1 – We don’t recognize the project’s failure. Think you know when a project has failed or succeeded? Think again. It’s not uncommon that others (usually end users) see a host of unmet objectives while you move on to the next project thinking you accomplished everything you set out to do. The causes behind this lack of recognition are often tied to either poor planning (you didn’t set the right objectives in the first place) or lack of good follow up efforts (things were left uncompleted but you never checked back with end users to be sure their needs were met).

2 – We assume the failure was out of our control. While circumstances do occasionally make project success difficult or even impossible, it’s rare. Instead, it’s more likely that potential outside influences weren’t properly identified, investigated, and accounted for during the planning phase. Even if issues crop up after initial planning has been completed, your team needs to take ownership of managing—and possibly modifying—expectations so you and your stakeholders continue forward on the same page.

3 – We pin the failure’s cause on another group. PMOs will forever rely on other departments or business partners to get things done. No matter if your collaborators are internal groups or external providers, they depend on you to clearly set expectations and define the project’s parameters. Whether Purchasing is unable to negotiate prices that fit your budget or Real Estate is delayed in securing the lease on a new space, pushing the blame for project failure onto them is usually just a reflection of inadequate oversight on your part.

4 – We don’t take the time to identify where the project broke down. Chalking up a project failure should immediately set you on a course to pinpoint how you missed your target and where things started to go off-track. Simply moving on to the next project without conducting a thorough post-mortem—either because you’re too busy or don’t feel you can do anything about the failure’s triggers even if you identify them—is setting yourself up to the repeat the failure in the future.

5 – We blame the failure on a lack of funding or other necessary resources. Good project planning doesn’t happen in a vacuum. Your objectives and timeframe must work in concert with the resources allocated to you. You may occasionally face a situation where funding was initially approved but has since been cut, forcing you to curtail or even cancel your project. That type of situation is likely something you couldn’t have foreseen and which may indeed lead to a failed project. However, setting objectives at the outset without the funding or other resources to back them up is a planning mistake that shouldn’t happen, and one that’s squarely in your power to correct.

6 – We see failure as unavoidable. An organization’s politics, culture, or methods of operation are sometimes viewed as recipes for project disaster. Instead of addressing these issues, PMOs may see ongoing failure as their lot in life. In this scenario, your ability to influence a bad situation through the use of good project management practices may be your only defense.

PMAlliance uses a team of highly experienced and certified professionals to provide project management consulting, project management training and project office development services.

Why you need them: IT support is key to most of your group’s technology tools, including software, computers, mobile devices, and remote access. They also facilitate other services, such as online conferencing and document sharing, compliance with regulatory mandates (e.g., HIPAA), and recommendation and/or approval of department- or project-specific software or network-accessible equipment your team may want to implement.

DO consult IT before you introduce new technologies to the internal network. Rogue software could create conflicts with existing programs, and devices that access your organization’s infrastructure may inadvertently open up security holes or trigger other concerns.

DO work with IT to create budgets for any project with technology requirements. Vendor-supplied pricing may not incorporate the need for upgrades to internal platforms or hardware, and your IT group might be able to negotiate better price levels based on site-wide licensing or service packages.

DO include IT in early-stage planning and strategizing efforts. Their expertise can help spot potential problems with existing infrastructure capabilities or project assumptions that are incorrect or outdated.

DON’T commit IT resources to a project (such as meeting attendance or consultation services) without getting the OK first. Their budgets and staffing are often lean, and are usually based on the workload of approved projects.

DON’T expect IT to support unauthorized software or equipment. They have a process for reviewing and approving everything associated with the network, and their resources rarely allow for support outside of that.

PMAlliance uses a team of highly experienced and certified professionals to provide project management consulting, project management training and project office development services.

The unwelcome wagon. Occasionally you find PMOs that have been together so long they act like a secret society, keeping to themselves and shunning new employees.

What to do: Stop trying to become part of the crowd—the more effort you put into it, the more they’ll close ranks. Instead, cast a wider net with your interactions (end users, stakeholders, internal partners, outside collaborators) to ensure your efforts aren’t buried by someone inside the group. Seek support from outside the team for project objectives and budget requests. This will keep the focus on the overall plan, while also neutralizing any politically-motivated actions that seek to discredit or further alienate you.

The teachers. You’re new, so you must not know anything about project management, right? Don’t worry—they’ll take you under their collective wing and show you the ropes, all while quietly undermining your confidence and professional image.

What to do: Be confident in the skills and expertise you bring to the team. If people have implied that your performance or experience is lacking, check with your boss—that’s where legitimate job feedback comes from. Gain knowledge where you can, but beyond that you’ll need to firmly (and tactfully) keep unsolicited mentors at arm’s length. Remember that many of these folks mean well, while others are simply trying to cover their own lack of performance with passive aggressive “kindness.”

The gossips. There’s a lot to do in your new PMO, but apparently there’s also a lot to gab about. The gossip is everywhere—in the halls, during meetings, maybe even in your office when they can’t pin you down somewhere else—and it’s disrupting the entire team’s productivity.

What to do: A trivial amount of office chatter is normal and innocuous, but it’s critical that you don’t fall into the gossip trap. Feel free to exchange quick pleasantries when you visit the snack machine or pass each other in the corridors, but be sure to extricate yourself at the first opportunity. Make a point of checking your watch, then let the talkers know that you must get back to work/a conference call/a meeting/the project that’s due this afternoon. You’re unlikely to change their behavior, but by accomplishing your own objectives you’ll shine come review time.

The slackers. Now that you’re on board, they’re happy to hand over their entire task list (which they probably weren’t getting through, anyhow). You suddenly have more on your plate than you can handle, and the team vanishes when you ask for help.

What to do: First, work with your boss to clearly delineate your responsibilities. Then, take a look at what kind of duties your team members are trying to unload. If there’s something you can successfully adopt that will help bolster your chances for recognition (or even promotion), don’t hesitate to give it your all. It’s important to carefully manage your workload, though—taking on additional responsibilities will reflect poorly on you if you fail to meet your objectives.

PMAlliance uses a team of highly experienced and certified professionals to provide project management consulting, project management training and project office development services.