By: Jennie Fowler, Global Director, Project Management Office | 03/31/2021 |
Three questions:
- Q: How does Percepta define ‘Impact’ as it relates to an employee benchmark that leaders measure engagement by?
A: As an employee, I receive regular recognition for my achievements. - Q: How does Webster’s dictionary define ‘Impact’?
A: a significant or major effect - Q: What is Percepta’s Global Project Management Office “GPMO” advice to drive ‘Impact’ in 2021?
Answer to #3:
Percepta’s Global PMO is structured very similarly to what the industry calls an Enterprise Project Management Office “EPMO”. In turn, our Project Manager(s) guide a wide variety of changes over the globe. We have project management staff in the US, Canada, South Africa and other areas. As with any department, it is essential to realize that one size does not fit all as it relates to recognition. Here comes the phrase you all are waiting for….. Emotional Intelligence! Yes, EQ! As a PMO Leader, it takes more than skill to recognize another person in a way that’s meaningful to them… it takes will too.
Below is some humble advice I offer as useful for PMO Leaders (and really ANY leader) on how to get yourself prepared to recognize others in a fashion that is IMPACTFUL and appreciated by others.
- Put your mask on before helping others (like you are on an airplane) 😊:
Have you PERSONALLY taken any behavior assessments to better understand YOURSELF? Great tools in this area are: Myers Briggs, DiSC Profile, Gallup’s StrengthsFinders (CliftonStrengths)… and many more. YOU are the best investment that you have! I strongly encourage you to take the time to study not only the way you perceive yourself… but, how others perceive you. And, take inventory of your verifiable behavior strengths… along with the behavior opportunities you may have. Leaders come in all forms. And, for some – it’s very natural to regularly recognize other people. Whereas others (and this is not a bad thing) – it’s not necessarily natural to provide recognition. It’s not always easy to have self-awareness of this potential blind spot as a leader. So, this maybe you…. and, there may be some work to do on the will to embrace changes in your behavior.
Can you recognize your employees without doing these assessments? Of course, you can! However, if you want to take this to the next level and be the boss that no one ever wants to leave…. Go for it!
- What do your employees think recognition is?
This is where the one size does not fit all mindset comes in. For example: Please do not give me another coffee mug! Over the last decade, I’ve accumulated dozens of these! And, I don’t drink coffee (never have). HA! Please don’t confuse my example as being ungrateful. As leaders, we should find ways to ensure we IMPACT our employee’s recognition in a significant way. Have your employees also taken behavior assessments like in #1 above and shared the results with you? This is a priceless tool to help you learn (what may take you years to otherwise) how to best communicate with each other and verifiable gaps you can have awareness of upfront. And, outside of the assessments, I strongly encourage good ‘ole team building. Even in the virtual world – there are tons of ways to get to know each other as real people. The will here is to connect with the other person to determine ways to recognize them in an impactful way that is valued by them. - What do you expect your employees to achieve? Is this clear?
Outside of the regular job description…. How much time as a leader are you investing to mentor/coach your staff? Professional baseball players have coaches – even some of the highest-paid athletes in the world still get coaching / mentoring. Being a leader is ALL about teamwork really – and YOU may be the Coach! If you are in a leadership capacity, pour into others to help them reach their goals. Examples of expectations could be: 1) Role and Responsibilities clearly defined; 2) Clear goals with lead/lag measures; 3) Documented career progression paths in your department; 4) have employees document their own personal 10-year ‘ish development goals (one-pager); and many When what is expected of employees is clear, it is easier to recognize when they make achievements. And, I’ll give you a freebie here: Please recognize the milestones along the way. For example: Some projects may last months, even years. It’s important to give feedback along the way. Even the simple ‘Thank You’ and ‘Good Job’ can go a long way. No one wants to get feedback only at the end of a really long project.
In closing, as a PMO Leader, my department manages and influences change. In my travels finding really great Project Management talent can be challenging. In turn, we/I do find it – I strive for that valuable talent to want to stay and grow here with Percepta. So, for me, the above are truly values I lead by. In an effort to humbly show some vulnerability, I’m willing to share my assessment info with you all. My Myers Briggs is: ENFJ. My DiSC Profile is high I (S & D secondary). One of my top Gallup Strengths is: being strategic. Of course, these assessments don’t tell you who I am – but, they are very, very, very close in my behavior and communication styles. These tools have helped me tremendously in learning over the years how to bend and be flexible to communicate with others, not like me. As we continue in 2021 here with Percepta’s GPMO, the will to impact EQ awareness within our Project Management teams is key to recognize them as the rock stars I know they can be!