Three new books for project and programme managers

Three new books written by our CEO Melanie Franklin and our Lead Trainer Susan Tuttle have just been published to help project managers with the so-called 'softer' skills of effective communication, leadership and team management.

Susan says, "Our delegates work in different sectors and diverse organisations but they often face very similar issues. Many of our delegates need help with leadership issues, working effectively in teams and influencing stakeholders."

One of the most interesting aspects of project management, Susan says, is the dynamic of having to influence people who do not report directly to you. "Getting people to make the work you need a priority is challenging when they have other things to do. Understanding the dynamics of what motivates people is very important for programme and project managers."

Melanie agrees: "Effective management is not just about being able to apply budgetary constraints or running projects to time. There are more subtle skills which can have a huge effect on successful outcomes. Our new books have been written with programme and project managers in mind, to enable them to better understand the issues surrounding these important skills."

The books are called:

Communication skills for project and programme managers
Leadership skills for project and programme managers
Team management skills for project and programme managers

Communication skills for project and programme managers

At its core, communication during a project is a process of managing stakeholders, including team members as well those outside the project who are affected by the project or its outcome. By managing these groups or individuals through effective communication an environment of trust and collaboration can ensue. Without stakeholder buy-in the project may have to contend with unnecessary misunderstandings and strained relationships, which can contribute to the ultimate failure of the project.

Melanie says: "Getting communication right requires effort and patience, but it is not difficult if we follow some simple principles. This book gives an overview of these basic 'rules' of communication and shows how these can be applied to typical situations. The information is structured around a common project lifecycle and examines the different relationships and communication priorities of the main players in any project, including the sponsor, the project manager, the project team, the users, the suppliers and the audit or assurance function."

Leadership skills for project and programme managers

Whilst project management techniques provide a structure for planning, monitoring and controlling projects, little is offered in terms of people management and the experiences associated with the type of matrix management that is common within projects. This book looks at how leadership activities can provide help in addressing these complex issues, using examples and anecdotes covering the full project lifecycle.

Susan says: "This book is for those responsible for persuading, motivating and energising their colleagues to get started on a piece of work, convince them that they are heading in the right direction, or encourage them to see how their work fits into the bigger picture. The book describes situations where the need for leadership manifests itself within a project or programme, and uses examples to illustrate how effective leadership within this environment can be demonstrated. It is of most use for those managers who wish to enhance their skill set and develop confidence to effectively deal with the increasing interpersonal and communications demand that arise through the organisation of work into projects and programmes."

Team management skills for project and programme managers

Anyone working on a project will know the excitement of working together to achieve a common goal, but will also have been frustrated by the myriad of problems that can result from working with colleagues drawn from across the host organisation and any supplier organisations. Too often, project staff are given no training in team management because they do not have formal line management responsibilities and do not have teams reporting to them on the organisation chart. However, it could be argued that the team management responsibilities of project and programme managers, or sponsors are so much greater than a standard management role.

Melanie says: "This book has been written for anyone involved in team management within projects and programmes. It explores how the management of these teams is reliant on the power of the relationships that are established between the leader of the team and the team members, and the relationships that operate between the team members independently of the relationship with the team leader."

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