Rebles Guide to PM

1. Questioning and listening: Your mentoring power skills

   

   Mentoring, at its core, is talking to other people and sharing your experience. A successful mentoring relationship relies on the mentor (that’s you) being able to ask effective questions and listen to the answers.

   In this article I’ll show you how I use effective questioning and active listening, and how you can use them at work to improve your mentoring practice.

   Technique 1: Effective questioning

   Effective questioning is a learner engagement technique where the question supports the learning goals and encourages the learner to respond in a particular way.

   In other words, if you ask better questions, the mentee (or student) is challenged to respond in a particular way and that helps them with their own learning in the moment.

   It’s great because it helps you understand the problem more effectively so you can offer constructive feedback, if that’s appropriate.

   There are 3 ways that effective questioning can be characterised (Uni of Tennessee):

   1. Structure: open or closed questions where there is the potential for a range of responses or yes/no answers.
   2. Cognitive effort: how much effort the student needs to put in to process the question and respond appropriately.
   3. Directionality: exploratory questions that prompt a wide range of thinking/responses or convergent questions that encourage a topical discussion to get narrower, used depending on the goals of the conversation.

   

   In The Coaching Habit(Bungay Stanier, 2016) the author advises that we avoid asking ‘why’ questions when working with colleagues/direct reports as it can come off as judgemental (“what were you thinking??!”).

   Instead, reframe questions to ask them as a ‘what’ question (“what was your goal with that?”).

   Cornell University says effective questions are those that are understood by the listener and provide a challenge but aren’t too difficult to answer. If the question is virtually impossible, your mentee isn’t going to get anything out of the exchange, and neither are you.

   How I use effective questioning

   The point of questioning is to encourage reflection, and I do ask a lot of questions as a mentor. They help me understand the situation so I can properly advise, and help the mentee reflect on what they did/are planning to do in any given situation so they can take the right course of action next.

   When I teach group classes, I am trying to avoid asking if there are any questions at the end, as often that puts students on the spot, or they don’t have time to type or frame their question in the time allocated.

   I’ll try to collect questions in advance or even make up a few commonly asked questions so I have something to talk about to fill the silence while people come up with questions of their own. I signpost that question time is coming up from the beginning, so people can prepare their questions.

   Being able to ask the right questions at the right time helps me, especially if I don’t know a lot about their project, work or department.

   While there are some universal truths in office life, a lot of being able to guide someone is situation dependent. Being able to understand the situation and any associated office politics or opportunities for conflict can be helpful in working out a strategy to address a challenge in conjunction with the mentee.

   Read next: What you need to know about project management communication

   Technique 2: Active listening

   Active listening is listening in a way that helps you understand the mentee’s perspectives. Knowing how to listen actively is a skill that you can develop for your professional relationships, and you’ll find yourself relying on this in your mentoring process.

   We all know how to listen (even if we don’t do it all the time). But what does active listening look like?

   NHS England describes 6 ways to demonstrate that you are actively listening:

   1.     Define terms

   Make sure everyone has the same understanding of jargon. An effective mentor will check in to make sure that the mentee understands what they are saying, and ask questions if they hear a term that they don’t know.

   2.     Repeat and paraphrase

   I use this a lot to make sure I have heard and understood correctly, often using the words that the person used but in a different way, or similar words so it’s not literally repeating what they have just said as that sounds annoying.

   Communication skills are so important in so many aspects of workplace life, and building this simple step into your everyday repertoire will help in lots of situations.

   3.     Don’t interrupt

   Make sure people have the time to complete their sentences and their thoughts.

   If you have to interrupt because you’ve run out of time in the session, make a note of what topic you were on so you can bring it up again next time.  

   4.     Listen between the lines

   This is about looking out for and listening for feelings, assumptions, values, fears etc. I haven’t really reflected before on what this looks like for my mentoring approach, but I do think I’ve become quite good at it over the years.

   Also, having children has helped as they are unable to articulate their feelings and I’ve had to pick them up from body language, facial expressions or their choice or words and tone.

   5.     Don’t rush to fill silences

   I talk quickly and I am getting better at leaving gaps. This is something I could work on more. Having a pause allows us both to slow down and reflect, and also to deepen our understanding of the topic at hand.

   6.     Feedback impressions

   The NHS website suggests checking observations with assumptions and gives the example, “If I were in your shoes, I might be thinking…” and then letting them say whether your assumption is correct or not.

   This gives you both an out if you’ve misinterpreted the content.

   Active listening as a mentor

   During my day-to-day role, and while working in my mentoring capacity, I try to demonstrate active listening.

   Sometimes, at the end of a session, mentees say that they feel heard. That’s really important to me as it means I have managed to demonstrate empathy and show them that they are not only not alone in their work challenges, but also that their concerns are valid – and that has come across during the conversation.

   

   How I demonstrate active listening

   I demonstrate active listening by watching my body language, for example nodding and smiling at the right times, and looking directly at the camera to make eye contact instead of at the screen, as that makes your eyes look like they aren’t directly looking at the person.

   It’s particularly hard to demonstrate active listening on camera because I often I do have something else on my screen alongside their face, like the notes I am typing as I go through the call, or their CV or some other relevant document we are looking at together.

   I think I’ve got a lot better at almost exaggerating some of the queues that you’d expect to see in person, not so it looks fake, but so that the behaviour is obvious and a clear signal to the other person.

   I find it harder to demonstrate active listening when the other person does not have their camera on; fortunately this does not happen that often. If you mentor colleagues who do not have their cameras on, encourage them to change that! Or meet in person.

   Taking it further

   Questioning and listening are two sides of the same coin and you’ll use them in mentoring sessions and in your own work. Show up with realistic goals and a positive attitude and you’ll find these two skills will help you a lot.

   Honing these skills, alongside your emotional intelligence radar, will go a long way towards making you the effective mentor you want to be… even on days where it feels like you haven’t said anything meaningful to your mentees!

   This article first appeared on Rebel's Guide to Project Management and can be read here: Questioning and listening: Your mentoring power skills

2. Questioning and listening: Your everyday power skills

   

   Project management is a lot of talking to other people and acting on what they say. A successful project manager relies on being able to ask effective questions and listen to the answers.

   In this article, I’ll show you how I use effective questioning and active listening and how you can use them at work to improve your professional practice.

   Technique 1: Effective questioning

   Effective questioning is an engagement technique where the question supports the goals and encourages the respondent to answer in a particular way.

   In other words, if you ask better questions, the respondent is challenged to frame their answer in a particular way and that helps them with clarifying their ask or their response.

   It’s great because it helps you understand the problem more effectively so you can offer constructive feedback, if that’s appropriate, or plan the next steps.

   

   What effective questioning looks like

   There are 3 ways that effective questioning can be characterised (according to the Uni of Tennessee):

   1. Structure: open or closed questions where there is the potential for a range of responses or yes/no answers.
   2. Cognitive effort: how much effort the student needs to put in to process the question and respond appropriately.
   3. Directionality: exploratory questions that prompt a wide range of thinking/responses or convergent questions that encourage a topical discussion to get narrower, used depending on the goals of the conversation.

   In The Coaching Habit(Bungay Stanier, 2016), the author advises that we avoid asking ‘why’ questions when working with colleagues/direct reports as it can come off as judgemental (“what were you thinking??!”).

   Instead, reframe questions to ask them as a ‘what’ question (“what was your goal with that?”).

   Cornell University says effective questions are those that are understood by the listener and provide a challenge but aren’t too difficult to answer. If the question is virtually impossible, your colleague is going to assume you’re trying to trip them up. You won’t get anything out of the conversation, and neither will they.

   How I use effective questioning

   The point of questioning is to encourage reflection, and I do ask a lot of questions as a project manager.

   Questions help me understand the situation so I can properly advise, report, plan or take whatever action is needed.

   Using effective questioning in the workplace

   Effective questioning is something we can use to make sure we have a full understanding of a situation. It’s a technique that works with people at all levels of the organization, and it’s especially helpful with busy people – the more targeted the question, the more likely it is that we’ll get an answer that helps move the conversation/decision/work on.

   I also help people frame their questions in the most effective way, especially if they are asking for something: sometimes, I spend time with colleagues thinking about how we (or they) are going to ask for something or phrase something in a session.

   For example, recently I was on a call with a colleague who was drafting an email asking for input to a decision. I suggested he phrase it so it was clear he was asking for blockers/challenges and specific points in comparison to ‘general feedback’ which would not have got us closer to signing off the document.

   Benefits of effective questioning

   Effective questioning allows project managers to gather crucial information, encourage thoughtful responses, and foster a deeper understanding of project challenges and opportunities. By asking the right questions, project managers can facilitate better decision-making, provide valuable feedback, and support their team's development.

   Being able to ask the right questions at the right time helps me, especially if I don’t know a lot about their project, work or department.

   While there are some universal truths in project management, a lot is situation dependent, so being able to understand the situation and any associated office politics or opportunities for conflict can be helpful in working out a strategy to address a challenge in conjunction with the mentee.

   Technique 2: Active listening

   Active listening is listening in a way that helps you understand the speaker’s perspectives. Knowing how to listen actively is a skill that you can develop for your professional relationships, and you’ll find yourself using them time and time again.

   NHS England describes 6 ways to demonstrate that you are actively listening:

   1.     Define terms

   Make sure everyone has the same understanding of jargon. An effective project manager will make sure that they define terms, and will ask questions if they don’t understand an acronym or term used.

   Because... there is a lot of jargon in project management. If we didn’t listen for phrases we didn’t know and question them, we’d be operating in the dark most of the time!

   2.     Repeat and paraphrase

   I use this technique a lot to make sure I have heard and understood correctly, often using the words that the person used but in a different way, or similar words so it’s not literally repeating what they have just said as that sounds annoying.

   3.     Don’t interrupt

   Make sure people have the time to complete their sentences and their thoughts.

   Jan Keck, one of the most experienced facilitators I know (and I was fortunate to do his training a while back) says if you have to interrupt someone (for example, in a meeting where they are going on about something that is not relevant to the discussion points on the agenda), you can say, “Can I pause you there?” instead of ‘stop you there’.

   Then simply don’t go back to them – helpful if you are shutting down over-enthusiastic talkers in meetings.

   4.     Listen between the lines

   This is about looking out for and listening for feelings, assumptions, values, fears etc. The higher your emotional intelligence, the easier you’ll find this.

   It’s harder to do through a camera, so if you are planning on having highly-charged, sensitive conversations, try to do those in person so you can read body language more easily.

   5.     Don’t rush to fill silences

   I talk quickly and I am getting better at leaving gaps. This is something I could work on more! Having a pause allows you and the person you are talking to a chance to slow down and reflect. Then you might get something even more useful in the next sentence.  

   6.     Feedback impressions

   The NHS website suggests checking observations with assumptions and gives the example, “If I were in your shoes, I might be thinking…” and then letting them say whether your assumption is correct or not.

   This gives you both an out if you’ve misinterpreted the content, which is helpful when working with very senior stakeholders. You could use, “If I were in your team, I might be thinking…” or, “If I was going to have to use this deliverable, I might be thinking…”.

   

   Active listening as a project manager

   On project work, active listening is important as it helps us understand stakeholder opinions and perspectives, and what is not said is as important as what is said, especially in relation to implementing changes.

   If I am queued in to what is not being said, or said but not believed, it can help identify areas where more change management or support is required. Active listening works with all stakeholders, from all backgrounds.

   Active listening ensures you really understand the perspectives and concerns of stakeholders. It helps in identifying underlying issues, building trust, and demonstrating empathy. You can better anticipate potential conflicts, address them proactively, and ensure that all voices are heard and valued.

   How I demonstrate active listening

   I demonstrate active listening by watching my body language, for example nodding and smiling at the right times, and looking directly at the camera to make eye contact instead of at the screen, as that makes your eyes look like they aren’t directly looking at the person.

   It’s particularly hard to demonstrate active listening on camera because I often I do have something else on my screen alongside their face, like the notes I am typing as I go through the call, or some other relevant document we are looking at together.

   I think I’ve got a lot better at almost exaggerating some of the queues that you’d expect to see in person, not so it looks fake, but so that the behaviour is obvious and a clear signal to the other person.

   I find it harder to demonstrate active listening when the other person does not have their camera on; fortunately this does not happen that often. If you work with colleagues who do not have their cameras on, encourage them to change that! Or meet in person.

   Taking it further

   Mastering the skills of effective questioning and active listening is essential for any project manager aiming to excel in their role, and luckily it’s not that hard. You don’t have to do a course or read a book (although you could if you wanted).

   You just have to be intentional about how you show up to conversations.

   When you do that, these everyday power skills will help you navigate complex situations, build strong relationships, and drive projects to successful completion.

   This article first appeared on Rebel's Guide to Project Management and can be read here: Questioning and listening: Your everyday power skills

3. The Stakeholder Salience Model and How to Use It

   

   What is the stakeholder salience model?

   The stakeholder saliency model was proposed by Mitchell, Agle and Wood (1997). They define salience as:

   the degree to which managers give priority to competing stakeholder claims.

   Their model looks at how vocal, visible and important a stakeholder is. Those dimensions help you identify the stakeholders who should get more of your attention.

   Project stakeholder management and saliency

   Project management relies on people: you need the project team to get things done, and that team might include members of different stakeholder groups. It’s common to have a core team of people who work daily (or at least regularly) on the project, and then a wider stakeholder community.

   The saliency model is a tool you can use as part of stakeholder analysis, management, and engagement. It’s a way of categorizing stakeholders so you can evaluate the best way to involve them in the project.

   There are three elements to consider, which together highlight the saliency of a stakeholder: in other words, how much priority you should give that stakeholder.

   The three considerations are:

   • Legitimacy
   • Power
   • Urgency.

   Let’s look at each of those.

   

   Legitimacy

   This is a measure of how much of a ‘right’ the stakeholder has to make requests of the project.

   Legitimate stakeholders can have a claim over the way the project is carried out can be based on a contract, legal right, moral interest, or some other claim to authority.

   The strategic management layer in an organization is likely to have a say in how the project proceeds. Key customers or clients are also likely to have high legitimacy.

   Power

   Power is a measure of how much influence they have over actions and outcomes. Their power could derive from hierarchical status or prestige within the organization, money invested from a particular shareholder, ownership of resources required to successfully deliver the outcome, or similar.

   Larger projects are likely to have higher numbers of people with power involved because they tend to attract greater corporate governance and oversight – so the top management likes to know what is going on.

   Examples of stakeholders with high power are the sponsor, the CEO and the client.

   Urgency

   This is a measure of how much immediate attention they demand and how unacceptable a delay in response/action is to the stakeholder.

   The expectation of high urgency can result from some kind of ownership, previous experience where urgent action was taken that leads to continued expectations of comparable response times, a time-sensitive problem that creates exposure for the stakeholder, or similar.

   For example, how often are they likely to bring you urgent issues? Things that can’t wait?

   Again, sponsors, clients and senior management are likely to score highly for urgency. Regulatory agencies and compliance teams might also have the right to demand immediate action.

   Together, an assessment of these three elements can tell you how engaged a stakeholder is or will be in the work and how they could influence the project. This is useful information for tailoring your engagement activities and working out with whom to invest your time.

   You might be familiar with the classic stakeholder analysis impact and interest grid. Stakeholder saliency is simply another tool for stakeholder classification. Personally, I find impact and interest easier, but the theory of stakeholder salience is worth understanding to deepen your knowledge about what action to take and who to be aware of.

   How the dimensions overlap

   

   The picture shows how power, legitimacy, and urgency overlap to give stakeholders more or less saliency.

   Project managers love a good Venn diagram!

   Stakeholders that fall into areas where they have two or three elements of saliency are the ones to be most aware of and to spend the most time with.

   Mitchell, Agle, and Wood define these salient stakeholders as follows.

   Dominant stakeholders

   This group has high power and also high legitimacy to influence the project. An example would be the board of a company. The blend of power and legitimacy means they can act on their intentions, should they ever want to.

   They might not spend much time on the project, but you know about it when they want to get involved.

   Dangerous stakeholders

   This group has high power and also expects their needs to be met with a high degree of urgency. However, they have no legitimate claim over the project.

   The researchers point out that project stakeholders in this group, for example, pressure groups can use coercive power and unlawful tactics to draw attention to their interest in the project.

   Dependent stakeholders

   This group has legitimacy and urgency but lacks real power to influence the direction of the project. An example would be the future process owner who will be responsible for running the activities resulting from the project’s deliverables.

   If you work in projects for local governments, for example, you might find that lobby groups, local community groups, or local residents fall into this category.

   They have a legitimate claim to influence the project as the outcome is going to impact their environment. They want their views to be heard in a timely fashion. But they don’t really have any power to influence the direction of the work because they are not employed by the contractors.

   They are ‘dependent’ because they depend on the power of others to generate action at this time.

   Definitive stakeholders

   This group meets all the criteria for saliency. They have high power in the situation, they have a legitimate claim over the project and they have a claim to urgency.

   For example, your sponsor.

   Together this gives them an immediate mandate for priority action on the project. Typically, this situation occurs when a dominant stakeholder wants something done and gains urgency as a result.

   Small projects may only have definitive stakeholders: perhaps just you and a manager.

   Non-stakeholders

   They also define a group of people who don’t meet any of the criteria and are therefore not stakeholders.

   I would advise caution when using this label because often you simply haven’t identified them as stakeholders yet – they might be at some point.

   There’s also a risk attached to labeling everyone else as non-stakeholders. Perhaps you simply haven’t identified them yet.

   Other types of stakeholders

   The model does talk about other groups – what happens if someone falls into the bracket where they only meet the criteria of urgency, for example. If you want to look them up, these are:

   • Dormant stakeholders
   • Expectant stakeholders
   • Latent stakeholders.

   My personal view is that in a business context, given how little time we have to engage all the stakeholders, it’s better to focus on the individuals and groups who tick two or more boxes. The reality of managing projects is that you simply don’t have the time to go through a consultation process and do the analysis for everyone.

   Your choice, though.

   

   How to use the salience model

   So what are the practical implications for the model of stakeholder salience?

   Understanding stakeholder saliency is useful because it helps you identify how to spend your limited resources. You have limited time, and you can make the most of that by applying different levels of stakeholder engagement to different people.

   Stakeholder relationships are time-consuming, so it’s worth investing your energy where it is going to have the greatest effect.

   Look through your analysis and identify the individuals and groups who are going to benefit most from your time. Prioritize the definitive stakeholders as they tick all the boxes.

   Then look at the other groups. There might be important stakeholders hidden away in other categories. Don’t let the model become a replacement for common sense.

   However, remember, stakeholders can move between the categories as the project and the situation evolve.

   

   Power, urgency, and legitimacy can be lost and gained slowly over time, or in a moment. Keep your analysis under review and switch up your actions accordingly, creating a stakeholder management strategy that fully engages your community to the best of your ability.

   This is an edited extract from Engaging Stakeholders on Projects: How to harness people power by Elizabeth Harrin (APM, 2020).

   Mitchell, R. K., Agle, B. R. and Wood, D. J. (1997) ‘Toward a Theory of Stakeholder Identification and Salience: Defining the Principle of Who and What Really Counts’, The Academy of Management Review, Vol. 22 (4), pp. 853-886.

   This article first appeared on Rebel's Guide to Project Management and can be read here: The Stakeholder Salience Model and How to Use It

4. What you need to know about project communication management

   

   Did you know that 56% of your project budget might be at risk due to poor communications?

   Perhaps that number (from research by PMI) surprises you, but I’m sure you aren’t surprised by the fact that good communication management on projects leads to higher success rates.

   We know that all projects use finite resources to achieve an objective. One of the most valuable resources in a project is the people (developers, engineers, subject matter experts, etc.) who support it.

   

   But just how does a savvy project manager ensure that work is completed in a predictable, efficient and less stressful way?

   Project managers will use multiple tools and techniques at different times, but project communication management is one that it used throughout a project.

   This article is a guide to project communication management. You'll learn why it matters, see an overview of the communications process, and get some examples of where you might apply it on your own projects.

   What is project communication management?

   At a high level, project communication management ensures that key information flows efficiently and in a predetermined way between the various people working on (or impacted by) a project.

   What they do with the information varies, and some may just need awareness of information versus taking a specific action based on it. However, having a plan for how to share information throughout a project’s lifecycle is critical to project success.

   How much communication should you do?

   Depending on who you ask, project managers spend anywhere from 60% - 90% of their time on communication with the various people on their projects. Whew, that is a lot of your time!

   To explain why communication is so crucial, consider the PMBOK® Guide formula for determining the number of communication channels:

   n (n-1) / 2

   In this formula, n is the number of people on the project.

   Using this formula, a team with 10 people would have 10 (9) / 2 or 45 communication channels. No wonder communication takes so much of our time!

   Why project communication matters

   I recall a story shared by a project manager who worked on an international consulting project. He took over responsibility from the previous project manager part way through the project.

   During the transition, he focused on a smooth transition for the project team at the home office. One detail that was overlooked was reestablishing regular communications with a key stakeholder in a different country.

   As a result of this oversight, a project complaint (escalation) occurred after the transition and included specific concerns around project communication. Although communication was occurring, the perception of the stakeholder was that communication was not being properly managed because he felt unintentionally “left out.”

   The concern was ultimately addressed along with a plan update to include all key stakeholders. During the project's lessons learned session, managing communication updates during and after a team member transition was recognized as an area in need of some improvement.

   The key takeaway is that project communication management should occur throughout a project’s lifecycle, especially when a transition occurs.

   When project communication happens

   Here are some of the more common meetings where project communication occurs during a project:

   • Project kickoff meeting
   • Presentations for clients, customers, or other stakeholders
   • Executive updates, written briefs and presentations
   • The daily standup, or weekly or monthly status meetings in person or via Teams, Zoom, video chat etc
   • Milestone meetings to discuss progress, project risks, and determine path forward
   • Review meetings to periodically present and get acceptance on project deliverables
   • Lessons learned meetings or retrospectives.

   You can probably think of other times where you are communicating with people on a project. After all, it's a large part of what you do all day! Effective project managers spend most of their time communicating in one way or another.

   I like to talk about project managers being the glue that holds the team together, and we do that through discussion, conversation, facilitated meetings and chat.

   The communications management process

   Communications management occurs in a well-defined and repeatable cycle. Here are the 4 steps of the communications process along with a bit of information to explain each one.

   

   1. Plan

   At or before kickoff, the project manager proposes a communication plan and seeks input from team members and stakeholders. The plan outlines who will provide communication, how information will be issued, the frequency, and what action(s) are expected. The intent is to ensure that all team members and stakeholders know what to expect from each other during the project.

   As part of communication planning, a project manager should perform some degree of stakeholder analysis to answer some key questions:

   • Who - the stakeholders impacted by the project and who will expect updates and information
   • What - their expectations of the project, what they want to “know” about the project
   • Why - why the project matters to them
   • Influence - their respective influence on the project’s resources and outcomes (low / medium / high)

   Understanding stakeholders is critical because how to communicate, what they expect, and how to manage them varies according to these factors. You should adapt the plan with everyone in mind, but provide special consideration for the most influential people.

   You will also need to consider the frequency and detail preferred by the most influential stakeholders so that you can meet their expectations from the beginning.

   You will also want to consider who should receive information, who may provide information /input before communication is issued, and how to send that information.

   Get the project communications plan template I use to plan my project communications

   If you want to try something different, read this case study on using video for project communications.

   2. Do

   Once planning is done and the project starts, the communication reallybegins! 

   This step is all about action - issuing meeting minutes, providing reports, and documenting proposed changes as agreed. Your biggest responsibility here is to ensure that all commitments are met on time and to the agreed level of expectation.

   There are numerous examples where project communication supports other project management processes. Just to expand on that a bit, here are a few examples of where that might typically occur:

   • Stakeholder engagement - provides a general awareness of project status, issues, concerns, and required action or support needed for project success.
   • Progress monitoring and reporting - helps through regular overview of project progress, accomplishments, path forward, and next steps.
   • Key decisions documentation - provides a mechanism for documenting and distributing key decisions with the project team for future reference.
   • Team building - helps a project team establish and maintain trust through regular communication, discussions around issues and concerns, and getting to know each other.
   • Expectations management - sets the tone and details for how communication will flow, when who will receive it, and criteria for taking appropriate action (if needed).
   • Transition and change management - ensures that team members and stakeholders are aware of any proposed changes, their potential impact, and aligned in their support of changes.

   3. Monitor

   In this step the project manager seeks input from the team and stakeholders, along with feedback. Are people looking for more information, less, or doing something different from what was agreed?

   A direct conversation or survey can be helpful to understand if needs are being met and any area(s) that may need adjustment.

   4. Change

   Based on feedback from the Monitor step, incorporate feedback and adapt the plan as needed. The goal here is to ensure that expectations are fully aligned with how communication is occurring.

   Learn from what works and what doesn't, then make the appropriate changes so the team can improve the way comms are done.

   For example, if you don't get the required response from an email, pick up the phone. There are more examples of how you can switch up your communications in the table below.

   

   How much does project communication cost?

   Project communication costs vary depending on the project. If you are hosting community events, that’s going to cost more than providing an internal team with a quarterly PDF newsletter.

   However, you can do your stakeholder communication on a budget (there are ideas for cheap ways to communicate here).

   Regardless, it is worth spending the money on getting project comms correct. According to PMI’s report into the Essential Role of Communication, effective communication is associated with a 17% increase in finishing projects within budget.

   In other words: investing in comms pays offbecause you are more likely to hit your financial targets and prevent overspending.

   Communication skills for project managers

   Project communication requires different skills for maximum effectiveness.

   Here are the top communication skills for project managers:

   • Active listening:really hearing what people are saying in the room
   • Consistency:follow through when you say you will and create a cadence for the team
   • Clarity: use short sentences and jargon-free language in your communications
   • Accessibility: make sure comms are delivered in a format that works for everyone
   • Respect: treat your audience with respect and consideration.

   Another important skill is public speaking – Toastmasters is a great way to improve. Look for a chapter near you, or simply volunteer to present to groups at work.

   

   Your next steps

   Projects are a big responsibility and may seem overwhelming at times. Thankfully, there are tools and techniques that can help us break things down to make them more manageable.

   The details of project communication management may vary according to your own style and preferences. Regardless of your project size or industry, communication will play a big role from beginning to end and can help you deliver your projects with success.

   Your action steps are:

   • Have you got a communications plan? If not, download my template and create one.
   • Review your stakeholder list and ensure everyone is on there who needs to be

   Good luck and happy communicating!

   This article first appeared on Rebel's Guide to Project Management and can be read here: What you need to know about project communication management

5. 5 Strategies for Digital Transformation Projects

   

   Digital transformation is on the rise. Microsoft predicts that every company will become a tech company. PMI predicts that nearly half of companies will be using AI by 2026, and that's not the only AI statistic that shows this is a trend that isn't stopping.

   Many organizations are looking for ways to digitally enable their businesses – often through new technologies – in order to improve performance or gain a competitive advantage.

   As a project manager, you will likely find yourself working on one of such projects such as implementing a new CRM system, upgrading to a cloud-based ERP, or developing a new eCommerce platform.

   

   But many digital transformation projects fail because organizations begin these initiatives without a clear idea of what they want to achieve. This lack of planning often leads to projects going over budget and not achieving their goals.

   The objective of using technology in business should always be to somehow enhance the process or outcome, whether that means establishing better customer relations, automating operations, or boosting sales.

   Defining your objectives for a digital transformation project is key to success. You also need to understand strategies that work before you begin so you can hit the ground running and avoid unnecessary delays or setbacks.

   In this blog post, we will discuss five key strategies for digital transformation projects. Let's get started!

   What are the 5 key strategies for digital transformation projects?

   Trends in project management have highlighted that digital transformation is here to stay. If you are about to begin working on a transformation initiative, what should you consider?

   Here are 5 key strategies for achieving success on your digital transformation project.

   1. Define your business core values

   Digital technology is critical for businesses today – it can help you reach new markets, discover new business opportunities, and improve your products and services. But technology also brings with it a host of challenges, particularly when it comes to digital transformation.

   In a rapidly changing world, every organization needs a clear set of core values that everyone in the organization can follow. A strategic organization must have a purpose, a vision, a mission and a set of core values that define its actions to reach those goals.

   When using digital technologies to create new or different business processes, products, and services, you need to consider the impact of those changes on your business reputation and employees.

   Here are some things to consider during your strategy planning meeting. Use these pointers to clarify your business' core values and your company mission and vision, so your project approach aligns to what the organization is trying to do.

   • What is your company's mission?
   • What do you want to achieve?
   • What are your company's guiding principles?
   • What return on investment are you expecting?
   • How can you ensure that everyone is aligned with your core values?

   Answering these questions will help you make sure that your project is aligned with your company's mission. It will also help you communicate better with your team and build buy-in for the project.

   As business transformation and digital technology continue to evolve, it's important for businesses to clarify their core values. Defining these values early on will help ensure that everyone is on the same page and working towards the same goals.

   When you have a clear understanding of your business' core values, you can start to develop a project management strategy that is in line with these values. Why not use innovative tech to support the way you implement the change as well: AI in project management is a growing field so you can test out new ways of working.

   

   2. Develop a user-friendly system that incorporates effective technologies

   You need to be open-minded to change a business. Look at how different techniques and systems could provide better solutions. With digital-first strategies rapidly advancing, it is easy to take advantage of different technology solutions to underpin the cultural transformation as well.

   84% of the top companies say the cloud provides a competitive advantage. The cloud has changed the way we interact with data, making it possible to store and process huge amounts of information. Apps and computer systems now give us new ways to analyze and make use of this data.

   Project managers must be able to identify and utilize the best digital tools to drive data-driven decision-making and improve customer experience. Look at machine learning, robotic process automation and digital services to fuel your digital transformation goals.

   By developing a user-friendly system that incorporates effective technologies, businesses can streamline their processes and reduce costs. In today's ever-changing business landscape, this can give your business the edge it needs to succeed.

   3. Start communication early

   Maintaining excellent employee morale is essential for every organization going through a digital transformation. Frequent communication and opportunities for growth will keep everyone on the project feeling motivated and support the company culture to shift to where it needs to be.

   Define your project communications approach to ensure that you can communicate early and often when changes are happening in your company. As a project leader, it is important to be transparent and use language that everyone can understand. Make sure to keep the lines of communication open at all times and provide training if necessary.

   Early user experiences will shape the later stages of your digital transformation investment, so you'll want to bring in digital adoption managers and individual employees to share their experiences of the new journeys and the training support they had.

   As the transformation process moves forward, keep your team updated with success stories. If certain objectives aren't being met, be transparent about how the standard plans are changing to better fit the company's needs.

   Even after you have completed your implementation, it is important to maintain a central communications hub, for example a repository of digital content such as user guides or newsletters.

   4. Develop a SMART project plan

   A successful project plan is essential for any digital transformation jourrney. Your plan should be specific, realistic, achievable, and measurable so you can track progress. It should also be flexible enough to accommodate changes that will inevitably occur during the course of the project.

   When project managers develop a clear and concise outline of the goals and objectives of the project, it is easy to identify the business processes that will be affected by the transformation, and this should be identified and analyzed.

   You will need to work closely with team members and business processes to ensure that the project plan is followed and that the transformation is successful. This may require making changes to the project plan as the project progresses.

   However, by developing a successful project plan, you can increase the chances of a successful digital transformation and ensure that your team is able to execute the business strategy effectively.

   TRIP prioritization

   TRIP is a prioritization method for digital transformation projects. It stands for:

   • Transparency
   • Responsiveness
   • Intelligence
   • Personalization

   TRIP analysis is a way of looking at where you are now and where you want to be in those criteria. Then you use those insights to rank initiatives within the transformation work.

   Transparency and intelligence are driven by the organization, so you get to decide how you wish to respond.

   Responsiveness and personalization are external forces around how you respond to the market and new expectations. It’s really about organizational competitiveness and it’s a piece of thinking to do that might frame the strategic context for your prioritization efforts for digital transformation efforts.

   5. Outline the steps for implementation

   It’s time to start thinking about implementation once you have a solid plan in place. Outline the necessary steps for implementation to ensure that the project stays on track and doesn't get bogged down in details. These might include:

   Use data analytics and artificial intelligence to improve your systems and evaluate new opportunities. Once potential opportunities for improvement are identified, these become the primary objectives of the transformation.

   Understand stakeholders' objections and fears as they come up, and work through them. Help people see that the transformation plan is sound and that the results support the business models in use. You can do this by pointing out areas of pain and places where things can be improved for the business.

   Build digital skills across the organization and build the employee experience into the way you choose to roll out tech changes.

   Automate internal processes that are causing difficulties, by using online storage and tools to create standardization. For example, you can use cloud-based tools with built-in alerts and workflows that can be used to automate processes.

   Create alignment between team member goals and business goals. Everybody on the team should know how their own skills can help the organization to be successful. This is what makes people feel connected to a project.

   Why is agile methodology important in a digital transformation project?

   Digital transformation means incorporating technology-driven ways of working into areas of the organization that previously didn’t rely on tech. That shift towards tech-enabled processes leads to changes in how companies engage customers and clients and how business operations are led and managed.

   These new approaches are more responsive to changes in technology and provide communications and process management tools that allow us to coordinate far more people and activities than we ever used to be able to.

   As a project leader on such a project, you have the responsibility to make decisions that support your organization's goals and help your team get the work done by stepping into the role of a strategic adviser or coach.

   In order to move away from the status quo towards the new operating model, companies must become comfortable with making mistakes and experimenting, however uncomfortable that might feel.

   This is why the best project management framework to use for a digital transformation initiative is an agile method, but of course make the decision based on what works for your organization.

   Agile methodologies follow an iterative and incremental approach that emphasizes close collaboration between cross-functional teams, rapid delivery of value, and continual learning. Some other benefits of using agile for digital transformation include:

   1. Increased transparency and communication between team members and business leaders
   2. The ability to rapidly experiment and learn from failures
   3. Increased customer engagement and feedback
   4. A focus on delivering business outcomes and value early
   5. New innovations and ways of thinking.

   Digital transformation is a challenge for any organization, but Agile methodologies can help organizations succeed by being flexible and responsive to change.

   What is a digital transformation strategy?

   A digital transformation strategy is a plan that helps organizations to change how they use and deliver digital technologies in order to improve performance. It provides a clear roadmap for the project, which can be used as a reference point throughout the duration of the project.

   A successful transformation strategy will take into account an organization's current state, its desired future state, and the gaps in between. In order to create a strategy that will be successful, organizations need to first understand what digital transformation is and why it is important.

   Additionally, it is essential to involve all stakeholders in the strategy development process, from the C-suite to front-line employees. Only by taking all of these factors into account can organizations develop a digital transformation strategy that will help them to achieve their desired outcomes.

   Key takeaways

   Companies must embrace digital transformation projects in order to survive in today's digital age. This involves automating processes and using technology to improve business efficiency.

   Technology is ever-changing, and it can be difficult for companies to keep up. As a manager, your project leadership skills, business objectives, and your ability to relate to your team will be the driving force behind any change management journey.

   By starting communication early, developing a successful project plan, and outlining the necessary steps for implementation, you can increase the chances of a successful digital transformation.

   Keep the lines of communication open at all times, provide training if necessary, and maintain a central communications hub even after the transformation is complete. By following these steps, you can maximize the chances of delivering your project successfully.

   Since change is inevitable, be prepared for it at all times. This means being able to adapt as a project manager when changes such as digital transformation happen. Most times these changes require strategic decisions based on new requirements of the project. Having this mindset is key to succeeding in any digital transformation project.

   This article has been refreshed, updated and edited since it was first published.

   This article first appeared on Rebel's Guide to Project Management and can be read here: 5 Strategies for Digital Transformation Projects