Comments on: How Can I Have the Responsibility Without the Authority? http://www.pmhut.com/how-can-i-have-the-responsibility-without-the-authority Sun, 12 Feb 2012 03:51:13 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=abc hourly 1 By: Dennis Brooke http://www.pmhut.com/how-can-i-have-the-responsibility-without-the-authority/comment-page-1#comment-23013 Dennis Brooke Fri, 23 Jul 2010 17:06:50 +0000 http://www.pmhut.com/?p=5767#comment-23013 The time issue Mark brings up is really key. I've seen too many deadlines established without team input and buy in. If I get the time estimate from the user with their managers buy-in my odds of success go way up. As a new PM I was too willing to give into the arbitrary deadlines or give them an estimated date without team input. After making that mistake a few times I realized it was the true road to ruin and learned how to firmly say, "I'll get back to you on the date." The time issue Mark brings up is really key. I’ve seen too many deadlines established without team input and buy in. If I get the time estimate from the user with their managers buy-in my odds of success go way up.
As a new PM I was too willing to give into the arbitrary deadlines or give them an estimated date without team input. After making that mistake a few times I realized it was the true road to ruin and learned how to firmly say, “I’ll get back to you on the date.”

]]> By: Laura Bamberg http://www.pmhut.com/how-can-i-have-the-responsibility-without-the-authority/comment-page-1#comment-22924 Laura Bamberg Tue, 20 Jul 2010 18:15:48 +0000 http://www.pmhut.com/?p=5767#comment-22924 I really liked this part: Nevertheless, probably the most important step in the project management process is not to agree to the time, cost and objectives until you have buy-in from your project team that the work is accomplishable within the TCO constraints given to you. I'm not agreeing that the team has to totally buy-in; I think there are times the pm has to put his/her foot down and the team has to roll with it, but the fact is that the team is doing the work, not the sponsor or the stakeholders. Their estimates might be wrong, but they're probably closer to reality than anyone outside the team. I really liked this part:

Nevertheless, probably the most important step in the project management process is not to agree to the time, cost and objectives until you have buy-in from your project team that the work is accomplishable within the TCO constraints given to you.

I’m not agreeing that the team has to totally buy-in; I think there are times the pm has to put his/her foot down and the team has to roll with it, but the fact is that the team is doing the work, not the sponsor or the stakeholders. Their estimates might be wrong, but they’re probably closer to reality than anyone outside the team.

]]> By: Bill Arneson http://www.pmhut.com/how-can-i-have-the-responsibility-without-the-authority/comment-page-1#comment-22916 Bill Arneson Tue, 20 Jul 2010 12:30:32 +0000 http://www.pmhut.com/?p=5767#comment-22916 Great post, this is the real issue facing many project managers, especially new PM's without established relationships. I have found some good ways to handle project teams through John Kotter's books on Leading Change and The Heart of Change. Great post, this is the real issue facing many project managers, especially new PM’s without established relationships. I have found some good ways to handle project teams through John Kotter’s books on Leading Change and The Heart of Change.

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