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ERP projects are hard enough, you really need to have an advocate in your corner?? It’s like a Boxer (or should I say MMA Fighter) going into the ring without a trainer. You’d never see that would you? Why, because it’s a recipe for failure. ERP system implementation will have obstacles hindering success and going into the “fight” (project) without engaging a strong advocate (or if you prefer Project Manager); you are setting yourself up for failure. Don’t believe me - let me explain.
Why John Talio Consulting is Exceptional at being your Client-Side Project Advocate
If you have looked at the “About Page” on my website, you will see the adage that started this company a number of years back and is still true today.
"When a project goes well it's because of the team;
when it goes badly it's because of the Project Manager."
In a difficult, confusing, or complicated situation, individuals and companies may find themselves desperately seeking the guidance of a well-prepared and reliable project professional. A great project manager can have a dramatic and positive impact on the culture of a client. Whether it’s guiding them through a defining system requirements, selecting an ERP application, protecting them during the contracting process, selecting an implementation partner or delivering the application to the end user community, the Client-Side Project Advocate (or Project Manager) support their client during some of the most challenging times in their life. Client-Side Project Managers matter.
What makes a good Project Manager? It’s not an easy job, and not for everyone. The stress is high, pressure is constant, failure rates are still 75%, and the skills the “best” project managers have can be applied to a multitude of professional environments and careers. But for those who want to find a good Project Manager, or how to be a good Project Manager it’s crucial to consider the key factors that make today’s attorneys successful. Below are the traits that are critical to success and that we bring to our client’s ERP Implementations and we believe set us above other firms in this arena.
Passion for the Job
As a starting point, successful Project Managers almost always have a true passion for their job. You have probably heard popular clichés like “choose a job you love, and you will never work a day in your life” – Confucius. Of course, we all know that in the real world it’s not quite that simple. At the same time, there is a wide body of scientific evidence that demonstrates the importance of passion for your work. In other words, people who are passionate about what they are doing are happier, more fulfilled, and they perform better.
Compassion for Clients
Without compassion for their clients, a Project Manager will never reach their true professional potential. The top Project Managers in any field of specialization, almost invariably highlight compassion and service when they offer advice to clients, project team members and aspiring Project Managers. A Project Manager who is committed to representing and helping their clients is likely to find meaning and success in their professional life.
Great Communication Skills
a fundamental level, Project Managers are communicators. They communicate with their clients, they communicate with software vendors, implementation partners, and they communicate with the project team. Beyond that, Project Managers communicate in a wide range of different ways. A great Project Manager knows how to get important ideas across in presentations, in informal emails, in phone conversations, through discussions in official meeting settings, and in private conversations. Experienced and aspiring Project Managers should never miss an opportunity to sharpen their communication skills.
Willingness to Listen
One of the most underrated traits shared by almost every successful Project Manager is a strong ability and willingness to listen. Although strong listening is a part of overall communication skills, it’s important to highlight listening as its own professional trait. Effective communication is a two-way street. Too many people fail to fully understand what the other party is saying. When you truly engage and listen, you will recognize that people are giving you even more information that you thought.
Listening to your client leadership/executives, listening to the client project team, listening to the end user community, listening to your implementation partner, and listening to the external vendors can be the difference between a successful or failed implementation. Great Project Managers take in all relevant information, analyze it, and create a plan of action.
Knowledge of the Application
While successful Project Managers share many common traits, they may rely on a distinct body of knowledge related to the application they are implementing – in my case Workday. The application knowledge needs to be an effective Project Manager in a Workday implementation is far different than the knowledge needed to deliver a SAP project. Yes, they are fundamentally the same in terms of delivering an application, but the differences shouldn’t be underestimated. Great Project Managers know their area of practice – whether this knowledge comes from experience or education – it allows Project Managers to see the future risks on the ERP journey to ensure success for their client’s.
Creativity
When you think about the role of a Project Manager, creativity may not be the first trait that comes to mind – Don’t they just check off boxes on a project plan? 😊. However, contrary to the belief, successful Project Managers are often highly creative people. Project Management is not just about science but also is art to effective project delivery. Remember, every client will have their own unique set of goals, objectives, and concerns. In some cases, ‘outside-the-box’ thinking can help craft a solution that the client may never even realize was possible. Successful Project Managers know how to tailor their creativity to suit every situation. All implementation, risks and issues should be approached with an open mind.
Profound Judgement
At times, Project Managers are required to make judgements — both for themselves and for their clients. For instance, a Project Manager decides whether an issue is worth pursuing at all – believe it or not – not every issue is impactful to the success of the project. Alternatively, a Project Manager may be involved in negotiations with vendors, implementers, even project team members and their client may ask them for their opinion on a proposed deal.
The client is ultimately responsible for the decision, but the Project Manager needs to make sure the client understands all relevant information so that they can make an informed decision - my job is to mitigate (as much as possible) the risk associated with that decision.
Sorry to be blunt, but a Project Manager who lacks good judgement will not last very long in the field.
A Healthy Skepticism
Every successful Project Manager has healthy skepticism. This is not about being a pessimist or a negative person, but is about being aware that what is heard might not represent the full story. Experienced Project Managers have stories about mistakes they made when they were just starting out in the field. A common error that almost every seasoned Project Manager has made at least once involves believing someone without getting proper verification. In too many cases, clients and implementers will leave out important details.
As a result, the Project Manager is set up for an unfortunate surprise down the road. Successful Project Managers always maintain a healthy skepticism. If something sounds ‘wrong’ or ‘off’, something probably is...the best Project Managers dig further.
Perseverance
Successful Project Managers have perseverance. It’s tough out there and failure is more prevalent than success. There is no reason to sugar coat it; project management can be one of the most rewarding and meaningful careers out there, but it’s also a lot of work. True with any profession, success requires effort. There will be difficult days. You may be stuck dealing with a client who is making your life unnecessarily hard, an implementation vendor who is being rude for no reason, or a project team member who never meets their deliverables and puts the project at risk. You may simply be frustrated because you spilled hot coffee on your shirt that morning. It happens. What sets successful attorneys apart from ordinary attorneys is that they know how to persevere through the challenging times to get to the rewarding and meaningful moments that make it all worth it.
Telling the Truth
Finally, the strongest Project Managers tell the truth - to their clients, the implementation firms, the project team and themselves. Most people don’t have the guts to do that especially when it's “bad news” or when their clients themselves are creating or compounding the problem. This is the foundation of what I believe makes a successful Project Manager - read my blog ERP Projects – Telling the Truth is The Real Success to see what I mean.
But remember -
"When a project goes well it's because of the team;
when it goes badly it's because of the Project Manager."
If you truly don’t believe and understand that statement then maybe you're not ready to be in the Project Manager role – and your ERP implementation may probably be on the road to failure - bringing in a Client-Side Project Advocate might be the best thing you could do to ensure that this doesn’t happen..
As Client-Side Project Advocates on numerous occasions, we are accustomed to helping you navigate to ensure short- and long-term success of the ERP project – contact us if you need our help.
Are these the things that you think are critical traits found in a successful Project Manager? Now it's your turn - I would love to hear your thoughts! Feel free to comment on this or any of my other blogs because it's all sharing and learning from each other. More JT Insights are on the way - hope you’ll register to get them pushed to your inbox.
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