great Project Managers have a plethora of methods on their tool belt that they draw from and can adapt to based on the end Customer Solution.  I also am very strong on Subsidiary Project Plans (Formal Subset Plan of the overall Project Plan) which include at a minimum:

• Education of Stakeholders
• Transparency
• Communication
• Risk
• Organizational Structure and Design

The Prime Minister of India is quite an interesting person.  He now is leading an economy that some say will dominate and become THE world leader.  There is a great story of what he is passionate about.  A few quotes I liked and my comments are below...

"In an ambitious plan to upgrade urban India, Prime Minister Narendra Modi says he will build 100 "smart cities"
Jason comment - WOW, think of the scale of this, Canada needs to respect the impact this has on the world, for Canada to build 100 new cities like this is not even imaginable

"Cities in the past were built on riverbanks," "They are now built along highways. But in the future, they will be built based on availability of optical fiber networks and next-generation infrastructure.
Jason comment - we need to be dynamic and adaptable with our project management approach, we need to focus more on our PM Culture, not our PM Tool set, since the Tool set will always be changing. We are managing for solutions that we dont even know for sure how they will be fully maximized.  Be open to innovation and change within your approach.  Take a smaller, more modular approach (If you have a huge project over a year long, then break it down, create programs of multiple projects, and have a formalized position called "Program Manager" (very different role then Project Manager).

"New cities are popping up in countries like South Korea, the United Arab Emirates, and China, which announced an $8 billion investment fund in smart city technology this year."
Jason comment - the train has left the station, to be competitive we need to be ready and the advantages our businesses have is our ability to have innovative Project Managers, we can manage the plans, problem solve, create and deliver the solutions

For the full story, see link:
http://edition.cnn.com/2014/07/18/world/asia/india-modi-smart-cities/

Projects generally have an immediate impact of loss..... in areas of productivity, value, time, money and and gains in ....... stress, anxiety, conflict and frustration.

Ensure this is understood by all stakeholders.  And know that you can fight this with good Change Management.

You WILL pass through that negative dip and you will get to the other side, which is greener and will result in your true desired state.

You must ensure to utilize your business/project plan as to WHY you took on the project.  Based on the "why" you must have a clear definition of the value parameters.  Then related to this value, you must create a change management plan that will minimize negative impacts, speed up the transition through them, then attain and maximize the positive impacts. This approach also helps justify the investment vs the ROI.

A Change Plan is key to help with the mentality of stakeholders, better understanding that there is a plan and it is only a temporary bad stage that has to be gone through.  When people expect things (know it is coming) everyone is generally more positive and understanding and willing to push forward more collaboratively to get to the next stage of increased productivity. 

An example of this concept is illustrated below:




Change Management  can be focused on in several areas, one of the key areas is of course "people".  Have a plan for the people, and how you will manage them through the change.

Sample tools to help manage people through the change include:

1. transparent communication
2. leadership buy-in and support
3. selection/empowerment of power-users (leverage them)
4. culture/project solution gap assessments (identify the gap, then create a plan to address the gap)
5. online training (advancement in technology has made this more popular then class training)
6. classroom training
7. workshops
8. seminars
9. marketing/advertising
10. lunch and learns
11. coaching
12. mentoring (formal and informal)
13. checklists
14. workflow and conditional diagramming
15. risk and quality management circles (id-analyze-plan-respond, Demming, etc)
16. external perspectives or support (look outside your organization)

Always ensure a part of the project plan focuses on change management and how the new solution will integrate into the existing operational environment. Don't be afraid of a dip, that generally means you are changing something, and change is a must for growth and advancement. If the dip gets too large, then break it down into smaller ones, but don't let-up.

For more details related to the above diagram, please visit   daniellock.com    He also talks about some good tips to help speed up the progression of getting through that negative dip:


NOTE:
It must be noted, sometimes people confuse Change Control with Change Management.Change Control is focused on changes in Scope (or sometimes called Scope Creep).  This is by far the most dominating type of change projects have to deal with continuously throughout the project, thus people think it is the only real thing to focus on.  HOWEVER, the true value of projects is the difference it makes after it is rolled out. 

What if the formula for success is backwards. We’re told that if we work hard, we’ll be successful. And of course, if we’re successful then we’ll be happy.

Think about that..... it’s all about the next thing. The next step will make us happy. Keep striving for it, just a little more hard work..... But it doesn’t really work this way.

I recently worked with a CEO that is growing exponentially, but struggling with priorities. His thoughts how to stay on top of things and get that next milestone is to work harder.  That formula is not sustainable and full of inefficiency and lost opportunity cost!   Also, in today's work culture it creates stress and anxiety and lessens collaboration and innovation.

If we’re always focused on what’s next and think we have to dig deeper, work harder, work longer hours,  then we are never in the present and we are more open to mistakes, panic attacks, bursts of anger, burn-out, and this leads to nasty vices ....... and we never truly get a chance to be happy, re-charge and re-energize.  Check out the link www.farnamstreet  (is not too big of a panic attack but enough that he loses his dream job).

This relates to both project work and personal life work.

Projects are short term and temporary, so often we get started (fun times), then soon we get into execution and have to push extra to get it closed.  The later parts are where we seem to hit a lot of negativity and say things such as "push through and then we'll get a rest" or "work harder then we'll be onto the next one".

How often do we get in the rut of working and never stopping to really celebrate the current little things.  We live in a society that constantly raises the bar.

The present, of course, is where we live, interact, learn, grow, feel and enjoy life. 

We need to enjoy the present, we need to enjoy the project planning and execution and also the closing - don't have all the fun only in the early stages (where things are new, fresh and exciting) - enjoy all project stages!!! The objective of everyone of course is to manage our levels of stress and anxiety and bond as a team and have fun throughout the entire life cycle.  Celebrate and be happy today!!!

Pride and happiness are not the result of success but rather they are the fuel. “When we are positive, our brains become more engaged, creative, motivated, energetic, resilient, and productive at work.”

Project Management systems are some of the most influential tools that we can use in both work and personal life to help us be happy.  Understanding Projects enables one to enjoy work at all stages (start, middle, end). This is critical since we spend the majority of our life at work.  Becoming happier means enjoying every day, with less stress and anxiety and higher probabilities of success. Sample formulas for success include:

• Follow a structured approach for projects you work on (vary the structure with the level of uniqueness & complexity)
• Remember, the best muscle you have is your brain, work smarter, collaborate, innovate, delegate, prioritize..... avoid the traditional response "time to buckle down and work harder"
• Focus on PPTV:

1. People - they will always be the biggest influencers, understand organizational design
2. Process -  keep level of formality aligned with complexity and have workflows and plans
3. Technology - embrace and learn, then forget what you learned and be open to learn new
4. Value - clarify and ensure your work is delivering Value and be clear on how value is consistently defined by all stakeholders

• Celebrate milestones (find reasons to celebrate, take a chapter from the cultures of Central and South America - when they have a STAT holiday, they shut down the whole city!!!)

Don't take this out of context ... but let's face it... we fail a lot and continue to fail in projects.

First of all, we need to address how we define the word "failure".

Try not to get caught up with people that don't understand projects or business and get very stressed and label things that don't go according to plan as a Terrible, Big, Bad, Failure.

For a PM/Business Manager, there will always be parts of the project that "do not go according to plan" (no one has the crystal ball). That is where our TRUE skills, tools and techniques come into play and we steer things back towards the original baseline or plan.

Over the past several weeks I taught to groups of experienced project managers.  A consistent theme is there.  We all fail at projects no matter how experienced, knowledgeable, passionate and focused we are.  AND, we try new tools, get more certifications, better tools, teams, etc, and yet we still seem to fail.

I also attend conferences and have met so many great people that continuously talk about the stress and anxiety of projects they have worked on that failed.

This needs to change.  The main reason is because they have levels of uncertainty/risk (this is real life and they will always be there!).

Lets go back to the basics, with a review of the definition of a project = "Temporary and Unique".

Based on that definition, the level of uniqueness is the tricky part since it can vary so much.  It can be simple and fast (hence not require a lot of detailed planning and risk analysis) or it can be extremely complex and difficult (hence require extensive documentation, planning and innovation).

I have seen a trend shift over the past decade as to why projects fail.  I used to place more technical reasons at the top of the list (poor scope, schedule, budget, quality), but now things have started to change.

In today's new age of project management, we are much more focused on: People, Process, Technology and Value, thus:

Top 5 reasons we still suck at projects include:
1 - Mis-aligned expectations (transparency, consistency, prioritization)
2 - Organizational Design (understand R&R, follow requisite structure)
3 - Communication (sender - message - receiver and all the influencers in between)
4 - Risk management (identify, analyze, respond)
5 - Lack of understanding that PM is a Profession ()


We are destined to have aspects of Failure everytime we manage a project, WHY..... because there are levels of uncertainty/risk based on the level of uniqueness.  Once we all get our heads around this we can all start to work through the risk events that occur with a "level-head" and enjoy our work more (less stress) and share more success!!!

Often I have requests about a summary sheet that has some quick points that are foundational and always good to have in your back pocket. 

Below is a sample table of some good ones and also are good if you were studying for the PMP Test.

5 Top GM Skills   (PINLC) Problem solving, Influencing, Negotiating, Leadership /Mgmt, Communication	Why Do A Proj (MBTLC) Market demand, Business need, Technological advance, Legal requirement, Customer request	Dependencies Mandatory, External, Discretionary Quality Metrics (Operational Dfns) Criteria, Test, Decision
RAM – Resp Assignmt Matrix (PARIS) Participant, Accountable, Reviewer, Input, Sign off Org Structures Functional, Matrix, Projectized	Risk Mgmt Circle Identify, Analyze, Plan, Track, Control, Communicate Risk Decision Making Matrices State of Nature, Strategy, Pay Off	Risk Analysis (PICTA) Probability, Impact, Cause, Timing, Frequency, Alternatives Risk Classifications Effect Based Vs Source Based
Expert Judgment Sources Your company, Web, Consultants Org/Assoc/Instit/Industry Groups Communicatin Matrix who, who, what, when, how	Cause & Effect or Risk Analysis Triggers (5M) Man, Machine, Material, Method, Metrics, Mother Nature Categories (POTPEQ) PM, Org, Tech, Performance, External, Quality	Risk Mgmt Columns (IDCDTORSP) Id, Date, Category, Description, Trigger, Owner, Response, PICTA Risk Responses Avoid, Accept, Mitigate, Transfer
Leadership Styles Autocratic, Consultive, Consensus Shareholder Team Dev Stages forming, storming, norming, performing (adjourning)	5 Sources of Power  (ERRLC) Expert, Referent, Reward, Legitimate, Coercive 5 Conflict Mgmt Styles (PCSWF) Problem solving, Compromise, Smoothing, Withdrawal, Forcing	Project Interfaces or Problem Categories:  Internal, External, Managerial, Interpersonal, Technical Manage the different  wants, needs, experiences, optimism, agendas, expectations, vested-interests
Project Influencers Of Quality (PURMA FOSA) Producability         Flexibility Usability                Operability Reliability              Social Acceptability Maintainability      Affordability Availability	Motivation Theories Theory X and Y Maslow Hierarchy of Needs Herzberg Theory Other:  Goal setting, Equity, Reinforcement, Expectancy, Competency	Requirements Gathering Functional, Design, Performance Cost Estimates Bottom Up (+/- 5%), Analogous (15%), Parametric (35%) Budget Analysis Payback Period, Discounted Cashflow, NPV, IRR
Cost Of Quality  Prevention, Appraisal, Failure   Types of Failure Scrap, Rework, Expediting, Add. Inventory/Material, Warranty, Recall, Liability, Complaint handling, Service/product image, Resource Allocation Types of Waste  Transportation, Inventory, Motion, Wait, OverProduce, OverProcess, Defects, Intellect	Negotiation Tactics Deadline, Stall (no authority), Delay/break, Surprise, Confusion Fairness/reasonable, Reasoning Withdraw, Concession point out Arbitration, Binding arbitration Attack, Personal insults Resource Types  Labour, Materials, Facilities, Equipmt, Consultants, Supplies, Utilities	Schedule Dev Math Analysis = CPM, Pert, GERT Estimation = Monte Carlo, Lateral Thinking, Brainstorming Schedule Mgmt =  Fast Track, Crash Flowchart Techniques (QA)  Cause & Effect, Process Flowchart, tree Scheduling Techniques Network Diagrams (PDM, ADM, CDM), Bar Charts (Gantt), Milestone Charts
Estimating Ranges Order of magnitude     -25%  to  +75% Budget -10%  to  +25% Definitive   -  5%  to  +10%	Communication:  Sender (encoder), Message, Receiver (decoder)  Influencers:  Education, Knowledge, Language, Technology, Culture , Politics, Sex, Agenda, Understanding, Past Experiences, Work Experience, priorities, expectations, wants	Process Mapping Eg.  (SIPOC) Supplier, Input, Process, Output, Customer