Running head: MODULE 3 PAPER 1

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1 Running head: MODULE 3 PAPER 1 Module 3 Paper OGL 321 Project Leadership (2017 Fall-B) Denise Wolsieffer November 1, 2017

2 MODULE 3 PAPER 2 Module 3 Paper In his book, Project Management Best Practices: Achieving Global Excellence (2014), Harold Kerzner provides his readers with wisdom one accumulates after managing many projects over many years. I gained tremendous insights from this reading. However in this paper I will only discuss some of the more salient points he makes in Chapter 10 of his book, as well as those provided in two project management blog articles; The Catch-22 of Organizational Change Management and Kill the White Knight. I will also attempt to weave in some of my own personal experiences, however limited, into the overall commentary. Chapter 10 focuses primarily on human behavior in the context of managing projects. Kerzner (2014) describes in detail those behaviors if exhibited by project managers (PMs), executive management, team members and support staff, contribute to the overall success rate of projects. For the purposes of this paper, I will discuss some of the ideal behaviors which project managers (PMs) must exhibit to maximize successful project outcomes. One of the behaviors described by Kerzner (2014) that seemed significant to me is the willingness of the PM to assume a great deal of risk. This was poignant because I have read repeatedly that most projects fail to some extent if not completely. If true, PMs are constantly placing their careers at stake by agreeing to run a project. In the blog article, Kill the White Knight. (2015), the author describes a classic issue that repeats itself in the project management world. The PM recognizes an issue but to avoid looking incompetent does not inform the stakeholders while desperately searching for a solution. Inevitably, a critical deadline is missed or some other telltale sign arises, the stakeholder becomes aware of the problem and calls in the White Knight to fix the issue and everybody is so grateful for their effort. Everybody except the PM most likely. I shook my head as I read the article thinking, Who would sign up for that

3 MODULE 3 PAPER 3 over and over? Knowing this to be a reality, Kerzner (2014) emphasizes the importance of taking the time to build contingency plans to mitigate risk and increase the likelihood of success. He also recommends that PMs develop a process for handling crises quickly and with transparency. Dealing openly with issues that arise will build trust with the stakeholder, especially if the PM already has several potential solutions thought out when discussing the problem. These types of behaviors will destroy the white knight scenario. Another point discussed by Kerzner (2014) is the notion of thinking proactively rather than reactively. This means that the PM must always be looking down the road at upcoming activities, due dates, unexpected staffing shortages such as the one experienced during our simulation this week, and things of this nature (Kerzner, 2014). A PM that is constantly in a mode of proactive management significantly increases the probably of success (Kerzner, 2014). Kerzner suggests the PM always be re-planning the project, and be in a state of readiness to address problems well before they have a significant impact (Kerzner, 2014, p. 472). Kerzner (2014) also discusses the importance of involving team members in decision making. This made me think about a project in which I was involved while working as a Director of Human Resources at a company called Prism Retail Services. I was asked to oversee the implementation of a new payroll system as well as a new applicant tracking system. I learned very quickly to include the opinions of my Payroll Manager and Recruiting Manager in any discussion because the implications would have a direct impact upon them. Their buy-in was critical to the success of the project. In the blog article, Catch-22 of Organizational Change Management (2015) the author discusses if an organization does not adopt the changes implemented as a result of the project, then the project is a failure regardless of how well deadlines and budgets were met. In my scenario, I had to have agreement and support from the

4 MODULE 3 PAPER 4 heads of payroll and recruiting for my project to succeed. I certainly did not want them complaining about the new systems post-project and for management to think I did a terrible job meeting the needs of the organization. Project managers who have strong behavioral skills are more likely to involve their teams in decision making, and shared decision making is one of the hallmarks of successful project management (Kerzner, 2014, p. 457). Another perspective that PMs must keep in mind is the support of top-level management. They must recognize the project and support it from beginning through implementation (Kerzner, 2014, p. 467). The final point in which I wish to highlight is that of team dynamics. By this I mean understanding each team member s capabilities, their career goals, and development plans. A good PM matches team roles and responsibilities with those who can not only can do the job well, but also considers how the project will affect the team member later. In many organizations, participation on a project creates high visibility which can make or break careers. Another concern regarding team dynamics is that of dealing with conflict between team members. For a short six months I had the privilege of working as a contractor on a project that was being professionally managed by a well-known consulting firm in Chicago. My role was miniscule to the overall success of the project which allowed me latitude to observe the PM and the behavior of team members. There were three other HR consultants on the project, all of whom had been there for months. I immediately perceived that they did not view my addition to the team as a welcome event. Later I learned that they wanted the work that was ultimately assigned to me, as inconsequential as it was. Each of them had their own consulting businesses and this represented a piece of the market share. I, on the other hand, was in between full-time jobs and simply needed work until it was time for my family to move to California. This conflict was a result of nothing that I had done personally, however as a result the PM sheltered me from

5 MODULE 3 PAPER 5 the others somewhat. This is an example of a conflict that I experienced however, Kerzner explores a more common reason for team conflict. That is conflict that develops as a result of team members not understanding each other s roles and responsibilities (Kerzner, 2014). He suggests that PMs create responsibility charts to map out graphically who is responsible for doing what on the project. With the ambiguity of roles and responsibilities gone, the conflict is resolved or future conflict averted (Kerzner, 2014, p. 458). Chapter 10 of Kerzner s book contained a rich volume of project management gems of which I have only captured a small percentage. His advice to PMs could be read and re-read multiple times, and each time something of value would be gleaned. I agree with and found value in everything I read in Kerzner s writings. Additionally, Kill the White Knight relayed a scenario that I believe happens far too often in the workplace. The author illustrates a virtual black hole down which the PM could fall if he or she is inexperienced and unaware. Finally, Catch-22 summarizes the entire reason we want to run projects to begin with; to improve the way in which business is conducted in an organization. If the project does not achieve that basic goal, it is a waste of time and resources. References The catch-22 of organizational change management. (2015, September 30). Retrieved from management. Kerzner, H. (2014). Project management best practices: achieving global excellence (3 rd ed). Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Kill the White Knight. (2015, December 27). Retrieved from

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