Becoming Recognized as a Strong Project Leader: Context shifting story-lines create a leadership legacy and enhances team performance Paul Schmitz, PhD PMP Leaders Forum LLC PMI – Montgomery County, MD – 6/1/2011 Paul Schmitz, PhD PMP Leaders Forum LLC PMI – Montgomery County, MD – 6/1/2011 Leaders Forum “Relationships Create Team Results”

My PMI commitment Leaders Forum LLC In this session you will: Understand the social contexts of project teams Become aware of the interaction between the team social context and story-lines that can block or produce success Learn to identify red story-lines that escalate conflict and how to create and use green story-lines for success Learn how to change the story-line to shift the social context for project success Be able to use these ideas tomorrow at work, and Lead managing the team social context and be a “Great Project Leader” 1 PMI PDU

Leaders Forum LLC Puzzle

Leaders Forum LLC If you get relationships with people right…

Leaders Forum LLC …the money is easy!

Key to Team Performance Get the relationships right between people...and the results will take care of themselves Leaders Forum LLC

- BACKGROUND OF METHODOLOGY Leaders Forum LLC

The “hard-side” -- technical work and traditional risk management. The “soft-side” which we name “team social contexts.” Which side is more likely to cause team performance shortfalls and project failure? Project managers need to manage “soft-side” risk. Project risk has two sides Leaders Forum LLC

Team social contexts is invisible Context is an invisible “field,” like a magnetic field. You measure by observing magnetic materials. You measure your team’s social context by observing a team’s behavioral norms. Leaders Forum LLC

Four team context behavioral norms “Cultivating” - Our need to feel appreciated (Growing  “Green”) “Visioning” - Our need a hopeful future (Blue Sky  “Blue”) “Directing” - Our need to meet others’ expectations (Our Sun  “Orange”) “Including” - Our need to feel we “belong” (Attractors  “Yellow”) Leaders Forum LLC

Identify your challenging social contexts Leaders Forum LLC From your perspective as a project team leader: Mark an “X” in the quadrant that is the most challenging team social context for you. Share with group why the quadrant team social context is most difficult for you? (3 reasons) PMI Montgomery County discussion

CULTURE AFFECTS MINDSETS THAT SHAPE STORY-LINES Leaders Forum LLC

Team’s mindset in context affects “story-lines” and truth Context affects everyday “story-lines,” which are truth for us but may, or may not, be truth for others. “Story-lines” are thoughts and expressions that seem true but are not the truth because they are arguable. Leaders Forum LLC Your story-lines about other people’s motivations are wrong 95% of the time. (Robert Cooper)

Project contexts form mindsets “Cost” driven by a community concerned about budget or schedule overruns. Stakeholders “Performance” driven by a community invested in maximizing knowledge. Stakeholders Leaders Forum LLC

Project management reality “Orange” Cost “Orange” Schedule “Blue” Performance Risk Triple Constraint Leaders Forum LLC Time / Schedule Scope / Quality Cost / Resources

The “Blue” story-line mindset Schedule Risk Cost Performance Story-lines for who is in charge? Leaders Forum LLC Cost / Resources Time / Schedule

The “Orange” story-line mindset Risk Performance Cost Schedule Story-lines for who is in charge? Leaders Forum LLC Cost / Resources Time / Schedule

Our TeamOur Sponsor Our Stakeholders Performance Cost Tool: What are your team’s story-lines Have your project team fill out a card like the image below and place an “X” in the boxes of their choice. Tally results and discuss. Great Legacy Builder! Stakeholders Leaders Forum LLC

CONTEXT SHIFTING STORY-LINES AFFECTS SUCCESS Leaders Forum LLC

The 4 D Assessment Process Behaviors Context shifting story-line Willing & Energizing Collaboration Addressing Shared Interests Sustained, Effective Creativity Expressing Reality-based Optimism Perceiving “Magical” Solutions Being 100% Committed OutcomeFocus with no Blamers or Victims Resisting Blaming & Complaining Clear and Achievable Expectations Clarifying Roles, Accountability & Authority Expressing Authentic Appreciation Mutual Respect & Enjoyable Work Appropriately Including Others Mutual Respect & Enjoyable Work Authenticity & Aligned, Efficient Action High Trustworthiness & Efficiency KeepingAll Your Agreements Contexts Cultivate Include Direct Vision

AMBR makes story-lines shift context Leaders Forum LLC Attention: Awareness of people’s values and needs Mindset: “Way of thinking” that we must be stewards too if we intend to advance our work Behavior: Supporting others is a success strategy to get your results Results: Team success

Your story-line shifting Leaders Forum LLC Specify an “AS IS Situation” that is not working in a relationship and you want to resolve it: ____________________________________ Create an Outcome “TO BE” reality outcome you are committed to realizing and valuable to: ______________________________________________________ Identify your “Red” limiting storyline in current situation: ______________________________________________________ Develop a “Green” story-line of value for other party that you can authentically say and do: ______________________________________________________

Tool to shift context: Adopt Green to “Lubricate,” then Vision and Request “When dimensions are omitted, people under stress will fill them with their most toxic emotions and most pathological RED story-lines.” Request/Direct Attractive Future Include/CollaborateAppreciate Leaders Forum LLC

Get the relationships with people right… the results will take care of themselves

And the project results will follow! Leaders Forum LLC

Understand social contexts (culture) influences mindsets and story-lines affect project success Learn to identify red story-lines that escalate conflict and create green story-lines to achieve success Learn how to change the story-line to shift the team social context for project success Lead managing the social context to be a “Great Project Leadership” Lubricate communications – Appreciate, Include, Vision then Request or Direct Leadership legacy review

Becoming Recognized as a Strong Project Leader: Context shifting story-lines create a leadership legacy and enhanced team performance Paul Schmitz, PhD PMP Leaders Forum LLC PMI – Montgomery County- 6/1/ ● Paul Schmitz, PhD PMP Leaders Forum LLC PMI – Montgomery County- 6/1/ ● Leaders Forum “Relationships Create Team Results”