How can you integrate project leadership with other business functions?

Project leadership is, by definition, already integrated with business functions. Projects are a function of the business - if they aren't then the purpose of the projects aren't properly defined and managed! Project managers need to believe and behave as if they are part of the management team - because they are! Make recommendations, just don't surface problems. Perform pro/con analysis, or SWAT analysis if your organization uses that model. Behave as if you are part of the management team and you are more likely to be treated as if you are part of the management team. Doing so fully integrates project leadership into the business functions they are supporting!

It starts with education. Informing leaders, stakeholders, project managers and project team members on the benefits of change management is critical to project success. Set expectations around how change work gets done. Acknowledge that the discipline of change management is based on facts and insights gathered through data gathering tools and processes such as (but not limited to): stakeholder analysis, impact assessment and change readiness assessments. Use consumer-friendly terms when describing the change process and work efforts. The process for change management may be viewed as inefficient to the untrained eye. When conducting stakeholder analyses or change readiness sessions – explain the why behind each approach.

When defining the project scope and objectives, consider using a "reverse brainstorming" technique. Instead of asking what the project aims to achieve, ask what it shouldn't achieve. By identifying what the project is not about, you can more clearly delineate its boundaries and avoid scope creep. This counterintuitive approach can lead to clearer project definitions and prevent potential misunderstandings down the line.

In my consulting career, clarity has been the cornerstone of every successful project. I've seen projects flounder due to ambiguous objectives. Using tools like SMART goals, I've ensured that every stakeholder, from the tech team to top management, understands the project's direction. It's like setting a GPS for success; everyone knows the destination and the route.

As Simon Sinek famously says, Start with "Why." Before we embark on any journey, we need to be clear on Why we do what we do! Once the why is in place, what becomes clear automatically. Most successful companies or products or services do this one thing right! They try to solve a problem because they feel passionate about solving it. In the project management context, its all the more important. Most projects fail or don't even kick off because they don't have leadership backing. Defining scope is a by-product of the conviction that this project/outcome is a priority!

Stakeholder engagement is akin to assembling a jigsaw puzzle. Every piece, or in this case, stakeholder, plays a crucial role. I recall a project where early engagement with a seemingly minor stakeholder unveiled insights that significantly altered our strategy. Tools like the RACI matrix have been invaluable in ensuring everyone knows their role and responsibility.

RACI matrix is especially useful in making all stakeholders aware of the scope and nature of their responsibilities. In addition, a proactive communication plan should be part of the overall project plan. It will help engage relevant stakeholders before issues arise and in turn it helps integrate project leadership with relevant business functions.

Probably the most critical aspect - context. Where does this project fit into the overall scheme of things, from the strategic to the operational to delivery. This is where engagement and consultation with stakeholders is fundamental. Stakeholders is not narrowly defined as your board and shareholders. This is boarder by definition inclusive of management, employees, suppliers and vendors. It's as simple as that, engaging and consulting with everyone involved means you know "the plot". The issue always is that it's a unilateral approach to a project. You don't understand and in the end it ends up that the project is just to do the project. No plot. Begin a project with five words: strategy, origination, execution, delivery, distribution.

Host a "Stakeholder Mystery Dinner." Invite a diverse group of stakeholders to a dinner without revealing the guest list in advance. This encourages stakeholders from different backgrounds and interests to interact in an informal setting, fostering unexpected collaborations and insights. Such an event can break down silos, promote open communication, and provide a unique platform for stakeholders to voice concerns or ideas outside the confines of formal meetings.

Keeping the core project team small and nimble is key to enable you to strategise and execute in real-time. It is also important that the key stakeholders operate at the 'right' level in the organisation and are able to make the right contribution at the right time, which helps with project speed and overall effectiveness. For example, if a stakeholder is very senior, they may need to delegate project requests to someone else. Vice versa, if a stakeholder is too junior, they may not have decision-making authority and need to refer the project's request for support to another person. Getting the balance right can be tricky and take a bit of time, but will help to increase the likelihood of successful project delivery.

As a project leader, it's essential to understand how your role intersects with other aspects of the business. Integrating project leadership with other business functions ensures alignment and enhances overall organizational success. Alignment provides a holistic understanding of the business and its processes. It gives the ability to collaborate with the team effectively and with sponsors the insight to communicate value while navigating obstacles, securing buy-in, and managing organizational change. A project aligned with business functions helps prioritize tasks, allocate resources, and ensures that your project delivers value to the organization.

Organize a "Process Theater Day." Have teams act out the current and proposed business processes as theatrical performances. This creative approach allows team members to physically walk through and experience the processes, highlighting inefficiencies, redundancies, or gaps in a memorable and engaging way. It can also foster empathy and understanding among different departments, leading to more collaborative solutions.

A project that doesn't align with business processes is like a square peg in a round hole. During a digital transformation initiative, we used value stream mapping to ensure our project seamlessly integrated with existing processes. This alignment ensured that post-project, the business could operate smoothly without disruptive adjustments.

There are some project implementations that require their own processes to ensure a successful implementation. What is important is that the project deliverables integrate with the business. the various tools, such as swimlanes, value stream maps etc. can be used to ensure that the deliverables are integrated.

An excellent example in hospital environment is to walk in as a patient and visit each station - Registration, Consultation, Billing, Insurance, Labs, IPD admission, Discharge, etc. This helps not only in project integration, but also helps identify gaps and root cause analysis.

The Curse of the Matrix As we integrate individual projects into Organizational priorities and business functions, It’s incredibly important to understand and realise that matrixes organisations are complex. The complexity of matrix structures can sometimes stifle growth and innovation as well. However, the challenge does not arise from the matrix structure itself. It arises from the speed of decision making and the resolution of conflict. Important to remember that a primary function of matrix organisations is to create creative conflict. And through that creative conflict realise innovations that move your business ahead. So Focus on not just the matrix but also on creating systems to accelerate decision making and conflict resolution.

Every business function is a cog in the organizational machine. In a major product launch, we collaborated closely with finance, marketing, and HR, ensuring that every function was in sync with our project goals. This holistic approach ensured that the product launch was not just a project success but a business triumph.

Integration is critical - cross functional working groups are a powerful way to make this happen. I believe this is one of the most powerful ways to #turbochargeyourtransformation.

Along the planning and scoping phase, define and align success metrics. Helpful things to ask yourself are 1.How will we know the project was successful? 2. What,how, and when will you measure? How will you monitor success metrics throughout the project execution phase? Who will be the metrics owners? What role do business functions have here?

Host a "Function Fusion Fair." Set up booths or stations for each business function involved in the project. Allow each function to showcase their contributions, challenges, and needs regarding the project. This interactive event encourages cross-functional collaboration, as teams can visit each other's booths, ask questions, and brainstorm solutions. It's a fun way to break down silos, foster understanding, and highlight the interconnectedness of each function to the project's success.

For any high functioning team it is foundational to create a culture of trust and psychological safety, where everyone feels comfortable speaking up and people are encouraged to learn from mistakes and setbacks. Another key aspect is to allow everybody on the team to come to work as a whole human being and to acknowledge that there might be non-work related situations that keep you from being fully present at work. Creating space for this can significantly improve relationships among the team and strengthen everyone's engagement.

A project team that learns together grows together. I've always championed a culture where every challenge is seen as a learning opportunity. Through collaborative platforms, we've cultivated an environment where knowledge sharing is the norm, ensuring that the entire team evolves with every project.

Depending on the dynamics of your team or organization, it may be critical to address culture much earlier on in the process. If you don’t, you could find yourself frustrated as team members withhold crucial resources (e.g., data only their function has ready access to), don’t appropriately prioritize deadlines (because ‘that’s really some other function’s problem,’ rather than a ‘one team’ mentality), etc. I’ve especially found this to be the case in organizations where turnover is high and trust is low.

Organize a "Project Potluck." Each team or function brings a dish or activity that represents a lesson they've learned or a challenge they've faced during the project. As everyone shares and enjoys the dishes, they also share stories, insights, and learnings. This culinary approach to knowledge sharing not only satiates appetites but also fosters a sense of community, encourages open dialogue, and emphasizes the importance of continuous learning in a fun and relaxed environment.

The execution is the fun part, and as my other peers noted, collaboration is important! Meeting on a weekly tempo to review the progress with the teams and tracking action items that support the schedule helps ensure the program is progressing. Having the key stakeholder functions together helps them learn what the other functions do which increases the integration and the learning for the team members. When mistakes occur and rework is required, positively reinforcing to the responsible team and using the moment for learning will improve the strength of the individual and the team while building a culture of trust and support.

Post-project reflection is as crucial as the project itself. After a major strategy overhaul for a client, we conducted a thorough ROI analysis. This not only showcased our project's success but also provided insights for future endeavors. Celebrating successes and learning from shortcomings has been our mantra.

Project without profit is hobby not business. Each project, regardless of its size or scope, leaves us with valuable lessons. It's essential to document these learnings systematically. This practice not only aids in refining our future strategies but also serves as a knowledge repository for our team. Learning from our mistakes and embraces successes equally paves the way for innovation and excellence.

Host a "Project Time Capsule Event." At the beginning of the project, have team members and stakeholders write down their expectations, fears, and hopes for the project. Seal these in a time capsule. Upon project completion, gather everyone to open the capsule and reflect on the initial sentiments compared to the actual outcomes. This nostalgic approach provides a unique perspective on the project's journey, offering insights into how perceptions change and the importance of setting and managing expectations from the outset.

Accountability is an incredibly important part of project leadership. Evaluating the project and the outcomes ensures accountability. If there is no accountability, then it is likely the project will fail to deliver all the intended outcomes.

This is where the benefit management plan plays a crucial role in the evaluation process, especially when assessing the business outcomes of a project. The benefit management plan outlines the expected benefits and outcomes. During the evaluation, compare the achieved results with the initially defined benefits to assess the project's success in meeting its objectives.

In any leadership role, it is imperative to review progress often to attain proposed goals. Fracturing of efforts is a constant due to unknown random variables. Success is achieved by moving seamlessly through unknown variables by maintaining strategic flexibility.

I think project leadership or transformation leaders need to take 3 perspectives: business (strategic context and business acumen), change management (people) and project management (governance). All 3 need to be aligned to culture to be effective. See my 3 circles diagram/ video of this model on futurebuildersgroup's turbocharge page.

Don't forget about management of change (the human kind). Ensuring a good change plan will help bring along the humans so that you can more rapidly realize the benefit of your investment.

Being flexible and adaptable is one of the critical success factors for the leadership integration, especially embracing volatility, uncertainty, complexity, and ambiguity conditions.

Consider performing a project “pre-mortem” (technique by Gary Klein) meeting during planning and scoping phase. Involve stakeholders in a session to brainstorm in a fictional/future situation where you imagine the project has failed. What were the reasons? Encourage the team or working group to come up with causes of failure. This will foster critical thinking, encourage diverse opinions and remove bias towards risk perception. The result of this pre-mortem can be used to detect hidden risks more effectively.