The document discusses various animal personalities that can represent behaviors of a project manager - the lion, gazelle, and dung beetle. It suggests project managers must assume different personalities based on the project situation. Various project management responsibilities are presented, like sending meeting announcements and obtaining status updates, and how each animal may approach these responsibilities, like using urgent language in emails as a lion. The aim is to apply good project management principles while adapting one's approach to the specific project circumstances.

1. Sometimes you’re the Lion
Sometimes you’re the Gazelle
and
Sometimes you’re the Dung Beetle
A Perspective on various behavior
patterns of a Project Manager
David L. Davis, PMP
March 2005

2. Objective
1. Define perceived animal personalities
2. Present a Project Management Situation
3. Personify the animal behavior in that
situation
4. Apply good project management principles
to that animal in that situation across
multiple knowledge areas:
1. Communication / Human Resource
2. Quality / Risk Management
3. Integration Management
March 2006
Copyright (c) David L. Davis, PMP
2

3. Fundamental Assumption
• Project Managers need to assume
different personalities based on different
situations in the life cycle of a project.
1. Effective Project Management Skill
2. Business Acumen
1. The business is an ecosystem
2. All people in the ecosystem assume different
personalities
3. When, where, how to use tools depends
on the situation and the personality.
March 2006
Copyright (c) David L. Davis, PMP
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4. Why This Approach
wa
Daughter
Addie
March 2006
hes
tc
Talk about life,
Relationships,
Danger
WOW – this is what I go through
Copyright (c) David L. Davis, PMP
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5. The Lion
•
•
•
•
•
•
Proud
Brave
Fierce
Hunter
King of the Jungle
Mighty Roar
March 2006
Copyright (c) David L. Davis, PMP
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6. The Gazelle
•
•
•
•
Fast
Quick on its feet
Able to sense danger
Understands wide
open spaces and the
dangers of the
unknown
• Prey for the lion –
thinning the herd?
March 2006
Copyright (c) David L. Davis, PMP
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7. The Dung Beetle
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Does the dirty work
Overlooked
Bug
Clumsy
Unappreciated
Small / insignificant
Stinks???
Truly has a shi**y
job
March 2006
Copyright (c) David L. Davis, PMP
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8. Get Cliché’s Out of the Way
• Paradigm
• Structured Project Management Methodology
• Laws of nature – can’t make a baby in nine
months by concurrently impregnating nine women
• Deliver on time, on budget, with quality
• Oxymoron's
– Business logic
– Almost Finished
– Flexible plan
• Blocking and tackling
March 2006
Copyright (c) David L. Davis, PMP
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9. Component of Project Management
• Next series of slides will show various
aspects of the day in the life of a PM
• It will then show how this might be
handled by one of the 3 animals
• It will then show an example or more
details on a best practice
– Analogy
– Used for example only, do not hire a Gazelle
as a project manager
March 2006
Copyright (c) David L. Davis, PMP
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10. Sending Out Meeting Announcements
• An aspect of the job is to insure that
people are aware of meetings and
conference calls.
• With virtual teams they often are
geographically disperse.
• Need a quick / easily consumable
message.
March 2006
Copyright (c) David L. Davis, PMP
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11. Dial in number and codes in Subject Line
– participant can see information without
opening meeting request.
Also in Location
Reminder Set
Color Label
– Need
Preparation
Big Font / Color for Dial In
not a m o n l acti r C
i
r f I i
evt c ef E
i f
Hyper Link / No Attachment
Categories

12. Obtaining Updates from Team
Members
• Needed in order to provide accurate
project status.
• Often a second tier concern of stake
holders.
• What is the measuring stick?
– Program is always 90% complete
– That will be finished tomorrow
March 2006
Copyright (c) David L. Davis, PMP
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13. Obtaining Updates
• Need to establish expectations and timeframes
at initial kickoff.
• Recommend asking for this information on
Thursdays
• Send email reminder the morning it is due
• Send email the morning after it is late with
threat to boss
• Send email to boss the Friday afternoon if still
not received.
• Put big red question mark on report that status
was not received – team should know it goes to
executives.
March 2006
Copyright (c) David L. Davis, PMP
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14. Issues Management Review
• What is the issue?
• Planned review meetings should cover
status.
• Getting people to accept accountability.
• Make sure focus is kept on the issue
– Don’t allow distracters / deflection
– Relationships among items
• What is the status of the issue
March 2006
Copyright (c) David L. Davis, PMP
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15. Issues Management Review
• Governance announced at beginning
– What constitutes an issue
– Issue status work flow / state diagram
• Assign accountability to one individual.
• Keep ahead of the problems
• Make sure closed issues stay closed
March 2006
Copyright (c) David L. Davis, PMP
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16. Hey Dave
• This manager type is always following
the company line.
• This manager type is never willing to
challenge any ‘senior executive’
• This manager type manages up instead
of managing the project.
• This manager type does not know how to
lead, but is a good follower.
A Lemming
March 2006
Copyright (c) David L. Davis, PMP
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17. Change Control
• Agreement / consensus to a project
component at a ‘Snapshot in Time’
• Triple constraint is dependant on the
baseline
– Requirements – Quality
– Schedule – Time
– Work Packages – Cost
• Change control is a process as opposed to
a phase
March 2006
Copyright (c) David L. Davis, PMP
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18. Change Control
• Obtain commitment at the highest
practical level
• Document Management
– Common data store
– Numbered / naming conventions
• Requirements
• Test Plans
• Put all baselined snapshots in PDF file
• Workflow in governance model
March 2006
Copyright (c) David L. Davis, PMP
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19. Meeting Minutes
• Many decisions / project issue resolutions
occur during meetings
• Official artifact of the project
• Who committed to what
• Within 24 hours of the meeting
• Agenda
– Blocks of time
– Certain players at certain times so they don’t
need the entire calendar
March 2006
Copyright (c) David L. Davis, PMP
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20. Meeting Minutes
• Agenda / Minutes / Agenda Cycle
• Utilize tools
– Web meeting / overhead
– Real time through the PPMS
• Roster of all invitees
– Check on who attended
– Identify who missed (label excused)
• Number the minutes and reference in other project logs
• Keep on the agenda
• Collateral sent prior to meeting
–
–
–
–
Agenda
Logistics
Project Status
Action Items / Issues
March 2006
Copyright (c) David L. Davis, PMP
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21. Hey Dave
• This manager type avoids confrontation
• This manager type is easily scared and
quite gullible
• This manager type is a pessimist and
always fears the worst
• This manager type does not know how to
push back on challenges.
An Opossum
March 2006
Copyright (c) David L. Davis, PMP
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22. Declaring a Jeopardy
• A threat to meeting the triple constraint
unless an ‘issue’ is resolved
• A ‘Colonoscopy’ of the project
• Enterprise view
March 2006
Copyright (c) David L. Davis, PMP
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23. Declaring a Jeopardy
• The emotional heartache
– Anything but a jeopardy
– Executives will get the wrong idea
• Should not be held until the last minute
• Must be tracked on status until
resolution
• Back to change control
• Fight with facts – not excuses
March 2006
Copyright (c) David L. Davis, PMP
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24. Minutia
• The act of documenting so many things:
– A roster
– Email distribution list(s)
– PowerPoint Executive Summary
• Closed issues and resolutions
• Insuring all baselined signatures are
captured
March 2006
Copyright (c) David L. Davis, PMP
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25. Minutia
• Make a task / time in your schedule to
manage your project
• Use this data for project analysis
– On track, not on track
– Correlate to governance
• CSI – forensic evidence
– Process compliance
– Methodology adherence
March 2006
Copyright (c) David L. Davis, PMP
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26. Hey Dave
• This manager type is always poking into
other’s peoples business
• This manager type is a socialite
• This manager type talks a lot and strives
to get attention
• This manager type does do good work,
but only after driving other ones nuts.
A Meerkat
March 2006
Copyright (c) David L. Davis, PMP
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27. Prioritization / Replanning
• What item will people / resources be
working on
• Dependencies
• Effect of a milestone delay
• Real world
– Production emergencies
– Layoffs – reassignments
– Budget cuts
• Consensus
March 2006
Copyright (c) David L. Davis, PMP
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28. Prioritization / Replanning
• Analysis
• Detail options / alternatives
– Option 1 – impact
– Option 2 – impact
• The elusive silver bullet algorithm
• Make sure the cure is not worse than the
disease
March 2006
Copyright (c) David L. Davis, PMP
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29. Bringing it All Together
• Animal Kingdom
– Rules of the jungle apply
– An ecosystem – every one has their role
• Sometimes you assume different roles
• Assume the role most appropriate for you at the
time
• Merlin was in the tent, while Jim wrestled the
alligators
• Any night you get to nest down means it was a
good day
• Very few animals kill for pleasure !
Movies
March 2006
Copyright (c) David L. Davis, PMP
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30. Just Don’t Become
• Be careful – too much
contemplation can lead
to a reputation.
• Treat people with
respect.
• Accept that sometimes
you gotta be the
hunter, the prey, or the
one who cleans up the
mess.
March 2006
Copyright (c) David L. Davis, PMP
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31. David L. Davis, PMP
AT&T Six Sigma Green Belt
Executive Chairman PMI eBusiness SIG
513 826-6424
dave@att.com
March 2006
Copyright (c) David L. Davis, PMP
31