4/29/2020 Proactive Communication for Project Managers

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Proactive communication for project

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CONFERENCE PAPER ǀ Communications Management ǀ 26 October 2004
Ress, Jay
ARTICLE ǀ Communications Management,
Stakeholder Engagement ǀ 1 February 2020
How to cite this article:
Project Management Journal
Ress, J. (2004). Proactive communication for project managers. Paper presented at
PMI® Global Congress 2004—North America, Anaheim, CA. Newtown Square, The Role of Social
PA: Project Management Institute. Media in
Intrastakeholder
Strategies to Influence
Introduction
Decision Making in a UK
PMI's A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK® Guide) Infrastructure
(Project Management Institute. 2000) describes the communication effort that leads Megaproject
to a properly managed project. This paper will demonstrate methods to proactively By Lobo, Sunila | Abid, Agha
apply PMI's recommended communication measures. Farhan ǀ This article examines the
role of social media in public
Specifically, this paper draws upon the PMBOK® Guide to improve communication
stakeholder and intrastakeholder
in these areas: group strategies to influence
decision making in the consultation
stage of UK infrastructure
megaprojects.…
Communication Management Planning

ARTICLE ǀ Communications Management,

Stakeholder Engagement, Healthcare ǀ 1
December 2019
Scope Planning
PM Network
Healthy Perspective
Project Plan Development By Parsi, Novid ǀ As hospitals and
other facilities raise the bar on
health outcomes and experiences,
teams are shaping projects from a
Risk Management Planning
patient's perspective—and it starts
long before anyone seeks
treatment. Whether…
Integrated Change Control
ARTICLE ǀ Risk Management,
Effective communication drives project success Communications Management ǀ 1 November
2019

The PMBOK® Guide states that communication “…provides the critical links among PM Network
people, ideas, and information that are necessary for success…” (PMI, 2002, p 117). Bias Busters
This assertion draws almost universal affirmation from the project management
By Bishel, Ashley ǀ Could the
community. Most of us can cite examples of first-rate communication skills biggest risks threatening a project's
manifested by successful project managers, and we can also cite examples of how success lie not in the external
poor communication has led to problems and failure. environment but between the ears
of every person involved in a
But what makes communication “effective”? Communication is multifaceted,
project? It's possible. From the
subjective, and loaded with issues of politics, personality, and perception. Is it
sponsor to the project…
possible - with a high degree of certainty - to define effective communication?

ARTICLE ǀ S M t
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4/29/2020 Proactive Communication for Project Managers
ARTICLE ǀ Scope Management,
This paper makesMembership
the argument that – in the project context - effective
Certifications   Learning & Events  More 
communication is proactive communication. The PMI PMBOK Guide tells us what to 2019  
Communications Management ǀ 1 August

do. This paper will suggest how to do it. PM Network

Unexpected Lift
Proactive Communication Defined
By Thomas, Jen ǀ Rising 55 stories
Proactive communication is assertive, honest, and focused on objectives. It keeps above Johannesburg, South
Africa's financial district, the
the project manager in front of the curve, enabling teamwork, effective decisions,
Leonardo is a rugged yet gleaming
and accountability throughout the project. It allows the project manager to fulfill his
mixed-use skyscraper. But it
or her leadership role, actively pursuing project objectives from a position of strength
wouldn't be the tallest building in
rather than a “reactive” position of weakness. Africa unless the…
Proactive people take action. Using personal values and business objectives as
reference points, proactive people constantly move forward. In his landmark book, ARTICLE ǀ Communications Management,
The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People Stephen Covey (1990) considers being Leadership ǀ 1 August 2019

proactive to be “…the first and most basic habit of a highly effective person in any PM Network
environment…” Breathing Room
He goes on to define “…the habit of proactivity…It means more than merely taking By Stetson, Chris ǀ Take a glance at
initiative. It means that as human beings, we are responsible for our own lives. Our the calendars of your project team
behavior is a function of our decisions, not our conditions.” members: Are they a back-to-back
kaleidoscope of color with no break
“Our basic nature is to act,” says Mr. Covey, “and not be acted upon. As well as between meetings? In the short
enabling us to choose our response to particular circumstances, this empowers us term, scheduling meetings like this
to create circumstances. (Being proactive) does not mean being pushy, obnoxious, can seem…
or aggressive. It does mean recognizing our responsibility to make things happen.
Many people wait for something to happen or someone to take care of them. But
(successful) people are the proactive ones who…get the job done.” (Covey, 1990)

Building a communication management plan

“Identifying the informational needs of the stakeholders and determining a suitable

means of meeting those needs is an important factor for project success.” (PMI,
2000, p 119)

The first requirement of effective communication is communication planning, and the

PMBOK® Guide clearly advocates a proactive approach.

“On most projects, the majority of communications planning is done as part of the
earliest project phases.” (PMI, 2000, p 119)

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4/29/2020 Proactive Communication for Project Managers

Creating the communication

Membership management
Learning plan is a two-step
Moreprocess. First we must
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identify our key stakeholders. These are the people that sponsor the project, shape
 
the scope of work, do the work of the project, or use the end product or service.
Second, we document the communication needs of each key stakeholder, and
create a structure to meet those needs. As we open communication channels, we
allow stakeholders to ramp up and seriously consider their role on the project. We
adopt a visible leadership role, and take action to get things moving in the right
direction, starting with clear, open communication.

“The informational needs of the various stakeholders should be analyzed to develop a

methodical and logical view of…methods and technologies suited to the project.”
(PMI, 2000, p. 120)

Stakeholder analysis is the only tool and technique of Communication Planning.

There is no other way to do it - you must establish communication with your key
stakeholders, and ask direct questions such as:

“What information do you need right away?”

“As the project progresses, what communication/information will help you

get the job done?”

“When, and in what format, do you want it?” “

“Are there documents or other communication deliverables that will affect

your ability to move forward, or influence the quality of your work?”

“Are you prepared to send regular status reports and attend meetings?”

Under no circumstances should there be a communication void on a project. This

situation will be especially damaging at the outset. If people are “waiting” for
information or direction, that is the mark of weak project management. Identify your
key stakeholders. Contact each one, and ask them to define their communication
needs from the project. Make sure key individuals understand that, as the project
progresses, you want to hear from them if they have any needs, issues, or ideas
concerning the project.

Establishing clear project objectives

“The scope statement provides a documented basis for making future project
decisions and for developing common understanding of project scope among the
stakeholders.” (PMI, 2000, p. 208)

You cannot expect people to work toward a successful project outcome if you
cannot clearly define success. The same problem exists if the objectives are
defined, but the project manager fails to document them and communicate them to
stakeholders. Sometimes project managers encounter this clarity when they take on
a project, but usually we have to create it. How? We dig into controlling documents
such as charters, contracts, work orders, authorizations, statements of work, RFP's,
and correspondence, searching for scope definition. Somewhere in all that Cracker
Jack is a prize worth working for…a clearly defined scope of work.

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4/29/2020 Proactive Communication for Project Managers

With the controlling documents of the project in hand, weMore

are ready to push for
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dialogue with key stakeholders. The topics? Project assumptions, constraints,
 
expectations, and requirements.

A good way to drive accurate scope at the outset of a project is to organize a hand-
off meeting that includes sales reps, designers, sales engineers, and others who
played a role in the conception, proposal, pricing, sale, and initial authorization of
your project. The purpose of the meeting is to verify that the project has all relevant
documents, and that the content of these documents is understood by the project
team.

The ensuing scope statement will lay out the work needed to fulfill the assumptions,
constraints, expectations, and requirements that come out of the hand-off meeting.
Equipped with a clear description of what the project will produce, the PM can drive
communication out to staff, customers, end users, and other parties who will play a
role in the project. The purpose is to get people on the same page, and to generate
a flow of information that validates and refines the scope statement.

It is a mistake to wait for people to come to you with questions or comments about
scope. It is the project manager's job to align stakeholders with the project scope,
and vice versa. If this is accomplished early, it is likely that future changes or risk
events can be managed with the resources at hand. If people and scope are not
aligned – if assumptions are not validated, expectations not defined, constraints not
communicated, or requirements not documented - then the project is vulnerable to
an all too common risk element: weak project management.

Developing a scope statement that has approval and buy in from all stakeholders
requires dialogue. It also demands that the project manager fully document
important issues, concerns, questions, and ideas that accompany project objectives.

With the communication management plan and the scope statement in place, we
will continue to verify and refine scope. As we move from Initiating to Planning
processes, we will be in a position to build upon our (proactive) initial
communications to create the ultimate management deliverable: the project plan.

Proactive Communication Model

(Initiation & Planning)

Input Process Documented In

Strategic Objectives & Sponsor-PM Feedback Project Charter

Business Need Loop

Communication Stakeholder Analysis Communication

Requirements Management Plan

Constraints, Stakeholder – PM Scope

Assumptions, Dialogue with Follow – Statement/Change
Expectations, On Documentation Control System
Requirements

Roles and Establish Accountability Project Plan

Responsibilities

Proactive communication: an essential planning tool

The PMBOK® Guide makes a series of recommendations for developing an
accurate, reliable project plan. Proactively applied, these tools ensure a well-run
project, and greatly increase the odds of meeting or exceeding stakeholder
requirements:

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4/29/2020 Proactive Communication for Project Managers

Build feedback Membership

loops to/from
project sponsors and executive
More stakeholders to
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validate assumptions, expectations, constraints, and requirements.
 
Publicize the project charter, scope statement, WBS, and the project plan to
define clear project objectives.
Use stakeholder analysis to create a communication management plan that meets
the needs of project stakeholders for accurate, timely, complete information,
delivered when and where they can make best use of it, in the correct format.
Build and maintain open channels of communication, to capture critical
information and deliver it to the right place at the right time, in advance of crisis.
Cast a wide net to gain access to the best possible sources of planning
information.
Use interviews, surveys, brainstorming, and stakeholder analysis to get the insight
and information that will create strong project plans and risk response plans
Adopt an inclusive approach to soliciting planning input and feedback.
Forthrightly ask for the participation of passive individuals, rather than hope that
they are with the plan and will give their best effort.
Establish an integrated change control system early in the project, and then keep
the focus on communication to manage change when it first appears.

Summary

The intent of this paper is to improve project management competence by

demonstrating how proactive communication can be applied in the earliest stages of
a project. It is based on the Project Management Institute's PMBOK® Guide (2000
edition).

Project managers should find a proactive approach to communication helpful in their

general professional development, as well as in meeting specific challenges. In
either case, the author would enjoy hearing about it.

References

Project Management Institute (2000) A guide to the project, anagement body of

knowledge PMBOK® guide, 2000 Edition, Newtown Square, PA: Project
Management Institute.

Covey S. R. (1990) The 7 habits of highly effective people New York: Simon &
Schuster.

This material has been reproduced with the permission of the copyright owner.
Unauthorized reproduction of this material is strictly prohibited. For permission to
reproduce this material, please contact PMI or any listed author.
© 2004, Jay Ress, PMP
Originally published as a part of 2004 PMI Global Congress Proceedings –
Anaheim, California

© 2020 Project Management Institute, Inc. | 14 Campus Blvd, Newtown Square, PA 19073-3299 USA

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