1

Module 2: Paper

Jennifer Oberle

PMG 321: Project Leadership

Ben Pandya

March 19, 2023

 2

Project management is a very complex process where many factors play a role and have

an effect on the outcome of the project. After reading Chapter One of A Project Manager’s Guide

to Making Successful Decisions, by Dennis Buede and Robert Powell, I gained new insights

about how decision-making is at the core of project management. I currently work as an

Assistant Manager of a craft brewery and taproom. We recently went through a structural change

in how we conduct our business and made the switch to QR-code ordering straight from the

table. The project that led to a change in our POS system was a success and improved our sales

remarkably. The aspects of decision-making that Buede and Powell discuss in Chapter One were

very much present during our structural transition.

Buede and Powell discuss the many ways in which decision-making will ultimately

determine if a project is successful or not. When enacting good decision-making throughout a

project, the project manager has to consider many different factors. They have to consider the

objectives desired, the resources available and/or needed, the opportunities the decision poses,

and the responsibilities or obligations required. When a PM considers these aspects, they are

assessing the decision-context prior to making a decision. The decision-context assesses the

setting surrounding the decision and poses questions to determine if the decisions should be

made or not.

The company I work for is very customer service-forward. We have always been known

for our amazing craft beer and our above-and-beyond level of customer service. Guests would

come in and find a spot to sit and we would provide table service. This offered a real connection

between the staff and the guests. When we began to discuss switching a QR-code ordering

system, we first had to look at the decision-context. We had to assess certain factors such as the

cost of QR-code maintenance, the cost of switching to a new POS system, the need for less staff,
 3

losing opportunities to make guest connections, and ultimately the improvement of our net sales.

There were many pros and cons to switching to a new system, but the pros outweigh the cons.

Buede and Powell suggest that “objectives and decisions go hand-in-hand” (Buede & Powell,

2009, p. 5). When we made the decision to switch to QR-code ordering, we considered the

appropriate objectives. These objectives were boosting our sales and lowering our labor

percentage. We implemented effective decision-making because we were able to achieve both of

those goals. We are now able to sell more product at a faster rate than we would have with

regular table service, and we are also able to function with a small staff.

A reason as to why this project was successful was because of the planning that went into

it. Buede and Powell states, “The most consequential of these is planning, a process that

permeates all the other processes—that is, organizing the project is planned, directing the project

is planned, and monitoring the project is planned as well” (Buede & Powell, 2009, p. 11). When

a project manager is making a decision, there is planning involved at every step. Without a

planning process there can be no decision-making process. While going through the

decision-making process we first have to consider competing objectives, risk, and uncertainty

(Buede & Powell, 2009).

There were many risks at play such as investing in a brand new business structure that

would require physical QR-code maintenance, tech issues, and the loss of our guest connection.

Through process planning, we were able to determine that the costs of implementing a new

system and the loss of our guest connection would not result in a failed project. We did research

into physical QR-codes that could withstand the elements outside and regular wear-and-tear.

With the QR-code ordering system, guests would have less of a chance to talk to the staff and the

personal connection that we were known for would fall short. We considered this and through
 4

planning, decided that it would be beneficial for us to have a few extra staff than necessary to

make connections with the guests and ensure all their needs were being met. When planning for

the inevitable tech issues that would arise, upper-management created a Slack account for us to

use and have tech support on-hand at any moment of the day. Prior to launching the new POS

system, we installed a new Wi-Fi router for our taproom so guests would have no issues

accessing the QR-codes. Through extensive planning we were able to consider all of the risks

that could result in a failed project and addressed them throughout the decision-making process.

Buede and Powell provide key insights into the decision-making process while managing

a project. They delve into detail regarding how important decision-making is and how it can

make or break a project. I completely agree with their assertions as I have used planning and

decision-making processes throughout multiple projects. I believe that it is important to research

how every decision will affect the setting of your project. It is also extremely important to

analyze the risks with each decision. Successful decision-making within a project requires

extensive planning.

Out of the many blog posts to choose from, I decided to read a few blog posts from

Susanne Madsen, as well as John Furneaux. One blog post of Madesen’s that stood out to me the

most is titled “Why do some people on your project trigger an allergic reaction in you?” I’m sure

I am not alone when I say we have all had to work together with someone whom you struggled

to get along with. Another blog post that stood out to me by Furneaux is titled “8 Impactful HR

Goals To Set For Your Human Resources Team.” I am really passionate about building a career

in Human Resources so this post really stood out to me. As I was reading through these blog

posts, I was reminded about certain situations regarding the team mood and productivity that

took place throughout my run throughs of the Harvard Simulation.

 5

In Madsen’s blog post, she uses Daniel Ofman’s core quadrant model to identify and

describe possible ways in which we struggle to work with those who have different core qualities

or work ethics. The first quadrant is identifying your own Core Quality. Your core quality is what

you are known for or the type of worker you are. In regards to the simulation, I was striving to be

the type of leader that would complete the project on time. In doing so, I would encourage my

team to use overtime and I would extensively outsource tasks. I would say my core quality in this

simulation was determination.

The next quadrant is Pitfall. This quadrant explains how your core quality can be

counter-productive to what you are trying to accomplish. If you become too much of your core

quality, it may reflect negatively to your staff around you. Throughout the simulation I struggled

the most with keeping my team happy. Naturally, they were most productive when team morale

was positive. I believe there were a few times where I pushed them too hard and my expectations

were too high. They didn’t have enough support or resources available to them in order to

complete the project within the expected timeframe. My core quality ended up being my pitfall.

The following quadrant is Challenge. This quadrant discusses how you should balance

your core quality in order to become a more balanced leader. It should be the opposite of what

your pitfall is described to be. During the simulation, I had to change something about the way I

was leading the team because simply trying to power through and meet the deadline on time was

not working. I listened to my team’s feedback and made changes accordingly. I scheduled more

meetings based on what type of support they were looking for. If they were feeling stressed, I

would go over the budget to ensure they had enough team members to complete their tasks. I

found this solution really helped in the long run because the team’s morale picked up halfway

through the simulation and they ended up finishing on time. We only went a little over budget
 6

but ultimately, we finished on time and in high spirits. Even though I started off as a determined

leader, only trying to complete the project to the best of my ability, I became overbearing shortly

after. I challenged myself to be a bit more patient and ensure my team was taken care of and

ultimately it paid off in the long run.

Lastly, the quadrant ends with Allergy. This one suggests that too much of your challenge

may become your allergy. If the challenge is to become a more patient leader, you may feel as

though you’re becoming passive. If determination is your core quality, then your allergy would

be passivity. During the simulation, I found myself worried about finishing the project on time

when I would schedule more meetings because it would take up more time. However, Madsen

states that your allergy is more likely a reflection of yourself than those around you. If my team

needs more hands-on support in order to be successful in the simulation, then I will provide it. A

team is known to work really well together when they are balanced. One individual’s core quality

may be someone else’s allergy but they could still work really well together because they both

offer something the other does not have.

When reading through Furneaux, I am reminded why I love Human Resources so much.

HR provides foundations for organizations to diversify their workforce, increase morale, and

ultimately cut excess spending. Investing in Human Resources is an important step in cultivating

a company culture where employees feel respected. When employees feel respected by their

employer they are more inclined to stay with the company longer, be more productive, and

increase morale. Furneaux lists eight suggestions as to how organizations can increase with HR

presence. Through these eight suggestions, the overall takeaway is that it is beneficial to invest in

your workforce. I completely agree with this because I have worked for companies where there

is a distinct lack of respect for their employees. I have been offered job promotions with no pay
 7

increase, continuously misgendered, and lacked the training when dealing with certain situations.

It is experiences such as this that increase the turnover rate within companies and lose talent

faster than they can get it.

I have learned a lot about project leadership throughout these readings. My strongest

takeaway from these readings is that it is important to fully understand how making decisions

will affect the environment around you. Whether it is a decision regarding changing the POS

system where you work, challenging yourself to become a more well-rounded leader, or

investing in your employees. It is critical to the success of a project to reflect on how these

decisions will play out in the long run. By reflecting on this, we are able to become stronger

leaders who can be ready for any situation.

 8

References

Buede, D., & Powell, R. (2009). Decision-Making: The Key to Project Success. In A

Project Manager’s Guide to Making Successful Decisions. essay, Management Concepts,

Inc.

London, S. (2023, March 15). 8 impactful HR goals examples for company success. Hive.

Retrieved March 19, 2023, from https://hive.com/blog/hr-goals/

Madsen, S. (n.d.). The Project Leadership Institute. Why do some people on your project trigger

an allergic reaction in you? Retrieved March 19, 2023, from

https://www.theprojectleadershipinstitute.com/blog/personal-leadership/why-do-some-pe

ople-on-your-project-trigger-an-allergic-reaction-in-you/