Ultimately, program managers are judged on results. Creating a positive program culture that facilitates excellent project management should produce excellent results. Having the correct program manager attributes, knowing how to manage stakeholders, implementing the most effective program process strategy, deploying good execution processes, building strong program teams, planning well-organized program communication processes, performing change management, ensuring thorough risk management, and linking the program to organizational strategy are pathways to program clarity and success.
This 5 part Guide to Positive Program Outcomes helps you assess the success of your programs.
Part 1 of 5: Creating Positive Customer Satisfaction
Part 2 of 5: Institutionalize Plagiarism
Part 3 of 5: Program Performance Analysis Metrics
Part 4 of 5: Program Performance Analysis Judgment
Part 5 of 5: Closing Thoughts
Part 2 of 5: Institutionalize Plagiarism
It is important for the program manager to create an environment of plagiarism. I don’t mean plagiarism in the usual sense of stealing someone else’s words or ideas but in the sense of mature and disciplined organizations copying and institutionalizing what has proved to be effective. The program manager must do this on a personal and organizational level. One Fortune 50 company instills this with a program it calls SWIPE (steal with integrity, pride, and enthusiasm). The company uses the SWIPE mantra to communicate that people should be on the lookout for good ideas and better methods. When you find them, be humble enough to use them provided that their use does not compromise your or the organization’s integrity.
Tip
A television program highlighted a company that gave an annual award for the best copied idea. There is nothing wrong with creativity, but human beings have been on the planet a long time. Make use of all that prior creativity and knowledge.
Over the course of your career, you will do many different tasks. Whenever you come across something that screams quality and excellent work, be sure to keep it. This also applies to people. As a program manager you should keep up with high-quality people. Whenever you come across them in or outside your company, get their contact information and stay in touch with them. On an organizational level, tell your project managers to always be on the lookout for best practices they can copy from suppliers, customers, and other stakeholders.
Tip
Be very careful about what you reward. Look for unintended consequences of the reward and adjust accordingly. Rewarding simplicity and copying good ideas takes the program in a positive direction.
Once your team has decided on their plan and process, PPM software can help you execute that process. WorkOtter helps you successfully execute your program process strategy for project success. Get a demo of WorkOtter and see how we can make your program management effective.
“The Handbook of Program Management: How to Facilitate Project Success with Optimal Program Management, Second Edition” by James T. Brown is a copyrighted work of McGraw-Hill and McGraw-Hill reserves all rights in and to the Content. ©2014 by McGraw-Hill Education. on Amazon.