sometimes you’re the lion

Sometimes you’re the LionSometimes you’re the Gazelle

and Sometimes you’re the Dung Beetle

A Perspective on various behavior patterns of a Project Manager

David L. Davis, PMPMarch 2005

March 2006 Copyright (c) David L. Davis, PMP 2

Objective1. Define perceived animal personalities2. Present a Project Management Situation3. Personify the animal behavior in that

situation4. Apply good project management principles

to that animal in that situation across multiple knowledge areas:

1. Communication / Human Resource2. Quality / Risk Management3. Integration Management


Fundamental Assumption• Project Managers need to assume

different personalities based on different situations in the life cycle of a project.

1. Effective Project Management Skill 2. Business Acumen

1. The business is an ecosystem2. All people in the ecosystem assume different

personalities

3. When, where, how to use tools depends on the situation and the personality.


Why This Approach

Daughter Addie

watches

Talk about life,Relationships,DangerWOW – this is what I go through


The Lion

• Proud• Brave• Fierce• Hunter• King of the Jungle• Mighty Roar


The Gazelle

• Fast• Quick on its feet• Able to sense danger• Understands wide

open spaces and the dangers of the unknown

• Prey for the lion – thinning the herd?


The Dung Beetle

• Does the dirty work• Overlooked• Bug• Clumsy• Unappreciated• Small / insignificant• Stinks???• Truly has a shi**y

job


Get Cliché’s Out of the Way

• Paradigm• Structured Project Management Methodology• Laws of nature – can’t make a baby in nine

months by concurrently impregnating nine women• Deliver on time, on budget, with quality• Oxymoron's

– Business logic– Almost Finished– Flexible plan

• Blocking and tackling


Component of Project Management

• Next series of slides will show various aspects of the day in the life of a PM

• It will then show how this might be handled by one of the 3 animals

• It will then show an example or more details on a best practice– Analogy– Used for example only, do not hire a Gazelle

as a project manager


Sending Out Meeting Announcements

• An aspect of the job is to insure that people are aware of meetings and conference calls.

• With virtual teams they often are geographically disperse.

• Need a quick / easily consumable message.

Dial in number and codes in Subject Line – participant can see information without

opening meeting request.Also in Location

Color Label – Need

Preparation

Effective M

eeting E

mails

Reminder Set

Big Font / Color for Dial In

Hyper Link / No Attachment

Categories

Critical Inform

ation on One S

creen


Obtaining Updates from Team Members

• Needed in order to provide accurate project status.

• Often a second tier concern of stake holders.

• What is the measuring stick?– Program is always 90% complete– That will be finished tomorrow


Obtaining Updates

• Need to establish expectations and timeframes at initial kickoff.

• Recommend asking for this information on Thursdays

• Send email reminder the morning it is due• Send email the morning after it is late with

threat to boss• Send email to boss the Friday afternoon if still

not received.• Put big red question mark on report that status

was not received – team should know it goes to executives.


Issues Management Review

• What is the issue?• Planned review meetings should cover

status.• Getting people to accept accountability.• Make sure focus is kept on the issue

– Don’t allow distracters / deflection– Relationships among items

• What is the status of the issue


Issues Management Review

• Governance announced at beginning– What constitutes an issue– Issue status work flow / state diagram

• Assign accountability to one individual.• Keep ahead of the problems• Make sure closed issues stay closed


Hey Dave

• This manager type is always following the company line.

• This manager type is never willing to challenge any ‘senior executive’

• This manager type manages up instead of managing the project.

• This manager type does not know how to lead, but is a good follower.

A Lemming


Change Control

• Agreement / consensus to a project component at a ‘Snapshot in Time’

• Triple constraint is dependant on the baseline– Requirements – Quality– Schedule – Time– Work Packages – Cost

• Change control is a process as opposed to a phase


Change Control

• Obtain commitment at the highest practical level

• Document Management– Common data store– Numbered / naming conventions

• Requirements• Test Plans

• Put all baselined snapshots in PDF file• Workflow in governance model


Meeting Minutes

• Many decisions / project issue resolutions occur during meetings

• Official artifact of the project• Who committed to what• Within 24 hours of the meeting• Agenda

– Blocks of time – Certain players at certain times so they don’t

need the entire calendar


Meeting Minutes

• Agenda / Minutes / Agenda Cycle• Utilize tools

– Web meeting / overhead– Real time through the PPMS

• Roster of all invitees– Check on who attended– Identify who missed (label excused)

• Number the minutes and reference in other project logs• Keep on the agenda• Collateral sent prior to meeting

– Agenda – Logistics– Project Status – Action Items / Issues


Hey Dave

• This manager type avoids confrontation• This manager type is easily scared and

quite gullible• This manager type is a pessimist and

always fears the worst• This manager type does not know how to

push back on challenges.

An Opossum


Declaring a Jeopardy

• A threat to meeting the triple constraint unless an ‘issue’ is resolved

• A ‘Colonoscopy’ of the project• Enterprise view


Declaring a Jeopardy

• The emotional heartache– Anything but a jeopardy– Executives will get the wrong idea

• Should not be held until the last minute• Must be tracked on status until

resolution• Back to change control• Fight with facts – not excuses


Minutia

• The act of documenting so many things:– A roster– Email distribution list(s)– PowerPoint Executive Summary

• Closed issues and resolutions• Insuring all baselined signatures are

captured


Minutia

• Make a task / time in your schedule to manage your project

• Use this data for project analysis– On track, not on track– Correlate to governance

• CSI – forensic evidence– Process compliance– Methodology adherence


Hey Dave

• This manager type is always poking into other’s peoples business

• This manager type is a socialite• This manager type talks a lot and strives

to get attention• This manager type does do good work,

but only after driving other ones nuts.

A Meerkat


Prioritization / Replanning

• What item will people / resources be working on

• Dependencies• Effect of a milestone delay• Real world

– Production emergencies– Layoffs – reassignments– Budget cuts

• Consensus


Prioritization / Replanning

• Analysis• Detail options / alternatives

– Option 1 – impact– Option 2 – impact

• The elusive silver bullet algorithm• Make sure the cure is not worse than the

disease


Bringing it All Together

• Animal Kingdom– Rules of the jungle apply– An ecosystem – every one has their role

• Sometimes you assume different roles• Assume the role most appropriate for you at the

time• Merlin was in the tent, while Jim wrestled the

alligators• Any night you get to nest down means it was a

good day• Very few animals kill for pleasure !

Movies


Just Don’t Become• Be careful – too much

contemplation can lead to a reputation.

• Treat people with respect.

• Accept that sometimes you gotta be the hunter, the prey, or the one who cleans up the mess.


David L. Davis, PMP

AT&T Six Sigma Green Belt

Executive Chairman PMI eBusiness SIG

513 826-6424

[email protected]

sometimes you’re the lion

Business

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project managerdavid

accurate project status

animal behavior