The 4 P’s of People on Projects

Ty Kiisel recently wrote about how we automatically do things that others don’t necessarily know how to do. His example came from spending time teaching friends how to fly fish. Like Ty, I also love fishing, however, I prefer the sea to the river. That might seem a bit weird for a girl, but I grew up in a city where about 1 in 3 households owned a boat and because my family has always been a part of that statistic I was hooked, so to speak, at a very early age. Now whenever I’m home I spend as much time as possible out on the boat with a fishing rod in one hand and the next piece of bait in the other.

But like most things, a great day’s fishing doesn’t happen by waving one’s magic wand in the air and keeping fingers crossed. Project teams can’t perform at their best with that as a baseline either. The same principles that turn a fishing trip into a great day out go a long way towards developing a superb project team. I’ve narrowed them down and called them the 4 P’s of People on Projects.

1. Preparation: PMs know all about preparing for a project. We have a map (project plan), directions (objectives), and supplies (tools, techniques, budget, team, etc…). All we have to do is get on with it, right? Ha, if only it were that simple! Projects and their success rely on people and any PM worth their hourly or daily rate will be equally thorough in their preparation at a human level as they are at everything else; they’ll show leadership from the start to maximize the chances of success. This cascades through the team allowing them to prepare individually and jointly with clear boundaries and expectations. Forgetting the bait and running out of fuel is not a good start to the day!
2. Practice: I started with a sprat line off the wharf and soon moved on to a big-girl’s fishing rod. It took practice and some help from my Dad to master the change. Like me, people on projects don’t always get it right the first time. I’m an advocate for situational and experiential learning, so even if someone’s done it before, they need to continue to focus; adjust something here or try something different there, to do better next time. Our job as PM’s is to give encouragement, guidance, and the opportunity for practice. If we don’t, how else will anyone improve?
3. Patience: With project deadlines getting tighter, PMs need to hone their instincts. We must intuitively know when to bite our tongue and when to push back. Being patient early allows us to get to know people’s natures and people, like fish, will tease to see how far they can get before being caught. Personally, I like the 3 strikes and you’re out approach, which in tandem with practice, sets clear boundaries and behavioral expectations. If that fails try breathing 1, 2, 3…
4. Prize: My scrap of patience paid off this year with the best snapper I’ve caught for a long time. It weighted about 2.5kg (5lb), gave me a huge buzz and a full stomach. Every person on a project wants the big prize; to see their project Go Live, deliver against expectations and be labeled by all as a resounding success. It makes good reading on CVs, helps with promotions or career prospects, gives people something to crow about and can lead to repeat business for contractors. If everyone does the other P’s well, the prize will be a no-brainer.

What’s my ultimate fishing prize? To catch, tag and release a marlin. I think I’ll need a bigger rod for that though…