Effective CommunicationEffective CommunicationBridging the Gap between Project Bridging the Gap between Project

Issues and Actionable TasksIssues and Actionable Tasks

Brian A. MaceBrian A. MaceLtCol, U.S. Marine CorpsLtCol, U.S. Marine Corps

Project Management ProfessionalProject Management ProfessionalCertification in Organizational Change Certification in Organizational Change

OverviewOverview Effective Communication DefinedEffective Communication Defined Project Management & CommunicationProject Management & Communication Importance of TrustImportance of Trust Barriers & PitfallsBarriers & Pitfalls The Value of an Opinion LeaderThe Value of an Opinion Leader Continuous Information FlowContinuous Information Flow Empowering ParticipantsEmpowering Participants The Desired End StateThe Desired End State Introduction to the Project Issue Rate (PIR) ToolIntroduction to the Project Issue Rate (PIR) Tool

Effective vs. EfficientEffective vs. Efficient

Rule of Thumb:Rule of Thumb: • Strive to be “effective” with people andStrive to be “effective” with people and

“ “efficient” with thingsefficient” with things

WebsterWebster

• Effective: Effective: readyready for service or action for service or action

• Efficient: Efficient: immediateimmediate agent in producing agent in producing an effect, productive without wastean effect, productive without waste

Formal Knowledge AreasFormal Knowledge AreasRealityReality

EffectiveCommunication

ProjectProcurement

Mgmt

ProjectProcurement

Mgmt

ProjectIntegration

Mgmt

ProjectIntegration

Mgmt

ProjectRisk

Mgmt

ProjectRisk

Mgmt

ProjectHuman

ResourcesMgmt

ProjectHuman

ResourcesMgmt

ProjectQualityMgmt

ProjectQualityMgmt

ProjectCost

Mgmt

ProjectCost

Mgmt

ProjectTimeMgmt

ProjectTimeMgmt

ProjectScopeMgmt

ProjectScopeMgmt

Project Communications

Management attempts to accurately

portray what is happening and/or desired across the

entire project!Project

CommunicationMgmt

ProjectCommunication

Mgmt

ProjectProcurement

Mgmt

ProjectProcurement

Mgmt

ProjectIntegration

Mgmt

ProjectIntegration

Mgmt

ProjectRisk

Mgmt

ProjectRisk

Mgmt

ProjectHuman

ResourcesMgmt

ProjectHuman

ResourcesMgmt

ProjectQualityMgmt

ProjectQualityMgmt

ProjectCost

Mgmt

ProjectCost

Mgmt

ProjectTimeMgmt

ProjectTimeMgmt

ProjectScopeMgmt

ProjectScopeMgmt

ProjectCommunication

Mgmt

ProjectCommunication

Mgmt

Project Management Book of Knowledge (3Project Management Book of Knowledge (3rdrd ed.). (2004). ed.). (2004). Evanston, IL: EIS Digital Publishing.Evanston, IL: EIS Digital Publishing.

..but its just the tip of the iceberg!

Communication Establishes TrustCommunication Establishes Trust Recent Article:Recent Article:

• ““project managers must build strong project managers must build strong trust based trust based relationshipsrelationships with stakeholders” with stakeholders”

• ““the project team must the project team must reach out to the clientreach out to the client and conduct trust-building activities”and conduct trust-building activities”

• ““Project managers that Project managers that get to know clients on a get to know clients on a personal levelpersonal level create a level of intimacy that create a level of intimacy that lets lets clients ask difficult questions that otherwise may clients ask difficult questions that otherwise may not be addressed”not be addressed”

Ferraro, J. (2004, December). A Question of Trust. Ferraro, J. (2004, December). A Question of Trust. PM NetworkPM Network, 51-55., 51-55.

Effective Project Communication extends far beyond the formal tools!

Communication Barriers & PitfallsCommunication Barriers & Pitfalls

Email Email • InefficientInefficient for complex issues for complex issues• Delays (Delays (requires actionrequires action: open & read): open & read)• ““Spiraling” ArgumentsSpiraling” Arguments

Office / Cubicle HermitsOffice / Cubicle Hermits

Closed minded perspectivesClosed minded perspectives

Not knowing your audienceNot knowing your audience

Customize ContentCustomize Content Translate project management terms into Translate project management terms into

language your audience will understand – and language your audience will understand – and appreciate.appreciate.

• Example: Briefing Senior Leadership Example: Briefing Senior Leadership

Project Management Terms Executive Equivalent

Gantt Chart Timeline

Dependency Task Sequence, Order of Tasks

Critical Path Priority Tasks

Cost Performance Index On or off Budget, Give Statistics

Adler, C. (2005). Elevated Talk. Adler, C. (2005). Elevated Talk. Leadership in Project ManagementLeadership in Project Management, , 1, 11-15.1, 11-15.

Opinion LeadersOpinion Leaders

Individuals with the ability to influence the Individuals with the ability to influence the masses (Senior Managers, Subject Matter masses (Senior Managers, Subject Matter Experts, etc.)Experts, etc.)

Seek them out to Seek them out to obtain their inputobtain their input and and guidanceguidance

Gain their support and the crowd will Gain their support and the crowd will followfollow

Where to from here?Where to from here?

Front load the Front load the “Discovery”“Discovery” effort (surveys, effort (surveys, brainstorming sessions, etc.)brainstorming sessions, etc.)

Information availability (website, share Information availability (website, share drives, etc.)drives, etc.)

Simplify feedback processes (never ending Simplify feedback processes (never ending process!)process!)

Reward / recognize contributionsReward / recognize contributions

Empower ParticipantsEmpower Participants

Decentralize decision making to the Decentralize decision making to the greatest extent possible (efficient)greatest extent possible (efficient)

Delegate activities to spread the loadDelegate activities to spread the load

The Desired End StateThe Desired End State

Minimal SurprisesMinimal Surprises

Heightened AnticipationHeightened Anticipation

Continuous and thorough Continuous and thorough ““DiscoveryDiscovery””

Now I’m Communicating….. Now I’m Communicating…..

..but I’m losing it!!..but I’m losing it!!

Issue

Issue

Issue Issue??

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Issue

Issu

e

Issue

Issue

Issue

Issue

Issue

Issue

Issue

Issue

Issue

Issue

Issue

Issue

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Issue

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That which is measured, gets done!That which is measured, gets done!

Issues

Time

Identified Issues

Issue A – Resolved Issue B – Resolved• Issue C – In Work• Issue D – Unknown• • • • •

Project Issue RateProject Issue Rate(PIR)(PIR)

An Effective Tool for Converting An Effective Tool for Converting Issues into Actionable TasksIssues into Actionable Tasks

Rate = State x Impact

Issue State:4 - Issue Undefined3 - Issue Defined, Course of Action Undefined2 - Course of Action Defined, Owner Assigned1 - COA Implementation Underway0 - Issue Resolved, Impact Averted

Issue Impact:3 - High, Schedule Showstopper2 - Medium, Major Schedule Impact1 - Low, Minor Schedule Impact

Project Issue RateProject Issue Rate

PIR Planning & TrackingPIR Planning & TrackingActual updates from regular PIR status meetings.Linear projections based on initial PIR

Planning Session (incorporates additional “Discovery” periods, planned delays, etc.)

SummarySummary

The value of Effective Communication can NOT be The value of Effective Communication can NOT be overstated!overstated!

Organize your teams around recurring events that facilitate Organize your teams around recurring events that facilitate effective communication (formal, informal, face to face, effective communication (formal, informal, face to face, etc.).etc.).

Equip them with tools that enable them to capture and Equip them with tools that enable them to capture and manage discovered issues.manage discovered issues.

Customers don’t expect perfection, but they DO expect to Customers don’t expect perfection, but they DO expect to have their issues heard and addressed. That is the key to have their issues heard and addressed. That is the key to Customer Satisfaction!Customer Satisfaction!

QuestionsQuestions

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Backup SlidesBackup Slides

Formal Knowledge AreasFormal Knowledge Areas

ProjectProcurement

Mgmt

ProjectProcurement

Mgmt

ProjectIntegration

Mgmt

ProjectIntegration

Mgmt

ProjectRisk

Mgmt

ProjectRisk

Mgmt

ProjectHuman

ResourcesMgmt

ProjectHuman

ResourcesMgmt

ProjectQualityMgmt

ProjectQualityMgmt

ProjectCost

Mgmt

ProjectCost

Mgmt

ProjectTimeMgmt

ProjectTimeMgmt

ProjectScopeMgmt

ProjectScopeMgmt

ProjectCommunication

Mgmt

ProjectCommunication

Mgmt

Project Management Book of Knowledge (3Project Management Book of Knowledge (3rdrd ed.). (2004). ed.). (2004). Evanston, IL: EIS Digital Publishing.Evanston, IL: EIS Digital Publishing.

Formal Knowledge AreasFormal Knowledge Areas

ProjectProcurement

Mgmt

ProjectProcurement

Mgmt

ProjectIntegration

Mgmt

ProjectIntegration

Mgmt

ProjectRisk

Mgmt

ProjectRisk

Mgmt

ProjectHuman

ResourcesMgmt

ProjectHuman

ResourcesMgmt

ProjectQualityMgmt

ProjectQualityMgmt

ProjectCost

Mgmt

ProjectCost

Mgmt

ProjectTimeMgmt

ProjectTimeMgmt

ProjectScopeMgmt

ProjectScopeMgmt

Project Communications

Management attempts to accurately

portray what is happening and/or desired across the

entire project!Project

CommunicationMgmt

ProjectCommunication

Mgmt

..but its just the tip of the iceberg!

RealityReality

EffectiveCommunication

ProjectProcurement

Mgmt

ProjectProcurement

Mgmt

ProjectIntegration

Mgmt

ProjectIntegration

Mgmt

ProjectRisk

Mgmt

ProjectRisk

Mgmt

ProjectHuman

ResourcesMgmt

ProjectHuman

ResourcesMgmt

ProjectQualityMgmt

ProjectQualityMgmt

ProjectCost

Mgmt

ProjectCost

Mgmt

ProjectTimeMgmt

ProjectTimeMgmt

ProjectScopeMgmt

ProjectScopeMgmt

Project Communications

Management attempts to accurately

portray what is happening and/or desired across the

entire project!

..but its just the tip of the iceberg!