| I turned down a job just recently. Oh sure – the | | | | sponsor, then you need to set some clear boundaries |
| deadline was impossible, there weren't enough people | | | | with this person and with your team. Agree up front on |
| (or the right type of people) in the project team to do | | | | a regular get together to review and discuss status |
| the job, the scope of deliverables was poorly defined, | | | | with them. The more hands on they are, the more |
| and it was over 3 hours away from where I lived. But | | | | often you should schedule this – the more |
| none of that was the reason I turned down the job, | | | | information they get from you the less they need to |
| even though I was asked to name my own price. The | | | | bother your team. You need to make yourself the |
| problem was the Project Owner. | | | | go-to guy. |
| As I work as a contractor, before I take on a new | | | | Also put in place formal reporting like a regular weekly |
| Program or Project Management role, I try to get a | | | | written status report with dashboard indicators, key |
| feel for the stakeholders involved. In this case, I went in | | | | issues and risks, schedule and budget status. |
| for a 3 week stint to prepare their overall program | | | | Invite them to key stakeholder sessions – get them |
| plan. This brought me into close contact with all the | | | | to present to executives. You need them to feel like |
| key players in the project, from the project owner, to | | | | they are involved, but you still need to be in charge and |
| the sponsor, to key stakeholders in other departments | | | | manage what they are saying. And make sure your |
| and the project team. | | | | team feels comfortable to let you know when they |
| As I said above, this project had lots of challenges, but | | | | are approached to do some "special tasks" for the |
| none more so than the Project Owner. This guy (let's | | | | project owner or sponsor so you can nip it in the bud. |
| call him John) had absolutely no project management | | | | And be honest with this person. If you put all these |
| skills, and was smart enough to recognise this and | | | | steps in place and it still doesn’t work – tell them. |
| therefore hire a contract Project Manager with the | | | | Ask them if there is something wrong with your |
| necessary skills. | | | | performance that they feel the need to go directly to |
| However I noticed during that 3 weeks that John was | | | | your team. Quite often these people don't realise the |
| a very hands on Project Owner – and I mean | | | | impact their actions are having on the project. |
| hands on. He would wander out of his office, ask how | | | | If your unruly stakeholder is a senior stakeholder from |
| some piece of the project was going, then advise the | | | | another department (like the Marketing Executive or |
| project team member what they had to do and when. | | | | the IT Manager) then it's a little trickier. It can be difficult |
| Now in many instances, the interim Project Manager | | | | to suggest a one on one with an executive you don't |
| was standing right there. John didn't ask him – he | | | | report to. What I do instead is offer to brief them and |
| went straight over to the project team member – | | | | their senior department heads regularly on the status |
| asked them – and then gave them work to do. | | | | of the project. This makes it more inclusive (and less |
| How would that make you feel as a Project | | | | like you are just trying to manage this executive), but it |
| Manager? | | | | still gives them an opportunity to get a better insight |
| And this Project Manager was no dummy (perhaps | | | | into the project than they would normally. |
| not assertive enough…), but he had no control over | | | | Make sure they and their department heads know |
| John. John had been in the organization longer, was a | | | | they are welcome to raise issues with you at any time, |
| senior executive of the company, and no business | | | | and that you are happy to involve anyone in their |
| analyst or marketing specialist is going to say no to an | | | | department they would like. |
| executive! It made for very tricky status meetings | | | | If your unruly stakeholder is a project team member or |
| when people tried to explain why they hadn’t done | | | | working level stakeholder from another department |
| what the Project Manager wanted done, because | | | | the first question you need to ask yourself is what |
| they were too busy doing work for the Project | | | | degree of influence this person has. If this person is |
| Owner. | | | | someone that other team members listen to, or |
| So – the time came for me to go, and the Project | | | | someone who can influence how their department |
| Owner called me in to try to talk me into staying on as | | | | views the project, then you need to sit down with this |
| the Project Manager. He was shocked that I wouldn't | | | | person and find out why they are doing whatever |
| stay – it was a great project, good team, name | | | | they are doing (whether that be bad mouthing the |
| your own price! But I asked just one question which | | | | project, complaining about the amount of work to |
| made him stop in his tracks – who would be in | | | | done, etc). |
| charge if I stayed on the project. John thought it would | | | | This requires good people management and listening |
| be him. | | | | skills to be able to get to the heart of the problem. I |
| I pointed out that John had no project management | | | | once took over the management of a project that |
| skills, had recognised this enough to realise he needed | | | | was in trouble, and immediately ran into a wall of |
| a Project Manager, and yet would not give the Project | | | | non-cooperation from the IT Department. I tried talking |
| Manager the authority needed to do the job! I asked | | | | with the IT Manager, but it soon became apparent he |
| him if he thought I could do his job? His answer, | | | | had no influence over his own team. I tracked it down |
| unsurprisingly, was "no". And yet, I pointed out, you're | | | | to 1 business analyst who was hugely influential as she |
| telling me you can do my job? I left. | | | | had been with the company for so long. When I sat |
| But it isn't always that bad. I have to say that is the | | | | down with her to find out why the IT Department |
| only time I have ever given up on stakeholder | | | | were being so reluctant to work with us, it turns out |
| management. No matter how bad a Project Owner or | | | | this woman was good friends with the Project |
| senior manager can seem to be, you can usually | | | | Manager I had replaced. |
| manage them if you use the right approach. However, | | | | Once we sat down as adults and discussed my role, |
| in this case, with everything else stacked against the | | | | how I came to be on the project, and what I was |
| project, I decided it wasn't worth the risk to get | | | | trying to achieve (which was NOT to damage the |
| involved. | | | | reputation of the previous manager), things improved! |
| So – how do you manage unruly stakeholders? | | | | So you see it is vitally important to be able to find the |
| I basically break it down into where they sit in relation | | | | REAL cause of the issue. Never be afraid to sit down |
| to the project. Are they the owner or sponsor of the | | | | with people one on one and be honest with them. |
| project? Are they a senior stakeholder from another | | | | The key with all stakeholder management is |
| department? Or are they a project team member or | | | | communication. Make sure they get enough, at the |
| working level stakeholder from another department? | | | | right time and from the right people. And good luck! |
| If your unruly stakeholder is your project owner or | | | | |