PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT
...making sure the team know what’s going on and keeping in continual contact with suppliers and delivery partners....
alone from the organisation and leave people feeling they have been distant from the work undertaken or the outcomes achieved. Of course, everyone wants the project delivered on time, on budget and with the agreed quality – but it doesn’t always work out like that, especially if the expectations are unrealistic. This is a point highlighted by Jason Clark, CIPP training and quality assessment manager. He believes time should be spent exploring the questions such as: what do you want to achieve and why? What benefits are you expecting and what happens if it doesn’t go to plan? Clark says: “I have been working on a project recently to create new e-learning products for the CIPP. With a lot of hard work from a lot of stakeholders we have achieved this with new courses, live as you read. We set realistic deadlines and sufficient slack in case of the inevitable slippage. I’m proud of what we have created and we brought the project in two months early!” So what of the personal skills needed for competent project management? While success in managing payroll and HR (human resources) tech project implementations doesn’t demand a formal project management qualification, Hodgson recommends swotting up on the essential techniques. “Absolutely essential are good organisational skills, and being willing to organise others who aren’t that way inclined,” she says. “You’ll need decent negotiation skills too. Some of the most successful project managers I’ve come across are strong negotiators. It’s an
extremely useful skill where you have multiple stakeholders who may have different priorities or needs.” Cheney, meanwhile, emphasises the importance of leadership. “Yes, everyone’s leadership styles are different based on their personality,” he acknowledges, “but it’s important to develop leadership skills that allow you to manage people positively, and not just the tasks in hand.” Scheduling is also a vital skill, he says, as it’s needed to deliver the project within the expected timeframe. By scheduling, you are able to break the overall goal into tasks, with a timeline for completing them. Cheney also values critical thinking, “because you need to be as objective as you can in analysing and evaluating issues and situations”. Possibly the most important skill, though, is communication. This, says Cheney, goes hand in hand with leadership. “Project leaders need to master the art of getting their ideas and tasks across to their team, while also allowing for team members to make suggestions and present ideas to you,” he explains. Davenport agrees, commenting: “Active listening will help you fully understand current situations and then be able to articulate and promote the benefits of the project to all who may be in receipt of the output.”
Clark says it’s important to be open and honest about the project, making sure the team know what’s going on and keeping in continual contact with suppliers and delivery partners in case there are any issues. “On a recent project,” he recalls, “the work the supplier I was working with had issues with quality. Effective communication was key to ensuring this got back on track.” Clark also recommends keeping an eye on the bigger picture. “It’s very easy to get bogged down in the minutiae of each task,” he says. “If something isn’t going to plan, look at the wider picture. How is the overall project affected? Can that one element be delayed? Does it matter if something is delivered early? Seeing the overall project will help you to understand the detail better.” Organisation is also important to ensure the project both starts correctly with plans and outputs agreed, together with risks known and monitored, costs reviewed and resources correctly allocated at the time of need. Davenport advises: “Being able to regularly report on progress and where you are up to means that delegation is a necessary skill as you will not be able or expected to deliver all work, and may have sub-contractors or third parties working with you. This then requires diplomacy and political skills to ensure everyone is aligned to the goals, even though some may be part of the project but not part of the future.” It’s worth remembering you can’t bear all the load yourself. As Hodgson points out, in managing the project you’re going to be very reliant on a supportive team. Most people will be running the implementation project alongside their ‘day job’ so it’s important to earn their support and win their agreement and commitment to participate. “Help your people picture the road ahead and imagine the outcomes. Use open and clear communication,” says Hodgson. “Once everyone is on board, agree their specific roles. Make sure everyone is really clear on exactly what’s expected from them, but don’t be afraid to
| Professional in Payroll, Pensions and Reward | June 2020 | Issue 61 14
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