PM fundamentals for running a business 

Stephen Repton at Flowlio explains how the fundamentals of project management should be applied to everyday company life

 

A company project, from the introduction of a major new IT system to an HQ redevelopment, needs a clear, logical structure, driven by several fundamental principles, if it is to succeed. This includes regular, open communication, centralised reporting and good senior-leader visibility on progress.

As a project-management (PM) consultant and the founder of a project-management training and SaaS company, I have taught and advised many companies on the key techniques and methods behind PM. I have helped them ensure a specific project runs smoothly, achieves its aims, meets budgets and boosts company efficiency and productivity. I’ve also helped put many failing initiatives back on track.

But such skills and methods should not be confined to project management. They should not be something a small, sub team, or perhaps just a single project manager, practise for a few weeks, then forget about. All organisations should enable and teach their staff to apply them to every aspect of their work. This will create a joined-up approach to the creation of business transformation, efficiency and success, reducing organisational risk.

 

PM fundamentals for every organisation to follow
It’s an unfortunate fact, but the majority of UK projects, across manufacturing, services and most other industries, fail or fall short of their goals. But a common thread among most of those that succeed is that they set clear, realistic goals and expectations before any work begins. 

 

Managers consult, in detail, all stakeholders and staff. If a new data system is being introduced, for instance, they ask everyone from HR administrators to suppliers and engineers how the current system is coming up short and what changes they, specifically, need. They’ll make sure that new procedures and resources and the way they are introduced are positive and workable for all concerned in their everyday jobs.

 

A good project leader doesn’t impose plans top-down with little or no consultation, informed only by overviews or the perspectives of a handful of senior leaders. Developing objectives with as many relevant people as possible not only avoids unexpected project shortcomings, but also gives employees a sense of ownership on initiatives. This creates employee motivation and engagement to help make a project a success.

 

This fundamental principle should be applied in exactly the same way in everyday management. A new or old procedure might seem sensible at one level, but leaders need to check it makes sense for their team. Do methods or resources help most individuals do their jobs better or just a few of them? Managers should consult with teams to explain the ideas and goals behind all plans and sub plans to get their input and buy-in to give them a much better chance of working.

 

Another fundamental thread that tends to run through successful projects is good communication. On a building project, for instance, HR teams, construction firms, facilities managers and material suppliers will coordinate to make sure that plans are followed in such a way that all staff can get on with their jobs with minimal disruption, while a new office takes shape with minimal delivery delays. They’ll make sure there is no overlapping of work between teams and that the building work keeps to budget. 

 

All good working practice requires such transparent, collaborative communication. When an individual or team isn’t clearly telling other departments what they are doing and when, this leads to silos, doubling up of tasks and even resentment.

Centralised, real-time reporting of task progress helps avoid this. Software systems that everyone can access and feed information into may be particularly useful. If all teams can see exactly how close colleagues are to finishing a task that affects their work or when certain resources, from product samples to funds, will be available, it allows for fluid workflow and a sense of togetherness. 

 

It also allows senior leaders to spot or be alerted to any snags or issues early, so they can intervene before they become a more serious problem. There’s no reason at all why such tools should be restricted to project management – they could be a tremendous boost for everyone from CEOs coordinating heads of department to senior engineers coordinating teams engaged in ongoing maintenance. 

 

A project is usually only deemed to be a success if clear, detailed reporting and documentation is available, showing how it has met its objectives and stuck, as closely as possible, to budget. All activity should be traceable to make sure individual successes are properly rewarded and to allow problems and failings to be investigated easily. 

 

One doesn’t want to create new, involved administrative tasks for teams,  but again, good software systems and the judicious use of AI can help create such reporting. Too often day-to-day work goes unrecorded in companies. This can lead to miscommunication, overlooking systemic issues and unfair criticisms, so managers need to place more emphasis on documenting what teams do.

 

If the positive outcomes of a project, such as the implementation of a new technological solution, can swiftly be observed in business-as-usual at a company, this is possibly the greatest measure of success. 

 

But all too often organisations undertake projects without well- defined route maps for their implementation. For even the most innovative or well-intentioned project, this can create disruption and confusion. 

 

Setting out a series of stages and tasks that must be completed and signed off by stakeholders, before any new initiative is implemented, should be an essential rule for any manager. All involved must feel sure that a new way of working or a new product will only become part of their work when they are ready for it and when they can be reasonably sure it will boost their particular tasks and roles.

 

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Stephen Repton is CEO and founder of Manchester-based Flowlio. It offers management training for all staff and a SaaS tool for managing projects from initial idea, to implementation, to business-as-usual. For more information, visit www.flowlio.co.uk/

 

Main image courtesy of iStockPhoto.com and Galeanu Mihai