GO! GO! GO! FIRE in the HOLE! Cover ME! How to survive in Weak-Matrix Organization Cheah Kam Yen, PMP, IT PROJECT+, MCSD

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1 GO! GO! GO! FIRE in the HOLE! Cover ME! How to survive in Weak-Matrix Organization Cheah Kam Yen, PMP, IT PROJECT+, MCSD Introduction Managing has been always defined as getting work done by other people [2]. More and more companies are moving into projectbased organization. Most of the future growth in organizations will result from successful development projects that generate new products, services, or procedures [1]. However, before these changes take place, there are still many companies operate under the very traditional ways: functional, and matrix based. Introduction to Project Organization Structure Functional-Based Organization In functional-based organization, a functional manager heads each division. These functional managers become the person with full authority and accountability for what their team members have done. They will plan and decide the team members career paths. Matrix-Based Organization In matrix-based organization, the project manager and functional manager share authority and accountability on the team members. If it is a strong-matrix organization, the project manager will have higher controls on the team-members usage. However, if it is a weak-matrix organization, the functional manager will have higher controls over the team-members. In either way, the team members will have two bosses to report too. There are always differences in terms of perspective, priority, urgency, and ways of doing things. Another kind of Project Manager According to PMBOK (Project Management Body of Knowledge), project expeditor [4] does not have formal, and reward powers. He/she relies heavily on borrowed resources to get things done. Especially true in IT organizations, most of the project managers are promoted based on their technical background. This is what we call halo effect. Most of the bosses in IT organizations believe that if the one technical person is good at his technical area, he/she must be good at other area, say project management. Go! Go! Go! Let s Move Out! I have been working in software development field for more than 7 years. Before I joined the field, I worked in a wires and cables manufacturer for about 5 years as account assistant and production planner. With my years of career, I have been involved in various kinds of projects and organization types. My Page 1 of 5

2 experience includes working for Manufacturer, Trading Companies, Software Development Company, dot COM Company, and In-house Software Development Functional subsidiary. Along the way in my career, I have been put in-charge in managing projects of various sizes under a weakmatrix organization. There are many functional divisions which specialize in various daily operations and functions suchlike marketing, promotion and entertainment, sales, HR (Human Resource), corporate and strategy, and etc. In one of my recent job with one In-house software development subsidiary of a wellknown organization famous for its theme parks, entertainment city, and hotels in Asia, even for software development function, we have a few divisions specialized in various products, suchlike CRM (Customer Relationship Management) system, finance and accounting, data-center, research and development, and enterprise-level application development. Systems developed or maintained by various divisions have to be integrated to provide total-solution to the business needs. My role is known as project expeditor, and I have had many kinds of titles and positions, suchlike System Analyst, Analyst Programmer, and etc. Most of the time, I have to interact with people with different authority levels, educational background, technical skills, and language. Enemy SPOTTED! As there is many functional divisions exist, including our division, each division is given expectation from the top management for being cost effective and time effective. Each division is pressured to deliver competitive results for meeting the organization business objectives and goals. Entertainment business is forced to be up-to-date with the market trend and demands. Therefore, the business requirements are always changing. The project team is always forced to keep up the production speed to match the running targets of business needs, which I personally agree as being strategic to the organization as a whole. It is like trying to change the tires while the car is running. It is just part of the pressure. As the outsourcing topic is very hot in discussion globally, every division is forced to be competitive when compared to the external sources in terms of performing skills. Backup NEEDED! All project expeditors are put in charge on project execution. They report to the head of department who is having a title known as Project Manager. Project expeditor is responsible to manage scope, schedule, budget, quality, contract, risks and performing team members. Most of the time, the project expeditor will interact with all the stakeholders. As what is expected, the communication and human resource management become the most challenging aspects in managing projects under weak-matrix organization like us. If these aspects are not paid full attention and care, it can lead to the following results: Scope creep. It is like changing the tires when the car is still running. Unclear deadlines. s and memos will fly around with question marks on visibility of end dates. Unresolved conflicts on priorities, resources, and etc Cost overrun. Some people will called to answer from Finance and Internal Audit Risks not handled, and may cause disaster that has no plan to handle Low morale of team members Even the performing team member career at stake Unsatisfied customers (even though they are internal, the impact can be unexpectedly high) Fire in the Hole! In order to illustrate the problems more clearly, I have listed down a list of problems you will normally faced in managing the human aspects in project management. I have included some of the things I did as the response. Page 2 of 5

3 But, look; the recommendation I include here is just a reference. Base on different scenario, time, people and other elements, the situation may be different. Performing Team Member How to lead people to work for you while they are not reporting to you directly? o Treat them with respect. Care about them. Give sincere advice. Give sincere view. Understand their expectation. Understand their characteristics and culture. When the promises broken. What do you do? o Talk to him personally. Understand the reasons. Don t jump into conclusion: All he said are just craps! How to motivate people to meet the goals, while they are not the best resources? o Most of the time, you got the headcounts, but you do not have the best resources. Find out what is their strength, and what is their weakness. Use their strength on the right things, and avoid assigning them on where they are weak in. How to juggle multiple projects that are assigned with different people borrowed from other functional bosses? o They can come from different boss culture. But, now you have to influence them to the same team-culture. How can he be the project leader? I am better than him! o Give sincere view. If he is right, tell him be a good team member is also important to meet the common goal. A leader is not measured by technical skill. He is just stubborn. I had enough with him! o Different people will have different way of doing things. Some times, we need to smooth the relationship with common interests although it is not formally known as the best choice. This job is too boring for me! I had done it two years ago! Now you ask me to do the same thing again? o Tell him nicely his contribution counts. Lead him to think the objectives. Share with him the goals, tell him, this is a group game. The Bosses The manager of Control. He wants to know everything. He wants in control with everything, including you... o Gain his trust is very important. Whatever outgoing information, or any information obtained from the bottom, you need to make him known. And focus on what he wants to know. Show result. Keep him feel secured in control. How to get your boss support when you have different view? o Make him looks better! When he is talking to you in this, and expects you to do what is in his mind. So, what do you do? o Seek to understand before seek to understood. Find out what s the agenda behind their words. o Try to think in his position. o Talk, talk, talk Listen, listen, listen Understand, understand, understand How to find the ways to talk to the right people? o Hey, don t override your boss! Let him aware of your next move. No boss likes surprises! Page 3 of 5

4 The customers, the users, the people who will be affected by your project How to deal with those who have the power to destroy your plans? o Like what was described by Khor Soon Keng in his People-Power-Politics (2003), as a project manager, you need to be political sensible. Don t be political naïve [5]. How to make everyone happy when they all can t make up their minds? o Do analysis on what are the real needs of all the people involved. o Understand the impact of these people will cause. o Understand who your friends are and who your enemies are. How to reject and still maintain the good relationship? o Convey the message correctly. Be honest. Tell them your problems. You are in the same boat as them. How to make people don t look stupid? o Don t tell him you are stupid face to face. You may not be the most talented people in the world, and who is the one? I know the project is important, but I have too many urgent meetings to attend, I will come back to you next week, is that OK? o It seems unreasonable? But, it does happen. The basic thing is: follow up closely. No! No! No! What I told you last week were not these! o Don t jump to the conclusion before you comprehend the problems. Yes! Yes! Yes! I did tell you right? o Did he sign? Then, whose problem is this? o Oh, you did. But, what did you take note? Me? How to defense yourself from being accused for being not competent? o First, did you know what you must do? o Have you done what you should do? o Have you put your time on the right things? How to ask stupid questions while still pretend an expert? o Be humble. Talk the speaker s language A time to kill... o When you know how hard you try, you will never make it... o When you know the horse is dead. Get down! Walk! What I want to do today? o Where is the to-do list? Plan before you do... The bullet shield At least, if you are lucky, you will not get shot and so hurt, so fast The following are some important lessons learned through the hard ways along the way I come and on the journey: Conflicts not always come from character or behavior, but priority, need, objective, and others. Page 4 of 5

5 Punishment normally won t bring results, but the destructive effects. There is a limit on trust. When it is over, use your commonsense. Sincerity brings us to the same frequency in thinking. Respect people because they are all human. We are the same kind. Think positively. Not all the things are that bad. Not all people are bad. If he doesn t like you, will he tell you the truth? If you don t like him, will he like you? What we always assume may not be the best answers for our problems! The leader has to walk the talk. The followers determine the leader. To create enemy is very easy. To create friends is not difficult too. If you care, you should think, you should plan be proactive! Learn to express before you know how to impress. If you don t tell, it is your problem. If you tell, it is our problem. A project manager is not a magician. There is no miracle by accident. Work smart. Don t work TOO hard. Be brave. Be yourself. It is easier to get forgiveness than doing nothing. Everyone has a value. People will like to do the best they can. No one likes to be underestimated. Don t just use the bullets to shoot. Spend time to reload the bullets. Pull the trigger at the right time... Some times, something has to be sacrificed. Counter-terrorist Win! Focus on people. Project is for people. People do project. To be a project manager with great respect, you have to be good! I mean: do the right things, and try to do them right. I still believe, integrity, ethic, and knowledge are all important to do the good job. That is why we call them Project Manager Competency [3]. Reference 1. Verzuh, Eric (2003) The Portable MBA in Project Management. New Jersey:John Wiley & Sons. 2. P. Lewis, James (2003) The Project Manager s Pocket Survival Guide. New York:McGraw-Hill. 3. PMI (2003) Project Manager Competency Development Framework. Newtown Squaqre, Pennsylvania USA: PMI. 4. PMI (2000) A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge. Newtown Squaqre, Pennsylvania USA: PMI. 5. Khor Soon Kheng (2003) People-Power-Politics. Page 5 of 5