Ok. so this is not really about project management, but it is quite useful for project managers to know and use as they go about managing their projects. Oftentimes, Project Managers get heat from all angles in the organization that they just don't know how to handle each one. Well one of those angles comes from the big boys on top of you namely your managers. I'd like to focus this post on these bunch of guys specifically. I'll probably talk about the others in some succeeding posts.
Ok. So where do we begin?
We begin by going back to what each Project Manager should have always been doing in the first place.
1. Manage Expectations.One has to remember that your managers (i.e. management) are also stakeholders in your project, and thus are concerned at the outcome of your project (and your work). At the start of any project, they will already have a pre-conceived idea on what you should be doing and what should be the outcome of all these. I've tried to list down some very practical action items that you should be doing as a project manager managing your managers.
Know what they want from you - fairly simple, yet unusually hard to comprehend. Oftentimes the vantage point of management is so different from that of the Project Manager. They see a bigger picture whereas you see the specific project(s) you are handling. Ask yourself what is it that they expect from me? At times, these things will conflict from what you were tasked to do - but there's often a reason for that, and it stems from the fact that they see things differently. A good example would be how your boss tells you to satisfy the customer at great lengths although this at times conflicts with the cost controls you are putting in the project to keep it within budget and schedule. Then again, the reason for management in doing that is that they are cooking up a bigger deal with that same customer which dwarfs whatever project you are working on right now. From that angle - it all makes sense.
Know how they want it served - Knowing what they want is just the first part, being able to understand the how is the second. This deals with how you will respond to whatever it is that they want from you. Should you come off as one who just follows orders or one who engages in discussion are thing that you should be aware of. If your manager is authoritarian, then it definitely won't go well with you being subversive. If your manager tends to delegate, then make sure you are willing to be one who accepts additional work.
Know how to package your deliverables - Ok, so now you know what he likes and how he wants it. Now its time to package your deliverables. This involves being able to present your message (or your work) in a manner that would please him. This involves going back to how he likes things and ensuring that what you deliver is what he is expecting. The wrapping should suit the receipient and not the contents of the package itself. This is because not all the packages you give contain good stuff. This is not an attempt to twist the message or the work output in anyway. This is more of ensuring that any message or work output is correctly received and acknowledged by your manager.
For example:
I have a boss that expects me to do all the work. He just sits there and dreams about our mission statement all day. One day, I need to tell him that our project is delayed due to whatever reason. When I go to him, I won't come knocking saying "Boss I need your help." I go there and tell him "Boss, we're delayed due to xxx. However I've already done yyy to get us back on track." It would initially seem that the second action was always the best course of action, but it was only so because the boss was the typical you do all the work and just update me on the status stereotype. There are others who would've preferred the first one, especially if the boss was very hands-on and wants to be involved in the details all the time.
2. Make them feel that they are the boss.
Oh you should soooo not forget this. At times in our attempt to persuade our managers, it can get to a point that we forget that we work for them and that they have authority over us and how we should do things. The steps to make them feel that they are the boss involves the following:
Influence them appropriately - as I've mentioned in previous posts, influence is a key characteristic of project managers. What better use of that than on your very own manager. This involves making suggestions and recommendations that would suit your requirements.
Let them make the decisions you want - this is a result of proper influence. Guide them on decisions that would benefit you. This is not saying that you need to lie, coerce, or misrepresent -that's plain wrong. What you should do is give your managers options and choices, hilighting on the those that you would consider. Let them know that those choices benefit them as well. After all, if it benefits you - it should benefit them too, right?
Raise them up - As an old saying goes, "Praise and Praise often." Thanking your boss on a job well done goes a long long way. Give them the credit for your achievements. It might sound like crap but once your boss thinks that you think highly of him, he will at some point think highly of you as well (whether he likes it or not). You can probably call it "Good Vibes" on your part.
Well then... those are some of the ways for you to manage your manager. There's still plenty out there. I suggest trying these out and seeing how these things go.
Divine Sentence # 1.