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Advanced Project Management

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

How to Use This Guide ............................................................................................................1

Session One: Course Overview ................................................................................................2
Session Two: Choosing the Project Team .................................................................................5
Choosing the Team ............................................................................................................................... 5
Pre-Assignment Review ........................................................................................................................ 9
Four Issues to Address with Project Teams ........................................................................................ 10
Session Three: Building a Winning Team ................................................................................ 12
Why is Teamwork Important? ............................................................................................................ 12
The Stages of Team Development ...................................................................................................... 14
Session Four: Managing Team Meetings ................................................................................. 17
Starting on the Right Foot ................................................................................................................... 17
Making Committees Work .................................................................................................................. 19
Making Connections ........................................................................................................................... 20
Session Five: Easy Ways to Reward Your Team ...................................................................... 21
Session Six: Developing a Communication Plan ....................................................................... 23
The Five Components ......................................................................................................................... 23
Case Study ........................................................................................................................................... 29
Session Seven: Communicating with Sponsors and Executives ................................................. 31
Communication Excellence ................................................................................................................. 31
Making Connections ........................................................................................................................... 33
Session Eight: Dealing with Problem Team Members ............................................................... 34
Developing Understanding ................................................................................................................. 34
When to Walk Away............................................................................................................................ 36
When Things Don’t Work .................................................................................................................... 37
Recommended Reading List ................................................................................................... 38
Post-Course Assessment ........................................................................................................ 39
Pre- and Post-Assessment Answer Keys .................................................................................. 40
Personal Action Plan .............................................................................................................. 42
Advanced Project Management 1

How to Use This Guide

This Self-Study Guide is designed and laid out in a way that will guide student learning much in
the same way that an instructor would. This workbook is comprised of modules called Sessions.
Each Session focuses on a major concept in the course.

In each Session, we have included short-answer and (in some instances) multiple-choice
questions which relate directly to the session material. Throughout the guide, you can take the
opportunity to internalize what you have learned by completing various self-reflection
exercises.

 2005-2013, Velsoft Training Materials Inc.

Advanced Project Management 2

Session One: Course Overview

Course Overview

It’s easy to forget the “manager” part of your “project manager” title among the other range of
activities you are responsible for. However, your management skills are an important part of
your success as a project manager, so it is crucial that you grow both of those skill sets. There
are also some advanced project management techniques that you can master to help bring
your projects to successful completion.

This course presumes that participants have a thorough understanding of project management,
including topics such as preparing a statement of work, setting project goals, scheduling,
budgeting, managing project risks, and executing a project.

Learning Objectives

After you complete this course, you will be able to:

o Think critically when choosing a project team
o Make the best of an assigned project team
o Help teams move through various stages to become a high-functioning unit
o Maximize productivity at team meetings
o Reward and motivate your team
o Develop and execute a communication plan
o Communicate with sponsors and executives more effectively
o Identify strategies for working with problem team members

Why did you take this course? Use this opportunity to consider your personal learning
objectives and reasons for taking this course.

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Advanced Project Management 3

Pre-Assignment

Think about a project that you are about to start or that you would like to do. Write the
details below.

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Advanced Project Management 4

Pre-Course Assessment

1. Which of the following items should be included in a project status meeting?

a. Individual task status reports
b. Risk inventory review
c. Project plan review
d. All of the above

2. The Statement of Work is:

a. A formal project management document that establishes expectations and
agreements about the project
b. The announcement of the project
c. The hiring announcement for the project manager and team

3. True or False: The first stage of the project life cycle is Conceptualization.

4. True or False: Choosing the project team shouldn’t take up much of your time.

5. The standard formula for estimating time that a task will take is…
a. Optimistic Time + (4 x Probable Time) + Pessimistic Time, divided by 6
b. Average of past tasks
c. It depends on the task types

6. Which of the following is not a schedule compression method?

a. Crashing
b. Fast-Tracking
c. Descoping
d. Balancing

7. True or False: Project team members shouldn’t be rewarded for their work.

8. Which of the following tasks might a project manager perform?

a. Providing training
b. Working with executives and sponsors
c. Managing risks
d. All of the above

9. True or False: Change management processes are outdated and unnecessary.

10. True or False: You shouldn’t start planning for the end of a project until the end is in
sight.

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Advanced Project Management 5

Session Two: Choosing the Project Team

If you surround yourself with like-minded people, they might choose to do things exactly like
you do. This can be a difficult way to bring about innovation and creativity. Instead, consider
the benefit of mixing things up.

In this session, you’ll learn about choosing the project team and working with people who are
assigned to you.

Choosing the Team

In some organizations, when you are assigned a project, your first task is to choose the
members of your project team. Think carefully about who you choose!

To start, think about the areas that your project will involve. Will it be a marketing venture? An
IT project? A hybrid of areas? Or will it be a brand-new venture that no one in your company
has expertise in?

You will also want people with skills in a variety of areas, including planning, communicating,
scheduling, and budgeting. You also want people who are, or who have the potential to be, high
performers and good team workers.

Once you have identified the skills that you want, take a look at the people in your organization.
Determine who matches your project’s needs. You may even want to list your desired team
members by role. (If you do this, make sure you include a second choice for the major roles.) If
your project is in a particularly specialized area (especially if this area is new for your company),
you may want to consider adding consultants or subject matter experts to your dream team
list. Your choices should consider skills and personality.

Ask yourself:
o Can general experience be sufficient? Does the individual need specific experience?
o What interpersonal skills are required?
o How many of each of these skilled people will be needed?
o What level of supervision will be required for this role?
o Not everyone is a team player. Is this important?

Now that you’ve identified who you want, identify the possible obstacles to getting these
people on your team and how to get around them. For example, you may want the star
member of another department’s team on your project. Perhaps if you speak to the head of
that department and show them the value of your project they will be more willing to let that
person work with you. Once you have a plan in place, it’s time to act!

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Advanced Project Management 6

Tips for Getting the People You Need

In many situations, the people that you will want on your project will be on another team,
under the direction of someone else. Although you may need this person on your project,
chances are their supervisor needs them too. To get these people on your team (both
figuratively and literally), you must act with grace and diplomacy. These interpersonal skills are
a crucial component of being a project manager.

It is essential that you first go to the staff member’s supervisor. Explain what the project is and
how it will benefit the organization. You may also want to outline what skills you believe the
staff member will gain while they are on the project and how it will benefit their usual role and
team. You can also outline what benefit you will have to the staff member’s supervisor; perhaps
you can provide information for the employee’s evaluation or provide some much-needed
training.

Work with what their supervisor gives you. If the person you want on your team is only
available during a certain time frame or for a certain percentage of the day or week, try to work
with that. Or perhaps there is another staff member who has a similar skill set but is more
available. Think outside the box to get the best solution for the employee, their manager, and
your project.

Once you have the supervisor’s buy-in, you will want to get the employee’s buy-in, too. Phrase
the new assignment as an exciting option for the employee. You may even want to involve their
supervisor in the discussion.

“I’ve just been assigned an exciting project that involves re-designing the accounting package
that our bookkeepers use. I know you had a lot of accounting experience before you joined IT,
and I think you would find this project interesting. I’ve already discussed this with Karen, and
she is willing to let you move over to this project for the next six months. Would you be willing
to take on the task?”

Make sure you provide the employee with as much information as you can and let them know
that you will share more information when it becomes available. (Later on today, we’ll discuss
meeting with team members once the team is formed.)

Making the Best of an Assigned Team

In the ideal world, when you are tackling a project that involves more than just you, you would
get to select the people with the right skills and the commitment to get the job done. However,
in the real world, you won’t always have the advantage of being able to choose every member
of your team. Sometimes people are selected because they are available, rather than because
of their skill or talent.

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Advanced Project Management 7

In this situation, you will still want to make that wish list of skills, expertise, and personality
traits that you are looking for. Then, compare this list with your team members. Who is the best
fit for each role or task? Remember, you’re looking for potential as well as actual skills and
expertise.

If you find that you have a major gap between what you want and what you have, there are
three options to consider. One option is training for the project members to make up for the
skills that they lack. Another option is to bring in an outside consultant or subject matter
expert. Or, you can simply proceed with what you have and hope that the gap is filled in with
what the team learns as they go along. This last option is typically the only one that most
project managers have. It can be very risky to expect people to learn new skills while executing
an important project, but it can also be very rewarding for the team members.

Assigning Work

Sometimes you are just handed a job that has to get done. The projects may be less a team
effort and more an assignment to be completed by a certain deadline. Knowing how to give
effective work assignments can be a powerful motivational tool that encourages employee
creativity and commitment. Likewise, poorly assigned work can cause a project to come
unglued.

Who will do the task?

Consider the training, experience and skill requirements and compare staff members against
these needs. At the same time, include opportunities for employee development and growth.

How will the task be done?

Make sure the expected results are clear in your mind. Have a snapshot of success that you can
share with employees. Putting your snapshot of success in writing often helps to clarify
expectations in your own mind.

How will the task be communicated?

Before you give out the assignment, find a way to put the employee at ease. Help the employee
understand the bigger picture.

Make sure you have allowed for adequate time to explain the assignment fully and why it is
being done. Then, communicate the objectives and standards of performance expected.
Remember, communication should be a two-way process. Allow time for questions and
clarification, and get feedback from the employee as to how they see the task getting done.
Define any limits or constraints on the employee, such as budget constraints, time limits, or
overtime concerns.

Help the employee to feel comfortable asking questions and discussing concerns. If you seem
rushed or look at employees like they are stupid when they ask questions, you won’t get much

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Advanced Project Management 8

of a response from them. Then, get a commitment from the employee that he/she will do the
task. Plan on following up on your assignment to see that the task is being completed as
expected (on time and on budget).

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Advanced Project Management 9

Pre-Assignment Review

Develop a list of skills that you would need for your pre-assignment project.

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Advanced Project Management 10

Four Issues to Address with Project Teams

There is no question that teams can unleash tremendous energy for a project. There are four
issues that are critical to the success of that team:
o Accountability
o Experience
o Resources
o Empowerment

Accountability

The biggest problem when forming teams and assigning projects to them is that accountability
may be lost. Teams are often formed spontaneously by asking people to volunteer for
assignments. They choose their own leader and then proceed with the work.

Ask yourself these questions: If the team fails miserably, or produces substandard work, would
you fire the entire team? On the other hand, could you promote the entire team, as a team, if
the work was outstanding?

In both cases, your answer is likely to be “No.” That means you do not have team
accountability. You are hoping for a happy accident to occur.

The lesson: Team members must be chosen carefully and they must be very clear about their
responsibility to the team.

Experience

Teams also need a leader with more than technical expertise. Team leaders need to understand
brainstorming, group dynamics, and the ability to get information from others.

Resources

Resource allocation at the appropriate managerial level is another critical factor in forming and
commissioning a team. Teams should not be formed from the bottom up and have to search
and beg for resources or technical expertise. The appropriate manager should ensure that
these resources are provided.

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Advanced Project Management 11

Empowerment

Finally, teams formed to address strategic issues should not be formed at too low of a level.
Hands-on workers can deal with operational concerns but they frequently do not have enough
information to address strategic considerations.

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Advanced Project Management 12

Session Three: Building a Winning Team

A project team is exactly that – a team. This doesn’t mean that there should be no conflict or
active discussion going on. It just means that there needs to be a commitment to respecting
one another.

In this session, you’ll learn about the importance of teamwork and the stages of development
that are common to all teams.

Why is Teamwork Important?

Ingredients for Success

One of the essential ingredients of a successful project is teamwork. Members of the group
must understand that they are working toward a common goal. Therefore, assignments should
be common knowledge to all participants. Each individual should understand their own area of
responsibility and know who is responsible for other facets of the project. Unless this is clear
from the outset, problems will occur, involving hurt egos and/or assignments that are neglected
because nobody knew who was supposed to do what. (We’ll discuss how to communicate
expectations in a moment.)

Maintaining Momentum

On long-term projects, it can be difficult to hold the interest of all team members. How can you
keep interest high and the momentum going?
o Frequent meetings
o Progress charts
o Some fun along with the project
o Recognition of work done

Staying Positive

Remember the self-fulfilling prophecy: if you believe they can do it, they can! Be realistic about
your team’s ability, but don’t wear yourself and everyone else down with negative energy
before the project starts. If your project team needs to learn new skills, it’s your responsibility
to organize training or coaching that will help them to succeed.

Before you decide that someone on your team is incompetent, give them a chance. People can
often do more than you think they can. Perhaps they’ve just been waiting for a chance to prove
their ability.

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Advanced Project Management 13

Tips for Building a Winning Team

o Define roles. You give teams a fighting chance if everyone knows what his/her roles
and responsibilities are from the outset.
o Make a list of all the skills needed to complete each task on your project.
o Do a skills inventory of the people you have, to see where you stand.
o Be prepared to negotiate for the team members you need. Don’t just complain;
come up with alternatives and solutions.
o Do the best you can with the people you have, but make sure resulting problems are
documented as they occur.
o If your team doesn’t have all the skills they need, build training into the project.
o If your team isn’t qualified for some tasks and training would take too long, consider
hiring a contract position for that particular skill/task.
o A diverse group of people may be difficult to work with initially, but over the long
term they may prove more creative and add more value to the project.

Summary

In the long term, learning to work with different people on different projects, and developing
your ability to bring out the best in everyone, will make you a more valuable and respected
project manager.

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Advanced Project Management 14

The Stages of Team Development

As early as the 1970’s, researchers were discovering that groups of individuals working together
go through four distinct stages of development. The most famous representation of this model
is Tuckman and Jensen’s Forming, Storming, Norming, and Performing model. Over time an
additional stage has been added to reflect the natural end to a group: Adjourning. The stages
are similar to human development: infancy, childhood, adolescence, adulthood, and old age.

One of the roles for a group leader or facilitator is to help the team grow and develop.
Sometimes a team is only together for a short, specific project, and you will try to move them
to a productive stage as quickly as possible.

Stage 1: Forming

Characteristics of this stage:

o Group members may be anxious, adopt a wait-and-see attitude, and/or be formal.
o No clear idea of goals or expectations.
o Members are unsure why they are there.
o Members need to get to know one another.

What you can do to help:

o Have the team write its own charter or mission statement and clarify their goals.
Remember, goals must have personal buy-in.
o Help the team establish boundaries and determine what is expected.
o Assist team members to get to know each other doing a non-conflict laden task. This
builds commitment toward one larger goal.
o Help them know what to expect; communicate and reassure.

Stage 2: Storming

Characteristics of this stage:

o Team members are eager to get going.
o Conflict can arise as people bring different ideas about how to accomplish goals and
notice differences rather than similarities.
o Some members may drop out mentally or physically.

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Advanced Project Management 15

What you can do to help:

o Continue with no surprises.
o Communicate regularly.
o Tensions will increase; this is normal, so recognize and publicly acknowledge
accomplishments.
o Keep in mind that conflict can be healthy.
o Lead and participate in meetings.
o Value diversity.
o Gather information and be supportive.
o To move to the next stage, encourage participants to put the needs of the group
ahead of their personal interests.

Stage 3: Norming

Characteristics of this stage:

o People begin to recognize ways they are alike.
o They realize it’s sink or swim; they’re in this together.
o People become more social.
o Members may forget their focus in favor of having a good time.

What you can do to help:

o Recognize how they are alike.
o Help with training if applicable.
o Encourage them to feel comfortable with each other and with systems.
o Help the group stay focused on its goal.

Many groups don’t make it to this stage, where there is much more cooperation and
understanding than previous stages. Be observant of emerging group behaviors, encourage the
team to express their differences positively, and help them stay focused on their objectives.

Stage 4: Performing

Characteristics of this stage:

o Team members are trained, competent, and able to do their own problem-solving.
o The leader will ask for critical self-assessment and look at ways to challenge and
develop them.
o Members are mature and understand their roles and responsibilities.
o The team wants more input in processes.
o Everyone is self-motivated and self-trained.

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Advanced Project Management 16

What you can do to help:

o Recognize efforts.
o Encourage growth.
o Give new challenges.

This phase happens as a demonstration of high levels of trust. It can also be susceptible to
“group think,” so the leader must observe and ensure that individual ideas are requested and
considered.

Stage 5: Adjourning

Characteristics of this stage:

o Group adjourns because they finish a defined project, they are no longer challenged,
or new people join the team and that shifts the group into a previous stage.
o Group members are winding down and saying goodbye.
o Group members are setting goals for future work independently and/or as part of
new groups.

What you can do to help:

o Celebrate everyone’s participation.
o Describe what’s going on and ensure people know what will happen next.
o Look for and encourage contribution from everyone as the group winds down.
o Encourage continued productivity.

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Advanced Project Management 17

Session Four: Managing Team Meetings

Meetings are a necessary part of the work we do, even though we sometimes resent being
pulled away from other things that we may prefer to be doing. As such, it’s essential that
meetings are a benefit to everyone involved.

In this session, you’ll learn the skills needed for creating beneficial meetings and making
subgroups or committees effective.

Starting on the Right Foot

Here is a checklist of things that should be done before a team meeting:

Individual Meetings

Meet with team members and discuss:

o Why was this person selected?
o What are the performance expectations?
o What are their individual priorities?

Information Gathering

Obtain the who, what, where, when, why, and how for the project.

Agenda Planning

Now it’s time to plan the team meeting. You will want to:
o Ensure that the proper individuals are invited
o Develop an agenda and set objectives
o Send the agenda and information requests to the team
o Book the appropriate space

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Advanced Project Management 18

During the Meeting

o Make sure the meeting starts on time

o Encourage open communication
o Take notes
o Set some ground rules
o Introduce the members of the team
o Cover one agenda item at a time
o Review the priorities for the project objectives and schedule
o Review main points of the project, including goals, budget, and completion date
o Review individual plans for getting work started
o Discuss methods and tools to be used to manage, control, and operate the project
o Establish the time and place for the next project meeting
o Agree on and reiterate any follow-up activities or action items

A major cause of frustration can be related to ineffective meetings, yet meetings are necessary
to exchange information and coordinate activities. However, people at all levels of an
organization need to know how to plan, conduct, and participate in meetings effectively.

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Advanced Project Management 19

Making Committees Work

Setting Up a Committee

Sometimes, a committee will be formed to complete a special task, such as expert analysis or
policy review. A committee should be results-oriented and have a time frame for accomplishing
results. Small committees usually function best, although its size can be determined by the
expertise needed and should be representative of the larger group.

Committees function best when one member agrees to serve as leader and assumes the
responsibilities of leadership. Committees then function as small groups, holding their own
meetings for which they keep records and have an agenda.

Tips for Success

The following guidelines can help you make the most of your committee:
o Schedule regular meetings and ensure that members commit to these meetings.
o Ensure that all members are clear on the committee’s objective and when it is to be
achieved by.
o Ensure that everyone knows what else is required of the committee. For example,
detailed minutes may be required, or your organization may want a formal report
after the committee has completed its work.
o Set up ground rules for your meeting, as well as a policy on how to deal with absent
members.
o Make sure that you have the operational and legal authority to complete the
assigned task.
o Know where to go for help and support.
o If you are the leader, understand how to chair an effective meeting. If you are a
committee member, help each meeting be successful.

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Advanced Project Management 20

Making Connections

In your opinion, what makes a good meeting?

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Advanced Project Management 21

Session Five: Easy Ways to Reward Your Team

We all need acknowledgement for the work that we do. Even if your budget is restricted
because of the costs of your project, you’ve got to attend to rewards and recognition.

In this session, you’ll get some great ideas for reward that you can use as they are, or modify to
better fit your own project team.

Top Ten Rewards

During all the commotion of working on your project, it can be easy to forget some of the things
that are essential but easily passed by, like engaging the members of the team. Finding ways to
reward and motivate your team is crucial to the success of the project and the happiness of
your team members. Different things motivate different people, and a team can be motivated
by different things than individuals. It’s certainly easier to find out what motivates your
individual team members and the team overall than to try and guess.

Below are our top suggestions for rewards.

o Always keep in mind the value of a sincere compliment. Saying, “Bob, you did a great
job with that network diagram,” might make that person’s day.
o Have a treat at your status meetings. Even something as simple as a basket of fruit
or small treat-size candy bars can be enough to motivate some people. Food is a
great way to connect people, and your treat can be the same or different for each
meeting.
o Turn brainstorming sessions into competitions. For example, whoever identifies the
most risks may win a prize.
o Take time for team members to recognize the work their subcommittees or teams
are doing. Take blank sheets of paper (the bigger, the better), write each team’s
name on one sheet of paper, and tape it to the wall. Then, give everyone colorful
markers and ask them to write a compliment on each sheet of paper.
o Certificates of accomplishment are a wonderful reward. They can be serious (“Most
tasks accomplished on time”) or funny (“Best Bart Simpson impression”). You can
distribute these in a number of ways: at status meetings, at milestones, or have a
formal reward ceremony once the project is complete. Note that these must be
funny without being embarrassing or insulting.
o Giving a team member more responsibility or a role they desire can be a great
motivator.
o Surprise your team with a lunch.
o Include small gift certificates for movies or groceries with the weekly memo. We
know of one company that rewarded staff with a certificate for an extra personal
day.
o Of course, larger prizes and financial bonuses at the end of a successful project are
always welcome.

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Advanced Project Management 22

o Find out what people want and make your bonuses fit. Something that you enjoy
might not be looked upon the same way by people with food allergies or strong
preferences. Be flexible, and remember that this is about your team and not you.

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Advanced Project Management 23

Session Six: Developing a Communication Plan

Abraham Maslow once said, “But behavior in the human being is sometimes a defense, a way
of concealing motives and thoughts, as language can be a way of hiding your thoughts and
preventing communication.”

In this session, you’ll learn about creating a communication plan, dealing with rumors, and get
some tips to being a better communicator.

The Five Components

To ensure your project’s success, you must include a communication plan as part of your initial
project planning. This plan will help you keep everyone up-to-date with the information they
need to know, and it will make sure the right people get the right information at the right time.

Your communication plan should have five essential parts: who, when, why, what, and how. As
an example, let’s say that your project team is building a new widget for ABC Widgets.

Who

For the first part of the project plan, list the people that you will be communicating with.

Who When Why What How

Our customer (ABC

Widgets)

Design Engineers

Project team

The list above is very abbreviated; you must include everyone who will be involved in the
project, from your project team, to consultants, to internal company departments such as
human resources and marketing.

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Advanced Project Management 24

When

During what part of the project phase will you need to communicate with these various groups?

Who When Why What How

Our customer (ABC All phases

Widgets)

Design Engineers Conceptual

and planning

Project team All phases

Why

Ask yourself, why am I communicating with these people? What am I trying to accomplish?

Who When Why What How

Our customer (ABC All phases Project is going

Widgets) well

Design Engineers Conceptual Keep them up

and planning to date

Project team All phases Keep them up

to date

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Advanced Project Management 25

What

This is the section where you detail what you’re going to say to the various groups.

Who When Why What How

Our customer (ABC All phases Project is Project is on

Widgets) going well schedule; all is
well

Design Engineers Conceptual Keep them up Detail planning

and planning to date that has been
done so far

Project team All phases Keep them up Detail

to date accomplishments

How

The “How” is a crucial part of your communication plan. You need to choose a medium that will
get your message across in a way that they can understand. Below is a table of possible
methods that you could choose and when they are appropriate.

Method Recommended Use

E-mail Informal status reports, meeting scheduling, newsletters

Paper Newsletters and formal status reports

Face to Face Status meetings, particularly when there are items to be

discussed or issues to be resolved

Telephone Useful when face-to-face contact is needed but there are

barriers (time, distance) or for quick updates

Remember, you need to customize the medium for each person involved in the project. If you
know a particular executive never returns phone calls, but always checks his e-mail, then that
may be the best way to contact him.

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Advanced Project Management 26

Now let’s complete the “How” part of our communication plan.

Who When Why What How

Our customer (ABC All phases Project is Project is on Monthly status

Widgets) going well schedule; all is meetings
well
Weekly status
report (e-mail)

Design Engineers Conceptual Keep them up Detail planning Weekly status

and planning to date that has been meetings
done so far
Daily status
report (e-mail
or telephone)

Project team All phases Keep them up Detail Weekly status

to date accomplishments meetings
so far

Tips

You may want to develop templates for status reports, newsletters, or other communications
that you plan to issue. This will help your communications stay consistent and professional.

It is essential to stay organized. Keep documents like your project plan, risk identification list,
and change requests all in one place, so that when someone asks you a question, you can easily
retrieve the answer. Some project managers develop a one-page fact list for easy reference.

Set up group e-mail lists to save time and make sure you don’t forget anyone.

A Word about Rumors

Rumors can be a project manager’s worst enemy. If left unmanaged, they can destroy your
project and your career. It is essential to face rumors head-on.

There are a few practical steps that you can take early on in your project. First, ask people that
you trust (such as friends in the office and core team members) to keep an ear to the ground.
What are people saying about your project? Second, develop your communication plan and use
it well. If you make sure you share plenty of information at the appropriate times to the right
people, there should be very little basis for rumors.

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If you do hear a rumor that is true, make sure that your team (including the executives and the
project sponsors) see what you are doing to correct the issue. Also, ensure the issue is
addressed openly in your status meetings.

If the rumor is false, you still need to address it. Make a point of addressing the non-issue in
your status meetings with your project team, your executives, and your sponsor. Make sure
that you demonstrate integrity in your actions: be where you say you will be, do what you
promise to do, and arrange resources that people need. Your consistency and professionalism
are additional ways to keep rumors at a minimum. For example, if a rumor is going around that
your project is behind schedule, you could place a quick phone call to your project sponsor just
to let them know that everything is on track, or any delays that you are encountering.

Communication Essentials

Project managers are the key to keeping communication flowing between their team, manager,
and any external customers or agents who will be affected by this project.

How can you let others know of changes that affect the plans?

How can you communicate progress and motivate others to continue giving their best? How
can you motivate others to be as interested in the project at hand as you are?

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How can you ask for information from people who have special knowledge or expertise?

How do you hold meetings and make sure your manager has the time to meet with you?

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Case Study

Case Study

You are sitting in your office one Friday afternoon in September when Barbara Jones, the CEO
of your company, comes rushing in. She has just come out of a budget meeting. Due to a cash
flow problem, the budget for this year’s annual party has been drastically reduced to $17,500
from $75,000. Before, she had hired an outside consultant to do the work, but that’s no longer
affordable, so she wants you to plan the party for January 1, under the budget allocated.

Task One

Develop a preliminary communication plan for this project. Make sure you try to think of
everyone who might be involved in the project.

Who When Why What How

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Task Two

What kinds of rumors might circulate during the project?

How might you handle those?

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Session Seven: Communicating with Sponsors and

Executives

As a project manager, you’ll be responsible for communicating with people in a range of areas:
sponsors, stakeholders, external clients, and people you may not have met yet. Make sure your
skills are sharp!

In this session, you’ll develop skills in order to best communicate with your sponsors and
executives.

Communication Excellence

Getting Started

During your project, it may be easy to forget about your project sponsor. However, they are the
person providing the resources, and if they pull the plug halfway through, your project will be
doomed. Likewise, you want to keep the company executives interested, as they may have
control over the budget, resources, or even your position and salary in the company.

When you are assigned the project, you should schedule separate meetings with the sponsor
and the executives. (It’s often best to schedule one-on-one meetings, but you can meet with
them all at once if time demands.) Make sure you are on the right page by asking these sorts of
questions:
o What ideas do you have for the project?
o What do you expect as the end result of the project?
o What do you expect in terms of communication? Do you want to be aware of every
single issue, or do you want status updates at a particular interval?
o What is the best way to get in touch with you?
o What budget do you have for the project?

Setting Expectations

Once you have formed your communication plan, let your sponsor and executives know what
to expect from you: weekly voice mails, monthly newsletters, or status reports at a particular
interval. Also let your sponsor and executives know that if they do have questions to contact
you directly. Make sure you provide your office and cell phone numbers, and an alternate
contact that you trust.

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Staggering Deliverables

When you are planning, try to stagger your deliverables. This will help keep everyone interested
in the project. If the company has invested several million dollars and don’t see results for two
years, they may pull the plug. But if there have been some successes over those two years, it
may be easier for the sponsor and the executives to see the end result.

Staying on Track

During the project, make sure you keep everyone informed via the methods they requested.
The key rule is “No surprises.” If there is an issue with the project, make sure you bring it to the
sponsor’s attention via e-mail, a quick phone call, or a face-to-face meeting. (The method you
choose will depend on the severity of the issue and the preferences of the person.) Make sure
even small issues are included in a status update. And remember, these high-level performers
want to hear about solutions, not problems, so make sure you also mention what you’re doing
(or what you plan to do) to resolve the issue.

Meeting Tips and Tricks

No matter how hectic things may get during the project, make sure you schedule face-to-face
time with your sponsors and your executives on a regular interval. This may just be a quick
meeting for coffee, but it’s crucial that you get some time in to maintain their interest and
commitment.

Make sure, however, that you are prepared for the meeting.
o Set an agenda and stick to it.
o Be concise. Don’t waste their time.
o Talk about solutions rather than problems.
o Bring all necessary documents.
o Prepare a list of questions that you think they might ask and responses to those
questions.
o If you don’t have a particular piece of information, don’t waste their time looking for
it. Apologize and make a note to send it to them later.

If your executives and sponsor know that a meeting with you will be productive, you will be
more likely to get their time and their attention in the future.

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Making Connections

Case Study

Last Friday afternoon, Barbara Jones, the CEO of your company, comes rushing in. She has just
come out of a budget meeting. Due to a cash flow problem, the budget for this year’s annual
party has been drastically reduced to $17,500 from $75,000. Before, she had hired an outside
consultant to do the work, but that’s no longer affordable, so she wants you to plan the party
for January 1, under the budget allocated.

It’s now a week later and you’ve completed some of your preliminary planning. You’ve
discovered that Barbara will be the project sponsor and the executive responsible for the
project.

Outline what your meeting with Barbara might look like.

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Session Eight: Dealing with Problem Team Members

The value of a problem cannot be understated. Working through problems can lead to creative
and innovative solutions when conversations are well managed. How are you when it comes to
dealing with problems?

In this session, you’ll learn some approaches to dealing with problems, including when to walk
away, and how to involve people who can help.

Developing Understanding

As if you didn’t have enough to do during the project, your project team members will
undoubtedly cause you some stress from time to time. When people have different ideas and
want to be heard, or they like to distract others or perhaps even challenge your authority, you
have a problem that needs to be dealt with. This course is not about performance
management, and ideally you won’t have to deal with performance issues. We’re going to
provide you with some techniques for managing difficult conversations here, but we’re also
going to talk about walking away and what to do when things are not improving.

Mutual Respect

If you enter the conversation and anticipate a conflict, then the first thing to do is to consider
your frame of reference and make any changes that can help you understand the other person.
It’s most likely that they mean you no disrespect or harm, and are approaching you with
positive intent. You need to approach the conversation from a perspective of mutual respect.
You do not have to like the person, but the conversation will proceed more smoothly when you
do so from a place of mutual respect. It is possible that the person you are going to speak with
does not respect you, so that will throw a wrench into things. However, most people will
approach a conversation civilly if they are prepared for a conversation rather than a conflict.

Mutual respect means that you also offer the other person a safe place to speak. It’s important
that they can trust you are not going to lose your own temper, throw something, threaten
them, or carry on unprofessionally.

Common Ground

Another element to keeping a conversation civil is to look at what you have in common with the
other person, or more specifically, to identify common goals that you share. This could be
something as straightforward as making sure the team reaches their goals, or that the work you
both do contributes to the project.

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Establishing common ground isn’t just something to demonstrate at the time of what could be
a difficult conversation; it comes from fostering relationships that are based on trust that is
consistently present. This is something that needs to be thought about and developed as the
project team is forming, and at each meeting and interaction that you have.

Staying in Control

Are you able to maintain your composure when things get heated? If you feel you are being
attacked personally when the other person becomes defensive, or you are not at ease in a
conflict situation, then try to get some practice first. A trusted colleague, an HR consultant, or a
mentor can help you get more comfortable with these situations. If you tend toward anxiety,
going through some relaxation techniques beforehand can also help. However, practicing the
conversation (even if doesn’t go the way you intend) is probably the best way to make it
familiar to yourself and less likely to raise your anxiety when you go through it for real.

During the conversation itself, it is essential that you control your own reactions and any anger.
Don’t apologize for needing to have a particular conversation or the need to complete certain
project tasks together, or you may expose a gleam of weakness in your armor. Also, don’t think
that just because you schedule 45 minutes for a meeting that it will have to take that long. If
you can be finished in 30 minutes and this person is someone you find difficult to work with, it’s
perfectly acceptable (and a better use of your time) to wind up and move on.

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When to Walk Away

Create a list of five people-related challenges that you have experienced when working on
projects or with teams, as well as how you deal with those things.

Challenge How I Deal With It

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When Things Don’t Work

If the relationship goes completely off track, or the problems are not manageable, there are
plenty of things that you can still do. After all, you do have a project to manage. If you feel that
your leadership skills need development, then we suggest you address that as a long-term
objective. In the short term, however, you need your project to be on track and making
progress.

Sometimes we can feel a bit beat up, as if we are holding all responsibility for what is going on.
If you’re a project manager who tries to create a great work environment, most of the staff
probably respect and maybe even like you. However, you’ve likely also had problems with some
circumstances, such as people challenging your authority, quitting the team, or going over your
head. You might even be tired of dealing with people issues.

However, you need to know that when you don’t deal with things, they do not go away on their
own. They simply get worse. We can’t lead a project successfully if we are always trying to
avoid saying what needs to be said, or are afraid of negative consequences. The outcomes of
letting things fester are usually much worse. Keep your project plan in mind and draw on
resources that you have available to complete your work. This includes asking for help when
needed, from your own boss, the project sponsor, mentors, and human resources.

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Recommended Reading List

If you are looking for further information on this topic, we have included a recommended
reading list below.

Baca, Claudia M. Project Management for Mere Mortals. Pearson Education, 2007.
Baker, Kim, and Sunny Baker. The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Project Management (4th Edition).
Alpha Publishing, 2007.
Blanchard, Kenneth. Leading at a Higher Level: Blanchard on Leadership and Creating High
Performing Organizations. Pearson Education, 2009.
Campbell, Clark, and Nick Campbell. The New One-Page Project Manager. Wiley, 2012.
Hamilton, Cheryl, and Cordell Parker. Communicating for Results (10th Edition). Wadsworth
Publishing, 2013.
Pink, Daniel. Drive: The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us. Riverhead Books, 2009.
Stone, Douglas, Bruce Patton, and Sheila Heen. Difficult Conversations (10th Anniversary
Edition). Penguin Books, 2010.

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Post-Course Assessment

1. Which of the following items should be considered when choosing the project team?
a. Personality
b. Skills
c. Area of expertise
d. All of the above

2. True or False: Sponsors and executives have an obligation to tell you what they want.
You shouldn’t go out of your way for them.

3. True or False: Always distribute an agenda prior to team meetings.

4. What are the five key parts of a communication plan?

a. Sponsors, executives, and team members
b. Who, When, Why, What, How
c. It depends on your project

5. What techniques can you use to manage a difficult conversation?

a. Approach the conversation with respect
b. Establish common ground
c. Stay in control
d. All of the above

6. What are the five stages of team development?

a. Forming, Storming, Norming, Performing, Adjourning
b. Low, Medium, High, Higher
c. Developing, Adjusting, Shaping, Finishing

7. True or False: The best way to get the right people on your team is to make non-
negotiable demands.

8. True or False: The more expensive the reward for project members, the better.

9. True or False: After you’ve chosen the project team, you should meet with each team
member individually.

10. You are planning a five-year project. When should deliverables be met?
a. Six months in and at the end of the project
b. Throughout the project if possible
c. At the end of the project

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Pre- and Post-Assessment Answer Keys

Pre-Course Assessment

1. D: Project status meetings are key to keeping your project on track. We’ll spend some
time discussing all types of meetings in Session Four.
2. A: The terms Project Charter and Project Statement of Work (SOW) are often used
interchangeably. The Project Management Institute (PMI) uses the term Charter to refer
to the announcement that recognizes the authority of the project manager. The SOW,
on the other hand, is the formal project definition document.
3. True: The four stages are conceptualization, planning, execution, and termination.
4. False: If you’re given the opportunity to choose your project team, make sure you
choose wisely.
5. A: This formula will help you get the best estimate for each task.
6. D: You can use the first three methods alone or in combination with each other, but
balancing is not a method.
7. False: Project team members are people too! We’ll talk about creative ways to reward
project members in Session Five.
8. D: A project manager’s role is widely varied. It could include all of these tasks (and many
more!).
9. False: It’s important to keep on top of product changes, since a minor change made to
the design of one of the project components could affect whether or not the project
comes in on time, or whether it meets its objectives.
10. False: While you may not want to start planning for the end of a project before you
start, you should have some plans for a smooth closing from the outset.

Post-Course Assessment

1. D: Choosing a project team is more an art than a science. You need to consider many
factors. (See Session Two for more information.)
2. False: When you are assigned the project, you should schedule separate meetings with
the sponsor and the executives. Continue to keep them in the loop during the project.
Good communication can never hurt!
3. True: Agendas are a crucial part of any meeting. They give the meeting a structure, help
you stay on track, and they help people come prepared.
4. B: Sponsors, executives, and team members are important parts of the plan, but they
fall under the “Who” category.
5. D: All of these strategies can be used to manage a difficult conversation and increase
your chances of success.
6. A: Developed in the 1970’s, Tuckman and Jensen’s five-phase model can be applied to
many types of teams.
7. False: Being reasonable and flexible when negotiating for the people you need will build
relationships and credibility, and may get you better results.

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8. False: Simple rewards like treat-sized chocolate bars or fun achievement certificates can
work wonders! (See Session Five for more ways to reward the team.)
9. True: This will give you an opportunity to explain who you are, what the project is
about, and where they fit in. It also lets you set the tone of the project and it gives them
a chance to ask questions. (See Session Four for more information.)
10. B: Try to stagger your project deliverables. This will help keep everyone interested in the
project, especially sponsors and executives.

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Personal Action Plan

Now that you have completed this course on Advanced Project Management, how will you use
the things you have learned? Creating a personal action plan can help you stay on track and on
target. When you take responsibility for yourself and your results, you get things done!

In this session, you will be asked questions to help you plan your short-term and long-term
goals. This final exercise is a way for you to synthesize the learning that you have done and to
put it into practice.

I am already doing these things well:

I want to improve these areas:

I have these resources to help me:

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As a result of what I have My target date is… I will know I have I will follow up
learned in this workshop, I succeeded when… with myself on…
am going to…

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