Description
Working with people & communicating effectively (in the context of projects), Explored through some of the common pitfalls encountered and how to avoid them
Working and Communicating with
People on Projects
Richard Fryer
Group Manager, Organisational Effectiveness
The ground we will cover
? Working with people & communicating effectively (in the
context of projects)
? Explored through some of the common pitfalls encountered
and how to avoid them
Why is this stuff important?
? Project failure is most often due to insufficient attention
being placed on people or cultural issues.
? Common sense, not commonly applied
An example of the size of the prize…
- Service transformation in Aviva
? Last to first inside 18
months – independently
evaluated
? Successfully followed the
few simple principles I
am about to share with
you
Aug Oct Dec Feb March May July Sept
-20%
0%
20%
40%
60%
Aviva
2006 2005
Service Rating
55% 34% 8% 19% -5% -10% -1% -21%
Aviva Scores
Source: Aviva commissioned independent research.
Net score represents distributor net score
(excellent/good less quite poor/poor service).
Lines represent Aviva and competitor scores.
Challenging how we think about change
Leaders have
all the
answers
High risk requires
high control
People do what
they are told
Fear is a good
motivator
Myths – that unconsciously
drive our project designs
The only way we can
solve complex
problems and deal
with uncertainty is by
engaging everyone
3 Pitfalls to effective engagement
1. Focusing too much on solution design
2. Failing to achieve voluntary co-operation of the workforce
3. Paying insufficient attention to the formation of teams at
the outset of a project
Pitfall 1 – Focussing too heavily on solution
design
? In my experience „project management? often places
insufficient attention on:
? Building commitment to the need to change
? Building habits with the new ways
Pitfall 1 – A narrow focus on solution design
Will ‘Solution’ Design Habit
Will Solution Habit
Traditional Projects
Taking a more sociological perspective
TRUST PLACED IN THE HANDS OF TOO
FEW “CLEVER’ PEOPLE
What matters most is not the quality of
the solution, but rather the process through
which a critical mass of the workforce are
engaged in the new ways
[Source: Tipping Point
leadership, Chan Kim]
What?s wrong with focussing on solution
design?
? Assumes that great design means great outcome – we
focus too much on WHAT rather than HOW
? When things go wrong, we try and improve the quality of
the solution, rather than engaging with the workforce
? We often forget to build „will? in our need to move quickly
into design
? Resources are often routed to new projects too soon
before habits are fully formed and benefits often don?t
eventuate
Overcoming Pitfall 1 - Summary
? Take a broad perspective in project scoping
? The majority of time should be spent in Will and Habit
? Often for projects to realise benefits people need to do
things differently – the best solutions in the world don?t
guarantee this – encouraging people to use their brains
does
Pitfall 2 – Failing to achieve voluntary co-
operation of the workforce
? Traditional management tools of job profiles, cascaded
communication, financial incentives etc are ineffective at
encouraging people to go the extra mile
? We need to think less about what we want people to do,
and more about the process of engaging them
Pitfall 2 – Failing to achieve voluntary co-
operation
Traditional tools
•Resource allocation
•Economic incentives
•Role profiles
Management
tool
Attitude
Behaviour
Performance
“I get what I deserve”
“I do what I?m told”
Meet Expectations
Fair Process
•Engagement
•Explanation
•Expectation clarity
“I feel my opinion counts”
“I go beyond the call
of duty”
Exceed Expectations
It really is more about ‘How’ than ‘What’
[Source: Fair Process, Managing in the Knowledge Economy, Chan Kim]
Communicating using Fair Process
ENGAGEMENT
EXPLANATION
EXPECTATION
•Engage end-users in a meaningful dialogue
•Honest 2-way exchange of views
•Decisions by leaders, not consensus
•The leader explains the decision they have made
•Explain why the decision was made
•Demonstrate how you were influenced by those
who were engaged
•Describe the expectations you have of people
in the ‘new world’
•Orient people to the future rather than the past
Why Fair Process
ENGAGEMENT
EXPLANATION
EXPECTATION
•The right people are often missed because they
are not viewed as ‘stakeholders’
•People are not engaged early enough i.e. before
a decision has been made
•Decisions are frequently not explained or not
explained in a meaningful way
•Leaders forget that process is more critical than
outcome – making a decision is not enough
•People often do the same things they’ve always
done even once a decision is made because
leaders are not clear enough about what they
now expect
Overcoming Pitfall 2 - Summary
? Communicate using Fair Process
? If people are disengaging it?s often a sign that you?re not
doing enough in one or more of the 3 E’s
? Not engaging enough of the right people early enough
? Not explaining your decisions
? Not being clear about your expectations
Level Merger Mindset Description
1
My way is the only way Ignorance about others
2
My way is the best way Arrogance / superiority
3
You have some good ways too Understanding / Objective
understanding
4
Let me learn from your ways Openness to possible benefits
5
Let’s build a new way together New identity – best of all
worlds
[Source: Walking the Talk, Carolyn Taylor]
Pitfall 3 – A belief that teams form themselves
Overcoming Pitfall 3 - Summary
? Design an intentional approach to building your
project team into your plans
? Assume that people will resist working together
initially (perhaps only unconsciously) – but that this
will improve with time spent together
Conclusions
? To work and communicate effectively with people on
projects…
1. Focus on building will and habits, rather than
putting all the emphasis on world class solutions
2. Lead using Fair Process in order to build voluntary
co-operation through engagement of the whole
workforce
3. Pay conscious attention to the creation of teams
Questions?
BACKUP
5 stages of being lost – Laurence
Gonzales
1. Deny you?re lost – press on with urgency
2. Realise you?re lost – urgency becomes
panic
3. Desperately seek anything that looks
familiar – seek confirmation that you?re not
lost
4. Deteriorate rationally and emotionally
5. Admit you?re lost
Quotes
? We’re lost but we’re making good time
– Yogi Berra
? Fear is the cheapest room in the
house – I would like to see you living
in better conditions – Buddhist
proverb
? Those who lose dreaming are lost –
Aboriginal proverb
Are we lost in our projects
sometimes?
? Admitting we are lost takes courage
and is an emotional transformation
doc_789686583.ppt
Working with people & communicating effectively (in the context of projects), Explored through some of the common pitfalls encountered and how to avoid them
Working and Communicating with
People on Projects
Richard Fryer
Group Manager, Organisational Effectiveness
The ground we will cover
? Working with people & communicating effectively (in the
context of projects)
? Explored through some of the common pitfalls encountered
and how to avoid them
Why is this stuff important?
? Project failure is most often due to insufficient attention
being placed on people or cultural issues.
? Common sense, not commonly applied
An example of the size of the prize…
- Service transformation in Aviva
? Last to first inside 18
months – independently
evaluated
? Successfully followed the
few simple principles I
am about to share with
you
Aug Oct Dec Feb March May July Sept
-20%
0%
20%
40%
60%
Aviva
2006 2005
Service Rating
55% 34% 8% 19% -5% -10% -1% -21%
Aviva Scores
Source: Aviva commissioned independent research.
Net score represents distributor net score
(excellent/good less quite poor/poor service).
Lines represent Aviva and competitor scores.
Challenging how we think about change
Leaders have
all the
answers
High risk requires
high control
People do what
they are told
Fear is a good
motivator
Myths – that unconsciously
drive our project designs
The only way we can
solve complex
problems and deal
with uncertainty is by
engaging everyone
3 Pitfalls to effective engagement
1. Focusing too much on solution design
2. Failing to achieve voluntary co-operation of the workforce
3. Paying insufficient attention to the formation of teams at
the outset of a project
Pitfall 1 – Focussing too heavily on solution
design
? In my experience „project management? often places
insufficient attention on:
? Building commitment to the need to change
? Building habits with the new ways
Pitfall 1 – A narrow focus on solution design
Will ‘Solution’ Design Habit
Will Solution Habit
Traditional Projects
Taking a more sociological perspective
TRUST PLACED IN THE HANDS OF TOO
FEW “CLEVER’ PEOPLE
What matters most is not the quality of
the solution, but rather the process through
which a critical mass of the workforce are
engaged in the new ways
[Source: Tipping Point
leadership, Chan Kim]
What?s wrong with focussing on solution
design?
? Assumes that great design means great outcome – we
focus too much on WHAT rather than HOW
? When things go wrong, we try and improve the quality of
the solution, rather than engaging with the workforce
? We often forget to build „will? in our need to move quickly
into design
? Resources are often routed to new projects too soon
before habits are fully formed and benefits often don?t
eventuate
Overcoming Pitfall 1 - Summary
? Take a broad perspective in project scoping
? The majority of time should be spent in Will and Habit
? Often for projects to realise benefits people need to do
things differently – the best solutions in the world don?t
guarantee this – encouraging people to use their brains
does
Pitfall 2 – Failing to achieve voluntary co-
operation of the workforce
? Traditional management tools of job profiles, cascaded
communication, financial incentives etc are ineffective at
encouraging people to go the extra mile
? We need to think less about what we want people to do,
and more about the process of engaging them
Pitfall 2 – Failing to achieve voluntary co-
operation
Traditional tools
•Resource allocation
•Economic incentives
•Role profiles
Management
tool
Attitude
Behaviour
Performance
“I get what I deserve”
“I do what I?m told”
Meet Expectations
Fair Process
•Engagement
•Explanation
•Expectation clarity
“I feel my opinion counts”
“I go beyond the call
of duty”
Exceed Expectations
It really is more about ‘How’ than ‘What’
[Source: Fair Process, Managing in the Knowledge Economy, Chan Kim]
Communicating using Fair Process
ENGAGEMENT
EXPLANATION
EXPECTATION
•Engage end-users in a meaningful dialogue
•Honest 2-way exchange of views
•Decisions by leaders, not consensus
•The leader explains the decision they have made
•Explain why the decision was made
•Demonstrate how you were influenced by those
who were engaged
•Describe the expectations you have of people
in the ‘new world’
•Orient people to the future rather than the past
Why Fair Process
ENGAGEMENT
EXPLANATION
EXPECTATION
•The right people are often missed because they
are not viewed as ‘stakeholders’
•People are not engaged early enough i.e. before
a decision has been made
•Decisions are frequently not explained or not
explained in a meaningful way
•Leaders forget that process is more critical than
outcome – making a decision is not enough
•People often do the same things they’ve always
done even once a decision is made because
leaders are not clear enough about what they
now expect
Overcoming Pitfall 2 - Summary
? Communicate using Fair Process
? If people are disengaging it?s often a sign that you?re not
doing enough in one or more of the 3 E’s
? Not engaging enough of the right people early enough
? Not explaining your decisions
? Not being clear about your expectations
Level Merger Mindset Description
1
My way is the only way Ignorance about others
2
My way is the best way Arrogance / superiority
3
You have some good ways too Understanding / Objective
understanding
4
Let me learn from your ways Openness to possible benefits
5
Let’s build a new way together New identity – best of all
worlds
[Source: Walking the Talk, Carolyn Taylor]
Pitfall 3 – A belief that teams form themselves
Overcoming Pitfall 3 - Summary
? Design an intentional approach to building your
project team into your plans
? Assume that people will resist working together
initially (perhaps only unconsciously) – but that this
will improve with time spent together
Conclusions
? To work and communicate effectively with people on
projects…
1. Focus on building will and habits, rather than
putting all the emphasis on world class solutions
2. Lead using Fair Process in order to build voluntary
co-operation through engagement of the whole
workforce
3. Pay conscious attention to the creation of teams
Questions?
BACKUP
5 stages of being lost – Laurence
Gonzales
1. Deny you?re lost – press on with urgency
2. Realise you?re lost – urgency becomes
panic
3. Desperately seek anything that looks
familiar – seek confirmation that you?re not
lost
4. Deteriorate rationally and emotionally
5. Admit you?re lost
Quotes
? We’re lost but we’re making good time
– Yogi Berra
? Fear is the cheapest room in the
house – I would like to see you living
in better conditions – Buddhist
proverb
? Those who lose dreaming are lost –
Aboriginal proverb
Are we lost in our projects
sometimes?
? Admitting we are lost takes courage
and is an emotional transformation
doc_789686583.ppt