A Solid Launch Consulting

A Human-Centered Approach to Leadership & Team Development

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Where Do You Go From Here?

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When you’re at the top of your game – where do you go next?

When you’re a new PM, your immediate career goal may be to keep your head above water, or to succeed at your current project.

Mid-career, you’re looking to build relationships and grow into that “go to” PM – the one they call when the project absolutely must succeed.

Lots of my readers are already highly experienced Project Managers.

They’ve “been there and done that.” They’re seasoned – senior leaders and are well known for their ability to get the job done right. These folks are comfortable with communication to every type of stakeholder, from brand new BA to CEO to vendor resources.

So that got me thinking: for those at the pinnacle of their career…what’s next? Where do you go from here?

Seasoned PMs: this post is for you!

(What? Not a senior leader yet? No worries – you may find some nuggets in here, too!) 🙂

So what do you do with all those years of experience and wisdom?

To be fair, some PMs will be perfectly happy continuing to lead projects as they have been all along. That’s fantastic – and a huge relief to their companies, as well!

But PMs are driven to grow. We love projects, after all. And projects, by their very nature, create.

Without opportunities to grow, it’s easy to become dissatisfied and bored. The risk for the most experienced project managers is stagnation.

That’s not good for anyone!

So what can a seasoned Project Manager do to avoid this trap?

Here are a few options:

  • Mentor.
    It’s gratifying to share your skills and help others avoid the mistakes you’ve already overcome. Find a program that allows you to foster the skills inherent in younger PMs. Many large companies have formal mentoring programs, but if yours does not, that doesn’t mean you can’t unofficially mentor someone! And if you belong to PMI, your local Chapter may have a Mentoring Program you could participate in.
  • Speak.
    This isn’t for everyone, but opportunities abound to share your wisdom and knowledge! Your company may have a lunch & learn series, or you could present to a local group (i.e. Chamber of Commerce or other professional organization). You can also participate in panel discussions.
  • Bring your skills to the community.
    At one time I ran the “Between Shows Pizza Dinner” for our town’s band and chorus nights. 200 kids descending upon the cafeteria, fed, watered, and back out the door in 45 minutes. Do you think that doesn’t call from some serious project management skill? Look around and see what opportunities you have to give back.
  • Join a PM group.
    I hope you’re already in one. But this is a great way to not only use your skills but to mentor, to get to know other PMs outside the office, and help grow the profession
  • Get another role.
    Have you ever considered leaving behind the title and moving to, say, VP of Engineering or Finance Director? What about Leadership Training? You can go “back into the business”, and the skills you’ve honed over the years will serve you (and your department) very well. Leadership & communication? Check. Milestones & prioritization? Double Check.

I hope this gives you some ideas to mull over. And perhaps you’re doing a few of them already? The goal is to continue to grow, even when you’re the expert. When you share, we all benefit!

What Sets Your Virtual Meetings Apart?

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My PM mentoring program ran a virtual panel discussion recently. The topic was Lessons Learned…or Retrospectives, if you’re Agile-minded.

9 a.m. on a Saturday morning and 16 people took time out of their short weekend to hop on a call and talk project management!

You’d think the conversation would be, well, sleepy, at least. But it was an amazingly quick hour and we could have easily talked for another.

I was reflecting on what made it such a great meeting.

Yes, the panelists were knowledgeable and gave us practical advice. And yes, there was a feeling of camaraderie amongst the attendees. And, certainly, there was A LOT to talk about!

At the end of the meeting, one of the participants made a special mention of how great our Moderator, Helen, was.

This called to mind a conversation I had a few days ago with my father. He has been on a ton of Zoom calls lately. Like all of us, he’s getting a little “Zoomed out”. 

He told me in many of his meetings it’s hard to follow the flow of conversation or to know when to jump in with a comment or question. It takes extra effort to be focused and active in the discussion.

I asked him why.

He said that when you’re in person, you pick up on cues from other people’s body language. 

If you need to be heard, you can let the manager know with a simple action like raising you hand or catching their eye. And it’s easier for them to control the flow of conversation, too.

But when everyone’s virtual, it’s tougher to pick up on those cues. You need to rely more on the facilitator to guide the discussion. You can’t use eye contact to capture the manager’s attention well. And there’s no guarantee they’ll see a hand being raised on screen.

I get it!

If you don’t have someone skilled leading the meeting, it makes for a long hour.

What set apart the Lessons Learned discussion was the pacing and flow. Helen gave enough time for each panelist to answer a question and then moved people along, noting who hadn’t had a chance to participate and including them in the discussion.

She set the tempo and everyone followed. This allowed our panelists to share their advice and insight – and for all of us to take it in before we moved onto the next topic.

Whether it’s a Lessons Learned, a Team Meeting, Kick-Off Call, or any other interaction, the person in charge needs to, well, take charge. To lead.

The goal of a meeting is to make sure the objectives are met.  (Why else would you be holding the meeting, anyway?) Our role as Project Manager is to help the team achieve them.

At our best, we shift the spotlight away from us and concentrate on the needs of our team. Are they actively involved, focused, and moving together towards the goal?

We moderate. We facilitate.

We work hard to make it look easy.

Why is that important? 

Because we want the team to concentrate on reaching the objective, not worrying about how they’re going to make their point, or trying to follow everyone’s frantic grab for airtime.

The next time you’re a participant in a virtual meeting, observe how it’s facilitated. Is everyone sharing? How is the pacing? Is anyone allowed to drone on? Does it all feel rushed – or slow?

Then, during your own meeting, pay close attention to the cues your team is sending. Make adjustments if you need to. 

Remember that you have a big part in the success of the meeting, just by setting the pace and flow.

Clocks, Pie, and People

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First things first:  

Did you remember to turn your clocks forward?

For those of us who live in an area that still follows Daylight Savings, we shifted our clocks ahead one hour last night.

This elicits a groan from most people, and I honestly don’t know a single person who enjoys this semi-annual “mess up your internal clock” ritual.

And I have not heard a good argument for keeping it, now that we have harnessed the power of electricity (fun fact: Thomas Edison invented the electric light bulb in 1879).

Next:

Happy Pi Day!

I love Pi Day – it’s a great excuse to indulge in my all-time favorite pie…apple! 

My dad always loved chocolate cream pie…just checked, and it’s still his favorite. My husband enjoys apple – though pumpkin comes a close second.

None of us like pecan.

So you might be wondering, what does this have to do with Leadership?

Not everyone is going to like the same things. On your project, there will be some people with whom you just don’t connect.

Like turning our clocks ahead, maybe there is an executive who insists on 8 a.m. meetings (or 6 p.m.) or wants a detailed report of what every team member worked on for the past month, down to the half hour.

Or enjoying a slice of pie after a nice meal, sometimes you are served you own personal version of pecan. It could be a team member who knows what they’re doing, but you just don’t feel that connection. It’s tough to communicate with them. Or you find yourself on edge around them.

The reality is, to do our job and complete the project, we need to deal with these folks.

How do we handle working with them without frustration, resentment, or stress?

We can’t suddenly stop working with these stakeholders, just like we can’t suddenly love pecan pie. But we can get used to working with them and to make the best of the situation.

Here are some techniques:

  • Learn their motivation. Observation is your friend. Why does that one executive need detailed reports? Pay attention to what they focus on in the report itself. They could be wrestling with a particular resource issue and really need the data. Or they’ve been burned on a past project and now they’re overly cautious. Once you understand their motivation, there may be more efficient ways to help them achieve their goals or reduce their stress…and achieve the same for you!
  • Stick to business. Bottom line here is that we’re not on the project to make friends. Yes, we will be closer to some team members, but at the base of it all is the work to complete the project. When there is a stakeholder I don’t quite connect with, it’s much easier to focus on having a pleasant interaction that only involves the task at hand.
  • Pay attention to how others react to them. Your responsibility is not only to get the project completed, but to help everyone achieve their best work. Are other team members avoiding your outlier? I take a look around the room and in the mirror: if a resource hits me wrong, it may only be me. As a consultant, I’m always heading into a new team. There are times when I’m put off by a team member’s actions or reactions, but learn “that’s just the way they are” and everyone else has figured out how to work well with them. Taking my cue from others helps me quickly adapt.
  • Put it in perspective. Is this resource critical to the project or an extended team member? Do you need daily interaction or just a periodic check-in? Is meeting at 8 a.m. once each month really that big a burden? Take a step back – is the issue really as big as it feels?
  • What’s the real impact? If your team member doesn’t communicate, are they avoiding responsibility? Or do they always tell you when something’s complete but aren’t inclined to check in just to…check in. The opposite could be true, as well: a team member demands too much communication and that doesn’t hit you right. Consider whether the extra communication is providing an ROI – spending the extra 15 minutes each week may help close some items faster, with fewer issues.

At the end of the day, each stakeholder on your project is uniquely human. You will get a blend of personalities, back stories, and preferences. Sometimes you get apple, but every once in a while you’re served pecan.

At the heart of leadership is seeing your team’s strengths and traits and knowing how to combine them to achieve the best project outcomes.

How Do You Retain Critical Resources?

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I was reflecting on a recent project and the struggles we had with resources. As a lean company, there weren’t too many options when someone was out for some reason. It was a big impact on our schedule and caused more than a few “creative moves” to keep the project on target.

Part of the issue stems from this simple fact: Project Managers rarely own their resources. Many projects span departments and have a blend of employees and contractors. And businesses are constantly over-allocating! Even the best Project Managers fail without enough resources.

So how do you obtain – and retain – these critical people?

Resource allocation is one of the trickiest facets of project management. The resources named in the Charter aren’t usually the ones you Launch with. The more you understand your company’s culture, it’s priorities and projects, and the way it handles resource shortages and fire drills, the better equipped you’ll handle the next resource complication.

One of the most effective ways to get the inside scoop is to meet with the direct managers of your resources. These folks aren’t always part of your management team, so you may need to seek them out. Get to know them, their priorities, and how they run their departments. Learn what’s going on in their world and you’ll have the knowledge – and relationship – to mitigate risks to your project team.

3 Key Questions to Ask Resource Owners:

  • How is their department structured? If everyone is cross-trained, the hit from your project is minimized. But if there’s “1 key guy” who knows some legacy system and he’s on your team, you can bet he’ll be pulled for emergencies! This will drive your allocation plan.
  • Have there been any big hits lately? Life happens: people move, have babies, take vacation. Business also happens: restructuring, product launches, audits. Even if your resources aren’t directly involved, they may be affected: Joe covers for someone who leaves; Suba is assigned to a task force. If you’re aware, you won’t wonder why Joe’s work is falling behind or why Suba isn’t answering her emails…knowing is the first step in resolving issues.
  • What other projects are on-deck? A big project may compete with yours or put a strain on the whole department’s resources. Knowledge gives you options. If the projects are running in parallel, you can work with the resource manager and the other project’s PM to align your schedules or find alternative resources.

If resources are your biggest project risk, call it out early and often. If you see a spike in resource needs coming up, put it on the Risk Register so the Sponsor and Steering Committee know. Talk with your team about it; show them the plan and work on mitigating it. They may think of solutions you wouldn’t have considered. You do not need to come up with the solution by yourself.

And remember, no team member wants to disappoint their manager – including their Project Manager! If you know about your team’s schedule and help them balance their work, your resources will be more inclined to tell you when they’re having other conflicts. The trust relationship will grow, leading to an increase in participation and output.

Are you staying safe…or risking forward?

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I was at a conference a few years ago. Mid-morning on the second day, a presenter walked onto the stage and asked us to close our eyes and imagine we were standing on the moon and looking down at the timeline of our lives.

I’m not great at visualization, but I could definitely see the line and the bright points of success and joy…as well as the dark spots of fear and failure.

The presenter was Victoria Labalme and she went on to talk about presentation skills and the confidence that comes from speaking from who we are rather than focusing on just the material.

For me, that years ago session was transformative. During the next break I hurried to the back of the ballroom and signed up for Victoria’s Rock the Room® training.

Since taking that course, I’ve had incredible success with executive presentations, kick-off meetings, and team updates. Her lessons helped me understand how to plan and run each meeting so they are not just an exchange of data, but so worthwhile that attendees have spontaneously applauded at the end, and sent me apologetic notes if they need to miss a meeting.

This morning I clicked open one of my favorite Sunday morning video posts from Jeff Walker and – bonus! – he was interviewing Victoria about a new book she has coming out called Risk Forward.

Listening to them talk about the premise of the book made me wonder: what if I hadn’t taken that risk to sign up for her course? What if I held back with my usual “wait and see” attitude? What if I hadn’t stepped up and gone to the conference in the first place?

It’s so easy these days to sit in our homes and not push ourselves – not risk criticism, overwhelm, or disappointment. We have a nice & safe, aesthetic distance between us and our teams (aka Zoom, Teams, and WebEx). So while the world feels “paused” we may be putting our growth on hold, too.

Are we still thinking forward to the next 5 years – the next 2 years – 1 year – to the end of the project?

The reality is, when we stop moving and growing, everything else around us stagnates, too. And that includes our projects and our teams.

Humans are social creatures – yes, even the introverts among us. This past year has been a challenge in many ways. It’s tough to feel that connection when you can’t be in the same room without blocking half your face. Many of us are now permanently “work from home”, cutting off impromptu conversations at the coffee machine or grabbing a minute of someone’s time to ask a question after a meeting.

We must be more mindful than ever of our own inertia. And take extra steps to make sure we’re intentional in our growth.

This past year may have tossed our plans and dreams out the window. But that shouldn’t stop us from making new plans and having new dreams.

I am working hard to find new ways to grow and evolve. I’m setting new goals. I have new dreams. Will something else happen to knock them over? Possibly. Will I have days where I’m glad I can hide behind a computer screen? Yup. But if I don’t keep moving towards those goals and dreams, I’ll never achieve them, will I?

I hope you’ll join me in risking forward – hey, if you fall…it will still be forward, right?

9 Tips: How To Be A Successful Project Management Consultant

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I was participating in a Facebook Group today about project management. Someone responded to a comment I had made about being a consultant. She asked me, “I’m currently working full-time as a PM and thinking about going back into consulting bc the pay is much better. But there are pros and cons, especially w benefits and job assignments ending. Can you give me tips on how you’ve managed successfully over the years?”

Here was my reply:

There are definitely pros & cons! But…for tips on how to remain successful, here goes:

  1. Financially, plan on ~40 weeks employment per year. Everything else is awesome. Save it for a rainy day or use it intentionally – it can be the difference between your current salary and where you want to be!
  2. Financially, remember that insurance is part of your monthly expenses (mainly medical) if your partner doesn’t carry it.
  3. Plan vacation weeks…and take them! It’s more difficult to take vacation as a consultant because if you’re ending 1 project you want the next to start asap! So plan your time off and schedule it during an engagement (non-milestone time, of course)
  4. Maintain a relationship with your recruiters. They may not have something for you now, but if you find a good one, keeping in touch can pay off
  5. Get good at ramping up quickly. As a consultant, you’re always “the new guy”. Use it to your advantage by asking a lot of questions – about the company, stakeholders, expectations, to get to know your team…the new person is forgiven for asking questions
  6. Track your hours! One of the reasons for jumping to consulting is to be paid “more per hour” than an FTE. If you give your clients extra time each day/week, your hourly rate essentially goes down. So be careful. After 1 or 2 contracts you’ll have a better sense of how many hours something will take and you’ll be able to estimate your contract with more accuracy.
  7. Truly enjoy moving around. I wouldn’t go back to being an employee if you doubled my salary. I love going from company to company, learning about different products and getting to know new teams. And when I’ve done what I set out to do? I get to move on to the next adventure!
  8. Believe you can help – that’s why they’re hiring you! I can’t overstate this one. We all feel more comfortable working with people who have a “can do” attitude. But as a consultant, it’s doubly important. We have a resume of past clients, but each new company requires we prove ourselves to a new group of stakeholders.
  9. Put your client first. This final tip may seem obvious and something any good employee would do. Along with believing you can help your client, your focus on their needs increases their trust in you. This begins a virtuous cycle of trust -> responsiveness -> success. Putting my clients first has led to follow-on projects (and job offers) after all of my contracts.

If you’re a consultant, or are thinking of joining our ranks, let me know which of these nine tips impacted you the most. What’s your biggest takeaway?