Project Portfolio Management: A View From The Management Trenches

11.3. SKILLS

Change agents implementing PPM need certain skills. Employees are unlikely to move out of their comfort zone and give up their secure position to adopt new processes and responsibilities unless the change agent exudes self-confidence, has strong convictions, and can articulate a clear vision of the end goal. In short, the person heading up the implementation of PPM must a leader. This person must be good at negotiating and be an effective consensus builder. He or she will have to choose battles smartly, make appropriate compromises when needed, but take a stand on positions when they're right. The person must be business (and politically) savvy, and excellent at influencing individuals over whom he or she has no authority. Otherwise a smooth implementation will be difficult. The heart of PPM is embedded in financial and business decisions. So in addition to all the skills mentioned above, this person needs to be able to talk the language of business and put issues concerning the PPM implementation in terms that business leaders can understand.

Foundational Principle The person heading up the PPM implementation must be a leader.