Project Management Articles
from the
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The
One Nugget Report from The Project Management Advisor™
Issue 2010-03 - Nervous Nellie PM's
Several years back a colleague of mine (I'll call the
colleague "Nellie") was managing a very high-visibility project.
This project was high on the radar of key executives all the way up
to the CEO of the company and any major mis-steps would send
fireworks up the chain faster than lightning. This was one of
those "thrill-seeker" projects; definitely high risk but also of
high reward if the project was successful. Nellie was up to
the challenge and willingly accepted the assignment.The project started off just fine. Everyone seemed to understand what they needed to do and tasks were getting done on time and to expected quality. Nellie was feeling pretty good about things and saw calm sailing ahead. Then the always-present-but-rarely-expected Murphy showed up (for those not familiar Murphy's Law is "Anything that can go wrong will go wrong").
I'm not going to mince words here. Project managers are expected to be in control and not lose their cool when things start going south. Any time I see a project manager say "I'm nervous" in a public forum I take them aside and tell them in no uncertain terms that, as the project leader, they need to be the one who is rock solid and steady at the stick when the bombs are going off. Think about a situation where you're a passenger in a commercial airliner and you're about to go through turbulence. The pilot gets on the public address system in a very calm and controlled voice and lets you know that the ride is going to be a bit bumpy and to get in your seats with your seat belts fastened. Even though you know the turbulence is coming, the pilot has let you know that he or she is in control and will get you through the turbulence. Now imagine the same scenario but the pilot gets on the public address system and yells "HHHEEEEEELLLLLLLPPPPPPP!" Are you going to have confidence in the pilot's ability to navigate the turbulence? Most likely not. It's no different with a PM managing a project. If the PM is wigging out then the project team members are going to be much less inclined to follow the PM and project executives are going to have much less confidence in the PM's ability to navigate the project turbulence.
The key lesson is as follows: Your team, stakeholders, and
execs are depending on you as the PM to keep a clear head and
navigate the project through stormy weather without letting them see
you sweat. Fail to do so and you'll be labeled as a "Nervous
Nellie" who will have a shortened and limited career as a PM.
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________________________________________________________________________ 2010-26 - Developing High
Potential (HIPO) Leaders 2010-25 - Nailing That Interview 2010-24 - Regaining Trust 2010-23 - Relax, the Audience is
Rooting for You 2010-22 - Project Management
Screw-Up 1 - We weren’t addressing the right problem 2010-21 - More Cloud Computing
Articles updates 2010-20 - How Could This Happen? Avoid Project Screw-Ups for You and
Your Business Partner 2010-19 - Drive a Tight Agenda,
Don't Let it Drive You 2010-18 - Watch the Pontificator! 2010-17 - Managing
Cross-Organizational Teams
2010-16 - Team Building: Some
Assembly Required 2010-15 - Am I Meant to Mentor? 2010-14 - Managing Project Risks
and Issues 2010-13 - Project Management Screw-Up
7 - We Didn't Involve The Right People 2010-12 - Practical Pillars of
Success 2010-11 - The "Get Your Point
Across in 30 Seconds Status Report" 2010-10 - More Cloud Computing
Articles 2010-09 - They Actually Pay Me To
Do This? 2010-08 - Leading that Virtual
Team 2010-07 - Squashing the
Procrastination Demon 2010-06 - Cloud Computing
Articles 2010-05 - Asking for Help 2010-04 - Bedside Manner and the
PM 2010-03 - Nervous Nellie PM's
2010-02 - "Morning After"
Decision Making 2010-01 - Not all Thought Leaders
Are Great People Leaders 2009-39 - Empowerment - Problem
Ownership = Errand Runner 2009-38 - I'll Be Done Friday, Honest!
Six Techniques to Ensure Solid Project Management Execution 2009-37 - How Could This Happen? Avoid Project Screw-Ups for You and
Your Business Partner. 2009-36 - One Less Meeting Gets
You Home In Time For Dinner 2009-35 - When Are You Coming Home? Five Practical Tips To Realizing
Work/Life Balance 2009-34 - In Search of the Good
Enough Leader 2009-33 - Getting Invited Back
for a Second Interview 2009-32 - Six Takeaways to be a
Better Public Speaker 2009-31 - It Takes
Two to Tango: Great Sponsor + Great PM = Great Success Slide Deck 2009-30 - It Takes
Two to Tango: Great Sponsor + Great PM = Great Success Part 1
2009-29 - Be Accessible,
Not Open Door
2009-28 - The Seven
Deadly Sins of Leadership
2009-27 - Six-Word
Lessons for Project Managers
2009-26 - Attributes of
an Effective Project Manager
2009-25 - Twitter and
Flight of the Buffalo
2009-24 - Can You
Make a 2AM Meeting? 2009-23 - Hot Air
Balloon or Guided Missile? 2009-22 - It Takes Two to Tango: Great Sponsor + Great PM = Great
Success Part III 2009-21 - It Takes Two to Tango: Great Sponsor + Great PM = Great
Success Part II 2009-20 - It Takes
Two to Tango: Great Sponsor + Great PM = Great Success Part 1 2009-19 - How to
Succeed Under an Insecure Leader 2009-18 - Ten
Differences Between an Insecure Leader and a Secure Leader 2009-17 - Building a
Purpose-Driven Resume 2009-16 - Be a PM
Closer 2009-15 - Challenge
Minus Inspiration Equals Mediocrity 2009-14 - The Last
Lecture by Randy Pausch 2009-13 - Why Don't
They Follow Me? 12 Easy Lessons to Boost Your Leadership
Skills 2009-12 - Mastering
Credibility Part III: It's How You Deliver Results 2009-11 - Mastering
Credibility Part II: It's The Relationships You Build 2009-10 - Mastering
Credibility Part I: It's What You Know 2009-09 - Babbling is
for Babies, Not Interviews 2009-08 - Getting Job
Alerts at The Project Management Jobs Career Center 2009-07 - The Project
Management Jobs Career Center is now open! 2009-06
- You Can't Over-Prepare For An Interview 2009-05 - Critical Thinking Drills Influence Hiring Decisions 2009-04 - Impress
First, Then Talk Compensation
2009-03 -
Project-Management-Jobs.info launched! 2009-02 - Great
Quotes On Leadership 2009-01 - Don't
Embellish Your Credentials December 1 2008 -
The Truth About Getting Your Point Across...And Nothing But The
Truth November 15 2008 -
Our Fallibility as Leaders...Defining a Meaningful Workplan in MS
Project...ZAPP! The Lightning of Empowerment
November 1 2008
- Getting Invited Back for a Second Interview...A
Complimentary Status Report Template...The Wal-Mart Effect October 15 2008
- Managing Outsourced Relationships...Making Sense of Calendars in Microsoft Project...Surviving an Aneurysm October 1 2008
- Diffusing Conflict Between Co-Workers...The Perfect Brainstorm: Getting The Most Out Of Brainstorming Sessions
...Go Green, Live Rich September 15 2008
- Using Project
Guides to Define Your Project in MS Project...The Top Ten
Attributes of a Great Project Sponsor...Hail to the Chiefs:
United States President Mischief, Morals, and Malarkey from
George W. to George W.
September 1 2008
- Replacing a Project Manager Mid-Flight...30 Tips to a More
Fulfilling Dinnertime with Your Family ...Healthy Living - You The Owners Manual - An Insider's Guide to the
Body That Will Make You Healthier and Younger
August 15 2008
- Putting Some Balance in the Work Life Balance Equation...How An
Autistic Child Changed A Career for the Better...The
Kindergarten Adventures of Amazing Grace: What in the Word
is Autism?
April 2008 -
Complimentary
Self-Study Seminars, Webcasts, and Resources...Setting
Yourself Apart From Your Colleagues...The
Good and The Bad of Virtual Meetings...Smarts
Minus Direction Equals Absent-Minded Professor...Small
Business Made Simple Co-Author Spotlight: Bill Stride...Ebay
and the Project Manager...Be
a Better People Leader
March 2008 -
Motivating Employees...Practical Interview Etiquette...
Ten Tips to Boost Your Facilitation Skills...
Freud and The Small Business Owner...
Of Mice and Motivation...
Be a
Better Process Leader
February 2008 -
The Shift From a Process to a Project Focus...Politically Aware Doesn't Mean Politically Motivated...Getting
Serious About Balancing Work and Family...Eight Crucial Questions
You Need to Answer to Successfully Exit a Small Business...Five Simple Strategies To Unify Your Project Teams...Be a
Better Planner
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