Why Introverts Make Great Project Managers

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1 introverted project managers

There’s a common myth that great project managers have to be loud, outgoing, and constantly in the spotlight. In reality? Some of the best project managers are introverts. This article by Anna Lung’aho Anderson explains not only why but how introverts can lean into their strengths to manage projects.

Think about it. Introverts are natural deep thinkers. They are strong listeners and thoughtful communicators. They don’t just talk; they observe, analyze, and strategize. These qualities make for incredibly effective leadership, even in a role that requires managing teams and engaging with stakeholders.

But here’s where it gets tricky. Many introverts hesitate to step into leadership roles because they assume they’re at a disadvantage.  They see their extroverted peers effortlessly commanding attention in meetings, networking with ease, and jumping into conversations without hesitation. It’s easy to think, “Maybe I’m not cut out for this. Maybe this is not for me.”

It turns out that introverts don’t have to change who they are to succeed as project managers. They just need to lean into their natural strengths.

  • Deep listening leads to better problem-solving. While others rush to speak, introverts take time to truly understand issues, leading to more thoughtful decision-making.
  • Strategic thinking makes them proactive leaders. Instead of reacting impulsively, introverts plan ahead, minimizing risks before they become problems.
  • Thoughtful communication fosters strong relationships. Introverts might not be the loudest in the room, but when they speak, people listen—because their words are intentional and impactful.

The key isn’t becoming more extroverted. It’s about leveraging what already makes you great. Confidence in leadership comes from knowing how to lead in your own way. 

If you’ve ever doubted that you can succeed as a project manager because you’re an introvert, know this: your quiet strengths can make you an exceptional leader.

Here are some FAQs asked at a recent Office Hours LinkedIn broadcast that Anna and Bonnie did:

  1. How important is setting boundaries as an introvert while still showing confidence?
    • Very important! Boundaries help you protect your energy and focus. Setting them confidently shows leadership, not weakness.
  2. What if focused thinking time is misunderstood as isolating?
    • Communicate upfront: “I’m taking an hour to strategize and will circle back.” That shows leadership, not isolation.
  3. How can introverts lead meetings effectively?
    • Prepare a clear agenda, guide the conversation with purpose, and summarize decisions. You don’t have to be loud to lead well.
  4. Are there other ways to grow as a leader besides meeting prep?
    • Daily reflection, practicing assertive communication, taking small leadership roles, and finding a mentor are great ways to build leadership muscle.
  5. How do I network on LinkedIn when recruiters are overwhelmed?
    • Personalized messages are key. Reach out to peers and recruiters with genuine curiosity, not just job asks. Make connections intentional and not transactional. Add a note when connecting and be ready to utilize the time to build relationships.
  6. How do I present confidently in high-stake meetings?
    • Prepare, speak clearly and concisely, and don’t be afraid to pause before answering. Visual aids help, too.
  7. How do I prep for meetings without working late?
    • Block time during the day, use templates, prioritize, and delegate when possible.
  8. Does family management count as project management experience?
    • Yes! Organizing, budgeting, and coordinating are real PM skills. Frame them that way!

Does this resonate with you? What’s been your biggest challenge (or advantage) as an introverted project manager?

What’s one strength you’re ready to embrace as an introverted PM?

We’re cheering you on!

For more about how to put your introvert strength to work in project management, check out Anna’s course, Succeeding in Project Management as an Introvert.

 

My course Project Management Foundations was #2 in LinkedIn Learning’s Most Popular courses of 2024. Watch it for free with this link!

 

 

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This article belongs to the Bonnie’s Project Pointers newsletter series, which has more than 88,000 subscribers. This newsletter is 100% written by a human (no aliens or AIs involved). If you like this article, you can subscribe to receive notifications when a new article posts.

Want to learn more about the topics I talk about in these newsletters? Watch my courses in the LinkedIn Learning Library and tune into my LinkedIn Office Hours live broadcasts.

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Should You Resurrect That Doomed Project?

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Newsletter Graphic Advice The PM is IN

Dear Bonnie,
I’ve been asked to relaunch a project that flatlined six months ago. Tasks just…stopped happening. Status meetings turned into ghost towns. So, I stopped managing and reporting on it, and—surprise—no one seemed to care. Now, someone wants me to resurrect it. How do I know if this is a great second chance or a reputation-ruining time sink?

Sincerely, Frustrated and Wary

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Dear Frustrated and Wary,

When people lose faith in a project, they can always find more exciting things to do, like rearranging their pens or watching the air conditioning fluff their colleague’s combover. Before you grab the defibrillator and attempt a project revival, let’s determine if this thing even has a pulse.

  1. Who’s behind this reboot request?
    And I don’t mean the person who emailed you. I mean the real puppet master. If it’s the same folks who let it wither before, be skeptical. If it’s someone new, they might actually have the muscle to keep it alive this time.
  2. How much power do they have?
    Can they actually assign resources and secure funding, or are they just optimistic cheerleaders? Also, are they stepping up to be the project sponsor? If not, brace yourself for another round of the “Let’s-Pretend-This-Is-Important” game.
  3. Are they in it for the long haul?
    A sponsor needs to have three things: commitment, knowledge of what this project is supposed to do, and the stamina to see it through. If they’re just looking for a quick win to impress their boss, you might be saddled with another slow-motion failure.
  4. Does the project even make sense anymore?
    If the business case was weak last time, that could explain why everyone abandoned ship. Check if it’s still relevant. Otherwise it’s a sequel to the “Who Can Ignore This the Longest?” franchise.
  5. What’s competing for resources?
    Are there bigger, shinier projects that will drain away your people and budget the moment things get tough? If your project isn’t a priority now, it won’t be six months from now either—except maybe as a future “lessons learned” cautionary tale.

If, after this reality check, the project looks like it might stand on its own two feet, go for it. But don’t keep your findings to yourself—share them with the key players and team members. If you’re skeptical, they probably are too. Better to address doubts upfront than watch history repeat itself.

Good luck—and maybe keep a eulogy handy, just in case.
Bonnie

 

If you have a project-related question, add it in the Comments section or send me a message on LinkedIn.

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This article belongs to the Bonnie’s Project Pointers newsletter series, which has more than 87,000 subscribers. This newsletter is 100% written by a human (no aliens or AIs involved). If you like this article, you can subscribe to receive notifications when a new article posts.

Want to learn more about the topics I talk about in these newsletters? Watch my courses in the LinkedIn Learning Library and tune into my LinkedIn Office Hours live broadcasts.

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Prioritization? What Prioritization?

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Newsletter Graphic Advice The PM is IN

Dear Bonnie,
I’m working on a project whose budget was cut by 50%. I’ve read that prioritizing requirements is one way to handle this. That way, we can reduce scope by delivering only the most important items. When I asked stakeholders to do this, 90% of the requirements came back as priority 1. They didn’t even have the decency to use priority 2. The few that weren’t priority 1 were labeled priority 1A!

How can I deliver successfully after this budget cut?

Signed,
Beg, Borrow, and Steal?

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Dear BB&S,
Oof! Cutting the budget in half is like ordering a new car and getting a 2010 Honda Civic smelling like cat puke.

You’re on the right track asking stakeholders to prioritize their requirements. But you underestimated their ability to consider everything a life-or-death necessity. You need to give them a prioritization model.

Here are two possible approaches:

1) Pairwise Comparison (a.k.a. The Cage Match Method)

This works well when you have a manageable number of requirements. A lot like an MMA cage match, stakeholders pit each requirement against each other to see who walks out unassisted. When you’re done, the ones with the most victories stagger to the top. Here’s an example:

priority pairwise table

 

 

 

 

 

  1. The lower half of the table is blacked out because all the one-on-one comparisons are completed by filling out the top half of the chart. (Comparing Req 1 to Req 2 is the same as comparing Req 2 to Req 1 so you don’t have to do the comparison twice.)
  2. Counting the votes gives you the priority. In this example, the voting is:
  1. Req 2 = 3
  2. Req 3 = 3
  3. Req 1 = 2
  4. Req 4 = 2
  5. Req 5= 0
  1. Two requirements are tied at 3, and two at 2 but you still have a prioritization. Just compare the tied elements to each other! 
  1. When Req 2 was compared to Req 3, Req 3 won, so Req 2 is a lower priority than Req 3
  2. When Req 1 was compared to Req 4, Req 4 won, so Req 1 is lower priority than Req 4
  1. The resulting priority is:
  1. Req 3
  2. Req 2
  3. Req 4
  4. Req 1
  5. Req 5

This process works if you have up to about 40 requirements. More than that, and you’ll have a spreadsheet that looks like a conspiracy theorist’s string diagram.

2) The “Split in Half – Twice” Technique

If you’ve got a boatload of requirements, this method keeps things under control:

  1. Ask stakeholders to cut the list in half—choosing only the requirements they’d keep if they could only have 50%. After doing this, you have two lists – top half and bottom half.
  2. Repeat the process with each half, splitting the top half into two and the bottom half into two. That gives you four priority levels for the requirements.

This approach is brutally effective because it forces stakeholders to make hard choices rather than clinging to their entire wish list like their teddy bear from childhood.

Give one of these methods a shot depending on how many requirements there are. Besides keeping prioritization from turning into an “everything is critical” party, you won’t have to consider selling your (or better idea, the stakeholders’) organs on the black market to make up the difference.

Cheers,
Bonnie

 

If you have a project-related question, add it in the Comments section or send me a message on LinkedIn.

 

Coming Up

Great project managers and salespeople have a lot in common – the most important being the goal of satisfying the customers’ needs. Join Dean Karrel and I for Office Hours on Friday, March 14, 2025 at 11am MT/1pm ET, we’ll discuss what project managers and salespeople both need to do in their jobs. We’ll also explore how the skills you might consider “pure sales” can help you be a better project manager. As an added bonus, Dean will share some tips on using technology and AI to handle sales activities more effectively. Click here to join!

My updated version of Agile Project Management with Microsoft Project has been published! Click here to watch.

 

_______________________________________

This article belongs to the Bonnie’s Project Pointers newsletter series, which has more than 87,000 subscribers. This newsletter is 100% written by a human (no aliens or AIs involved). If you like this article, you can subscribe to receive notifications when a new article posts.

Want to learn more about the topics I talk about in these newsletters? Watch my courses in the LinkedIn Learning Library and tune into my LinkedIn Office Hours live broadcasts.

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Better listening. Better results.

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Improve listeningNo matter how well you already listen, you can increase your success by listening even better. Here are exercises to strengthen your and your team’s listening skills. (And you’ll learn other important things at the same time.)

  • Before a discussion, draft the questions you want to get answered. Take a formal approach to getting the information you want from a discussion. Before a stakeholder meeting, meet with your team to identify what you need to know and understand. Write down the questions you will ask to get that information. If necessary, ask those questions at the stakeholder meeting. After the meeting, follow up with your team members so everyone can share their perspectives. Focus on areas where your perspectives differ. (Someone else might have picked up on something you missed.) Sure, this approach takes a bit more time, but it improves listening skills and builds understanding about stakeholders you don’t know well.
  • Make predictions and track surprises. Write down your prediction of what will be shared during a meeting. After the meeting, document your results. Were your predictions accurate? How were they shared? Were there any surprises, that is, things you didn’t expect to come up? Capture what you learned and what you need to explore further regarding those surprises. To improve, identify questions you could ask to avoid surprises in future meetings with the same stakeholder. This prep and analysis helps you learn your stakeholders’ styles and approaches so you can work with them in a way that’s comfortable for them.
  • Summarize presentations or podcasts. In a business world that relies on multi-tasking, we can’t always be where we want to be. Formally assign a team member to summarize a meeting and share it with others who couldn’t attend. To enhance your team’s knowledge, create a rotation where a team member listens to a podcast and then shares the lessons learned with the team at your weekly team meeting. This exercise provides listening practice and increases the team’s knowledge. Bonus approach: Ask two team members to listen and then compare notes before presenting their summary. This can help them understand items they might not have picked up, which helps improve their listening abilities.
  • Improve notes from an AI note-taking tool. AI note-taking tools are great efficiency enhancers, but they present a risk: We might depend on them rather than honing our listening skills. Take the time to listen to a meeting discussion. Focus on aspects that AI tools can overlook, like subtle emotions from tone or body language. This improves listening skills and gives you perspectives you can share regarding the strengths and weaknesses of your note-taking tool.

For more about listening skills, check out Dorie Clark’s course Improve Your Listening Skills or Tatiana Kolovou and Brenda Bailey-Hughes’ course Effective Listening.

 

My course Project Management Foundations was #2 in LinkedIn Learning’s Most Popular courses of 2024. Watch it for free with this link!

 

 

 

 

Coming Up

Great project managers and salespeople have a lot in common – the most important being the goal of satisfying the customers’ needs. Join Dean Karrel and I for Office Hours on Friday, March 14, 2025 at 11am MT/1pm ET, we’ll discuss what project managers and salespeople both need to do in their jobs. We’ll also explore how the skills you might consider “pure sales” can help you be a better project manager. As an added bonus, Dean will share some tips on using technology and AI to handle sales activities more effectively. Click here to join!

My updated version of Agile Project Management with Microsoft Project has been published! Click here to watch.

_______________________________________

This article belongs to the Bonnie’s Project Pointers newsletter series, which has more than 87,000 subscribers. This newsletter is 100% written by a human (no aliens or AIs involved). If you like this article, you can subscribe to receive notifications when a new article posts.

Want to learn more about the topics I talk about in these newsletters? Watch my courses in the LinkedIn Learning Library and tune into my LinkedIn Office Hours live broadcasts.

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How to Get Buy-in from Non-management Stakeholders

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Non-management motivatorsThe business case that management uses to justify a project might not motivate non-management stakeholders to buy into the project’s outcomes (think new technology, new ways of working, possible job cuts). To get unenthusiastic stakeholders on board, try designing motivators for these stakeholders into the project (if possible).

  • Efficiencies WITH growth opportunities. Saving time and money are common project justifications, but they could turn off non-management stakeholders, particularly if a project outcome puts the stakeholder’s job at risk. When a project is launched to increase business efficiency, look for opportunities that the project offers for these stakeholders to increase their value to the business. For example, changing what their current role offers or moving to a different, more impactful role in the business. The lesson here is not to stop at pitching the business benefits. Go further to develop and share plans with stakeholders so they can appreciate the personal outcomes they can realize.

Here’s a real-life example: A project is launched to implement a new computer system that would eliminate 6 positions. The sponsors say they will create a program to educate and shift the 6 people affected. Those people oppose the project, and others support them because the proposed retraining program isn’t part of the project. Without a commitment for the retraining program, people are going to be wary. So, if the retraining program is genuine, include it in the initial project. That way, you can get buy-in from the affected people and their supporters.

  • Helping customers more. Many people base their work satisfaction on their ability to help others. Whether working with internal or external customers, a sense of purpose providing for customers is motivational. Soliciting ways in which stakeholders can better support customers and then demonstrating how a project will produce those improvements is a guaranteed way to generate stakeholder buy-in.
  • Employee satisfaction and retention. In a competitive marketplace, keeping talent is almost priceless. Projects that create a work environment appealing to employees will trigger extraordinary buy-in, such as implementing systems that support working remotely, expanding benefits or processes that make benefits more flexible, like expanding retirement plan options or enhancing education opportunities.
  • Continued market viability. Job security means people are comfortable with their work environment and feel recognized through compensation and acknowledgment of their contributions. However, job security also depends on employee’s confidence in the organization’s future. If they suspect that the company might go out of business, be acquired by a predatory competitor, or retract from poor sales, job security will quickly diminish. Because of that, stakeholders welcome projects that they see as strengthening the company’s market position. 

I remember a meeting in a project I managed where the developers visibly tuned out as the executives tried to boost their morale by talking about how the project’s success would bring in more projects. I could see the thought bubbles over their heads, “Oh, great, more projects, more deadlines, more late nights and weekends away from my family.” When the executives wrapped up, I asked if I could add something. I talked about the new technologies we would be able to learn, how we would have the resources to streamline our efforts, and how we would be able to deliver projects without extraordinary personal sacrifice. The developers perked up thinking about opportunities they hadn’t thought of. Bottom line: executives aren’t likely to think about these types of motivation, but you, as the project manager, can improve buy-in by identifying and promoting stakeholder-centric benefits.   

 

My course Project Management Foundations was #2 in LinkedIn Learning’s Most Popular courses of 2024. Watch it for free with this link!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Coming Up

Many people believe you need to be an extrovert to be successful as a project manager. But introverts bring valuable strengths like strategic thinking, deep listening, thoughtful communication, and more. Anna Lung’aho Anderson and I both get questions from people who are scared of project management because they’re introverts. Join us for Office Hours on Friday, February 28, 2025 at 11am MT/12pm CT, we’ll talk about how introverted project managers can leverage their strengths, overcome their challenges, and at the same time develop confidence in leadership, stakeholder engagement, and other people skills. Click here to join!

Great project managers and salespeople have a lot in common – the most important being the goal of satisfying the customers’ needs. Join Dean Karrel and I for Office Hours on Friday, March 14, 2025 at 11am MT/1pm ET, we’ll discuss what project managers and salespeople both need to do in their jobs. We’ll also explore how the skills you might consider “pure sales” can help you be a better project manager. As an added bonus, Dean will share some tips on using technology and AI to handle sales activities more effectively. Click here to join!

My updated version of Agile Project Management with Microsoft Project has been published! Click here to watch.

_______________________________________

This article belongs to the Bonnie’s Project Pointers newsletter series, which has more than 86,000 subscribers. This newsletter is 100% written by a human (no aliens or AIs involved). If you like this article, you can subscribe to receive notifications when a new article posts.

Want to learn more about the topics I talk about in these newsletters? Watch my courses in the LinkedIn Learning Library and tune into my LinkedIn Office Hours live broadcasts.

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Developing Realistic Risk Responses

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Realistic risk responsesProject managers often fall short with planning risk responses, because the risk responses aren’t realistic or can’t be acted on. Here’s a checklist to ensure risk responses are realistic and will help the project succeed. 

  • Do key stakeholders understand the risk response? Risk responses must be written using vocabulary familiar to a broad set of stakeholders. Avoid jargon or terms familiar only to technical teams. Schedule open meetings about risks and planned responses, allowing stakeholders to ask questions and provide input. This will both improve understanding and increase buy-in.
  • Do responses Include clear and agreed-upon execution conditions? A realistic risk response must have a well-defined trigger point or conditions for activation. This ensures that the response is implemented in circumstances agreed to by relevant stakeholders. For example, if a risk involves potential supply chain disruptions, the response might be triggered when lead times exceed a certain threshold. With clearly defined execution points, the project team can act proactively and decisively. 
  • Is the funding source identified? Risk responses must include details on where the funding is coming from, such as a contingency budget, a specific risk management fund, or an agreement to reallocate resources from other project areas. There needs to be a pre-defined process for releasing those funds as well. 
  • Does the response align with the project goal and scope?  If a risk response significantly alters the project’s direction, it isn’t realistic. Responses need to align with and support the project goal. For example, if a project to develop a new software product has an objective to build in-house expertise, a risk response to outsource core development work is detrimental.
  • Do responses include measurable outcomes and targets? Measurable outcomes with a defined target help the project team assess the effectiveness of the response and adjust if needed. Examples of measurable outcomes might include a reduced probability of risk occurrence, decreased potential impact, or improved project KPIs. 
  • Do complex risk responses have a mini-implementation plan? This plan outlines the steps required to execute the response, assign responsibilities, and set timelines. Think of it as a project within a project. For instance, if a risk response involves switching to an alternative supplier, the mini plan might include steps for vendor evaluation, contract negotiation, and transition of operations. This level of detail ensures that complex responses are actionable.

Of course, you need other information about risk responses: who owns the risk, how it impacts the project, and so on. Try creating a risk response template that includes basic 411 about the response along with these checklist items.

For more about risk responses, check out Bob McGannon’s Project Management Foundations: Risk course.

 

My course Project Management Foundations was #2 in LinkedIn Learning’s Most Popular courses of 2024. Watch it for free with this link!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Coming Up

Many people believe you need to be an extrovert to be successful as a project manager. But introverts bring valuable strengths like strategic thinking, deep listening, thoughtful communication, and more. Bonnie Biafore and Anna Lung’aho Anderson both get questions from people who are scared of project management because they’re introverts. Join us for Office Hours on Friday, February 28, 2025 at 11am MT/12pm CT, we’ll talk about how introverted project managers can leverage their strengths, overcome their challenges, and at the same time develop confidence in leadership, stakeholder engagement, and other people skills. Click here to join!

 

My updated version of Agile Project Management with Microsoft Project has been published! Click here to watch.

_______________________________________

This article belongs to the Bonnie’s Project Pointers newsletter series, which has more than 86,000 subscribers. This newsletter is 100% written by a human (no aliens or AIs involved). If you like this article, you can subscribe to receive notifications when a new article posts.

Want to learn more about the topics I talk about in these newsletters? Watch my courses in the LinkedIn Learning Library and tune into my LinkedIn Office Hours live broadcasts.

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How to Ensure Stakeholder Buy-In

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stakeholder buy-inFor a project to be successful, stakeholders must adopt the products and/or processes the project delivers. Here are four tips to ensure stakeholders buy into and adopt project outcomes.

  • Share the project vision and have stakeholders set project goals. Stakeholders will see the project as relevant only when 1) they understand its benefits and 2) it meets their goals relative to those benefits. Some project managers hesitate to let stakeholders set project goals, fearing that they won’t be realistic. Deep conversations about goals, led by the stakeholders, are the best way to develop commonly understood and agreed-to project objectives. If you can’t reach alignment on project goals, try again. If stakeholders still can’t reach agreement, don’t launch the project.
  • Incorporate stakeholder feedback. Stakeholders will always believe they are “right” and the project needs changes unless they see their input incorporated into project plans or facts convince them otherwise. Making the effort to do this takes time and patience and is crucial for project success.
  • Give stakeholders project decision-making authority. Stakeholders with decision-making authority beyond just approving requirements are more likely to buy into project solutions. Like project goals, there are aspects of a project that stakeholders won’t accept unless their expectations are met. So, what kind of decision-making can you delegate to stakeholders? Consider delegating decisions about testing procedures, acceptable testing outcomes, and implementation schedules.
  • Before starting a project, ask stakeholders to describe project benefits in their own words. Stakeholders must confirm project definition documents, such as a scope statement or project charter. The best way to get those documents right is to ask stakeholders to describe, in their own words, what they think the project’s intent and outcomes are, as well as their vision of the process the project will take to succeed. This process can include agile versus waterfall, specific specialized resources that are needed, and how business-as-usual workload will be managed as team members work on the project. Hold conversations and adjust documents when stakeholder descriptions differ from the project documentation. If the stakeholders offer accurate descriptions but use different vocabulary, incorporate their language into the project documentation to avoid misinterpretations as the project progresses.

Do these tactics make you nervous? (They do for me.) Take some time to think about the time you’ll need to perform these activities, how you would talk to stakeholders, and how you would manage the risks you envision. Then, think about what your days as a project manager would be like if you didn’t have stakeholder buy-in. It’s better to address these potential obstacles early on and work them out.

For more about working with stakeholders, check out Natasha Kasimtseva’s Managing Project Stakeholders course.

 

 

My course Project Management Foundations was #2 in LinkedIn Learning’s Most Popular courses of 2024. Watch it for free with this link!

 

 

 

 

 

Coming Up

My updated version of Agile Project Management with Microsoft Project has been published! Click here to watch.

_______________________________________

This article belongs to the Bonnie’s Project Pointers newsletter series, which has more than 85,000 subscribers. This newsletter is 100% written by a human (no aliens or AIs involved). If you like this article, you can subscribe to receive notifications when a new article posts.

Want to learn more about the topics I talk about in these newsletters? Watch my courses in the LinkedIn Learning Library and tune into my LinkedIn Office Hours live broadcasts.

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Next Level Critical Path Management

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critical path managementThe critical path is the longest sequence of tasks in a project. Delays on the critical path will also delay project completion. To keep your project schedule on track, it’s important to keep an eye on near-critical paths and other path changes (and communicate them to stakeholders).

  • Near-critical paths. Let’s say a project’s critical path is 42 days. But the duration of another path is 44 days. With only 2 days of leeway (that is, slack) on this second path, even a short delay could change which path is critical. That’s why the second path is considered a near-critical path. Managing near-critical paths is important because they can become the critical path with a minor delay. Tell management about any near-critical paths, because scope, priority, or other changes that they might want to make could impact the project more than they realize.
  • Path changes due to risk responses. Risk plans identify risks and the actions to take to respond if a risk comes to fruition. These actions could affect pathways through the schedule, changing the critical path duration, switching to a new critical path, or creating a new near-critical path. Communicating these potential changes to management demonstrates your control of the project and attention regarding the project’s deadlines. For example, if a product purchased from a vendor could be delayed, the risk mitigation actions might be negotiating and purchasing a product from an alternate vendor. Negotiating, procuring, receiving, and testing the alternate product could add tasks to your plan that could result in a new critical path or near-critical paths. Those tasks could also eat into schedule contingency, which should also be communicated to management.
  • Path changes from unexpected resource changes. Losing project resources is a common risk. Significant changes will occur if the project has to absorb resource changes beyond what’s addressed in the risk plan. Resource changes can affect the schedule in many ways. You need to analyze potential changes to critical and near-critical paths in enough detail so that management can make informed decisions about the resource changes and their impact. The schedule needs detail, including who is assigned to each task, task work and duration estimates, and the work and duration changes that would occur if a less-skilled person takes over a task.
  • Path changes from changes to scope, business direction, or strategy. Changes to the project scope, business direction, or strategies can seem straightforward, but they can complicate project management. A colleague was managing a project that had to accommodate two new business processes considered crucial to the growth of the sponsoring business. On the surface, validating the new processes in the project’s new computer system deliverables seemed straightforward. In reality, the validation effort required additional technical and business skills, which added 3 weeks to the critical path and created two new near-critical paths. These changes meant project management expanded to scrutinizing three times as many tasks (counting the critical and near-critical path tasks) as before.

Take a moment now to check whether your current project schedule has near-critical paths. If so, which additional tasks do you need to watch and what steps do you need to take?

 

For more about project schedules, check out my Project Management Foundations: Schedules course.

 

My course Project Management Foundations was #2 in LinkedIn Learning’s Most Popular courses of 2024. Watch it for free with this link!

 

 

 

Coming Up

My updated version of Agile Project Management with Microsoft Project has been published! Click here to watch.

_______________________________________

This article belongs to the Bonnie’s Project Pointers newsletter series, which has more than 85,000 subscribers. This newsletter is 100% written by a human (no aliens or AIs involved). If you like this article, you can subscribe to receive notifications when a new article posts.

Want to learn more about the topics I talk about in these newsletters? Watch my courses in the LinkedIn Learning Library and tune into my LinkedIn Office Hours live broadcasts.

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How’s the new team member working out?

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Assessing a new team member graphic

When you add a new member to your project team, it’s a good idea to evaluate their performance so you can address any negative impacts quickly. Here are ways to monitor project and team member performance after a personnel change. 

  • Examine deliverables closely. If possible, give the new team member an opportunity to produce an early deliverable and then review it carefully. You can assess the person’s skills, their understanding of their role in the project, and their ability to work within the team. Note: Restructuring the person’s deliverables to provide for an early review isn’t as efficient as taking a straight path to the required results. However, getting an early indicator of whether the new team member will satisfy project needs is usually worth it. 
  • Watch team member interactions. New team members create a new team dynamic. Watch how other team members act and communicate with the new person. Are they respected and are their ideas considered valid? Watch for new dynamics during team meetings that could lead to problems. If any hiccups occur, don’t hesitate to act and work with the new person.
  • Evaluate performance for potential skill gaps. Validating the team member’s skills is for determining whether the new team member is acceptable. Compare the skills inventory for the person’s role to what others observe. If you find a skill gap, mentor the person or arrange for training to close the gap.
  • Observe stakeholder interactions and confidence levels. Stakeholders outside the project team can also provide impressions on whether a new team member is suitable. Does the new team member communicate in a way these outside stakeholders understand? Do they install confidence? If not, work with the person to improve their communication (assuming their skills are sufficient for their role).

The actions you can take to address someone’s shortfalls depend on your authority as project manager. If your efforts don’t correct those shortfalls, the new team member might not be the right fit for the project. If you run into trouble trying to replace that person, you might be able to persuade management by explaining the effects this person could have on the project, such as delivery delays, additional cost, and so on. 

I talked about how to handle a team member change in this article from June 2022.

For more about working with teams, check out Daniel Stanton’s Project Management Foundations: Teams course.

 

 

My course Project Management Foundations was #2 in LinkedIn Learning’s Most Popular courses of 2024. Watch it for free with this link!

 

 

 

 

 

Coming Up

My updated version of Agile Project Management with Microsoft Project will be published soon! Look for the announcement when it publishes.

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This article belongs to the Bonnie’s Project Pointers newsletter series, which has more than 84,000 subscribers. This newsletter is 100% written by a human (no aliens or AIs involved). If you like this article, you can subscribe to receive notifications when a new article posts.

Want to learn more about the topics I talk about in these newsletters? Watch my courses in the LinkedIn Learning Library and tune into my LinkedIn Office Hours live broadcasts.

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Learning from Resistance to Change

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Learning from change resistance

Resistance to change is a frustrating and common aspect of project management. Resisting takes energy, which means stakeholders care enough about the project to expend that energy. Behind the pushback and complaints could be perspectives crucial to project success. Here’s what you can learn and utilize from stakeholders’ resistance to change.

  • The root cause of the resistance. Most resistance to change comes from an individual’s or group’s experience. The root cause of their concern can identify project risks and provide a different perspective on stakeholders’ capabilities. Resistance often results from a lack of confidence or—sometimes, just the opposite. Stakeholders might believe they have untapped knowledge and experiences—and often, they do. Understanding those capabilities helps a PM integrate them to improve project outcomes. Consider carefully these root causes, as trivial or far-fetched as it might sometimes seem. Adjusting plans or compensating for those experiences can be the difference between project success and failure. 
  • Knowledge gaps. Change resistance can be triggered by ignorance or a misconception about the project and its planned outcomes. For example, stakeholders might perceive a project as eliminating effective processes when, in truth, it will enhance those processes. That misconception can arise from rumors or a poorly written scope statement. When you discover knowledge gaps, it’s important to revise your communication plan to fill in those gaps and revisit the project communication already distributed. The project won’t progress if stakeholders don’t have accurate and complete information about the project intent and approach.
  • Unknown sub-cultures or informal groups. Organizational leaders often don’t appear on the managerial org chart. Their followers might span several departments. Frequently, these leaders support a sub-culture within the organization. For example, mechanics within a manufacturing company could have developed their own approaches and expectations regarding shifts and manufacturing lines. They often think as one, so a leader opposed to a project could sway numerous stakeholders. Recognizing the presence of these informal groups and accounting for their way of thinking and influencing can address their resistance to change. Watch and listen in meetings. To identify these groups, note the people who eat lunch or leave work together and talk with others to identify these groups and their leaders.
  • Unanticipated power shifts. A new and reasonable-looking business process initiated by the project might create an unanticipated power shift. Alternatively, key stakeholders may perceive one. For example, a project outcome automates a finance process. While it seems straightforward, finance and travel team members might resist this change, because they have been controlling travel costs by working together informally. The automation might eliminate their ability to collaborate and reduce costs – or appear to them that they will lose the power to control costs. In this example, the solution to their resistance is to work with them on how travel approval decisions will be made. 
  • Project definition or plan improvement options. Project resistance could arise due to a missing opportunity. For example, stakeholders might see a weakness or inefficiency in a business process that isn’t recognized by people who don’t use those processes daily. Stakeholders would resist a project that looks to improve that business process but overlooks the issue with inefficiency. Talk to the resisters to identify the nature of resistance. Ask if something is missing from the project definition or project management approach that will help the business, help the project, eliminate a risk, and so on. 

For more about change management, check out Claudine Peet’s Change Management for Projects course.

 

 

My course Project Management Foundations was #2 in LinkedIn Learning’s Most Popular courses of 2024. Watch it for free with this link!

 

 

 

 

Coming Up

My updated version of Agile Project Management with Microsoft Project will be published soon! Look for the announcement when it publishes.

_______________________________________

This article belongs to the Bonnie’s Project Pointers newsletter series, which has more than 84,000 subscribers. This newsletter is 100% written by a human (no aliens or AIs involved). If you like this article, you can subscribe to receive notifications when a new article posts.

Want to learn more about the topics I talk about in these newsletters? Watch my courses in the LinkedIn Learning Library and tune into my LinkedIn Office Hours live broadcasts.

_______________________________________