Non-written communication in Project Management Dino Butorac, PMP IBM Session Number #PMB02

Objectives Managers of PM’s Why you should invest in non-written communication skills PM’s Provide arguments for discussions with your managers Guidelines for fostering your skills

Managers of PM’s

Why you should invest in non-written communication skills

PM’s

Provide arguments for discussions with your managers

Guidelines for fostering your skills

Agenda Why it’s important Message transfer model Fostering the skills Organization assessment Personal improvement process

Why it’s important

Message transfer model

Fostering the skills

Organization assessment

Personal improvement process

Projects Projects have goals and objectives Many stakeholders involved More stakeholders means more complex project environments

Projects have goals and objectives

Many stakeholders involved

More stakeholders means more complex project environments

Number of relationships

Stakeholders Need for clear and efficient communication Project manager – Stakeholder Stakeholder – Stakeholder

Need for clear and efficient communication

Project manager – Stakeholder

Stakeholder – Stakeholder

Knowledge and skills How to get the message across How to receive and understand the message Improving chances of success

How to get the message across

How to receive and understand the message

Improving chances of success

List of skills Defining the purpose Organizing Use of language and words Use of voice Gestures and body-language Choice of communication channel Active listening

Defining the purpose

Organizing

Use of language and words

Use of voice

Gestures and body-language

Choice of communication channel

Active listening

Categories of Communication Written Non-written

Written

Non-written

Written Communication Documenting Archiving The same message for many people PM literature focus

Documenting

Archiving

The same message for many people

PM literature focus

PMBOK Interpersonal skills Effective communication Motivation Negotiation Conflict management

Interpersonal skills

Effective communication

Motivation

Negotiation

Conflict management

Project Communications Management “Processes that are required to ensure timely and appropriate generation, collection, distribution, storage, retrieval, and ultimate disposition of project information” – PMBOK Third Edition

“Processes that are required to ensure timely and appropriate generation, collection, distribution, storage, retrieval, and ultimate disposition of project information” – PMBOK Third Edition

Communication skills (PMBOK) Choice of media Writing style Presentation techniques Meeting management techniques

Choice of media

Writing style

Presentation techniques

Meeting management techniques

Non-written communication Spoken communication Words and sentences Voice Body-language Listening

Spoken communication

Words and sentences

Voice

Body-language

Listening

Non-written communication Types One on one One to many Sequence of one-way message transfers in alternating directions

Types

One on one

One to many

Sequence of one-way message transfers in alternating directions

Why non-written communication skills are important? Environments with many stakeholders are complex Project success largely depends on communication Successful communication makes environment more efficient Non-written communication – required and non-avoidable in many situations Improvements mean better chances of success

Environments with many stakeholders are complex

Project success largely depends on communication

Successful communication makes environment more efficient

Non-written communication – required and non-avoidable in many situations

Improvements mean better chances of success

Message transfer model SENDER RECEIVER CHANNEL

Message transfer model Message creating (sender) Message transferring (channel) Message receiving (receiver) Message interpreting (receiver)

Message creating (sender)

Message transferring (channel)

Message receiving (receiver)

Message interpreting (receiver)

Miscommunication Message corruption can (and does) happen Message creating (sender) Message transferring (channel) Message receiving (receiver) Message interpreting (receiver)

Message corruption can (and does) happen

Message creating (sender)

Message transferring (channel)

Message receiving (receiver)

Message interpreting (receiver)

Reversal of the roles Sender becomes the receiver and vice-versa The whole process repeats in a sequence SENDER RECEIVER CHANNEL

Sender becomes the receiver and vice-versa

The whole process repeats in a sequence

Improving the process Message creating (sender) Message transferring (channel) Message receiving (receiver) Message interpreting (receiver)

Message creating (sender)

Message transferring (channel)

Message receiving (receiver)

Message interpreting (receiver)

List of skills Defining the purpose Organizing Use of language and words Use of voice Gestures and body-language Choice of communication channel Active listening

Defining the purpose

Organizing

Use of language and words

Use of voice

Gestures and body-language

Choice of communication channel

Active listening

Fostering the skills Learning Practicing Teaching

Learning

Practicing

Teaching

Learning the skills Formal education Classroom courses and seminars E-learning Mentoring Informal education Books Articles Message boards

Formal education

Classroom courses and seminars

E-learning

Mentoring

Informal education

Books

Articles

Message boards

Practicing the skills At work At home At our hobbies … Communication skills development organizations Toastmasters International International Training in Communication

At work

At home

At our hobbies

…

Communication skills development organizations

Toastmasters International

International Training in Communication

Teaching the skills If you want to really learn something – teach it! Help others become easier to communicate with

If you want to really learn something – teach it!

Help others become easier to communicate with

Fostering the skills Learning Practicing Teaching

Learning

Practicing

Teaching

Organization assessment Level of PM’s skills Organization awareness

Level of PM’s skills

Organization awareness

Level of PM’s communication skills Assessing Tracking and improving Investing Budget

Assessing

Tracking and improving

Investing

Budget

Organization awareness Management awareness of communication skills importance Management speaking highly of communication skills Management inspiring PM’s to foster their skills Management incentives in place

Management awareness of communication skills importance

Management speaking highly of communication skills

Management inspiring PM’s to foster their skills

Management incentives in place

Improve the organization Improve yourself Influence your management Influence your colleagues Influence others

Improve yourself

Influence your management

Influence your colleagues

Influence others

Personal Improvement Process Decision Assessment Plan Action Feedback

Decision

Assessment

Plan

Action

Feedback

Agenda (revisited) Why it’s important Message transfer model Fostering the skills Organization assessment Personal improvement process

Why it’s important

Message transfer model

Fostering the skills

Organization assessment

Personal improvement process

Objectives (revisited) Managers of PM’s Why you should invest in non-written communication skills PM’s Provide arguments for discussions with your managers Guidelines for fostering your skills

Managers of PM’s

Why you should invest in non-written communication skills

PM’s

Provide arguments for discussions with your managers

Guidelines for fostering your skills

Contact Information Dino Butorac, PMP dino.butorac (at) hr.ibm.com Session # PMB02

Dino Butorac, PMP

dino.butorac (at) hr.ibm.com

Session # PMB02