The Garrison Report #2006-4

Differentiate Your Business: Provide Value for Clients by Doing a Risk Analysis

The terms project management and project manager both do a poor job of conveying the responsibilities inherent in the role of running a project. Instead, the terms project leadership and project leader would better describe the responsibilities necessary to deliver a project on time, on budget, with high performance and with a delighted client.

Below is a self-evaluation of the role of the project manager. It's recommended that you take a moment to take this test before proceeding.

Figure 1: Select one of the two options (A or B) from each of the eight lines and place a check in the appropriate box. Then total the number of checks in each column. It is suggested that you don't analyze the question; merely react because it will be more accurate.

#
 
Option A
Check
A
Option B
Check
B
1
 Do you administer? Or do you innovate?
2
 Do you copy? Or do you originate?
3
 Do you maintain? Or do you develop?
4
 Do you focus on systems and structures? Or do you focus on the long-range perspective and people?
5
 Do you worry about "how and when?" Or do you worry about "what and why?"
6
 Do you always worry about the bottom line? Or do you look for the horizon?
7
 Do you maintain the status quo? Or do you challenge the status quo?
8
 Do you do things right? Or do you do the right things?
Total # of A checks:
Total # of B checks:

 

When the author gives this self-evaluation during his seminars, the first question that he asks after everyone has completed the evaluation is, "Are there any of the 16 items that you don't need to do?" The obvious is answer is no, so it's not about either item being right or wrong, but more about an emphasis.

If you selected all the items from column A, then you are fired! After all, the title of this report is "Fire All Your Project Managers". If you haven't guessed, column A is the manager's column, while column B is the profile of a leader. Obviously, this report is not about terminating employees, but it is about a change of attitude from manager to leader. While titles are often meaningless, in this case the author believes they do indicate a difference in thinking. Most books and programs on project management focus on how to run projects. In contrast, leadership focuses on what needs to be done, as is illustrated by question number five. The most important question for success is "What must be done?" The author's favorite question on the list is number eight. It often leads to an interesting discussion when the audience explores what is more important: to do the "right thing" or to do "things right". There are always those who argue, "We have to do things right". This may seem logical because we have been taught in school that the students who do things right are rewarded. Unfortunately, if the task doesn't need to be performed, does it really matter how well it was done?

Therefore, it's critical to first identify the tasks that must be performed--the what--then learn how to master the what, or in essence learn how to do the what correctly. Unfortunately, most project management books and programs focus on the how and not on the what. This is due in part to the fact that too many of these programs or books are designed by technocrats who believe the process is what is important. In contrast, a leader focuses on results. The leader understands people are paid only for results. No one cares how hard you work if you don't get the desired results; no one cares how smart you are if you don't get the results. Get the desired results, and you are the hero.

This doesn't mean that we can sacrifice safety, legality, morality or ethics in order to achieve the results. This statement shouldn't be required, but unfortunately, too many seem to have forgotten this cardinal rule the past few years. What's being discussed is the ability to adapt or change business practices and processes in order to improve results.

If there is any doubt in your mind about the importance of leadership, consider the following question. Consider two projects: the first has a great schedule, great budget, a great set of plans and specifications and a complete jerk running the project; the second has a terrible schedule, a terrible budget, a messed-up set of plans and specifications, but a true leader running the project. Which project do you think will turn out better? The author has asked that question of thousands of people, and so far everyone has picked the second project. Yes, leadership does make a difference.

He's not suggesting that project management tools aren't valuable. They can certainly make the job easier. However, the tools don't build the project; people build them. Therefore, people skills are the most important project management tool. Yet despite this reality, more and more organizations seem to focus on increasing technical competence by adding additional controls and complexity. For example, project schedules have continued to grow in complexity until they are virtually useless for their intended purpose. The schedules are so complicated and difficult to understand; they take too many hours to create and cause a constant drain on management's time to update them. Despite the extra work and complexity, there has been virtually no improvement in project scheduling performance.

The problem is that managers always want more information. Yet, despite drowning in information, they keep asking for more. The author often asks managers, "Would you rather have your people tell you what they are going to do or just do it?" Despite the obvious, managers keep asking for more information, while in contrast leaders accept a certain amount of ambiguity.

The leader understands that his or her role is not to tell everyone how to do his or her job. Instead, it's the leader's responsibility to ensure the person assigned to the task is qualified, understands the problem and the desired results, has the necessary resources and is committed to the desired result. With this accomplished, he can get out of the way except for the normal follow-up.

The leader's approach results in a workforce that is highly-motivated and high-performing. In essence, results are number one, not control or the process.

The next report will explore how to find leaders and turn managers into leaders.

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