Making Projects Work Effective Stakeholder and Communication Management

Projects are performed by people for people, with the key determinants of success being the relationships between project teams and project stakeholders. This web of relationships will either enable or obstruct the flow of information between people and, as a consequence, will largely determine project success or failure.Making Projects Work: Effective Stakeholder and Communication Management provides a framework for understanding and managing the factors required for achieving successful project and program outcomes. It presents guidelines to help readers develop an understanding of governance and its connection to strategy as the starting point for deciding what work needs to be done.Introduces the idea of an organization’s communication ecosystem where information flows freely within and among all organizational layersExplores the importance of the relationships with the project’s stakeholder community as keys to project successDescribes the theoretical underpinnings of leadershipProvides detailed analysis of the different types of project stakeholdersSupplies guidance on developing the appropriate messages to meet project and stakeholder needsThe book describes how to craft appropriate communication strategies for developing and maintaining successful relationships with stakeholders. It highlights the strengths and weaknesses of existing project controls and outlines effective communication techniques for managing expectations and acquiring the support required to deliver successful projects on time and under budget.

Making Projects WorkIntroductionThe Communication EcosystemDefinitionsGovernance Strategic Management of Projects (Project Governance)What Should the Boundaries of the Project Be?Communication Influences Project OutcomesThe Reality Check The Project Manager as Superhero: Represents the Hero Component of Project Management Culture The Schedule and the Gantt Chart Are Truth: Represents the Symbol Component of Project Management Culture Project Reports Are Clear Representations of Project Progress: Represents the Rituals Component of Project Management Culture Operating within the Power Relationships of the Organization Is Manipulation: Represents the Value Component of Project Management Culture Risk Management Is a Rational Process: Represents the Value Component of Project Management CultureConclusionStakeholders and Organizational ValueIntroductionWhat Is a Stakeholder? A Stakeholder Has a Stake Interest Rights Ownership Contribution of Knowledge (or Experience) Contribution of SupportStakeholder Engagement Implications for Successful Stakeholder Engagement in ProjectsExpectations Asking Research SurveysStakeholder Theory Approaches to Stakeholder Relationships Dimension 1: Political Perspectives of Stakeholders Dimension 2: Purpose and Objectives of Considering Stakeholders Dimension 3: Value of Considering Stakeholders Dimension 4: Consideration of the Stakeholder Intervention level Dimension 5: Consideration of the Degree of Stakeholder EnforcementOrganization Activities and Stakeholder Communities How Many Stakeholders?Analyzing the Stakeholder Community with the Stakeholder Circle Managing Stakeholder Relationships Step 1: Identify Step 2: Prioritize: How to Understand Who Is Important Power Proximity Urgency The Prioritization Process Step 3: Visualization: Presentation of Complex Data Step 4: Engage Application of Attitude in Organizations Today Examples of Engagement Profiles Step 5: Monitor the Effectiveness of the CommunicationThe Value of Effective Stakeholder Engagement Zero Cost of Quality Value to the Organization On Time/On Budget Delivery Value to Stakeholders Value to the Project or the Organization Value to the TeamConclusionFocus on Leadership: Theories for Leading and ManagingIntroductionWhat Is a Team?A History of Management Henri Fayol: Functions of Management Scientific Management (Frederick Taylor) The Hawthorne Experiments and Their Findings Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs Herzberg’s Hygiene Theory McGregor’s Theory X and Theory YTheories of Leadership The Leadership of Ernest Shackleton Goleman’s Leadership Styles Trait Theory Transactional Leadership Charismatic Leadership Transformational Leadership Situational Leadership Authentic Leadership Vroom’s Expectancy Theory and Decision ModelMaking Decisions Define the Problem The Decision-Making Process: Who Should Be Involved? How Can We Minimize the Effect of Personal Preference and Bias? Alternatives: How Do You Prioritize Alternatives? Reduce Uncertainty? Implement the Solution and Review the Effectiveness of the ImplementationConclusionFocus on Downwards: The Practicalities of Leading the Project TeamIntroductionEmotional IntelligenceThe Nature of TeamsTeam Formation and Construction Agile Teams The Leaders’ Role in Successful Agile Projects Virtual TeamsTheories of Team Development Tuckman’s Model of Team Formation Forming Storming Norming Performing Adjourning How This Model Is Useful How Good Is This Model? Swift Trust Swift Trust Works WhenThe Tool Kit of a Leader Motivation Counteracting Social Loafing Other Demotivators Delegation and Motivation Delegation The Benefits of Delegation Feedback Giving Negative Feedback Preparing to Give Feedback Managing Conflict Blake and Mouton’s Approach Interventions to Minimize Potential Conflict CoachingConclusionFocus on Managing UpwardsIntroductionThe Managers’ Dilemma Making the Transition to the Executive Level Five Levels of LeadershipThe Sponsor Three Important Rules for Sponsor Engagement Power within Organizations Dealing with Difficult Stakeholders Helping the Sponsor Help You (and Your Project) When the Sponsor Leaves the ProjectManaging Relations with Senior Stakeholders Building Trust Dealing with Difficult Bosses The Incompetent Boss Micromanager Gives Unclear Instruction, Is Disorganized Blames Others or Takes Undue Credit Acts Like a Tyrant or a "Game Player" Saying No Intelligent DisobedienceConclusionFocus on Sidewards and Outwards StakeholdersIntroductionSidewards and Outwards Stakeholders Sidewards Stakeholders Outwards StakeholdersNetworks Definitions Different Types of Networks Degrees of Separation The Power of Networks Emotions and Networks Applying the Theories of Networks to Managing the Expectations of Stakeholders Social Media Using Social Media Effectively in Projects LinkedIn and Social Distance Finding Influence Networks around the Project Stakeholder Community Traps in Building Networks Avoiding the TrapsNegotiation What Is Negotiation? Four Concepts of Negotiation BATNA: Best Alternative to a Negotiated Agreement Reservation Price ZOPA: Zone of Possible Agreement Value Creation through Trade-offs The Negotiation ProcessConclusionCulture and Other Factors that Influence CommunicationIntroductionPerception and "Reality" The Role of the Brain The Brain Hardwires Everything It Can "You Create Your Own Reality" How Do We Know These Things?PersonalityCulture In-Group/Out-GroupDimensions of Culture Power Distance Individualism/Collectivism Masculinity/Femininity Uncertainty Avoidance Indulgent/RestrainedGenerational Culture Professional CultureGender The Social Context of Gender Gender Stereotypes Gender Priming Workplace Discrimination Gender Differences Discourse: The Sharing of Information Organizational Culture Meetings Planning and Control Theories of MotivationConclusionCommunicationIntroductionTypes of Stakeholder Communication Communication CompetenceWhat Is Communication?Aspects of Successful Communication: The Power of Words Metaphors PersuasionActive ListeningCommunication Essentials Defining the Purpose Understanding the Recipient of the Communication Monitoring Implementation and Measuring EffectivenessAristotelian CommunicationPreparing for Effective Communication The Message: Format and ContentIn Conclusion: Putting It All TogetherReferencesIndex

Dr Lynda Bourne FAIM, FACS, PMP is a senior management consultant, professional speaker, trainer, andaward-winning project manager with 30+ years’ professional industry experience. She is the CEO and managing director of Stakeholder Management Pty Ltd focusing on the delivery of stakeholder management and other project and organization related consultancy, mentoring, and training for clients worldwide. Her career has combined practical project experience with business management roles and academic research to deliver successful projects that meet stakeholders’ expectations.She is a member of the international faculty at EAN University, Columbia, teaching in the Masters of Project Management course. She is also visiting international professor in the master’s program at the Faculty of Exact Sciences and Innovative Technologies, Sholokhov Moscow State. The modules Lynda teaches are focused on stakeholder engagement, communication, and leadership.Dr Bourne is a Fellow of the Australian Institute of Management and a Fellow of the Australian Computer Society. She was awarded PMI Australia’s "Project Manager of the Year," and was included in PMI’s inaugural list of "25 Influential Women in Project Management." Lynda is a recognised international author, seminar leader, and speaker on the topic of stakeholder engagement and the stakeholder circle visualization tool; her book Stakeholder Relationship Management: A Maturity Model for Organisational Implementation (Gower, 2009, 2011) defines the SRMM® model for stakeholder relationship management maturity. She has presented at conferences and seminars in Europe, Russia, Asia, Australasia, South America, and the Middle East to audiences in the IT, construction, defence, and mining industries and has been key speaker on stakeholder engagement practices at meetings, workshops, and conferences. She edited the book Advising Upwards (Gower, 2011) containing practical advice for those seeking to influence their senior stakeholders. She presents workshops regularly in the government sector on stakeholder engagement and project governance.