Project management - A process for a complex world
-
Upload
mikerix -
Category
Leadership & Management
-
view
337 -
download
3
Transcript of Project management - A process for a complex world
Exercise
Read through this storyboard
Please let us know what is important to you
We may be able to help further if needed
Does your organisation suffer from any of these symptoms in managing difficult projects?
• Talk substituting action
• Upward delegation
• People admiring the problem not solving it
• People working to different agendas
• Push back, push back, push back
• Misplaced use of internal competition which suppresses cooperation
• Blame
Brilliant project plans created by heroes don’t work
Carefully planned, deliberate and deliberated
small steps that recognise the changing
opportunities and constraints inherent in the
Business.
Steps taken by people who are confident and
competent and are prepared to take a team
approach works.
We are talking about a different approach to project planning
TYPICAL APPROACH
• How life ought to be
• Focus on Outcomes, no distractions
• SMART Objectives
• Clear, detailed information
• Telling people ‘what to do’
• Monitor them closely
DIFFERENT APPROACH
• How life is
• Embracing different stakeholder views
• Writing a story to create meaning
• Co-creating the story with others
• Making sure everybody understands: Why, How, What
• Giving people freedom to deliver
We would like you to commit to giving our approach a try
Part 1 Outcome (this presentation)Outcome - Using stories to ENGAGE people so that they get involved in the project and the change agenda – WILLINGLY
Part 2 Outcome (next presentation)Giving people the DIRECTION and FREEDOM to do their bit successfully
More about Part 1 outcomes…
Understand stories; what are they for and how they work?
Write stories; use a template to create powerful stories
Understand how to engage through stories , share stories
with others
Getting complex projects done!
Engaging with Stories
More about Part 1 outcomes…
GETTING COMPLEX PROJECTS DONE
Writing and telling stories is a skill that can be learned but it needs practice
We’ll move to writing & telling stories…
…that engage hearts and minds
…that give projects meaning
…as a cause of something; move toward outcomes
…that deliver project results
…that are not merely passing on information
Exercise
What is a story?
A good place to start is our current thinking about stories
Do you have any working definitions of a story?
So, what is a story?
Using stories effectively requires raising awareness of 3 areas
• A story is an edited account of reality – are you clear what you are leaving in and out?
• A story is told to share a moral or point - are you clear what you are leaving in and out?
• A story has value to the hearer - are you clear the story is for
them and not about you?
Writing a story | Star Wars Example
MESS | A young farm boy, who dreams of adventure, lives in a galaxy torn by rebellion and war. He is pushed into the conflict after his aunt and uncle are killed by the Empire for the droids he possesses….
TURNAROUND | …An old master Obi Wan Kenobi trains him in the ancient warrior ways called the Force and with the help of a rogue pilot Hans Solo, Luke tries to destroy the death star in a star fighter but the machine fails and all looks doomed but then he remembers the lessons of the Force and hits the right spot and…
SUCCESS | …the Death Star is destroyed, and they all live to fight another day (and in another movie)
Exercise
Think for a moment about a story of your project
Where is the BUT ONE DAY…?
And, the THEY ALL LIVED HAPPILY EVER AFTER?
Where’s the drama, the threat, the emotion?
Why not have a go at writing the story of your project?
Writing your story | A better template
Current Situation
Prompts for Action
Consequences and Complications
Outcomes
Key Domino
Writing your story | Template – Star Wars
Current Situation | A young farm boy, who dreams of adventure, lives in a galaxy torn by rebellion and war
Prompts for Action | He is pushed into the conflict after his aunt and uncle are killed by the Empire for the droids he possesses….
Consequence & Complications| An old master Obi Wan Kenobi trains him in the ancient warrior ways called the Force and with the help of a rogue pilot Hans Solo, Luke tries to destroy the death star in a star fighter but the machine fails and all looks doomed but then he remembers the lessons of the Force and hits the right spot and…
Outcomes | …the Death Star is destroyed
Key domino | …they all live to fight another day (and in another movie)
Exercise
Now is a good time to have a go at writing the first draft of the story of your project.
How do bring your project to life and deliver results?
You are now at a point of crisis!
You have written your story and are ready to tell it. Ask yourself:
Why are you telling your story?
(By The Way: There is only one reason!)
The reason!
> You don’t want your audience to listen to your story> You don’t want your audience to appreciate it> You don’t even want your audience to live it
You want your audience to share your story!That’s why it needs to clear and well written
Engaging “…With Others”
We want to move our thinking
• From Tell - to Share
• From Have to - to Want to
• From Discussion/Debate - to Involve/Engage
And
From ‘audience as enemy’ - to ‘audience as co-creator’
Taking the lead BUT…
Co-creating the story with the audience
Circular breathing when playing a wind instrument
It’s a bit like…blowing and breathing at the same time
Sharing = telling and listening at the same time
Time for reflection
Let’s bring it all together
Our intentions were:
• Understand stories – what are they for and how they work
• Write stories – use a template to create powerful stories
• Engage through stories – share not tell stories with others
We want to bring our projects to life; give meaning
By sharing it with others we can talk it into existence
We want to write and share
Stories that engage hearts and minds
Stories that give meaning
Stories as a cause of something
Stories that deliver results
Using stories to deliver results in your project
And finally….
Why not have a go at writing or rewriting a story for a project and send it to us for review?