Handling Tough Conversations

A longer version of my previous talk describing some topics and experiences about project management, and making a case for why you should practice them.

From GR DevDay 2014 at Davenport University

Transcript

1. tough conversations
   experiences in management of technology projects
   

   View Slide

2. tough conversations
   experiences in management of technology projects
   

   View Slide

3. matters less when things
   go well
   

   View Slide

4. matters more when
   things go badly
   

   View Slide

5. wrong!
   

   View Slide

6. actually matters
   all the time
   

   View Slide

7. matthew seeley
   @maxsilver
   

   View Slide

8. matthew seeley
   @maxsilver
   at
   for a really long time
   on 50+ different projects
   

   View Slide

9. todo
   

   View Slide

10. todo
    describe good project
    management I’ve experienced
    

    View Slide

11. todo
    describe good project
    management I’ve experienced
    make a case for why you
    should practice it
    

    View Slide

12. four steps observe!
    think!
    record!
    communicate
    

    View Slide

13. View Slide

14. listen to
    what is spoken
    

    View Slide

15. listen to
    what is spoken
    watch for
    what is unspoken
    

    View Slide

16. story time
    

    View Slide

17. ask about the unclear
    examine the assumptions
    

    View Slide

18. View Slide

19. analyze the requests using
    your knowledge and history
    brainstorm with your team
    for feedback and ideas
    

    View Slide

20. record
    

    View Slide

21. take good
    notes
    

    View Slide

22. take good
    notes
    paper !
    looks better
    

    View Slide

23. share info!
    with your team
    

    View Slide

24. share info!
    with your team
    maintain
    its accuracy
    

    View Slide

25. communicate
    

    View Slide

26. repeat what was discussed
    

    View Slide

27. provide communication
    regularly and predictably
    repeat what was discussed
    

    View Slide

28. never ever ever hide or skip!
    problems, setbacks, or delays
    always be open and honest!
    about the project
    

    View Slide

29. story time
    

    View Slide

30. simple
    story time
    difficulty level
    

    View Slide

31. 2 weeks later
    

    View Slide

32. tough
    2 weeks later
    difficulty level
    

    View Slide

33. matters less when things
    go well
    

    View Slide

34. matters more when
    things go badly
    

    View Slide

35. wrong!
    

    View Slide

36. actually matters
    all the time
    

    View Slide

37. todo
    

    View Slide

38. todo
    describe good project
    management I’ve experienced
    

    View Slide

39. todo
    describe good project
    management I’ve experienced
    

    View Slide

40. todo
    describe good project
    management I’ve experienced
    make a case for why you
    should practice it
    

    View Slide

41. View Slide

42. doing project management well
    builds trust
    

    View Slide

43. doing project management well
    builds trust
    encourages sustainability
    

    View Slide

44. doing project management well
    builds trust
    encourages sustainability
    promotes reliability
    

    View Slide

45. doing project management well
    builds trust
    encourages sustainability
    promotes reliability
    reduces stress
    

    View Slide

46. our behavior
    directly impacts!
    our clients behavior
    

    View Slide

47. “You are always so calm,
    I feel much better after
    talking to you”
    - the client
    

    View Slide

48. #winning
    

    View Slide

49. View Slide

50. View Slide

51. View Slide

52. “ we have no managers* ”
    

    View Slide

53. “ we have no managers* ”
    * we have people who have all the roles and responsibilities that
    a project manager would have, but we’ve relabeled them a
    “primary responsible person” so we can live in a hipster indie
    dream world where words are meaningless and work just
    handles itself.
    

    View Slide

54. translation :
    “ we have no managers* ”
    * we have people who have all the roles and responsibilities that
    a project manager would have, but we’ve relabeled them a
    “primary responsible person” so we can live in a hipster indie
    dream world where words are meaningless and work just
    handles itself.
    we have managers
    

    View Slide

55. if you define ‘management’
    by exclusively bad attributes
    

    View Slide

56. if you define ‘management’
    by exclusively bad attributes
    then ‘management’ will
    always be bad, by definition
    

    View Slide

57. if you define ‘management’
    by exclusively bad attributes
    then ‘management’ will
    always be bad, by definition
    (hint: it’s a tautology)
    

    View Slide

58. so, don’t do that.
    

    View Slide

59. eliminate the bad
    parts of the role
    promote the good
    parts of the role
    

    View Slide

60. managers roles !
    don’t have to include :
    - being the “boss”
    - hiring or fire people
    - promoting or demoting
    - setting hours
    - enforcing policy
    - being terrible people
    

    View Slide

61. managers roles !
    don’t have to include :
    - being the “boss”
    - hiring or fire people
    - promoting or demoting
    - setting hours
    - enforcing policy
    - being terrible people
    

    View Slide

62. eliminate the bad
    promote the good
    

    View Slide

63. matthew seeley
    !
    @maxsilver
    

    View Slide