1. Read the PMBoK 4th edition two to three times before taking the exam. In that once use mind mapping to take notes. On scope, quality and procurement knowledge areas, there will be some questions straight from inputs / tools and techniques / output; In risk management the order of events (the process flow) is important; etc. So reading PMBoK is crucial. If you can get someone to explain PMBoK concepts, from begin to end, with illustrations, you should grab that opportunity. Technical documents can be boring to read by yourselves.

We were talking about building relationships. The one practical tip here is “Remember the names”. The sweetest syllable to the ear of any man or woman is their name. Write down the names of your team members and key stakeholders and create your personal team dictionary. It is all there in outlook or lotus notes, yes. But write down the name picturing the person’s face. Add their phone number and e-mail ID. I don’t mean it should be paper and pen. It can be excel also. But don’t cut and paste from outlook. Type it so that you can get the spelling right.

Know their actual first name if what you heard is a nick name. It may be there in their business card. Use the full first name in formal communications. As you learn more about the person, such as their special competencies,  career goals, family details, food tastes, etc. add it to the list.

Sorry, I couldn’t get back to this series for a while. Let’s start where we left. We were talking about project politics.

The best way to tackle politics is obviously open and honest communication. right? But why is it so difficult? Could it be the technology? Although technology provides more ways to keep in touch, it doesn’t automatically build relationships. Building relationship is hard work.

As a manager you may assume that you have some formal powers now to make things happen. You forward a mail with ‘FYA’ and expect some action and reply. Nothing happens. Because the actual power comes only from establishing relationships, building credibility, and team support. This means you cannot hide in your office or work and succeed as a manager. If you are a first time manager, along with role change you may even need a mind-set change. It may even be a challenge and a humbling experience. But it is worth it. If you cross the bridge, you can work more with real people and make larger impact.

We were talking about power play and politics. They cannot be wished away. Consider these projects:

> Running a hotel
> Starting a school
> An ERP implementation
> Producing a movie and
> Taking your team on a tour

They all have stakeholders – 1.customers, 2.sponsors / investors, 3.performing organization / senior management, 4.team and 5.the society in all the above projects. But see how project objectives are set in these projects…

By this time you as Project Manager will be introduced to a lot of people related to the project. Find out how and why they are stakeholders in your project. Stakeholders are people with considerable interest in your project and can influence the course of the project. They could be seniors from your organization, managers from client organization, senior managers in client organization who could be the sponsors, end users, media and so on.

Each stakeholder will have their idea of how the project should be run to meet the objectives and that is the source of politics. Don’t under estimate the power of any stakeholder in helping as well as hindering your project. Check the next few posts to understand more about the power struggles and how it matters, sometimes more than even project objectives or customer satisfaction!!

Now we are ready to begin the first stage – the confused stage called initial planning. Write the project goal statements and keep it clear in your mind. You are going to articulate it to so many stakeholders in the coming days and week to get their support – like the managers who may lend their people and other resources, the team leads, the customer himself, (so that they can keep changing it aoap, as often as possible (-:)

“I can do it” is a good form of motivation. But there is an even more powerful form of motivation. Having a mentor who can tell you – “You only can do it”. Choose a mentor who can help you develop management skills. You can read any number of management or self help books. But when you try to apply the principles from there, you may want clarification or get stuck for want of systemic deficiencies or just need assurance that it will work. A person who has been there and done that may have an answer. See this – Brain functions that improve with age Once the mentoring relationship matures, on the right occasion your mentor will say – “You only can do it” and it will help you sour the skies.

When you are assigned as a PM for a project, you may find the umpteen number of tasks that need your attention and the objectives set by different stakeholders like the boss and the customer, very daunting. Face it with a ‘can do’ attitude. You are chosen to take up this responsibility because you have proved yourself in some manner. But you may remember some of your shortcomings and failures. Learn lessons from them but don’t let them bother you. There is nothing in a caterpillar that tells you it’s going to be a butterfly. What you were in the past or have been in the present should not stop you from what you can be in the future.

Some of you could have wondered like I did as to why “Integration Management” is placed as the first chapter, first knowledge area in PMBoK because integrated project plan or PMP can be produced only after all other elements of planning are developed, right? We need to learn the other tools like WBS, Critical path, risk identification before we can learn EVM and change control, right?

But I guess the answer may be – An integrated view of the project should be developed even as we initiate the project and when we plan for the project. Risk identification has to happen even as WBS is developed to provide input to estimating the time and so on. So integration begins with project initiation, continues with planning, execution, control and closure. So my tip today is – Read integration management once before and once after the other 8 knowledge areas to get better insights into applying tools to arrive at the PMP.

This is a slight diversion. MS Academy decided to sponsor SPICON 2010 the annual conference of SPIN Chennai. My next tip to you – Research professional associations like SPIN Chennai, visit their websites and attend their monthly meetings and conferences to get the inside scoop on what’s happening in the industry. You can meet and network with individuals who could provide you with the key to your next job (-:)