Program

Management
Leadership
Creating Successful Team Dynamics
 Best Practices and Advances
in Program Management Series
Series Editor
Ginger Levin

PUBLISHED TITLES
Program Management Leadership: Creating Successful Team Dynamics
Mark C. Bojeun
Successful Program Management: Complexity Theory, Communication, and Leadership
Wanda Curlee and Robert Lee Gordon
From Projects to Programs: A Project Managers Journey
Samir Penkar
Sustainable Program Management
Gregory T. Haugan
Leading Virtual Project Teams: Adapting Leadership Theories
and Communications Techniques to 21st Century Organizations
Margaret R. Lee
Applying Guiding Principles of Effective Program Delivery
Kerry R. Wills
Construction Program Management
Joseph Delaney
Implementing Program Management: Templates and Forms Aligned with the Standard
for Program Management, Third Edition (2013) and Other Best Practices
Ginger Levin and Allen R. Green
Program Management: A Life Cycle Approach
Ginger Levin
Program Management Leadership: Creating Successful Team Dynamics
Mark C. Bojeun
The Essential Program Management Office
Gary Hamilton
Project Management in Extreme Situations: Lessons from Polar Expeditions,
Miltary and Rescue Operations. and Wilderness Explorations
Monique Aubry and Pascal Lievre
Program Management for Business: Aligning and Integrating Strategy,
Process, Technology, People and Measurement
Satish P Subramanian
 Program
Management
Leadership
Creating Successful Team Dynamics

Mark C. Bojeun, Ph.D.

CRC Press
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Leadership must be based on goodwill. Goodwill does not mean posturing
and, least of all, pandering to the mob. It means obvious and wholehearted
commitment to helping followers. We are tired of leaders we fear, tired of
leaders we love, and tired of leaders who let us take liberties with them.
What we need for leaders are men of the heart who are so helpful that they,
in effect, do away with the need of their jobs. But leaders like that are never
out of a job, never out of followers. Strange as it sounds, great leaders gain
authority by giving it away.
Admiral James B. Stockdale
Contents
Preface..................................................................................................... xi
About the Author................................................................................... xv

Chapter 1 Introduction........................................................................ 1
Summary of Book.........................................................................4
Key Benefits of THis Book..........................................................11

Section I Leadership and Program Management

Chapter 2 Leadership Study............................................................... 15

Chapter 3 Developing and Achieving a Common Vision................ 19

Chapter 4 The History of Project and Program Management........ 27

Project Management History....................................................27
Program Management History................................................33
PMI Definition of a Program...............................................33
Overview of Program Management........................................35
Strategy Alignment...............................................................36
Program Benefit Management.............................................37
Program Stakeholder Engagement......................................38
Program Governance............................................................41
Program Life Cycle Management....................................... 43

Chapter 5 Distinction between Portfolio, Program, and

Project Management......................................................... 45
Program Success Factors...........................................................47
Case Study: Command and Control....................................... 48
Discussion Questions............................................................49
Summary................................................................................49

vii
viiiContents

Section II Leadership

Chapter 6 Introduction to Leadership.............................................. 53

Leadership versus Management...............................................55

Chapter 7 External Factors Affecting Leadership............................ 65

Stakeholder Community...........................................................65
Organizational Culture and Processes....................................67
Internal/External Auditing................................................. 68
Legal/Regulatory Changes.................................................. 68
Executive Leadership............................................................69
Geographically Diverse Teams............................................70

Chapter 8 Individual Motivation....................................................... 71

Chapter 9 Leadership Theories.......................................................... 81

Leadership Styles and Traits.....................................................83
Transactional Leadership.....................................................83
Transformational Leadership..............................................87
Light and Dark Leadership...................................................93
Command and Control....................................................... 99
Situational Leadership........................................................101
Trait Theories............................................................................111
Values Ethics and Beliefs.........................................................114

Chapter 10 Leadership in Program Management............................ 119

Case Study................................................................................ 120
Case Study Quiz.......................................................................121
Discussion Questions...............................................................121

Section III Leadership and Teams

Chapter 11 Building Teams................................................................ 125

Chapter 12 Team Dynamics............................................................... 133

 Contentsix

Chapter 13 High-Performing Teams (HPTs).................................... 141

Definition of a High-Performing Team................................141
HPT Success Factors................................................................150
Shared Purpose and Direction..........................................150
Motivating Goals.................................................................150
Commitment to Individual and Team Roles...................151
Multidirectional Communication.....................................151
Authority to Decide or Act................................................ 154
Reliance on Diverse Talents...............................................155
Mutual Support and Trust..................................................156
Characteristics of a High-Performing Team........................156
Setting Goals That Inspire High Team Performance..........160
Goal-Setting Theory............................................................161
Performance Orientation....................................................162

Chapter 14 Improve Team Motivation, Morale, and Productivity. 165

Chapter 15 Conflict Resolution......................................................... 169

Five Approaches to Conflict Management...........................173

Chapter 16 Case Study in Leading Teams......................................... 177

Case Study Questions..............................................................177
Discussion Questions...............................................................178

Section IV Formal Leadership Processes

Chapter 17 Formal Processes............................................................. 181

Program Management as a Function of Productivity.........181
Driving Project Management through Better Program
Management..............................................................................184
Distinctions between Program and Project
Management......................................................................... 185
Governance as Support for Program Management and
Not as a Baton...........................................................................186
Case Study.................................................................................187
xContents

Chapter Quiz.............................................................................189
Discussion Questions...............................................................189

Chapter 18 Conclusion....................................................................... 191

References............................................................................................. 197
Index..................................................................................................... 201
Preface
About a year ago, a colleague of mine offered me the opportunity to write
a book tailored to program managers and, more specifically, on how lead-
ership can create high-performing teams (HPTs) that regularly exceed
expectations and operate as a collective, innovative, communication-
driven, and conflict-positive group.
At the time, I jumped at the idea. Not only have I been working as a proj-
ect and program manager for more than fifteen years, I have been teaching
program/project/risk management courses both commercially and aca-
demically for ten-plus years. The idea of writing about one of my favorite
subjects seemed ideal for the next challenge. However, writing this book
has truly been a journey and not a dissertation. Through each chapter,
case study, and example, I have finally found the opportunity to review
the conscious decisions and management styles I have employed and the
results of my approaches. There is no doubt that I have had the opportu-
nity to work with some really fantastic teams that truly achieved HPT
status, but I have also struggled with team development, cultures, com-
munication issues, and conflicts.
If you had asked me a year ago about my ability to develop HPTs and lead
programs to successful conclusions, I would have immediately shouted,
Yes, of course I can do that. After writing this book, I realize that so
many factors go into developing a teamincluding each members skills,
abilities, and willingness to join a teamthat to be successful, leaders not
only must make conscious choices on leadership but also must be able to
actively read and interact with the corporate culture and environment, and
to personally invest constantly in the team. A leader will work individually
and with the team as a whole to bring members together, establish trust
and communication, ensure that conflict resolution is positive, and del-
egate authority to empower teams to achieve objectives without a micro-
management approach that involves the leader in every decision point.
Over the years journey I undertook to write this book, it occurred to me
that whereas I have evolved as a leader over the multiple programs I have
managed, the team members I have had the opportunity to work with
have played a crucial role in achieving the objectives we set out to deliver.
In many situations, I relied more on my instinct than on professional

xi
xiiPreface

training as to how to handle a situation or individual challenge yet with

the research into this book, I now have a much more effective strategy for
handling future efforts. In other words, this book was written to help pro-
gram managers exceed expectations, and in the process, it has helped me
to become a better leader and team participant.
Program Management Leadership: Creating Successful Team Dynamics
is not a how-to for program managers or a reiteration of the Project
Management Institutes standards for program management; rather, it
is focused on two key points. The first is leadership, including the styles,
traits, and choices that leaders make and how they work with the stake-
holder and team members to set vision, objectives, and benefits manage-
ment plans to ensure that programs achieve the desired objectives. The
second and most important aspect of the book is the focus on teams and
how to bring disparate people together who choose, for a temporary time,
to set aside their personal objectives and instead work toward those of the
team and toward the program managers vision.
This book describes both the research on leadership as well as the sit-
uational factors that will require leaders to modify their style from one
based on personal choice to one that can overcome the challenges faced
from both individual team members as well as stakeholders and organiza-
tional-cultural factors. From that foundation, the book drives toward how
to build and maintain an HPT and how to ensure that the team contin-
ues to be driven toward success through the employment of competitive
spirit, cooperation, and mutual respect for each other. Although there are
many tools leveraged by leaders in managing programs and projects, this
book focuses specifically on the leadership approach and the impact that
it has on achieving program/project success. To be completely clear, this
is both a science and an art. There are a tremendous number of leader-
ship styles and approaches available in todays world. The key to program
management is the ability of a leader to recognize which approach to use
when, what the impacts will be, and when to change that style to another
approach that will further drive the team.
Writing this has been not only a challenging and unique opportunity,
it has also been a personal journey that has taken me from my initial
attempts at program management to the current efforts I manage. The
three- to six-month process I envisioned evolved into a year-long effort
requiring a tremendous amount of support from colleagues, friends, and
family. Although the list is extremely long, I would like to thank my men-
tors, Dr. John Whitlock from Capella University and Dr. Roy Hinton with
 Prefacexiii

George Mason University, as well as to sincerely thank my family for their

support and assistance while I wrote and rewrote chapters time and time
again to try to better communicate the leadership approaches and true
value of high-performing teams. Thanks go to my beautiful wife, Melissa,
who supported me and empowered me to continue on one of the most
challenging projects of my career. While she provided emotional support
she also ensured that I met every deadline and improved the book with
every edit and comment she made. I honestly could not have achieved the
completion of the effort without her telling me to continue, and finally
when to stop rewriting sections. Without her support and effort I would
have not completed this effort and I am grateful to her for all she has
done. And to my children, Austin, Lily and James, who were willing to
give up family time so that I could focus on the demands of writing while
still maintaining a full-time career. Finally, to my daughter who I miss
so very much, Ariel, you have inspired me with your writing and career.
I have learned so much writing this book that even my fifteen-year-old
son, James, taught me that paybacks are fair game. Each night I dutifully
asked him if he had completed his homework only to hear, Dont you
have a book to write, Dad?reminding me regularly that not only do I
not know everything, I am still learning every day of my life.
About the Author
Mark C. Bojeun, PhD, has more than twenty years experience in soft-
ware development, project and program management, and developing
and managing program management offices (PMOs). For the last nine
years, Dr. Bojeun has taught program, project, and risk management for
Concepts Integration International (www.ci-2.com), a PMI Registered
Education Provider (REP). These courses helped hundreds of Project
Management Professional (PMP) candidates achieve their certification
and have expanded the body of knowledge on project and program man-
agement, extending the value of the certification to government as well as
to domestic and international corporations.
He also has extensive experience in providing transformational
leadership and strategic support to executive management profes-
sionals in the development and implementation of organizational
vision, mission, and strategic objectives. Dr. Bojeun currently holds
Program Management Professional (PgMP) and Project Management
Professional (PMP) certifications from the Project Management
Institute (PMI), is a Microsoft Certified Solution Developer (MCSD),
and holds an MBA from George Mason University and a PhD in orga-
nizational leadership.
Currently an adjunct professor at Strayer University and George Mason
University, Dr. Bojeun continues to both instruct students in project and
program management skills and also build and lead high-performing
teams to exceed objectives on programs around the world. He has assisted
corporations in creating their own Enterprise Project Management Offices
(EPMOs) and has developed processes and best practices for organizations
to leverage in consistently achieving project/program success internally
and externally.

xv
1
Introduction

I have just completed reading a fantastic novel by John Grisham. As I close

the last page of the novel, I am absolutely amazed that I didnt skip to the
end as so many say they do with similar novels; yet that would take away
the pleasure of letting the thoughts unfold, the drama build, the tension
and love for the characters and imagery in your mind develop. Suddenly
you are not rooting for the lawyer, innocent of any crime; you are on the
side of the lawyer turned criminal who is now showing the U.S. federal
government who is the boss.
Would you ever have picked up a book that said, Read about how the
U.S. Federal government was swindled? No, that would make us terror-
ists or un-American. Yet, instead, we start at a point in time on a spectrum
learning about a single man, forty-five years old, sincere in his belief that
he had committed no crime, now starting the sixth year of his ten-year
prison sentencehow unfair! How could we let this happen? An innocent
man in prison? No, not us.
And with leadership, my mistake was that I wanted to join the noticeable
and remarkable authors who have taught us theories such as great man
and transformational versus transactional, heroic or level 5 leadership
all great works pointing toward that pinnacle of greatness that the true chief
executive officer of a Fortune 500 company is. Of course we want to study
that man/woman and see how he or she achieved such greatness, dont we?
In theory yes, in practice NO.
Now give me just one moment. This is a book on how to lead a program
team to success. While you might indeed become the next great CEO or
world leader, our focus is on leading a program, achieving those objec-
tives, resolving stakeholders needs, realizing benefits, and minimizing
risks. We need to lead this team to greatness; there is time to become that
heroic CEO in the future, but right now we have real challenges in front

1
2Program Management Leadership

of us. Knowing the process, how do we empower, motivate, and drive our
program to success?
And that conclusion is the beginning of this book.
While program management is a set of process areas and knowledge
areas producing a set of objectives and realizing specified benefits while
employing governance over multiple projects and operational activi-
ties simultaneously working toward a common goal, it is also the active
employment of situational leadership tailored to the program objectives,
project manager skill set, operational management knowledge, subject
matter expertise, size, duration, and organizational challenges.
We can teach the science and the specific skill sets of program manage-
ment, but the real challenge is how we drive, motivate, and empower our
team toward success. This is not a science, or a one-size-fits-all approach;
rather, it is customized, leveraging the knowledge, subject matter exper-
tise, and experience that we have achieved along with all of the leadership
approaches we can muster today.
I personally started my drive toward leadership in the early 1990s. During
that time, programmers like me looked at managers as obstacles to over-
come, not people who were there to assist or even drive our success. In one
particular situation, we actually chose the worst of us to become the team
manager so that he could do no harm to the program we were writing.
Instead of looking at management as an obstacle, I started my journey to
determine how management could be used to help overcome the obstacles
and challenges that the organization presented to the delivery of our pro-
grams. And along the way, I came to the realization that the challenge was
not overcoming the organization so that we could do the work; it was that
we were doing work that was not in line with the management objectives
or strategies. We were solving individual problems but not working as a
cohesive team to support the organization achieve its objectives.
Sure, looking back we were simply dumb; today we can look at the
Project Management Institute (PMI), IT Infrastructure Library (ITIL),
and innumerable other standards and models that show how engineers
and information technology (IT) support have failed to support organiza-
tions in the achievement of strategic objectives regardless of the level of
skills employed. Yet even with those tools at our disposal today, we can
look at the failures of program managers and program teams to achieve
the dreams of the executive leadership. The news is littered with program
failures such as:
 Introduction3

The FBIs (2005) Virtual Case File (VCF) Program ($170 million
wasted) because of:
Repeated management turnover
Micromanaging of software developers
Poor software-engineering processes
Lack of architecture/blueprint
Requirement changes
Scope creep
Boeings (2013) Dreamliner being grounded just after the first fleet
had been sent into the skies because of electrical fires that were due to:
Engineering failures
Poor program leadership
Known risks

Even the original Mars Polar Lander (December 1999) effortwith

a $193 million cost of development, $91.7 in launch costs, and $42.8 in
mission operationsfailed. While the actual reasons for the failure are
unknown, the independent review of the program determined that some
of the underlying causes of the failure were poor program management
and inadequate funding.
Program management itself is not a guarantee of success; it is the lead-
ership and the ability of the team to trust in the wisdom and the team
leadership.
This book is not about the leadership style that I leveraged as a CEO or
the manner in which I teach courses and seminars on program/project
management. Instead the focus of this book is how a leader achieves suc-
cess with programs. While I do have extensive experience in project man-
agement and program management, I have had the opportunity to build a
project management office (PMO) or center of excellence for four different
companies, all with a somewhat unique set of problems and challenges but
all seeking the same set of benefits. Each organization wanted to achieve
more consistent success, deliver projects more efficiently, increase overall
quality, enforce more effective governance models, and reduce costs, sub-
sequently increasing productivity and profitability.
With such a varied experience set, I have found myself in a number of
environments and cultures that required adjusting my personal working
styles to the environment, learning new communication patterns, retrain-
ing (both employees and executives), building governance models, and
reengineering process approaches. Managing programs and projects was
4Program Management Leadership

simply not enough; leadership and the development of high-perform-

ing teams (HPTs) were always the keys to success. Each of these efforts
required a transformational leader who demonstrated in-depth working
knowledge of the firm, technology, industry best practices, and process. In
addition, leaders had to empower staff, drive innovation, resolve conflicts
in healthy ways, and demonstrate a level of confidence in themselves, the
team, the process, the technology, the vision, and the successful outcome
regardless of the risks of the effort. Each situation required a unique set of
skills and talents, all leveraging the program management framework and
processes, as well as leadership approaches, modified to fit the situation
and conformed to work with the unique challenges presented by the team.

SUMMARY OF BOOK
This book is focused on individuals who have come to understand the
values of the tools that are provided by PMI but are still looking for the
advantages and the success factors necessary to be truly great and effective
program and project managers. It is intended for managers and leaders
who continue to focus on self-actualization and continuous improvement
as a way of learning from historical efforts and driving each new initiative
to the highest possible set of standards.
The following pages are intended to cater to managers who believe in the
standards of project management and follow the day-to-day mechanisms
taught by PMI but who are always striving to achieve a greater value for
the team and the organization. They already recognize the gap in leader-
ship tactics and are searching for more answers. Many of the readers will
be those who have had extensive experience with executive management,
offshoring, geographical diversity, and internal process-based challenges.
Most readers will have dealt with geographically diverse teams that can be
spread throughout the country or the world and will have endured addi-
tional challenges not encountered by collocated team members.
The program manager practitioners, including day-to-day tactical
program managers who interact regularly with team members, will be
challenged by obstacles such as scope variations, cost issues, technology
problems, and outsourcing needs versus the costs of hiring staff (full-time
employees). This book will provide the practitioner valuable strategies that
are supported by academic research and practical experience.
 Introduction5

There are two books required for program management: A Guide to

the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK Guide, 3rd ed.)
and The Standard for Program Management. These two books provide
the framework for program management and the formalized steps of
program and project management that managers use to achieve success.
For formalized process and standards, we look to PMI as the premier
professional organization for project and program management. The
primary source of information from PMI generally stems from the
PMBOK, but program managers leverage the PMBOK Guide, 5th ed., the
Standard for Program Management, and the Portfolio Standard as guides
to processes and tools that can be used for smooth program efforts.
With these guides, a wonderful set of tools/processes for program and
project managers is provided to mechanically manage efforts and to
achieve program success, but they lack substantive information on the
complexity in creating HPTs, individual motivators, and personal agen-
das brought to every project. To be completely accurate, PMI does ref-
erence team development in the human resource knowledge area (much
more so in the fifth edition of the book), but still falls short in directly
addressing the role that effective leadership and leadership traits play in
achieving success.
Quite often I hear that my project is different or I am not doing IT work
so these processes do not apply. The Standard for Program Management,
3rd edition, and the PMBOK, 5th edition, were both authored by volun-
teers, many of whom are managers from a number of industries including
construction, road repair, bridge building, shipbuilding, weapons build-
ing, IT software, and networking efforts. Furthermore, PMIs PMBOK
definition of a project is: a temporary endeavor undertaken to create a
unique product, service or result. A project can create:
A product that can either be a component of another item, an
enhancement of an item, or an end item itself;
A service or capability to perform a service (e.g., a business function
that supports production or distribution);
An improvement in the existing product or service lines (e.g., A Six
Sigma project undertaken to reduce defects); or
A result such as an outcome or document (e.g., a research project that
develops knowledge that can be used to determine if a trend exists or
a new process will benefit society). (PMI 2013a, 2)
6Program Management Leadership

Projects are:
Performed by people;
Constrained by limited resources; and
Planned, executed and controlled.
Managed from a time, scope and quality basis
Projects and operations differ primarily in that operations are ongo-
ing and repetitive, while projects are temporary and unique endeav-
ors. (PMI 2009, 12, PMBOK Guide, 4th ed.)

So if your effort is unique and different from what has been done before,
has a limited time frame, and consumes resources, it is by definition a
project. The fact that your product, service, or result differs from those
done by others who do what you do is exactly why the standards were
created. These standards are guidelines to assist in building or creating a
unique product, service, or result. If the effort is repeating past efforts, it
would fall into an operational approach and management style.
Unfortunately, there is no single formula that can be applied to every
project or program. Instead it is the managers responsibility to tailor his
or her management style and the process to the needs of the effort. In my
experience, I have not worked on a project that required every process and
knowledge area identified in the PMBOK. Instead I use it as a toolbox full
of tools. I pull out the right tool to solve the problem I am facing and con-
figure the tool to meet the standards of the organization and the success
factors of the effort.
This book will not focus on the methodology or process of program
management nor on the tool sets that PMI has identified in its program
management documentation. I completely agree that these are valuable
tools, help in making every program more successful, and are well docu-
mented in the PMI materials. Tools such as these are a part of a larger
toolbox including technological knowledge, subject matter expertise, and
organizational awareness and are meant to be used based on the situation
and the environment. The size and duration of the project or program will
drive which process tools are most effective and identify those that are
unnecessary. Process is a vital part of program management and ensures
that critical steps are followed such as risk, scheduling, cost, and change
management. Each program/project is a unique endeavor and will have
unique needs that will not require the entire PMI tool kit.
While PMI does a great job in identifying the tools and process areas
of program management, it lacks sufficient information addressing the
 Introduction7

overall value of a leader in achieving the objectives of the program. A truly

effective program manager is one that recognizes the role that leadership
and building HPTs can play in achieving program success, motivating
staff, driving innovation, limiting risks, and empowering team mem-
bers to exceed the objectives of the initiative. The intent of this book is to
focus on the value that leadership brings to program management and the
impact that it has on the teams success, motivation, morale, and willing-
ness to work cohesively.
I personally find it frustrating that many training facilities deliver pro-
gram and project management test prep (boot camp) training courses,
teaching the test but spending very little time on the role that leadership
traits and motivating staff play in the delivery of successful projects. These
organizations most often focus on the test, the process areas, and the tool
sets but do not dwell on the softer side of management such as driving
innovation, increasing communication, positive and healthy conflict reso-
lution, or motivating and empowering team members. My intent is to cor-
rect this oversight and to add to the body of knowledge by expanding the
thought process to include the value of transformational management and
situational leadership as some of the approaches that can assist in creat-
ing HPTs in difficult or toxic environments. In addition, this book will
include a set of case studies that come from real world examples that will
help readers to implement both process and leadership approaches in their
program management approaches.
Program success is measured in many ways: cost, quality, scope, benefits,
timelines, and, of course, client satisfaction. The challenges encountered
with each program undertaken are all different and often unique, whether
they are stakeholder politics, technical challenges, cost issues, resourc-
ing, or communications related. Whatever the root cause of an issue is,
it falls to the program manager to overcome these obstacles and still pro-
vide project managers with a clear road to achieving success. Root causes
can be technical challenges, organizational makeups, historical experi-
ences, financial constraints, and stakeholder expectations. Standards and
consistent process can be quite helpful, but often program managers will
leverage various leadership styles, political approaches, and innovation
techniques to overcome challenges and create a safe environment in which
team members can share their thoughts and ideas.
In addition to process guides and knowledge areas, a number of fac-
tors affect program management success. Among those are situational
leadership, innovation, and communication; but most importantly, a vast
8Program Management Leadership

number of professionals will agree that HPTs are crucial for success and
that creating and motivating HPTs is one of the key focal points for pro-
gram managers. Yet while there are quite a few white papers on leader-
ship and HPTs, there are very few tying program management process
together with the tools and traits of how to achieve HPTs with situational
leadership. The intent of this book is to lay a general foundation for pro-
gram managers and provide tools, examples, and strategies to build and
lead HPTs, thereby increasing the opportunities for program success. We
do know that the way a team performs and the ability of that team to
overcome obstacles and achieve objectives is directly related to the leader-
ship strategy employed for the team. Before we drill into HPTs, lets take
a moment to more effectively understand and agree on the definition of
leadership.
Burns (1978) notes that there are more than 150 definitions of leader-
ship and suggests that leadership is the reciprocal process of mobilizing,
by persons with certain motives and values, various economic, political,
and other resources, in a context of competition and comfort, in order to
realize goals independently or mutually held by both leaders and follow-
ers (425).
Leaders are generally described as people who are intrinsically moti-
vated, are self-managed, have excellent communication skills, and are
visionary, empathetic, and naturally charismatic. A leader is someone oth-
ers choose to follow and support and someone who can get others to set
their personal objectives aside to pursue a new goal contributing to a more
common objective (Hogan, Curphy, and Hogan 1994).
Leaders combine individual team members into a more comprehen-
sive team that, when working together, can achieve more than individ-
ual efforts would be able to. Leaders dont manage or mandate actions or
tasks; instead, they motivate and empower staff to identify and complete
the work necessary to achieve the established outcome. Teams led through
effective leadership minimize risk, transition conflict from negative and
unhealthy to positive and innovative, and as a general rule are capable of
exceeding expectations through joint efforts, open communications, and
clear lines of responsibility. It is through leadership that a vision can be
established to ensure that team members understand the outcome, prod-
uct, or result that the team is trying to produce. This vision is a clear, con-
cise statement, easily understood, and repeated often so that individuals,
stakeholders, and teams can work toward a common objective, avoiding
the consequences of ambiguity and confusion.
 Introduction9

One of the more common misunderstandings around leadership is that

it is not management. Management is instructing personnel, timekeeping,
governance, or mandating directives and tasks. Management is short-
term, focusing on the bottom line, and does not work with staff with a focus
on motivation or empowerment. On the other hand, regardless of the lead-
ership that we have in an organization, management is also necessary
and will never be replaced. Implementing and directing administrative
actions, focusing on the bottom line, and short-term visions are necessary
for the achievement of long-term objectives.
Leadership is the motivating and building of teams to achieve an estab-
lished outcome by creating a positive and healthy environment, using
communication channels, implementing conflict resolution strategies,
team building, and developing clear roles and responsibilities so that
teams more effectively work together. Therefore the result of leadership
is the positive achievement of initiatives in the pursuit of goals and objec-
tives that are beneficial to the organizations strategic benefits and have a
positive impact on stakeholders. The focus on motivation, comfort, and
reciprocal process implies that the leader is working with the team rather
than directing them. Whereas management focuses on handling com-
plexity, leadership is centered on change and innovation in the organi-
zational environment. Though leadership can complement management,
it will never replace it. The manager has a short-term vision looking at
administrative actions, focusing on the bottom line, and doing things
right, whereas the leader looks long term, innovates, focuses on the vision
and strategic objectives, and does the right thing. The leader directs the
activities of a group to achieve a common goal. This common goal must be
not only understandable and agreed upon but also communicated to the
team in such a way as to ensure that it clearly understands the objective
and willingly follows the goal.
Ineffective managers build a hostile and troubled environment where
conflict is not resolved and blame is often heaped on individuals. Teams
working with ineffective managers often are risk intolerant, are unen-
gaged, and avoid innovation rather than drive toward success. A nega-
tive environment such as this is rarely addressed because each program is
different and reasons for program failure are commonly spread through-
out the team. We often find that team members predict failure early in
the process, and while they may share that opinion internally, most dont
communicate their concerns with management.
10Program Management Leadership

So with a clear definition of leadership, the words and outcomes for

leadership are focused on the positive. Leaders are often recognized as
having most, if not all, of the following traits:

Charismatic
Transformational
Visionary
Trustworthy
Courageous
Confident
Motivational
Innovative
Effective communications
Driving the empowerment of staff

Just about everyone I meet has a funny story about a really ineffective
manager in his or her past. As a matter of fact, most of us have had the
pleasure of working with a narcissistic, egotistical, uninformed, or less
than competent leader who insisted on wasting valuable project time on
meaningless questions and discussions. These ineffective leaders are often
ridiculed behind their back and find very little support from the team.
Because they are not respected or trusted, these managers often became
more of a problem than a solution.
Just recently, I walked into a program based in the software development
division of an IT department where the director of product management
was fired for repeated failures on projects. Although this leader felt that
he knew project management, he understood neither project management
nor software development and yet was responsible for managing the entire
IT division. Unfortunately, because of his position as an officer of the firm,
only a few people complained to the company about his bad management
style and his abusive and derogatory comments to employees. I mention
this only because this created an overall hostile environment where derog-
atory comments and personal attacks were common. The organization
failed to follow commonsense human resource policies in the workplace
and did things like sending out dress code directives for women and not
men, setting rules for one group that were not applicable to others in the
same position. These kinds of derogatory and discriminatory approaches
were inflammatory to the staff and increased the hostility level, further
 Introduction11

decreasing overall morale and leading to reduced communication and

distrust among team members.
My personal favorite example of poor management was one where the
manager walked into an office of staff members and announced that he no
longer even saw people, just resources to be moved around the board at
will. As we stood there shocked, a colleague of mine announced that the
work stops now, and she was serious for at least a week! Yes, sometimes
reality is more humorous than fiction.
While oftentimes humorous, the impact that a bad manager can really
have on an organization begs a number of questions. Where leaders are
driven to achieve results greater than individuals alone can achieve, man-
agement is focused on doing what is necessary according to the directives
that they receive. Empirically, individuals in those scenarios can evaluate
their own actions and the general results of peers, but without evidence
it remains opinion. Therefore understanding the actual impact of man-
agement is vital to understanding what most workers inherently realize:
bad managers kill organizations. Thus evaluating and understanding the
actual impact that a bad manager can have on the staff is, and should be,
something of great value to all of us.

KEY BENEFITS OF THIS BOOK

1. Although we will be examining leadership, the focal point will be
leading the team to achieve high-performing status, succeed in dif-
ficult situations, and face greater challenges.
2. The goal of an HPT is to achieve team cohesiveness regardless of geo-
graphic location or cultural boundaries and to overcome obstacles in
communication and generate innovation and positive conflict resolution.
3. The intent is to address the role that leadership can play in motivat-
ing team members to exceed expectations, achieve common goals
even when those goals may go against their personal objectives, and
produce success regardless of the challenges faced.
4. This book will specifically address the value both of communication
from the program management level in both listening and outward
messaging and of taking action on realistic improvements to pro-
cess, product, service, and results, understanding that issues such as
12Program Management Leadership

conflict must be resolved immediately or one risks negative conflict,

which is destructive to the team.
5. This book will help to extend the somewhat limited information pro-
vided by PMI to include the human factors, HPT development, and
motivation beyond the physical tools that PMI focuses on for project
delivery.
6. This book will identify and explain a number of situational leader-
ship styles, the value of each one depending on the organizational
culture and environment, and the impact that styles can have on the
team members and goals of the program.
7. This book will offer case studies, quizzes, and other material that
make this an excellent book for a course on program management
or complexity.
 Section I

Leadership and Program

Management

The task of the leader is to get his people from where they are to where they
have not been.
Henry Kissinger
2
Leadership Study

Leadership is the art of getting someone else to do something you want

done because he wants to do it.
Dwight D. Eisenhower

Good leadership drives motivation, innovation, creativity, conflict resolu-

tion, and team development while increasing risk tolerance and expanding
communication channels. Therefore we can also assume that bad leader-
ship will imply negative consequences for the team, program/project, and
strategic objectives for the firm.
To understand the value that leadership can play with successful pro-
grams, the best place to start is to understand the consequences of bad
management. When bad leadership or management is employed, there
can be some serious consequences. Recently, Ericson, Shaw, and Agabe
published an article in the Journal of Leadership Studies entitled An
Empirical Investigation of the Antecedents, Behaviors, and Outcomes of
Bad Leadership (2007). Although the article focuses on bad leadership
approaches and styles, it fits into the general premise of the manager-ver-
sus-leader discussion in that it focuses on the outcome of a bad leader
regardless of the individuals title. The entire article is worth exploring,
but here I address just some key points.
In this study, 335 participants responded in full or in part to the twenty-
one-question survey, and although the results are not surprising, they
are evidence for empirical impressions established by most professionals.
Respondents were asked to focus on a personal experience that they had
with what they deemed to be a bad leader and to answer the questions
accordingly. Based on this scenario, the study may be slightly skewed but
the results are eye-opening.

15
16Program Management Leadership

In the answers provided to this survey, bad leaders were identified as

those who had difficulty dealing with subordinates (17.6 percent), poor
ethics/integrity (13.3 percent), poor interpersonal skills (11.5 percent), and
poor personal skills (14.1 percent). These issues resulted in employees feel-
ing frustrated (11.6 percent), feeling angry (15 percent), and having low-
ered self-esteem (13.9 percent). In addition, the bad leadership was directly
attributable to the development of a bad organizational culture (17.3 per-
cent), overall performance loss (16.0 percent), attrition of employees (21.3
percent), and motivation loss (12.8 percent).
What was surprising and somewhat disheartening was that when asked
what happened to the bad leader, 44.8 percent of the participants stated
that he or she was either promoted or rewarded and 13.4 percent stated
that nothing happened to that individual. Therefore 58.2 percent of the
respondents reported a situation where the manager would most likely
continue to have a negative impact on the organization and its staff.
With the motivation, performance, human resource, and cultural
losses that a bad leader is able to cause in an organization, it is surpris-
ing that so many businesses keep or promote bad managers. Does the
organization really understand the cost of this leadership and the impact
that it has on its organization, or is the focus on the outcomes of the pro-
gram regardless of the cost, and is the loss of attrition and motivation an
acceptable trade-off? It seems not, for even the most ruthless of compa-
nies is focused on profits, market share, and growth and recognizes that
the loss of performance, motivation, and human resources is an obstacle
that must be overcome. In todays increasingly challenging marketplace,
if a company actually understood what bad leadership was and the overall
impact that it can have on their organization, logic dictates that it would
take action and would actively work to eliminate bad management from
its corridors. Bad management presents a hefty cost to business in morale,
attrition, and productivity loss.
I recently had the opportunity to watch the absolutely worst manager
I had ever come across somehow able to hang on to his job for over two
and a half years before being demoted. This individual felt that discus-
sion was a waste of time and that everyone should know what he meant
regardless of what he said or how he said it. In one case, he told one of his
direct reports to go ahead and take a vacation because he needed to get
used to being out of the office. The employee took this comment person-
ally and immediately started looking for a new job. Single-handedly, the
manager undermined morale, decreased innovation, and increased risks
 Leadership Study17

because no one in the organization was comfortable discussing concerns

with him. And yet he held on to his job as an officer of the firm, blaming
every manager who worked for him when failures occurred.
Therefore the general assumption is that this study is one of the first
to start to honestly identify what the cost of bad leadership/management
is to an organization. As additional studies are performed and provide
more insight into bad leadership traits and associated costs, hopefully this
point will be driven home and provide the motivation necessary for upper
management to start to remove bad managers and develop honest and
valid leadership programs complete with metrics that outline the overall
effectiveness of the leader.
Some of the key questions and responses from Ericson, Shaw, and
Agabes (2007) study are highlighted in the following discussion. See ref-
erence Table2.1 for a complete list.
Amazingly, this study found that in 58.2 percent of the cases cited, bad
leaders either were not disciplined or were promoted within the organiza-
tion. Recognizing the impact these leaders had on subordinates motiva-
tion, morale, and stress levels (including impact outside the organization),
and the fact that when a leader is perceived to be a bad leader by one it
is often accepted by many, the long-term effects of bad leadership can have
a tremendous impact on organizational culture and environment as well
as on team morale and job satisfaction (Ericson, Shaw, and Agabe 2007).
Can you image that over 58.2 percent of the managers were never held
responsible for their behavior or inability to achieve? That is what we must
overcome. As leaders we must learn that motivation, morale, innovation,
positive conflict resolution, and open communication are critical to build-
ing HPTs and successful program efforts. These examples demonstrate
what we must set as a standard as unacceptable to program managers.
And that is the one of the primary purposes of this book, to overcome bad
leadership and employ positive collaboration and HPTs.
In program management, leaders are critical to the success process; they
coordinate work efforts, identify issues, ensure that consistent manage-
ment information is communicated clearly and concisely, teach positive
conflict resolution, define roles and responsibilities, ensure that everyone
understands the goals/benefits/risks of the program effort, and manage
the stakeholder expectations, celebrating each benefit as it is achieved.
As you read this book, attempt to identify some of your personal key
leadership traits that contribute to being a successful program manager.
18Program Management Leadership

TABLE2.1
Leadership Study
What actions caused you to classify the person as a bad leader?
Unable to deal with subordinates 17.6%
Poor ethics/integrity 13.3%
Poor interpersonal behavior 11.5%
Poor personal behavior 14.1%

How did the bad leader make you feel?

Angry 15.0%
Frustrated 11.6%
Lowered self-view/self-esteem 13.9%

What effect did the bad leader have on your work performance?
Motivation loss 33.6%

What effect did the bad leader have on you personally?

Negative effect on nonwork life 15.0%
Negative effect 15.9%
Increased my stress 29.3%

What effect did the bad leader have on the organization?

Created a bad organizational culture 17.3%
Human resource loss 21.3%
Motivation loss 12.8%
Performance loss 16.0%

What happened to the bad leader?

Bad leader was promoted/rewarded 44.8%
Nothing 13.4%

These are a great place to start as we look at the process and standards of
the PMI.
3
Developing and Achieving
a Common Vision

The leader is one who mobilizes others toward a goal shared by leaders and
followers. . . . Leaders, followers and goals make up the three equally neces-
sary supports for leadership.
Gary Wills
Certain Trumpets: The Call of Leaders

How often have you heard the phrase I am like a mushroom, kept in the
dark and fed BS? This phrase is one of frustration from team members
identifying the concern that they do not know what they are working
on, why it is important, or how it will contribute to success. Often they
are not even aware of the components that must be integrated to achieve
the program objectives. It has been proven time and again through
numerous examples of failed projects that compartmentalizing people
and providing limited information leaves them unsure of their contribu-
tion and unable to take advantage of opportunities available to them by
understanding the overall vision of the effort. Keeping team members in
the dark increases risk for both threats and opportunities and creates a
scenario of distrust between team members.
Informed team members understand the end game and become aware
of efforts outside of their area of responsibility. Through this information
gathering, teams can gain insight into the overall program and begin to
identify areas of redundancies, reuse, and risks. In a positive environment,
team members are open about the risks they identify in the project and
can establish mitigation strategies for it and potentially include it in the
expected monetary risk assessment. In addition, it is crucial to understand
that a negative risk in one project could be a positive risk in another

19
20Program Management Leadership

project or in the program as a whole. When team members communicate

these risks, it enables the program manager and their project managers to
be aware of the risks and to possibly leverage them into positives for the
overall effort. With awareness and knowledge, teams can work together to
ensure a clear and concise view of the product, service, or result, enabling
individuals to understand how their part of the program will contrib-
ute to the overall success of the effort. We as program managers need to
include the team in the development of the vision, risks, and benefit real-
ization plans. Team members responsible for QA, development, engineer-
ing, marketing, customer service, and requirements all can offer helpful
suggestions about the challenges, opportunities, and land mines we will
encounter as we take on the effort. I believe in involving the team as early
as possible to ensure that we dont waste time chasing down issues that
are unnecessary to the program or project rather than identifying a viable
solution to the problem.
On multiple programs, I have encountered situations where the cur-
rent state of the program was anywhere from the initiating stage to mid-
program, only to be surprised that many of the team members either had
no idea of what the program was supposed to produce, had conflicting
opinions of the program intention, or did not know the scope that was
intended. In some cases, program team members were uninformed as to
what their contribution to the overall effort was and why their contribu-
tion was critical to the success of the effort. Based on this lack of informa-
tion, team members would struggle to identify necessary requirements or
understand how their work affected the critical path. Obviously, there was
no way to know if the effort they were working on had additional oppor-
tunities to contribute to program objectives.
You would be amazed at how often program managers start an effort
without a clear understanding of the program, complexity, risks, assump-
tions, and constraints. When assigned a program, the very first question
to be asked should be, What does success look like, and how will we
know when we have achieved it? Unfortunately, many stakeholders do
not know. This is a process that a program manager needs to go through to
identify what the goals arenot just the high level, but the detailed objec-
tives and how they will affect the stakeholder community and benefit the
organization at large.
Understanding what success looks like is the first step in developing a
vision for the program. We use the term vision as a clear and concise
statement to describe the characteristics and features of what the final
 Developing and Achieving a Common Vision21

product or service will be. It is a complex set of objectives, goals, and ben-
efits that the program will deliver and is aligned with the strategic objec-
tives of the organization and reflective of the strategic direction established
by the executive leadership team. The vision will define what will be pro-
duced, how it will operate, and what process it will execute, as well as what
is not included in the program (out of scope).
Because programs are the creation of a new result, product, or ser-
vice through the culmination of multiple projects, operational efforts,
and process change, program vision is crucial to the success of a pro-
gram, but it is also the most common reason for program failure. If the
vision of the product, service, or result is not clear, time and energy
can be wasted on work that is unnecessary to the finished effort. It
is impossible to build something we cant envision, and managing
the expectations of the stakeholders and sponsors is not something
that can be accomplished if we dont all agree on what the product,
service, or result characteristics should entail. When success cannot
be defined, there is no way to establish and realize benefits from the
effort. Furthermore, without a clear vision programs can deviate from
the organizational strategy. Developing a clear and concise vision that
is understood and shared by all team members is the direct responsi-
bility of the program manager and must be approved and supported by
the program sponsor.
A program manager will use the program vision to ensure that every-
one understands what the effort is intended to produce. Program man-
agers must be able to be both a sender and a listener in communicating
the vision. In other words, they cannot simply state the vision and expect
understanding; they need to elicit questions, concerns, and assumptions,
and to gather recommendations. This conversation is one that must take
place throughout the program life cycle, and it is the program manag-
ers duty to be willing to adjust as new information is identified. We will
discuss conversational approaches later in the book, but realize that the
sender-listener relationship is one way that program managers build con-
fidence and trust in their team members.
There are quite a few times that I have found the need to adjust program
scope or the benefits realization plan because when we hit technical or
usability issues, there were better solutions available to us, or ideas evolved
that offered additional opportunities to the program. So the conversation
around vision is an ongoing one. And it is through the vision that we can
better understand the benefits that a program will achieve and the timing
22Program Management Leadership

of those benefits, and therefore realize the benefits for the organizational
stakeholders.
On the other side of the coin, program managers can also leverage
the program vision to decrease or bind the outcome (scope) of a pro-
gram and to ensure that benefits not included in the program are com-
municated and understood by team members and stakeholders to more
effectively manage expectations around program outcomes. When a
program vision is not clearly communicated, stakeholders may have
expectations that are not communicated and will be disappointed when
the final product, service, or result does not meet their desire or needs.
A successful program manager will ensure that the benefits of the pro-
gram are clearly communicated and that the factors outside of scope are
clearly understood by all.
A program vision will be a technical or strategic road map that is
derived from the benefits realization plan that will be achieved through
the life cycle of the program. Individual projects will be started and
completed during the life cycle of the program, and while each will
achieve benefits, it is the culmination of all of the projects that achieve
the complete set of benefits that the program is intended to deliver. As
such, when a project is completed and reaches closure, its operational
control may stay under the program until other projects are completed
and operational control can be effectively transitioned to the end user,
client, or functional operational departments.
A clear, concise, and nonambiguous understanding of what the effort
is intended to create and why that is beneficial to the firm or customer is
required to ensure that both program stakeholders and team members
know what is being built and how the program will be beneficial to them.
Each team member should completely understand what is required, who
is doing what portion of the program, and not only what he or she is work-
ing on individually but also on why it is important to the program and the
effort as a whole.
In addition, if we dont know what we are building, how will we ever
know when we are done or what success looks like? Understanding the
vision provides us with decision-making boundaries that are used in every-
day actions and enables the team members to ensure that a common goal
is followed for the program at hand. However, if the vision is even slightly
off, project team members can end up with gold-plated features, adding
additional functionality that is unnecessary, or miss crucial aspects of the
feature sets. As previously mentioned, a vision should be clear, concise,
 Developing and Achieving a Common Vision23

and leave no room for ambiguity. Something like software to enhance the
user experience or create a service that optimizes the customer satisfac-
tion levels can be left open to interpretation and lead to decisions that are
well outside the scope of the program. Instead a vision should ensure that
anyone who reads it or hears it will have the same understanding. A better
program vision would be: Eliminate current road congestion problems
by turning all stoplights on Highway 28 into overpasses from Highway 66
to Highway 267 decreasing road congestion by 60%.
That is not to say that any one vision or even the program managers
vision is the correct one. Quite often the final vision for a product will dif-
fer dramatically from what the initial vision looked like and will include
contributions from all team members and stakeholders. Enhancements
requested, opportunities found, and learning will all contribute to the
vision as it evolves through the life of the program. Because of the evolu-
tion of a program vision, it is critical that not only does everyone under-
stand what the vision is; they also must be informed as the vision evolves
and team buy-in is achieved. As has been mentioned, if the team does
not understand the evolution of the vision or disagrees with the choices,
the delivery of result, product, or service will suffer. Changes to what the
product or service will look like or do will require team members to make
adjustments to their efforts, ensuring that they are staying in line with the
end goal.
I worked on one program that was specifically designed for an expert
set of researchers to be able to better do their searching of intellectual
property. However, as the program advanced we found that by eliminat-
ing the search key commands and instead using common language for
searching, engineers could add to their knowledge and work by search-
ing themselves. This dramatically reduced the number of failed requests
for patents, because the engineer could see that someone had already
filed a similar or same idea and could then develop nuances or changes
that made his or her approach unique in the field. The overall program
included software development, marketing, data conversions, data centers
located worldwide, and sales efforts.
Because the software development aspect was only a piece of the overall
program and had a unique product that it would produce with limited
time and resources, it was defined as a project within the program and
required a clearly defined vision. A project vision is created from the over-
all program vision to define the unique needs of the project and how it
will continue to the programs benefit. In many cases, minor differences of
24Program Management Leadership

opinions on the projects vision can create chaos for the overall effort and
result in costly rework. In other situations, the project can be canceled as
it no longer meets the needs of the program. For example, a project that
was estimated to require more than a year to build with the costs consum-
ing too much of the program budget could be outside the scope of the
program itself, and the project would be canceled. The program would
have to reevaluate the needs and define a new project that would achieve
the benefits desired without the overruns of cost and schedule. If this were
a software development effort, the decision could result in a make-versus-
buy decision, and the costs of the purchasing of commercial off-the-shelf
could be less than the costs of building a new software application.
The program vision sets the stage, and the project vision aligns with the
program so that the defined benefits related to the project can be achieved.
Every project team member must have the same understanding of what
the program and project will result in, who the stakeholders are, and how
the project will result in achieving the defined benefits for the program.
While the program may have additional benefits that other projects and
operational efforts will achieve, the project contributes to these benefits,
and understanding the contribution is necessary for the project team to
realize the benefits. If this is not the case, minor decisions made by project
participants can result in costly rework and scope creep. Had the informa-
tion been readily shared, opportunities for reuse and eliminating redun-
dancies could be leveraged.
On one program that I was asked to take over, the effort to create an
online software application had been going on for six months, and the
client was so unhappy with the progress that they canceled the program.
At that time, the team consisted of five contracting companies, located
around the globe, and almost 100 total team members. I was asked to take
over and restart the program. The very first thing I did was to travel to
each of the organizations involved in the program and ask them to tell me
what the program was supposed to look like in its end state.
Each of the teams, and some individuals within teams, presented dif-
fering and sometimes conflicting views on the end state. This was not a
question of the client and contractor having different views based on their
perspectives but, instead, contractors and development companies con-
flicting externally and internally on the vital aspect of what the program
was intended to be. I was left with the distinct view that if we cannot envi-
sion what we are building, how can we possibly build it?
 Developing and Achieving a Common Vision25

When I returned from my site visits, with a very confused view, I sat
down with the client to understand its desire for the effort and, amazingly
enough, I heard yet another vision for the program. Obviously, the policies,
procedures, documentation, and all the formal meetings were meaningless
if the teams did not agree on and understand what they were building.
The failure of the program was not the methodology or the conformity
to a set of processes; instead it was the leadership of the program and the
inability of the program manager to establish and communicate a com-
mon and accepted vision motivating disparate parties to all contribute
toward a common goal. Once we overcame this hurdle, the process and
development of the product ran incredibly smoothly.
The exercise was painful, and I admit that the vision had to be adjusted
for some very adamant individuals who did not want to change their view;
but eventually everyone was on the same page as to what the program
benefits would look like and the product it would offer. At the end of the
day, the vision for the program was something everyone felt ownership
in because they contributed to it and were vested in the success of imple-
menting an enterprise-wide vision. Each team member could point to a
specific feature or function that he or she contributed to the vision and
as such took ownership of the program personally, making it successful.
Once we had the vision established, the project was able to get back on
track with every member working cohesively with other team members,
contributing to a master schedule and starting to form into an HPT.
Although this team was a conglomeration of over 5 outside different
consulting firms and one client, a Microsoft executive who joined a team
lunch commented that he could not differentiate who worked for which
company as the entire team intermixed with open conversation on the
challenges and obstacles they faced. This HPT was observed offering sug-
gestions for other team members to problems that have not been resolved.
It is important to recognize that the PMI framework for program and
project management was implemented, and the teams generally operated
with a formalized development approach; but without leadership and a
common vision, success was simply not possible. Each product elaboration
had to overcome the visionary issues and address concerns that should
have been identified and handled at the program onset. Many hurdles
were ahead, but with the clearly defined vision and established roles and
responsibilities documented, the teams were able to dispense with mean-
ingless infighting and start focusing on developing a solution that not only
was on time and on budget but also exceeded client expectations.
26Program Management Leadership

Of course, the vision had to be repeated clearly and concisely often

throughout the program life cycle. Without this, team members could get
off track, identifying potential new ideas and gold plating the program.
The goal of the program manager was to stick with the vision, communi-
cating clearly and often so that any confusion as to what was being built
and why it would be beneficial to the organization could be eliminated.
The achievement of the programs defined benefits allows the organiza-
tion to reap the reform they anticipated from their very large investment
in time and money.
4
The History of Project and
Program Management

PROJECT MANAGEMENT HISTORY

The very best place to start in understanding program and project man-
agement is to have a comprehensive knowledge of PMI-based definitions
for project, programs, and the management process used to successfully
achieve objectives. Project management is the foundation of program
management, and program managers will generally be experts in the field
of project management to ensure that the project managers are following
a consistent and repeatable process.
The PMI states: A project is a temporary endeavor undertaken to create
a unique product, service or result (PMI 2009, 4). It is:
Performed by people;
Constrained by limited resources; and
Planned, executed and controlled.
Managed from a time, scope and quality basis.
Projects and operations differ primarily in that operations are ongoing
and repetitive, while projects are temporary and unique endeavors.

While PMI does a great job describing a project, many in the industry
would describe project management as the art of creating the illusion
that any outcome is the result of a series of predetermined, deliberate acts
when, in fact, it was dumb luck (Anonymous). Project management is
best defined as the application of knowledge, skills, tools, techniques to
project activities to meet project requirements. (PMI 2009, 6).
Contrary to popular belief, project management is not related to dumb
luck nor is it an IT or software development concept. Project manage-
ment, as it is reflected today, really began in the 1950s when businesses

27
28Program Management Leadership

started to focus on the successful delivery of products through better

organization spanning multiple functional areas. These process efforts
were mainly focused on better communications and integration of pro-
cesses across functional borders.
However, project management can be traced further back, for example,
to the original building of the transcontinental railroad in the early 1870s.
The scope of organizing such a complex effort across the country with lim-
ited communication and thousands of workers needed to be optimized to
facilitate cost-effective measures and time factors. In addition, the man-
ufacturing and assembly of large quantities of raw materials required a
tremendous amount of logistics planning to ensure that workers had the
materials they needed available to them as they built the railroad lines.
If too many materials were shipped to a location, the cost of transport-
ing materials increased as the materials had to be hauled from location to
location. If there were not enough materials, the workers would be delayed
and would have to wait, doing nothing and being paid. The balancing act
between logistics and management was one of the biggest challenges that
managers had faced and required unique management approaches.
As the railroads were being built, Frederick Taylor (18561915), also
known as the father of scientific management, began his study of work
processes by leveraging scientific reasoning to work efforts, showing that
labor can be analyzed and improved by decomposing the process to its
elementary parts. Taylor looked at productivity studies in places such
as steel mills. Through the use of scientific reasoning, he optimized the
approaches, applying his tactics to tasks such as shoveling sand and lift-
ing and moving parts to determine more efficient and effective processes.
Instead of just increasing the number of hours worked by the mill workers,
Taylor determined ways to optimize efficiency and increase productivity
by eliminating overtime and additional staffing needs through the opti-
mization of work processes.
During the same time frame, Henry Gantt (18611919) studied the order
of work and the processes that manufacturing facilities followed to increase
efficiency in working processes. Gantt focused on the construction of naval
vessels during World War I. By approaching the work process by lever-
aging charts containing task bars and milestone markers, he was able to
provide a better perspective on the sequence, duration, and allocation of
resources. These charts were so useful to management that they were used
in the original format until the 1990s when links were added to show criti-
cal path methods (CPMs) and the assigned resources, order of events, and
 The History of Project and Program Management29

sequencing that were necessary for project completion. These links showed
the precedence and relationships between tasks, facilitating a better under-
standing of resource allocation and enabling managers to visually repre-
sent the tasks, milestones, and deliverables on a calendar basis.
PERT (Program Evaluation Review Technique) charts and the CPM
were introduced after World War II when the complexities of processes
and competition increased but the demand from wartime decreased.
Managers needed to optimize and increase efficiency, delivering on time

Gantt Chart
30Program Management Leadership

and on budget on a greater scale to meet demands and remain profitable.

Both PERT and CPM diagrams enabled managers to leverage Gantt charts
to gain more controls over larger products and services that required
extensive coordination between team members.
The advantages of PERT, CPM, and Gantt charts began to cross indus-
tries as managers worked to increase productivity while also decreasing
operating expenditures. For example, the complex nature of building train
tracks throughout the country required massive coordination of employ-
ees and raw materials. To achieve the objectives, management had to know
when a section would be completed so that materials would be sent to the
work crews in a timely manner enabling the crews to move forward and
not have to wait on additional materials to begin creating the next sections
of track. Tools such as Gantt charts, PERT, and CPM facilitated manage-
ment logistics planning and increased the efficiency of workers.
During the 1960s managers began leveraging these techniques across
multiple business lines. While there were a vast array of management
approaches that were used, almost all shared the commonality of a leader
(project manager) and a team with the focus on communication and inte-
gration of team members to optimize work flow across departmental lines
and work toward a common vision.
Although there were a tremendous number of organizations that
attempted to formalize the process of project management, the PMI,
established in 1969, is the industry standard for standards and certifica-
tion for project managers. With over 500,000 members in more than 171
countries, the PMI identifies itself as the leading membership associa-
tion for the Project Management profession (www.pmi.org). PMI focuses
on the development and adoption of professional standards, promotes the
development of uniform process, and serves as a forum for project manag-
ers to identify best practices on projects ranging from home construction
to software and computer development.
PMI has established its certification process as one of the most effective
and commonplace standards in the world. The adoption of PMIs Project
Management Professional (PMP) certification is shown in Table4.1 with
over 4 million copies of the PMBOK, 20,993 with a Certified Associate in
Project Management (CAPM), 525,341 currently holding the PMP certi-
fication, and 865 holding a Program Management Professional (PgMP)
certification.
The PMP certification is based on the Project Management Body of
Knowledge (PMBOK, PMI 2013a), currently in its fifth edition. The PMBOK,
 The History of Project and Program Management31

TABLE4.1
Project Management Professionals
Credentials/Certifications as of May 2013
Certified Associate in Project Management (CAPM) 20,993
Project Management Professional (PMP) 525,341
Program Management Professional (PgMP) 865
PMI Risk Management Professional (PMI-RMP) 1,969
PMI Schedule Management Professional (PMI-SP) 871
PMI Agile Certified Professional (PMI-ACP) 2,635

fifth edition, provides a set of five process areas and ten knowledge areas
that demonstrate forty-seven processes to be used by project managers in
the delivery of results, products, or services. The PMBOK Guide is orga-
nized by both process and knowledge areas. The processes interact and
overlap within a projects various phases. For any process, three parts are
necessaryinputs, tools and techniques, and outputs. Specifically, inputs
refer to documents, plans, and designs; tools and techniques are those
mechanisms that are applied to the inputs; outputs may be documents or
products as well as other types of project results.
The five processes are (see Figure4.1):

1. Initiating
2. Planning
3. Executing
4. Monitoring and Controlling
5. Closing

Initiating Planning
0RQLWRULQJDQG&RQWUROOLQJ

Executing

Closing

FIGURE 4.1
Project life cycle.
32Program Management Leadership

And the ten knowledge areas are:

1. Project Integration Management

2. Project Scope Management
3. Project Time Management
4. Project Cost Management
5. Project Quality Management
6. Project Human Resource Management
7. Project Communications Management
8. Project Risk Management
9. Project Procurement Management
10. Stakeholder Management

As stated previously, these five process and ten knowledge areas combine
to provide all forty-seven processes that are part of the project management
practice. When combined they provide a framework for project managers
to develop strategies for project success. A table on page 61 of the PMBOK,
fifth edition (PMI 2013a), shows how these process and knowledge areas
combine into a toolbox that project managers can use to customize their
process for the needs of the specific project at hand. Very rarely are all of
the forty-seven processes put in place. Instead, the processes are leveraged
where appropriate, and to keep the project manageable, only those that are
useful are implementedthe process and knowledge areas as well as each
step in the knowledge area.
The PMBOK Guide (PMI 2004) was approved by the American National
Standard Institute as the national project management standard for the
United States. Also, the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers
(IEEE) accepts this guide as an IEEE standard (see PMI 2005). It is note-
worthy that the PMBOK Guide is still a national standard that is advocated
and in use in a number of countries worldwide. The PMBOK was initially
developed as a white paper in 1983 to attempt to identify standards for
project management regardless of the industry. The current five editions of
this standard were published in 1996, 2000, and 2004, respectively.
In Europe, PRINCE2 (PRojects IN Controlled Environments) was ini-
tially introduced by Simpact Systems Ltd. as the PROMPTII standard
in 1975. The standard was introduced because of increased failures in
projects to deliver on time and on budget. In 1989 PRINCE was imple-
mented through the English government agency Central Computer and
Telecommunications Agency (CCTA) as a standard for IT-related efforts.
 The History of Project and Program Management33

PRINCE became the de facto standard for all government-related projects.

In 1996 PRINCE was upgraded to PRINCE2 and was contributed to by over
150 organizations to achieve a set of standards that met more of the needs
of all projects from IT related to construction and electrical engineering.
Finally, in 2009 PRINCE2 was upgraded to increase its efficiency by
leveraging seven basic principles of management:

1. Business case
2. Organization
3. Plans
4. Risk
5. Progress
6. Quality
7. Issues and change

While PRINCE2 has a large following in Europe and the UK, PMI
standards are also being accepted and are often considered interchange-
able with PMIs PMBOK. While very similar in nature, PRINCE2 offers
a methodology for managing projects whereas PMI provides guidelines.

PROGRAM MANAGEMENT HISTORY

Program management finds its very same roots in the work that Gantt and
Taylor did in relation to the scientific study of work processes. Although
program management has evolved more recently into a formalized process,
it contains multiple projects and can cross into operational management
where necessary. Programs are also generally much longer in duration and
consist of larger systems, while some are smaller programs benefiting from
centralized management of multiple projects. As of last count, there were
only 1,000 PgMPs. This may be due to the higher cost of the PgMP certifi-
cate ($1,500), an in-depth MRA assessment, or because the test is based on
understanding the PMBOK as well as Program Management standards.

PMI Definition of a Program

Program management is the process of managing several related projects.
A program is a group of related projects managed in a coordinated way to
34Program Management Leadership

obtain benefits and control not available from managing them individu-
ally (PMI 2013b, 4).
Programs:

May include related work outside of the scope of the discrete projects
in the programs
Program components can include the projects as well as:
Infrastructure
Management effort
Operational tasks

Program management is the centralized coordinated management of a

program to achieve the programs strategic objectives and benefits that
cannot be achieved through a single project. It involves aligning multiple
projects to achieve the program goals and allows for optimized or inte-
grated cost, schedule, and effort. Projects in a program have a common or
complementary deliverable or capability (PMI 2013b, 8).
Program management is responsible for overseeing all projects in a
program and leverages the oversight to support project-level activities to
ensure the overall program goals and objectives. The program manager
is responsible for trade-offs and clearing project roadblocks, occasionally
choosing program priorities to make adjustments to resource allocations
between projects. Program managers are responsible for each projects
deliverables and have a higher-level view of the strategic goals and benefits
the program needs to produce to remain in alignment with the organi-
zations strategic objectives. As such, a program manager can see across
multiple projects to be able to better determine strategies, and resource
allocations from a personnel and budgetary viewpoint.
A program manager oversees the cross-project dependencies and pro-
gram-level risks and opportunities, and ensures that governance takes
place with each project following a defined process that provides financial,
governance, metrics, dashboard, stakeholder communication, and sched-
ule information in a timely manner. Through this, the program manager
provides insight for upper management and ensures that the program
benefits are achieved in an effective, timely and efficient manner. The
program manager has a much higher view of the program and can avoid
the silos that project managers often find themselves in with regard to
project resources and priorities. Whereas a project manager is focused on
delivering project-specific goals on a somewhat myopic level, the program
 The History of Project and Program Management35

manager must meet the expectations and benefits for the program as a
whole. The stakeholder community for a project is those people who are
affected by the project outcomes, but a program manager is responsible for
the communications with all stakeholders across all projects.
While many organizations consider program management to be the man-
aging of a large project with subprojects being managed by individual project
managers, PMIs definition of a program is a clear and concise management
approach that provides a structure directly aligned with organizational
objectives and strategies. Program management follows five main domains
as an approach: (1) strategy alignment, (2) program benefits management,
(3) program stakeholder engagement, (4) program governance, and (5) pro-
gram life cycle management. These five domains permeate everything a
program manager is responsible for, from ensuring that expectations are
clearly communicated to delivering benefits on time and in a cost-effective
manner.
To be truly effective as a program or project manager, you need to be
able to build and manage HPTs that produce results efficiently and effec-
tively. As a general rule, the leadership provided by the program man-
ager will determine the environment for projects and can directly affect
how effectively the teams operate, communicate, respond to crises, make
decisions, and drive innovation. Teams will be collocated or geographi-
cally diverse, and the leadership style, approach, and investment will dif-
fer depending on the environment, team history, and experience levels.
Teams that have already established communications and have worked
successfully together in the past may be more empowered and capable of
operating autonomously, while teams who have not worked together and
operate in a geographically diverse environment will require more hands-
on management, team building, communication, and strategies designed
to improve team performance.

OVERVIEW OF PROGRAM MANAGEMENT

As stated previously, five main domains are defined for program
management:

1. Strategy alignment
2. Program benefits management
36Program Management Leadership

3. Program stakeholder engagement

4. Program governance
5. Program life cycle management

These five domains drive the decision making and process for program
management to ensure that program managers focus on the high-level
deliverables and the leveraging of resources across projects, operations,
and the programs high-level benefits.

Strategy Alignment
Strategy alignment (see Figure 4.2) is the process through which the
program is initially and continuously aligned with the defined strate-
gic objectives of the organization. Programs contribute to the achieve-
ment of organizational objectives through the delivery of benefits. As the
benefit delivery is established, the program alignment should have been
performed to ensure that the program is contributing to the strategic
objectives and that the contribution is tangible and measurable. A pro-
gram aligned with the strategic initiatives of the organization will con-
tribute to the achievement of the organizational goals and will help the
organization to move in the direction deemed most effective by the execu-
tive management team.

Organizational
Vision

Mission

Strategy and Objectives

Portfolio Management
Program / Project / Operations Planning

Program and Project

Operations
Management

FIGURE 4.2
Strategic alignment.
 The History of Project and Program Management37

Benefits Analysis and Delivery of Sustaining

Identification Planning Benefits Transition Benefits

Benefits Management

FIGURE 4.3
Benefits management.

Program Benefit Management

Benefit management, illustrated in Figure4.3, is the identification, realiza-
tion, and communication of tangible benefits that the program will deliver
or has delivered to the stakeholder community. The benefits of a program
are most likely to be lost or forgotten with time and the general impact of
delivery if they are not regularly communicated and validated. It is the
sustaining of long-term benefits and the realization of these benefits that
the program manager is directly responsible for. The program manager
is ultimately responsible for ensuring that the benefits are useful, aligned
with the organizational objectives, communicated throughout the organi-
zation, and when realized, validated to ensure that the benefits met the-
needs as intended.
Therefore the program manager must be capable of envisioning the
future state, providing a gap analysis between the current and future, and
ensuring that stakeholders and program team members all recognize and
see the value of the future state. A program that is undertaken with no
tangible benefits has little support from the organization and will often
be challenged on the basis of cost, organizational impact, and resource
consumption. A program with a large number of benefits will receive a
vast amount of support and resources to ensure that it is able to achieve
established goals. At the same time, the greater the benefits the more pres-
sure to deliver in a timely manner and to require communication of what
has been realized and what benefits are still pending.
For any and all efforts, the program manager must be able to step up as
a leader to the community and to be able to align pain points with benefits
so that stakeholders can recognize that the future state will be a better
one and are prepared to deal with any temporary pain points while wait-
ing for the new set of benefits that will be an outcome of the effort. The
pain points that the stakeholder community experiences must be real and
38Program Management Leadership

identified with an established root cause that the program will undertake
to solve.
A successful program will also leverage the program and project teams
to work together in the development of a solution. The environment cre-
ated by the program manager will determine the level of personal contri-
bution, investment, and innovation that the team delivers as a whole. The
program manager must ensure that every team member clearly under-
stands the benefits of the program and the future state, and is on the same
page working toward the same vision. Without this, teams will head in
disparate and sometimes opposite directions, burning time, resources,
and dollars without tangible benefits. Thus, as the responsible party for
benefit management, not only must the program manager define the
environment, but he or she also must be someone who can envision the
future and must be an exceptional communicator to ensure that everyone
involved with the program, whether a contributor or user, is following the
same vision and overall expectations.
Stakeholders need to have clarity in what will be forthcoming, when
things will occur, and when they will receive information. Without this,
the program soon becomes a black box, which is often resented by those
waiting for benefits. Regardless of the technical or managerial knowledge
of the stakeholder community, there is an expectation that they will be
capable of observing some level of progress. Often this progress can be
demonstrated through tangible achievements, but there are times, espe-
cially early on in a program, where the progress is more intangible. The
program manager must be able to effectively communicate progress and
schedule throughout each stage of the effort. Stakeholders need to know
not only what the status is but when they will hear additional status
updates and the form that communication will take. In the PMI standard
(PMI 2013b), this is accomplished through the communication plan; but
it also is anticipated that the program manager will be able to respond to
questions, deliver status on a moments notice, and recognize when the
communication schedule needs to be adjusted to better meet the needs of
the community.

Program Stakeholder Engagement

Stakeholders are a crucial element to the success of a program and are not
just the program sponsor or executives. The stakeholder community can
come from the public at large, commuters on a high-traffic road, or even
 The History of Project and Program Management39

home owners in an area where a new business is being added. The pro-
gram manager must clearly identify the stakeholders of the program and
also ensure that stakeholders clearly understand what the program scope
is. Expectations that are not directly aligned with the program deliver-
ables will create a level of frustration and cause a loss of support for the
effort. Communicating the program expectations in terms of features,
functionality, schedule, cost, and quality must be an ongoing dialogue
validating that stakeholders clearly understand what is proposed and how
the program will meet needs.
In working with various stakeholder communities, I find that not only
must the program managers be able to communicate, they must also be
beyond reproach in the information they communicate. Program manag-
ers cannot be inconsistent or illogical, or demonstrate a lack of knowledge.
They must be aware at all times of the statuses of many projects, efforts,
and tasks. They must be able to participate at any level as challenges are
brought to them by the project managers on the team, including the
progress of the effort, technical challenges, financial issues, and resource
concerns. When this pattern is established, the general outcome is one
of honesty, reliability, and trust. Honesty and reliability work together
to build trust, and it is the trust of the stakeholder community that is
crucial to success. A program manager communicating progress who is
not trusted is not believable, and therefore the progress, program status,
financial estimates, and risk identification all become questionable.
The focus of stakeholder management is to maintain communications
and ensure that the stakeholders will benefit from the program, achieve
satisfaction, and that the expectations are managed. Figure 4.4 shows

Manage
Satisfaction
Expectations
Power

Monitor Keep
(Minimal) Informed

Interest

FIGURE 4.4
Leadership study.
40Program Management Leadership

the four levels of stakeholder management based on the interest level of

the stakeholder and the leverage that it has over the outcome. The lowest
quadrant of monitor is used for those stakeholders who will be impacted
by the program but do not have direct influence and a minimal interest in
the program. Program sponsors will have the highest interest and power
over the program and must have expectations managed to ensure that
the program meets their expectations and success can be achieved. An
executive-level interest in the program may be limited, but success is also
measured against the level of satisfaction that is achieved. If an execu-
tive determines that the program will not meet expectations or generate a
proper return on investment (ROI), the effort may be canceled or modified
to meet the desired return.
The reality is that all programs have good days and bad days. There are
times when risks are realized, issues are encountered, and the unexpected
occurs, causing tremendous concern for the program outcome. Yet a pro-
gram manager will need to communicate openly and honestly the good and
bad of the program regardless of the potential outcry from the stakeholder
community. The news must be put into context and balanced between the
fears of failure and the realities of issues encountered. A program manager
full of all bad news, or all good, soon loses credibility with the community.
Therefore the program manager must be courageous in communicating
issues by offering potential strategies to overcome the challenges as well as
avoiding cheerleading when the effort appears to be firing on all cylinders.
In other words, communicate good news quickly and bad news immediately.
At the same time, the program manager is responsible for the work per-
formed by the teams that he or she manages. In the event that an issue or
problem occurs, the program manager must assume responsibility for the
issues encountered and ensure that the team is defended where necessary,
thereby maintaining control of the effort. It can often be painful to stand
up to executive managers with bad news, but a program manager who
takes responsibility for failure and passes success on to the team creates
an environment of internal trust, confidence, innovation, and success. I
have always believed that failure is mine, success is the teams, and failure
is not an option. This quick motto helps to create an environment where
the team can operate with best efforts and not fear reprisals or attacks
in the event of a problem. It also fosters the overall level of communica-
tion and ensures that the program manager is aware of the facts, good
or bad, and has the ammunition to clearly brief stakeholders. The team
that is protected by management becomes more willing to innovate and
 The History of Project and Program Management41

create, knowing full well that they will not be punished for attempting
to solve challenges. The safe environment coming out of this leadership
style, regardless of the organizational culture, encourages greater internal
communication and contributions, eliminating hostile or toxic traits such
as finger-pointing, sabotaging, withholding information, and focusing on
personal success over organizational.
The traits of courage and expertise lead to a level of confidence that
a program manager can achieve with team members and stakeholders.
Stakeholders who are concerned about program success will look to the
program manager to instill confidence in the objectives. In addition, team
members will be more successful following someone leading the team
who is confident in the approach. Uncertainty, fear, and anxiety will come
across as a lack of belief in the program and potential benefits. This nega-
tive will feed the communitys concerns, and when issues are encountered,
the stakeholder community will immediately interpret its concerns as
valid.
On the other hand, a leader who demonstrates confidence in the team,
program objectives, potential benefits, and technical approach, and evan-
gelizes the solution will generate a following of stakeholders who begin to
believe that success is achievable. It is only through this confidence, com-
munication, and trust that a program manager can ever hope to develop a
true HPT. And it is the HPT that can achieve the impossible.
HPTs are achieved through a shared vision, communication, trust, con-
fidence, and motivation. People need to be motivated to move beyond the
eight-to-five workday and begin to take pride in the work they are produc-
ing. When motivated team members come together to deliver a solution,
every aspect of the effort becomes important. An HPT blurs the boundar-
ies between responsibilities as team members begin to help each other and
work toward the common goal, setting aside their personal ambitions for
a short time and focusing on success. Internal communication increases
as the team shares knowledge and issues among themselves, and therefore
lessons learned become a dynamic process that takes place throughout
program development.

Program Governance
While much of this book has focused on the delivery and motivation of
teams, one aspect that is critical is the assurance that critical information
required is available and that program and project processes are complied
42Program Management Leadership

with. Although a transformational leader motivates a team to greater

levels of communication, creativity, and innovation, he or she must also
make sure that the effort does not stray from the required processes such
as reporting on project earned value, schedule performance, risk realiza-
tion, and status reporting. Skipping over critical process areas of gover-
nance because of project momentum is a sure way of creating program
failure.
An effective leader will need to ensure that the team complies with all
aspects of governance that have been implemented so that the program
data, financials, schedule and status are accurate and updated on a con-
sistent basis. This consistently enables program managers to ensure that
individual efforts, projects, or tasks do not go astray. A program is a com-
bination of smaller component efforts (projects) and nonproject work that
when combined offer a greater benefit than managing each project alone.
Therefore, project managers and team members must comply with pro-
cesses such as schedule management, financial management, performance
measurement, and project reporting to support effective program man-
agement and provide the foundation by which the effort can eliminate
redundancy, disparate efforts, and disconnects between projects.
Although the program manager focuses on leadership compliance with
process is one that may require some level of transactional, command-
and-control, or authoritative approaches when ensuring that projects con-
sistently and accurately comply with reporting requirements. Obviously,
it is better to communicate the end state, vision, and challenges that a
program will encounter as well as the necessity and value of program gov-
ernance, encouraging team members to willingly comply. This can some-
times be a demonstration of courage when standing up to stakeholders
as many project managers can be quite skilled leaders in their own right.
Program governance, stakeholder management, and benefit manage-
ment are critical success factors for a program manager to establish his or
her authority over and to contribute to the success of a program. Without
effective leadership skills, a program manager can easily alienate groups
and decrease the potential for effective communication. The program
manager must know the program inside and out and must ensure that all
benefits are identified and understood; must communicate when benefits
are realized, what the value of those benefits is to the stakeholder commu-
nity, or overcome concerns if not achieved; must ensure that stakeholders
have a chance to address their concerns and be heard on the issues facing
 The History of Project and Program Management43

the program; and must ensure that projects stay focused on providing the
results necessary for the program to achieve its objectives.

Program Life Cycle Management

Programs are managed through a three-part life cycle with program defi-
nition, program benefits delivery, and program closure. During this life
cycle the program may have a number of projects start and complete, over-
lapping efforts, transitions to operational control, and the realization of
multiple benefits as each project is completed. Ensuring that the program
follows the life cycle through the whole process is crucial to success. A
program that is not transitioned to operational management at the end
is still considered a failure, even when the program benefits are delivered
and all projects, initiatives, and operational activities are completed.
When the Denver International Airport was built, the program encom-
passed building the terminals, putting in place the infrastructure (roads,
electrical, water, etc.), implementing a baggage-handling system, staffing
the facility, and transitioning the facility over to the operational man-
agement team. However, once the airport opened the very first snowfall
stranded a large number of passengers at the airport.
The program manager had delivered all of the benefits but did not
identify whose responsibility it was to plow the roads from the exist-
ing freeway to the new airport terminal. Instead, the city, county, and
state all pointed at each other for failing to plow the roads in and out
of the airport. Although the program manager completed all of the
established tasks and programs, and achieved the benefits established,
this minor detail was overlooked, leaving the airport unusable until a
resolution was found. It is this aspect of program life cycle management
that is crucial to the success of a program. Ensuring that as the program
closes all transitional activities are completed and confirming that each
operational group has assumed responsibilities for the management of
services are as crucial to success as delivering initial benefits or project
completion.
5
Distinction between Portfolio,
Program, and Project Management

The distinction between portfolio, program, and project management is

commonly misunderstood. A program is not a very large project, and
multiple projects do not necessarily make a portfolio. Each area has a spe-
cific focus and management approach that is leveraged to achieve success.
For the purpose of this discussion, let us start at the bottom (see
Figure5.1) and work our way up. Each level of the chain has varying deliv-
erables and will work with their teams in differing ways. The project man-
ager will have a daily relationship with most of his or her team members
and will be working with each to achieve efficient and effective efforts.
Project managers often have daily or weekly team meetings but also work
on a continuous basis with team members to obtain information, overcome
technical challenges, and identify risks for their efforts. The relationship
between a project manager and the team is one of support in achieving the
objectives of the project and avoiding negative consequences stemming
from risks, both known and unknown, that are realized during the effort.
In addition, the project manager must have the underlying data on proj-
ect performance programs comprised of multiple projects and nonproject
work for governance and therefore must be constantly updating his or her
project plan with actual durations, costs, and resources assigned.
A program manager will manage program-level resources such as pro-
gram coordinators, PMO interactions, and project managers, but has to
step back a bit and place trust in his or her project managers to enable them
to perform their job, especially when faced with hardship or dilemma.
Project managers are given unique objectives broken down into tasks
that achieve a result, service, or product. They are time bound, resource
limited, and have very little ambiguity in the effort they are undertaking.

45
46Program Management Leadership

Portfolio

Projects Programs

Projects Operational Support

Sub-Projects Sub-Projects

FIGURE 5.1
Portfolios, programs, and projects.

While PMI presents an effective PMBOK for project managers, it clearly

states that scope is to be constrained and limited whenever possible.
Project managers have mechanisms for approving change or scope and
minor changes that do not affect the schedule, cost, or risks of the project,
but have a Change Control Board (CCB) to approve major changes and,
if necessary, a new project baseline from a schedule and cost perspective.
Essentially, a project manager is intended to be myopic, focusing on
achieving the deliverables of his or her assigned project and not worry-
ing about the program or organization. However, a program manager is
responsible for not only the multiple projects and deliverables along with
the success of operational activities but also the strategic alignment of
the program and how it will deliver benefits. Program managers need to
focus on a much higher-level audience, including the stakeholders from
each project as well as project sponsors and programs, while also ensur-
ing that the program remains aligned with the strategic objectives. They
must continuously align their programs with the business objectives of
the organization and deliver a set of long-term benefits achieved by the
project teams. Program managers must focus on the benefits delivered by
every project and must clearly communicate the realization of each benefit
as it occurs and to the correct audiences. Stakeholders must be informed
that benefits have been achieved by managing the program, the program
manager must maintain up-to-date schedules and budgets broken down
by projects and nonproject efforts. Finally, program managers are respon-
sible for ensuring that the organizational objectives are prioritized and
being met throughout the life cycle of the program.
Portfolio managers manage loosely aligned projects and programs.
Where program managers are responsible for delivering related projects,
 Distinction between Portfolio, Program, and Project Management47

programs, and operational activities that together provide a set of benefits,

portfolio managers are responsible for managing programs, projects, and
other activities in a more loosely defined relationship focused on strate-
gic objectives. A portfolio could be an IT department or a collection of
programs and projects for a single client organization. In addition, where
projects and programs have a defined start and end date, portfolios are not
time bound. For example, an IT department portfolio could be ongoing
with programs and projects going through the full life cycle within the
overacting the portfolio.

PROGRAM SUCCESS FACTORS

Quite often, program success factors are not identified in advance
and leave a gap in the expectations of the program sponsors and the
program stakeholders. Success factors define what outcomes will be
achieved and what factors will be measured for successful delivery.
They are tangible and quantitative so that program managers can
manage to the success factors and those success factors can be com-
municated to team members. Success factors must be identified in
advance to ensure that the program manager is well aware of what suc-
cess will look like, and how to demonstrate that it has been achieved.
Many programs have failed to meet all the criteria of the effort sim-
ply because success factors were not identified in advance and some
expectation was left out of the initiative.
In other words, to be a successful program manager and to build a
dynamic and effective team, you must not only have a clear vision of the
outcomes of the effort, you must also ensure that you can identify each of
the program success factors, how they will be achieved, how to measure
the success of each, and finally how to effectively communicate across the
program to stakeholders, team members, and sponsors.
Programs can be very successful and meet the goals established, but
without a predefined set of measurements and factors that are used to
define success, expectations may not be met and therefore the program
fails. When success factors in advance are identified, everyone is on the
same page and is clear what success looks like.
48Program Management Leadership

CASE STUDY: COMMAND AND CONTROL

Throughout this book, examples will be used to help in understanding
potential issues that are faced by organizations. Many of these examples
will come from personal experience and will be modified to ensure that
no identifying information is available. However, please note that each of
these cases is an actual real-world example.

If a rhinoceros were to enter this restaurant now, there is no denying he

would have great power here. But I should be the first to rise and assure him
that he had no authority whatever.
G. K. Chesterton to Alexander Woollcott

I once had an executive come into a meeting and ignore the challenges,
risks, and concerns of the group simply demanding that a time sched-
ule or feature set be included. Experts spoke up and pointed out potential
issues, project managers tried to calm the storm by interjecting logic into
the conversation, and program participants adapted what was a hardline
approach, crossing arms and displaying negative expressions. The result
was that the executive became more firm in his or her stance, insisting
that this could be done if the team were better qualified or more willing
to take on the additional effort. I have even heard some executives refer to
teams they have worked with in the past as overcoming similar challenges
while facing more extreme situations.
These announcements can come at a huge price to the team. The morale
decreases, possibilities of success dry up, risk levels increase, and inno-
vation shuts down. Quite often a command-and-control management
style will have executives insist that the problems they face (commitments
made to other executives, pressure from customers, or external factors) be
the driving force for the project regardless of the realities of the technical
or organizational challenges presented by the effort.

1. As a program manager, how can you handle this problem?

2. How do you address the team and the executive to decrease the impact?
3. How can this be avoided in the future?
4. What will be the impact to the program and each component project?
 Distinction between Portfolio, Program, and Project Management49

Discussion Questions
The five domains of program management (strategy alignment, program
benefits management, stakeholder engagement, program governance, and
life cycle management) are critical factors for a program manager to stop
and to contribute to the success of a program. These tools enable a program
manager to open communication channels with stakeholders, ensure that
benefits are identified and agreed upon, and establish control factors nec-
essary for the component projects, providing the opportunity for a con-
sistent set of measures to establish program progress. Without effective
leadership skills, a program manager can easily alienate one of the groups
and eliminate coordination communication channels. Whether it is with
program stakeholders, sponsors, project managers, or team members, a
program manager who alienates anyone vital to the program will face an
uphill battle to achieving program success.

1. How does a program manager contribute to the success of the program?

2. How can a program manager negatively affect stakeholders?
3. What is the impact of a program manager alienating a team member?
4. What factors define an HPT?
5. How is program vision created and maintained throughout the pro-
gram life cycle?

Summary
Project, portfolio, and program management are unique management
approaches with varying strategies and outcomes utilized for achieving
success. Projects are time based, consume resources, and create a unique
product, service, or result. A program is a combination of projects and
operational activities that together produce a result that a single project
could not, and are aligned with the strategic objectives of the organization
realizing predefined benefits on a scheduled basis. A portfolio is a collec-
tion of programs and projects loosely aligned and tied to an organizational
strategy.
The five domains are critical in the ability of the program manager to
establish his or her authority and ensure a successful program. Without
effective leadership skills, a program manager can easily alienate one of
the groups and eliminate many of the success factors for the team. To be
a truly effective program manager, you need to focus on clear, concise
50Program Management Leadership

communications of program vision and strategic objectives so that every

team member has a clear understanding of how projects and individual
contributions contribute to the organizational objectives of the firm.
The program manager must be able to clearly and concisely identify the
program vision and communicate that vision regularly through the life
cycle of the program. Vision is something that every team member and
stakeholder should contribute to and agree upon so that the final set of
benefits is realized and the value of the program is achieved.
In addition, when a leader is capable of building an HPT he or she has
created a group that is much more successful than teams that face conflict,
distrust, and communication gaps. HPTs work together to resolve con-
flicts, communicate risks, provide innovative solutions, self-manage, and
contribute to program success.
 Section II

Leadership

Leaders must be close enough to relate to others, but far enough ahead to
motivate them.
John Maxwell

Control is not leadership; management is not leadership; leadership is

leadership. If you seek to lead, invest at least 50% of your time in lead-
ing yourselfyour own purpose, ethics, principles, motivation, conduct.
Invest at least 20% leading those with authority over you and 15% leading
your peers.
Dee Hock
Founder and CEO Emeritus, Visa
6
Introduction to Leadership

To lead people, walk beside them . . . . As for the best leaders, the people
do not notice their existence. The next best, the people honor and praise.
The next, the people fear; and the next, the people hate . . . . When the best
leaders work is done the people say, We did it ourselves!
Lao-tzu

Program managers have a tremendous impact on the culture, the work

environment, the project management style, overall team member satisfac-
tion, and success achieving the program objectives. The style of leadership
adopted by a program manager can influence the level of communication
between teams, individuals, and project managers as well as the manner
in which conflict is resolved and the ability of teams to reach the state of
being an HPT. Effective program managers demonstrate a leadership style
that blends into the culture of the organization but creates a healthy and
safe environment for teams to operate in without fear of reprisals, nega-
tive conflict, or backstabbing. This healthy environment encourages team
members to contribute to success and enables open channels of communi-
cation should the project or initiatives not go as planned.
This chapter will identify leadership theories and traits on a broad spec-
trum that can be leveraged by program managers to enhance their team
performance, overcome obstacles, and provide a healthy environment.
Leadership theories are the basis upon which all leaders are measured.
Quite often these theories are founded on the examination of great execu-
tives and innovators. However, the goal of this book is to focus on leader-
ship as it affects the program and underlying projects, not how to become
the next president or CEO of a Fortune 500 company. At the same lead-
ership tools a CEO or entrepreneur uses can also be tailored to program
management and building HPTs.

53
54Program Management Leadership

Every team, culture, and environment differ in their expectations of a

leader and their needs for the role that a program manager will play. In
some organizations, they have been trained to defer to the management
structure and stay quiet about their concerns, following orders regardless
of the outcome; whereas in others they challenge the leader in an attempt
to work together creating positive conflicts that generate greater innova-
tion and productivity. Regardless of the team or the organization, my style
often moves between leadership styles to bring teams together based on
the environment and program needs. While some of these styles lie out-
side my comfort zone, they are still useful in bringing teams together into
a cohesive and collaborative group.
During the next few pages, we will delve into leadership research at a
deeper level both to understand the history of leadership and to identify
the various styles that are most recognized. The goal here is to ensure (1)
that when we discuss leadership, we are doing so from the same page; and
(2) that we have a clear idea of how leadership can create an HPT that out-
performs expectations; and (3) how one style may result in negative inter-
action whereas another style may create an environment where everyone
gets along but no work is actually accomplished. Although much of this
book has been written based on real-world situations and experience, this
section describes a bit more research that has been performed by various
authors on the subject of leadership. Much of this part is paraphrased, but
whenever possible I have referenced those researchers, and all references
are available in the back of the book. I encourage you to read up further
on some of these authors so that you can better form your own opinions
of the research studies.
As you read through the next chapter, consider your own leadership style
and the effect that it may have on the teams that you lead, how you could
have adopted a differing style, and whether that would have had a posi-
tive or negative influence on the team. In other words, although you may
feel a certain style is comfortable and the most effective, consider the vari-
ous styles available and ask yourself if there were better ways to work with
your teams. Was there a single approach you could have used? A hybrid
approach? Was it a single leadership approach that made your effort a suc-
cess or was it a combination of styles ranging from one side of the spec-
trum to the other? Did you try different styles of leadership to see what was
effective or did the needs of the team force you to lead from a particular
perspective? Consider the environments that you have been in and your
 Introduction to Leadership55

willingness to morph to those environments regardless of the positive or

negative influences they had.

LEADERSHIP VERSUS MANAGEMENT

People ask the difference between a leader and a boss. The leader leads, and
the boss drives.
Theodore Roosevelt

With the extensive literature on leadership, discussions on the subject

should start with a clear description or definition of what effective leader-
ship is. Topping (2001) offers that when evaluating leadership, it should be
recognized that not all individuals are capable of becoming true leaders.
As a matter of fact, most will not advance beyond the single skill of being a
manager rather than a leader simply because of training, education, empa-
thy, or personality-related issues. The whole package of a leader requires
a much more comprehensive model that can leverage inherent abilities in
the individual, while utilizing learning and history to improve upon pro-
cess. Every month there is a new set of books on leadership and various
approaches. So why do we continue to buy these books? If so many smart
people have been studying leadership for all these years, why dont we have
the answers? The answer, of course, is that there is no answerat least no
one right answer (Topping 2001, 3).
Most books on leadership have some value that can be useful to a par-
ticular individual in his or her professional style. The driver of these books
is that leadership ability can be learned and is not inherently found in a
minority of individuals.
To date, there are more than 150 definitions of leadership, but one defi-
nition of leadership is relatively standard: Leadership is the reciprocal
process of mobilizing, by persons with certain motives and values, various
economic, political, and other resources, in a context of competition and
comfort, in order to realize goals independently or mutually held by both
leaders and followers (Burns 1978, 425).
Leaders are described as individuals who are intrinsically motivated,
self-managed, demonstrate excellent communication skills, and are
visionary, empathetic, and naturally charismatic. A leader is someone
56Program Management Leadership

others choose to follow and to support and someone who can get others to
set their personal objectives aside to pursue a new goal contributing to a
more common objective (Hogan, Curphy, and Hogan 1994). Leaders dont
have to be executives or have a title that grants them authority; rather they
are people who have gained the skills, whether inherent or learned, that
motivate people toward a common goal driving innovation and excellence.
An effective leader pools individual team members into a more com-
prehensive team that when working together can achieve more than indi-
vidual efforts would be able to. Leaders dont manage or mandate actions
or tasks; instead they motivate and empower staff to identify and com-
plete the work necessary for the established outcome. Teams led through
effective leadership minimize risk, transition conflict from negative and
unhealthy to positive and innovative, and as a general rule are capable of
exceeding expectations through joint efforts, open communications, and
clear lines of responsibilities. It is through leadership that a vision can be
established to ensure that team members understand the outcome, prod-
uct, or result that the team is trying to produce (see Figure6.1). This vision
is a clear, concise statement, easily understood and repeated often so that
individuals, stakeholders, and teams can work toward a common objec-
tive avoiding the consequences of ambiguity and confusion.
Leadership is the motivating and building of teams to achieve an estab-
lished outcome by creating a positive and healthy environment and uti-
lizing communication channels, conflict resolution strategies, team

Communicating Vision
ision

Modeling Vision
Creating V

Leadership

Building Commitment

FIGURE 6.1
Leadership traits.
 Introduction to Leadership57

building, and development of clear roles and responsibilities so that teams

more effectively work together. Therefore the result of leadership is the
positive achievement of initiatives in the pursuit of goals and objectives
that are beneficial to the organizations strategic benefits and have a posi-
tive impact on stakeholders. The focus on motivation, comfort, and recip-
rocal process all imply that the leader is working with the team rather
than directing them.
One of the more common misunderstandings around leadership is that
it is management. It is not. Management is instructing personnel, time-
keeping, governance, or mandating directives and tasks. Management is
short term, focuses on the bottom line, and does not work with staff with
an eye toward motivation or empowerment. On the other hand, regard-
less of the leadership that we have in an organization, management is also
necessary and will never be replaced. Implementing and directing admin-
istrative actions, focus on the bottom line, and short-term visions are nec-
essary for the achievement of long-term objectives.
Ineffective managers build a hostile and troubled environment where
conflict is not resolved and blame is often heaped on individuals. Teams
working with ineffective managers are often risk intolerant, unengaged,
and avoid innovation rather than drive toward success. Negative environ-
ments such as this are rarely addressed because each program is differ-
ent, and reasons for program failure are commonly spread throughout the
team. We often find that although team members predict failure early in
the process and they may share that opinion internally, most dont com-
municate their concerns directly to management.
Whereas management focuses on handling complexity, leadership is
centered on change and innovation in the organizational environment.
Leaders drive the innovation, motivate teams, empower staff, and open up
lines of communication; managers, on the other hand, deliver on the tasks
that have been assigned. Leaders are often recognized as having most, if
not all, of the following traits:

Charismatic
Transformational
Visionary
Trustworthy
Courageous
Confident
Motivational
58Program Management Leadership

Innovative
Possessing effective communication skills
Driving the empowerment of staff

Discussions on leadership should start with a description or defini-

tion of what effective leadership is: Leaders may be born or made or a
combination of the two theories . . . but leadership is the ability to turn
vision into reality (Ilan and Higgins 2005, 28). Leaders generally moti-
vate followers by generating goodwill, confidence, and security. Benefits
are longer term but are focused on the programs success rather than on
its failures. Leaders drive positive behavior through motivation instead of
directing or commanding it.
As such, leadership must be able to achieve objectives by increasing
the value of a group over the value of an individual: Leadership involves
persuading other people to set aside for a period of time their individual
concerns and to pursue a common goal that is important for the responsi-
bilities and welfare of a group (Hogan, Curphy, and Hogan 1994, 279). It
is important to note that leaders can be found at all levels of an organiza-
tion, and title, position, or management role do not play into the definition
of leadership.
Leadership is focused on persuading others to contribute to a common
goal or a common set of objectives, moving beyond personal goals and con-
tributing to the defined team goal or vision. It can range from driving an
organization or large corporate entity to leading a small team of key play-
ers. The ability of a leader to achieve common goals by inspiring others to
follow him or her to a common objective implies that the impact of a leader
is not the actual production, innovation, or output but instead the output
of the team as it follows the leader: Leadership concerns building cohesive
and goal-oriented teams; there is a causal and definitional link between
leadership and team performance (Hogan, Curphy, and Hogan 1994, 282).
The output of the team is the basis upon which the quality of the leader is
measured.
Leaders are definitely not managers, although leaders can often take on the
role of managers just as managers can also hold leadership traits. Managers
focus on the delivery of services according to a predefined set of specifica-
tions. Although a manager could also have leadership ability, we look to
managers to deliver consistent results based on the needs of the organization.
Management focuses on handling complexity, whereas leadership is cen-
tered on change and innovation in the organizational environment (Kotter
 Introduction to Leadership59

Practical
Management
Competencies

Managing People

Managing Budgets

Managing Schedules

FIGURE 6.2
Traditional management competencies.

1980). Though leadership can complement management, it will never

replace it. The manager has a short-term vision looking at administrative
actions, focusing on the bottom line, and doing things right, whereas the
leader looks long term, innovates, and does the right thing (see Figure6.2).
The leader directs the activities of a group to achieve a common goal. This
common goal must be not only understandable and agreed upon but also
communicated to the team in such a way as to ensure that the team clearly
understands the objective and willingly follows the goal.
As shown in Figure 6.3, an important distinction here is that a man-
ager focuses on doing things the correct way according to the predefined
system and procedures while focusing on the short-term deliverables
assigned to him or her. A leader is an innovator who generates ideation,
drives change in an organization because of authority granted to the indi-
vidual, and enables people to follow him or her because of a common and
shared vision. Whereas a manager must be followed in an organization, a
leader is someone who people choose to follow based on the vision, pas-
sion, communication, and knowledge of the leader.

Managers Leaders
Do things right Do the right things

FIGURE 6.3
Management versus leadership.
60Program Management Leadership

A leaders skills in selecting and enacting appropriate behaviors are

related to the success of the outcome. As such, the definition of leadership
is a complex one that combines innovation, skills, values, ethics, change,
results, and support of followers (Yukl 2002). Leadership can be found at
any and all levels of an organization from the top strategy-setting execu-
tives down to the individual team or functional manager. Those leaders
who align with the culture, values, and objectives of a firm can help that
firm in pushing toward its goals and objectives, while negatively driven
leaders who clash with organizational values may push against the objec-
tives instead of attempting to build on the goals for the organization or
business unit for which they are responsible. One of the key traits of leaders
is neither their title nor their importance in the organization but instead
the willingness of others to follow, their desire to lead, and a clearly com-
municated vision along with a set of ethical values (see Figure6.4).
The value of leadership is something that can be difficult to measure.
Determining who is a leader will not be accomplished through a simple
test that outlines a leader and what his or her style is. Because of situ-
ational factors, leaders who are effective in one environment may not be
so in another. Leadership is generally best measured by the perceptions
and accomplishments of the team, something that cannot be forced but
instead is accomplished through the willing participation of the follow-
ers: Leadership only occurs when others willingly adopt, for a period of
time, the goals of a group as their own (Hogan, Curphy, and Hogan 1994,
282). More importantly, an effective team functions together in a manner
that is noticeably different from an individualistic organization: There
is a palpable feeling of excitement that arises when you work with smart

MANAGERS LEADERS
Plan and Budget Set the Vision

Organize Staff Align Resources

Control and Solve Problems Motivate and Empower

Produce Predictable Results Produce Change and Exceed

Expectations

FIGURE 6.4
Management and leadership functions.
 Introduction to Leadership61

and engaged people whose goals and commitment are the same as yours
(Knight and Dyer 2005, 12).
Because leadership is challenging followers to a new, clearly communi-
cated, and advantageous vision, and many organizations have cultural or
environmental barriers, the need for challenging the organizations exist-
ing environment and introducing innovation against the change resisters
of the firm will require that leaders be willing to accept that their posi-
tions are not guaranteed and therefore that they will need to go against
what is fundamentally a psychological barrier to risk taking. Leaders must
be able to take risks for success and leverage the underlying organization
core competence. The risk faced by those in leadership roles can result in
project, program, divisional, or corporate failure, and in turn may result
in job, reputation, or professional standing loss. Therefore leaders must
believe in themselves and that goals are achievable and realistic.
Although program managers cannot necessarily change the organiza-
tion as a whole, the innovations in a program can invoke organizational
change, increasing the firms ability to deliver products, services, or results.
Quite often the approaches taken by a program team will help a firm to set
new best practices and provide adoption of best practices by other lead-
ers. While the program achieves success, the organization learns and can
adapt approaches to enhance other functional areas. In firms that have
executive-level leaders who are working to enhance their organization,
they will recognize how the approaches taken by the program will assist
in other functions and develop change strategies for the organization as a
whole, pointing to the program as a successful example.
All programs must be clearly aligned with the organizational objectives
so that the innovational approach also aligns with the goals of the firm. If
leaders drive change in a direction that is contrary to the organizational
strategy, they can hinder the firms ability to achieve its targets and instead
create conflict within organizational elements. A leader whose belief set
is not in line with the organizational focus and strategy can be ruinous
to achieving strategic objectives. In program management, we are often
faced with taking on efforts that will push an organization toward a new
direction or leverage new technology. As leaders, we have to ensure that
the approach is supportable by the firm in the long run and will not create
problems when transitioning to functional and operational departments.
In other words, a program that cant be supported by the environment
may achieve success in the delivery of benefits but would fail in the long-
term operational perspective.
62Program Management Leadership

To be successful, an organization must be able to challenge and effec-

tively change the status quo and introduce change as a disrupter to the
standard processes and belief sets. The disruption to status quo changes
the organization and creates innovation. In this way, program leader-
ship can be risky by challenging what has always been done to define a
new set of approaches, thoughts, and ideas. Program managers will often
struggle against those who are comfortable with repetition to develop new
approaches that challenge the existing processes, as well as to bring some
level of creativity and introduce new thoughts into the mix. They will fre-
quently attempt to invoke change against which others are resistant and
must be able to leverage the organizational objectives, balancing between
the cooperation and conflict of team members, in an attempt to meet cur-
rent needs, while still extending change toward future prospects to meet
the needs of the innovation.
Innovation drives an organization further toward its defined goals,
productivity, and effective use of resources through the implementation
of change. Self-motivated growth within an organization leveraging the
resources available is called internal entrepreneurship. As such, Morris
and Kuratko (2002) identify several obstacles to internal entrepreneurship
that drives internal change:

1. Rigid and oppressively controlling corporate systems and

bureaucracies;
2. Multiple-level hierarchical structure with top-down management,
restricted spans of control, and restricted communication channels;
3. Myopic leadership vision and lack of commitment for entrepreneur-
ial activity by senior leadership;
4. Highly structured policies and procedures with long, complex
approval cycles and documentation requirements;
5. A cautious, short-term organizational culture that instills fear of
failure and resistance to change. (12)

Just about everyone I meet has a story about a really ineffective man-
ager they have worked with. As a matter of fact, most of us have had the
dubious pleasure of working with someone who is narcissistic, egotisti-
cal, or uninformed, or more politely, someone who was less than compe-
tent, insisting on wasting valuable project time on meaningless questions
and discussions. These ineffective leaders are often ridiculed behind their
 Introduction to Leadership63

backs and find very little support from the team. While not respected, or
trusted, they often become more of a problem than a solution.
Not too long ago, I walked into a program based in the software devel-
opment division of an IT department where the chief product manager
was eventually fired for failing consistently on programs and projects.
Although this leader felt that he knew project management, he was nei-
ther versed in project management methodology nor leadership, and his
software development knowledge was outdated. When failure was loom-
ing, he would heap insults, accusations, and blame on the team members
involved. He would consistently report that while he told the team what
to do, they just didnt get it right. Unfortunately, because of his position as
an officer of the firm, only a few people complained to the company about
his bad management style and his abusive and derogatory comments to
employees. I mention this only because it created an overall hostile envi-
ronment where derogatory comments and personal attacks were accept-
able and common. These negative approaches were inflammatory to the
staff and increased the hostility level, further decreasing morale and lead-
ing to reduced communication and distrust among team members.
While oftentimes looking back at bad management can be humorous,
it begs a number of questions about the impact that the bad manager
can really have on an organization. Empirically, individuals in those
scenarios can evaluate their own actions and the general results of peers,
but without evidence it remains opinion. Therefore understanding the
impact of management is vital to understanding what most workers
inherently realize: bad managers kill organizations. Understanding the
actual impact that a bad manager can have on the staff is of great value
to all of us.
7
External Factors Affecting Leadership

Great leaders are almost always great simplifiers, who can cut through
argument, debate, and doubt, to offer a solution everybody can understand.
General Colin Powell

While this book is focused on the value leadership skills can provide to pro-
gram management and building high performing teams, it is important to
recognize that a program manager will be pulled in many directions and
affected by a long list of external influences in his or her day-to-day man-
agement. The focus is, of course, on delivering the benefits of the program,
achieving cost and quality standards and managing the efforts that are nec-
essary for achieving success, yet a program manager in a real world setting
will face a number of challenges coming from the organization itself, the
stakeholder community, supporting departments, as well as program spon-
sors and in some cases the program managers direct supervisor.

STAKEHOLDER COMMUNITY
Regardless of the group or individual, a program manager will spend a
great deal of time and effort working with external factors taking him or
her away from managing the program itself. As mentioned in previous
chapters, the creation of a high performing team requires that the team
feel comfortable communicating, innovating and working with positive
conflict resolution strategies. The program and project managers of an
effort create this environment and to be truly effective, run interference
for any external influences that can have a negative impact on the team
environment.

65
66Program Management Leadership

Programs have benefits that once realized will affect a community of

stakeholders. While a program is made up of projects and non-project
related work, each effort has a specific set of stakeholders affected. Not
all projects will have the same individuals in their stakeholder com-
munity though there very well might be overlap. However, the program
manager is responsible for all stakeholders affected by the program itself.
Communication with all stakeholders with a clear, concise message and
ensuring that there are open channels for communicated is a key success
factor for any program. Stakeholders must be aware, and often reminded,
of the benefits the program will deliver as well as potential issues that may
arise as the effort progresses. They are also a great source for identify-
ing potential risks and ensuring that expectations are clearly set avoiding
issues down the road.
Each project manager should have a communication plan for dealing
with the stakeholder community, and the program manager may often
participate in that plan. Directly communicating from the program per-
spective ensures that the overall message is communicated and stakehold-
ers are not lost in the project specific deliverables. These communiques
can take the form of reports, memos, emails, or meetings and will pro-
vide the program manager with valuable feedback on the defined benefits
as well as potential hurdles that may be encountered. However, in these
interactions, scope creep and enhancement requests will generally be con-
sistently asked for. In addition, complaints and issues encountered by the
stakeholders will be communicated along with any negative concerns as to
the potential program success or failure.
The program manager is responsible for maintaining the open channels
of communication but also protecting the team from interference wher-
ever possible. While scope creep is a realistic expectation, every request
will not be approved for the program and quite often debates will take
place as to cost versus benefit for new asks. An effective program manager
will work with these stakeholders and their project managers to handle
all of the external influence until the point that the issues or requests are
approved for the program. The successful manager will keep their team in
the loop on these discussions but will not allow the external negotiations
and communications to detract from the teams effort. Instead the team
needs to be protected to a point where their focus can be maintained and
their progress uninterrupted. Negatives from either the stakeholder com-
munity or the organization itself should not be allowed to affect the team
morale or confidence.
 External Factors Affecting Leadership67

If issues identified need to be incorporated into the program or project

efforts, the manager will bring these changes to the team leveraging the
open communication channels and promoting positive conflict based dis-
cussions to drive discussions and identify potential risks or benefits that
can be achieved.

ORGANIZATIONAL CULTURE AND PROCESSES

In addition to the stakeholder community, there are also a tremendous
number of other external factors that a program manager will work with
and often run interference for the team. Organizational culture and pro-
cesses can have a huge impact on a program. Once a program team is
set up, they need to be disconnected from any negative cultural aspects,
maintain the positive ones and given a chance to grow into a effective high
performing team.
Leadership builds a team but organizational factors can tear it down
much quicker than the time it took to build. Quite often program manag-
ers will work toward collocating teams, creating a bubble for the team to
work within the organization and facilitate an environment of positive
and open relationships for team members. If the organization, or client
groups, present a less than positive environment the program manager
will work to keep those negative factors away from the team ensuring that
successful team development and management can be promoted.
Therefore, while a team needs open communication with themselves and
to understand the stakeholder needs and requirements, the program man-
ager is there to influence those interactions maintaining a positive environ-
ment and decreasing the potential for a negative or hostile environment.
Furthermore, the most effective programs and projects follow a meth-
odology such as the PMI Program and Project standards. While an orga-
nization may have internal processes that have to be taken account of in
the program, a successful program manager will integrate external pro-
cesses into their established program and project methodology to meet
external needs but allow the team to focus on a well proven approach to
managing a project.
For example, the procurement process may require executive sign-off on
purchases greater than $50,000. In a case such as this, the program man-
ager will tailor the project management procurement process to elevate
68Program Management Leadership

certain requests so that they can directly intervene and work with the
organization to achieve the necessary approvals and ensure the project is
not delayed by the external directives.
External processes cannot be ignored and must be planned for. A suc-
cessful program manager will research these factors, modify the program
and project management processes to incorporate the external factors,
and assign roles to ensure that the external requirement are met, often-
times by a program manager rather than a team member.

Internal/External Auditing
Quite often various organizations will have external auditing processes
scheduled. A financial firm may have an audit scheduled yearly or quar-
terly while an IT organization that was certified with something like ISO
would have annual audits and a 3 year recertification cycle. Program man-
agers should research these factors in advance; ensure that these sched-
uled (and sometimes unscheduled) factors are included in the planning
process. Governance can then be used to ensure that all records are con-
stantly updated and in a form that is ready for audit avoiding having to do
rework or drop project efforts to update information.
If the project and program management processes are modified to
ensure records are maintained in a real-time basis and the program gov-
ernance is assigned the responsibility of verifying the records, the project
team can focus on the tasks at hand without interruption or disturbance.

Legal/Regulatory Changes
In many organizations, legal and regulatory issues drive the business
itself. Healthcare is updated yearly based on the information required for
Medicare and Medicaid reporting purposes. A program that spans mul-
tiple years with projects focused on achieving a set of defined benefits may
have to add additional project resources that are not specifically assigned
for program benefits but instead are ready to respond to the potential
impact of legal or regulatory changes. In addition, a SME may be assigned
to monitor the regulatory agency ensuring that any upcoming changes
will not adversely affect a project or the established program benefits.
Program managers in the planning stages will research both the orga-
nization as well as the external factors to ensure a clear understanding
of how external factors can affect the effort. From this research plans
 External Factors Affecting Leadership69

can be established to avoid interruption of critical work efforts and can

be included in the program/project planning process as well as finance
estimating ensuring that productivity, schedules and budgets are not
adversely affected.

Executive Leadership
Executive leaders have a tremendous amount of external factors and
priorities affecting their decision making. Priorities shift, competition
introduces new products, new innovations are instantiated, client com-
plaints and issues become critical and financial concerns are always a
major factor.
Programs that are instantiated with long term benefit realization plans
will be affected by the executive leadership team and quite often the ben-
efits of the program may not be as critical as a new concern. The program
manager is responsible for constantly monitoring this concern, maintain-
ing an up-to-date ROI as well as benefit realization plans, program spend
rates and projections to completion. To be effective and to ensure ongoing
support from the organization, a program manager will run interference
for the effort and ensure executives are in the loop and reminded of the
benefits that the program will occur. In some cases, reverting to ROI and
demonstrating spend to date rates can assist an executive in understand-
ing that interrupting the program in lieu of a new priority may be more
costly than seeing the program to completion.
Finally, projections to completion can demonstrate the amount of
money for the program to complete if it were left in place. Oftentimes,
leaving a program to complete can be more cost effective than interrupt-
ing the effort and can help executives understand the impact of interrupt-
ing the effort midstream. While other priorities may become critical, this
information is extremely valuable for executives to better understand the
cost to impacting the program. From this knowledge base, executives can
make better decisions and truly understand the impact of canceling or
stopping the program.
While this may not cause the executive leadership to maintain the effort
in the middle of the crisis, the program manager will have done an effec-
tive job of communicating value, costs, and impacts for closing or inter-
rupting the program and the executive leadership team will be better
informed in their decision making.
70Program Management Leadership

Geographically Diverse Teams

Often, outsourcing is a cost effective way for a organization to procure
resources with valuable talents at an inexpensive cost for short periods
of time enabling the use of SMEs to assist in achieving goals. As such,
program managers have a distinct need to be well versed in working with
outsourced and often geographically diverse teams. These groups can be
located throughout the country or the world and may bring with them
culturally diverse values, ethics, and experiences. In addition, language
barriers, time differences and technology challenges can often cause issues
with building teams.
Program managers must first understand the contracts between these
outsourced vendors, service level agreements, performance metric stan-
dards, and responsibility levels. From that point, the Program manager
needs to embrace these external vendors as part of the core HPT bring-
ing them into every meeting, dialing them up for impromptu discus-
sions, and sharing documentation, requirements and goals of the effort.
They are brought into the team building experience, assigned roles and
responsibilities and are held to the same standards as the internal team
members.
A successful program manager will embrace these outsourced teams as
part of the HPT and will not allow for completion, alienation, or distance
to impact their critical role in the success of the program. Quite often I
have traveled to outsourced team sites to meet them individually and have
brought them to our internal sites to meet their team peers. Through this,
the outsourced team has a chance to establish relationships, communica-
tion channels and to feel that they are part of the team in achieving the
successful delivery of program benefits. Any technique that avoids out-
sourced team members from feeling as if they are outsiders or internal
team members as seeing the outsourced teams as competition are valuable
in achieving a truly high performing team and the program benefits.
8
Individual Motivation

All of the great leaders have had one characteristic in common; it was the
willingness to confront unequivocally the major anxiety of their people in
their time. This, and not much else, is the essence of leadership.
John Kenneth Galbraith

Psychoanalysis is used to open a window into individual behaviors, as well

as into organizational environments, cultures, and management theory. It
promotes a better understanding of how environments and management
interactions can affect an individual by directly analyzing the impact on
the unconscious mind and in return the impact that the unconscious mind
can have on individual behaviors. Psychoanalysis confronts the uncon-
scious mind in a formalized manner evaluating the implicit and explicit
impacts that culture, environment, and leadership have on it (Foucault
1970).
Organizations form a unique culture and environment that can range
from a positive or negative perspective. They demonstrate, through the
interaction of individuals, a society where social dynamics are acted out.
Each will vary in the manner through which culture and social norms
are established and demonstrated, but cultural trends such as authori-
tarianism or narcissism weave themselves into the psycho-structures of
organizations, affecting leadership, communication, and group relations
(Carr 1993; Lasch 1980). No organization is either 100 percent positive or
negative; it exists on a spectrum where there are many shades of gray. The
psychoanalytical approach focuses not on the right techniques to moti-
vate, but instead on the concept that through work people pursue many
different conscious and unconscious aims, and that organizational culture
has a tremendous impact on behavior (Gabriel and Carr 2002).

71
72Program Management Leadership

Though organizations create innovation, creativity, and have unique

levels of risk tolerance, they can also create an environment that breeds
anxiety if goals or objectives are not met. Each organization holds its staff
responsible for individual performance, oftentimes forcing people to work
together in performance tasks that are not enjoyed, and can be found treat-
ing employees in an impersonal and cold manner while requiring those
same individuals to demonstrate loyalty and support to the organization
itself. The agreement between a company and its staff is that individu-
als are paid for their work effort, yet negative impacts can occur in per-
forming the work. Negative impacts can create feelings of fear or anxiety
which, in a work environment, can be seen as an incapacitating emotion
which individuals defend themselves against through the mechanisms of
defense (Gabriel and Carr 2002, 35).
In The Ego and Id, Freud (1923) evaluated individuals and defined
motivators that explain the need to achieve gains such as satisfaction in
creation or solving complex problems, personal rewards, or maintaining
a level of safety and security. Individuals have their own conscious and
unconscious motivators driving their performance and investment in
their jobs. Whether those are growth, job stability, increased income, or
ego driven, the reasons that people perform in their jobs can be complex.
The negative impact of anxiety resulting through organizational inter-
action is that individuals often resort to dysfunctional routines which
stunt creativity, block the expression of emotion or conflict, and above all,
undermine the organizations rational and effective functioning (Gabriel
and Carr, 2002, conflict, and above all, undermine the organizations
rational and effective functioning (Gabriel and Carr 2002, 356). These
defenses against anxiety can create collective delusions causing a fight-or-
flight reaction from nonexistent threats while ignoring real issues related
to the work at hand. In addition, the defense mechanism in most individu-
als responding to anxiety or implied attacks is a negative one, diminishing
innovation, risk tolerance, and support for the efforts at hand; excessive
anxiety leads to highly dysfunctional defensive routines, while inadequate
anxiety breeds complacency, inertia, and gradual decay (Gabriel and
Carr 2002, 369). When a level of anxiety is maintained for a long dura-
tion of time, individuals begin to lose interest in their current positions
and attempt to modify their professional situations through job search-
ing, disengaging, and decreased motivation, leading to low morale and the
inevitable outcome of increased attrition.
 Individual Motivation73

Leadership is instrumental turning negative behavior patterns to posi-

tive ones and creating environments where individuals value the chal-
lenges they face. Understanding how the organizational culture has
affected and trained its staff is crucial to understanding the type of lead-
ership approach that would have the most impact. A staff that operates
with high anxiety and negative consequences will be hesitant to offer sug-
gestions, engage in open communication, offer innovative concepts, and
identify program risks. They will maintain the status quo, following the
same path each time to avoid personal attacks and blame for failure even
when failure is anticipated. A leader must be able to recognize this pat-
tern when building the team and create a safe environment for the team
that enables them to feel comfortable within the program, and encourages
openness and innovation.
This includes positive conflict resolution, public acknowledgement of
innovation, and consistently running interface from outside elements so
the team can build trust in a comfort zone. The program manager will
need to protect team, allowing them to operate in a bubble within the
organization and to begin to function without fear of reprisals or nega-
tive consequences. The program manager must step forward to protect his
or her team and facilitate conflict resolution and internal communication
by building a safe and healthy environment that can be sustained for the
programs duration.
Studies have shown that various interventions can help to shape the
impact of organizational health and could more positively impact the
employee reactions. As a program manager, your goal is not to change
the organization but to understand the culture and to create an environ-
ment for your team that is safe and trusting and increases communication
channels among team members. A program manager does not focus on
the organizational issues; instead the goal is to operate within it, creat-
ing a safe and healthy environment in which your team can function. To
achieve this, a program manager must understand the individuals moti-
vators and what drives them to success, while also determining how the
organization health affects them, especially when making difficult deci-
sions, facing constant crises and ethical issues.
The organizational influence on team members may affect each member
in a different way. One may be resentful of the leaders he or she has worked
for in the past, and another may have had very positive experiences. Each
member needs to be treated as an individual, and management styles
must be adjusted to leverage the most successful approach possible. If you
74Program Management Leadership

have an individual who is a resister to change, you may need to take a

more authoritative approach, pushing the team member toward a task,
while others may just need to see you display confidence in their work and
reward successes as positive.
There are a number of ways in which individuals, regardless of their
position in the organization, are motivated. Some are consciously and
purposely driven by organizational management, such as rewards, incen-
tives, job sharing, and performance measurements, while others fall into
the more subtle categories of unconscious drivers, related to both per-
sonality and needsthings like intrinsic drive, innovative nature, and
self-management.
It was actually Hewett, not Freud, who uncovered the initial outlay
of the unconscious. In his book Elements of Psychology (1889), Hewett
declared that unconscious knowing and unconscious willing are phases
which defy all interpretation (32). Freud later added to this by pointing to
the unconscious as a motivator and the conscious minds way of hiding
thoughts and desires from awareness.
Gabriel and Carr (2002) found that much of the activity responsible for
behavior is hidden from the conscious mind and driven by unconscious
thoughts, drivers, and motivators. This is in turn demonstrates that the
unconscious is driving actions and using tools such as anxiety to trig-
ger defense mechanisms. These unconscious drivers often have a dramatic
influence over the individuals performance. If the organization is more
toxic with negative interactions, a team member may fear for his or her
job and the security that the position brings. In such a situation, the team
member may unconsciously react in a more risk-adverse manner, staying
in the background and maintaining the status quo. A program manager
will need to recognize the individual and his or her drivers to encourage
change and empower the staff to innovate and accept risk as part of the
program process.
Pienaar (2008) identifies three characteristics leading to leadership inef-
fectiveness: character of a leader, the ability to manage ones own emotion,
and difficulty in effectively managing interpersonal relationships (133). It
is the ability to manage ones own emotions that can be most affected by
Maslows hierarchy of needs, because a leader who separates emotional
reactions from intellectual is a successful one. The subconscious drivers
that attempt to achieve stability in safety and physiological security can
dramatically affect an individuals emotional state. Self-deception can be
added to these characteristics, leading to ineffectiveness as both a team
 Individual Motivation75

member and a leader. Self-deception is a trait that causes leaders to miss

out on their own weaknesses and improperly inform themselves as to what
their strengths may be. Furthermore, the unconscious drivers that create
defense mechanisms, such as anxiety and fear, from an individuals needs
set can even be hidden from the individuals conscious mind. Successful
program managers self-analyze their reactions and interactions with
teams to better understand why they have reacted in a particular way to
various situations. Program managers must understand themselves and
work toward a positive leadership style instead of allowing unconscious
drivers to affect their own or their teams behavior.
Unconscious thoughts, feelings, and experiences demonstrate them-
selves through defense mechanisms such as regression, rationalization,
denial, sublimation, identification, projection, displacement and reaction
formation (Waelder 1967, 33). These defense mechanisms may reduce the
conscious minds stress and anxiety, but the unconscious mind retains
the experience and will influence behavior without active awareness or
conscious thought when faced with similar situations or environmental
factors.
The resistance of the unconscious mind to identify or explain it creates
a challenge to identify what factors are influencing behavior beyond the
consciousness. With so much time spent within organizations, the impact
of the organization on the unconscious is tremendous. Gabriel and Carr
(2002) propose that all peoples dreams, anxieties, fears, impulses, emo-
tions, and fantasies are rooted in their experiences as members of organi-
zations (352).
In 1943, Maslow introduced A Theory of Human Motivation. This
article provided even greater insight into the human motivators and driv-
ers, especially as they relate to the unconscious mind. Maslow describes
human needs in five distinct phases:

1. Physiological
2. Safety
3. Love/belonging
4. Esteem
5. Self-actualization

These needs are hierarchical based on requiring a person to achieve a

level of confidence in the need before moving on to the next level. Any
disruption in needs at a particular level will force the person to regress to
76Program Management Leadership

earlier needs. So each level must be satisfied in turn in order for the indi-
vidual to begin pursuit of the next.
Physiological needs relate to satisfying basic living, such as breathing,
food, water, sex, sleep, homeostasis, and excretion (Maslow 1943). If any of
these are not met, the individual will find him or herself with a greater and
greater hunger to satisfy them. If the needs are consistently not met, the
person will be consumed with the idea of satisfying them to the exclusion
of higher needs. Therefore, if employees are constantly threatened with the
loss of a job or the ability to make money, they will begin to focus their
efforts on maintaining their position regardless of what it takes. Ethics,
morals, and values can often be impacted when employees are fighting for
their position within a firm.
Once the needs for safety have been realized, a person can move on to
the next level, love, and social belonging. Focused on friendship, fam-
ily, and sexual intimacy (Maslow 1943), the individual who has achieved
this level has a general comfort established with physiological and safety
needs, and has the additional time and energy to pursue social belonging.
It is at this point that team members can afford to build friendships and
create trust among coworkers. To establish team development, employees
must at least reach this level or they are constantly in competition with
their peers, trying to protect their position and employment status. If at
any point in time any of the lower-level needs are threatened or not satis-
fied for a period of time, the hunger to satisfy those needs again becomes
a predominant driver.
Esteem starts to move the individual much closer to self-actualization.
Esteem focuses on self-esteem, confidence, achievement, respect for oth-
ers, and respect by others (Maslow 1943). It is at this level that individuals
can start to enjoy the satisfaction of lower-level needs and begin focus-
ing on areas of greater value to their psyche. Here employees will begin
to expand their boundaries and begin to look outside of themselves for
more information and knowledge, and to leverage the experience of oth-
ers. Employees who reach this state can afford to be innovative, invest time
and energy in learning what approaches others have found, and research
problems.
Finally, Maslow points to the highest level of his hierarchy, self-actual-
ization. It is at this point that an individual who has satisfied lower-level
needs will be able to focus on the more cerebral aspects of his or her life.
Self-actualization looks toward satisfying needs such as morality, creativ-
ity, spontaneity, problem solving, lack of prejudice, and acceptance of facts
 Individual Motivation77

(Maslow 1943). This is the level that we look to for leaders. Leaders are
confident in their abilities, not threatened by the environment or culture,
and able to create vision and approaches for programs to achieve the ben-
efits that are demanded.
Team members who are worried about safety in terms of job stability
may revert in behavior to trying to ensure that their job is safe before
focusing on creativity and risky approaches. This reversion will leave them
unable to grow with the team and to take on the challenges presented by
the program.
No matter what level the individual has achieved, the failure to satisfy
lower-level needs will result in their facing anxiety, fear, and other uncon-
scious drivers until these lower-level needs are satisfied. The goal of a pro-
gram manager is to understand where each team member resides on the
scale and to work with them to achieve a level where their best skills and
efforts can be brought to bear on the program. Without understanding
this, employees are on their own, struggling with concerns about their
position within the organization or potential job loss if the program is not
successful.
Determining what impact organizational environment can have on an
individual, especially when that persons safety is threatened, is a cru-
cial aspect. It is the negative organizational environment that can cause
great duress to team members. Neurotic or toxic organizations that have
a negative environment capable of impacting individuals and potentially
exposing these individuals to moral dilemmas are most likely to require
a shift in leadership style to protect the team and create a positive and
creative environment. Most importantly, leaders operating in a hostile or
toxic environment must rely on their skill sets, leadership styles, and com-
munication skills to avoid being dragged into the negative culture of the
organization they operate within.
I once worked in an environment where the manager of the department
would actually look at his employees in a meeting and ask, Why do I pay
you for being such an idiot? This environment was demeaning, negative,
and demoralizing. While we operated as consultants to move a program
forward, one of my staff was called in to the managers office and berated
for over an hour regarding something she had not done. When she left, she
immediately came to me and thanked me for her job with my firm. Her
stance was that the manager could kick her off the project, but only I could
fire her; she knew she was safe with me enabling her to operate within the
negative culture while also keeping her ability to do what was right and
78Program Management Leadership

necessary to move the program forward without concern about losing her
job or allowing the organization to demoralize her. It is a prime example
of program managers creating an environment of positive culture even
within an organization that is culturally challenged.
As has been discussed, leaders come in many forms and styles. No single
trait can be identified to ensure effective leadership, and the morality of
the leader has a tremendous impact on the organization, followers, and
effectiveness of the leader. Therefore an examination of the individual who
chooses to lead is crucial to understanding how leadership styles and traits
are established, and the potential impact these can have within various
organizational settings. Ultimately, anyone choosing to lead is first and
foremost a person with goals, ambitions, motivators, and ethics.
A program manager must always understand the environment, culture,
and organizational issues that the program is to be developed in. Without
this understanding, inherent risks, lack of communication, politics, and
organizational fiefdoms can become a huge issue.
Recently, I was asked to lead a $30 million five-year program for a city
government. The program had been started and dropped four times in the
past, but this time it appeared to have some traction. Each of the agency
directors had already signed a memorandum of understanding commit-
ting to the program conclusion, and a budget had been established to han-
dle the long-term effort. However, as in every governmental environment,
the implementation required a collection of skills including interpersonal
relationships, formally requesting, arguing, and pushing to get the subor-
dinate government officials onto the same page. Even with that, a single
job description for a data technical person could take months of revi-
sions, additions, legal review, and tailoring to the point that no one actu-
ally could ever meet the criteria being requested. The program progressed
nicely with the project teams focused on the data, cleanup, quantification
of issues, assessments of potential long-term resolutions, and technologi-
cal repairs; but on the program management side, it was a constant battle
to work with disparate groups to come to a common understanding even
when doing so would make their individual offices run smoother and with
less potential for error. The program manager is responsible for working
within the organizational boundaries, overcoming barriers and wherever
possible keeping the political infighting, posturing, and positioning out
of the mix. Had we given in to the short-term conflicts that were taking
place, the project teams would be shifted from one direction to another
and never accomplish the goals set out for them.
 Individual Motivation79

Instead, a plan of action for the program team was created that enabled
them to work mostly undisturbed while the program manager battled
the ongoing issues and concerns. Only when a final decision was made
that had a significant impact on the project would the program man-
ager interrupt the work with the teams. But even at that stage, we still fell
back on the tools created for the program and ran the change through
the Program Control Board (PCB) to evaluate the change as to the ben-
efits and costs to the program. In most cases, the board acknowledged
the value of the changes but either deferred the change for a later imple-
mentation or defined it as out of scope for the initial efforts. Through this
formalized and informal process of working with disparate stakeholders
in a very distributed environment, the program made tremendous prog-
ress without significant interruption of new ideas, fiefdom buildings, or
conflicting departments.
In the end, understanding the organization is critical to the suc-
cess of the program. If organizations breed anxiety in the individuals
through the demands on individual performance, forcing individuals to
work together performing tasks that are not enjoyed, and often treating
people in impersonal and cold manners while requiring the same indi-
viduals to demonstrate loyalty and support for the organization itself
(Gabriel and Carr 2002, 355), [then]. Anxiety is seen as an incapaci-
tating emotion which individuals defend themselves against through
the mechanisms of defense (Gabriel and Carr 2002, 355). The negative
impact of the defense against anxiety in individuals is that organizations
often resort to dysfunctional routines which stunt creativity, block the
expression of emotion or conflict, and above all, undermine the orga-
nizations rational and effective functioning (Gabriel and Carr 2002,
356). These organizational defenses against anxiety can create collective
delusions, causing an internal panic and flight from nonexistent threats
while ignoring real issues.
Gabriel and Carr (2002) further posit that excessive anxiety leads to
highly dysfunctional defensive routines, while inadequate anxiety breeds
complacency, inertia and gradual decay (356). The program manager
must understand these impacts and work to counter them through the
creation of a positive and rewarding environment. In the example listed
earlier, had the team members been required to participate in the conver-
sations with all of the stakeholders, they could very well have become dis-
enchanted with the effort and their ability to solve the problem. But with
the program manager facing the stakeholders, the project team members
80Program Management Leadership

were able to work in a much more comfortable working environment,

thereby minimizing the negativity of the organization as a whole.
To be successful in a culture building high anxiety and stress for employ-
ees, a program manager must create a positive environment where team
members are focused on delivering benefits to the organization through
approaches that leverage their skill sets and keep them challenged. To fos-
ter this environment a program manager must be able to create clear com-
munication channels as well as ensure that conflict resolution is a positive
experience and that team members can work out differences without hos-
tility or management intervention.
In the next parts of the book, we will discuss some very real leadership
styles. While each has positives and negatives, there can often be reasons
to use one or another to overcome a particular challenge or to assist a
team member in moving forward. While you will immediately see some
of the leadership styles as negative and ones that you would not want to
use, please look at both the advantages and disadvantages to each. When
I look at my own leadership style, I want to believe that because of my
personality, the success that I have had in building HPTs, and my confi-
dence in working with people in a positive and constructive way, I must
be a positive leader and demonstrate all of the positive characteristics. To
some extent this is more ego than fact. In looking over past engagements,
I can quickly see situations in which I consciously chose to use a more
negative approach either on an individual basis or when challenged by
organizational and cultural issues. An effective program manager will
purposely choose to use a combination of styles to accomplish the goals of
the program and to drive team members to the highest level of creativity,
innovation, and personal drive.
9
Leadership Theories

A leader has to appear consistent. That doesnt mean he has to be

consistent.
James Callahan

To understand the effect the leadership style of a program manager can

have on a program team, it is first necessary to understand various leader-
ship styles. Each of the styles discussed here, although not a comprehen-
sive list, has positive and negative qualities, and no single style will be
effective in all scenarios.
Many leadership theories have evolved over the last 100 years ranging
from great man, leadership traits, and behavioral to transformational,
transactional, dark versus light, situational, and charismatic. Researchers
have made efforts to link some of the theories across these leadership
islands. Each model has its own pros, cons, assumptions, and limitations,
but current research is much more focused on situational and transfor-
mational leadership styles, while the ongoing debate between born versus
made leaders continues. Leadership gurus continue to offer new models
as variations to many already existing models. Max Weber, MacGregor
Burns, Bernard Bass, and Warren Bennis are a few of the important
researchers in the area of leadership. Understanding the variances between
leadership styles and traits is vital to leveraging the leadership theory in
the workplace.
Leadership theories have an extensive history and abound with research
and supporting materials. Leadership contributes to the development and
innovation of new products, increased services through better commu-
nication, empowering staff, and discourse on risky issues (Howell and
Higgins 1990). Although the general value of leadership is well accepted,
the preferred style of leadership for specific scenarios is debated. Whether

81
82Program Management Leadership

transformational versus transactional, charismatic versus pseudo-trans-

formational, situational versus servant, or authoritative versus collabora-
tive, leadership style has a tremendous impact on a team and its ability to
perform effectively, positively, and innovatively in the attempt to meet or
exceed business goals. With so many different leadership styles, which one
is the best for program management and team empowerment in simple
or highly complex environments? The answer, of course, is it depends . . .
Each opportunity faced by a program manager has a different set of
team members, management culture, program challenges, environmental
challenges, client issues, and cost-related problems. It would be wonder-
ful if there were a single management style or trait that could be pointed
to as the management style that makes an excellent program manager.
However, there are so many factors that contribute to effective leadership
that styles will and should vary based on the team and the organization.
The ability of a leader to vary his or her approach to the situation is referred
to as situational leadership.
Leadership is motivating people to set aside their own objectives and
for a period of time contribute to the successful outcome of a team effort.
Situational leadership requires knowing what styles are available, when
to leverage them, and how to tailor them to the situation at hand. With
the assortment of styles and awareness of the positive and negative con-
sequences of each style, leaders can focus on the approaches most suited
to building HPTs, increasing communication, developing positive conflict
management approaches, avoiding demoralizing staff, and establishing a
safe and productive program management team.
Thomas Carlyle initially proposed the great-man theory, which was
based on the belief that leaders are born and not made. In his opinion, a
true leader was someone born to lead and who was naturally charismatic,
intrinsically motivated, visionary, and empathetic. Although numer-
ous examples could be cited to support this theory, including Winston
Churchill, George Patton, Napoleon Bonaparte, and Alexander the Great,
these same leaders were certainly born to greatness but many were highly
educated in leadership throughout their lifetime. If we believe that lead-
ers are born and not made through education, interaction, experience,
and the challenges they face, then why invest in attending business school
and seminars or reading leadership journals and books? If this theory was
accurate, then leaders could just be placed in executive roles and not have
to bother with all of the hard work of education, experience, and building
 Leadership Theories83

knowledge. According to the great-man theory, education and experience

would simply make bad leaders better and great leaders even greater.
The question of Great Man, or born versus made leaders, has a deep his-
tory. In his 1915 book, The Principles of Scientific Management, Frederick
Taylor also proposed that captains of industry are born not made. In the
future it must be understood that leaders must be trained right as well as
born right (2). Taylor referred to the implementation of scientific meth-
odology as a tool for leaders, while still inferring that the leaders them-
selves must be inherently capable, with the proper mind, background,
culture, education, and drive. Taylor also offered that in the past the man
has been first; in the future the systems must be first. This in no sense,
however, implies that great men are not needed (2).

LEADERSHIP STYLES AND TRAITS

Transactional Leadership
Transactional leadership, also known as managerial leadership, focuses
on the role of supervision, organization, and group performance. This
theory of leadership was first described by sociologist Max Weber (1946)
and expanded on by Bernard Bass (1981). In Webers interpretation,
the average worker was motivated to achieve the best for him or herself
and the organization. A leader needed to harness that intrinsic motiva-
tion and direct it toward the common goal of the organization. In other
words, people will work harder if there is some form of personal gain
or reward for themselves (see Figure 9.1). Whether that is additional
salary, a bonus if the objectives are achieved, time off when the pro-
gram is completed, or a potential promotion with the inherent benefits
associated with it, personal rewards can generate very positive results.
In later transactional leadership theory, the reward of the produc-
tion/performance model was in line with Taylor (1915). In this model,
employees will improve performance when rewarded appropriately, and
therefore the production model is one of a single transactionwork to
achieve goals and receive a reward for performance. Very little thought
is given to the pay and benefits that the workers receive. Instead they see
this additional effort outside their current workload and expect to be
rewarded for it.
84Program Management Leadership

Transactional Leadership

Management-by-Exception

Contingent Reward or
Expected Outcomes
Punishment

FIGURE 9.1
Transactional leadership techniques.

Transactional leadership is generally short term in nature and based on

the immediate deliverables for the task at hand. An employee who delivers
the requisite production within the established time frame is rewarded,
while those who do not achieve are penalized. This form of leadership
is based on a system of rewards and punishments and follows a series of
assumptions regarding employees and team members:

Team members perform their best when the chain of command is

definite and clear.
Employees are motivated by rewards and punishments.
Individuals need to be carefully monitored to ensure that expecta-
tions are met.
Followers obey the instructions and commands of the leader.

Transactional leadership is often used in simple business models such

as retail, food services, production facilities, and manufacturing: when
employees are successful, they are rewarded; when they fail, they are
reprimanded or punished. Usually, this leadership style has been most
 Leadership Theories85

successful in functional, operational, low-paying positions. Workers such

as hourly employees in operational teams (road crews, builders, assembly
lines, etc.) are good candidates for transactional leadership approaches.
In transactional leadership, rewards and punishments are contingent
upon the performance of the individual. The leader views the relationship
between managers and subordinates as an exchangeyou give me some-
thing for something in return. When subordinates perform well, they
receive some type of reward. When they perform poorly, they will be repri-
manded or punished in some way, such as job loss or being passed over for
promotion. Rules, procedures, and standards are essential in transactional
leadership. Individuals in a transactional relationship are not encouraged
to be creative or to find new solutions to problems. Long-term personal
growth is not the intent; instead the focus is on delivering according to
the defined rules and objectives. Research has found that transactional
leadership tends to be most effective in situations where problems are sim-
ple and clearly defined and is least effective in situations where creativity,
innovation and long-term benefits are encouraged. While transactional
leadership can be effective in some situations, it is generally considered
an insufficient and ineffective leadership style that results in morale and
personnel issues later on. Transactional approaches often prevent personal
growth and the achievement of individual and team potential, creating a
negative environment for individuals who are intrinsically motivated and
those looking for personal growth.
Transactional leadership focuses on the role of supervision, organiza-
tion, and group performance. Based on the research of Taylor (1915), the
average workman must be able to measure what he has accomplished and
clearly see his reward at the end of each day if he is to do his best (94).
There is a level of motivation for workers that can benefit from the applica-
tion of transactional leadership.
Transactional leaders are those who:

Approach followers with an eye to exchanging one thing for another

Pursue a cost-benefit, economic exchange to meet subordinates cur-
rent material and psychic needs in return for contracted services
rendered by the subordinate
Follow a very self-motivated and self-rewarding style of leadership
Will often take credit for team successes
Often blame failures on the team, tools, or clients rather than accept-
ing that as a leader he or she has failed to meet objectives
86Program Management Leadership

Often create a negative environment with team members competing

against each other for the leaders approval
Leave conflict to the team to resolve, often resulting in negative con-
flict between team members
Make arbitrary decisions and mandate implementation
Demonstrate a different behavior and communication style with
management than they do with the team
Are often self-centered and egocentric

Now, a transactional leader who demonstrates these traits can have very
negative results over the long term, but the approach can also be leveraged
positively in an environment where teams need to be driven until they can
drive themselves or where the process is repeatable in nature and lever-
ages more manual-based labor. A program manager may choose this style
when there is a great resistance to change, refusal to accept new process,
or resentment of a new manager. The Hawthorne study (Elton 1949) dem-
onstrated that employees can often be motivated simply by recognizing
that their performance is being monitored and watched. Even the slightest
form of metrics can cause behavior changes to team members, pushing
them toward being a more successful group. In this study a group of work-
ers were informed that they would be measured on performance but were
not told what measures would be used. Before researchers could begin the
study, the workers increased productivity, dramatically indicating that
just the awareness of measures being put in place has an effect on how
workers perform.
We will discuss this further in the section situational leadership, but the
approach taken by a leader is often a conscious decision made to drive the
team toward greater success. It is when leaders demonstrate these traits
unconsciously and do not understand the impact that negative results can
occur.
A relationship between two people is based on the level of exchange they
have. Exchange need not be money or material; it can be anything. The
more exchanges between two individuals, the stronger the relation. Your
manager expects more productivity from you for greater rewards. In this
way, if something is done based on the return, then that relation is called
transactional. In politics, leaders announce benefits in their agenda
in exchange for the vote from citizens. In business, leaders announce
rewards in return for productivity. The previous examples of relationships
 Leadership Theories87

are all about requirements, conditions, and rewards (or punishment) and
referred to as transactional.
In program management creativity, innovation, and teamwork achieve
success. The relationship between a program manager and the team is
more of an interactive, guidance-based one than one of a single trans-
action. The leader needs to drive individuals to perform as a team that
together produces more than the individuals can achieve on their own.
Therefore the program manager applies leadership techniques that encour-
age and empower team members to work collaboratively and that limit
the amount of management interaction wherever possible. The team func-
tions as a single unit, understanding individual roles and responsibilities
and interacting to achieve objectives. Transactional leadership would drag
a team down to compete for rewards on an individual basis or to avoid
penalties, creating an adverse culture of unique individuals. Leveraging
transactional leadership in a team long term will work against the team
mentality and generate internal strife. However, leveraging this approach
on an individual or situational basis to overcome an obstacle or to push a
team member can be advantageous. The choice to use this style should be
a conscious one that is tailored to the situation/individual and is changed
once the objective has been achieved. Program managers need to focus
on building teams and driving performance, and a reward/punishment
approach generates a contradictory individual-first environment.

Transformational Leadership
You dont lead by pointing and telling people some place to go. You lead by
going to that place and making a case.
Ken Kesey

A true leader is one that is capable of rising to the challenge of the environ-
ment, the team, and the established objectives. The leader must be able to
motivate in multiple scenarios, respond to challenges of various organiza-
tional entities, and recognize the tools available and leverage them in an
effective manner.
The most current views of management style show two types of lead-
ership on different ends of a spectrum. As shown in Figure9.2, trans-
actional leadership is on the left and transformational leadership is on
the right. No one leader is considered to be 100 percent transactional or
88Program Management Leadership

Transactional Transformational

FIGURE 9.2
The leader spectrum.

transformational; instead all leaders are some shades of gray between

the two.
On the opposite end of the management spectrum from transactional
leadership is the more charismatic, inspirational, and intellectual leader-
ship most often referred to as transformational. A transformational leader
motivates and empowers employees and teams by creating common
visions driving them toward intrinsically motivated success. Those teams
are driven by the achievement of objectives, can see the big picture for
the organization, and understand their role in it, working most comfort-
ably when provided with all of the program details. Teams such as these
are wonderful candidates for transformational leadership approaches.
Most people agree that the advantage of the charismatic/transformational
leader is that he or she provides an environment that empowers the staff,
drives creativity, increases communication, and generates more innova-
tion as well as reducing attrition rates and eliminating team conflicts.
Again, when evaluating this on a continuum, with transactional on the
far left and transformational on the far right, it is important to recog-
nize that there are many shades of gray in between. The environment of
the operation, type of worker, educational level of average staff members,
and socioeconomic classification of all levels of staff will all contribute to
adjustments on the scale.
While transactional leadership is understood as a base form of man-
agement, there are many occasions where we see a completely different
kind of style implemented in personal life. Quite often we will see a mom
devoted to her child. Mom doesnt expect anything from the child, and
the service she provides in raising the child is unconditional, dedicated,
and committed. Mom plays a major role in shaping the childs future life.
This type of relation is referred to as transformational in that the mother is
focused on the betterment of the child with no ulterior motive or expected
reward, other than to raise a happy and healthy child. Transformational
leaders work toward a common goal with followers; put followers in front
and develop them; take followers to the next level; and inspire followers to
transcend their own self-interests in achieving superior results.
 Leadership Theories89

The most common ways to recognize transformational leaders are situ-

ational. A transformational leader:

Recognizes and exploits an existing need or demand of a poten-

tial follower . . (and) looks for potential motives in followers, seeks
to satisfy higher needs, and engages the full person of the follower
(Burns 1985, 4).
Recognizes the transactional needs in potential followers but tends
to go further, seeking to arouse and satisfy higher needs, to engage
the full person of the follower to a higher level of need according
to Maslows hierarchy of needs (Bass 1985, 20).
Facilitates a redefinition of a peoples mission and vision, a renewal
of their commitment and the restructuring of their systems for goal
accomplishment. It is a relationship of mutual stimulation and eleva-
tion that converts followers into leaders and may convert leaders into
moral agents. Hence, transformational leadership must be grounded
in moral foundations(Leithwood, as cited in Cashin et al. 2000, 1).

And the transformation leader must both understand and accept the
cultural environment of the organization: Transactional leaders work
within the organizational culture as it exists; the transformational leader
changes the organizational culture (Bass 1985, 31). In other words, the
culture of the organization is understood, but the necessary changes to
drive a transformational environment are not lost on the leader. Instead of
just focusing on the team he or she is responsible for, the transformational
leader manages both up and down the chain of command driving change
in both directions. Table9.1 shows the differences between transactional
and transformation leadership.
Early studies portrayed transactional leadership and transformational
leadership as mutually exclusive, but many researchers today view them as
on a continuum rather than as opposites. The transformational leadership
style is complementary to the transactional style and likely to be ineffec-
tive in the total absence of a transactional relationship between leaders
and subordinates. There are personnel-related situations where any leader
will need to use a transactional approach to resolve problems in perfor-
mance or work ethics. As such, both styles are necessary for an effective
program manager to leverage, but the style chosen must be conscious and
proactive based on the situation at hand.
90Program Management Leadership

TABLE9.1
Transactional versus Transformational
Transactional Leadership Transformational Leadership
Leaders reward or punish based on the Leaders motivate followers through an
accomplishments of the team member. emotional response to contribute to a set
of objectives that are outside of a
transactional interaction.
Leadership is reactive to situations, and it Leadership is proactive and forms new
deals with present issues rather than expectations in followers, driving intrinsic
long-term objectives. motivation and innovation.
Team members respond to instructions Transformational leaders are charismatic
rather than achieving objectives through and empower, inspire, and stimulate
personal drive and ambition. followers to achieve group-based goals
and objectives.
Leaders motivate by defining short-term Leaders empower followers to innovate,
goals and promising rewards for desired problem solve, and increase personal
performance or by threatening for growth to achieve team objectives.
nonperformance.
Leadership depends on a power base that Leaders demonstrate and communicate
can reward or penalize subordinates for visions that followers can fulfill and
their performance. leverage interpersonal skills to develop
emotional bonds with followers.
Leaders use carrot and stick to drive Leaders motivate and empower followers
employees to success, rewarding positive to work toward goals that go beyond
behavior and punishing negative behavior. personal self-interest.

The following is an example of these traits. Very early in my career a

programmer told me that he had deleted 80,000 records from a produc-
tion database. I immediately contacted the client and told them the situ-
ation, asking that they stop working on the system while we solved the
problem. Then I went to our database administrator to see what could be
done. By leveraging the transaction log, we were able to restore the deleted
records, and the client was back up and running within an hour.
Unfortunately, the CEO of the firm differed in his management style
from the one I had adopted and called me, insisting on the name of the
programmer who made the error. I explained that it happened during my
watch and therefore was my responsibility. Although he pressed for the
name of the person, I refused to give any name other than my own.
While I had unintentionally created a transformational leadership envi-
ronment where mistakes were allowed, communication between team
members increased, and risks were openly discussed. The individuals
on the team were empowered to make decisions and to leverage creative
 Leadership Theories91

processes in overcoming obstacles. As such, the team grew together, effec-

tively resolving conflicts in a positive and proactive manner and develop-
ing a continuous self-improvement style. As a whole, schedules were met,
program completion reached its highest levels, and we were able to pro-
actively respond to risks and issues, exceeding stakeholder expectations.
Weber (1947) proposed a set of theories of transitional leadership in his
model of transactional and transitional leadership authority. The founda-
tion of the more advanced theories of transitional leadership is Webers
(1947) model of charismatic/hero (transformational), bureaucratic (trans-
actional), and traditional (authoritative). Weber described these three
frames and founded a generation of research and analysis on the topic.
From his initial interpretation, the transactional/transformational model
has been discussed in numerous research papers, books, methodologies,
and philosophies. Although charismatic leadership has foundations in the
great-man theory, the transformer role is one that has continued to evolve
beyond the individual to models and frameworks that can be taught.
Bass (2004) created a tool called the Multifactor Leadership
Questionnaire (MLQ), which is used to measure the level of transforma-
tional versus transactional leadership style. In this tool, most leaders score
both transactional and some transformational style traits depending on
the environment and situation they are currently working in. But it is clear
from the traits of a transactional leader that the team will quickly move
toward a more externally driven motivation rather than an intrinsic desire
to achieve objectives. Therefore the use of transactional leadership styles
is a somewhat dangerous approach and is generally leveraged for only a
short time to drive the team toward using new standards, accepting new
leadership, and achieving a common vision.
Based on detailed studies of various research done on transformational
leadership, the broader traits of a transformational leader include but are
not limited to:

Has a clear sense of purpose, expressed simply

Is value driven (e.g., has core values and congruent behavior)
Is a strong role model
Has high expectations
Is persistent
Is self-knowing
Has a perpetual desire for learning
Loves work
92Program Management Leadership

Is a lifelong learner
Identifies him or herself as a change agent
Is enthusiastic
Is able to attract and inspire others
Is strategic
Is an effective communicator
Is emotionally mature
Is courageous
Takes risks
Shares risks
Is visionary
Is unwilling to believe in failure
Has a sense of public need
Is considerate of the personal needs of an employee
Listens to all viewpoints to develop a spirit of cooperation
Is mentoring
Is able to deal with complexity, uncertainty, and ambiguity

This list is also the same set of characteristics that make up a success-
ful program managers portfolio. We look to program managers to drive
programs and benefits through a level of self-actualization and confidence
that can also be translated into tangible and achievable goals and objec-
tives. A program manager needs to create a program, delivering a set
of benefits within a limited time frame and budget, while ensuring that
the effort maintains ongoing alignment with strategic objectives; man-
ages risks, benefit realization, and stakeholder expectations/involvement;
and ensures overall governance over activities. Obviously, effective pro-
gram managers cannot achieve these responsibilities alone; they need a
team of empowered, motivated, self-managed, and driven followers who
understand and agree with the vision and benefits for the program. The
larger the program, the larger the team and the more unique personali-
ties involved. Program managers are often faced with situations that other
managers would deem impossible, and therefore they need a team capable
of supporting the objectives and able to make day-to-day decisions that
will be supported by their leadership. The traits listed previously and in
Figure9.3 demonstrate the personality and management style of effective
program managers.
 Leadership Theories93

Transformational Leadership

Idealized Individualized Inspirational Intellectual

Influence Consideration Motivation Stimulation

FIGURE 9.3
Transformational leadership traits.

Light and Dark Leadership

The first responsibility of a leader is to define reality. The last is to say thank
you. In between, the leader is a servant.
Max DePree

Gallagher (2002) proposed that bad leaders are a critical factor in organi-
zations and have a negative impact on the success of initiatives: We have
effective leaders, we have strong leaders and good leaders but we also have
ineffective leaders, weak leaders, and of course bad leaders (27). Leaders
accomplish goals that could not otherwise be done by individuals through
motivation, communication, conflict resolution, and vision. Positive lead-
ers motivate through positive motivational techniques and leverage driv-
ers such as reward, incentives, and positive reinforcement, while other,
more negative leadership is done through fear, intimidation, ridicule, and
hostility. Tyrants can often be considered as leaders who drive advances
through fear and intimidation; the traditional emphasis on effective lead-
ership, strong leadership, good leadership, visionary, and inspirational
leadership, raises the philosophical dilemma of what constitutes ineffec-
tive leadership, weak leadership, bad leadership, non-inspirational, and
non-situational leadership (Gallagher 2000, 27).
To find a solution to the meltdown of corporate ethics we have a dis-
tinct need for positive leadership and authentic leadership development, as
evidenced by the highly publicized scandals involving Enron, WorldCom,
Arthur Andersen, and Adelphia (Luthans and Avolio 2003, 241). In todays
economy, crises are commonplace and should be expected because every
organizational leader will face at least one crisis during his or her tenure
94Program Management Leadership

and the response to the crisis may be either positive or negative (Mitroff
2005). Moreover, there is little doubt that in times of such crises as terror-
ism and war, people turn to their leaders for hope and direction, perhaps
too much so (Meindl and Ehrlich 1987).
Because leadership can come from any place within an organization,
positive and effective leadership is necessary at all levels, in the execu-
tive arena as well as in program management. A study by Erickson, Shaw,
and Agabe (2007) identified the effects of bad leadership in organizations
and found that bad leadership is not limited to public or global crises;
rather, bad leaders are not uncommon in the workplace (39). Bad leaders
can often be found at any level of an organization and are recognized as
those who consistently failed to motivate and appropriately reward staff;
. . . they did not professionally develop staff, recognize them as people, or
understand their strengths and weaknesses (38). To be effective, leader-
ship must be a combination of mutual and reciprocal exchanges between
leaders and followers. Both leaders and followers working together need
to understand the value of the outcomes, participate in two-way commu-
nication, and agree on a common set of goals (scope) for the initiatives
before them.
In many cases, bad leadership does not have a major impact on the
organization as a whole, yet when a leader is perceived as bad by one
member of an organization, that opinion is perceived to be widely held by
other members of the organization (Erickson, Shaw, and Agabe 2007, 37).
Therefore bad leadership can have a cumulative impact. Because effective
leadership is so vital to an organization, if leaders are not selected wisely,
organizational damage, attrition, morale issues, and productivity losses
can quickly arise.
While extreme environmental factors undoubtedly influence potential
organizational results, numerous studies have shown that leaders have
a positive impact on important outcomes (Reichard and Avolio 2005).
Furthermore, because of the escalating complexity of the organizational
environment, leaders are needed at every organizational level. Now we
find that continuous leader development is becoming a strategic priority
for many organizations (Day, Zaccaro, and Halpin 2004). As a program
manager, you may be called upon to support the organization in the event
of a crisis and to assist in managing your staff to still achieve strategic
objectives for the organization, decrease fears, and eliminate rumor mills.
It is quite common for a program manager to walk into an environment
where bad leadership has had a tremendously negative effect on the staff
 Leadership Theories95

and the initiatives of the organization. As such, the program manager

will need to enter the opportunity with a clear set of ethical and valued
skills, empowering staff and, at least within the program, building a more
healthy and effective culture.
Bass (1999), Howell (1992), Ciulla (2003), and Conger and Kanungo
(1988) all refer to leaders who operate outside of ethical boundaries as
unethical leaders, unethical charismatics, and pseudo-transformational
leaders. In new studies these labels have been consolidated and used inter-
changeably in the definition of dark leaders.
Dark leadership refers to the inner urges, compulsions, motivations,
and dysfunctions that drive people toward success regardless of ethical
consequences (McIntosh and Rima 1997). The study of the dark side of
personality among leaders plays an important role in helping organiza-
tions identify those with the potential for derailment, deviant behaviors,
and poor work performance (Khoo and Burch 2008). While dark lead-
ers have a long-term negative effect on an organization, and those who
are unconsciously aware of the fact that their leadership style is consid-
ered to be unethical are disastrous to an organizations culture, there are
times when a program manager may have to leverage this approach to
move a team forward against the grain of the organization and what has
been considered to be acceptable behavior. Program managers may choose
to leverage the approach, focused on transitioning over time to a more
positive end result of ethical and effective leadership. Situations where the
culture has reached a point at which ethics and morals are questionable
may force a program manager to impose his or her own set of ethics and
morals, driving the team toward what will eventually be a positive and
ethical environment.
Dark leaders are perceived as those who push from an unethical per-
spective regardless of the consequences of their actions. However, viewed
from another perspective, if the organization itself is unethical, a dark
leader would be one pushing teams to work toward success regard-
less of the culture and morals of the firm. In this case, the program
manager would be seen as going against the grain, not being a team
player, and being a threat to the organization; but from the leaders per-
spective, he or she would be pushing the team to greater success regard-
less of the consequences. This struggle is more common than you may
think. Organizations will often reach a point of becoming obsolete based
on management practices, poor service, and poor quality standards. To
resolve this scenario a program manager may be brought in who is capable
96Program Management Leadership

of driving toward a more effective service delivery model. Yet the negative
culture is so ingrained and accepted, the program manager may choose
to demonstrate some of the traits of a dark leader to drive toward a more
ethical and positive environment.
The importance of leadership in shaping an organization is best dem-
onstrated through evaluation of ethical and social norms within the orga-
nizational environment. Leadership drives success, which in turn affects
the organizational standards. Most firms will not resist what is successful
regardless of the history and culture they have established. However, be
warned that if you push back against the organization, you can gener-
ate detractors and resisters, all of whom will attempt to undermine your
efforts to succeed.
Whereas light leadership is morally driven and contributes to both the
leaders and the organizations effectiveness (Engelbrecht, Van Aswegen,
and Theron 2004), dark leaders expend a tremendous amount of organiza-
tional resources in the pursuit of personal visions instead of organizational
strategic objectives, which threatens the long-term success and viability
of the organization. As such, assuming an organization is an ethical one
following a positive and moral path, having a dark leader could result in
compliance, ethical, legal or financial issues, and is likely to cause issues
with communication, loyalty, motivation, and attribution, all of which are
necessary for organizational success (Conger 1990).
McIntosh and Rima (1997) have identified five types of dark leadership:

1. Compulsive
2. Narcissistic
3. Paranoid
4. Codependent
5. Passive-aggressive.

Each of these has detrimental personality aspects that cause them to

drive toward success often following unethical behavior and are per-
ceived as unethical.
Compulsive leaders focus on the need to maintain absolute power over
all aspects of the organization. These individuals see their leadership as an
extension of themselves and their personal lives and therefore attempt to
exert control over every aspect of a project or effort. Compulsive leaders
fear anything outside their control and attempt to control anything that
can impact their efforts.
 Leadership Theories97

Narcissistic leaders often come from the classic narcissistic personal-

ity type. As such the narcissist is motivated to achieve the respect and
admiration of others and especially their superiors (Judge, LePine, and
Rich 2006). While narcissism is often related to charismatic leadership
and can be one of the aspects that a leader leverages in his or her willing-
ness to lead, Khoo and Burch (2008) suggest that the relationship between
charisma and narcissism is not a predictor for effectiveness. Instead, nar-
cissists focus on their personal goals and ambitions, which are generally
accomplished at the expense of others through approaches such as aggres-
sive, derogatory behavior, and aggrandizing personal accomplishments. A
major difference is that the narcissistic personality lacks empathy, one of
our key traits of leadership (Morf and Rhodewalt 2001).
Paranoid leaders live in a constant state of denial. Although often quite
brilliant, paranoid leaders are those who are convinced that others are
actively working against them to take away their efforts, leadership, or
achievements. These leaders are generally insecure in their own abilities
and are jealous of the abilities others generate, sometimes to the patholog-
ical point. Similar to the compulsive leader, a paranoid leader will attempt
to control all aspects of a program and can become hostile toward anyone
trying to offer assistance. The only effort a paranoid leader will support
is one that he or she can fully control. Success for this leadership style is
often based on the leaders talents and can be undermined by team mem-
bers out of frustration and bad morale (Williams 2005).
Codependent leaders are those who attempt to take control of and
responsibility for others, and blame their ineffective actions on others
(Goff and Goff 1991). The inclusion of a codependent leader in a healthy
organization can be destructive. They can also get caught up in unhealthy
behaviors and addictive diseases such as alcoholism, drug addiction, and
social avoidance (Larsen and Goodsen 1993). The workplace behavior
of a codependent leader is often destructive to an organization and can
be demonstrated through non-work-related efforts, poor organizational
skills, ineffective conflict resolution, inefficiency, lack of interpersonal
skills, inability to motivate workers, and failure to communicate a consis-
tent, concise vision (Schaef and Fassel 1998).
Passive-aggressive leaders demonstrate a set of personality traits, often
conflicting, where on one hand they actively avoid social contact and com-
plain of others not understanding them along with personal complaints
of unfair personal misfortune, while on the other hand they are often
standoffish, hostile, defiant, argumentative, sullen, passively deceitful,
98Program Management Leadership

obstructive, scapegoating, resisting change, protecting turf, and unrea-

sonably critical of authority (Johnson and Klee 2007). These behaviors are
known to cause low levels of respect and organizational issues with team
development and effective leadership.
These five personality traits (narcissistic, codependent, paranoid, pas-
sive-aggressive, and compulsive) can work against organizational culture
as well as the necessary leadership and training to facilitate team develop-
ment long term, but can be effective in short-term circumstances to moti-
vate a team or to push them out of their comfort zone. While the negative
aspects of a paranoid or narcissistic leader are somewhat obvious, they
can also be used as tools to drive teams forward through an authoritative
command-and-control process.
Program managers may choose to adopt one style or more based on the
immediate needs of the team and the program. Of course maintaining
these styles over the long term can be detrimental to the morale and effec-
tive communication of the program members and should therefore be
used carefully and consciously. Short-term and intentional use can have a
positive effect moving program teams to reject the organizational culture
and move toward one that is more positive for the program needs.
In one program I ran, the team had become so inured to failure that
even discussing success was taboo. There was a litany of excuses and rea-
sons why success was not possible: Design wont give us anything on time
and will change the requirements repeatedly; The features will change
midstream; Maintenance issues will take precedence; We dont have a
voice in the decision making; We dont have the skill set or technology
knowledge to meet the needs; No one will buy us tools to do our job;
and on and on. While many of these concerns were valid, I chose to use a
narcissistic approach to solving the program issues. No one tells me no
was my motto to all, including design, executives, finance, etc. I grouped
the team to establish a project plan that would achieve success, and we
held the other agencies feet to the fire to achieve success.
If design couldnt make its goals, the problem was taken to the execu-
tive board and pointed out that the delays coming from design were pre-
venting program success. When scope creep became an issue, we went to
the sponsors and said you can have what you asked for in the time frame
and cost that you established, or you can have this yet undefined scope
increase, but based on schedule, cost, and quality, both cannot be done. It
was a very narcissistic approach from a subject matter expert (SME) and
program manager perspective and did not make many friends in other
 Leadership Theories99

departments, but the team started to show energy and innovation, even
some creativity, and the program was successful in realizing the defined
benefits.
There was one meeting with the project managers where the quietest
individual on the team finally spoke up. You know, he said, if we com-
bine these two efforts with a bit of modifications and leverage the com-
bined budget, we could give the sponsor what they want without schedule
or cost change. Finally, we had a team that was looking outside the box
to identify strategies to be successful instead of giving up the battle before
the first shot was fired. And it was time to change my management style to
a more proactive and supporting one.

Command and Control

Your position never gives you the right to command. It only imposes on
you the duty of so living your life that others may receive your orders with-
out being humiliated.

Dag Hammarskjld

Organizations can have either a strong or weak culture. Participants

in a strong culture generally demonstrate a clear alignment with the
organizational values and willingly contribute to the common vision,
while participants in a weak culture must be more formally controlled
usually through transactional or command-and-control management
styles, and driven to achieve objectives through process, bureaucracy,
and authority. Whether weak or strong, an organizational culture can
be evaluated through various methods and tools that have been used
extensively in research.
Hofstede (1980) identified four dimensions of culture including:

Power distance the degree of separation demonstrated between

levels of power or authority within the organization
Uncertainty avoidance the extent to which the culture accepts or
resists risk (risk tolerance level)
Individualism versus collectivism the extent to which people are
able and expected to stand up or to operate as part of a team
100Program Management Leadership

Masculinity versus femininity the value placed within the organi-

zation on traditional gender roles such as competitiveness, assertive-
ness, ambition, and the accumulation of wealth

These four dimensions provide a framework for analyzing and classifying

the organizational culture.
Another perspective on this is the four types of culture (Handy 1985):

Power culture places the power among only a few within the orga-
nization with a central group or person driving the agenda and pur-
pose or the entity as a whole
Role culture formally delegated authority structure generally
operating within a greater hierarchy with power defined by the title
of an individual
Task culture teams formed and used to solve particular problems
and generally lasting until a resolution is found or a task is completed
Person culture where each individual believes that he or she is
equal or superior to the organization itself, and each member con-
tributes what he or she feels is needed by the organization such as a
professional partnership

These four levels are often referred to as command and control and
function much like the military. Many of my friends who have a military
background swear by this approach in handling all sorts of management
challenges. These individuals are very comfortable with the chain of com-
mand and following instructions from the leader downward. With a great
deal of effort, I have tried to shake their belief structure but to no avail.
In the programs that they run, they continue to follow the chain of com-
mand and find it to be quite effective, possibly because many of their team
members also were in the military.
Personally, I find the environment a bit stifling as each team knows only
what upper management determines they need to know. Teams dont work
as a cohesive unit and dont contribute to each others success, and pro-
grams are difficult to manage as each team sees themselves as a unique
unit rather than part of a collective organization delivering benefits to the
organization. A network team may build a network to the specifications
provided but may not be aware that a change in the programming due to
a realized risk has now shifted the focus from a client/server to a service-
oriented architecture. While the initial network meets the standards that
 Leadership Theories101

were provided, the shift on the development side leaves it ineffective as a

solution. As a program manager, my goal is to make as many people as
possible aware of the risk, opportunities, and new approaches to ensure
that we make the most of each change and fully integrate knowledge
across the program. Furthermore, team members should be comfortable
in coming to the program manager regardless of their concern or to which
project they are assigned. Proper communication establishes an environ-
ment where each person with an issue, regardless of its foundation, should
feel comfortable in communicating that issue and be listened to and con-
sidered. Of course I am not saying that all concerns are valid, just that
the communication channels should be open and that when concerns are
vocalized, we learn more about the teams, projects, management efforts,
and risks of programs.

Situational Leadership
Management is efficiency in climbing the ladder of success; leadership
determines whether the ladder is leaning against the right wall.
Stephen R. Covey

Situational leadership is one of those controversial topics with critics

believing that the leader should be able to lead any team with the same
style of leadership using positive reinforcement, rewards, motivation, and
building team morale, and supporters believing that in reality program
managers face various environments all with a predefined culture that has
been established and accepted over the long term. In some cases, to meet
our goals we have to consciously move out of our comfort zone of leader-
ship style and implement practices that will motivate and push the teams
toward the goals of the program.
The concept of a situational manager was initially proposed by
Blanchard (1982) when he evaluated a number of leaders in various envi-
ronments. While the leaders would gravitate toward a particular style nat-
urally, many were consciously choosing a different style outside of their
comfort zone. These managers were more effective than their counter-
parts because they tailored their leadership approach to the organizational
culture and environmental factors. The theory of situational leadership is
based on the assumption that one size does not fit all. Only by reviewing
the situation you are inincorporating the work environment, followers,
102Program Management Leadership

and industry challengescan you best determine the leadership behav-

iors that would make you the most effective (Topping 2002, 3).
Leaders, but especially program managers, often find themselves in new
and very different environments. Organizations that have a destructive,
negative, toxic, or hostile environment can be places where individuals
often feel that their position, reputation, or job is in jeopardy, causing a
negative set of behaviors and a level of risk aversion that can threaten inno-
vation, communication, and creative efforts. Team attrition, morale, and
personal job satisfaction are all of great concern in these environments.
Program managers in an environment such as this can find themselves at
risk for challenging the status quo and attempting to drive success through
a more positive leadership style. They will need to understand these fac-
tors and work to foster an environment that is positive regardless of the
corporate culture, creating a positive team-based bubble within the orga-
nizational environment. As such, their normal management style may not
be effective. Situational leadership involves identifying the organizational
challenges and adjusting, often away from a preferred leadership style into
one that is much more effective for the objectives of the program.
Conversely, organizations that reward success, provide positive feed-
back, and support innovation can often create more positive psychological
impacts, such as workaholic staff, overachievers, and friendly competition
between managers, departments, and leaders. In this kind of environment,
program managers will often find that their comfort zone is more effec-
tive and they can start leading through a transformational style, expect-
ing that users are self-motivated, intrinsically driven, and focused on
the objectives of the program effort. Project managers may have already
adapted PMI best practices and may be running projects with earned
value analysis (EVA), risk management, and planning procedures. This
obviously makes the program managers responsibilities much easier as
everyone starts with a common set of standards and a clear understanding
of how projects and programs are managed.
Many researchers have started to focus more on organizational or situ-
ational management styles and impact. A leader who has been widely suc-
cessful in one organization may find that he or she struggles dramatically
within another (Drucker 2001). The leadership ability of an individual is
often also correlated with his or her ability to read, respond, and adjust
according to the environment that he or she encounters (see Figure9.4).
Evidence from previous studies of leadership leads us to believe that the
 Leadership Theories103

Transformational

Effective

Transactional Authoritative

Situational Leadership Style

FIGURE 9.4
Situational leadership.

actual leadership employed not only must align with the immediate needs
of the effort; it also must be appropriate to the situation.
The responsibility for understanding the environment and organization
falls squarely on the shoulders of the program manager. It is his or her
duty to do an analysis of the environment, study the impact that environ-
ment has had on its employees and past programs, and determine where
the negative (and positive) environmental factors have come from. Doing
a root-cause analysis on environmental and situational aspects of a firm
will assist the program manager not only in understanding the environ-
ment but also in better determining the style that would be most effective
in the situation.
Situational management has its detractors; for example, there are those
who believe that leaders should always follow their beliefs to be successful
and that remaining true to their beliefs will make programs successful
regardless of the environment they are working in. However, my experi-
ence is that if program managers do not take the time to understand the
environmental and situational factors, they will be ineffective in respond-
ing to very real concerns of their staff members and often very short lived
104Program Management Leadership

in the organization. In these cases using a situational approach allows a

leader to effectively overcome obstacles and revert to a more comfortable
style going forward. While the long-term goal is to empower the staff,
drive innovation, increase risk tolerance levels, and drive program suc-
cess, the short term generally requires a bit of politicking.
Program managers must recognize that the environment they are oper-
ating in, whether it is the organization they work for or the client they
are working with, drives much of the information and support they will
receive. It is rarely a successful strategy to point out to a CEO that he or
she operates as a command-and-control manager, which demoralizes the
team. Nor would a program manager tell a client that their transactional
approach to driving programs is negative to the team and to the potential
for success.
Program managers must instead operate between the team and the envi-
ronmental factors, providing external interfaces for the information that
they need in a manner that they find acceptable, while filtering or restating
the information for the team. Very little is to be gained in telling a team
member that the client made derogatory comments about that person or
the likelihood of the programs success. Program managers will hear a lit-
any of complaints about individuals, the capabilities of the team, and the
potential success of the effort. An effective program manager will listen to
these concerns, internalize them, and watch for any of them to be realized
with potential strategies to overcome them if they are accurate. For the suc-
cess of the team, the program manager should work both with the client to
dissuade them from expressing negatively to team members to ensure that
the team members are receiving the support they need to be successful in
achieving the program goals. This will ensure that the team is on the same
page with the vision, challenges, and objectives for the program without
being inundated with sponsor and one-off requests detracting from pro-
gram goals. In addition, program team members can focus on the work at
hand without being concerned about stakeholder impressions. From this,
a program manager can build a positive and innovative environment. This
impact is one of the key reasons for a stakeholder engagement plan and a
stakeholder register to state who deals with whom and how such situations
are best handled.
Sound a bit schizophrenic? The answer is yes. Initially, a program man-
ager will deal with a number of political agendas, impressions, and his-
torical experiences. But the program is a new one deserving of its own
set of standards and experiences. A truly effective program manager will
 Leadership Theories105

initially operate and be seen differently by every group with whom he or

she interacts. The goal is that over time each group is provided up-to-date
and honest information based on the program status and achievements.
However, spending time overcoming impressions and negative history is
ineffective and detracts from the work at hand. Let the program success
speak for itself. Each group has a different agenda, political beliefs, con-
cerns, risks, and availability to discuss issues; therefore the conversations
and focus will differ. Over time, an effective program manager will be able
to drive conversations and meetings to a more positive note, increasing
communication and demonstrating success, but will not be taken seri-
ously if he or she simply walks into efforts that have failed in the past and
promises success.
This is actually an opportunity for program success and not a drain on
program managers. They are often given information that outlines why
other programs have failed, what client or management expectations were,
how communications should have been handled, and where risk threshold
levels are. An effective program manager will document all of these factors
and will come up with plans to meet the expectations of the external stake-
holder community and to ensure that mistakes of the past are not repeated.
However, the one factor that program managers can control is the inter-
action they have with the team. Program managers work not only with
project managers as their direct reports but also with every staff member
and contractor who report to the project manager. They must consistently
demonstrate a level of confidence in the team, work to resolve conflicts
in a positive way, and empower team members to drive innovation and
achieve success while maintaining schedules, benefits, costs, and quality.
They must consistently communicate the long-term vision, outline how
each project contributes to benefits that will achieve the vision, and ensure
that team members all recognize the value of the contribution they make.
In addition, the communication plan for the program must be clearly
outlined so that project managers, quite often focused on their specific
project, can speak to the long-term program and have a method by which
requirements outside of the project scope can be escalated to the program
team for review and possible inclusion in the longer-term vision.
I have often worked with organizations that had failed programs, and
my task was to take the remnants of the program, pick up the pieces, and
attempt to develop strategies to avoid past mistakes and overcome obstacles
from cost and schedule to staffing issues. One specific situation comes to
mind where a program had been started three times in the past only to fail
106Program Management Leadership

before it actually made any progress. This program had a wealth of infor-
mation from previous contractors (all of whom seemed to feel that their
responsibility was to report on the program in no less than 150 pages for
each document they produced). By reading through the documents pro-
duced by past contractors and interviewing various stakeholder groups,
a number of factors came to mind. The previous contractors treated the
effort as a simple project that would deliver a unique product or service,
potentially meeting the needs of one group of stakeholders but not others.
They also did not work to achieve buy-in from multiple stakeholders in
advance. Instead they took a large stakeholder community and tried to
force that agenda on othersin this case other departments within the
same government all with defined areas of responsibility. Finally, they did
not establish open communication plans where all stakeholder communi-
ties were recognized for their contributions.
To restart this effort, we first defined it as a program and not a proj-
ect, with multiple component efforts that would be managed together to
achieve benefits not available from a single effort. We developed docu-
ments such as a charter, communication plan, risk management plan, and
change management plan. A program steering committee was created
and kick off meetings held with the entire stakeholder community. Then
an initial project manager was assigned to drive the first project forward.
This project manager was tasked with introducing the project, develop-
ing project management plans in alignment with the program manage-
ment plans, and describing how the project would be a small piece in an
overarching program, the benefits of which affected all stakeholders and
provided long-term benefits to each group. While the initial project was
bound by a specific scope statement, additional needs were collected by
the program manager to collate them into a comprehensive list of tasks
from stakeholders. Not every requirement would be done by the program,
but many drove the creation of new projects that would increase the value
to the stakeholder community.
Finally, communication and commitment were required for the stake-
holder community. As the assigned program manager, my responsibility
was to identify and evangelize the long-term benefits of the program and
to assist stakeholder communities to better understand how their needs
would be met in benefits realized throughout the program. The long-term
road maps of benefits were identified, but as living and breathing docu-
ments. As more information became available, the benefits were adjusted
and communicated outward, ensuring that stakeholders all maintained
 Leadership Theories107

the same set of expectations for both benefits and the timing of realization
as well as the costs and risks associated with them.
The key to success on a long-term effort like this is the communication
of benefits as they are realized. Since the program would take up to three
years to complete, reminding stakeholders of the success made to date was
one of the ways that they could remain supportive of the effort and not
lose focus on the long-term goals. In this particular case, had we achieved
only half of the benefits before losing support, the program would be con-
sidered to be unsuccessful because the long-term goal of implementing a
new system with clean, authoritative data would never be accomplished.
This can be a difficult process to do as each years budget is requested and
there is always need for improvement. By ensuring that accurate updates
are being made, progress is in line with expectations, and goals are being
achieved, the budget approval process is must more effective and easier to
proceed through on an annual basis.
As has been discussed, leaders come in many forms and styles. No sin-
gle trait can be identified to ensure effective leadership, but the morality
and interpersonal skills of the leader have a tremendous impact on the
organization, followers, and stakeholders. Therefore an examination of
the individual who chooses to lead is crucial to understanding how lead-
ership styles and traits are established, and the potential impact these
can have within various organizational settings. Ultimately, anyone
choosing to lead is first and foremost a person with goals, ambitions,
motivators, ethics, values, and morals that drives him or her forward to
achieve more.
While transformational leadership is the most common approach to
achieving a high-performing productive team, situational concerns such
as historical failures, upper-level management support, and demanding
customers can have a negative impact on the team. Very few teams will
already have reached a high-performing level on their own, and if they
have, they will rarely need a new program manager to drive them for-
ward. Most organizations try to not mess with success so will work hard to
keep a leader who is achieving success in both reaching program goals and
maintaining employee morale, innovation, and risk tolerance. So while
you may be a transformational leader at heart, you need to look at the
team and determine the most effective way to get them to be on the same
page, eliminate in-fighting, and start working toward a common goal.
A single vision is one of the more crucial aspects to driving teams toward
a common goal, but interpersonal skills, communication skills, positive
108Program Management Leadership

conflict resolution, program management process, and defined roles and

responsibilities are also critical. In addition, the team needs the support
of the leader to overcome obstacles and to create a healthy and safe work-
ing environment for teams to move through development stages and open
communication channels and trust with one another.
Support from the leader comes in many forms: dealing with customer
(stakeholder) concerns, ensuring that external management does not inter-
fere at crucial intersections, employing a process that all teams will use,
and assuming responsibility for the actions of the team are all contribu-
tors to driving a team toward a high-performing work environment. In
effect, a program manager must have the long-term vision clearly planted
in the team members minds, lead the team in a common direction, and
ensure that there is a trustworthy and viable channel for communications.
Obstacles such as those noted previously can often be barriers to leader-
ship. Leaders, regardless of the situation, demonstrate a set of traits that
assists in overcoming barriers to success. However, even looking at leader-
ship through various categorizations, it is still difficult to attribute leader-
ship to a single set of traits: Fifty years of study have failed to produce
one personality trait or set of qualities that can be used to discriminate
between leaders and non-leaders (Jennings 1961, 2). Trait theory states
that all effective leaders exhibit certain characteristics and traits, or a suf-
ficient representation of characteristics that other effective leaders possess
(Covey 1991; Gardner 1990; Hesslebein, Goldsmith, and Bechkard 1996;
Kouzes and Posner 1995). Therefore it is the culmination of multiple traits,
situational aspects, values, beliefs, ethics, and a willingness to lead that
combine to form a true leader. Bass (1990) points out that the desire to
achieve, to complete tasks successfully, is a personal trait associated with
those who emerge and succeed as leaders and non-leaders (147).
These personal leadership traits are noticeable not only by the observer
but also by the constituents of the team. The traits are commonly doc-
umented across various schools, methodological approaches, and belief
sets. Kirkpatrick and Locke (1991) describe six specific traits common
to all successful leadersdrive, desire to lead, self-confidence, honesty
(integrity), cognitive ability, and industry knowledgeand those leaders
who have the requisite traits . . . have a considerable advantage over those
who lack the traits. Of the six traits listed by Kirkpatrick and Locke, five
can be taught or inspired, whereas one is a talent that is best achieved
through intelligence, experience, and education: Cognitive ability (not
to be confused with knowledge) is probably the least trainable of the six
 Leadership Theories109

traits (55). However, one of the key choices that must be made by a leader
is that of honesty: Honesty does not require skill building; it is a virtue
one achieves or rejects by choice (58).
Leaders who demonstrate these traits are easy for teams to follow, while
those who do not can actually be detrimental to a teams ability to accom-
plish its objective. Good leadership brings a team together, and bad leader-
ship can pull the team apart potentially damaging the greater organization
they reside in. Ultimately, the negative consequences of wrong leadership
choices are both expensive and well-publicized (Ilan and Higgins 2005).
Leadership that focuses on motivators outside of defined organizational
goals, strategic objectives, and organizational improvement efforts can
work against the grain of the firm and will not receive the support of the
organization as a whole. Therefore leadership must be focused to align
with strategic objectives to achieve a common goal.
The discussion on leadership, when quantified into a set of tangible
traits, behavior patterns, and skills, can then continue into a conversation
on born versus made leaders: Regardless of whether leaders are born or
made or some combination of both, it is unequivocally clear that leaders
are not like other people. Leaders do not have to be great men or women
by being intellectual geniuses or omniscient prophets to succeed, but they
all have the right stuff and this stuff is not equally present in all people
(Kirkpatrick and Locke 1991, 59).
Leadership can be evaluated in four categories: (1) traits and person-
alities, (2) behavioral theories, (3) situational contingency and cognitive
models, and (4) transformational models (Chemers 2000; Fairholm 1998).
These four categories break out the various aspects of leadership into a
hierarchy that can be used to evaluate a leader. Another way of looking
at leadership can be shown through a skills-based leadership framework:
(1) skills and competencies, (2) traits and personalities, (3) motivations,
values, and principles, and (4) styles and situations (Mumford et al. 2000).
Either way leadership is evaluated, individual traits are vital, and situ-
ational factors must be included in the equation.
Whereas the leadership theories listed earlier and the particular traits of
leaders are most applicable to executive leaders running organizations or
divisions, program managers have a different challenge to face. They are
often called in to solve a situation or develop a program within a culture that
they have no control over but that has impacted the team in either positive
or negative ways. Program managers must have the ability to recognize the
situation and culture of the organization, and whether it is comfortable or
110Program Management Leadership

not, to adopt leadership traits that will most likely benefit the program team,
and to assist in achieving the benefits identified. Program managers are not
responsible for changing the organizational culture, although they do often
have an impact; instead they are focused on delivering the set of benefits
identified in the program to the stakeholder community within the time
and schedule of the program, managing cost, scope, and risk.
While a CEOs leadership style will affect an organization as a whole,
and many of us envision ourselves as that Fortune 500 CEO in the future,
it is vital that program managers understand the goals of the program and
demonstrate the capability to leverage leadership styles and traits that are
most effective for the team. This is not to say that program managers who
initially establish a command-and-control structure to get the team mov-
ing in the proper direction are required to maintain that style through-
out the life cycle of the program; rather, as the team grows and starts to
understand the objectives of the program, their contributions, and their
responsibilities, program managers should shift to a more comfortable
management style for both themselves and the team.
I find that transformational leadership is my comfort zone, and while I
would love every team to respond to that style, situational, cultural, and
environmental factors may require me to adopt a more directive set of
traits to move the program forward. However, once the team is running,
conflict resolution is positive, and each team member understands his or
her roles and responsibilities, I have a tendency to shift back to where my
comfort zone as a leader resides, in a transformational state trusting the
team, empowering innovation and creativity, and leveraging their knowl-
edge and expertise to accomplish the goals of the program.
For example, I have had project managers assigned to a program I was
responsible for who insisted that they knew the only way to manage proj-
ects. Unfortunately, we were not in alignment with the direction and gov-
ernance of the program, and monitoring and controlling aspects such as
earned value were not being reported. In this situation, I was forced to
adopt a command-and-control structure that required my project manag-
ers to give weekly status reports with updated EVA numbers. Each project
manager had to produce a common report that could be consolidated into
a centralized dashboard demonstrating the program health and progress.
While quite a few of the project managers felt this was unnecessary and
were convinced that they could manage their projects without oversight,
the program was complicated enough that visibility was required.
 Leadership Theories111

Over time, reporting EVA numbers and giving weekly status reports gen-
erated a set of trends that could be used by management to demonstrate how
the program was progressing and how each component effort was contribut-
ing to the overall objectives. The most adamant of project managers started
to see the value of the governance program and became advocates for pro-
gram governance, operating as change agents for the subsequent projects.
Once this was accomplished, I was able to relax my management control
to a more transformational state, supporting the project managers in their
endeavors and empowering them to make decisions related to their proj-
ects. Because I had complete visibility into the project efforts, this became
a much easier process, enabling me to report to stakeholders and manage-
ment and allowing the project managers to focus on their project objectives.
As time progressed the project managers became more empowered,
made their own decisions, contributed to program initiatives with inno-
vative ideas, solved conflicts with their peers in a positive way, and made
valuable contributions to process improvement for the program.

TRAIT THEORIES
Trait theories are based on the idea that if a leader is endowed with supe-
rior qualities that differentiate him or her from others, it should be pos-
sible to identify those qualities and measure them (Stogdill 1974). In 1990
Bass categorized leadership traits as follows:

1. Physical characteristics, such as age, height, and appearance

2. Social background characteristics, such as education, social status,
and mobility
3. Intelligence and ability characteristics, such as knowledge, judg-
ment, and fluency of speech
4. Personality characteristics, such as dominance, emotional control,
and self-confidence
5. Task-related characteristics, such as drive to achieve, desire to excel,
and task orientation
6. Social characteristics, such as the ability to enlist cooperation and
administrative ability
112Program Management Leadership

Although the physical characteristics are somewhat conjectural and based

on the cultural thinking at the time, sufficient evidence has been provided to
support these traits. These physical, personality, social, and communication-
based skills are all demonstrated in well-known leaders throughout history
such as George Patton, George Washington, Mahatma Gandhi, and Barack
Obama. Each demonstrated an ability to motivate and generate enthusiasm
in followers and was able to achieve greatness personally and professionally.
When looking at the demonstrable attributes of a leader, it is apparent
that ethics and integrity are also integral to successful leaders. Although
schools try to teach ethics, morals, and values, it is questionable whether
these aspects of leadership and behavior can be taught. For example Kerr
(2007) raises a number of concerns about current leaders. His article on
Christopher Columbus claims that the actual definition of ethical behav-
ior must be shifted to meet the current business practices of corporations,
rather than the corporations shifting their practices to the current defini-
tion of ethics.
Kerr (2007) starts his article, which was written to defend unethical
behavior within current environmental factors, with a quote defend-
ing his position on unethical behavior: Columbus was not above using
devious, even deceptive, techniques to keep his crew in good spirits and
devoted to the common purpose. He did not forget his crews concern for
getting home, and in good time. To be sure that he would not discourage
the men, he falsified his daily journal of the voyage. In noting down his
estimates of distance traveled, he decided to reckon less than he made,
so that if the voyage were long the people would not be frightened and
dismayed(Daniel J. Boorstin 1983, 234). In this article Kerr states, I, and
almost everyone else with my sort of responsibilities, can scarcely make it
through a single workday without engaging in behaviors that violate what
are said to be the basic elements of ethics and integrity (7). This in itself
questions whether ethics can be effectively taught, and it asserts that the
challenge faced by a leader is to act ethically regardless of the situation and
that even leaders who have demonstrated tremendous success do not have
the intrinsic values that are required to achieve effective leadership.
Kouzes and Posner (2007) proposed five competencies: challenging the
process, inspiring a shared vision, enabling others to act, modeling the way,
encouraging the heart (9). Leadership models approached theory from
emotional intelligence and offered five components: self-awareness, self-
regulation, motivation, empathy, social skills (Topping 2002, 37). Although
the wording is different, the value of social skills and enabling others to act
 Leadership Theories113

or empathize are so similar that it is the communication approach that dif-

fers more than the actual content. In a similar fashion, both Kouzes and
Posner (2007) and Goleman propose the belief that you dont have to be
the smartest to be an effective leader. Rather, emotional maturity and cred-
ibility play more important roles in how well you provide leadership inside
an organization (Topping 2002, 28). Yet at the same time Topping goes on
to say, It is commonly thought today that enlightened leaders are participa-
tive, encouraging and focused on the development of their people (4), all
factors that require a certain level of intelligence, competence, and value
system. Kouzes and Posner postulate in their model that credibility is the
foundation of leadership (4), and even Welch in his description of a vision
for General Electric stated that Speed, Simplicity and Self-Confidence
were required to move the organization forward (135).
With all this evidence pointing toward competence, values, ethics, and
motivation, the theory of organizational influence on leadership ability
has an even greater foundation. This further begs the question of whether
someone who is not intelligent, competent, or skillful is capable of achiev-
ing a level of self-confidence that will inspire followers. Topping (2002)
states, Followers, in order to follow, need to have some confidence in the
ability of their leader. Part of that feeling of confidence in their leader,
comes from their leaders confidence in him or herself (16).
Styles of leadership were described work by Lewin and associates in the
late 1930s in studies conducted at Iowa State University. Social groups were
experimentally controlled: some groups were allowed to make decisions
through group interaction (democratic), others were told what to do and
how (autocratic), and others were simply left to their own accords (laissez-
faire). The end result of Lewin et al.s work (which drove many additional
research efforts) was the theory that a persons behavior was a function
of the person and the environment (Lewin 1936; Lewin and Lippet 1938;
Lewin, Lippet, and White 1939).
The continuum between insecurity and arrogance, with self-confidence
in between, implies that those with effective skills and abilities will be
able to gain a certain level of self-confidence without becoming arro-
gant. Merriam Websters Collegiate Dictionary (2003) defines arrogance
as exaggerating or [being] disposed to exaggerate ones own worth or
importance. In the case of an incompetent, should he or she display self-
confidence without the skill sets necessary to achieve it, he or she must, by
definition, cross the line into arrogance.
114Program Management Leadership

As a program manager, you will need to demonstrate confidence in

yourself, your team, and the defined goals of the program. Many may
think that you are being unrealistic or have no basis of understanding, but
if you start with disbelief and a lack of confidence, the program partici-
pants will pick up on that and will believe that the program is not possible.
As a leader you must demonstrate your commitment to success, looking
for the resources, tools, and talents that are needed to accomplish the
goals. At the same time, a leader must demonstrate a level of ethics that
team members value and communication skills that allow the leader to
work with both the program teams as well as the stakeholders of the effort.
Through this, teams will gain confidence in the leaders ability to lead and
the potential for success in the program.
I have set up data centers across the world for a single program. Initially,
this looked to be an impossible effort as each center was to come on line at
the same time and the centers would consist of up to 100 servers, routers,
switches, failover devices, tape backup units, and cabling. To accomplish
all of this we had to expand our team to include partners such as Dell,
Cisco, F5, and the data center technicians. It would have been impossible
for us to fly all over the world and have simultaneous startups. However,
from the onset I demonstrated a strong belief that we could accomplish
the goals and just needed the teams to assist in developing strategies that
would make us successful. It was surprising how many of our vendors/
partners were willing to join in and support our efforts, and a number
of white papers were later generated on the program documenting the
advantages of open and honest communication with program teams to
meet their goals from the onset of the effort.

VALUES ETHICS AND BELIEFS

Values-based leadership and management by values have become popu-
lar themes in management research. Researchers such as Blanchard and
OConnor (1997), Despain and Converse (2003), and OToole (1996) have
all contributed to a knowledge base that demonstrates that the set of values
a leader holds has specific impacts on his or her ability to be successful in
varied environments and with multiple challenges. A values-based leader
focuses on the use of his or her personal values in decision making and
 Leadership Theories115

on management focus within varied organizational environments and is

recognized as a key tool for leaders to motivate followers.
As program managers, we cannot leave our values behind when tak-
ing on new programs. They permeate every decision that we make and
contribute to how we interact with people. Understanding values-based
leadership is crucial to approaching different environments, cultures, and
personalities with different styles of leadership. It is vital to understand
that at no time am I recommending that you do something that is against
your values set. Im simply saying that adjusting your leadership style can
be more effective when facing challenges. However, stealing, bribing, or
cheating as part of your values is never brought into question. We must
align our values with the leadership style we undertake as well as the
values of our team members so that we can be effective leaders without
compromising our beliefs or putting individuals in a position where their
belief set is being questioned.
Rokeach (1973) offers a definition of a value as an enduring belief that a
specific mode of conduct or end-state of existence is personally or socially
preferable to an opposite or converse mode of conduct or end state exis-
tence (5). As such, values drive behavior in individuals, but can be ambig-
uous and aimed at the outcome that is socially acceptable or benefits the
organization. The motivational, cognitive, affective, and behavioral aspects
of values can be vital in driving individual behaviors: Instrumental val-
ues are motivating because the idealized modes of behavior they are con-
cerned with are perceived to be instrumental to the attainment of the
desired end-goals. Terminal values are motivating because they represent
supergoals beyond the immediate biologically urgent goals (Rokeach
1973, 14). Burns (1978) questions whether values are simply a motivator or
whether they offer a stronger driving factor of behavior. What is your view
and what does it mean for the program manager?
The two types of values, instrumental and terminal, describe short-term
and long-term goals and achievements. Terminal values and end values
refer to an end state of existence and are intertwined with goals, purpose,
and standards of performance (Burns 1978; Rokeach 1973). As a program
manager, your leadership style may adjust on an instrumental basis to
meet the needs of the organization or team members. Therefore if you
assume a command-and-control approach, you are not directing people
to do things that are not in alignment with the programs goals and objec-
tives. However, the terminal values refer to the outcomes of the program
116Program Management Leadership

as a whole. Your values must be in line with the outcomes or you will ulti-
mately be unsuccessful regardless of your leadership style.
In further evaluating the effect of values on leadership behavior and per-
sonality, it is noted that values are a part of the individual and as such are
internal drivers toward a set of objectives: Compared to cognitive cer-
titudes . . . values are internalized so deeply they define personality and
behavior as well as consciously and unconsciously held attitudes (Rokeach
1973, 14). Therefore values that are deeply internalized are generally strong
enough to influence behavior even in situations where conflicting motiva-
tions exist (Maio et al. 2001). Values can be used to elicit both benevo-
lent and achievement motivation (Trevio, Brown, and Pincus-Hartman
2003).
The researchers listed in the preceding paragraphs agree that values
are prime motivators of behaviors and that value alignment influences
the behavior of groups and teams. Values are seen as relatively enduring
constructs that describe characteristics of individuals as well as organiza-
tions (Meglino, Ravlin, and Adkins 1992, 17).
Prilletensky (2000) sets out three sets of values to guide individual and
organizational behavior: (1) values for personal wellness, (2) values for col-
lective wellness, and (3) values for relational wellness, where wellness is
defined as a satisfactory state of affairs brought about by the fulfillment
of basic needs (000).
Enderle (1987) described managerial ethical leadership as applied eth-
ics, which at first appears more related to transactional leadership than
transformational leadership. He described three interconnected, norma-
tive-ethical tasks of leadership: (1) perceiving, interpreting, and creating
reality, (2) being responsible for the effects of ones decisions on others,
and (3) being responsible for implantation of the company goals. You need
a transition.
Ethical leadership is about behavior and is visible in leaders who (1)
create and institutionalize, (2) stick to principles and standards, (3) are
uncompromising in the practice of value-based management, (4) do not
tolerate ethical lapses, (5) use rewards and punishment to hold people
accountable to standards, and (6) are concerned about the interests of
multiple stakeholders and serving the greater good (Trevio, Brown, and
Pincus-Hartman 2003). To be an ethical leader the executive must engage
in behaviors that are socially salient, making the executive stand out as an
ethical figure against an ethically neutral ground (Trevio, Brown, and
Pincus-Hartman 2003).
 Leadership Theories117

Ethically neutral leaders can be successful but generally (1) can be more
self-centered and interested in personal gain, (2) have a short-term focus on
the bottom line, (3) use power in a negative way, (4) are less aware of ethi-
cal issues, and (5) are less concerned about leaving the world a better place
for the future (Trevio, Brown, and Pincus-Hartman 2003). Transactional
leadership adds the mutual or utilitarian motive to behaviors within these
tasks, where the ends may justify the means. The goals are pragmatic,
and there is an independent, individualistic, self-centric leadership style
(Kanungo 2001). Conversely, Kanungo identified the moral altruism of
transformational leadership, where means justify the end, goals are altru-
istic, and there is an independent, collective, socio-centric leadership style.
[You need a so what here to maintain readers interest.]
There is a distinction between values that are consciously shared and
lived and those that remain unconscious and not discussed. Espoused
values may be known, because for instance they are posted on the walls
of offices or the pages of a website, but they may not be shared, taken
for granted, negotiated, or even discussed, and most likely may not be
remembered (Barrett 1998). The espoused values of the facilitating idealist
would be well known, more than just words on the wall, and supported by
underlying, taken-for-granted values created by the ethical leader as part
of the organizational culture (Schein 2004).
To summarize the research on values-based leadership, for a very short
period of time I went to work as a program manager for a market research
firm. Unfortunately, in my first week what I discovered was that the
organization was collecting data through malware and proxy interven-
tion including personally identifying information such as Social Security
numbers, credit card numbers, phone numbers, and birth dates. My val-
ues were at odds with the intention of the business, and I was hard-pressed
to help them be more successful.
Thankfully, my program was to modify an external website to facil-
itate multinational languages into it outside of the malware and spy-
ware that the organization collected. As a program manager, I adopted
a management style that allowed me to address concerns about the IT
staff, drive projects to completion, and reach a point where a single web-
site was serving up information in over seventeen languages. Very soon
after this program reached a closing point, I located another position,
enabling me to operate with a set of values and ethics that I believed in.
Had I attempted to stay or to work on the spyware the firm was deploy-
ing, I would have had an internal struggle between the need to do an
118Program Management Leadership

effective job as a program manager and contributing to a problem that

we see way too often on the Internet, the collection and sharing of per-
sonally identifying information.
10
Leadership in Program Management

It is crucial to understand that the leadership style for program manage-

ment will quite often differ from the style a CEO or project manager may
use. A program manager is responsible for a long-term vision leveraging
many projects that together achieve a set of benefits not possible from a
single project. Therefore the program manager must have plans for start-
ing new projects, transitioning projects to operational teams, managing
a longer-term budget, and accepting the responsibility of communicat-
ing with all stakeholders from every project as well as those specifically
focused on the program. Additionally, the program manager must con-
stantly ensure that the benefits of the program are understood by and
communicated to all, and identify when these benefits are achieved. And
whereas a project will often last only six to nine months, a program may
very well be a multiyear event that has an ongoing impact on stakeholders
with intermittent benefits being realized.
One of my favorite programs was the conversion of a very busy road into a
freeway. The program manager assigned had over fifteen intersections that
needed to be converted from stoplights to overpasses. The long-term ben-
efits were simple: traffic would move faster and decrease commuting time
for the average person, and speeds would be raised from thirty-five miles
per hour to fifty-five miles per hour as the road was converted to a freeway.
The stakeholder community for this program was the millions who
used this road every day, the government agencies who were paying for
the effort, and the contractors hired to build the overpasses. The budget
was established based on both the cost of the overpasses and the cost of
communicating with such a wide base of stakeholders.
Initially, the program manager built a website to communicate the
long-term vision, demonstrate the current delays in hours/minutes to tra-
verse the road at various times, and display the schedule for conversion of

119
120Program Management Leadership

intersections. In this website he warned that the impact to the average com-
muter would be kept to a minimum as he had requested all bridge work to
be done in the evenings, but he also consistently reminded the commuters
of the long-term advantages and schedules for each intersection.
As the program progressed, the website was consistently updated with
progress as well as any delays encountered and the strategies in play to
overcome the delays. The road was depicted in red, yellow, and green based
on the traffic patterns, and through the real-time use of cameras was accu-
rately depicting travel time. As each intersection was completed, the web-
site was updated with celebratory information, a ribbon-cutting event took
place, local newspapers were informed, and town hall meetings were held.
What should have been a truly painful program with constant complaints
by average commuters had turned into a very successful effort that main-
tained ongoing communication and celebrated success. At the completion
of the effort, the cost overruns were minimal because the program had
been so successful with the stakeholder community that it overwhelmed
the government with letters of congratulations and positive feedback.
Imagine celebrating road constructionnot a very common outcome.

CASE STUDY
You have just been assigned as a program manager for a new privately
owned cellular firm. Your program will affect many, if not all, aspects of
the firm and will require interaction from all departments such as finance,
legal, human resources, investments, sales, and information technology.
The program will be to develop, test, market, and sell a new product for
the organization.
Although you interviewed with the CEO, CFO, COO, CTO, and board
of directors, you have not yet met with the individual project managers
or the teams that will work on the delivery of the new product. The CEO
informs you that you have absolute discretion over the team and that he
personally knew of a number of resources that had outlived their useful-
ness at the firm. He grants you the right to terminate staff on an as needed
basis. In addition, he expresses his desire to retire from the firm once they
have become profitable again.
The CFO explains that the budget has to be constrained because the
firm has been rapidly losing market share and is heading toward becoming
 Leadership in Program Management121

obsolete in the market. This new product is their only hope for pulling out
of the dive that the company is in.
The CTO explains to you that they have a huge technology deficit and
that the teams are not trained in the latest technology or potential new
technologies, yet there are no training dollars assigned to the program.
Your first step in the program is to sit down with the project managers
assigned and you immediately determine that there is no understanding
of the PMI or its best practices. The teams have all been acting as unique
groups, and while some have been successful, most have failed at their
efforts in terms of either cost, quality or schedule. The team is very nega-
tive and spends more time discussing the organizational issues and less
time on the projects that they have managed in the past.
As you walk through the office, the team members are sitting in their
cubes, and while they look up at you, you notice no smiles or interactions
between individuals. Each person sits in front of his or her computer and
there is dead silence on the floor.

CASE STUDY QUIZ

1. What organizational issues can you identify from the case study?
2. Based on the information provided, is the organizations risk toler-
ance high or low?
3. How would you define the communication style of the project man-
agers and individual team members?
4. What would your initial days look like in the creation of this
program?
5. What leadership techniques will you employ and in what order? How
will you know when to transition from one to the next?

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
The organization just described is obviously a very toxic one, where fail-
ure has become commonplace and even the CEO is looking to abandon
the firm at the first opportunity. Based on the information provided, how
122Program Management Leadership

would you describe the morale of the teams and what level of empower-
ment would you expect to see from them?
In the case study, the project managers have not had any training in
project management methodologies and are not aware of the benefits that
can be achieved by implementing best practices. How can you as the pro-
gram manager achieve your goals of (1) strategy alignment, (2) program
benefits management, (3) program stakeholder engagement, (4) program
governance, and (5) program life cycle management? What leadership
styles would you employ and what would you see as transition points if
multiple styles are implemented?
 Section III

Leadership and Teams

To lead people, walk beside them . . . As for the best leaders, the people
do not notice their existence. The next best, the people honor and praise.
The next, the people fear; and the next, the people hate . . . When the best
leaders work is done the people say, We did it ourselves!
Lao-tzu
11
Building Teams

Never tell people how to do things. Tell them what to do and they will sur-
prise you with their ingenuity.
General George Patton

Teams are not simply a collection of people thrown together capable of

establishing common objectives. Instead, every person on a team will
bring with them political opinions, personality traits, unique skill sets,
communication abilities, and personal agendas. In some cases the very
concept of being added to a team may generate resentment if the individual
has become accustomed to working alone or is pulled from working with a
manager that he or she has come to respect and like. Should that manager
have been removed from the organization, the resentment can even be
very hostile. As a program manager, the task at hand is to take these very
different people and personalities and blend them into an effective team,
building on their strengths and working through individual weaknesses.
In looking at team development, it is critical that a program manager
first understand some basics about teams. Every team, no matter the cir-
cumstances around the program, organization, past experience, or the
environment, will go through a very tangible set of steps. These steps are
more based on who we are as people than on the objectives of the program
or the organizational environment. The five stages of team development
best describe the process of bringing people together into a cohesive whole
and can be recognized for what they are by a successful program manager.
There is no defined set of time in which a team will progress from one
stage to another, but the program manager can definitely help the team
in the progression. Some teams never reach the highest levels, produc-
ing at less than effective performance levels; whereas others quickly move
through the stages, optimizing performance and communication to such

125
126Program Management Leadership

Team Development

Forming Storming Norming Performing Adjourning

FIGURE 11.1
Team development.

a point that it is a sad and lonely time when the team completes its work
and moves on to other tasks.
Bruce Tuchman (1965) provided five stages of team development:

1. Forming
2. Storming
3. Norming
4. Performing
5. Adjourning or mourning (384)

But the speed and effectiveness at which the team advances through
these stages are generally set by the leader. While the five stages are vital
for teams to begin to be effective, the length of time spent in the early
stages can be manipulated and driven by the program manager to push
toward performing, where the real work is accomplished. The leader must
know not only where the team is at currently in the process but also how
to push through to the next stage as quickly as possible.
If you have not come across the five stages of team development, they
are described in greater detail in Figure11.1 and the sections below. Every
team that I have worked has gone through this process, whether quickly
or very slowly, and it is only when a team achieves the performing stage
will they be able to achieve a high-performing level. The five stages can be
described as follows:

Forming The team meets for the first time as a single unit and there
are generally smiles all around. Each member is operating on his or
her best behavior and, as a general rule, assumes that the other team
members all have a similar background and interest. In forming,
roles and responsibilities have not yet been established. The senior
members assume that they will play a senior role and that there may
be others more or less suited for the role they see themselves in.
 Building Teams127

Storming At this point, the team has started work and conflict breaks
out. Team members jockey for position, conflict with each other,
and attempt to position themselves in various roles. The conflict can
be either negative or positive but needs to be effectively managed.
At this point in the team development phase, they will be the least
productive and a program manager will have his or her hands full
working to overcome conflict in positive ways.
Norming In the norming stage, conflict lessens and team members
start to better understand what their roles and responsibilities are.
They begin to focus on the work and not the relationships and spend
less time positioning themselves within the team. Oftentimes, this
is where team development will stop without good leadership. The
work is getting done, but not at the most efficient or effective rate.
Performing Performing is the ideal state for a team. There are times
when the team does not make it to this stage, but an HPT will, and it
is here that both the trust between the team members and productiv-
ity improve dramatically. The team starts to trust one another, work-
ing toward a common goal, handling conflicts internally in positive
ways, and operating at maximum capacity. Problems are handled
quickly and effectively, and risks are recognized and resolved per
initial planning or even new approaches.
Adjourning (Mourning) This is the stage when the effort has been
completed and teams will be dispersed to work on other projects/
programs. Although it is the adjourning stage, it is also referred to
as the mourning stage as people have formed emotional bonds and
friendships and dispersing the team is a sad occasion.

Each of these stages helps to bring people together and to achieve a

more positive working relationship. If a team is not progressing effectively
through the stages, the leader must identify the reasons, develop a strat-
egy, and implement it to push them forward. A leader who does not work
with conflict resolution or has a poor vision will curtail the growth of the
team, who then may end up being stuck at a storming or norming stage
and will not be able to move through to the performing stage where the
work is done effectively and efficiently.
It is also the leader who can push the team through the storming stage
faster by teaching and demonstrating positive conflict management, pro-
moting open and honest communication, and helping the team to develop
128Program Management Leadership

Team Development

Forming Storming Norming Performing Adjourning

Telling Selling Participating Delegating Listening

Leadership

FIGURE 11.2
Team development and leadership.

patterns that eliminate hostile confrontation and promote innovation and

positive conversation in an effective way.
As illustrated in Figure11.2, effective leaders will drive the team develop-
ment through a process of telling (informing), selling (gaining consensus),
participating (negotiating roles, responsibilities, and tasks), delegating
(empowering staff), and listening (lessons learned, process improvement).
Through these processes the leader facilitates team development, empow-
ers staff, and assists in the transition between phases. Each stage of team
development has a corresponding responsibility area for the leader that
drives the team to push to the next stage. Without this leadership involve-
ment, teams can become stuck in one phase and not able to successfully
move to the next. The goal is to bring the team to the performing stage
as quickly as possible as that stage is where the greatest productivity is
achieved.
During the storming phase, leaders can leverage a responsibility assign-
ment matrix (RAM) or RACI chart (Responsible, Accountable, Consulted,
Informed). This tool enables a leader to define individual roles and respon-
sibilities and can assist in driving a team through the storming stage by
clearly identifying who will be responsible for what aspects of the pro-
gram. RACI enables a program manager to communicate expectations to
team members and helps to decrease the posturing and assumptions made
by individual team members.
A program manager will have multiple project teams and will work
most closely with the individual project managers to create effective
teams. Project managers will most likely come to the table with a set of
previous team management experiences and an understanding of the
 Building Teams129

project management process. As a general rule, project managers will have

a better understanding of team development and will be easier to work
with in pushing through the storming phase. On the other hand, project
managers will have team members that may or may not have worked on
effective teams in the past. These team members may be recognizing the
team development stages for the first time and may need to be trained in
effective communication and conflict resolution techniques to help them
in working with their peers.
Teams can also benefit through either formal or informal team build-
ing. The intent is to bring out the best in a team to ensure self-develop-
ment, positive communication, leadership, and the ability to work closely
together as a single unit to solve problems. Team building can be a wide
range of activities from very formal multiday retreats focused on team
challenges to a much more informal approach of bonding, simulations,
problem solving, or even communication building. One of the more effec-
tive methods I have employed was a very simple lunch held on a regular
basis so that teams could get out of the work environment and actually
spend a few minutes getting to know each other. My only requirements
for this lunch were that each person choose a different seat at each lunch
so he or she could meet and get to know new people, and that work not be
discussed during the lunch. Through this process, team members began to
gain an understanding of who they were working for and to form friend-
ships and respect for one another.
Through either formal or informal team-building activities, team
dynamics will start to develop, enabling individuals to build trust in each
other, share knowledge, problem solve, and handle positive conflict reso-
lution. We often look to team building to overcome individual or group
conflicts so that they can be brought into the open and resolved together.
The focus of team development is to move from a directive approach to
a more supportive approach enabling the team to drive their own perfor-
mance. In team development the leader will assign a goal for the team to
accomplish. The goal can be a simple or complex task such as building a fence
or crossing a river together without any team member touching the water.
As a team undertakes the task, the leader will assist in coaching the
team toward potential solutions that could be leveraged and support-
ing the efforts of the team to achieve the desired outcome. As the team
becomes more self-sufficient and forms their own approaches for solv-
ing problems, the leader begins to delegate responsibility and allows the
team to determine their own direction for problem solving. Over time, the
130Program Management Leadership

Supportive Behavior
Supporting Coaching

Delegating Directing

Directive Behavior

FIGURE 11.3
Leadership approaches for team development.

leader is more supportive of the team and provides less direction, enabling
the team to develop solutions leveraging their own expertise and team-
work (see Figure11.3).
An HPT needs to have specific and meaningful performance goals for
each member and a clear and concise vision for the effort. It must actively
work with each team member to ensure that the work components are
being done well and on time in alignment with the vision. The leader must
ensure that effective and efficient approaches are being followed. And
the team members need to believe in and support the vision, assuming
responsibility for their contributions.
In an HPT, there are more advanced qualities that teams need to have in
a general sense. But the unique quality in an HPT is that the team mem-
bers are intrinsically motivated, self-managed, have an inner need and
ambition to go after bigger challenges, and demonstrate a work ethic that
creates a deeper commitment to the collective mission and vision.
Teams respond to enthusiastic, confident, personable, and quality lead-
ers to build positive working environments. Authoritative managers, peo-
ple who speak and expect that no one will question their directives, can
force an unnecessarily formalized and hostile environment that creates
a more uncomfortable work space and inadvertently decreases commu-
nication, innovation, creativity, and personal investment. Such an envi-
ronment will create a culture where minor mistakes are seen as major
and where individuals have a tendency to withhold information and
work product until they have achieved a level of perfection. A less formal
workplace will have draft versions shared earlier and often avoid rework
because of greater flexibility and more open communication with team
 Building Teams131

members and the leadership teams. According to the book The Wisdom of
Teams (Katzenback and Smith 1993), these strong extensions grow out of
an intense commitment to the teams mutual purpose.
Work approaches are another determinant of team performance. Work
approaches comprise a whole host of team work processes such as:

Decision making norms within the team

Positive conflict resolution processes
Innovative approaches to problem solving
Leveraging of best practices and standards matching industry norms
Communication management to ensure that meetings and informal
conversations are efficient and effective
Developing informal processes for hand-offs and task completion to
enable all team members an opportunity to achieve success

When a team is able to successfully integrate various aspects of healthy

and proactive functioning, it paves the way for a far better team perfor-
mance than a team that struggles to find mutually acceptable methods
to move the work forward. For example, better work approaches can
ensure better planning and scheduling of activities, quicker decisions,
rapid response to customers, meeting deadlines, and so on. There is
no need for creating new standards and processes if they are available
through industry best practices. Instead, leveraging these standards
allows team members to have a foundation on which all can interact,
enabling the individuals to have expectations of other team mem-
bers in work product, hand-offs, transition points, and status report-
ing. Methodologies such as PMIs PMBOK, programming guidelines,
contractual obligations, and technology road maps all enable teams to
establish a clear foundation, eliminating the need to create new stan-
dards, and deal with dissension when those standards are not clear or
effective.
High performance teams achieve mutual accountability. Mutual
accountability is the collective responsibility of the team toward gener-
ating results and achieving success. Mutual accountability implies an
implicit acknowledgment of the joint accountability of all team members
toward a common purpose, in addition to the individuals obligations in
his or her specific roles. This creates a supportive environment within the
team, and the performance of the team improves in the presence of this
type of mutual support and cohesion.
132Program Management Leadership

Complementary skills are a necessity in most teams. Most team tasks

require multiple skills, and when the team members have complementary
skills that are well balanced and congruent to the task, team performance
is bound to be raised. Interchangeable skills can be an asset in some busi-
nesses, because the team members can depend on one another to jointly
accomplish a task.
To sum up, the qualities that seem to foster high team performance are
primarily a cut above those of an average team. It is certainly not easy to
create an HPT with all these qualities, but an organization can provide
the building blocks with a few necessary measures such as the following:

Implement challenging and inspiring performance goals that facili-

tate the feeling of achievement.
Empower team members to achieve individual success and facilitate
leadership abilities where possible.
Provide effective training and reference materials to team members
to assist in their personal growth and increase expertise levels.
When possible, bring teams together with complementary skills to
form a foundation by which the team can rely on each other for
task completion.
12
Team Dynamics

Leadership is not a magnetic personalitythat can just as well be a glib

tongue. It is not making friends and influencing peoplethat is flattery.
Leadership is lifting a persons vision to high sights, the raising of a persons
performance to a higher standard, the building of a personality beyond its
normal limitations.
Peter F. Drucker

Program managers are faced with unique challenges relating to team

dynamics and development. In many organizations teams can be assigned
on a temporary basis (functional) or a full-time basis (projectized). Teams
that are assigned on a part-time basis still have other responsibilities and
are not 100 percent focused on the outcome of the program. These team
members will have trouble focusing on the tasks assigned and will often be
called on to perform tasks outside of the effort, leaving the tasks in limbo.
To manage these individuals effectively, backup strategies and open com-
munication are necessary to ensure that when they are tasked with efforts
outside of the program, they can easily communicate their conflict and
other team members can step up to complete unfinished tasks.
In addition, as a program manager you are responsible for your program
team and the project managers assigned to you. Each project manager is
then responsible for his or her individual team members, and each project
manager will have his or her own leadership style and approach to build a
team and to lead projects. The program manager will work with individual
project managers to overcome obstacles and provide management strate-
gies to assist in successful project completion. In some cases, a program
manager can leverage resources across multiple projects and reassign
resources for support from one project to another. As a key success factor,
the program manager sees the overall program team and will be aware

133
134Program Management Leadership

of resources not fully allocated, while a project manager will see only the
project resources assigned. This provides the program manager with a
higher level view and additional tools to enable project success in the event
of a slowdown or a functional resource being tasked outside of the proj-
ect. Yet it is only through open and honest communication between team
members and program managers that the need for additional resources
can be established. If a project manager feels that communicating needs
would be an indicator of failure or that his or her request would not be
seen in a positive light, the request may never be made, leaving the project
(and therefore the program) at risk.
Program managers must be able to develop teams and support project
managers in such a way that the overall program is working as a cohesive
organization without directly undermining the leadership of the project
manager. Because so many of us come from a project management back-
ground, this can be one of the hardest challenges to face. As a program
manager, you must be able to decide when to allow the project manager to
guide his or her teams and when to step in and assist the project manager
in resolving issues and building teams to a more effective level.
My goal is to build an HPT regardless of the organization, culture, envi-
ronment, or past experiences that the team members have faced. This is a
daunting challenge as many have been beaten down, or taken the blame
for project and programs that have failed in the past, regardless of their
ability to resolve the issue. To make a team successful the span of control
(number of members) must be small enough so that they can be brought
together easily and communicate with each other on a regular basis. The
program manager is responsible for communicating the vision in a clear
and effective manner so that the team can better understand both the goals
of the effort as well as its contribution to the organizational objectives.
It is often difficult to not walk into a program with guns blazing and
take over every aspect of the program. Because we know where we come
from and what our experience level is, we must temper that and spend
time observing how things have been done and how teams are working
together. When starting a new program or stepping into an existing one,
spend some time looking around at the project managers and team mem-
bers to observe their communication skills, their collaboration styles,
their understanding of roles and responsibilities, techniques for resolving
conflicts and their responses to the program objectives. A successful team
is one that displays open communication, positive conflict resolution, and
collaboration; has the proper skill sets and training; and respects the role
 Team Dynamics135

TABLE12.1
Analyzing Program Teams
Role Goal
Problem solving Does the team have effective communication and conflict
resolution? Are they empowered to find solutions?
Communication Is the interpersonal communication between team members
positive, enabling open communication? Are there individuals
who struggle with participating in team discussions?
Interpersonal Do team members have past experiences with each other that
relationships have been unresolved? Are there members who conflict? Is there
a strategy for overcoming these conflicts and moving forward in
a more healthy relationship?
Conflict resolution Does the team operate with positive conflict resolution or
negative? Are there personal issues that affect interaction?
Skill sets Do team members have proper skill sets for the tasks at hand?
Have they been provided resources and training to maintain
their technical knowledge?
Motivation What motivates the various players on the team? Is it the success
of the project or personal success?
Leadership How does the team react to leadership? What forms of leadership
have been effective in the past? What areas of concern should be
identified?
Organization How does the organization treat employees? What forms of
recognition or rewards are in place? Is the organization a
positive environment or are there negative (toxic) aspects that
decrease morale within individuals?

that leadership brings to the program. As such, the most effective way to
start with a new team is to run through a formal evaluation of the teams
interaction, skill sets, experience, relationships, and personal drivers to
better understand who they are and what motivates them. A program
manager should start with a formal process for analyzing the team mem-
bers and environment (see Table12.1).
I once had the opportunity to work for a financial organization that had
been in existence for about thirty years. The organization had progressed
to dealing with only very high dollar clients, but had become a technology-
deficient firm demanding extensive manual labor to accomplish simple
tasks. The IT team was incredibly small and had been through a serious
of very limited managers ranging from command-and-control to transac-
tional. To achieve the strategic objectives of the organization, the IT team
required a truly transformational leader capable of driving organizational
136Program Management Leadership

change. Their challenge was less process and more performance. Teams
were held responsible for the failures of outdated technology and were
being measured on factors such as attendance, hourly rates, and client
demands that were only a small percentage of their area of responsibility,
leaving executives with an unclear understanding of how the organiza-
tional objectives were not being met.
The organization also required a more effective leader as the teams had
grown tired of being faced with difficult challenges without sufficient
tools or success factors and were frustrated with being measured on fac-
tors that they were not in control of. Recognizing the environmental and
situational factors affecting the team, the first approach was to set up proj-
ect management plans that outlined specific tasks for every project and
rolled them up to the program level. Project managers involved every one
of their team members in the creation of a work breakdown structure and
then prepared schedules, assigned resources, and eliminated redundan-
cies within the project. This input provided much more effective tools for
the program to assess risks, identify opportunities and redundancies, and
balance out key personnel. As a team we established some workable sched-
ules that everyone felt were achievable.
However, each of the projects we were working on started to run behind
schedule and required additional time and energy to be invested to main-
tain the schedule. At one point we had teams working eighty to one hun-
dred hours a week on a regular basis just to achieve the work packages
assigned to them. Programmers were frustrated, project managers kept
pushing, and clients were getting angry with the delays, cost overruns,
and quality concerns.
From a leadership perspective, I was concerned that the team may not
be up to the challenges, training might be needed, or perhaps the motiva-
tion to achieve success was not focused correctly. However, I had a team
that was volunteering regularly to work the hours necessary to stay on
track with their schedules. So the challenge was a daunting one. We had
followed both the project management processes as well as program man-
agement standards and yet were simply not making progress.
To gain a better understanding of time spent, I implemented a perfor-
mance measurement program to measure the time spent on assigned tasks,
any unassigned project tasks, client management times, and timesheets
to compare against the times each team member was working. Though
EVA was implemented, it did not provide the information that we were
looking for; we had to adapt a more unique set of measures to gather the
 Team Dynamics137

data necessary to identify the problems. EVA demonstrated that we were

over budget and behind schedule, implying that the work was not being
done in an effective way or that we had potential problems with staff skill
sets. However, empirical evidence showed us that this was not an accurate
reflection of the issues.
As a leader, I had to cajole, convince, motivate, and at times command
that the additional performance measurement tools be implemented to
drill into the problems that we were facing. I made a personal promise to
the project managers that if we were not able to better understand what
was going on, we would either eliminate the performance measurement
program or dramatically modify it.
Surprisingly, after three weeks of measuring tasks one factor became
abundantly clear: programmers were working at least 40 to 50 per-
cent of their time supporting legacy-based applications and consistently
received calls from favored clients and executives who asked for quick
fixes to production-based applications. Because of environmental factors
and organizational history, none of this time was logged and no formal
requests were made with management. Instead, stakeholders would reach
out to programmers with one-off requests and issues. With these numbers
in black and white, it was blatantly obvious that within a single eight-hour
day, only four to five hours were spent on project tasks while all of the
undocumented tasks were taking five to six hours a day. It was no wonder
that these people were consistently working overtime to simply maintain
schedules and could never quite get ahead.
Initially, we resolved the issue by changing their available time from
eight to four hours a day on each project and extending the delivery dates.
This, of course, was not an easy sell to clients but was much more consis-
tent with the capacity of the team. Shortly after that, we moved some pro-
grammers into a legacy support function and hired others specifically to
support legacy and production systems, keeping our very best working on
the new development efforts. Suddenly, we had two teams working eight
hours a day without overtime. Not only did the productivity increase, our
quality and deliverable schedules improved so dramatically that other
teams started following our example.
Finally, team morale, communication, trust, and conflict resolution
started to improve dramatically. Time was made to discuss issues encoun-
tered and to create a knowledge base repository, and quality was included
at the beginning of each project initiative instead of at the end of the devel-
opment life cycle.
138Program Management Leadership

As projects were completed on time, exceeding client expectations and

maintaining a tremendously high quality standard, we started to celebrate
successes, recognize achievements, and reward stars on the teams. Instead
of performance measurements being an additive task, the teams started to
volunteer metrics to support their actual workload and to facilitate further
improvements. Most importantly, morale improved to a point where we
suffered 0 percent attrition over a four-year period, down from a 30 per-
cent rate in the previous four years.
While the team had become a successful one, other teams were not
nearly as effective. Very quickly animosity grew between the different
groups, and instead of sharing knowledge and tools, it became a very com-
petitive and somewhat hostile environment. The other team resented the
progress that was being made and felt that an unfair advantage had been
given to the others making it impossible to compete.
Before this became an untenable situation, I had to reach out to the other
division directors and start sharing knowledge, tools, and team members
to assist in making both groups successful. While some of our methods
were initially hard to accept, the support we received from my counter-
parts soon overcame change resisters, and we were able to build a much
more successful organization than what had previously been considered
possible.
One of the key success factors in producing successful projects and
programs is partnering with disparate organizations to achieve strategic
objectives. From leveraging the knowledge of an SME group to gaining
insight from external subcontractors to interfacing with a network ser-
vices team that provided infrastructure support for software development
efforts, programs and projects would not achieve the same level of success
without effective partnering.
In both a staff position and a contracting role, partnering and commu-
nication are crucial and require conscious thought and planning. Partners
can often be found within the client organizationexternal entities as well
as subcontractors. Effective partnering enables better communication;
sharing of crucial historical experiences; shared knowledge of technology,
risk, and change tolerance; and often gaining a greater understanding of
organizational objectives.
At one client I worked with, the customer service, technical support,
and design groups were all considered disparate divisions that were not
included in the program teams. Achieving successful completion required
reaching out to the various division directors, establishing greater
 Team Dynamics139

communication, and requesting resources from each team participat-

ing on programs as SMEs so that programs could avoid having to rework
outcomes when the services reached the marketplace. In every conversa-
tion and every request for participation, division directors were extremely
positive and indicated they had been waiting for an invitation to partici-
pate, stating that they had been left out of the process for so long that they
assumed they were not needed.
Involving these members helped the program and each component
project to have a much greater understanding of the market and created
greater value for deliverables. In addition, when a service was considered,
the SMEs were able to outline how the it would be used in the marketplace,
enabling the team to clarify scope at a more realistic level and avoiding
providing expanded services that would not be used or were not effective
to the user community.
13
High-Performing Teams (HPTs)

Lead and inspire people. Dont try to manage and manipulate people.
Inventories can be managed but people must be led.
Ross Perot

DEFINITION OF A HIGH-PERFORMING TEAM

An HPT is a group of people who work closely together, trust each other,
travel toward a common vision, and have a clear path to escalate issues
and gain additional information when needed. The team can make deci-
sions quickly and resolve conflict in positive ways, working toward a com-
mon goal and understanding their personal and the overall contribution
to the effort. In addition, members of an HPT are willing to put aside their
personal agendas for the achievement of the program goals through coop-
erative efforts and open communication.
Teams can be amazingly successful when motivated, empowered, and
able to work closely together; they can accomplish what seem to be mir-
acles, and even like each other when theyre done. In every almost every
HPT, there is a very strong leader who is driving the team forward, set-
ting vision, resolving negative conflict, and removing obstacles from the
path of success. A leader such as this is someone who has established and
communicated a common vision and a defined set of objectives for the
program to achieve, ensuring that each team member understands the
value of his or her personal contribution and trusts the leader to provide
support, establish priorities, and manage stakeholders. The team members
build trust in each other, and that trust ensures success for the effort and
empowers the team to achieve the established objectives. While it is not

141
142Program Management Leadership

always the program manager who drives trust for the team, it is one of the
crucial roles that the program manager is responsible for.
HPTs click with each other, focus on the goals of the project and pro-
gram, and are self-sustaining and self-managed. In fact, an HPT often
takes on a life of its own, driving for success without management inter-
vention, and it is all related to the leadership style imposed. Dont confuse
team leadership with team building; while team building has its place and
can help a team moving from the storming and norming phases, it is not
the sole driver of a HPT. Instead, the leader has to establish communica-
tion, build confidence, gain acceptance of the central vision/goals, assist in
establishing team skill sets, and resolve conflicts in a positive and effective
manner. The leader empowers the team members to work closely together
and to make strategic decisions that will overcome obstacles internally
without requiring management intervention. A truly effective HPT will
be able to drive themselves forward and make decisions, reporting only
the results to management.
As a program manager, the focus is always on making every team an
HPT. While not always possible due to relationship issues, environmental
factors, and experience levels, each team needs to establish a level of trust
that that allows them to work through problems without finger pointing,
job loss, morale issues, or disciplinary actions. Although the scenarios
that work against an HPT are endless, the ability of a leader to empower
and drive the team toward success is a crucial aspect in achieving the goal.
At times, a team can believe that they have already built so many similar
products (i.e., software, website, etc.) that it can be difficult to recognize
that they are creating a unique product or service and therefore will face
unknown challenges. Their confidence can undermine success by avoiding
proper risk management approaches and not investigating various options
such as make versus buy and the technology approach to be undertaken.
Teams such as this need to be walked through the requirements, unique
factors of the program, and long-term benefits. If the program were simply
a repeat of work that had been done in the past, that work would be reused
or tailored to meet the needs of the program. Instead, a program manager
must work with each team to define the unique qualities of the program,
expectations of stakeholders, and long-term objectives of the program.
Regardless of the effort to be undertaken, it is vital to establish leader-
ship that the team can rely on and follow. A leader must empower his or
her people to work and make decisions, keep outside influence to a mini-
mum, and pave the road to success by overcoming obstacles and ensuring
 High-Performing Teams (HPTs)143

that the required resources and tools are available. Where necessary, the
leader will have to ensure that proper training and reference materials
are available so that team members can advance in their knowledge base
and contribute the new knowledge to the program efforts. In addition, the
leader must take responsibility for the teams overcoming outside obstacles
that can hinder project and program success. It helps the team to function
at its highest level knowing that as their program manager a good part
of their position is to protect them from outside influence so they can be
successful, and that they will work together to achieve success wherever
humanly possible.
As previously mentioned, HPTs are often amazingly successful in the
work that they undertake. That is not to say that they cant fail; but should
failure occur, the team will be able to communicate it, understand the rea-
sons for it, and use the failure as a learning experience for future efforts.
However, failure is under the leaders watch and responsibility and not
individuals of the team; therefore success is the teams, failure is the man-
agers, and failure is not an option. A leader who brings this motto to the
table will be able to bring teams together who will understand that they
are the reason for success and that the leader will take responsibility if
problems occur.
You might be even able to remember a team that was so much fun to
work with that you enjoyed the work, the people, and the challenges. A
team like this will have a leader who brought everyone together in such a
way that friendships were built and the work was fun. Even if it was truly
challenging, the team worked together efficiently and effectively and gen-
erally exceeded expectations and objectives.
But teams can also suffer ongoing negative conflict to the point that
nothing gets done, and when the team disbands, there is hostility toward
teammates, the project manager, the program manager, and the program
stakeholders. Individual projects may be considered successful, but the
program as a whole has failed to achieve the benefits defined and quite
often gets noticed by the watchdog groups as yet another multimillion-
dollar program gone bad. Conflict resolution is crucial to building HPTs
and is required for teams to develop innovative thought processes, elimi-
nate negative working environments, and encourage communication
between all team members. Often, the job of positive conflict resolution
and avoiding negative feelings of team members falls on the shoulders
of the program manager. Conflict resolution focuses on taking negative,
144Program Management Leadership

destructive, and abusive conflicts to a more positive collaboration of indi-

viduals thoughts and beliefs (see Chapter 15 on Conflict Resolution).
Why some teams can hit that high-performing mark while others sim-
ply fail to achieve their goals is a key focus of this book. There are, of
course, myriad reasons that programs fail, some of the most common of
which are listed below:

1. Waning executive sponsorship

2. Inefficient communication among project managers
3. Scope creep (common to all programs) that is left unmanaged
4. Unexpected cost overruns
5. Poor communication
6. Bad or ineffective leaders
7. Technology changes
8. Key management changes
9. Attritionlosing a key player, especially a project manager or pro-
gram manager
10. Not effectively managing stakeholder involvement and expectations

Lets take a moment and look at these ten factors that can cause a pro-
gram to fail. Each of the ten can be handled through strategic planning:

Waning executive leadership There have been a number of pro-

grams that I have undertaken where the number one risk to the pro-
gram was that we lose executive support. To overcome this obstacle,
two approaches can be very effective. First, have management and
the program sponsor sign a letter of commitment indicating their
understanding of the duration of the program, the estimated costs,
and the defined benefits. As the focus moves to other initiatives,
remind the executive leadership team of the importance of the pro-
gram and leverage the letter of commitment signed. Second, regu-
larly post the fact that if executive leadership wanes or shifts to new
priorities, the program will be at tremendous risk. This is usually
put at the top of the risk register and discussed at every status meet-
ing along with the dollars and time spent to date. Most often lead-
ers are not willing to throw away tangible amounts of dollars or
tangible progress if they are aware that decisions made will directly
affect this.
 High-Performing Teams (HPTs)145

Inefficient communication between project managers This is actu-

ally a more common issue than you might think. Project managers, by
definition, focus on their project goals and can become very myopic
in their focus. Sharing knowledge, resources, or risks will go against
the grain of many. To overcome this hurdle communication must be
built up through proper conflict resolution and direct reminders of
the focus of the program, and at times the program manager may
have to make authoritative decisions regarding resources and risks.
Working with project managers requires the program manager to
directly understand their concerns and to help them focus on suc-
cess regardless of the needs of other programs. Quite often, an SME
is assigned to a project but is needed for a short duration on another
effort. Because the project manager is committed to delivering his or
her project on time and on budget, releasing this SME can be pain-
ful. The program manager may need to intervene to set a defined
duration of use on another project that does not conflict with the
critical path of the ongoing project. When the resource is released
from his or her second initiative and put back on the primary proj-
ect, the project manager will gain greater respect for the program
and be willing to share when necessary.
Finally, hold regular (weekly or biweekly) meetings with project man-
agers with each sharing their risk register, project plan, issues, and
statusnot only so the program manager has a clear understanding
of the projects within the program but also so that all project man-
agers can identify and offer potential solutions and work-arounds to
assist in solving problems on all projects and the overall program.
Just as any team requires building trust and communication with one
another, project managers also need to go through the five phases of
team development to begin to work toward an HPT.
Unmanaged scope creep All projects, programs, and operational
initiatives are faced with potential scope creep to the effort. From a
program perspective, we define a program charter, program man-
agement plan, and change management plan to handle issues that
arise during the execution of a program. Projects will also build
equivalent planning documentation but will reference the program
change management plan if a sponsor or stakeholder is insistent that
the product be modified. Project managers can raise issues with the
program CCB to ensure that sufficient time, budget, and resources
are available and that the change will increase the overall benefits
146Program Management Leadership

for the program. Remember that although a project is assigned a

budget, the ownership of the program budget and schedule falls on
the shoulders of the program manager and must be managed across
multiple projects and operational tasks.
Unexpected cost overruns This is a very common problem regardless
of the size of the project or program. One technique that we use is
EAV to regularly measure project performance as it relates to sched-
ule and cost. Through this tool we are able to forecast out estimates
to completion (ETCs) and estimates at completion (EACs). When a
project is running over budget, there are a number of ways to help
the project. First, we triage the problems that are being encountered.
Are they technical, training, or performance issues? Has scope creep
actually occurred? Are there environmental factors that are creating
delays in the project? From this triage we can develop strategies to
overcome issues.
Poor communications Communications is critical to both program
and project management. To be successful teams must be com-
fortable discussing risks, concerns, technical issues, and potential
technical issues that are being faced. In addition, project managers
must be able to communicate with program managers honestly and
openly regarding project status, risks, and resource needs. One of
the ways to overcome these issues is to create a positive environment
for open communication, avoid negative feedback and critical com-
ments, and hold regular status meetings to discuss project issues.
All team members should feel comfortable discussing concerns and
issues including quality, technical issues, and unknown risks that
have been realized. As a program manager, the goal is to ensure that
each project manager creates a positive environment within his or
her teams and that the program manager is involved and open to
communication from any team member regardless of which project
he or she is working on.
I worked on a program where team members held back quality con-
cerns until the last minute before deployment. When these issues
were revealed, we had to delay the release of the project until the
quality issues were resolved. To promote earlier communications
and more open discussions of concerns, we rewarded the individuals
who identified the quality concerns in a public and open manner,
creating an environment where team members were more comfort-
able exposing concerns early and often.
 High-Performing Teams (HPTs)147

Bad or ineffective leaders Hopefully, this book will assist you in

becoming a better leader as a program manager, but quite often proj-
ect managers can create their own negative environments and can
be ineffective in the management of their teams. To avoid issues such
as this, program managers should be included in project team meet-
ings where possible, have stand-up meetings with team members,
and where negative issues exist, address the project manager directly
with a positive conversation about how his or her management style
is negatively affecting the team. It is not uncommon to find project
managers who either create negative environments or do not build
up the confidence of the project team members.
I had one project manager who was well versed in project management
processes but consistently held meetings without agendas, did not
build confidence within the team, and had less than effective under-
standing of the project and the technology being leveraged. To assist
the project manager, I started attending project status meetings and
identified concerns with the way meetings were held and how the
confidence of the team was waning. I then addressed the project man-
ager regarding concerns and provided advice as to how to be more
effective in running the meetings. I also assigned a senior developer
to work with the project manager to better explain the software and
the technology that was being used. The developer assigned helped
to explain to the project manager the impact of comments and risks
that were being identified in the meetings, translating the techni-
cal issues into an understandable level for the project manager. Very
soon, the project manager was able to start to build the confidence of
the team members by demonstrating a better understanding of the
concerns and leading meetings with a greater confidence level. With
the understanding he gained, he was much more confident in the
project, the team, and the goals of the project.
Technology changes Changes in technology midstream can destroy
project schedules, cause team members to struggle with learning
curves, and create new technical issues. Furthermore, the new tech-
nology can create risks that were previously unidentified and will
often require the project manager to have to start over with proj-
ect management plans, work breakdown structures, and risk man-
agement. The most effective way to handle changes such as this is
to leverage EVA to demonstrate the investment already made in
the project and ETCs to show the costs of completing the project
148Program Management Leadership

maintaining the current technology versus the costs of implement-

ing new technology. Most executives and program sponsors will
understand the ROI and the costs of change, causing them to rethink
the requirement to modify the technology approach.
However, there are times when the new technology is required because
of integration with other products, improvements in approaches, or
because a product will not be supported going forward. In cases like
this, the CCB must be consulted to approve the new schedule and
costs, and the project plan must be re-baselined to meet the require-
ments of the new technology.
From a program management level, the changes to a projects technol-
ogy will directly affect benefit realization plans as well as program
deliverables and deployment timings between multiple projects.
The adaptation of a new technology for one project may require all
projects to modify their technology, further expanding the cost and
schedule issues. In cases like this, the program CCB must be con-
sulted to discuss and approve the technology changes and the poten-
tial impact to the program. Oftentimes, the CCB can overcome the
technology changes based on benefit realization, project schedules,
and overall program budget.
Key management changes Management changes should be avoided
at all costs. Project managers build rapport with their teams, and
switching project managers midstream can cause tension and anxi-
ety within the team. New project managers will have to come up to
speed on the project, establish new relationships, and may leverage
different leadership styles. If problems are occurring with a proj-
ect manager, the program manager is responsible for helping the
project manager to be more effective. As mentioned earlier, helping
the manager in leading teams, gaining technology knowledge, and
building rapport with the team can be done with program man-
agement support. However, if this is not sufficient, assign a project
coordinator capable of achieving better coordination between team
members as well as being responsible for scheduling, setting meet-
ing agendas, taking meeting minutes, and sorting through issues
and risks to ensure that the project manager can better focus on
team development, the deliverable schedules, and cost analysis.
In the event that a project manager must be replaced, the program man-
ager can help to smooth the process by taking the team through the
 High-Performing Teams (HPTs)149

five stages of team development, providing continuity for the project,

and ensuring that open communication is maintained.
Attrition Although we try to avoid attrition of team members, it is a
normal part of every team. Most often the best team members are the
ones who find new opportunities and new challenges. Open commu-
nication with team members will enable management to be aware
of team member concerns such as salary, new challenges, concerns
with the organization, and relationship issues. Through open com-
munication, program managers and project managers can attempt
to address these issues before team members begin their search for
new opportunities.
Quite often I have had team members who were tired of the legacy tech-
nology they were working with and began looking for opportunities
where they could learn new technology and remain competitive in
the marketplace. To overcome these concerns, I attempt to gain an
understanding of the technology that the individual wants to work
with, potentially provide training or offer seminars in the technol-
ogy, or assign the team member to spend time researching the tech-
nology to see how it can be used in projects moving forward and they
could leverage the technology of gaining the skills they sought.
Not managing stakeholder expectations Stakeholder management
falls on both the program manager and the project manager. Each
project will have a set of stakeholders who will be influenced by the
project and must be part of the project to ensure that they under-
stand the project approaches, advantages, and delivery schedules.
At the same time, the program manager is responsible for manag-
ing stakeholder communication across all programs to ensure that
benefits are clearly identified and as benefits are realized from the
completion of a project.
In addition, establishing success factors at the beginning of the pro-
gram will go a long way to managing stakeholder expectations.
By discussing and documenting the benefits that the program will
achieve along with the timing of deliverables, stakeholders become
part of the conversation establishing the scope and what to expect
from program benefits and deliverables.

The next few sections outline HPT success factors that can be quite use-
ful in building HPTs and ensuring that the teams stay together as a truly
effective team meeting objectives, schedules, costs, and quality.
150Program Management Leadership

HPT SUCCESS FACTORS

Shared Purpose and Direction
Leadership is intentional influence.
Michael McKinney

On an HPT, everyone on the team is committed to not only the project

goals but also the program objectives, benefits, and strategic objec-
tives. They know exactly what the vision of the program is because
the program manager and project managers keep them focused by
constantly communicating that purpose and vision in team meetings
and providing regular updates on project/program progress, corporate
strategic objectives, the achievement of benefits, and the program risk
exposure. The leader helps each individual team member understand
his or her contribution to the strategic objective to better enable team
members to meet their own needs while serving the overall purpose of
the team.
To achieve this, the program manager must have a clear agenda for all
meetings and communicate early and often the program vision, objec-
tives, and benefits. Program managers should be involved in project meet-
ings on a regular basis and interact with project team members to ensure
that they are clear about all levels of the program in their understanding
of program/project success. While the program manager cannot under-
mine the leadership of the project manager, they will need to interact with
each other, cross-check that (1) team members are receiving a consistent
message, (2) risks identified at the program level are being communicated
downward, and (3) project risks are being communicated up to the pro-
gram level.

Motivating Goals
You cannot be a leader, and ask other people to follow you, unless you
know how to follow, too.
Sam Rayburn

The program manager ensures that everyone on the team has clearly
defined goals and targets recognizing the value of their contribution. In
 High-Performing Teams (HPTs)151

some organizations, the strategic goals and departmental objectives are

determined by senior management. The program manager makes sure
that these goals are clearly communicated and that each team member
understands the value to the organization when program benefits are
achieved. Team members should understand how their jobs support the
achievement of the defined goals and, if possible, have the opportunity
to develop individual goals and action plans that spell out how they will
contribute to the success of the organization. Goals should also be mea-
sured and reported on to ensure that team members can recognize their
achievements and that leadership teams can reward success through
acknowledgment and public recognition.

Commitment to Individual and Team Roles

The function of a leader within any institution: to provide that regulation
through his or her non-anxious, self-defined presence.
Edwin H. Friedman, A Failure of Nerve

On an HPT, members have clearly defined expectations, but they also

understand how each of their roles is linked to every other role. Program
managers and project managers ensure that team members are cross-
trained in other responsibilities and understand the total effort so that
everyone is aware of the overall objective, enabling them to back each
other up when needed. The program and project managers make sure that
individual job responsibilities are fulfilled, but at the same time work to
help all members develop a common language, processes, and approaches
that allow them to function as a team. Industry best practices such as PMI
approaches often lay the foundation for methodology approaches, and
each team should have a RAM or a RACI chart to ensure that all team
members understand their contributions and their roles in contributing
to the success of the effort.

Multidirectional Communication
If I had to name a single all-purpose instrument of leadership, it would
be communication.
John Gardner
152Program Management Leadership

On the best teams, team members work closely together to solve problems,
communicate openly with each other, and keep the program and project
managers updated on current challenges or emerging issues. On low-per-
forming teams, communication is one-way (from management and the
organization to team members). Skilled leaders focus on developing mul-
tidirectional communication, avoiding the trap of only communicating
out to individual members of the team and not listening. Communication
only with some individuals can often leave other team members out of the
loop and can cause frustration and confusion over project objectives.
To ensure open communication, leaders will often raise discussion
points and allow team members to continue the conversation with very
little interaction from the leader. Opening and encouraging these com-
munication channels helps teams develop better relationships and com-
munication skills that can be leveraged outside of a formal meeting. In
addition, vocally supporting all positions helps team members to see the
value of their contribution and get public recognition for their opinions.
Facilitating meetings in this way transfers much of the power from the
leader to the team members and opens better communication channels.
At times, conflict will arise requiring the leader to step in if the team turns
negative, vocalizing rules for conflict discussion and supporting opposing
viewpoints. Conflict resolution (Chapter 15) is one of the key success fac-
tors that make a team move from one that meets expectations to an HPT
that is capable of exceeding expectations.
Good communication, starting with the program manager, is one of
the key factors in establishing team success. Communication increases
commitment from all members and establishes connections/relationships
with team members and leaders. For HPTs all team members must be able
to talk with and listen to each other without issues.
Teams face dilemmas when they are not communicating with each other
and with management. If individual team members are not aware of what
is being accomplished, productivity can come to a halt because no one
understands the agenda and accomplishments that have been achieved. In
the 1991 book Empowered Teams, Richard Wellins, William Byham, and
Jeanne Wilson state that communication refers to the style and extent
of interactions both among members and between members and those
outside the teams. It also refers to the way that members handle conflict,
decision making, and day-to-day interactions (3).
Leaders leverage communication with teams, stakeholders, manage-
ment, and organizations to ensure that the efforts they are leading will
 High-Performing Teams (HPTs)153

achieve success and that expectations are set for the benefits to be deliv-
ered. As a program manager, the three most critical aspects for communi-
cation are consistency, clarity, and courtesy:

Consistency Leaders who vary in the messages sent to teams confuse

and frustrate them, leading them to have less respect and often con-
cern that the leader is not communicating the truth and misleading
the team. Program leaders must remain consistent in communica-
tion, ensuring that messages to one project manager or team are
consistent with messages sent to another. In addition, the program
manager must maintain that same message throughout, and if the
message needs to change, he or she must communicate the change
and the reasoning behind it. Without this, teams cannot achieve the
level of productivity necessary for HPTs.
Clarity Teams and individuals cannot execute on messages that are
not clear and consistent. Program managers need to ensure that
the messages being transmitted are not only stated consistently but
also understood completely for team members to be able to achieve
desired results. Straightforward and clear messages ensure that
all listeners can understand the messages and achieve the desired
results or actions.
Courteous Regardless of whether he or she is dealing with a team
member or an executive in the organization, an effective program
manager will demonstrate a level of respect. Everyone deserves to
be treated with respect, and members of an HPT will perform much
more effectively among themselves if the leader sets the tone of
mutual respect.

Few people are successful unless a lot of other people want them to be.
Charlie Brower

Teams must also be able to communicate openly and honestly among

themselves. In an HPT, all team members need to communicate for the
common good of the program. Therefore HPTs demonstrate supportive,
active, and vulnerable levels of communication. They actively work to
communicate, support each others ability to state what is important, and
not posture with one another. While no idea is a dumb idea, many teams
restrict communication and self-monitor their own messages until they
154Program Management Leadership

are well thought out and supported by a basis of fact. In an HPT, team
members are able to discuss issues without barriers to communication
and need to be free to suggest dumb ideas even if the idea really didnt
add value to the effort.
Finally, team members need to understand that the program manager
wants, and needs thorough open and honest communication. No effective
program manager will work with yes men who agree to everything the
leader says. They are not contributing to the discussion and work against a
teams ability to trust one another. An old saying is that if two people agree
on everything, one is not needed; in other words, controversy and conver-
sation require discourse and differing opinions. Program managers need
to be very careful when working with teams to ensure that they encourage
disagreement and open discussion to better gain insight and value of exter-
nal opinions. Otherwise some of the very best ideas can be missed and team
members will not contribute effectively to solving problems.

Authority to Decide or Act

Leadership is the ability to establish standards and manage a creative cli-
mate where people are self-motivated toward the mastery of long term
constructive goals, in a participatory environment of mutual respect, com-
patible with personal values.
Mike Vance

New teams have to earn this autonomous authority by demonstrating that

they understand the teams purpose, processes, and priorities. However,
effective team leaders work toward providing opportunities for team mem-
bers to earn this trust, pushing authority for team decision making to the
team members. Team members know how and when to get approval for
decisions and, in the best of cases, are charged with making on-the-spot
decisions when faced with issues. Only critical issues with conflicts are
escalated to the leadership team for resolution. On low-performing teams,
team members have to constantly get approval before taking action, sig-
nificantly reducing their effectiveness and negatively affecting their sense
of engagement on the team.
However, regardless of the process employed, as a general rule an HPT
will operate with a deeper sense of shared purpose, attempt to achieve more
ambitious performance goals than their counterparts, have better com-
 High-Performing Teams (HPTs)155

munication across the team, and demonstrate a shared set of respect and
accountability toward their teammates. This is not accomplished easily.
If you have led a team, you know that achieving high performance is
ongoing. Rarely does a team that achieves high performance just stay at
that level without leadership and intervention. Quite often teams are short
lived, focusing on the objectives of the project or program and then dis-
banded for other efforts. Each program or project will have a different set
of team members with their own experience and skill sets; therefore every
program and project must go through the five stages of team development
and be encouraged to establish trust, communication, and positive con-
flict resolution.

Reliance on Diverse Talents

All leadership is influence.

John C. Maxwell, INJOY

Effective team leaders pay attention to helping team members understand

their unique strengths, talents, and weaknesses. No individual team mem-
ber can be good at everything. The best leaders help everyone to develop
an appreciation for individual style differences, natural gifts, and personal
experience. Teams are encouraged to use the language of acceptance and
appreciation rather than criticism and judgment. Leaders consciously hire
team members who bring complementary skill sets, unique experiences,
and diverse perspectives. Teams are taught to use positive conflict resolu-
tion instead of negative and derogatory interaction, creating a safe place for
open and honest communication and encouraging each other to innovate,
identify risks, and be as creative as possible in driving the effort forward.
A program managers responsibility is to ensure that teams are offered
the opportunity to work together to achieve this level of communication
and trust, while empowering project managers to drive teams to their high-
est-performing standards. Program managers must often clear hurdles for
teams to be able to build into an HPT while also helping the project man-
ager to focus on team building, opening communication channels, and
creating a comfortable area for the exchange of ideas, concerns, and risks.
156Program Management Leadership

Mutual Support and Trust

The final test of a leader is that he leaves behind him in other men the con-
viction and the will to carry on.
Walter Lippmann

The team leader cant force a team to be supportive and trustingits a

natural result of positive conflict resolution, open communication, positive
environmental factors, shared responsibility, and mutual respect. The HPT
achieves mutual support and trust because they have a history of working
together to achieve grand dreams and results. They have met challenges,
overcome obstacles, and backed each other up in good times and bad. The
leadership and team have earned each others trust in a positive working
environment supported by management and empowered to succeed.
Yet there are a number of tools that a leader can bring to bear in facilitating
HPTs. Opening communication channels, working with team members to
resolve conflicts from previous interactions, forming trust between manage-
ment and teams, and having team members work on tasks together to gain
respect for each others skills can all be beneficial. Working with the team
is always a unique experience, and depending on the individuals, employ-
ing differing leadership styles will help to contribute to overall success. Each
member of a team has a different view of the organization, culture, and man-
agement. Therefore each program manager must work to understand the
individuals and develop concrete strategies to bring them toward a common
understanding and goals for contributing to the success of the team.
Building an HPT is not an easy task. However, if youre a program
manager that is up to the challenge, then consciously focus on devel-
oping HPTs is a primary responsibility, resulting in a more positive
working environment and increasing the potential for successful pro-
gram delivery.

CHARACTERISTICS OF A HIGH-PERFORMING TEAM

Your position never gives you the right to command. It only imposes on
you the duty of so living your life that others may receive your orders with-
out being humiliated.
Dag Hammarskjld
 High-Performing Teams (HPTs)157

Almost all HPTs have certain key characteristics in common. Continuously

analyzing and evaluating the team based on these criteria is critical in
order to keep the team dynamic and effective. Here are the top key char-
acteristics of an HPT:
A team requires a clearly stated purpose and goalsnot just an under-
standing of what needs to be done at the moment, but an understanding of
the overall focus of the team. Shared goals and objectives lead to commit-
ments. Members of HPTs share a sense of common purpose. They are clear
about the teams work and why it is important. They can describe what
the team intends to achieve and have developed mutually agreed upon
and challenging goals that clearly relate to the teams vision. Strategies
for achieving goals are clear. Each member understands his or her role in
realizing the vision.
Experimentation and creativity are vital signs of a dynamic team.
Dynamic teams take calculated risks by trying different ways of doing
things. They arent afraid of failure, and they look for opportunities to
implement new processes and techniques. They are also flexible and cre-
ative when dealing with problems and making decisions.
The ability to produce what is required when it is required is a true test.
A dynamic team is capable of achieving results beyond the sum of its
individuals. There is a commitment to high standards and quality results.
They get the job done, meet deadlines, and achieve goals. Members have
developed strong skills in group processes as well as task accomplishment.
Team members continually meet time, budget, and quality commitments.
A dynamic team clarifies roles and responsibilities for all its members.
Each team member knows what is expected and knows the roles of fel-
low team members. A dynamic team updates its roles and responsibilities
to keep up with changing demands, objectives, and technologies. Team
leaders ensure that each member is cross-trained in other responsibilities
so that everyone can support each other when needed. The team leader
makes sure that individual job responsibilities are fulfilled, but at the same
time works to help individuals develop a common language, processes,
and approaches that allow them to function as a team.
An HPT defines protocols, procedures, and policies from the very
beginning. Structure allows a team to meet the demands of any tasks it
must handle. Information is easy to access and available at all times for
the team members.
Leaders of HPTs regularly catalog their teams knowledge, skills, and tal-
ents. Team leaders are aware of their members strengths and weaknesses,
158Program Management Leadership

so they can effectively draw upon individual competencies. There is an

appreciation for individual style differences, natural gifts, and personal
experience. The members of the team are encouraged to use the language
of acceptance and appreciation rather than criticism and judgment. The
team leader consciously hires team members who bring complementary
skill sets, unique experiences, and diverse perspectives.
Dynamic teams share leadership roles among members. Such teams give
every member the opportunity to shine as the leader. Team members
also appreciate formal supervisory roles, because the formal leaders of a
dynamic team support team efforts and respect individual uniqueness.
An HPT has members who enthusiastically work well together with a
high degree of involvement and group energy (synergy). Collectively, indi-
vidual members feel more productive and find that team activities renew
their interest and spirit. Such a team develops a distinct character of its own.
Disagreements will occur in all teams. Its not necessarily negative or
destructive. A dynamic team deals openly with conflict and tries to resolve
it through honest discussion tempered by mutual trust.
Members of a dynamic team talk to each other directly and honestly.
The team is committed to open communication, and members feel they
can state their opinions, thoughts, and feelings without fear. Listening is
considered as important as speaking. Differences of opinion and perspec-
tive are valued and methods of managing conflict are understood. Each
person solicits suggestions from other members, fully considers what is
said, and then builds on those ideas. Through honest and caring feedback,
members are aware of their strengths and weaknesses as team members.
There is an atmosphere of trust and acceptance and a sense of community
in a team. Group cohesion is very high.
Dynamic teams have well-established, proactive approaches to solving
problems and making decisions. Decisions are reached through consen-
sus; everybody must be able to live with and willingly support decisions.
Members feel free to express their feelings about any decision. Team mem-
bers clearly understand and accept all decisions, and they develop contin-
gency plans.
A team needs to routinely examine itself to see how its doing.
Continuous improvement and proactive management are operating
philosophies of dynamic teams. If performance problems arise, they can
be resolved before they become serious.
An HPT has effective, productive, well-managed meetings that effi-
ciently use team members time. Every meeting is focused, timely, and
 High-Performing Teams (HPTs)159

necessary, and is used to solve problems, make decisions, disseminate

information, and enhance team member skills.
In an HPT, individual and team accomplishments are frequently recog-
nized by the team leader as well as by team members. The team celebrates
milestones, accomplishments, and events. Team accomplishments are also
noticed and valued by the larger organization.
Members in HPTs are enthusiastic about the work of the team, and each
person feels pride in being a member of the team. They are confident,
committed, and optimistic about the future. There is a sense of excitement
about individual and team accomplishments and the way team members
work together. Team spirit is high.
HPTs know how use conflict to build the team instead of destroying it:

An HPT develops goals and a mission statement from the begin-

ning of the project. Each member of the team has a specific job title
and purpose in accomplishing those goals. The goals help to provide
direction and ensure productivity in a timely manner.
Open communication is a common characteristic of an HPT. Open
communication can include feedback or brainstorming sessions,
surveys, and discussion and focus groups. The individuals in an
HPT are encouraged to share their thoughts, feelings, and sugges-
tions with one another.
Conflict is a part of team dynamics. Successful HPTs know how use
conflict to build the team instead of destroying it. Each member is
committed to developing and maintaining positive relationships
through nonaggressive confrontation and verbal and nonverbal
communication. The team members show one another respect and
work together for the common good of the team.
Problem solving is a large aspect of HPTs. The team learns the
strengths and weaknesses of each team member and is able to capi-
talize on different team members abilities when needed. Problem
solving begins with a team effectively identifying where the problem
began and how to repair it as efficiently as possible.
Effective HPTs are able to respond to and respect their leader. For
example, when an executive decision needs to be made and the leader
decides to implement a certain strategy, the team members respond
immediately with support and action.
160Program Management Leadership

HPTs are given the opportunity of training and developing in specific

areas such as leadership principles, organizational effectiveness, and
communication skills. Training and development manifests itself in
formal classes, training sessions, and resources such as books and
personal coaching.

SETTING GOALS THAT INSPIRE

HIGH TEAM PERFORMANCE
Humans will probably always need the help of especially gifted moral lead-
ers in order to extend the bonds of caring and trust beyond the easy range
of the family and the face-to-face community. Such bonds have become
essential to the future of humanity.

Paul R. Lawrence
Driven to Lead

Teams function based on how they are tasked and what goals or objectives
are set for them. To achieve an HPT, goals must be set that challenge the
team to achieve but also have a clear scope and guidance so the team can
focus their efforts in the direction best suited for delivery. Objectives for
a team need to be clear, concise, and measureable so both the team and
management can gauge successful progress and achievement. It is a fine
balancing act to set a goal that is broad enough that it requires innovation
and challenges the team but narrow enough in scope to ensure that the
team can make decisions and define approaches to solving the issues. If a
team is given a clear-cut goal such as mow that lawn, there is no room for
creativity and innovation. The progress can be measured and the effort
may require multiple people to achieve it, but the team is not achieving its
potential because the direction has been laid out for them. If on the other
hand the team were given a goal such as maintain the greenery in a cost-
effective manner that lasts long term but still meets acceptable criteria, the
options for the team expand and the creativity of the team can be lever-
aged. Goal-setting theory (Locke and Latham 2005) provides a foundation
for leaders to develop goals that challenge individuals and teams.
 High-Performing Teams (HPTs)161

Goal-Setting Theory
Never give an order that cant be obeyed.
General Douglas MacArthur

Dr. Edwin Lockes (1968) research paper Toward a Theory of Task

Motivation and Incentives outlines the foundation we use today to set
goals for teams. Locke determined that there was a direct relationship
between the performance of individuals and the complexity of the goal
set. Goals that were too easily achieved were not a challenge for people
and therefore their personal performance decreased. The more complex a
goal, the harder people worked to achieve the goal. In addition, the more
concise a goal, the more likely it was that a team would achieve it, whereas
a vague goal that is ambiguous and difficult to understand makes it less
likely that the team will achieve it. A specific but challenging goal will
drive greater performance than a vague or easily achieved one will.
Teams working toward a difficult challenge will often rise to the occa-
sion and deliver higher performance. Engaging teams to achieve goals is
a major challenge for program managers. If the answer were simple and
easily achievable, the odds are that a program would not be undertaken to
find the answer. Therefore the program manager, looking across all com-
ponent projects and tasks, needs to develop goals that challenge teams
but are understood and have clear, concise objectives. Goals have to be
specific, not general:

Goals have to be challenging, yet realistic.

Goals should be established through the SMART methodology:
Specific
Measureable
Achievable
Realistic
Timely

Lockes theory states that simply asking for high performance is not suf-
ficient to achieve success or HPTs. Instead, a challenge must be presented
that engages the team to overcome it and to strive to achieve the objec-
tives. High team performance is a lot more probable when the goals are
specific and present a challenge that is perceived to be realistic and attain-
able by the team.
162Program Management Leadership

In many cases, HPTs are the ones that undertake the most challenging
of efforts and through the challenge the team begins to work as a cohesive
whole, relying on each others skill sets to achieve objectives and over-
come the challenges. Very rarely do HPTs exist when the tasks are simple,
ambiguous, or simply not achievable. Team members will put in the req-
uisite efforts to go through the motions on a program where the objec-
tives are not feasible, but the same team members will give their all for an
initiative that challenges them but, while a stretch, is achievable. HPTs
operate best when challenged and can see the potential for success.
A program manager leverages program vision, project deliverables,
and benefit realization plans to present challenges to teams that they can
understand and drive forward to achieve success. The effective program
manager will work with project teams to lay out the challenges, risks, and
long-term objectives, encouraging the teams to assist in developing strate-
gies to meet the challenge and engaging teams to determine approaches
to overcome risks.

Performance Orientation
My own definition of leadership is this: The capacity and the will to rally men
and women to a common purpose and the character which inspires confidence.
General Bernard Montgomery

Teams respond with greater performance when goals are challenging and
specific, but are truly inspired when the challenge is one that will achieve
tangible benefits but would not be easily produced by going through the
motions. An inspiring goal is one that challenges the team and piques their
own competitive nature, invoking personal pride and motivation. Yet at
the same time, without a way by which the team can be measured, their
effectiveness will be unrecognized. It is tough to root for a sports team
without scores being kept, and it is difficult to support races with no win-
ner. Teams need to have not only a challenge set in front of them but also
a manner by which their accomplishments can be measured, demonstrat-
ing their progress and achievements. Any team setting out on a task will
do better when the results and performance expected of them are clear
and publicly recognized. Performance orientation is the use of goal set-
ting to link team goals to organization performance. When the goal is set
to align with organizational objectives, and the teams can measure their
 High-Performing Teams (HPTs)163

own contribution, the team has the ability to become a truly HPT that
strives to achieve a level of success beyond what a nonperforming team
can achieve. Invoking the competitive spirit of individuals motivates them
to push further toward a goal. Setting team objectives enables the team to
form together and rely on one another to achieve success. And defining
performance measures that can be used to demonstrate their achievement
not only enables teams to meet objectives, but often drives them further in
personal and group performance.
14
Improve Team Motivation,
Morale, and Productivity

When the conduct of men is designed to be influenced, persuasion, kind,

unassuming persuasion, should ever be adopted. It is an old and a true
maxim, that a drop of honey catches more flies than a gallon of gall.
Abraham Lincoln

It still amazes me how few organizations invest in understanding and

improving the morale of their staff. Companies that spend an inordinate
number of dollars advertising, providing customer service, warranty ful-
fillment, and doing anything to retain customers can be completely obtuse
about the morale of the teams that work for them. Only when situations
such as extreme attrition or complaints about management are escalated
do they seem to recognize that they have an entire staff that needs to be
kept motivated, productive, and ultimately happy.
Low morale in an organization leads to poor cooperation, low produc-
tivity, and increased attrition rates. Organizations suffering from low
morale will often be places where gossip runs rampant (especially any-
thing negative), productivity is poor, efficiency is low or nonexistent, and
staff are resentful of management. One sure way to identify an organiza-
tion suffering from low morale is to monitor the absentee rates. Those with
very high absentee rates are most commonly subject to equivalently high
attrition rates, requiring the organization to spend time and money hiring
and training new staff members.
Regardless of the organizational culture, a program manager needs a
team that is motivated, challenged, and positive about the work that they are
achieving. The program manager needs to create a bubble in which the team
is protected from the negative cultural issues and encouraged to participate

165
166Program Management Leadership

in the positives of the culture. They must understand the value of the pro-
gram and want the organization to succeed through their contributions.
Thats not an easy task for a program manager, especially when the team
exists in a hostile or toxic environment, but a requirement if the program is
to achieve its objectives in a timely and cost-effective manner.
Some of the tools that I have leveraged include:

Communicate with teams that success is more than just their job.
Provide positive recognition for accomplishments.
Encourage staff to work on tasks that they are passionate about.
Set a series of internal processes regardless of how the organization
traditionally operates.
Set an example by having fun with your daily routineemploy
humor and a smile whenever possible.
Encourage staff to be positive.
Reward extra work and effort with compensation or time away from
the office.
Protect the team from extraneous negativity.
Communicate openly and honestly at all times.

Sometimes it is the smallest efforts that have the biggest gains. Rewarding
people, recognizing their successes, and demonstrating a positive attitude
regardless of the situation all demonstrate a set of traits that are infectious
to the team and quite often to the organization around you. A positive and
healthy team is one that other staff members will want to join and one
that team members can take a certain pride in. When the organization
attempts to invade the positive environment you have created, it is the
program managers responsibility to interject and protect the team from
any negativity.
One final point, though some of my peers may disagree with me on this,
is that communicating honestly and openly with the team is a critical suc-
cess factor. For some reason managers quite often keep vital information
away from team members, preventing them from rising to new challenges
or being able to create innovative strategies. Regardless of the positive
environment that you as a program manager have created, the rumor mill
will be running and any bad news will circulate through the organization.
If you have invested time and energy into building an HPT and creating
a positive environment, dont destroy all of the hard work achieved by
misrepresenting or lying to the team. Ensure that open communication
 Improve Team Motivation, Morale, and Productivity167

is used for both positive and negative news, and leverage the team to con-
tribute to success through the skills and abilities that they have.
As an example, I worked with a team that developed software, lever-
aging a particular technology-based language. I had attended the annual
conference for the technology and listened to the CEO announce that they
would discontinue the language moving forward. Completely demoral-
ized, I looked at all of the legacy software that had been built on the lan-
guage and the new efforts that were on the table for development. The
decision by the firm to discontinue the language had a huge impact on
employees as they had been trained and perfected their skills in what was
now an obsolete approach.
I took the news back to the team and opened the conversation up
for discussion on strategies that we could employ. One team mem-
ber suggested that we attend a conference the following month where
Microsoft was announcing their new technology. I took the entire team
to the conference and met daily with them to discuss the new approach
and determine how we could leverage what had been done against the
approaches required for the new technology. The team came together
and developed strategies for team members to educate themselves, learn
the new approach, and develop approaches to migrate the old code into
the new technology.
Although the overall program was a lengthy one requiring a tremendous
amount of learning, team interaction, and in some cases trial and error,
the team quickly came up to speed and converted legacy applications into
the new technology while also taking on new development efforts. After
three years, the team had achieved a 0 percent attrition rate, worked so
closely together that it was difficult to separate individuals, and had one of
the highest morale levels I had ever seen.
The goal was clear and concise, performance was measured by both the
conversion from legacy into new technology as well as the creation of new
products, and the team outperformed any of its counterparts, setting the
standard for the organization as a whole. A true HPT was achieved by
open communication, taking some of the worst news I have encountered
in the software industry, and turning a negative into a positive result with
tangible achievements.
15
Conflict Resolution

A leader is a dealer in hope.

Napoleon Bonaparte

Conflict is a normal part of everyday life, whether work or personal.

In our personal lives we encounter conflict with friends, strangers,
aggressive drivers, spouses, and children. Each conflict we face can
escalate to a negative level, affecting long-term relationships or short-
term interactions. With conflict playing such a regular role in everyday
life, it would seem that we would naturally develop techniques to avoid
or minimize conflict and to avoid it where possible. Yet conflict is a
natural part of our psyche whether it is differences in politics, national
conflict, sports teams, or even which TV show a family will turn on
(see Figure15.1).
Therefore it is not surprising that we encounter conflict regularly in work-
related activities. Interacting with management, coworkers, clients, and
vendors can quickly degrade into negative relationships between people and
teams. Negative conflict involves degrading the other party, minimizing
their opinions, avoiding conversations, and at times exchanging harsh words
that can have a dramatically negative, long-term effect on relationships.
Yet one of the many myths about conflict is that it is only negative.
Conflict can be very positive when managed in a way where respect for
one another allows for the open discourse of ideas, perceptions, and opin-
ions. Positive conflict results in greater innovation, greater creativity, and
the combination of ideas toward the betterment of the goals and objec-
tives. Positive conflict builds relationships and mutual respect between
team members and facilitates a greater exchange of ideas beyond simply
technical concerns.

169
170Program Management Leadership

The Nature of Conflicts

Conflict is natural, neither positive nor negative, it just is.
Conflict is just an interference pattern of energy.
Nature uses conflict as its primary motivator for change, creating beautiful beaches,
canyons, mountains and pearls.
Its not whether you have conflict in your life, its what you do with that conflict that
makes a difference.
Conflict is not a contest.
Winning and losing are goals for games, not for conflicts.
Learning, growing, and cooperating are goals for resolving conflicts.
Resolving conflict is rarely about who is right, it is about acknowledgment and
appreciation of differences (Crum and Denver 1987, p. 49).

FIGURE 15.1
Nature of conflicts.

As a program manager, building an HPT requires creating positive con-

flict resolution skills among team members and creating a safe and secure
environment for the exchange of ideas, concerns, and questions. A program
manager ensures that conflict does not break down into negative interaction,
derogatory comments, or the shutting down of individuals. Rather, the pro-
gram manager must make sure that every opinion is heard, discussed, and
evaluated for potential risks, advantages, and opportunities (see Figure15.2).
Although not every opinion offered by a team member will result in a change
to the program or become a resolution to a challenge, team members must
feel that they have a positive and safe environment for the exchange of ideas.
Through a positive conflict resolution process, relationships between
team members are made stronger, communication channels open up fur-
ther, and trust is built between team members. Further, the leadership
team is supported in empowering staff to discuss new ideas, concepts,
strategies, risks, and concerns. However, achieving positive conflict reso-
lution is a challenging objective and one that requires constant monitor-
ing and intervention.
Although the program manager is generally responsible for working
with the program office personnel and project managers, there are times
when they also must work with individual project teams to help or facilitate
conflict resolution processes. All teams, regardless of their past experience,
will have to establish processes and communication channels that facili-
tate proper conflict resolution. As such, it falls on the program manager
to ensure that proper conflict resolution techniques are in place, followed,
 Conflict Resolution171

Conflict Path

Event/Issue
Identified

Conflict Initiated

Constructive Destructive
Responses Responses

Task Focused Person Focused

(Cognitive) (Emotional)

De-escalation Escalation

FIGURE 15.2
Conflict path.

and employed regardless of the uniqueness of the situation or personali-

ties involved. A team that can resolve conflict works in a positive and safe
environment where each individual contributes to the overall success of the
effort, whereas teams that have negative conflict result in personality differ-
ences, negativity, escalation of issues, and hostility. Obviously, an HPT will
need to have positive conflict resolution to be able to work together effec-
tively without management intervention when issues arise. Unresolved and
ineffective conflict management will follow five stages:

1. Discomfort
2. Incident
3. Misunderstanding
4. Tension
5. Crisis
172Program Management Leadership

Conflict Management

Competing Collaborating

Assertiveness
Compromising

Avoiding Accommodating

Cooperation

FIGURE 15.3
Conflict management.

A team with positive conflict management will be able to avoid a crisis by

working through various approaches to manage conflict with construc-
tive conversation, task-oriented discussions, and agreed upon resolutions,
often forming a compromise on both sides of the issue.
As illustrated in Figure 15.3, conflict management focuses on five
approaches for teams and individuals to follow when an issue arises.
These five approaches range across a spectrum from cooperation to
assertiveness, and when balanced, team members assert their beliefs
while cooperating for a positive resolution. A balanced approach will
result in both sides of a conflict understanding the perspective of the
other side and will achieve an agreed upon solution without forcing
escalation or management intervention. Balancing conflict resolution
between assertiveness and cooperation enables all team members to
participate in discussions, creates a collaborative environment, avoids
negative attacks or personality conflicts, and ultimately results in
the optimum solution because each side works together to deliver an
effective solution. The most effective approach for achieving positive
conflict resolution is one in which each individual is encouraged to
participate in discussions, and constructive dialogues take place in a
collaborative environment.
Other approaches can achieve a solution without management inter-
action, but can also create an environment where team members grow
to believe that their opinions dont matter or that their participation in
achieving the objectives is less important. On the lowest end of the spec-
trum, conflict is simply avoided and a negative environment builds. At the
 Conflict Resolution173

highest end, team members collaborate together to understand both sides

of the conflict and work through developing a strategy that employs the
most effective approach for both sides. In this form of conflict resolution,
neither side will walk away feeling that the conflict was not properly han-
dled or that they did not contribute to the best possible solution. Instead,
the team reaches a resolution without feeling compromised, and the envi-
ronment for conflict resolution is a positive one.

FIVE APPROACHES TO CONFLICT MANAGEMENT

1. Avoiding In this scenario, individuals avoid directly confronting
opposing points of view and sometimes avoid even opening the dis-
cussion, willingly giving in to the more assertive position without
effectively communicating their position. While this will avoid con-
flict becoming personal or negative, it will leave individuals feeling
that their opinions are going unheard and that their value to the team
is less than the more assertive individuals. Avoiding will result in a
less than positive environment and a less effective solution. Teams
operating in these environments are not able to resolve conflict in a
healthy way and will perform less effectively than HPTs.
2. Accommodating Though effective in avoiding conflict, accom-
modation often results in one team member agreeing with another
without pushing his or her individual approach or opinion. The solu-
tion is defined and agreed upon, but the individual accommodating
the solution is not being heard effectively and there is a risk that the
solution will lack an important point because of the lack of assertive-
ness of a team member. Accommodating may result in an environ-
ment where there is less direct conflict, but the team dynamics will
be less positive and team members will operate as if their opinions
are not valued or contribute to the program success.
3. Competing Individuals assert their belief and argue for their posi-
tion without participating in an open and honest dialogue. Their
focus is on their proposed solution or strategy, and there is not a
demonstrated understanding or valuation placed on the opposing
side. Oftentimes management intervention is required to overcome
competing conflict resolutions because neither side will accept the
others position. Competing conflict resolution will leave teams in a
174Program Management Leadership

more directly hostile environment and result in greater management

intervention, potentially leaving other team members choosing to
avoid conflict rather than offering their ideas. Teams with compet-
ing conflict resolution strategies create a more negative environment
and struggle to achieve an HPT status.
4. Collaborating The most positive of all conflict resolution strate-
gies, collaborating on solutions creates a positive environment where
each individual is provided with an opportunity to offer his or her
position and concerns and identify potential risks. Each member
is assertive in his or her approach but also willing to cooperate to
achieve a resolution that both meets the needs of the program and
includes all approaches. Management intervention is not required as
the team works together through issues and develops strategies to
solve conflicts.
5. Compromising Though compromising will achieve a solution
and facilitates each side being heard, the solution is generally a
lose/lose for both sides. Each side of the conflict gives up some
piece to the other so that a compromise can be achieved, and each
walks away from the conflict with a less than positive result (see
Figure 15.4). There are times when management intervention is
necessary in compromising strategies, but as a general rule the
team works to resolve conflicts on their own. While compromis-
ing does not directly cause a hostile environment, it can leave
team members feeling that their positions were not effectively
heard and that a less than perfect outcome was reached. Over
time, team members using compromising strategies are more
likely to move toward accommodating if others on the team are
more assertive.

The most effective HPTs will work in a collaborative environment and

have a positive conflict resolution approach, ensuring that issues are
resolved in the most effective manner for the program and that individual
interests are not the driving force. As a general rule, there is always a point
of mutual interest that conflict resolution strategies should drive toward.
To achieve this, a program manager will work with the team to develop
and maintain positive conflict resolution approaches and empower team
members to resolve conflicts together without management intervention
while continuing a focus on developing a positive and healthy culture for
open discussion. Oftentimes this requires program managers to train
 Conflict Resolution175

Mutual Interest

Person A Person B

Person C

FIGURE 15.4
Common interests.

teams in approaches and occasionally intervene when individuals become

too aggressive, focusing only on their own position to the detriment of the
program objectives.
16
Case Study in Leading Teams

You have just been assigned as a program manager to a program that will
require a five-year effort to increase the efficiency of a retirement service
for a state agency. The effort will include cleansing data, buying or devel-
oping new software, implementing interfaces to multiple agencies for data
transmission, and decreasing the time to process retirement payments
from 120 days to 45 days. The program will involve process reengineering,
technology teams, multiple state agencies, and very large database systems
to manage data moving forward.
The first projects have been defined to cleanse the historic data and to
create a data feed that will be leveraged to feed into the new system. Your
task is to define the challenges and objectives for subsequent projects and
to develop teams that will exceed performance and achieve the desired
objectives. Each team will be made up of various skill sets and will have to
contribute to the overall objectives of the program.

CASE STUDY QUESTIONS

1. What strategies would you use to create projects that challenge the
teams with clear and concise goals?
2. How would you build HPTs with various groups when each group is
taking on challenges ranging from business process reengineering to
software development to building data centers?
3. How would you tailor your approaches to each project manager to
ensure that a positive and healthy culture exists within their teams?

177
178Program Management Leadership

4. What level of involvement would you have for each project manager
to contribute to the definition of new projects and their correspond-
ing objectives?

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
1. Building HPTs requires challenges, concise objectives, and a way by
which the performance of the team can be measured. How would the
approaches discussed be modified if the teams were spread through-
out the United States? Would the approach differ if the team mem-
bers were subcontractors?
2. Competition increases performance of teams. How do you as a pro-
gram manager avoid competition within the team while still encour-
aging the team to compete against industry benchmarks or other
departments in the organization?
3. If your team has issues in communicating, how would you as a pro-
gram manager work to overcome the communication issues and
move the team toward increasing performance and achieving a high
level of performance?
 Section IV

Formal Leadership Processes

17
Formal Processes

PROGRAM MANAGEMENT AS A
FUNCTION OF PRODUCTIVITY
High sentiments always win in the end. The leaders who offer blood, toil,
tears and sweat always get more out of their followers than those who offer
safety and a good time. When it comes to the pinch, human beings are heroic.
George Orwell

The focus of this book has been on program management leadership

and the role that it plays in developing successful programs through
better communication, leadership styles, team development, and orga-
nizational improvement. We have spent very little time covering the
formalized process that PMI outlines, simply because there are many
books on the process and very little on program management leadership.
While there is plenty written on leadership as a whole, and on becom-
ing that Fortune 500 CEO, program management leadership is a very
different topic that deserves additional information added to the overall
body of knowledge. While PMI has done a good job in outlining the
process of program management, there are still areas that require addi-
tional knowledge and reference material to help extend the knowledge of
program management. The role that a program manager plays in team
productivity is a crucial one.
Program managers bring teams together, overcome obstacles for the
effort, promote open and honest communications, and develop an envi-
ronment of positive reinforcement for teams to achieve objectives. At the
same time, they empower project managers to achieve the objectives of
each project, work to overcome any obstacles, and often balance resources
between projects, ensuring that specialized skills are available when

181
182Program Management Leadership

needed as well as fully utilized across the program effort. Their responsi-
bility is to see the big picture of the effort and facilitate project manag-
ers to focus on the more myopic outputs of the projects. It is the program
manager who ensures that the projects are all aligned with the program
benefits and will achieve the results desired.
A program manager leverages many of the general skills of management
including general management, interpersonal skills, communication,
financial management, human resource-related interactions, perfor-
mance setting, and review, a program manager must also deliver lead-
ership to be successful. In earlier chapters, we discussed building HPTs
as part of a successful program effort. HPTs cannot be achieved doing
mundane, task-only, or redundant work; instead they must be challenged,
given objectives that are clear but difficult to achieve, form relationships
and partnerships within the team, and operate with the full support of
the program manager to enable innovation, creativity, and risk tolerance.
HPTs are operating at their greatest level of performance when their com-
petitive spirit is engaged and they are taking on challenges that are dif-
ficult but possible to achieve. The program manager should communicate
the challenge, provide the tools and resources necessary to achieve it,
communicate the vision, provide positive reinforcement, eliminate obsta-
cles, and keep the team engaged throughout the life cycle of the program.
While all of these contributions are necessary for programs and
teams to achieve success, program managers are primarily responsible
for five main domains: (1) strategy alignment, (2) program benefits
management, (3) program stakeholder engagement, (4) program gov-
ernance, and (5) program life cycle management. Initially, a program
manager will align the program effort with the strategic objectives
of the organization. However, these strategy-based goals will change
over time, and the program must constantly be evaluated to ensure
that it maintains alignment with the direction of the organization.
The program manager consistently evaluates program progress as it is
aligned with the projected benefits to be realized by the program. As
benefits are realized, the program manager ensures that the realiza-
tion is communicated to the stakeholder community and that they
clearly understand how the benefit realized impacts them as well as
the longer-term intentions of the program.
The program manager also provides governance over all of the projects
in the program to ensure that procedures and policies are in place and
being followed. Governance is the creation and enforcement of process
 Formal Processes183

and policies to be followed consistently across projects and reported to

the program manager, program team, and often a program governance
body in a timely and effective manner. It provides an appropriate orga-
nizational structure with policies and procedures for project managers
to operate under and a means to communicate their achievements, risks,
schedules, and costs. Within this framework, the program managers
can develop communication methods to provide status on complex proj-
ects and integrated deliverables as they work toward achieving overall
benefits.
While governance provides the framework for communicating with
projects, and stakeholder management ensures that stakeholders are well
informed, the program manager drives productivity through benefit iden-
tification and ensuring that projects realize the defined benefits. If for some
reason a project is not able to meet the benefits in the established time
frame or at the cost established, the program manager has the resources
available across all project lines to assist in adding resources, developing
strategic plans, and leveraging the knowledge base of all projects to help
the team overcome the obstacles causing a delay.
Finally, the program manager will follow the program life cycle and
ensure that once the program has achieved success in all of the identified
benefits, it follows a clear and concise closeout procedure including releas-
ing resources, developing lessons learned, documenting program risks,
and determining financials for the effort. This closeout process provides
input for both the program manager and the organization in achieving
repeatable success for additional efforts undertaken.
Quite often the program manager drives the productivity of the vari-
ous project teams by focusing on milestones, approving phase gates (go/
no-go decision points), and communicating successes out through the
stakeholder community. The program manager can assist project man-
agers in meeting their established objectives by continuously communi-
cating the objectives, rewarding high achievers, and acknowledging the
successes of the project teams themselves. Program managers operate at
a higher level than project managers and when necessary can balance
resources among projects to ensure that each effort achieves its defined
goals and objectives.
184Program Management Leadership

DRIVING PROJECT MANAGEMENT THROUGH

BETTER PROGRAM MANAGEMENT
Program management is a formalized management approach that lever-
ages process and knowledge areas to create a framework managing mul-
tiple projects and operational efforts that together are capable of achieving
benefits that individual projects could not achieve on their own. As such,
program management is based on the project management processes as a
foundation and interacts with the project manager at predefined points in
the project life cycle. While projects are managed leveraging the PMBOK
containing five process groups and ten knowledge areas, program man-
agement builds on these using the same five process groups, but leverages
five domains for program management.
As such, program managers hold a certain level of expectation of their
project managers. They expect proper PMBOK processes to be imple-
mented and reported on in such a way so as to enable the program to
report on its composite pieces. In addition, the program relies on projects
to identify not only risks to their effort but also enterprise- and program-
level risks that could impact other projects or the program as a whole.
These risks are escalated to the program manager to be part of the pro-
gram risk management matrix and managed accordingly.
A project not following PMI standards would not conform to the pro-
gram governance set up by the program manager and would eliminate the
ability of the program manager to effectively manage the program and
ensure stakeholders that the benefits would be realized in a timely and
efficient manner. In addition, risks may not be identified, documented,
or escalated to the program manager, leaving the program manager with
very little insight into any issues being encountered by the project and
therefore unable to assist with additional resources, SMEs, or reallocation
of dollars. Program risks not communicated up to the management level
are often repeated among multiple projects and can be eliminated only
when a trend is identified. If project managers consistently report both
risks and strategies, the program management team can identify root
causes and potentially implement strategies to avoid the duplication of a
risk in subsequent project efforts.
In reality, program and project management are so tightly integrated
that program management cannot be effective if project management
standards are not followed.
 Formal Processes185

DISTINCTIONS BETWEEN PROGRAM

AND PROJECT MANAGEMENT
Although program and project management are dependent upon one
another, there are also definitive differences in both approaches. Project
management is focused on delivering a single unique product or service and
upon completion transitioning that product or service to an operational
team for user support. Program management is the management of multiple
projects and operational efforts in an attempt to achieve results not available
from managing a single project. Thus program management includes oper-
ational support and will span the life of multiple projects, at times managing
numerous projects in various points of their program life cycle. The pro-
gram manager is also responsible for communicating with the stakeholder
community as a whole. Whereas a project may have a subset of stakehold-
ers, and the project manager will communicate with those stakeholders as
milestones are achieved, the program manager needs to be able to speak to
the stakeholder community as a whole, identifying the project milestones,
benefits that have been realized, and potential program-level risks.
More specifically:

Scope: Projects have defined objectives and in many cases the scope
is progressively elaborated gaining greater information as the effort
advances.
Programs have a larger scope and provide deliverables in the form of
benefits delivered through projects and operational efforts.
Change: Project Managers expect change and implement processes
to manage changes and ensure that they do not affect scope, cost,
schedule, or quality.
Programs expect change from both internal as well as external sources
and must manage scope to ensure that benefits are realized in a
timely and cost effective manner. When a change is presented a pro-
gram manager and change control board can evaluate many alterna-
tives. If a change is outside the scope of one project it could be shifted
to another project that will be initiated at a later date, depending on
the deliverables inherent risks of the change, and project schedules
established.
186Program Management Leadership

Planning: Project managers leverage progressive elaboration, analo-

gous, bottom-up, or top-down analysis to determine the approach to
be taken in meeting the project objectives.
Programs develop initial high level plans and project placeholders to
be filled in by Project Managers as they go through their planning
process. The Program Management plan will cover a much longer
term and program schedules will include multiple projects, opera-
tional efforts, and transition points than an individual project and
may include Level of Effort (LOE) tasks for supporting operational
endeavors.
Management: Project Managers manage the project team on a tempo-
rary basis with the intent of meeting the project objectives.
Program Managers manage the Program staff, Project Managers, and
indirectly the project team members by providing vision, leadership,
and escalation paths for staff.
Success: Project Managers measure success through client satisfaction,
cost, schedule, and quality of product or service delivered.
Program Managers measure success by the degree to which the ben-
efits realized meet the needs of stakeholders and are aligned with the
objectives of the program.
Monitoring: Projects monitor and control the work of producing the
product or service through earned value analysis and customer
satisfaction.
Programs are monitored and controlled through monitoring each com-
ponent project through earned value analysis, and deliverables mea-
sured against the benefits defined for the Program. (PMI 2013b)

GOVERNANCE AS SUPPORT FOR PROGRAM

MANAGEMENT AND NOT AS A BATON
Program governance is the formalized management approach that pro-
gram managers establish to ensure that each project contained within the
program leverages equivalent processes and procedures in the manage-
ment and reporting on project progress. While the governance aspect
of program management can been seen as oversight or a negative big
brother management style, in reality it provides program managers with
insight into each project and the progress being made.
 Formal Processes187

As I mentioned earlier, a project manager has a single, tangible product

or service that he or she focuses on delivering. The program manager is
responsible for that deliverable as well as any number of additional projects
depending on the size of the program. With the insight gained through
program governance, the program manager can often offer assistance to
individual projects by balancing resources across multiple projects, real-
locating funds, or even potentially taking some pieces of the deliverables
off the plate of the project manager to assist in ensuring project success. In
addition, a successful program manager leverages governance to provide
insight into the progress of a project and can then offer his or her support
to the project manager if he or she sees issues being encountered.
Finally, whereas a project manager is concerned with the risks that affect
his or her project specifically, a program manager may be able to recog-
nize a pattern from the identified risks and can work with multiple project
managers to develop strategies to resolve the risk at the root cause rather
than each time it is realized in a project. At the end of the day, the program
manager is not an adversary of the project manager; rather, they both need
each other to achieve success, and as I have harped on just a bit, commu-
nication is the key to success.
Information communicated to the program manager on project sta-
tus, risks, schedules, and costs is not data that is passed directly on to
management or clients; instead it must be both interpreted and evaluated
by the program manager as it relates to the overall program scope. From
this information, the program manager must identify strategies that he
or she can leverage to assist the projects in managing risks and meet-
ing the project objectives, schedules, and costs. All of this information is
collected through the governance of the program. Without that detailed
information, a program manager will remain uninformed and unable to
assist a project manager until potentially too late to be beneficial.

CASE STUDY
You have just been hired as a program manager to lead an international
effort implementing production facilities around the world. Each facility
will be located in a different country and requires individual architecture,
government regulations, local technology capabilities, and infrastruc-
ture support. The organization has defined its strategic objectives of (1)
188Program Management Leadership

increasing production output around the world by 30 percent, (2) increas-

ing sales through globalization by 25 percent, and (3) increasing customer
satisfaction through consistent and reliable quality standards.
Your program will be instrumental in achieving these objectives by
increasing production capacity and facilitating sales efforts. In addition,
the production facilities will implement a set of quality standards defined
by the organization and will leverage a Lean Six Sigma approach elimi-
nating waste and increasing efficiency. Once the production facilities are
built, staffed, and fully functional, the program will transition them to
functional management reporting to the chief operations officer.
Although you will be based in the United States, you will have a flexible
travel budget and be able to work with project teams around the world as
needed. In addition, travel expenses for team members are included in
your budget. Telephone and video conference technologies are in place
and available to you whenever needed.
Much of the program will include local subcontractors hired for work
efforts such as building roads and buildings, furnishing facilities, wiring
offices, setting up production equipment, and supplying raw materials. All
facilities must comply with local regulations as well as U.S. standards.
As a program manager, you will be responsible for defining objectives
for each project, implementing financial and program controls, report-
ing to the board of directors and executive management, resolving issues
internally within the organization, planning the overall implementation,
developing strategies for handing off completed facilities for operational
control, and managing program risks. You will be providing monthly
reports to executive management and reporting on a quarterly basis to the
board of directors.
There are no corporate processes in place for project management or
program management, and the organization has been unsuccessful in ear-
lier attempts to expand globally. While you have budget dollars for hir-
ing additional staff within the program, there is no corporate support for
programs and very limited documented processes for procurement and
financial management. The program will operate with a $50 million bud-
get and estimates place the cost of all the facilities at $45 million. Because
your teams are geographically diverse, many project managers will speak
multiple languages including English, but English will be their second
language. Team members may or may not speak English but will speak in
the local dialect.
 Formal Processes189

CHAPTER QUIZ
1. Which domain of program management is the most useful in achiev-
ing HPTs?
2. How do you use program governance without slowing down project
efforts and wasting project managers time on unnecessary or super-
ficial tasks?
3. How are program risks defined?
4. What portion of the stakeholder community is a program manager
responsible for? Which stakeholders are project managers respon-
sible for?
5. How do you resolve conflicts between project managers and ensure
that open communication exists?
6. What are the most important considerations for building HPTs?
7. What leadership style do you use the most? When would you use an
alternate style? How would you know when to transition from an
alternate leadership style to your choice of styles?
8. What impact can leadership styles have on teams?
9. How does a program manager ensure success on his or her next pro-
gram effort?
10. If no process is in place, what materials would you use to jump-start
a process effort?

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
1. With no program or project management process in place, how
would you work with project managers to achieve success?
2. Project teams are located throughout the world. How would you
approach team building?
3. What goals could you set to achieve HPTs for each of the projects?
4. What strategy for communication would you use with project
managers?
5. Considering all teams are in different time zones, when would you
schedule regular meetings?
6. How would you ensure that project managers were sharing their
project achievements and challenges with one another?
190Program Management Leadership

7. Assuming you would use some form of reward system for HPTs
exceeding expectations, how would you approach rewarding teams
or individuals?
8. With multiple sites and projects being started all over the world, how
would you manage your time to be most effective?
9. What internal staffing positions would help you achieve greater
success?
10. Would you implement any education or training programs, and how
would you handle the logistics of project manager locations?
11. What ways could technology be leveraged to increase your chances
of program success?
18
Conclusion

Men make history and not the other way around. In periods where there is
no leadership, society stands still. Progress occurs when courageous, skill-
ful leaders seize the opportunity to change things for the better.
Harry Truman

The focus of this book has not been on the program management guide-
lines as outlined in the Standard for Program Management, third edition
(PMI 2013b). There are a number of books being published on that subject,
and the latest version from PMI is one of the better books that you could
possibly find to learn the process. Instead, this book has been on leader-
ship and more specifically how program managers lead teams to become
HPTs that are capable of achieving together much more than they could
as individual players.
While projects are temporary endeavors undertaken to create a unique
product, service, or result (PMI 2013a, 2), programs are the creation of a
new result, product, or service through the culmination of multiple proj-
ects, operational efforts, and process change that alone could not achieve
the same benefits as when combined into a single effort (PMI 2013b).
Programs will contain multiple efforts whereas a project is focused more
on a single result. Project managers will drive the creation of a single result,
service, or product based on the objectives defined for the effort. Although
they will be aware of overall program benefits, their job is drive toward
project success and will focus on those deliverables. On the other hand,
a program manager is responsible for multiple projects and operational
efforts and will be able to tie the needs of each project together into a single
plan for achieving program benefits. Project managers by definition are
myopic, focusing on the work that needs to be done for the project, whereas
program managers operate at a much higher level, looking across multiple

191
192Program Management Leadership

efforts. While program management understands the project management

standards and requires them to be applied, the program manager follows
a different approach, which contains five domains: strategy alignment,
program benefits management, program stakeholder management, pro-
gram governance, and program life cycle management. These five domains
ensure that the program manager actively aligns the program benefits with
the strategic objectives defined to achieve the benefits of the program, man-
ages stakeholder expectations, and ensures that underlying components
are following and reporting on consistent processes, and that the program
follows a logical approach for life cycle management.
To be successful as a leader, a program manager must have the ability
to drive team performance, communicate effectively with both stakehold-
ers and team members, ensure that all efforts are managed in a consistent
approach, and work with sponsors to validate that programs remain in
alignment with the organizational strategic benefits. Furthermore, a pro-
gram manager must have the ability to draft and communicate the benefits
that will be and are achieved throughout the program life cycle. Longer-term
programs will leave stakeholders feeling frustrated with the short-term pain
of working with outdated technology or infrastructure, but benefits man-
agement and stakeholder management are used to ensure that all program
stakeholders are consistently made aware of the long-term benefits and are
able to celebrate short-term accomplishments as they are achieved.
While the mechanics of program management are crucial, the art of
leadership is vital to achieving success for programs. Leadership is the
ability to motivate team members to, for a period of time, set aside their
own personal motivators, agendas, and drivers, and instead work toward
a common goal that is established by the program manager. It is through
leadership that teams come together and strive for success even when it
is difficult to come by. Leaders do not force, drive, or dominate teams;
rather, they communicate, empower, and challenge teams in such a way
that the team members willingly contribute their time and effort to the
goals of the program. Program managers begin with establishing a clear
and consistent vision that can be used with both teams and stakeholders
that identifies the benefits to the program and why each component is
necessary to achieve the overall success. Program visions are clarified and
repeated often enough that every team member will be able to repeat the
vision, embrace and support it, and understand how its achievement will
improve the organization and help meet its long-term goals.
 Conclusion193

While a program will have multiple component projects and poten-

tially operational efforts to achieve the benefits established, the teams can
range from program-level team members to those participating in proj-
ect efforts. Regardless of the contribution or the part of the program that
members are working on, they are all part of the whole program team and
all must be motivated to communicate, innovate, create, and develop a
level of confidence that the work they produce will help the program (and
therefore the organization) achieve strategic goals.
Teams can be individuals thrown together for the purpose of a proj-
ect, initiative, or program, but when managed properly they can form
HPTs that exceed expectations, overcome challenging obstacles, leverage
innovation, and approach risk from an aggressive stance. HPTs rely on
one another to accomplish goals and form communication channels that
enable them to perform at a dramatically increased rate over their coun-
terpart organizations. HPTs generally leverage their personal competitive
spirit and become emotionally involved in achieving success, whereas
teams not driven often simply go through the motions, anticipating pro-
gram/project failure.
Each team, regardless of how they were brought together, will follow a
set of team development phases. However, not all teams will be success-
ful in moving through all stages of team development and can get hung
up on one or the other. The five stages of team development as defined by
Tuchman (1965) are:

1. Forming
2. Storming
3. Norming
4. Performing
5. Adjourning (or mourning) (384)

When a team hits the performing stage, they are entering the realm that
HPTs operate in. A team that is performing but is driven further by invok-
ing personal emotion, competitive spirit, and a clear, focused, but chal-
lenging goal can transition to an HPT with proper leadership.
At the same time, teams may never move out of the storming or norming
stage if the leadership does not facilitate open communication, encourage
positive conflict resolution, and empower teams to invest their personal
emotions in the achievement of success. While these teams may achieve
some level of success, the effort will not be a positive one and may result in
194Program Management Leadership

team members resenting the project and holding negative feelings against
either team members or the leadership. They generally do not feel that they
have achieved success and are often demoralized by the effort.
An HPT will achieve the objectives, have a sense of satisfaction, and
reach the adjourning phase more as a mourning phase, sad that the effort
is over and the team will be breaking up to work on other projects/pro-
grams. This final phase of team development is one of the determinants
of how effective the leadership was. When a team reaches adjourning and
they cannot wait to get away from each other, leadership failed in some
way and may not have resolved conflicts, opened communications, or
done an effective job of assigning roles and responsibilities.
Program management is more of an art than a science. Following the
guidelines from PMI will make you a program manager; but employing
leadership, driving toward a common vision, opening communication
channels, and managing conflict will all help with building teams to be
more effective. However, achieving HPTs requires a concerted effort that
empowers the staff and motivates them to invest their personal ambition
in the achievement of the objectives. A program manager can achieve
success for the effort, but one who builds HPTs will exceed expectations,
building teams that outperform and accomplish goals that will be unlikely
for others. An HPT will enjoy the program and will want to work with the
leader and team members on future efforts. HPTs enjoy the work that is
performed and take great pride in the outcome of the program.
Therefore program management guidelines and mechanics when com-
plemented by leadership can achieve a level of satisfaction, achievement,
and success that is not possible by those just going through the motions.
These kinds of leaders will drive organization improvement by leading
through example and will create a safe and secure bubble for their teams
to operate within.
Unfortunately, there is not a single leadership model that will be useful
in every situation. While most of us think that we are transformational,
empowering everyone around us and making everyone feel good about
their job, the reality is that we all employ different styles of leadership.
Whether it be command-and-control (authoritative), transactional, dark,
or transformational leadership, all leaders have a management style that
is most comfortable to them. Of course based on the situation at hand,
employing different leadership styles can be beneficial to the success of
the program. The key to leveraging situational leadership is recognizing
the need, consciously choosing the approach, knowing when the approach
 Conclusion195

has met the goals, then moving on to a different style of leadership that is
more effective in the long term.
I personally feel comfortable in a transformational leadership style,
but often find that the situation at hand requires a more authoritative
or transactional approach. It can be disturbing to find that your lead-
ership style is not complementary to team development, but through
this recognition we can learn to employ other strategies that make us
more effective.
Hopefully, this book has helped you understand the value of leadership
and how it can generate greater performance, morale, and team develop-
ment, driving performance that others are simply not capable of. Leadership
is one of the most vital components in any form of management, whether
leading projects, programs, or organizations. Understanding the leader-
ship approaches and leveraging them consciously and intentionally drives
people to work together in a more effective manner.
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Index
A Blame, 9, 17, 63, 73, 85, 97
Boeing, 3
Absentee rates, 165 Budgets, 46, 107
Accountability, 116, 128, 131 Bureaucracies, 62, 91, 99
American National Standard Institute, 32 Byham, W., 152
Anxiety
causes of, 72
defenses against, 72, 75, 79 C
excessive versus inadequate, 79 Cancellations, 24, 40, 69
impact of, 72 Carlyle, T., 82
Applied ethics, 116; see also Ethics Case studies
Arrogance, 113 command and control, 4850
Attrition, 16, 72, 138, 149 international program, 187190
Auditing, 68 leadership in program management,
Authoritative leadership, 42, 82, 91, 130; 120122
see also Command and control in leading teams, 177178
Authority Central Computer and
in high-performing teams, 154155 Telecommunications Agency
of leaders, 56 (CCTA), 32
and power distance, 99 Certifications, 31, 33
of program managers, 42 Chain of command, 84, 100
in role cultures, 100 Challenges, see Obstacles
Change
B approvals for, 46
in management, 148149
Bass, Bernard, 83, 91, 111 obstacles to, 62
Behavior organizational, 61
destructive, 97 to projects, 46, 79, 185
as function of person and regulatory, 6869
environment, 113 resistance to, 61, 62, 86
impact of organizational culture, 71 to status quo, 62
and personalities, 9698 in technology, 147148
and psychoanalysis, 71 Change Control Boards (CCB), 46, 148,
and values, 115, 116 185
Beliefs, see Values Charismatic leadership, 95, 97
Benefits Collectivism, 99
communicating, 106, 107 Columbus, Christopher, 112
delivery, 36, 43, 46 Command and control
management, 3738, 182 case study, 4850
realization plans, 21, 22, 69 leadership style, 99101
tangible, 37, 38 Communication, 1112
Best practices, 61, 131, 151 among project managers, 145
Black box programs, 38 of bad news, 40, 166167

201
202Index

of benefits, 106, 107 D

clarity in, 26, 153
consistency of, 153 Dark leadership
derogatory comments, 10, 63, 104, 170 to improve ethics, 95, 96
forms of, 66 leveraging approach, 95, 9899
frequency, 26 in negative organizations, 9596
honesty in, 153154, 166167 and personal vision, 96
multidirectional, 151154 potential issues with, 95, 96
opening channels of, 49, 53, 66, 152 short-term use, 98
with outsourced teams, 70 types of, 9698
plans, 38, 66, 105, 106 use of intimidation, 93
poor, 146 Decision-making
resource needs, 133, 134 authority, 154155
respectful, 153 boundaries, 22
sharing concerns, 101 by consensus, 158
to stakeholders, 38, 66, 104, 106, 120 empowering team in, 90, 111
within teams, 152, 153 by executive leadership, 69
Competition, 69, 138, 173174 and personal values, 114, 115
Compliance, 42 Denver International Airport, 43
Compromise, 174 Discrimination, 10
Conflict; see also Conflict resolution Diversity, 4, 70
nature of, 169, 170 Dreamliner (Boeing), 3
negative, 12, 53, 86, 143, 169
path of, 171
positive, 67, 169 E
short-term, 78 Earned value analysis (EVA), 111, 136, 146
stages for unresolved, 171 Elements of Psychology (Hewett), 74
using to build team, 159160 Emotional intelligence, 112
Conflict resolution, 12, 152 Empathy, 97, 112, 113
approaches to, 172, 173174
An Empirical Investigation of the
assertiveness versus cooperation, 172
Antecedents, Behaviors, and
management intervention, 173, 174
Outcomes of Bad Leadership,
and mutual interests, 173, 174
1518
program managers role in, 170
Employees, see Team members
Contingency plans, 158
Empowered Teams (Wellins, Byham,
Continuous improvement, 4, 158
Cost overruns, 24, 146 Wilson), 152
Creativity Entrepreneurship, 62
and conflict, 169 Estimates at completion (EACs), 146
in dynamic teams, 157, 182 Estimates to completion (ETCs), 146, 147
and goals, 160 Ethical leadership, 116
and job security, 77 Ethics; see also Values
and leadership style, 85, 88, 110, 130 behaviors, 116
stunting, 72, 79 corporate meltdown of, 93
Credibility, 113 and dark leaders, 95, 96
Crises, 9394 neutrality on, 117
Critical path methods (CPM), 28, 29, 30 organizational norms, 96
Cultural diversity, 70 situational definition of, 112
Cultural norms, 71 teaching, 112
 Index203

Executive leadership performance orientation, 162163

priorities, 69 using SMART, 161
using command-and-control style, 48 Governance, 4143
waning support, 144 framework of, 182183
External influences and information collection, 187
factors, 65, 67 program manager role, 182
incorporating into program, 67, 68 record keeping, 68
researching in planning stage, 6869 as support, 186187
running interference on, 65, 66, 67 value of, 111
External negotiations, 66 Governmental environments, 78
External processes, 6768 Great-man theory, 8283
A Guide to Program Management Body of
F Knowledge (PMBOK), 5

Failures
becoming inured to, 98 H
and blame, 63, 73, 85, 97 Hawthorne study, 86
examples of, 3, 63 Healthcare, 68
fear of, 62 Hewett, E., 74
learning from past mistakes, 105, 106 Hierarchical structures, 62
predicting, 9
Hierarchy of needs, 7577
reasons for, 2, 3, 21, 25, 144
High-performing teams, 8, 141, 182; see
taking responsibility for, 40
also Goals
transitioning to operational
achievement of results, 157
management, 43
authority, 154155
Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI), 3
characteristics of, 157159
Feminity, 100
communication, 151154, 158, 159
Freud, S., 72, 74
conflict leveraging, 159160
decision-making approach, 158
G definition of, 141
Gantt, Henry, 28 direction, 150
Gantt charts, 29, 30 diverse talents, 155
Gap analysis, 37 meetings of, 158159
Gender roles, 100 member qualities, 130
Geographic diversity, 4, 70 mutual accountability, 131
Goals mutual support, 156
achievability, 61, 161, 162 operating philosophies, 158
altruistic, 117 roles and responsibilities in, 151, 157
clearly defined, 150, 160, 161 shared purpose, 150
common, 9, 11, 25, 59, 88 sharing leadership role, 158
communicating, 59 synergy, 158
and creativity, 160 trust, 156
identifying, 20 Hofstede, G., 99
for individuals, 151
measuring performance, 162
I
motivating, 150151, 162
organizational, 36 Individualism, 99
Goal-setting theory, 161162 Infighting, 25, 78
204Index

Information passive-aggressive, 9798

availability, 41 physical characteristics, 111, 112
collection, 187 rising to challenges, 87
disclosing to teams, 19, 166 risk taking, 61
sharing, 138 role of, 17, 56, 58, 60
use by program manager, 187 self-actualization, 4
Innovation, 9, 48, 62; see also Creativity self-centered, 117
and goals, 160 self-confidence, 113
public acknowledgment, 73 skills, 56, 60, 109
Institute of Electrical and Electronics spectrum of, 88
Engineers (IEEE), 32 traits of, 8, 10, 55, 5758, 108, 111
Instrumental values, 115 value of, 7, 15
Internal entrepreneurship, 62 Leadership, 5354
Interruptions, 68, 69, 79 bad, 1517, 18, 6263, 93, 94, 147
IT departments, 10 barriers to, 108
IT Infrastructure Library (ITIL), 2 choosing a style, 5455, 80, 82, 119
creating work environment, 73
definition, 8, 9, 55
J
description of, 56, 58
Job security, 74, 76, 77 effectiveness, 58, 60
versus management, 9, 57, 59
negative, 93
K
researchers of, 81
Katzenback, J.R., 131 research on, 54
Knowledge areas, 32 result of, 57
Knowledge sharing, 138 shaping organizations, 96
styles, 8182, 113
and team development, 128
L
theories, 53, 8183
Language barriers, 70 through intimidation, 93
Leaders; see also Ethics; Values value measurement, 60
born versus made, 55, 81, 8283 and vision, 56
choosing to be, 78 Leadership study, 1518
codependent, 97 Legal issues, 6869
competencies, 112 Life cycle management
compulsive, 96 for programs, 43, 182, 183
demonstrable attributes, 112 for projects, 31
evaluating, 53, 55, 58, 60, 109 Light leadership, 9395, 96
expectations of, 54 Locke, E., 161
ineffective, 6263, 147 Logistics, 28, 30
integrity, 112
interpersonal skills, 16, 78, 107
M
level in organization, 56, 58, 60, 94
versus managers, 56, 57, 58, 59 Management
managing emotions, 74 competencies, 59
morality of, 78 impact on organizations, 11, 16, 17, 18
motivating others, 58 versus leadership, 9, 57, 59
narcissistic, 97 midstream changes in, 148149
paranoid, 97 as obstacle, 2
 Index205

principles of, 33 and morale, 165

proactive, 158 rewards and punishments, 83, 84, 85
top-down, 62 self-deception, 7475
Managerial leadership, see Transactional tools for improving, 166
leadership unconscious drivers, 74, 75
Managers; see also Program managers; and values, 116
Project managers Multifactor Leadership Questionnaire
credentials, 31 (MLQ), 91
functions of, 60
ineffective, 9, 1011, 16, 57, 6263
O
versus leaders, 56, 57, 58, 59
as obstacles, 2 Objectives, see Goals; Organizational
promotion of, 16 objectives
Mars Polar Lander, 3 Obstacles, 4, 7
Masculinity, 100 ignoring by executives, 48
Maslow, A., 74, 75, 76, 77 overcoming, 108
Measurement Operational control, 22, 61
of employees and motivation, 86 Organizational culture; see also Work
of leader effectiveness, 53, 55, 109 environment
of success, 47 as barrier, 61, 67
Meetings dimensions of, 99100
effectively running, 147, 158159 impact on behavior, 71, 77
kick-off, 106 impact on unconscious, 75
program manager involvement, 145, importance of understanding, 78, 79
147 and shared values, 117
with project managers, 145 strong versus weak, 99
with stakeholders, 106 types of, 100
team, 45, 70, 146, 150, 158159 working within versus changing, 78,
Methodology, 25, 33, 67, 131, 151 110
Moral altruism, 117 Organizational objectives
Morale, 11, 16, 17, 48 alignment to, 36, 61, 162
and anxiety, 72 and partnering, 138
and attrition rates, 138, 165 prioritizing, 46
external influences, 66 team contribution to, 50, 134, 150
low, 165 Organizational support, 37
tools for improving, 166 Outsourcing, 70
Morals; see also Ethics; Values Overruns, 24, 146
and humans needs satisfaction, 76, 78 Overtime, 136, 137
of leaders, 78, 107
Motivation, 11; see also Organizational
P
culture
being measured, 86 Partners, 138
drivers, 72, 74 Performance data, 45
and esteem, 76 Performance measurement, 136137, 138,
and human needs, 7577 146
on individual basis, 7374 Personal growth, 85
intrinsic, 8, 82, 88, 91, 130 PERT (Program Evaluation Review
and job security, 74 Technique), 29, 30
losses, 16 Planning stage, 31, 68, 186
206Index

PMBOK, 5, 32, 184 characteristics of successful, 9192, 93

PMBOK Guide, 31, 32 driving productivity, 181183
Political agendas, 104, 105 establishing authority, 42
Portfolio managers, 46, 47 focus of, 46
Portfolios, 46, 47 future state envisioning, 37, 38
Power distance, 99 interaction with team, 105, 150
PRINCE2 (PRojects IN Controlled level of confidence, 41
Environments), 32, 33 leveraging governance, 186187
Principles of management, 33 long-term visioning, 119
The Principles of Scientific Management management skills, 182
(Taylor), 83 managing project managers, 45, 128,
Priorities 133, 134
of executive leadership, 69, 144 meetings with external groups, 104,
and resources, 34 105
Proactive management, 158 observing teams, 134135
Problem solving responsibilities, 34, 37, 46, 78, 182
by high-performing teams, 158, 159 understanding environment, 103104
in team building activities, 129 Program objectives, 2
in team development, 129 Programs; see also Vision
and team performance, 131 changes to, 185
Processes
closeout process, 183
compliance, 42
definition of, 3334
external, 6768
end state, 24
formal, 181
expectations around outcomes, 22
inputs/outputs, 31
initiation, 31
internal, 67
life cycle management, 43, 182, 183
Procurement processes, 6768
measuring success, 186
Productivity, 28
monitoring, 186
and awareness of measures, 86
losses, 16 nonproject work, 42, 45, 46
rewarding, 84, 85, 86 restarting, 2425, 105106
role of program manager, 181183 results, 24
and team development, 127, 128 scope, 185
Professional credentials, 31 transitioning to operational
Program closure, 43, 183 management, 43, 61
Program Control Board (PCB), 79 understanding of benefits, 22
Program governance, 4143, 68, 111 Program sponsors, 21
Program initiation, 31 Progress reports, 38, 42
Program management, 2 Project coordinators, 148
driving project management, 184 Projections to completion, 69
as function of productivity, 181183 Project life cycle, 31
history, 3335 Project management
knowledge areas, 32 definition, 27
main domains, 3536, 49 governance as support for
processes, 25, 31, 32, 181 history, 2733
professional credentials in, 31, 33 versus program management, 185186
versus project management, 185186 to support program objectives, 43
Program managers through program management, 184
alienating others, 42, 49 training in, 7
 Index207

Project Management Institute (PMI), 2, Rewards, 83, 84, 85, 87, 166
5, 6 Rework, 24
establishment of, 30 Risk assessment, 19
following standards, 184 Risks
professional certifications, 30, 31 communicating, 20, 90, 184
Project managers identification, 66, 184, 187
communication between, 145 project managers role with, 45
managing risk, 45 taken by dynamic teams, 157
myopic focus, 46 taken by leaders, 61
relationship with team members, 45 Risk tolerance, 9, 15, 72, 99
and team development, 128129 Road construction project, 119120
Project momentum, 42 Root-cause analyses, 7, 38, 103
Project plans, 45 Rumors, 94, 166
Projects
cancellations, 24
S
changes to, 46, 79, 185
defined benefits of, 24 Schedules
definition of, 5, 6, 27, 34 and change, 147, 185
driving force behind, 48 managing, 46, 59, 136
life cycle management, 31 overruns, 24
measuring success, 186 Scientific methodology, 28, 83
monitoring, 186 Scope
scope, 185 changes to, 46, 185
stakeholders in, 35 constraints, 46
vision of, 23, 24 programs versus projects, 185
PROMPTII standard, 32 Scope creep, 24, 66, 145146
Psychoanalysis, 71 Self-actualization, 4, 7677
Self-deception, 7475
Self-esteem, 76
R
Simpact Systems Ltd, 32
RACI chart (Responsible, Accountable, Situational leadership, 2, 82
Consulted, Informed), 128 approach, 104
Recognition, 151, 166 basic assumption of, 101
Records critics of, 101, 103
audits, 68 going out of comfort zone, 101, 110
updating, 68 leadership traits, 108110
Redundancies, 24 learning from past mistakes, 105106
Regulatory issues, 6869 role of program manager, 103105
Reporting, 38, 42, 183 situational factors, 107
Resources supporters of, 101
allocation, 28, 29, 133134 types of environments, 102
assigning additional, 68 understanding the environment,
effective use of, 62 103104
program-level, 45 SMART methodology, 161
staff as, 11 Smith, D.K., 131
Respect, 76 Social dynamics, 71
Responsibility assignment matrix (RAM), Social norms, 71
128 Social skills, 112
Return on investment, 40, 69, 148 Software development, 10, 2324
208Index

Spend to date rates, 69 leadership involvement in, 127, 128

Sponsors, 40, 144 with outsourced teams, 70
Stakeholders, 6567 project manager role, 129
addressing concerns of, 4243, 104 speed through stages, 125, 126
buy-in, 106 stages of, 125, 126127
communicating vision to, 22 Team meetings, 45, 70, 146, 150, 158159
communicating with, 38, 39, 66, 104, Team members
106, 120 backup strategies for, 133, 151
community make-up, 3839, 66 competition between, 86, 87
complaints of, 66 development, 160
confidence, 41 getting to know each other, 129
disparate, 78, 79, 138 in high-performing teams, 130
expectations of, 22, 39, 40, 105, 149 human needs of, 7577
informing of benefit realization, 46, 66 part-time, 133
management, 3940 previous team experiences, 129
pain points, 3738 resentment in, 125
progress reporting to, 38 roles and responsibilities in, 151, 157
for a project, 35 stakeholder interaction, 79
requests by, 66, 104, 137 strengths and weaknesses, 155,
source for risk identification, 66 157158
trust of, 39
training, 151, 160
understanding, 24
treating as individuals, 73, 77
The Standard for Program Management, 5
trust between, 127
Standards, 2, 6, 3233, 131
work ethic, 130
Status quo, 73, 74
Team performance
Status reports, 38, 42, 110, 111
complementary skills, 132
Steering committees, 106
credit for success, 40
Strategic objectives, 2, 36, 138
goals, 130
Strategic planning, 144
Strategy alignment, 36, 46, 109, 182 leveraging standards, 131
Subject matter experts, 2, 68, 70, 139, 145 measurement, 136137, 138, 146
Success work approaches, 131
barriers to, 61 and work environment, 130131
celebrating, 138 Teams; see also High-performing teams;
defining, 20, 21 Team development
factors, 78, 47 bringing project changes to, 67
keys to, 3, 4 cohesiveness, 11, 54, 100, 162
measuring, 7, 47 collocating, 67
passing to team, 40 communication, 1112
rewarding, 138, 151 confidence in leader, 113, 114
Supervision, 85 early involvement, 20
ensuring support for, 104
evaluation of, 134135
T experimentation in, 157
Taylor, Frederick, 28, 83 geographically diverse, 4, 70
Team building, 129 inclusion of disparate groups,
Team development, 5, 132 138139
assigning responsibilities, 128 informing, 19, 20
leadership approaches to, 129, 130 needs of, 108
 Index209

operating in a bubble, 67, 73, 102, 165, versus transactional, 90

194 Transitional leadership, 91
support from leader, 108 Trust, 73
Technology changes, 147148 among team members, 76, 127, 156
Terminal values, 115116 and information sharing, 19
A Theory of Human Motivation of stakeholders, 39
(Maslow), 74, 75 Tuchman, Bruce, 126
Time differences, 70
Tools, 6, 31, 32
Training U
in program management, 7 Uncertainty avoidance, 99
for team members, 132, 134, 143, 160
Trait theories
arrogance, 113 V
basis of, 111 Values
competencies, 112113 alignment, 115, 116
ethical behavior, 112 and behavior, 115, 116
on honesty, 109 and decision-making, 114, 115
intelligence, 113 definition, 115
leadership traits, 108109, 111 internalization, 116
self-confidence, 113 and motivation, 116
trainability of traits, 108
shared versus unconscious, 117
Transactional leadership
types, 115
assumptions regarding employees,
for wellness, 116
84
Values-based leadership, 114115, 117
business models used in, 8485, 86
Virtual Case File Program (FBI), 3
and creativity, 85
Vision
and ethical behavior, 116, 117
agreement on, 23, 25
exchanges, 85, 8687
clearly defined, 21, 2223, 25
leader traits, 8586
and motivation, 83 communicating, 21, 22, 25, 26, 150
need for rules, 85 contributions to, 20, 25, 50
production/performance model, 83 and decision-making, 22
rewards and punishments, 84, 85 evolution, 21, 23
short term use, 84, 91 first step in developing, 20
situational effectiveness, 85 lack of, 25
for teams, 87 and leadership, 56
techniques, 84 long-term, 119
versus transformational, 90 ownership in, 25
Transformational leadership of project, 24
driving change, 89 short-term, 9
frameworks for, 91 statement, 2021
leader behaviors, 88, 89 for teams, 8, 107
leader traits, 9192, 93 understanding of, 19, 38, 150
measuring level on spectrum, 91
moral altruism of, 117
W
relationship to followers, 88
situations for using, 88 Weber, Max, 83, 91
on spectrum, 8788 Wellins, R., 152
210Index

Wilson, J., 152 fear of reprisals, 40, 73

The Wisdom of Teams (Katzenback & formal versus informal, 130131
Smith), 131 healthy, 53, 73
Work environment hostile, 9, 10, 63, 77, 102, 130
allowing for mistakes, 90, 130 and leadership style, 54, 55
anxiety in, 72, 73 negative impacts, 72
challenging, 79, 80 positive, 79, 80, 166
collaborative, 174 safe, 41
demoralizing, 77, 78, 194 and sharing of information, 130