Project Manager within the matrix
In my practice as a consultant, I haven’t met anything. I recently had an interesting conversation with one friend. He manages ATM network development projects at a large Russian bank. The subject is close to me, I made a lot of such projects myself, the conversation turned out to be quite interesting, and I decided to post the main conclusions here. I must say that my friend, like many project managers, went almost the classic way for Russia: a specialist in a small company -> a project manager in the same small company -> transition to a managerial position in a large company. This is a normal evolution - the years of discipleship are replaced by the desire to steer something large-scale. And it is precisely during the transition to a large company that the project manager is waiting for a mass of surprises. If you have to manage internal projects, there will be even more surprises.
After all, how is project management in small companies arranged (we do not consider small “family” firms, there is no management there)? Projects with one manager - a maximum of two or three, with the same theme or for the same client. They are made by small teams, rarely their number reaches ten people. They report directly to the project manager, he motivates them, and oversees professional development, signs the application for leave, and resolves conflicts. Well, of course, it leads to the goal - otherwise what kind of project management is this? Decisions in such companies are made quickly. To the highest boss - hand in hand, and if he is not a complete idiot, then the project will always help, which is very good in a difficult moment.
And now our project manager ends up in a big bank with a matrix organizational structure. And the new life according to the new rules at first seems to be a real nightmare (then it either gets used, fits into the system, or leaves). What are the features of his new job? On the one hand, the bank (I remind you that the bank acts as an example here) has all the attributes of a project - the manager responsible for the project, limited deadlines and budget, a unique result of the project and a plan for achieving it, the project team. On the other hand, there are nuances that need to be considered in order not to sit in a puddle and not plant a project there.
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1. For bank employees, working in a project is not the main activity, there is also a mass of internal responsibilities with projects that are not related at all. For example, forensic experts should develop recovery methods and work with clients on overdue debts. Marketing is engaged in market research and is looking for ways to promote services. The retail network is responsible for sales, etc. In all this life, projects are in one hundred and fifty sixth place, even if the opposite is declared. As a result, time for participation in projects is often allocated on a residual basis, because there is no pat on the head for non-compliance with the main work, and there will be nothing for failure to complete the project tasks. And it is very rare that a budget is allocated for the payment of bonuses to employees for performing project tasks.
2. Worse yet, the residual principle is also allocated to employees themselves to participate in projects, because the project manager does not have a project manager in the matrix structure typical of large Russian companies, including banks. He usually asks for the heads of the divisions of the employees in the project, and those who have already identified them as necessary, usually the best people are always engaged in non-project work. There is no competition between people for participation in the project - who wants to shoulder additional unpaid duties?
3. In general, the very concept of “project team” disappears. If in his past life the manager dealt with a cohesive (or not very cohesive - here everything depended on the manager) a group of people united by one goal, now it’s just a set of employees with a set of skills and functions. You can immediately put it on the far shelf of Peopleware and similar books in which they sing the idea of “crystallizing the team” and tell how great it is when everyone is in the same room. None of this will happen - at best, people will do their part.
4. Accordingly, the role of the project manager is changing. Now it is important for him not only to be an integrator and engine of the project, but also to become a strict controller of all parameters. By and large, now only he is interested in the project to be successfully completed - this is the manager's KPI.
5. Moreover, for a novice manager, the surprise is that in large organizations, often neighboring units do not just get along poorly with each other — they are hostile. Cases of outright sabotage and violation of agreements in the performance of design work are perceived almost as the norm. From the outside it looks pretty strange. It would seem that to divide the accounting department with experts in the field of risk management? Why can't lawyers negotiate with business analysts? Often, such conflicts are simply a consequence of the leadership’s leadership struggle for power and influence, but the project manager is no better at it - he needs concerted actions from all project participants!
How to survive in such conditions and successfully perform their work? The recommendations are simple, but effective.
* Calm down - you are not the first to face such a situation. Treat it as an interesting professional and life experience.
* The main weapon of a manager in any project is communications. Here the skills of building relationships and relationships are of particular importance. You must find those people for whom project results are important. This is not an easy task, but by solving it, you will get allies and like-minded people.
* And once again about communications. Meet all the divisions, with all the leaders, become recognizable and create about yourself as much as possible positive opinion. Go to "you" with colleagues from other departments, it also breaks down the barriers.
* It is necessary to establish contact with the sponsor - as a rule, this is a top manager who is interested in the success of the project. It is necessary that the sponsor was immersed in the project as much as possible. Meet with him often, talk about the results and do not hide problems. A well-tuned sponsor is a formidable weapon in capable hands and a good tool for breaking down barriers and overcoming resistance. The absence of an interested sponsor is the sure death of the project.
* Make the project as transparent as possible for all the people involved in the project - send out reports on the project progress, organize meetings of key participants at least once a week to discuss its status, future tasks and emerging problems. This does not help crystallize the team, but makes the project a part of the life of the participants, reducing the likelihood of rejection. Do not forget to praise the participants of the project - people pay attention to this, it is pleasant to them, it is remembered.
* If the company has a developed bureaucracy (I guarantee that it is so), it certainly has some kind of regulation on the implementation of projects. I am convinced that it is impossible to work on it, and it is not necessary, but it is better to keep it close at hand - references to the approved regulations may slightly cool the ardor of opponents (in a bureaucratic environment the weight of an approved and signed document increases).
* Record all decisions in writing. No verbal agreements and promises. This rule is true for any project, but here its implementation is necessary and critical for success.
After all, how is project management in small companies arranged (we do not consider small “family” firms, there is no management there)? Projects with one manager - a maximum of two or three, with the same theme or for the same client. They are made by small teams, rarely their number reaches ten people. They report directly to the project manager, he motivates them, and oversees professional development, signs the application for leave, and resolves conflicts. Well, of course, it leads to the goal - otherwise what kind of project management is this? Decisions in such companies are made quickly. To the highest boss - hand in hand, and if he is not a complete idiot, then the project will always help, which is very good in a difficult moment.
And now our project manager ends up in a big bank with a matrix organizational structure. And the new life according to the new rules at first seems to be a real nightmare (then it either gets used, fits into the system, or leaves). What are the features of his new job? On the one hand, the bank (I remind you that the bank acts as an example here) has all the attributes of a project - the manager responsible for the project, limited deadlines and budget, a unique result of the project and a plan for achieving it, the project team. On the other hand, there are nuances that need to be considered in order not to sit in a puddle and not plant a project there.
')
1. For bank employees, working in a project is not the main activity, there is also a mass of internal responsibilities with projects that are not related at all. For example, forensic experts should develop recovery methods and work with clients on overdue debts. Marketing is engaged in market research and is looking for ways to promote services. The retail network is responsible for sales, etc. In all this life, projects are in one hundred and fifty sixth place, even if the opposite is declared. As a result, time for participation in projects is often allocated on a residual basis, because there is no pat on the head for non-compliance with the main work, and there will be nothing for failure to complete the project tasks. And it is very rare that a budget is allocated for the payment of bonuses to employees for performing project tasks.
2. Worse yet, the residual principle is also allocated to employees themselves to participate in projects, because the project manager does not have a project manager in the matrix structure typical of large Russian companies, including banks. He usually asks for the heads of the divisions of the employees in the project, and those who have already identified them as necessary, usually the best people are always engaged in non-project work. There is no competition between people for participation in the project - who wants to shoulder additional unpaid duties?
3. In general, the very concept of “project team” disappears. If in his past life the manager dealt with a cohesive (or not very cohesive - here everything depended on the manager) a group of people united by one goal, now it’s just a set of employees with a set of skills and functions. You can immediately put it on the far shelf of Peopleware and similar books in which they sing the idea of “crystallizing the team” and tell how great it is when everyone is in the same room. None of this will happen - at best, people will do their part.
4. Accordingly, the role of the project manager is changing. Now it is important for him not only to be an integrator and engine of the project, but also to become a strict controller of all parameters. By and large, now only he is interested in the project to be successfully completed - this is the manager's KPI.
5. Moreover, for a novice manager, the surprise is that in large organizations, often neighboring units do not just get along poorly with each other — they are hostile. Cases of outright sabotage and violation of agreements in the performance of design work are perceived almost as the norm. From the outside it looks pretty strange. It would seem that to divide the accounting department with experts in the field of risk management? Why can't lawyers negotiate with business analysts? Often, such conflicts are simply a consequence of the leadership’s leadership struggle for power and influence, but the project manager is no better at it - he needs concerted actions from all project participants!
How to survive in such conditions and successfully perform their work? The recommendations are simple, but effective.
* Calm down - you are not the first to face such a situation. Treat it as an interesting professional and life experience.
* The main weapon of a manager in any project is communications. Here the skills of building relationships and relationships are of particular importance. You must find those people for whom project results are important. This is not an easy task, but by solving it, you will get allies and like-minded people.
* And once again about communications. Meet all the divisions, with all the leaders, become recognizable and create about yourself as much as possible positive opinion. Go to "you" with colleagues from other departments, it also breaks down the barriers.
* It is necessary to establish contact with the sponsor - as a rule, this is a top manager who is interested in the success of the project. It is necessary that the sponsor was immersed in the project as much as possible. Meet with him often, talk about the results and do not hide problems. A well-tuned sponsor is a formidable weapon in capable hands and a good tool for breaking down barriers and overcoming resistance. The absence of an interested sponsor is the sure death of the project.
* Make the project as transparent as possible for all the people involved in the project - send out reports on the project progress, organize meetings of key participants at least once a week to discuss its status, future tasks and emerging problems. This does not help crystallize the team, but makes the project a part of the life of the participants, reducing the likelihood of rejection. Do not forget to praise the participants of the project - people pay attention to this, it is pleasant to them, it is remembered.
* If the company has a developed bureaucracy (I guarantee that it is so), it certainly has some kind of regulation on the implementation of projects. I am convinced that it is impossible to work on it, and it is not necessary, but it is better to keep it close at hand - references to the approved regulations may slightly cool the ardor of opponents (in a bureaucratic environment the weight of an approved and signed document increases).
* Record all decisions in writing. No verbal agreements and promises. This rule is true for any project, but here its implementation is necessary and critical for success.
Source: https://habr.com/ru/post/121828/
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