In my work with project and program managers (see all the various titles below), I always recommend they clarify their project or program boundaries: drivers, constraints, and floats when they start the effort. But in a recent coaching call, I realized there's another question I use a lot, especially with sponsors:
When do you want to learn any bad news?
I encourage these project and program managers to take any of these answers:
- As soon as I know, before I've done anything
- After I've done some problem-diagnosing, but I'm worried about fixing
- When I have no more ideas and I need help.
I don't know anyone who wants to hear bad news. But the people who can answer this question, the sponsors/stakeholders/managers, anyone “up” the hierarchy? They really hate surprises.
So, ask them first. Clarify when they want to hear your bad news. Because if you manage any effort with risk, regardless of your title, you will have bad news at some point.
Avoid surprises before you start. Enlist their help when you need it.
My coaching clients have all kinds of titles:
- More traditional titles: project manager, program manager
- Agile-ing those titles: agile project manager, agile program manager
- Specifically “agile” titles: Scrum Master, Senior Scrum Master, Delivery Chief, Release Master.
If you have another or “better” title, I'd love to know what it is. And if you, too, want some coaching this year, see Your Personal Trusted Advisor.