Creating Management Alliances

You and management are also a team. Just like you want your project team to be dedicated, to trust you, and to work with you—the same applies in your relationship to management. You and management are working together for the good of the company, striving in unison toward an obtainable goal. Figure 3-4 shows how your relationship with management can be reflective of how you manage your own project team. While it may not always feel like you and management are part of the same team, you are.

Figure 3-4: A working relationship with management is required for project success.

When management and you agree, either by your choice or theirs, to implement a new project together, a team has been created. Hopefully, your management will be as supportive of you as you are of your own team.

Creating the Communications Plan

In order to create solid management alliances, you’ll need to communicate. In order to communicate effectively, you’ll need a communications plan. Based on stakeholder analysis, the project manager and the project team can determine what communications are needed. There’s no advantage to supplying stakeholders with information that is not needed or desired. Time spent creating and delivering unneeded information is a waste of resources.

A communications plan can organize and document the process, types, and expectations of communications. It provides:

A system to gather, organize, store, and disseminate appropriate information to the appropriate people. The system includes procedures for correcting and updating incorrect information that may have been distributed.
Details on how needed information flows through the project to the correct individuals. The communication structure documents where the information will originate, to whom the information will be sent, and in what modality the information is acceptable.
Information on how the information to be distributed should be organized, the level of expected detail for the types of communication, and the terminology expected within the communications.
Schedules of when the various types of communication should occur. Some communication, such as status meetings, should happen on a regular schedule; other communications may be prompted based on conditions within the project.
Methods to retrieve information as needed.
Instructions on how the communications plan can be updated as the project progresses.

Working Together

The first step in this team of you and management is the ability to work together. Whether you like the immediate management you are working with or not, you have to work with them. Keep in mind that your goal, the success of the project, can be impacted by the management you are working with. Likewise, the success of your project can impact the management you are working with. In other words, it’s a symbiotic relationship—you both need each other to be successful.

The solution to working together is to create a channel of communication. You and management must be able to talk, to discuss the project, and to report on the status of the work, the finances, and expectations.

Your Communications Plan will dictate how often you and management will need to communicate. In some organizations, it’s weekly; in others, it’s monthly. How will you know? Ask management what their expectations are. In some instances, conditions within the project will prompt immediate communication.

Intermediary communications in the shape of e-mails, an intranet site, or voice mail would be another avenue to keep management involved with the status of the project. By keeping a flow of communication open through you to management, you are ensuring management’s involvement—but at a happy distance. Project managers must report both good and bad news. Don’t candy-coat your findings; reporting both the good and the bad on an equal scale will build trust between you and management.

There are some problems that management and project managers together need to avoid. One of the largest complaints IT project managers have is that management will circumvent their position and go directly to the project team with instructions, input, and advice. In some instances, such as disciplining a team member, this action may be appropriate. The organizational structure of your organization will influence how project sponsors and other stakeholders communicate with the project team. Ideally, project sponsors should follow the same flow of communication through the project manager to the team.

While this requires delicate handling, it’s not impossible to achieve. At the conception of the project and prior to the project kickoff meeting, the project manager should express to the project sponsor that she would like to handle all avenues of communication and management of the project. If you’re new to project management, this may not be granted, although it’s not unusual. Most professionals respect the line of command from management to project managers to the individuals on the team.

If for some reason members of management do bypass you and work directly with your team, and this is disrupting the project, you must address the issue. Report to your project sponsor that this confuses the project team about what the role of project manager is and whom they are to report to, and it undermines your authority with the team. Don’t be confrontational, but do be factual.

Dealing with Challenging Bosses

Remember the boss who was a complete jerk? The one who thought he was still in the Marines and you were a new recruit? Or the one who would disappear for days and avoid any decision making? Do you still work for one of those?

While most Neanderthal behavior is not tolerated in today’s workplace, a fair amount of it still exists. Management has tended to shift into a more team-building, empowering, goal-orientated style of leadership than in past years. However, there are still plenty of managers who don’t relate well to people.

Unfortunately, most of these managers stem from IT backgrounds, and they lack social skills. Or they’re traditional managers and lack IT skills. As an IT project manager, it can be tough and confusing to deal with either type.

The manager who comes from an IT background may feel threatened that new technology is coming onto the scene to replace the work and implementation he did so many years ago. Due to his current position, he’s lost touch with the rapid pace of technology and feels frustrated by it.

Other managers who stem from traditional roles often have no grasp of technology and of what it can or cannot do. These managers often hide from decision-making responsibilities, overanalyze every phase of the project, or immerse themselves in the project in an attempt to learn as much or more as the IT project manager.

As a project manager, you will have to find a way to deal with different types of management. Here are six types of managers you’ll likely encounter and how to deal with each:

Managers who won’t listen Managers who won’t listen are either not interested in what you are saying or have a general lack of respect for others. The best way to deal with these people is to document what you have to say. Often these managers only put their confidence in something that is in writing, as it’s on record. Use e-mail, letters, and memos to confirm conversations you’ve had with the manager.

Managers who are aggressive Managers who yell, stomp, and are outrageously rude have become less popular in today’s workplace; however, these bullies still exist. The best way to deal with these managers is to befriend them, as much as you can, and let them know that when they act the way they do, it offends you. Don’t cower before them, and if the behavior persists, seek help from the human resources department.

Managers who avoid decisions These managers are afraid of making the wrong decision, so they make no decision. They request more research, cancel meetings, and delay their way out of any forward progress. The best way to deal with these managers is to set deadlines with them on when the next phase of the project will commence. These deadlines don’t have to be exact dates; they can even be the accomplishment of key milestones within the project. Put the deadlines in writing and try to get a commitment from them. As an alternative, present them with the decision you suggest, and let them know if you don’t hear from them by a certain date, you will implement your recommendation. Make sure this is documented and that you give the manager a final head’s up before going ahead with your recommendation.

Managers who micromanage These managers are typically perfectionists, feel that no one else can do the job as well as they can, or don’t trust anyone else to do the task at hand. The best way to deal with these managers is to politely let them know that they are micromanaging. They just need to be told they aren’t allowing you to do your work. Many of these managers don’t realize that they are guilty of micromanaging and need to be told to back off. Of course, you’ll then complete the task proficiently and with excellence to show the manager you can do the activity without his hovering.

Managers who rotate the discipline These managers think someone always has to be in trouble at any given time, and they will discipline someone once a week just to remind everyone else that they are in charge. Your department may refer to it as being in the doghouse, called on the carpet, or your turn. The best way to deal with this is to confirm the cycle of discipline and then confront the manager about it. You should always follow your organization’s human resource practices concerning confrontations in the workplace. You don’t want to create more trouble.

Working with Good Bosses

Just as plenty of bad bosses exist in the world, there are also a large number of truly good bosses. These individuals are caring, hard-working, goal-orientated individuals. They have the good of the company in mind, know how to lead, and treat people fairly. If you are fortunate to have a good boss, let him know. Let this person know that you appreciate the way he offers advice, listens to what you have to say, and treats you with respect.

Working for a good boss, however, can often be mistaken for working for a passive boss. If you can imagine another project manager working for a boss with a temper, that person’s inspiration to work hard is to not get yelled at, publicly embarrassed, or put in the doghouse. On the other hand, some who have a kind boss may be tempted to become more lax because they know their manager would never yell or embarrass them. If you have a good boss, don’t take advantage of her. Continue to work hard, to work persistently, and lead your team.

Learn from your boss. As an IT project manager, you can learn from either type of boss that you may have. A bad manager is showing you how not to manage, while an excellent manager is showing you how it’s really done. Find the attributes of your manager that work and then repeat those skills with your project team. Not only will you become an effective manager, you’ll also become an effective leader.

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Creating Management Alliances