Tag Archives: influence

Leading Cause of Project Failure: Continual & Unregulated Change

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We can reasonably argue that continual change is not a problem with projects.

It is, of course, but it’s not worth complaining about because it’s just the nature of the game. The problem is how we respond to change. It’s not a matter of if change will happen on your project. It’s only a matter of when.

This is where project managers really earn their pay. In this video Andy Kaufman, PMP, host of the project management podcast entitled The People and Projects Podcast shares critical lessons about dealing with changes when delivering projects.

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Leading Cause of Project Failure: Insufficient Involvement

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I’m amazed at what you can get away with if you manage expectations.

You can deliver late. You can over-spend. But only if you manage expectations along the way. Not manage those expectations and I’m equally amazed at how even one stakeholder can inflict serious pain on your project!

How do you manage expectations? Involvement. Stephen Covey has said, “No involvement, no commitment.” Wise words for project managers.

In this video Andy Kaufman, PMP, host of the project management podcast entitled The People and Projects Podcast explains why involvement of stakeholders is so critical, and some practical insights on how to do it.

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Leading Cause of Project Failure: Lack of Executive Support

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One of the single most important indicators of whether you will deliver successfully or not comes down to the support you’re getting from your sponsor.

Having support doesn’t mean you get everything you ask for (including doubling your pay)! What does it mean? How do you get it?

In this video Andy Kaufman, PMP, host of the project management podcast entitled The People and Projects Podcast discusses why executive support is so important, and how to get it.

By the way, you may find this project management podcast interview with Alfonso Bucero helpful. We talk about his book Project Sponsorship.

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Improving Your Ability to Deliver: The Triple Constraint

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As we discussed in the video on Continual and Unregulated Change, it’s not a matter of  if change will occur on your project–it’s only a matter of  when.

So how can you improve your ability to deliver projects despite the changes?

Managing constraints is key, and in this video, Andy Kaufman, PMP, host of the project management podcast entitled The People and Projects Podcast will show you how to use the concept of The Triple Constraint (or Project Management Triangle) to your favor.

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Improving Your Ability to Deliver: Identify All Stakeholders

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In previous videos we’ve talked about the importance of managing stakeholder expectations. It’s critical.

The first key to managing stakeholder expectations is to identify who they are. Of course this seems obvious but the Project Management Institute does a great job of helping us get a better understanding of who are stakeholders are.

Hint: there are more than you think!

In this video Andy Kaufman, PMP, host of the project management podcast entitled The People and Projects Podcast helps you undertand who your stakeholders are and how to better manage them to help you successfully deliver your projects.

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Improving Your Ability to Deliver: The Delphi Technique

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Group-think. We’ve all experienced it. Maybe it’s when a problem is being talked about and you don’t feel comfortable bucking the discussion trend. Or maybe you have someone on your team who is very opinionated and overly dominates discussions.

A little known but powerful technique for soliciting input from a group of people during a project (or any other type of) meeting is The Delphi Technique.

In this video Andy Kaufman, PMP, host of the project management podcast entitled The People and Projects Podcast shares insights on what the Delphi technique is and how to use it.

By the way, you can find a demonstration of this technique in this video about Work Breakdown Structures.

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Improving Your Ability to Deliver: Influence Techniques

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What do you do when you’re being asked to deliver scope in a timeframe that just isn’t doable? Some project managers just give in. Others become the “no guy”, who essentially pushes back and is known to be more of an obstacle than part of the solution.

What are some good practices when it comes to influencing sponsors, customers, and other stakeholders?

In this video Andy Kaufman, PMP, host of the project management podcast entitled The People and Projects Podcast shares some easy-to-use ideas for influencing stakeholders.

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