This posting was inspired by Peter Drucker's Manager's Journal article in the June 1, 2004 Wall Street Journal titled The Rules of Executive Class. The article was adapted from his article "What Makes an Effective Executive" appearing in the June issue of the Harvard Business Review. Mr. Drucker argues that effective executives don't need to be charismatic out-going leaders. Who am I to argue with Peter Drucker? So I won't. I'll use his eight prescribed practices to develop a list for those people who are in the role of project executive.

What is a project executive? I first heard the term only 5 years ago. While I haven't done any research on it my anecdotal experience suggests that more and more people are finding themselves in that role. Some companies are using the title to give status or to recognize the competence and increased responsibilities of a project manager. It falls in the line of assistant PM, project manager, Sr. PM, and project executive. The term even has its own abbreviation: PX. I propose we use the role to describe responsibilities for client relationship, growth or development of project managers, selection of project team members, and overall functioning of project teams. Mr. Drucker says effective executives all follow the same eight practices. The italicized statement at the beginning of each list item is by Peter Drucker. The text that follows is mine. Consider it one run-on Project e-Tip!

• Ask "What needs to be done?" Project executives are not the doers on any project. Still, project team members can get in a rut of doing what they have been doing. Or worse, doing what the plan says to do. Every day is a new day. Project team members learn, innovate, and face the unexpected. The PX can bring a perspective that shifts the drift of the project.
• Ask "What is right for the (project)?" Projects are single-purpose networks of commitment undertaken by temporary social systems. It is easy to imagine constituencies pursuing what is right only for them without regard to what is right for the project as a whole. As temporary organizations it might be hard to uncover the differences in the aims of the constituencies. Use your role as PX to bring the intentions of the many into alignment with the aims of the project.
• Develop (project) plans. This is where the PX can shine. Mr. Drucker describes action plans as "statements of intention that need to be revised" as people have success or failure with the plan. The same is true for project plans. Project teams need help adjusting and revising project plans as they learn and innovate.
• Take responsibility for decisions. Selecting people for projects is one of the more important roles of the PX. It is neither art nor science. It's more like a crap-shoot. While we might try to follow a rule of assigning roles based on strengths, talents, and interests, we can make mistakes in our assessments. Own up quickly to your project organization decisions. Temporary organizations can't tolerate the inaction when it comes to team members that are not performing as needed.
• Take responsibility for communicating. One common sense view of communication is as information needs. Projects have different communication needs. The need is for the everyday functioning of the commitment-making and keeping practices of the team. The strength of the project team is developed in the network of commitment on the project. See to it that people have the habit of making and securing reliable promises.
• Focus on opportunities, not problems. Project teams are notorious for spending the bulk of their time dealing with what didn't go right yesterday. That focus on problem-solving gets in the way of pursuing the opportunities that just might allow the team to avoid problems. Let's not be naive to think the team can do this all by themselves. Make it a point to start your interactions with project team members with a conversation about the opportunities they see, then help the team pursue those opportunities.
• Make (project) meetings productive. Meetings are meetings are meetings. Right? Wrong! Design meetings for well-targeted purposes. Separate the meeting to review and adjust the project plan from the meeting to negotiate the work plan for the coming week. Have a stand-up five to ten minute meeting every day conducted by the PM or superintendent to hear reports of what was accomplished as promised and what is needed to fulfill the open promises. Bring an interest in learning to all of the meetings, but take time out on a regular basis for special sessions to explore how learnings can be exploited during the balance of the project.
• Think and say "We." The PX role is there to take care of the needs of the project team and the customer. Always put those needs and interests before your own interests.

Mr. Drucker offered a bonus practice he suggests executives take as a rule. Listen first; speak last. Ditto. Thank you Mr. Drucker!

posted by Hal at 1:08 PM | link  |   |   | Google It!  | Email This  |

The book The Third Opinion came highly recommended by someone who I've learned to think with for his third opinion. Previously, I used the term thinking partner. I frequently call on others for help in sorting out and exploring a range of perspectives on an issue and for speculating. I've haphazardly developed a loose network of thinking partners. The possibility of being more purposeful about that drew me to the book. Unfortunately, I was disappointed.

The idea is more powerful than the author's development of it. Dr. Saj-nicole A. Joni subtitled the book "How Successful Leaders Use Outside Insight to Create Superior Results." That did come through for me. She tells one mini case after another to illuminate elements of her various models of networked leadership. The author does a good job of developing those models in a step-by-step way. However, I was left thinking "Is that all there is?"

The author claims throughout the book that her own claims and insights are based on years of research. Unfortunately, she doesn't reveal what that research is, how it was conducted, or how she validated her conclusions.

What is the project leader or project executive to do with this? I'll tie The Third Opinion to a book that is having a big impact on many aspects of business and life, Tim Sanders' Love Is the Killer App. Tim claims that business works on three principles:

1. Develop expertise that you freely share with others. This is the opportunity for you to be the second or third opinion for others.
2. Develop your network. Make it a big network. One that you call on and are ready to be called. Be a connector for people in your network.
3. Bring compassion to your relationships. Another way of saying that is to be generous with your interpretations of others' intentions and actions.

The connection between the two books is obvious. By developing a network of support at the edge of our relationships we make ourselves and the network stronger. We can get more done. We can take on bigger challenges. We become more powerful along the way.

Tim Sanders is a key note speaker this week at the Coachville Annual Conference. I'll be attending, presenting, and blogging from the conference. Drop by at CoachBlog™.

posted by Hal at 9:37 AM | link  |   |   | Google It!  | Email This  |

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