I was watching George Osborne deliver his budget speech on Wednesday, trying to be a super cool executive with my iPad propped up on my desk, happily multitasking by sorting my emails, updating a report, painting my nails and eating a cheese sandwich (that list is a powerful argument against open plan offices!)

Anyway, I was half listening/watching George at work and it reminded me of the worst type of project management meetings that I attend as a Project Sponsor. They are bad because the project manager delivers a speech, doesn't draw breath for my questions and tries to sum up each point with a sound bite as if he/she is being interviewed by Sky News.

If the project is being managed by a less experienced Project Manager then I have a degree of sympathy. Talking at someone is a sign of insecurity, not stopping for questions is driven by fear of not knowing the answers to the questions. When it's an experienced Project Manager I think it's a warning sign that they will rush through their presentation, never staying long enough on one topic for penetrating questions to be asked.

If this applies to you either as a Project Sponsor or a Project Manager my recommendations for a meaningful two way exchange of information, opinion and decisions are:

If you are the Project Manager:
- Give the progress report using milestone reporting - don't give a blow by blow account of every activity but concentrate on the results of that activity I.e. Milestones
- Keep your information factual and in a way that enables each piece of information to be compared. For example, report each milestone as on or over schedule, the reasons for this and what you are doing about it
- Check that there is agreement with your actions (don't forget that this is a chance to ask for advice and guidance)
- Identify when a milestone has been reached and closed off, in contrast to those milestones that are reached but in doing so have identified interdependencies and knock on effects to the next period of activity
- Check that there is agreement with your assessment of the interdependencies (again, don't be afraid to ask for guidance - use the experience of others to check your assumptions and your analysis of the situation)

If you are the Project Sponsor:
- Remember that aggression or impatience generally leads project managers to reduce the information they provide for fear of criticism
- Ask questions that enable you to ensure four outcomes:
o Understanding and agreement of the progress made so far
o Clear instructions on any rework or amendments that are required and the resourcing of these activities - are you prepared to delay other work in order to fix something, or will you authorize overtime, temporary staff etc?
o Agreement to the work proposed for the next period
o Clear instructions on any reductions or increases in expectations for this next period and their impact on resource plans
- Use your experience of other projects to give advice and guidance to the Project Manager

Be Kind to your Sponsor

This week my attention has been focused on how to explain the role of Project Sponsor to senior managers. As a project manager myself I am well versed in how an effective sponsor can really move the project forward, and how a disinterested sponsor can slow things down…

When I deliver project sponsorship coaching, it’s very common to have to start with the basics of the project lifecycle - because this is new territory for the manager. It’s not because they are stupid, it’s because they have not been expected to understand the details of project management before, and they are concerned that on top of everything else they have to do, they are expected to learn a whole new language.

In my experience, sponsors are not being deliberately obstructive when they don't read the project reports, or fail to turn up for meetings, it’s just that the project (your project!) is just one of many initiatives they are involved with so it’s up to you to capture their attention, explain to them what you need from them - and possibly, be prepared to explain how you are managing the project.

I have been putting some of my thoughts together on the new website www.mavenprojectsponsorship.co.uk - have a look and let me know how you help your sponsors.

Are you adding value?

There was lots of press this weekend about job stability in the UK. Many people working in the service industry (public and private sector) are concerned about losing the jobs or not having their contracts renewed. It has made me think about the criteria I use for continuing to use contractor resources.

The harsh reality is that doing your job is not enough. Fulfilling the job description is just the minimum requirement that I expect from everyone, it’s what I am paying for. It's the added value that makes you indispensable. To me, added value means delivering new ideas, improvements to existing processes and the way in which business is conducted. It’s an attitude of continual improvement of what you deliver and how you deliver it. It implies a forward momentum in the role, and a commitment to the future.

These innovations and improvements are delivered via projects, so alongside the skills and experience for which you were originally hired, there is an implied demand for project management skills. Your ability to deliver improvements on time, on or under budget and in a way that meets or exceeds requirements makes you an invaluable resource. If you want to keep yourself up to date on what is happening in project management, have a look at the white papers on www.mavencapability.co.uk/resources.html - I hope you find the information helpful, and please email me your comments and views.

CV requirements in the job market

Minimum requirements have increased across all sectors, due to increased supply of candidates on the job market. Therefore recruiters can expect more qualifications and experience from candidates. This is the direct consequence of the increase levels of relevant and skilled candidates. Even if the specified requirements are not needed, these qualifications/skills provide reassurance to the employer.

However whilst expecting more, the stats indicate that average salaries for Project Managers have begun to rise again. The average salary for a Project Manager is £47,500 compared to £45,500 a year ago. Programme Manager average salaries are static at £70,000.

The CV is greatly underestimated by candidates. Even with the right skills and experience – if it is not presented in the right way then recruiters may not include you in their shortlist as the key areas will not stand out. With increased competition, the CV is a candidates most important sales tool, yet interestingly over 75% of candidates do not have their CV professionally reviewed, even those applying for high level roles. Projectmanagerjobs offer candidates a free CV review: http://www.projectmanagerjobs.co.uk/info/your-cv to help get the most relevant job for candidates.