Each month Mindavation will offer a template from our Project Templates CD free of charge. Don't miss out on this opportunity!

This month's download is our Stakeholder Analysis Template. This template can be used to record and prioritize the objectives and completion critieria for your project, as detailed by major stakeholders. Being offered in conjunction with this month's article - Beware - Project Power Shifts this template is very useful in resolving conflicts over the priority and objectives for your projects.

The Five Dysfunctions of a Team by Patrick Lencioni

Team building is not about gathering people together and finding a way to have fun. Not lasting team building anyway. Lencioni spins a fantastic leadership fable, indicative of Who Moved My Cheese and Zapp - the Lightning of Empowerment (one of our favorites here at Mindavation). In his story, Lencioni does not pull punches; team building takes perseverance, guts, and unbridled honesty.

The fable tracks the story of a fictional Silicon Valley tech firm that has all the "right" technical talent, but is significantly lagging behind its competition. A new leader takes over, one without significant experience in the industry, and she proceeds to focus on the management team (versus the activities and processes of the company). As you can imagine, the sparks fly - but the new leader perseveres, by deftly exposing the "five dysfunctions" that plague the senior management team at her new firm. Anyone serious about team building needs to read this book. Anyone that feels they are good team builders needs to read this book - there is a "nugget" here for everyone in a quick and entertaining read.

June 19-21, 2006 Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania "Complex IT Project Management"

June 26-28, 2006 Sturbridge, MA "Information Technology Training Conference"

July 20-21, 2006 Denver, Colorado "Managing Integration Projects"

September 21-22, 2006 Richmond, Virginia "Intelligent Disobedience"

Looking for a class to attend? Would you like to meet us face to face? If we are in your area, feel free to contact us to schedule a meeting.

By Bob McGannon, PMP

Engaged project managers who employ strict change processes, in addition to other management disciplines, control their projects in great detail. They confirm requirements, run regular status meetings, and confirm project status is being reported accurately. They employ detailed test planning – even utilize detailed process modeling to ensure technical tools and business process changes are in alignment – and yet the project fails miserably. What is this mystery project killer? The power shifts that result from implementation of project deliverables.

Power shifts – changes in responsibility, accountability, or altered decision making as a result of implementing project deliverables, will often catch major stakeholders unaware. This occurs even if the same stakeholders approved the project requirements. The result of this “surprise” for major stakeholders is a lack of buy-in when the project’s product is implemented. This in turn creates confusion, finger-pointing, and a lack of business benefit realization. There are techniques a project manager can employ to avoid this project doomsday event. A look at some of the common causes of power shifts, and the ways to avoid their impacts, follows here.

Mindavation offers 30 customizable project templates and tools to make your life easier! The CD includes full project lifecycle templates and tools.

Documents are in MS Word, MS Excel, MS Project 2000 (and Adobe). Modify each template to suit YOUR business and project needs.

Price (including shipping & handling): $100