"We need a project manager"
Maybe you’ve experienced it. There are multiple work streams, dependencies and risk involved. It is hard to understand what different functions are doing. Then someone says
“But what is the status of these different streams? We need to coordinate this better so we can decide on what to do!”
Everyone agrees, this has been too loosely coordinated and quickly a project manager is being installed, or maybe a program office depending on the size of the scope or organisation. That person comes in and start to create a plan and ask different team members to fill out status reports and report back to key stakeholders and/or management. Not rarely a steering committee is created and that person is also given the mandate to decide within the agreed boundaries. Now it feels much better, control is finally restored.
I don’t believe in this approach, especially when solving complex problems. At M, we believe in collaboration instead of coordination. Because when solving complex problems there is little value in tracking status towards a plan. All energy, especially from management, should be spent on understanding and articulating what challenge we are trying to solve and enable knowledgeable and small cross functional teams with the right perspectives represented and the mandate to take the right decisions (and not filling out status reports or following plans that was created far from where the actual knowledge is). In other words, focus on the desired outcome.
So the next time you hear someone wanting to bring in project managers or generate status reports to track work streams, think about how you can facilitate team collaboration and measure outcome instead.
Director | Head of Data & Analytics Transformation at Volvo Cars
3 年To the point Erik Jivmark, navigating complexity and creating novelty requires this understanding both in theory and practice. Looks like you have it. Great article. Keep it coming. ????
?? Finance | Strategy | Innovation | Analytics ?? Coca-Cola & IRI Alum
3 年"...collaboration instead of coordination." Well said, I completely agree Erik. A project manger still has a place in the modern world, but understanding (and executing) collaboration is the key to success. Thank you for posting.
Impact and sustainability from advanced materials and technologies
3 年I agree with the team belief. In fact, I have (for innovator support) a model which is based on Buurtzorg model in which a self deciding entrepreneurial team is helping home care patients. I will try that idea in project mode for innovation capacity creation. New approaches are fun.
Driving Supply Chain Transformation | Expertise in Sustainability, Technology, and Strategic Initiatives | Future-Focused on Circularity & Traceability in Apparel
3 年I very much agree Erik, especially with the fact that ?there is little value in tracking status towards a plan“ when the ?plan“ these days is constantly evolving, more like a moving target. Thanks ??
Spot on Erik Jivmark, and one of the best things about your article is that you reveal your values and mindset. It proves that I didn’t misread you and your colleagues. All thumbs up, I like it ?? ??