Forward Momentum: Delivering Results

By Brian Egan, PMP

Very few non-fiction books are being read 30 years after they were first published.  Getting to Yes is the exception.  First published in 1981 by Roger Fisher and William Ury, Getting to Yes – Negotiating Agreement Without Giving In is a classic of management literature. Every manager should be forced to read it.

The book is easy to read, filled with clever examples and completely relevant to today’s business world.

A Different Look at Negotiations

This is the book that introduced the concept of negotiations as collaborations, not confrontations. The authors coined the term ‘win-win’ with regards to negotiations rather than ‘winner take all’.

The authors argue that the best outcomes (settlement or agreements) are achieved when people negotiate on the basis of general objectives (principles) rather than specific demands (positions).

The book describes how to negotiate an agreement without starting with pre-defined expectations (demands or positions). They suggest it is more productive, faster, and less stressful to use a strategic approach, which they call ‘principled negotiations’.

Instinct is Confrontational

To appreciate the unique qualities of principled negotiations you must first recognize that most negotiations are not debate about general outcomes. Instead they are arguments around established positions. These positions are demands that one side or the other feels they deserve.

Negotiators typically prepare by deciding what they want out of the deal (positions) and then come up with reasons why their demands are justified. During negotiations they use their initial positions as a measure of success no matter how arbitrarily these demands were established.

Playground Politics

Instinctive, position-based negotiations are adversarial. Rather than collaborating towards a fair solution, people compete. If you are bigger and stronger, then you demand whatever you want. If you do not have a natural advantage then you use tricks to get what you want. 

Position-based negotiations encourage secrecy and strategy. As a result the process typically alienates the two parties rather than bringing them together.

Fear Rather Than Trust

A confrontational approach means that no one wants to give in or give anything up (relative to their original position) for fear of being taken advantage of. As a consequence, potential agreements are missed because of a lack of open dialogue.

Adult Negotiations

Fisher and Ury argue that there is another, better way to negotiate. 

Why not start negotiations with an open discussion that provides each side with the opportunity to outline their needs, desires and concerns? In other words, have the parties explain what they need and want out of the agreement instead of beginning the discussion with hardened positions.

It is great advice.

Quick Read

Anyone who would like to become a better, more productive negotiator would benefit from the book.

The practice of principled negotiations has the potential to solve quarrels and reduce conflict. I recommend it and Getting to Yes to everyone. 

By Vicki Wrona, PMP

Recently, I was at a neighbor’s house looking out their front door at our street and at my house, a perspective I normally don’t have. Even though I walk my dog by their house frequently, I don’t sit on their front porch and just look. I was struck by the different views they see. I live on a street with curves and bends, so every house truly has a very different perspective than another. I didn’t appreciate just how much until this visit.

I could see how easily they can see things I would miss. And how they would notice things I would not, and vice versa.

The same is true with projects or multi-functional teams of any kind. We all work next to each other on a project or on (hopefully) aligned goals, but even though our paths cross daily and our work intersects, the world we see is very different from each view. No wonder we disagree so often.

Part of this is because many people are not very good at communicating or explaining to others in terms so the OTHER PERSON will understand their perspective or reasoning. The other part is because those receiving the message are too busy or distracted to listen well.

This is a simple breakdown of the communication model, one as old as time. We won’t solve it, but we need to remember it exists to make an effort to compensate for its shortcomings in our daily lives and at work. We all know this, but a periodic reminder doesn’t hurt….like when I visited my neighbor.

By Kathy Martucci, PMP

One of the most well-known critical success factors in any project is executive support.   In effect, the project manager must recruit, train and retain an effective sponsor who can add value to the project. How can a busy executive establish and manage funding; stay apprised of project planning and deliverables; and make the right decisions to keep the project on track?

During the initiation phase, the project manager and the project sponsor work closely together to develop a business case as well as initial estimates of scope, cost and schedule.  Armed with these initial plans, the project sponsor can more effectively champion the project and marshal the resources necessary to support the next phase of the project, the planning phase.

Refining the scope, cost and schedule as well as developing the risk, communication, and change management plans (among others) comprise the heart of the planning phase. While the project sponsor does not develop these deliverables, it is the sponsor’s job to support this phase with the resources necessary; and it is the project manager’s job to communicate these plans and their impact to the sponsor.

During the execution and control phase of the project, the project manager focuses on leading the team to develop the product and/or services outlined by the scope.  The project manager devises concise but comprehensive ways to keep the project sponsor involved and aware of project status and issues.  At this juncture, the project sponsor supports the process by mitigating or removing risks and continually communicating upward.

As the project concludes, the sponsor and the project manager have the critical responsibility to assess, document and communicate best practices, lessons learned and key metrics for use in other organizational efforts.  Celebrating the success of the current project and improving the chances of success for future projects is the last and best of the sponsor and project manager’s duties.

By Vicki Wrona, PMP

Have you ever had a misunderstanding result from an email? Especially one that became emotional? Why is that? Why is it so much harder to communicate via email? I craft my messages very carefully and yet still misunderstandings occur.

I have a humorous example of a recent occurrence of this. I will provide a personal (and safe) example rather than a work-related example. I wrote a friend and said, “I was wondering if the kids would like the movie Up for Christmas.” Now, I am sure that some of you read that sentence the way I intended it, and others did what my friend did. I meant to ask if they would like a Christmas present of the movie Up. My friend read the movie title as Up For Christmas. She thought she was current on all the children’s movies that were out, especially Christmas and holiday movies, and was surprised to see that I found one she didn’t know about.  Well, of course I didn’t find a new movie, she misunderstood my meaning. I see now how it could easily be misread.

Whose fault is this? Mostly mine. The wording could be misleading for sure. Plus I should have italicized the movie title to make it more obvious, but in the rush of daily emails, I didn’t bother. On the other hand, if the title had been Up For Christmas the word ‘for’ should have been capitalized. The reader has to guess whether that missing capitalization is an error or on purpose.

Fortunately, the only consequence of this misunderstanding was a good laugh. But we are not always so lucky. Make the effort to craft emails carefully, even the very short, informal ones. I know we are all busy, but we will certainly be busier if a misunderstanding occurs from our message as we try to fix it rather than just doing it right the first time. After you write the message, minimize it and read it a little later with fresh eyes. See if you catch something during the re-reading of the message that you missed the first time. This can include anything from grammar or spelling errors, missing words or words placed in ways that could be misconstrued.

What do you do to reduce miscommunications in your emails?