Positive Project Management

#Projectmanager #Projectmanagement #PositiveProjectManagement

I saw a Project Manager with a loose tie, one-sided tucked-in shirt, wrinkled suite and slightly bleeding nose and I asked what are you upto? and he replied,"I am busy with project management!" It is a hypothetically-creative description of a project manager's work at office, but there is some truth behind it, too. Project Managers create a unique product or service or results, says PMI. And, I add to say, not quite easily. There is nothing easy in this world when sometimes even your own breathing becomes tougher, at stressful turns in life. So, what could be easy! 

Project Management is not a science but an art. But, the irony is that there is ofcourse maths and definitely an indirect science to it. Meaning, Physics is nothing but the dynamics of the project and Chemistry is the stakeholder management. When there are so many other things in project management, why is the stress on the stealthy layer of science? That is the reason for this article :-)

I awfully-love techies as they are the doers whereas humbly i remember that PMs are the Movers. But, techies live in this myth that project management is all about the date-play and when done, a PM is nothing but a stress machine. On the contrary, PM is one who is not the puncher but the punch bag. Sponsor shows his doubtfulness, External stakeholders shows their resistance, fraction of internal stakeholders shows their non-cooperation, team shows its frustration and sometimes goes the extra-mile to yell at a PM, even for a technical limitation - but all that a PM has to give back to all these people, is just confidence. A bright light at the end of the tunnel. All project managers knew this as it is just a routine and a common thing in yet another day at office. So, this article is not meant for project managers but for the project team. TAKE THE PUNCH, GIVE BACK CONFIDENCE! But, how??????? #StakeholderManagement

In the coarse of the project, every stakeholder from different business functions might have different expectation and individual goals with the project. Which, will clearly end up in conflicts and conflicts, only. Lateral thinking and creative problem solving are the few secret weapons which helps the tough times, sometimes, but the thing that always helps is the "Cooperation of the team". How to make the stakeholders to cooperate is the ability of the project manager and the tool is THE GOAL. Project team's collective objective called the Goal is the token to resolve many conflicts that builds in the way. And, who modulates the momentum of Goal despite being questioned is the Project Manager, and it is an art. Definitely, does not come the next day when you had known it today, but in time you will master this art. TAKE THE PUNCH, GIVE BACK THE GOAL! But, how??????? #ScopeManagement #StakeholderManagement

When the project is GREEN in the RAG, world is under the feet but when the project is in RED, a PM is under everyone's feet. Obvious, and nothing wrong about it. PMO comes in and asks for the mitigation plan. If the PM has one, he is lucky to skip the first death blow punch, if not, he takes it right on his face! When the PM is ready with the mitigation plan which needs extra cost, there comes the Finance team for the second sucker punch. What could a PM do.... Nothing! Nothing, but to take it, putting the project interest first. When escalated to PMO, most of the times, a cost is not the option but the PM is given a timeout to think of other mitigation plans before he takes the next punch. Fantastic, PM has an option to extend the schedule with minimal cost intervention and there comes the Project sponsor to give his fist right on the ribs and asks, "Can you change the New Year Day or a Christmas day, just because you aren't ready?". Better to take the punch rather than taking these words. Finally, all sorted out and the project is brought to Green, the PM hears, "PMs are always cool, they don't need to work but make others work!". Do not appreciate the problems/challenges, find solutions. TAKE THE PUNCH, GIVE BACK SOLUTIONS! But, how??????? #ScopeManagement #CostManagement #ScheduleManagement #StakeholderManagement

HOW - explained: Project Manager builds the dynamics of the project with all the optimism and sends out the positive vibes, no matter how much pessimism is thrown at him/her. I was wondering alone, is it because of the self-confidence, or is it because of the confidence that a PM has on the project-team, or is it because of the confidence that a PM has on the project itself. Nothing stands out alone, but derived - "without ATTITUDE nothing becomes exist!" It is not about the solution to those challenges, it is about the attitude to solve those challenges. It is the attitude that takes the punches for a higher-good, THE GOAL OF THE PROJECT! How many project managers in the real world, has this. As a PM, we need to keep asking this every minute and every day. Attitude is what that supersedes any factors that challenges the outcome of the project and brings sure-success. ATTITUDE IS LIKE "THE LAND", ABSORBS THE WASTES(BADNESS) BUT GIVES BACK MANURE-LIKE GOODNESS. In a sense, who you are is not your name, it is the attitude and how you differ from the fellow-humanbeings, bearing the same 2 eyes, 2 legs, 2 ears and a mouth is not by the color of your cornea or by the skin tone, but by YOUR ATTITUDE! "Who you are is not your name, it is your attitude". #PositiveProjectManagement #Attitude

Last but not the least, A Project Manager is no super-hero(unlike shown in the pic), a mere human-being and being more human. Show him/her the great-attitude that you got and it becomes the catalyst for a great project. When a stakeholder reciprocates great attitude, it becomes facilitating for a PM with great attitude to build a great project. The Science and Maths of project management starts with this great attitude. (Share this to all your great project managers as a token of your cooperation and respect, if you liked this article).

Aaaah, I see my sponsor coming towards me... getting ready for my punch. But, its ok, I know what to give.... Cheers!