Have you ever worked on a project where you were so consumed by the work that you never asked ‘why’?  ‘Why are we doing this project?  Why is it important?  Why is everyone working 80 hours a week?  You complete task after task after task without knowing ‘why’!  Never thinking about the big picture strategy that could justify the insanity!

If this sounds familiar, you are not alone!  Your view of the big picture is in the dark and your vision is clouded over as you struggle with your project’s sense of purpose!  In short, you are working on a project without a visible Mission/Vision/Strategy (MVS) Statement.  The MVS was never communicated to you and the team.  The MVS has the answer; the project vision.  The MVS communicates the big picture.

Communication is what we do on a daily basis with one another through many methods.  According to Dictionary.Com (1), Communication is the imparting or interchange of thoughts, opinions, or information by speech, writing, or signs.  According to PMBOK, 4thedition, communication is the management of project information. (2).

Communication is the process used by one person to send information to another person.  For example, using the PMBOK Basic Communication Model (3), a Business Owner (sender) communicates a new website idea to a Project Manager (receiver).  The Project Manager receives the information and translates it back to the Business Owner.  This process of communicating has been with us since the dawn of time.  If we really are communicating, why do projects fail?  Is communication the root of the problem?  Many project managers will say timelines were too aggressive, there was not enough money; the client submitted additional requests, etc.  Communication is the basis for everything we say, hear, do, learn, and see.  We communicate:

——–>requirements——>designs——>plans

<———results——– status——–issues——->

For each of these topics, we have forms, templates and processes.

Did you notice the above list does not include a mission, vision and strategy statement?  Is it part of a company’s Organizational Process Assets (OPA)?  The MVS should be part of every OPA.  Organizations have MVS statements that are communicated to employees, clients and the public at large.  You may see them advertised on TV, displayed in a newspaper ad, or on a nice tombstone at Company headquarters.  Some are easy to remember with a catchy phrase while others never grab their audiences’ attention.  All projects should have a MVS statement.  The MVS statement provides focus to the project team.  Like a surgeon performing an operation, a MVS is critical to the success of a project.

There should be an entire process for developing a MVS statement, communicating it and ensuring the project team embraces it.  Everything that happens during a project should be the result of the MVS.  Project teams should implement the following in support of the MVS.

>————–> frequent reminders of the MVS <——————-> a dedicated website——————>

>————–> associating all work to the MVS <—————— >  visible display of the MVS——— >

A formal communication methodology ensures the MVS is communicated to all project stakeholders to maintain MVS focus and answer those ‘why’ questions.  Frequent reminders keep the MVS fresh and alive with the project stakeholders.  A dedicated website supports the importance of the MVS and promotes MVS visibility.  Associating all work to the MVS ensures everyone understands why they are working so hard, what the end goal is and helps the stakeholders embrace and believe in it.

A MVS will keep the project team focused on where they are, where they are headed, and why they are doing what they do.  It creates an atmosphere of teamwork, focus and collective enthusiasm ensuring project success.  The MVS ensures you won’t have to ask ‘Where did we go wrong’.

References:
1. – Communication definition – Dictionary.com
2. – PMBOK, 4th edition. Page 243
3. – PMBOK, 4th edition. Page 255

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As described by Cushing Anderson in this article research, according to latest survey of the Chief Learning Officer magazine Business Intelligence Board (BIB), over 60% of participating organizations feel the importance of talent management strategies has increased since 2008. This article reports on current talent management and succession planning strategies.

1.0 Article Analysis

There are three fundamental perspectives of business; 1) sustainable growth, 2) complacent existence, and 3) descending obsolesce. Firms that choose the first perspective recognize that talent management and succession planning are important objectives to consider for the continuation of sustainable growth. The article illustrates or further develops ideas set forth in this course, Human Resources Administration, by exemplifying the importance of strategic alignment between operations management and human resource management.

Figure 14.1 Vertical and Horizontal Alignment

(Stewart, Brown, 2008, p 527)

Figure 14.1 above was extracted from the course text Chapter 14 Aligning Strategy with Practice. The illustration depicts the two basic forms of alignment as part of strategic management. Vertically the human resource strategy is relational to other organizational strategies. Often strategy is handed down vertically through the organization to the level of a program and/or project. Human resources are a critical link between alignment of operational strategy and the program’s tactical implementation of that strategy. The key issue is whether the organization’s human resource strategy fits with its competitive strategy. The human resource strategy is most effective when it fits or aligns with the competitive strategy. For instance, an organization’s strategy to become more competitive in an attempt to expand revenues and shareholder value can centralize human resources for better vertical alignment.

A bottom up consistent approach to human resource practices is foundational to supporting the organization’s strategies. Horizontal alignment refers to the fit among the specific human resource practices. This form of alignment is most effective with consistency of practices, i.e. consistent practices leads to effective human resource management and therefore an effective organization. Program/project managers generally rely on human resources to recruit and manage talent. Talent management and succession planning are performed as a part of the human resource practices (Stewart, Brown, 2008, pp 527-528).

2.0  Article Evaluation

The legitimacy of the point of view or the content of the article is both current and relevant information. The illustrations clearly represent the content. However, the Chief Learning Officer magazine is bias on global enterprise education. A quick look at the home page, http://www.clomedia.com/ , one could deduce that the article promotes the perspective of the magazine. The magazine is subsidized by advertising of learning engagements, software applications, associations, and service organizations. Furthermore, it also appears that the author is a hired writer as there are several other articles by this author displayed on the website.

The article makes three important points about the understanding of strategic human resources. The first is about the continuing war for talent. Second is about talent strategies in challenging times. Finally, the third is about talent management processes.

2.1  Continuing War for Talent

A majority of firms recognize talent management as important to achieving organizational success. Figure 1 shows a steady decline in the unemployment numbers, but a recent sharp increase during 2008. This could imply that it is difficult to fill roles therefore further implying that the skills are hard to find. Figure 2 depicts large voids in the levels most affected by knowledge gap. The largest of gaps is the middle manager. This is a huge opportunity for MBA students and/or project management students motivated to enter this level. Even though firms have an opportunity to select from the best in the unemployment line, the knowledge gap can hinder immediate organizational success. That gap can be filled with industry training, mentoring, and exposure of the job. A best approach will depend on which of the three fundamental perspectives of business presented previously a firm decides to implement. This gap requires an investment, so firms must develop a talent strategy (Anderson, 2009, pp 54-55).

2.2  Talent Strategies in Challenging Times

Some strategies for improving organizational performance involve technology improvements, streamlining talent and development, and formalizing succession and mentoring programs. Figure 3 illustrates the impact of these strategies to improve performance caused by the reduction of workforce and skills gap. Notice that investment in IT to automate processes and training and development are the most used strategies and the most impactful to improving organizational performance. Also, notice that Figure 4 depicts the importance of the development talent function along with aligning goals to optimize human capital contribution to organizational success (Anderson, 2009, pp 54-55).

2.3  Talent Management Processes

A majority of firms have formal processes in place to management talent. Figure 5 is a display of talent management processes by process characterization. Notice that many of these processes are similar to the practices displayed in Figure 14.1 illustrated previously. Many of the processes are transcending beyond the manual stage as human resources strategies are horizontally aligned. Automation is prevalent in the compensation management and performance process, but succession planning still remains as a manual process. In order to fill the gaps displayed in Figure 2, firms may need to invest in automating the succession planning process (Anderson, 2009, pp 55-56).

Conclusion

Change brings opportunity and during times of crisis changes is in abundance. The times are tough and situations seem bleak, but the one that perseveres is the one to seek out these opportunities brought on by change. Find a gap, discover a niche, develop personal skills, hold the bar high and never stop learning. As the war for talent continues and firms automate processes, the opportunist makes all the difference in managing one’s own talent. Have you discovered your talent?

References

ANDERSON, C. (2009, March). Succession Planning Gains Momentum. Chief Learning Officer, 8(3), 54-56. Retrieved May 10, 2009, from EBSCO MegaFILE database.

Stewart, Greg L. and Brown, Kenneth G., 2008. Human Resource Management: Linking Strategyto Practice. Hoboken, New Jersey: John Wiley and Sons Incorporated.

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Business strategy is determined at the corporate level in a “deliberate” (i.e. planned) or “emergent” (i.e. reactive) response to the external business environment. The success of strategy is purely determined on how well it is executed. Projects serve as the vehicle to implement and execute the corporate strategy.

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