7 Principles of Effective

Project Management

Audrey J. Murrell, Ph.D.

PMI Presentation
November, 2005
 7 Principles of Effective Project
Management
1. Power and Influence are NOT the Same
Thing
2. Influence is about Understanding the
Process of Social Exchange
3. Effective project managers balance technical
& relationship skills
4. Effective project managers build strong
networks
5. Effective project managers are skilled at
agenda building
6. Effective project managers are skilled at
issue selling
7. Effective project managers use power and
influence ethically
 #1: Power and Influence are
NOT the Same Thing
 Myths of “Effective Management”
• “If I have the authority, I can get things
done.”
• “It’s important for me to have direct control
over the things that I am responsible for in
the organization.”
• “A key factor in my success is being given
the power to direct the work of others.”
• “Change does not happen here unless the
person with the title says so.”
#2: Influence is about Understanding
the Process of Social Exchange

 Law of reciprocity
• The belief that people should be paid back for what
they do in some form or another
 Power and influence is about social exchange
and involves two key components:
• Agenda setting
• Network building
 Converting power into influence requires:
• Empowering those on whom you are dependent
• Cultivating mutually beneficial relationships with
those on whom you are dependent
#3: Effective project managers balance
technical and relationship skills
 Effective managers (Kotter):
 Develop and utilize both technical and
relational competencies
 Devote significant time agenda building
within the organization
 Recognize that power and influence are
often gain without formal title or authority
 Spend significant time cultivating diverse
relationships within the organization
 #4: Effective project managers
build strong networks
 Network building involves cultivating and
managing the complex set of relationships
of people both inside and outside the
organization
 Involves activities and competencies such
as:
• Developing relationships and teams
• Building trust and credibility
• Understanding and leveraging “currencies”
#5: Effective project managers are
skilled at agenda building
 Agenda building involves reconciling
diverse and conflicting expectations by
developing one common agenda and
course of action
 Involves activities and competencies such
as:
• Managing trade-offs and conflict
• Negotiating across diverse interests
• Analyzing the cultural and political environment
#6: Effective project managers
are skilled at issue selling
 Issue selling is a critical pathways for
managers to raise issues of importance
 Reflects key strategies for agenda-
building in firms
 Illustrates the importance of change
“from the middle”
 To exercise influence, you must be
prepared to use the right currency in
the right situation
 #7: Effective project managers
use power and influence ethically
 Be wary of developing a “cynical view” of power,
influence and relationships
 Keep in mind that effective relationships are
mutually beneficial, never exploitative
 Think in terms of building long-term relationships
versus short-term exchanges
 Focus on power and influence that balances
across collective and individual goals
 Recognize that the ends do not always justify the
means
 Things to Keep in Mind
 Allocate significant time to developing a network
of cooperative relationships for “emerging” needs
 Network building is aimed at much more than
direct subordinates & supervisors/managers
 Agendas & networks are different from but
consistent with formal organizational goals
 Networks are often used to exert influence by
using appropriate influence tactic given the goal,
organizational culture and target audience
 Value the different perspectives and talents
individuals bring to the project
 Make your primary consideration the welfare of
the enterprise that owned by all project team
members