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In this case study, we are going to be looking at some key management skills.
We're going to look at key management skills in a particular scenario
whereby there isn't a direct line manager.
So where,
in this case, Jan who's a project manager in various different situations,
has got responsibility for delivering projects on time and within budget.
And yet the resources, so the people resources that he utilizes and
embraces in to the project, don't report directly in to him.
So, they're not directly accountable to Jan.
So, we're going to explore how that situation developed and
we're going to specifically look to discover the skills that Jan used along
the way to help facilitate the successful delivery of this particular project.
So Jan, with this situation now do you have an example of one of these projects
that you had to deliver, obviously had to deliver on time and within resource and
you had to utilize people around you, but they weren't directly accountable to you?
>> It's quite common for the work I do.
I get given a lot of bits and
pieces of work to do which I don't have perhaps the skills to do.
But I would engage people who do have the skills to help me and
deliver that piece of work.
So an example would be, the management team wanted
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some IT KPIs for their service providers.
We outsource lots of IT but we would like more IT KPIs than we have.
So it's case of identifying who the individuals were,
working with them to identify what KPIs they can hold off and
getting them to deliver them monthly to me and
then I can share that data with the management team.
>> Right, so just let me check something then.
When we say IT KPIs, what do we mean?
>> So traditionally, its the number of how many tickets are sent
each month to the IT provider service desk.
>> All right, okay.
So queries?
>> Yes, queries. >> Yeah.
>> How many are delivered within the service level agreement times.
>> Right.
>> What percentage of the time are their service up?
>> Right, okay. >> So
it's quite straightforward data which I can't get a hold of, or
don't know how to get a hold of, but the people who work with that do.
So it's a case of helping them to get a hold of that data and
then putting it into their regular routine to submit it to me, on a monthly basis.
>> Right, so just to check my understanding.
You're trying to get hold of a resource to do something that needs to be done.
>> Yeah.
>> And within your own skill set.
As I'm in a situation myself so I can relate to it.
You get people to come to work with you but
you don't actually fully understand what they're going to do to help you.
>> Correct.
>> Yeah, okay. >> Yes so,
I mean there's two key pieces of what work is.
I need to understand what I'm doing.
>> Yes.
>> And for why.
>> Yes. >> And
then I need to be able to relay that on to someone else so that there's clarity,
so we all know what the agreed purpose is.
And then as well as feedback and results to make sure that this is what you wanted.
>> Right. >> And if not to start again.
>> Right, so in this situation then when you're looking to get this
project delivery and effectively outsource part of the process.
>> Yes >> What management skills did you use then
to utilize these extra areas of expertise that you needed to have
to do these bits of work that you couldn't do yourself?
>> I think it's partly understanding what needs to be done.
>> Right. >> because I know very little about
servers and sort of having worked in the technical side,
but obviously there's people who do.
So it's a case of I need to explain
what my requirements are in quite a straightforward way.
And they have to communicate back to us.
So it's about communicating my needs clearly,
getting him to understand what's need to be done,explaining to them why they need
to do it which when you know the direct manager requires a bit of certain skills.
>> [LAUGH] >> And the habit is to get them to doing
it continually month after month.
>> Right, okay so we've seen a number of key skills that are starting to emerge
here in this particular situation Jan is sharing with us.
So the need to recruit additional resource to do some specialist
skills which Jan doesn't have as part of his skill set.
And the areas that have been highlighted of being particularly important is getting
us greater understanding of what needs to be done as you can.
Bear in mind that there are some potential blind spots there.
Being able to identify that required resource.
Being able to relate to them as best as you can, what needs to be done.
And then, being persuasive in Jan's particular scenario to ask for
that to be done on a month by month basis.
And this, in the context where this additional resource doesn't report
directly into Jan in terms of team leader and subordinate.
So Jan, how did you actually move this project forward, then,
in this particular situation?
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In this scenario though,
because there were lots of different individuals involved, because there's
a lot of IT specialists we use was a case of literally approaching them and
saying, these are the requirements, are you able to deliver?
And I much prefer doing things face to face when you can because you can then
answer a lot more questions that way.
And so you'd approach them saying these are my requirements,
this is how is it possible?
And then say yes or no.
And if it's a yes it's great, can we agree on a time schedule.
If it's no, is this helping them to find out how it can be done.
And not in this scenario, but
another scenario is there may be some reluctance to help.
And then it's a case of having to escalate.
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And trying to get perhaps other people involved who
have the authority which I don't to encourage them to do it.
>> So really important point has come out here in as much as Jan's approach to treat
each of these individuals who he needs exactly as that.
So to negotiate on an individual basis, quite clearly,
life is straightforward when the answer is yes and
we have a discussion and Jan gets his extra resource on board.
It's not quite the right answer Jan would be hoping for if they say no,
which means a point of escalation has to be taken up.
How do you overcome those challenges though Jan,
when somebody actually says well I don't want to do it or I can't do it?
>> For me I would try and understand why they don't want to do it.
There may be a legitimate reason for them for not wanting to do it.
And then it's a case of helping them overcome those concerns or
perhaps re-explain what way the work is needed and
how it fits into the broader scheme of things.
Or if it is a direct no,
it'll have to, and as I said, to escalate it.
And if that decision is supported, or upheld,
we'll have to go back and find another way to do it.
>> So, when you look back on these things and you come across,
if somebody says yes, then that's great.
So, you've got your resource.
When somebody is saying no, do you ever sort of pause and reflect and say gosh,
that didn't quite go to plan.
What other approaches could I have adopted?
>> Regularly, I mean and this gets back to the point about everyone being different.
So, some people Which you'd see you have to accommodate your style to that.
But here's no one style fits all.
And people are individuals and sometimes you're not right all the time.
And you have to learn from it.
And then that's half the fun of project management is working with different
people and
I think needs different skills overtime to get them to get people work with you.
>> So what we've found highlighted in this particular case study is
a project management scenario where Jan as project manager has had to
gather results from the other parts of the organization which aren't directly his.
So he doesn't own them, they don't report to him and
Jan has shared with us some of the approaches that he adopts.
So treating everybody as an individual,
gaining initial understanding about what the benefits are of involvement.
And we've heard that communication it is really seen as important by
Jan in doing this.
And we've also seen that actually if the answer is yes then everything is very
straight forward.
We all know that organizational life is not often as simple as that and,
Jan has come across times when the initial answer has been no which
has meant a number of things.
First of all there has to be this situation where if and
a way forward so yes, yes can be achieved.
And if not then a situation probably where nobody wants to end up in and that is
more senior people have to be involved to see if a deal can be reached that way.
So, as an outcome, though, Jan has been able to achieve project delivery success.
So thank you, Jan.
>> Well, thank you, [INAUDIBLE].
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David JamesFounder and Director, DJ Learning Ltd
