1. Communication as a Leadership
Tool
Dan Harmuth – PMP / MBA

2. Agenda
i. Communication Overview
ii. Communication Protocols
iii. Conducting Effective Meetings
iv. 24/7 Project Communication
v. Project Dashboards

3. Communication Overview (1 of 3)
• 90% of what a PM does daily is communicate
(PMBOK)
• Communication is a means to an end
– If you want to be heard – get a Therapist
– Socializing is for evenings and weekends
• Project Managers communicate to lead

4. Communication Overview (2 of 3)
Be honest and forth coming
1. Issues don’t get better with age
2. Issues might not go away (see #1)
3. Be trustworthy at all costs; you’ll need the
trust somewhere along the lines
4. Snake soothers never last long
“the greatest thing that can be said of a man, no matter how much he
has achieved, is that he has kept his record clean” Orison Swett Marden
(1911)

5. Communication Overview (3 of 3)
• We lead up, down and across (Project Managers)
• Walk a mile – Leadership: The executive psyche
• No one stops by just to say hello
• Fight or flight
• 4th type of executive communication – No bueno
– Approach w /Executive = Approach w/ Customer
– Perception is 100% the reality

6. Communication Protocols (1 of 5)
• The First Rule
– Don’t communicate with executive stakeholders in
project management mumbo jumbo
– Avoid creating fear, uncertainty, and doubt
• “Can Do” approach
– Focus on what can be done – Never what can’t
– Identify obstacles to define a “Can Do” approach
– Only communicate obstacles if required to
substantiate approach
“Thought I’d let you in on a situation, but want you to know it’s under control, and
here’s what we’re doing…”

7. Communication Protocols (2 of 5)
• Management by the rules – not by exception
– There is a least one exception to every rule
– It is impossible to manage by exception
– Communicating exceptions in advance creates
fear, uncertainty and doubt
• The secret formula
– Diligently support the policies – Creates credibility
– Exceptions will be acceptable

8. Communication Protocols (3 of 5)
• “Managing Expectations” effectively
– Do not respond to a request by outlining obstacles
– Creates fear, uncertainty and doubt
– Obstacles may never result – You don’t look so smart!
– “Can Do” approach – Your entire existence
• The secret formula (even if its already complete…)
– Paraphrase, confirm acceptance & be gone
– Creates credibility & confidence in success
– Creates easy working relationship – Go to “guy”..

9. Communication Protocols (4 of 5)
Presenting status
What Executives want to know – No more, No less
1. Project Health if not green
 Briefly explain risk affecting the health &
 Actions you are taking w/ resolution date if available
2. Accomplishments since the last status report
3. Briefly describe all issues – regardless of health
 Briefly describe al issues &
 Actions you are taking w/ resolution date if available

10. Communication Protocols (5 of 5)
Overcoming obstacles through education
• Never say
o “because it’s the way we do things” or
o “because it’s required”
• Undermines your credibility as a leader – Note Taker
• Recognize the opportunity – Look Smart!
• Explain the benefits of the approach – The “WIIFM”
• Do NOT use Project Management Mumbo Jumbo

11. Conducting Effective Meetings
• Pre-Meeting Communication
• Invite proper people and stakeholders
• Agendas
– Complete with time allocations for the full meeting
– Focused – stick to a subject and have specific objectives or
goals
– Not have too many topics – cramming an agenda with too
many major issues is over-whelming
– Complete with background information if possible
– Distributed a few days before the meeting
• Note taker (major ideas and action items with responsible
person
• Problem escalation procedure and resolution process
• Stay on topic and on-time (manage tangent discussions)

12. 24/7 Project Communication
Project website – excellent means to provide project
documents and status reports to interested parties, and
all others.
• Benefits:
o Keeps Stakeholders in the loop
even if they miss meetings
o “Not on the distribution list”
excuse goes away
o Shares project information with
entire organization
o Advertised status of tasks
encourages resources to be on
time
o Collaboration on documents  Must keep it up
o MS Project view/update centrally to date to keep
people coming

13. Project Dashboards
• What information - requires collecting details about
the information required to display through
dashboards. In addition, identifying the Key
Performance Indicators (KPIs) to display. Examples of
project KPIs include: hours logged on projects, due
date milestones, percent complete and budgeted vs.
actual costs or allocated time.
• For whom - identifying
who will be viewing the
information, and what
information the user thinks
is important.
• How to present - this
involves selecting the
number of charts to display
on the dashboard, as well
as appropriate chart types
to utilize on the dashboard
to best convey the
information.

14. Questions