AMA with a Salesforce Project Manager

Last week, I interviewed Nicole Pomponio to learn more about what a Senoior Project Manager does at SaltClick, the Salesforce consultancy we both work at. I asked her about her PMing journey, how she got into Salesforce, and the common misconceptions that tail her role.

So, let's get to know her better ??

How did you first get involved with Salesforce project management?

I started with Salesforce like 10 or 11 years ago. I had the opportunity to be a solo Salesforce Admin for a long time, was able to be involved in various internal initiatives which exposed me to so many facets of Operational Management and Systems Administration. I've just always gravitated toward Systems and Operations. I was lucky enough to moonlight for a few years with a stellar consulting company, before jumping in full force last year!

In your own words, describe what a Project Manager for Salesforce does.

The standard answer is that Project Managers for Salesforce work to keep projects organized, help keep teams focused, work to remove any roadblocks, and make sure projects stay within scope, on time and within budget.

What we also work really hard at is to have open, honest communication with the customers we are partnering with to make sure they feel heard and valued and that we are working as an extension of their teams. We want to make sure that all their Salesforce visions are coming to life, and that the customer and our own teams feel supported in the journey.

What's the most challenging part of managing Salesforce projects?

The most difficult aspect of managing a Salesforce project is that, inevitably and amazingly, there is a moment where people understand the power and flexibility of the system so you have to help contain the desire to enhance what you haven’t deployed yet.

How do you handle stakeholders with conflicting interests in a Salesforce project?

You have to be the bridge to good communication, be able to negotiate at times, but more so you need to be able to understand the true business needs to help guide these conversations.

What's the biggest misconception people have about Salesforce Project Managers?

That we are not needed. There is so much to be said on this topic, but if you don’t have anyone leading the pack, there are bound to be people and goals left behind.

How do you prioritize features or modules in a Salesforce rollout?

What a powerful question, and to be fair I think this can be situational. You need to understand the totality of the project so that you can see dependencies and plan accordingly. Part of this means understanding the business goals for the customer, what success looks like for them, and to be honest you are probably going to get some curve balls thrown at you so you have to be ready to be flexible!

What's your go-to strategy to keep a project on track when things go awry?

I always try to take it back to the original project scope and goals or what success looks like. If things start going off the rails, you have to willing to speak up and work with your own teams and the customer to get back on track.

What tools and technologies do you find indispensable in managing Salesforce projects?

I’m a big fan of JIRA, a Slack Nerd, and there are times when you just need a good spreadsheet.

Describe a time when you had to make a tough call that was crucial for a project's success.

There is no specific situation, but there are times when you have to say not right now, or propose alternative solutions. We always want to say yes, and get things done, but there is more value in pausing to make sure what you are being asked actually solves the problem or should be allowed to impact other efforts.

How do you approach change management in Salesforce implementations?

I absolutely love this topic, Change Management. I had a previous boss express to me the importance of understanding the landscape of changes someone is being asked to tolerate at any given time. It is so important to meet people where they are at.

We need be the ones championing Change Management, but we need to remember that even implementing that is something that should be stepped into. Understand where your customers are at currently, get them enrolled in the idea by showing the value, and then help them build out what it means in their own company. I find a lot of joy in helping other people and supporting them, it’s so awesome.?