The Alpha Project Managers

Transcription

1 The Alpha Project Managers α 2006 Velociteach What the Top 2% Know That Everyone Else Does Not

2 Andy Crowe

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5 PMP Exam CAPM Exam Alpha PMs

6 Project Management

7 It ain't what you don't know that gets you into trouble. It's what you know for sure that just ain't so.

8 It ain't what you don't know that gets you into trouble. It's what you know for sure that just ain't so. Mark Twain

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10 Baggage Transport System

11 4,000 sections comprising 26 miles of track Laser and photo cells to track movement 300 individual computers $193,000,000 Recruited top project manager

12 It looks like a complex cake, but in the end, it s just flour, sugar, eggs, and butter.

13 Baggage cars crashed Suitcases were ruined and lost Clothing strewn for miles Completely unusable And the impact on the new airport???

14 DELAYED OVER ONE YEAR!

15 DELAYED OVER ONE YEAR! Costing the Taxpayers $1,100,000 daily

16 The world s most advanced baggage system was terminated in September, 2005

17 The world s most advanced baggage system was terminated in September, 2005 Replaced with

18 The world s most advanced baggage system was terminated in September, 2005 Replaced with people!

19 Big Dig

20 Big Dig Most expensive public works project in United States history

21 Big Dig Most expensive public works project in United States history Leaks from the St. Charles River, eroding the tunnel

22 Big Dig Most expensive public works project in United States history Leaks from the St. Charles River, eroding the tunnel Falling tiles causing death

23 Big Dig Most expensive public works project in United States history Leaks from the St. Charles River, eroding the tunnel Falling tiles causing death 6 years late

24 Big Dig Most expensive public works project in United States history Leaks from the St. Charles River, eroding the tunnel Falling tiles causing death 6 years late $7,000,000,000+ over budget

25 Pop Quiz

26 Pop Quiz "Considering the dire circumstances that we have in New Orleans, virtually a city that has been destroyed, things are going relatively well."

27 Pop Quiz "Considering the dire circumstances that we have in New Orleans, virtually a city that has been destroyed, things are going relatively well." (Former) FEMA Director Brown

28 FEMA receives an annual budget of over $6,600,000,000 (pre- September 11, 2001)

29 FEMA receives an annual budget of over $6,600,000,000 (pre September 11, 2001) Every FEMA project manager is required to be PMP certified.

30 Planning

31 Planning Funding

32 Planning Funding Support

33 Planning Funding Support Project Management

34 Planning Funding Support Project Management ALL FAILED

35 But what about everyday projects?

36 Price Waterhouse Coopers 2004 Study of 200 global companies large and small Study represented 10,640 projects worth $5.6 billion

37 Price Waterhouse Coopers 2004 Study of 200 global companies large and small OVER 50% OF THESE PROJECTS FAILED TOO! Price Waterhouse Coopers September, 2004

38 Our tendency has been to focus on what is wrong.

39 The Alpha Study asked

40 The Alpha Study asked Who is doing it right?

41 WHO GETS IT?

42 Practice.

43 Practice makes perfect.

44 Practice does not make perfect.

45 Practice does not make perfect. Bad practice only reinforces bad habits.

46 Perfect practice makes perfect.

47 The Alpha Study

48 Identified through survey and interviews of 860 project managers Only top 2% of the field as ranked by team, customer, senior management, and qualifying interviews were grouped as Alphas Non-Alphas comprised remaining 98%

49 What the stakeholders told us

50 8 Dimensions

51 8 Dimensions Attitude and belief

52 8 Dimensions Attitude and belief Communication

53 8 Dimensions Attitude and belief Communication Alignment

54 8 Dimensions Attitude and belief Communication Alignment Approach and organization

55 8 Dimensions Attitude and belief Communication Alignment Approach and organization Focus and prioritization

56 8 Dimensions Attitude and belief Communication Alignment Approach and organization Focus and prioritization Issue management

57 8 Dimensions Attitude and belief Communication Alignment Approach and organization Focus and prioritization Issue management Relationships and conflict

58 8 Dimensions Attitude and belief Communication Alignment Approach and organization Focus and prioritization Issue management Relationships and conflict Leadership

59 Let s look at 4 of these

60 Attitude and Belief

61 Alphas generally believe they have the enough authority to manage a project

62 Alphas generally believe they have the enough authority to manage a project

63 But what about senior management?

64 Senior managers definitely believe their project managers have enough authority

65 Responsibility without authority!

66 No one is given authority. You just have to take it! Tom Peters

67 Communication

68 Alpha project managers do not assume when it comes to communication

69 We asked 860 project managers How effective are you at communication?

70 We asked 860 project managers How effective are you at communication?

71 Then we asked their stakeholders

72 Then we asked their stakeholders

73 How do they do this?

74 They ask!

75 Alphas get to know their audiences and communicate appropriately.

76 Alphas get to know their audiences and communicate appropriately. Until the product is in the customer s hands, communication is my deliverable. Victor (Alpha)

77 Alignment

78 Alphas know how their project aligns to their company s strategy

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81 70% of Alphas can articulate their organization s stated strategic goals when asked

82 70% of Alphas can articulate their organization s stated strategic goals when asked Only 20% of non-alphas can do the same

83 70% of Alphas can articulate their organization s stated strategic goals when asked Only 20% of non-alphas can do the same Alphas know how their project aligns and contributes to those strategic goals

84 Approach

85 Alphas allocate manpower differently on projects

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87 Alphas and non-alphas rank the importance of planning roughly the same Alphas spend twice as much time on planning Among organizations that tracked overtime, Alphas logged 19% fewer overtime hours on projects than non- Alphas

88 What does it take to be an Alpha Project Manager?

89 Desire

90 Desire Awareness of your gaps

91 Desire Awareness of your gaps Knowledge of the right way

92 Desire Awareness of your gaps Knowledge of the right way Deliberate, perfect practice

93 Full details published October 31 in Alpha Project Managers: What the Top 2% Know That Everyone Else Does Not.

94 Let s Dialogue