Difference between revisions of "NewYork2008:Navigating internal politics and relationships"

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<br>Empowerment
 
<br>Empowerment
  
<br>In non-profit sector - degree of emotional involvement in the work is more intense than corporate work
+
*In Nonprofit sector - degree of emotional involvement in the work is more intense than corporate work
<br>Establish formal & informal communication with stakeholders - customize to each stakeholder
+
*Establish formal & informal communication with stakeholders - customize to each stakeholder
<br>Understand what each stakeholder cares about (their concerns, emotional involvement) and manage the relationship with that in mind
+
*Understand what each stakeholder cares about (their concerns, emotional involvement) and manage the relationship with that in mind
<br>People that don't understand technology and are concerned about costs - need extra explanations for simple technical/project needs
+
*People that don't understand technology and are concerned about costs - need extra explanations for simple technical/project needs
<br>Having a decision maker that does not understand technology causes a lot of extra work
+
*Having a decision maker that does not understand technology causes a lot of extra work
<br>Trainings for decision makers on technology does not always work - hard to schedule and gain their interest
+
*Trainings for decision makers on technology does not always work - hard to schedule and gain their interest
<br>Forces PMs to think carefully about projects and what they are doing
+
*Forces PMs to think carefully about projects and what they are doing
<br>Rephrasing things in layman's terms can help PMs fully understand the project/technology
+
*Rephrasing things in layman's terms can help PMs fully understand the project/technology
<br>Need to communicate the changes fully to decision makers so they care/are interested in trainings
+
*Need to communicate the changes fully to decision makers so they care/are interested in trainings
<br>Personal training sessions for technophobes help them understand technology the way they need to
+
*Personal training sessions for technophobes help them understand technology the way they need to
  
<br>Managers that "think" they know a lot about technology - challenging, annoying
+
*Managers that "think" they know a lot about technology - challenging, annoying
<br>Need to be able to make a case for the technology being requested (new, cool software needs a purpose)
+
*Need to be able to make a case for the technology being requested (new, cool software needs a purpose)
<br>Why? is always a useful question - why is it needed? what is the purpose?
+
*Why? is always a useful question - why is it needed? what is the purpose?
<br>Delegate right back to person who requests things - ask them to document what they want and often it won't happen
+
*Delegate right back to person who requests things - ask them to document what they want and often it won't happen
<br>Who is going to maintain cool, new ideas in the organization?
+
*Who is going to maintain cool, new ideas in the organization?
  
<br>How to have conversations about technology with people who are scared of it
+
*How to have conversations about technology with people who are scared of it
<br>Point to concrete outcomes - time saving, money saving, money making
+
*Point to concrete outcomes - time saving, money saving, money making
<br>Stress in dealing with anything technological
+
*Stress in dealing with anything technological
<br>Lure people into participation with simple explanations and technical implementations
+
*Lure people into participation with simple explanations and technical implementations
<br>Strip things down to basic language - simple illustrations or metaphors - a picture is worth a thousand words
+
*Strip things down to basic language - simple illustrations or metaphors - a picture is worth a thousand words
<br>"Hot swapping is like working on a plane when its in flight"
+
*"Hot swapping is like working on a plane when its in flight"
  
<br>Wanting more involvement from higher ups but not getting it
+
*Wanting more involvement from higher ups but not getting it
<br>Iterative production for projects where there is not a lot of direction - expect changes
+
*Iterative production for projects where there is not a lot of direction - expect changes
<br>Don't become too wrapped up in the dysfunction and withdraw
+
*Don't become too wrapped up in the dysfunction and withdraw
<br>Need to have a positive attitude or move on
+
*Need to have a positive attitude or move on
  
<br>"Planned vs. emerging projects"
+
*"Planned vs. emerging projects"
<br>Articulate costs so everyone understands the costs of random projects that come up
+
*Articulate costs so everyone understands the costs of random projects that come up
<br>Pressure for web-based projects - everything needs to be web-based
+
*Pressure for web-based projects - everything needs to be web-based
<br>Written organizational policy to include IT from the beginning to avoid too many emerging, high priority projects
+
*Written organizational policy to include IT from the beginning to avoid too many emerging, high priority projects
<br>Establish strong boundaries - give people rules to follow when working with you
+
*Establish strong boundaries - give people rules to follow when working with you
<br>"Become the constant buzz-kill" to people's last minute project ideas
+
*"Become the constant buzz-kill" to people's last minute project ideas
  
<br>Mixing formal and informal communication - email, meetings, and ad-hoc calls and chats all help do the job
+
*Mixing formal and informal communication - email, meetings, and ad-hoc calls and chats all help do the job
<br>Project Management is not a series of switches, its a series of dials - gentle adjustments
+
*Project Management is not a series of switches, its a series of dials - gentle adjustments
<br>There are some people you have to circumvent
+
*There are some people you have to circumvent
  
<br>How to get everyone involved in an IT project - even if they're not interested
+
*How to get everyone involved in an IT project - even if they're not interested
<br>Feed them to get them involved in training/testing
+
*Feed them to get them involved in training/testing
<br>Logmein.com - website with shared desktop tools to help train remote people
+
*Logmein.com - website with shared desktop tools to help train remote people
<br>You may need to try different things to get them involved - face to face interaction
+
*You may need to try different things to get them involved - face to face interaction
<br>Find someone at the organization who knows how to work with some of the more difficult personalities
+
*Find someone at the organization who knows how to work with some of the more difficult personalities
  
 
<br>*** IT is a great lens into what's wrong in the organization
 
<br>*** IT is a great lens into what's wrong in the organization
  
 
<br>AH-HA's!
 
<br>AH-HA's!
<br>Educate end users to ease anxiety
+
*Educate end users to ease anxiety
<br>A picture is worth a thousand words
+
*A picture is worth a thousand words
<br>Understand that you have to become the constant buzz kill to "emerging projects"
+
*Understand that you have to become the constant buzz kill to "emerging projects"
<br>Project Management is not a series of switches, its a series of dials - gentle adjustments
+
*Project Management is not a series of switches, its a series of dials - gentle adjustments

Latest revision as of 17:38, 15 January 2016

Politics of Project Management facilitated by Mohammed


Managing relationships with people
Ambiguous authority
Empowerment

  • In Nonprofit sector - degree of emotional involvement in the work is more intense than corporate work
  • Establish formal & informal communication with stakeholders - customize to each stakeholder
  • Understand what each stakeholder cares about (their concerns, emotional involvement) and manage the relationship with that in mind
  • People that don't understand technology and are concerned about costs - need extra explanations for simple technical/project needs
  • Having a decision maker that does not understand technology causes a lot of extra work
  • Trainings for decision makers on technology does not always work - hard to schedule and gain their interest
  • Forces PMs to think carefully about projects and what they are doing
  • Rephrasing things in layman's terms can help PMs fully understand the project/technology
  • Need to communicate the changes fully to decision makers so they care/are interested in trainings
  • Personal training sessions for technophobes help them understand technology the way they need to
  • Managers that "think" they know a lot about technology - challenging, annoying
  • Need to be able to make a case for the technology being requested (new, cool software needs a purpose)
  • Why? is always a useful question - why is it needed? what is the purpose?
  • Delegate right back to person who requests things - ask them to document what they want and often it won't happen
  • Who is going to maintain cool, new ideas in the organization?
  • How to have conversations about technology with people who are scared of it
  • Point to concrete outcomes - time saving, money saving, money making
  • Stress in dealing with anything technological
  • Lure people into participation with simple explanations and technical implementations
  • Strip things down to basic language - simple illustrations or metaphors - a picture is worth a thousand words
  • "Hot swapping is like working on a plane when its in flight"
  • Wanting more involvement from higher ups but not getting it
  • Iterative production for projects where there is not a lot of direction - expect changes
  • Don't become too wrapped up in the dysfunction and withdraw
  • Need to have a positive attitude or move on
  • "Planned vs. emerging projects"
  • Articulate costs so everyone understands the costs of random projects that come up
  • Pressure for web-based projects - everything needs to be web-based
  • Written organizational policy to include IT from the beginning to avoid too many emerging, high priority projects
  • Establish strong boundaries - give people rules to follow when working with you
  • "Become the constant buzz-kill" to people's last minute project ideas
  • Mixing formal and informal communication - email, meetings, and ad-hoc calls and chats all help do the job
  • Project Management is not a series of switches, its a series of dials - gentle adjustments
  • There are some people you have to circumvent
  • How to get everyone involved in an IT project - even if they're not interested
  • Feed them to get them involved in training/testing
  • Logmein.com - website with shared desktop tools to help train remote people
  • You may need to try different things to get them involved - face to face interaction
  • Find someone at the organization who knows how to work with some of the more difficult personalities


*** IT is a great lens into what's wrong in the organization


AH-HA's!

  • Educate end users to ease anxiety
  • A picture is worth a thousand words
  • Understand that you have to become the constant buzz kill to "emerging projects"
  • Project Management is not a series of switches, its a series of dials - gentle adjustments