I recently attended a PMI chapter meeting that got me thinking about the challenges project managers encounter while attempting to guide their projects to successful completion. The guest speaker, Ken Sardoni, discussed how project managers usually don’t have a lot of authority in the same way a department head has authority. Instead, he pointed out that project managers are perfectly positioned to influence up and down the chain of command. To put this another way, project managers are well equipped to be good gardeners. They can’t command the plants to grow, but with their nurturing influence the garden can thrive. My experience has shown me that good project managers do not equate power with growing authority, but rather focus on developing power through their influence.
I will use the next few blog posts to explore my ideas around how to increase your own influence as a project portfolio manager, and make project management an art form in diplomacy.
Sources of Power
To begin I’d like to focus on a couple sources of power that project managers can tap into to develop their own sphere of influence.
- Connection-based
- Expert or Informational-based
- Charismatic
Connection-based
Use your network! As a project manager you are probably not the person who signs the checks, sets the budget, and creates corporate strategy, but you probably work closely with that individual. Project managers frequently rub elbows with executives, directors, and other key decision makers. That face time is priceless. You have the ears of decision makers, make sure your project successes and challenges are heard by them. To prepare for these opportunities, you should always be prepared with a 30 second pitch on the problems, challenges, and opportunities of your project. For longer discussions, expand that pitch into a 3-5 minute chat on your project based work.
Expert or Informational-based
Experts are those individuals who have invested the time and energy into their careers to be recognized as the ultimate source of information and insight in their field. On a smaller scale, you need to be the expert of everything related to your projects. Both your colleagues and employers need to have confidence that you know what you are talking about, and that you are the person best suited for the role of project manager. Being the expert is knowing the status, challenges, and opportunities of you project. Tools like PPM software can help you accomplish this. Online project management tools, help you keep your whole team up to date, and allow you to easily broadcast this information out. Tools are not the end all be all though. You still want to know the inner workings of your project just in case an executive stakeholder, stops by for an informative chat.
Charismatic
I personally like this source of power, because I see it as a way to battle the prevailing stereotype of a mousy, introverted, control-oriented project manager. Look, project managers need to be out in the trenches, talking with stakeholders and team members. It is a lot easier to persuade others, seek counsel, and problem solve if you like people and they like you back. If interpersonal skills are not your forte, start a book club, take a self-improvement class, volunteer at a retirement home!. The more your get out and interact with people in unexpected ways the easier it becomes, and the more interesting to others you appear. Never underestimate the power of personal charisma in winning over even the toughest opponents.
With these three sources of power under your belt, you will start to see new avenues to influence those around you. As your influence increases, others will come to trust you more, and seek your input on critical decisions…many of which will impact the success of your projects.
