Chapter 10 Flashcards
Managing—coping with complexity
Formulate plans and objectives Monitor results Take corrective action Expedite activities Solve technical problems Serve as peacemaker Make tradeoffs among time, costs, and project scope
Leading—coping with change
Recognize the need to change to keep the project on track Initiate change Provide direction and motivation Innovate and adapt as necessary Integrate assigned resources
Managing Project Stakeholders
Project Management Maxims:
You can’t do it all and get it all done
Projects usually involve a vast web of relationships.
Hands-on is not the same as leading
More pressure and more involvement can reduce effectiveness
What’s important to you may not be to someone else
Different groups have different stakes (responsibilities, agendas, and priorities) in the outcome of a project.
Influence as Exchange
The Law of Reciprocity
One good deed deserves another, and likewise, one bad deed deserves another.
Quid pro Quo
Mutual exchanges of resources and services (“back-scratching”) build relationships.
Influence “Currencies” (Cohen and Bradford)
Cooperative relationships are built on the exchange of organizational “currencies” (favors).
Influence as Exchange
Task-related Position-related Inspiration-related Relationship-related Personal-related
Task Related
Resources - Lending or giving money, budget increases, personnel, etc.
Assistance - Helping with existing projects or undertaking unwanted tasks.
Cooperation - Giving task support, providing quicker response time, or aiding implementation.
Information - Providing organizational & technical knowledge.
Position-related currencies
Advancement - Giving a task or assignment that can result in promotion.
Recognition - Acknowledging effort, accomplishments, or abilities.
Visibility - Providing a chance to be known by higher-ups or significant others in the organization.
Network/Providing opportunities for linking with others.
Inspiration-related currencies
Vision - Being involved in a task that has larger significance for the unit, organization, customer, or society.
Excellence – Opportunity to do important things really well.
Ethical correctness - Doing what is “right” by a higher standard than efficiency.
Relationship-related currencies
Acceptance - Providing closeness and friendship.
Personal support - Giving personal and emotional backing.
Understanding - Listening to others’ concerns and issues.
Personal-related currencies
Challenge/learning - Sharing tasks that increase skills and abilities.
Ownership/involvement - Letting others have ownership and influence.
Gratitude - Expressing appreciation.
Mapping Dependencies
Project team perspective
Whose cooperation will we need?
Whose agreement or approval will we need?
Whose opposition would keep us from accomplishing the project?
Mapping Dependencies
Stakeholders’ perspective
What differences exist between the team and on whom will we depend?
How do the stakeholders view the project?
What is the status of our relationships with the stakeholders?
What sources of influence does the team have relative to the stakeholders?
Management by Wandering Around (MBWA)
Involves managers spending the majority of their time in face-to-face interactions with employees building cooperative relationships.
Managing Upward Relations
Top Management Support = Project Success
Allocate budgets
Respond to unexpected needs
A clear signal of the importance of cooperation
Motivating the Project Team
Influence top management in favor of the team:
Rescind unreasonable demands
Provide additional resources
Recognize the accomplishments of team members
Ethical Dilemmas
Situations where it is difficult to determine whether conduct is right or wrong
Situations where it is difficult to determine whether conduct is right or wrong:
Padding of cost and time estimations
Exaggerating pay-offs of project proposals
Falsely assuring customers that everything is on track
Being pressured to alter status reports
Compromising safety standards to accelerate progress
Approving shoddy work
Code of conduct
Professional standards and personal integrity
