Saleem Usmani PMP, CSPO, CISA

Understand the audience. Executive management wants a snapshot and what they can "steer" to keep the program on-track. Bring the decisions with recommended approaches along with impacts of each choice in clear, concise manner. Line managers need details of the items. Identify the routes to solutions and get consensus with stakeholders about the approach to solution or different solutions that need to be presented. Working staff needs direction based on your insights and a lot more detail than the two levels above.

First step: take a hard look at your project plan and understand the deliverables and their predecessors. If the project plan doesn't have that information, then update the project plan along with timelines first to get the true picture. Second step: Understand what is causing the delay (i.e. resource shortage, vendor incapability, technology issues, coordination with other team e.t.c.) and is that activity (ies) understood by everyone in the amount of detail that is required to finish it. If not, bring the team to a common understanding. Third step: Based on the outcomes of step 2, put the correct duration of all missing / misunderstood tasks after ensuring resource availability and clearing of roadblocks.

Firstly, understand what is ambiguous to the program manager and is that view shared amongst the stakeholders as well. The key is communication and understanding the perspectives of those who might disagree and then crystalizing the thought process. Ask questions, even if they tend to be difficult with an open mindset. Once the responses are in, then, from that point, it will take 2 routes. A - Its understood properly and doesn't remain an ambiguity anymore. B - It becomes a risk or issue, that has been understood for its impact with mitigative / corrective actions identified. Remember, there are no bad questions. Most PMs don't ask the right questions or leave it for someone else to take care of it and that's a mistake.

Take pride in your work and in your teams' work and make them feel proud of the good things that they have done. Send an appreciation note from time to time, appreciate top performers publicly. Take the teams to a coffee or lunch on major milestones and bring everyone together on food after a successful go live. Nothing reduces the distance between people like food or coffee. Telll your bosses that a 50$ coffee bill or a $200 lunch will not bankrupt the organization (hopefully). Be culturally and socially sensitive to festivities and appreciation.

Take stock of the bigger picture and clearly align your objectives to the program deliverables after discussing and agreeing with your stakeholders. This stage is about maintaining focus on big ticket items. Don't sweat the small stuff, it will fall in line if your focus is on the prize. Make sure your stakeholders and teams buy into your vision of the program, else there will be a lot of noise that will take away your focus. Let that vision be the north star that guides you and teams all the time and should be readily available for everyone.

Remember, Excel is not a project management tool despite what is being said. Use a proper tool like MS Prjoect, Asanan or Planview, where the impact and interdependence of activities on each other and different streams is clearly identified along with resource demands and levelling. Most PMs that I have seen are reluctant to use a good tool but have zero reluctance in wasting countless hours in Excel trying to get basic answers. Don't be that PM. Get a good grasp of the PM tool that your organization has and understand its strength and weaknesses to reduce your workload and be efficient with that.