The SC-meeting
Monday and back at work after a nice and relaxing weekend. This week is interesting in more than one way. In the infrastructure-project we have fairly extensive performance-test and the steering committee meeting. In the other project (The “3rd party packaged”-project) we will send out a RFI (Request For Information) to a number of companies in the North America.
I had the Steering Committee meeting today Monday and I’m satisfied with the meeting and also with outcome of the meeting. I were in no need of any major decision from the meeting today so the character of the meeting was more of reporting-character. The progress in the Infrastructure-project is good and according to plan so there where no major issues to resolve either.
There are also a couple of things that You as a Pm needs to think about when it comes to SC-meetings.
Most important are;
* Come prepared to the meetings.
What do you need from the SC-meeting? Think about that and prepare accordingly. Have backup slides ready. It is always impressive to say be able to answer a unprepared question with a prepared slide.
* Always tell the truth
Do NOT, and I repeat, Do Not lie in the SC-meeting. The truth will always catch up with you. And, that my dear friends, will not be pleasant.
* Give the decision-makers options
The people who should take the decisions need alternatives. Try to present at least two alternatives for each needed decision, 3 is even better…if possible.
* Remember the saying: “money talk, bullshit walks…”
Money is in 9/10 times a great argument that in most cases will back your case up if you present it in a good way. “I would like to do like this because we save $ x, etc…”
Another advice is to use the same structure in the presentation every time. That will make the audience to recognize the format and the will more comfortable. A good structure that almost always work is;
- Current situation
Describe the current situation in the project.
- Complications
What kind of problems do we have…with alternatives and suggested solutions.
- Way forward
Present how the project will continue and what the next steps are until the next SC-meeting.
Please let me know if you have any comments or let me know if I can help you in any way.
/ThePM
I had the Steering Committee meeting today Monday and I’m satisfied with the meeting and also with outcome of the meeting. I were in no need of any major decision from the meeting today so the character of the meeting was more of reporting-character. The progress in the Infrastructure-project is good and according to plan so there where no major issues to resolve either.
There are also a couple of things that You as a Pm needs to think about when it comes to SC-meetings.
Most important are;
* Come prepared to the meetings.
What do you need from the SC-meeting? Think about that and prepare accordingly. Have backup slides ready. It is always impressive to say be able to answer a unprepared question with a prepared slide.
* Always tell the truth
Do NOT, and I repeat, Do Not lie in the SC-meeting. The truth will always catch up with you. And, that my dear friends, will not be pleasant.
* Give the decision-makers options
The people who should take the decisions need alternatives. Try to present at least two alternatives for each needed decision, 3 is even better…if possible.
* Remember the saying: “money talk, bullshit walks…”
Money is in 9/10 times a great argument that in most cases will back your case up if you present it in a good way. “I would like to do like this because we save $ x, etc…”
Another advice is to use the same structure in the presentation every time. That will make the audience to recognize the format and the will more comfortable. A good structure that almost always work is;
- Current situation
Describe the current situation in the project.
- Complications
What kind of problems do we have…with alternatives and suggested solutions.
- Way forward
Present how the project will continue and what the next steps are until the next SC-meeting.
Please let me know if you have any comments or let me know if I can help you in any way.
/ThePM
posted by The PM at 8:36 PM
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