Making Projects Work: Effective Stakeholder and Communication Management

Making Projects Work: Effective Stakeholder and Communication Management

Released February 2015
Publisher(s): CRC Press
ISBN: 9781498734752

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Book description

This book provides a framework for understanding and managing factors required for achieving successful project and program outcomes. It presents guidelines to help readers develop an understanding of governance and its connection to strategy as the starting point for decisions on what work needs to be done. The book describes how to craft appropriate communication strategies to develop and maintain successful relationships with stakeholders. It highlights the strengths and weaknesses of existing project controls and outlines effective communication techniques for managing expectations and acquiring the support required for successful delivery.

Table of contents

  1. Introduction
  2. The Components of Success
  3. About the Author
  4. Chapter 1: Making Projects Work
    1. Introduction
    2. The Communication Ecosystem
    3. Definitions
    4. Governance
      1. Strategic Management of Projects (Project Governance)
    5. What Should the Boundaries of the Project Be?
    6. Communication Influences Project Outcomes
    7. The Reality Check
      1. The Project Manager as Superhero: Represents the Hero Component of Project Management Culture
      2. The Schedule and the Gantt Chart Are Truth: Represents the Symbol Component of Project Management Culture
      3. Project Reports Are Clear Representations of Project Progress: Represents the Rituals Component of Project Management Culture
      4. Operating within the Power Relationships of the Organization Is Manipulation: Represents the Value Component of Project Management Culture
      5. Risk Management Is a Rational Process: Represents the Value Component of Project Management Culture
    8. Conclusion
  5. Chapter 2: Stakeholders and Organizational Value
    1. Introduction
    2. What Is a Stakeholder?
      1. A Stakeholder Has a Stake
      2. Interest
      3. Rights
      4. Ownership
      5. Contribution of Knowledge (or Experience)
      6. Contribution of Support
    3. Stakeholder Engagement
      1. Implications for Successful Stakeholder Engagement in Projects
    4. Expectations
      1. Asking
      2. Research
      3. Surveys
    5. Stakeholder Theory
      1. Approaches to Stakeholder Relationships
      2. Dimension 1: Political Perspectives of Stakeholders
      3. Dimension 2: Purpose and Objectives of Considering Stakeholders
      4. Dimension 3: Value of Considering Stakeholders
      5. Dimension 4: Consideration of the Stakeholder Intervention Level
      6. Dimension 5: Consideration of the Degree of Stakeholder Enforcement
    6. Organization Activities and Stakeholder Communities
      1. How Many Stakeholders?
    7. Analyzing the Stakeholder Community with the Stakeholder Circle
      1. Managing Stakeholder Relationships
      2. Step 1: Identify
      3. Step 2: Prioritize: How to Understand Who Is Important
        1. Power
        2. Proximity
        3. Urgency
        4. The Prioritization Process
      4. Step 3: Visualization: Presentation of Complex Data
      5. Step 4: Engage
        1. Application of Attitude in Organizations Today
        2. Examples of Engagement Profiles
      6. Step 5: Monitor the Effectiveness of the Communication
    8. The Value of Effective Stakeholder Engagement
      1. Zero Cost of Quality
      2. Value to the Organization
      3. On Time/On Budget Delivery
      4. Value to Stakeholders
      5. Value to the Project or the Organization
      6. Value to the Team
    9. Conclusion
  6. Chapter 3: Focus on Leadership: Theories for Leading and Managing
    1. Introduction
    2. What Is a Team?
    3. A History of Management
    4. Henri Fayol: Functions of Management
    5. Scientific Management (Frederick Taylor)
    6. The Hawthorne Experiments and Their Findings
    7. Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs
    8. Herzberg’s Hygiene Theory
    9. McGregor’s Theory X and Theory Y
    10. Theories of Leadership
    11. The Leadership of Ernest Shackleton
    12. Goleman’s Leadership Styles
    13. Trait Theory
    14. Transactional Leadership
    15. Charismatic Leadership
    16. Transformational Leadership
    17. Situational Leadership
    18. Authentic Leadership
    19. Vroom’s Expectancy Theory and Decision Model
    20. Making Decisions
    21. Define the Problem
    22. The Decision-Making Process: Who Should Be Involved?
    23. How Can We Minimize the Effect of Personal Preference and Bias?
    24. Alternatives: How Do You Prioritize Alternatives? Reduce Uncertainty?
    25. Implement the Solution and Review the Effectiveness of the Implementation
    26. Conclusion
  7. Chapter 4: Focus on Downwards: The Practicalities of Leading the Project Team
    1. Introduction
    2. Emotional Intelligence
    3. The Nature of Teams
    4. Team Formation and Construction
    5. Agile Teams
    6. The Leaders’ Role in Successful Agile Projects
    7. Virtual Teams
    8. Theories of Team Development
    9. Tuckman’s Model of Team Formation
    10. Forming
    11. Storming
    12. Norming
    13. Performing
    14. Adjourning
    15. How This Model Is Useful
    16. How Good Is This Model?
    17. Swift Trust
    18. Swift Trust Works When
    19. The Tool Kit of a Leader
    20. Motivation
    21. Counteracting Social Loafing
    22. Other Demotivators
    23. Delegation and Motivation
    24. Delegation
    25. The Benefits of Delegation
    26. Feedback
    27. Giving Negative Feedback
    28. Preparing to Give Feedback
    29. Managing Conflict
    30. Blake and Mouton’s Approach
    31. Interventions to Minimize Potential Conflict
    32. Coaching
    33. Conclusion
  8. Chapter 5: Focus on Managing Upwards
    1. Introduction
    2. The Managers’ Dilemma
    3. Making the Transition to the Executive Level
    4. Five Levels of Leadership
    5. The Sponsor
    6. Three Important Rules for Sponsor Engagement
    7. Power within Organizations
    8. Dealing with Difficult Stakeholders
    9. Helping the Sponsor Help You (and Your Project)
    10. When the Sponsor Leaves the Project
    11. Managing Relations with Senior Stakeholders
    12. Building Trust
    13. Dealing with Difficult Bosses
    14. The Incompetent Boss
    15. Micromanager
    16. Gives Unclear Instruction, Is Disorganized
    17. Blames Others or Takes Undue Credit
    18. Acts Like a Tyrant or a “Game Player”
    19. Saying No
    20. Intelligent Disobedience
    21. Conclusion
  9. Chapter 6: Focus on Sidewards and Outwards Stakeholders
    1. Introduction
    2. Sidewards and Outwards Stakeholders
    3. Sidewards Stakeholders
    4. Outwards Stakeholders
    5. Networks
    6. Definitions
    7. Different Types of Networks
    8. Degrees of Separation
    9. The Power of Networks
    10. Emotions and Networks
    11. Applying the Theories of Networks to Managing the Expectations of Stakeholders
    12. Social Media
    13. Using Social Media Effectively in Projects
    14. LinkedIn and Social Distance
    15. Finding Influence Networks around the Project Stakeholder Community
    16. Traps in Building Networks
    17. Avoiding the Traps
    18. Negotiation
    19. What Is Negotiation?
    20. Four Concepts of Negotiation
    21. BATNA: Best Alternative to a Negotiated Agreement
    22. Reservation Price
    23. ZOPA: Zone of Possible Agreement
    24. Value Creation through Trade-offs
    25. The Negotiation Process
    26. Conclusion
  10. Chapter 7: Culture and Other Factors that Influence Communication
    1. Introduction
    2. Perception and “Reality”
    3. The Role of the Brain
    4. The Brain Hardwires Everything It Can
    5. “You Create Your Own Reality”
    6. How Do We Know These Things?
    7. Personality
    8. Culture
    9. In-Group/Out-Group
    10. Dimensions of Culture
    11. Power Distance
    12. Individualism/Collectivism
    13. Masculinity/Femininity
    14. Uncertainty Avoidance
    15. Long-term/Short-term Orientation
    16. Indulgent/Restrained
    17. Generational Culture
    18. Professional Culture
    19. Gender
    20. The Social Context of Gender
    21. Gender Stereotypes
    22. Gender Priming
    23. Workplace Discrimination
    24. Gender Differences
    25. Discourse: The Sharing of Information
    26. Organizational Culture
    27. Meetings
    28. Planning and Control
    29. Theories of Motivation
    30. Conclusion
  11. Chapter 8: Communication
    1. Introduction
    2. Types of Stakeholder Communication
    3. Communication Competence
    4. What Is Communication?
    5. Aspects of Successful Communication: The Power of Words
    6. Metaphors
    7. Persuasion
    8. Active Listening
    9. Communication Essentials
    10. Defining the Purpose
    11. Understanding the Recipient of the Communication
    12. Monitoring Implementation and Measuring Effectiveness
    13. Aristotelian Communication
    14. Preparing for Effective Communication
    15. The Message: Format and Content
    16. In Conclusion: Putting It All Together
    17. References

Product information

  • Title: Making Projects Work: Effective Stakeholder and Communication Management
  • Author(s):
  • Release date: February 2015
  • Publisher(s): CRC Press
  • ISBN: 9781498734752