Hero Or Scapegoat? Three Things Successful Project Managers Do Well

You’ve just been assigned a high visibility project. Is this your chance to connect to Executive Management, showcase your skills, and become a contender?

I want to let you know upfront: this post contains “straight-talk”. You may or may not like “straight-talk” so I’m just letting you know now.

If the project successful, you will attract what one savvy friend of mine calls “many fathers”. If the project fails, you may be the scapegoat; there is no way around it. A high percentage of projects fail to deliver results, that’s a known statistic.

Let’s face it: Project Management isn’t for everyone.

What are the Keys to Project Success?

Alignment of Stakeholders. Hands down, this is the primary key to project success. If you don’t have the stakeholders all pulling in the same direction, the project will be pulled apart like a toy between two or more “top dogs”. In the end your project will be in shreds.

What to Do: Your project needs a Steering Committee. This body includes ALL the key stakeholders. Develop a Project Charter, elicit their comments, and get their agreement on it. This sets the stage for success but does not guarantee it. This initial work with the Steering Committee develops a certain amount of trust within the key stakeholders that their needs will be met. Hold at least monthly Project Reviews with your Steering Committee to present progress/issues and ensure ongoing alignment. You, the Project Manager, are they only project team member to sit on the Steering Committee.

Identifying Risks, Enacting Mitigations and Confirming Contingency Plans: Every project has risks that can be indentified and managed, and that’s your goal. If you can identify and gain approval for mitigation plans, and change the project activities to enact them, project risk (and your risk) can be greatly reduced. Getting agreement upfront about what contingency plans you will enact if mitigation efforts fail can help to avoid a crisis/recovery in your project. Work usually slows considerably during crisis/recovery periods, meaning a schedule delay and budget impact. Unhealthy for you.

What to Do: Unmanaged risks can trigger and kill a Project Manager. The project will go on, but without you. Write a Risk Management Plan and get the Steering Committee’s approval for your risk management approach. Identify risks, enact mitigation plans, and confirm contingency plans with a team of key people. Present this result to the Steering Committee in the regular monthly Steering Committee project review and incorporate any comments. If risks does trigger, everyone will know what you will do about it and that you have done your best to contain that risk.

Build Your Project Team and Manage Conflict: The Project Team develops the results. You steer them in the right direction by facilitating their work. Sometimes the players aren’t exactly the right ones, but you have to make it work anyway. Most the Project Management Institute (PMI) PMP methods are focused on actually running the project, facilitating the team, and you can use as many as you feel warranted. You definitely need your Charter (Scope), and a Schedule/Milestones, budget, and your Risk Plan. Beyond that, it’s up to you/the PMO if more is needed. You may need to sit your project team down for a Team Building Session. Clarifying roles and responsibilities is important. You may wish to read Why Teams Disagree. Sometimes these can be called “Project Kickoff Meetings” or “Scope Clarification Meetings”. Weekly Project Status Reports/Meetings are the norm. Whatever gets the team on the same page!

Align your stakeholders, identify and actively manage risk, and build your project team to ensure you, at the end of the project, are a Hero with “many fathers”.

What have you seen “work” on projects? Have any comments or stories that could help to expand this article? I welcome your thoughts!