The document discusses issues surrounding project management and communication, particularly focusing on a monthly executive session that is time-consuming and ultimately detrimental to productivity. It highlights a failed project in a Texas town due to poor communication and emotional opposition from local business owners, despite state support. The author calls for a reevaluation of project performance metrics and suggests ways to improve communication and project updates to avoid similar failures in the future.

1. 1. The Monthly Project Report
: Each month, all project managers were called for an executive
session to present the status of their projects. All project
managers and the key project team members spent five to seven
days a month preparing standardized briefing charts for this
critically important meeting. The meeting lasted well over half
a day while each project manager waited for his or her turn to
receive executive guidance.
Result
: The project managers, team members, and administrative
assistants wasted hundreds of hours each month preparing
detailed slides, graphics, analyses, and report papers to provide
to the senior executive. The senior executive was gratified at
the level of work and detail his people put in to keep him
apprised of every project nuance. The senior executive had a
much larger comfort zone of information to rely upon when
queried by his boss.
Analysis
: When most organizations work Monday to Friday, there are
about twenty workdays in any month. Spending over 25 percent
of the available monthly work time in preparing reports drove
project management costs up and undermined organizational
commitment to disciplined project management. Worse,
tremendous amounts of overtime were required to offset the lost
project productivity. This forced the project managers, team
members, administrative assistants, and contractors to work late
nights and weekends. Productivity losses were staggering. The
senior executive was promoted, but the organization was
ultimately branded a failure and subsumed under another
executive. Several project managers no longer work for the
company.
Discuss
:
Evaluate the executive sessions. Should they be held on the
basis of project performance norms and the key project

2. milestone dates and not per a fixed schedule? Why? Would this
require changes in organizational culture? Explain.
How might a culture of openness be established that encourages
briefings to senior executives regarding deviations from
expected performance (both good and bad)? Offer a few ideas.
Explain some of the less time-consuming and systematic ways
through which an executive manager can update himself or
herself on the status of a project.
2. Review the PMI's
Code of Ethics and Professional Conduct
on the PMI website and answer the following questions:
In your opinion, what are the underlying international and
global values of PMI's Code of Ethics?
What do you think is the difference between aspirational and
mandatory standards identified in the PMI Code of Ethics?
Justify your answer.
3.
Leading the Main Street Project:
Scenario
: A small town in Texas wanted to enhance its main street to
reduce traffic safety problems, enhance business, increase the
number of businesses, and make the street more appealing. The
main street was also a four-lane state highway that was
restricted to 45 mph speed in the less populated area and 35
mph speed in the business distinct. The project was approved by
the town council, and the Texas Department of Transportation
(TxDOT) provided funding to create enhancements that included
relocating overhead wires and installing curbs and gutters while
filling in drainage ditches. The project was to last for two
years.
Result
: Poor project communications management resulted in business
owners not being aware of all the aspects of the plan. Fears
arose that businesses would fail during construction. Project

3. leaders attempted to assuage these fears, but a town council
meeting was called to vote down the project. The council
members voted unanimously to cancel the project on the basis
of emotional arguments by business owners and a few vocal
townspeople. The TxDOT representative thanked the council for
its interest but announced that the project would continue.
Naturally, there was an outrage about this announcement and
vocal opposition followed. The TxDOT project manager
informed the assembled group that the city did not have
jurisdiction over the road and that the TxDOT had allocated
funding on the city's request. The project would continue
regardless of unfounded fears.
Discuss
:
Create a plan that could have avoided this situation. How does
your plan compare to others?
Evaluate the legitimacy of the TxDOT proejct manager’s use of
position power.
Assess what communication skills you would use in this
situation.
The final paragraph (three or four sentences) of your initial post
should summarize the one or two key points that you are making
in your initial response.
Justify your answers with examples and reasoning. Comment on
the postings and views of at least two peers.
Your posting should be the equivalent of 1 to 2 pages (500–
1000 words) in length.