Admittedly, the organizational hierarchy can be structured in such a way that can imbue the company with an efficient means of achieving its purpose. The catch phrase, “teamwork makes the dream work” is more than a mere homily, it’s a fact.
However, equally important is the need for companies to consider that the business of accomplishing strategic level objectives, and the Gordian knot it represents, requires a dedicated team of people whose profession revolves around the need to constantly bring about change in a structured, steadfast, and objective manner.
As assiduous and ardent supporters of strategic initiatives senior leaders and middle management employees might be, these assets are typically trained around traditional disciplines ranging from finance to operations. While they certainly and inevitably deal with change, they are not trained to tackle and harness change to transform the organization as a profession like project management practitioners do.
A recent news article emphasized the need for project management principles to bring about change because it (project management) provides the structure, processes and toolsets needed to manage change successfully.
Keeping a vibrant PM infrastructure
While the benefits of a project management function to bring about strategic initiatives is paramount, it is also imperative to ensure that project management infrastructure is nurtured so that it remains an active, burgeoning part of the bigger organization it is a part of.
Joan Knutson, in her article about project management infrastructure published by the Project Management Institute, emphasizes the need both to support and heighten the awareness of that infrastructure. While this may sound somewhat obtuse, I have witnessed the effects that neglect can wreak on project management functions and the malaise that inevitably takes hold. Even more eye opening is the fact that this takes place in companies that are built around the project management function.
Forums
Holding forums that are exclusive to project management practitioners is an outstanding way of bolstering the proficiency and participation of the project management body within the company. Topics should invite company initiatives, issues, upcoming projects and mentoring sessions to name a few. The objective is to provide the project management a platform where they can share wins, losses, and concerns on a non-attribution basis. This practice will result in the cross-fertilization of important themes, pain points and growth opportunities.
I have participated several forums throughout my career, and they were the best way to spend some time discussing the intricacies of the job that we simply did not have the time to do and was often more valuable than on the job training.
Questions to Consider
How effective is your project management function in translating strategic planning into reality?
When is the last time senior project managers were a vibrant part of the strategic planning process?