Projects are Easy. People are Hard.

Somewhere, a project is failing. It may be your project and you aren’t even aware yet. More than likely the project isn’t failing because it’s difficult, or the budget ran out, or because there wasn’t a market fit. The project is failing because of people. People are anything but stable and introduce communication problems, staffing problems, politics, disenchantment with the client or stakeholders, and often result in lack of motivation on projects. It doesn’t matter what methodology you use to scope, design, and implement a project if you’re unable to deal with the underlying people issues because people are hard and people are what cause project failures.

Five Things Audience Members Will Learn:

1. The irrational, impulsive, and emotionally driven challenges people introduce on projects
2. Overcoming different communication styles, engaging in successful conflict, setting expectations, and navigating politics successfully
3. Guidelines to effectively handle conversations
4. Communication techniques to help overcome people problems
5. Understand how to actively listen, effectively demonstrate empathy, and overcome biases that create extra risks and result in project failures.

Transcript

1. Projects are easy. People are hard. @bermonpainter | #FITCToronto
2. Projects are Easy. People are Hard. Understanding people. Dealing with other people effectively. Dealing with yourself. 1 2 3
6. Frederick Taylor
10. Scientific Management Reward good behavior Punish bad behavior 1 2
12. Work, consists mainly of simple, not particularly interesting tasks. The only way to get people to do them is to incentivize them properly and monitor them carefully. “ “
15. Edward Deci
17. Self Determination Theory Humans are inherently proactive with their potential Humans have an inherent tendency toward growth Optimal development and actions are inherent in humans but they don't happen automatically 1 2 3
19. The Results GROUP A GROUP B DAY 1 DAY 2 DAY 3 No Pay No Pay
20. The Results GROUP A GROUP B DAY 1 DAY 2 DAY 3 No Pay No Pay $1/ea No Pay
21. The Results GROUP A GROUP B DAY 1 DAY 2 DAY 3 No Pay No Pay $1/ea No Pay No Pay No Pay
22. Human beings have an inherit tendency to seek out novelty and challenges, to extend and exercise their capacities, to explore, and to learn. “ “
24. Jared Spool
28. Dealing with Other People
29. It is self-evident that people are neither fully rational nor completely selfish, and that their tastes are anything but stable. “ “ – Daniel Kahneman
30. Passive Aggressive
31. Task People
32. Passive Aggressive People Task
33. Passive Aggressive People Task Perfectionist
34. Passive Aggressive People Task Controlling
35. Passive Aggressive People Task Approval Seeker
36. Passive Aggressive People Task Attention Getter
37. Passive Aggressive People Task Perfectionist Controlling Approval Seeker Attention Getter
38. Passive People Task Perfectionist Cont Approval Seeker Atte Ge Be: • Thorough • Accurate Offer • Minimal risk • Time
39. Passive People Task Perfectionist Cont Approval Seeker Atte Ge Be: • Concerted • Honest Offer • Assurance • Fairness
40. Aggressive People Task nist Controlling al r Attention Getter Be: • Credible • Competent Offer • Bottom line options • Autonomy
41. Aggressive People Task nist Controlling al r Attention Getter Be: • Confident • Admiring Offer • Many options • Creativity
42. Passive Aggressive People Task Perfectionist Controlling Approval Seeker Attention Getter
43. Dealing with Other People Active listening Tone Mirroring 1 2 3 4 5 6 Labeling Paraphrasing “No”
44. Dealing with Other People Active listening Tone Mirroring 1 2 3 4 5 6 Labeling Paraphrasing “No”
45. Dealing with Other People Active listening Tone Mirroring 1 2 3 4 5 6 Labeling Paraphrasing “No”
46. Dealing with Other People Active listening Tone Mirroring 1 2 3 4 5 6 Labeling Paraphrasing “No”
47. Dealing with Other People Active listening Tone Mirroring 1 2 3 4 5 6 Labeling Paraphrasing “No”
48. Dealing with Other People Active listening Tone Mirroring 1 2 3 4 5 6 Labeling Paraphrasing “No”
49. Dealing with Other People Active listening Tone Mirroring 1 2 3 4 5 6 Labeling Paraphrasing “No”
50. The single biggest problem in communication is the allusion that is has taken place. “ “ – George Bernard Shaw
51. Dealing with Yourself
52. Marcus Aurelius
56. Begin each day by telling yourself: Today I shall be meeting with interference, ingratitude, insolence, disloyalty, ill-will, and selfishness— all of them due to the offenders’ ignorance of what is good or evil. “ “
57. You are unhappy because you’re insatiable. 1
58. You are unhappy because you’re insatiable. 1 Embrace whatever life you happen to be living.
59. Some things are up to you and some are not. 2
60. Some things are up to you and some are not. 2 Trichotomy of control.
61. Others can be the source of your greatest delights or negative emotions. 3
62. 3 Others can be the source of your greatest delights or negative emotions. Don’t confuse what’s valuable.
63. You can’t avoid dealing with annoying people. 4
64. You can’t avoid dealing with annoying people. 4 Your primary function is to be rational. Your secondary function is to be social.
65. “This mortal life endures but a moment…” 5
67. In other words, you’ll be dead soon. 5 “This mortal life endures but a moment…”
68. The art of living is more like wrestling than dancing. “ “
69. Fin. @bermonpainter | #FITCToronto