Project Management with a Purpose Series
Part Three: Executive Communication
I’ve seen a lot of inexperienced PM-to-C-suite mistakes over the years. And let me be straight with you. It comes down to four things:
1) Escalating issues too soon or too late
2) Presenting problems without solutions
3) Not respecting the executive’s solution
4) The executive hearing about a big problem–but not from you.
Here are my five rules for handling the big dogs with elegance, control and compassion.
Give them a Goldilocks Answer
When they ask “How’s it going?” It’s your job to figure out what they want to know (a few high level issues and your solution,) what they need to know (any budget roadblocks or escalated situations) and what they really don’t give a crap about (small misfires, petty disagreements,). Simple answers like “We’re on schedule.” are dangerous because it makes them wonder what they’re paying you for. But going into great detail isn’t good either. The solution? Provide a brief summary of high-level challenges and amazing solutions. Something like: “We’ve had a few challenges because of ManPower resources and material accessibility, so we increased our job site time to 10 hours day. That’s helping us stay on schedule.”
Alert Them to Escalated Dramas
A project team is like a small town. Negative words fly fast. Anxiety is contagious. People love drama. When something big is happening, even if it’s under control, even if you’re not anxious about it, it’s good to alert the CEO. You might say something like: “There’s some equipment stuck in customs in Texas, but I’ve got it under control and it should be out by Thursday. I’ll submit a brief on Friday but I’m happy to provide the details immediately if you’re interested.”
Understand the Gravity of the Budget
Capital management is big money. That means the neck of the COO or CFO is on the line. When they know you understand the dollars, it builds trust and gives them peace of mind. As a result, for any budget issue, you should demonstrate that knowledge by providing a story, a nuance and a solution. If you’re sharing selectively along the way, they’re less alarmed when bigger issues come up. When a COO asks about the budget, a good answer might be: “Computer wall mounts did not make it into the drawings, therefore backing was not accounted for and that cost not budgeted so we had to dip into contingency.”
Personalize the Project
Sometimes you need to go the extra mile to keep the c-suite connected at a human level. The key is sharing unusual insights. Insights that only come from a group of individuals working together for two years at a time. I once had 16 babies born to construction workers during one project. It was wild! And this is where a Harmonizing Project Manager is critical. It’s their job to determine what your COO cares about. What’s close to his heart? Football? Southern culture? Artificial intelligence? Wine? Find out and make that connection. Either during happy hour, in a quarterly newsletter or by having a senior leader address the safety team.
Reach Out A Year Later
A strategic project manager stays in touch with c-level executives beyond the project. They don’t ask to have coffee (executives are busy) and they don’t just ask for work (ugh). Instead, they weave past project success and and results into their short email. Maybe a small heart connection or an ongoing success. “I just drove by our building and it’s truly a stunning piece of architecture.” Or a crazy memory from the project: “Remember that day we had to roll gurneys down 18th avenue in the middle of a snowstorm?”
The c-suite isn’t always a picnic. But you can hardly blame them. There’s a lot at risk and they’re under pressure for big decisions. But you can make their job easier–which makes your job easier–in just a few steps.
