Can you have too much authority as a project manager?
Bob McGannon and I talk about whether a project manager can have too much authority. We also talk about what to do to make sure everyone understands the authority the project manager does have.
Author Archive for: bonnie.biafore@gmail.com
Entries by Bonnie Biafore
Using milestones to track progress
Tracking project progress is part of a project manager’s job. Gantt charts aren’t always the best way to report progress–they provide too much detail for busy leaders. Using milestone charts are better for reporting progress. Here are my recommendations. In your project schedule, create at least 2 milestones per reporting period. Capture dates the milestones […]
Should I pad my estimates?
Q: Everyone tells me to pad my project estimates. Should I follow their advice? A: No! You should share your best, most accurate and non-altered estimates with your sponsor. Padding your estimate is adding contingency without justification. Be transparent. Share estimates with your sponsor, emphasizing that they don’t include contingency. Then, share your recommendations for […]
What’s the best style for a project manager?
Bob McGannon and I talk about project manager styles and the best one to choose in this video To learn more about project management, check out the Become a Project Manager learning path at LinkedIn Learning.
Can there be too much collaboration on a project?
Collaboration is gold in projects. Collaborative stakeholders produce better requirements, provide support for your solution, and rarely raise issues when accepting deliverables. Even with these benefits, there can be too much collaboration. Here are symptoms of too much project collaboration and how to correct them: You have more stakeholders than necessary. Environments that are extremely […]
I have trouble getting a remote team member to attend meetings. What can I do to fix this other than complaining to their manager?
First, find out if higher priority items interfere with the person’s attendance. If so, work with your sponsor to revise schedules or re-prioritize work. Or you can try to find an available replacement for that person. Also, make sure meetings stay focused and provide project team members with information they need. (This helps makes ALL […]
Should a Project Manager Justify a Project?
Q: My sponsor asked me to prepare the justification for a project. Is that appropriate or should my sponsor do this work? A: The Project Management Institute (PMI) holds the sponsor responsible for project justification. However, sponsors can delegate project-related responsibilities to the project manager. So a PM justifying a project is appropriate as long […]
Dealing with wanna-be stakeholders
Wanna-be stakeholders are secondary or out of scope stakeholders who are trying to push their way into your project to get their concerns addressed. They can generate scope creep, drag out decision making and stall your project. Here’s how to deal with wanna-be stakeholders. Define out of scope items by business area. That way you […]
Do you build a WBS Top down or bottom up? The answer is YES!
Some people think from the top down and consider the high-level deliverables or activities required to accomplish project objectives. Others take a bottom-up approach, focusing on details that must be completed. When building a work breakdown structure (WBS), use these differences to your advantage. Here’s how to leverage top down and bottom up thinking when […]
