Dear Ammar,

I am writing out of sheer frustration so please allow me to vent.  I have been working as a project manager on a tough project in a challenging environment that included a demanding client and a complex structure of team members and suppliers.  My team and I were able to pull through and deliver successfully against all odds.  At the beginning of the project, everybody was talking about how critical and difficult this project is.  Even the general manager stopped by my office and gave me a speech on how I need to pull this one through for the company’s sake and how I have his full support.  Now that the project was delivered successfully, I was surprised to hear the general manager refer to the project as a “no brainer” and an easy project that we “lucked out” on.  This is not the first time this happens; at my company, when a project is delivered successfully, that means the project was so easy.  However, if it fails, that means that the project manager and the team were incompetent.  I hear from fellow project managers working for other companies of similar attitudes from their management.  This really takes a bite out of the team members’ morale and commitment to future projects. 

Why does this happen, and how can I prevent it in the future?

Regards,

H.Z.

Dear H,

I understand your frustration and assure you that you are not alone. This unfortunately happens in companies everywhere, not only in Jordan.

A project manager’s job is to make the work so organized and well planned that it looks almost like a “no brainer” during execution.  This unfortunately gets interpreted by the inexperienced eye as an easy project, instead of a well run project.

As a consultant, I have witnessed first hand this behavior at client organizations.  One incident was from the famous year 2000 projects, or what is referred to as the Y2K.  As the year went by without any major incidents, skeptics came back wondering if the whole issue was worth the trouble.  They said that the money was wasted on a simple project that was a “no brainer.”  Regardless of whether such claims are true or not does not take away from the great efforts of teams who worked on Y2K. 

Another example I saw locally while helping an organization implement better project management processes.  I was not the project manager, but as a consultant I was watching the implementation very closely.  The pilot project was finished in one fourth the time and less than half the cost it took to do its predecessors, thanks to the dedication and remarkable work of the project manager and the team.  But management had a different idea.  Instead of attributing success to the great efforts of the team and the project manager who implemented best in class technical and management practices, they felt that maybe the project was not as hard this time.  It was too easy, and that is why it finished fast and at less cost.  Maybe the suppliers were cooperative, the market was ready, management helped, we got lucky, and several other reasons, but they would not accept the straight forward answer that the project manager and the team did a great job. 

One of the reasons for this behavior comes from an old management midwives’ tale that too much complimenting the team will “spoil them.”  This cannot be farther from the truth.  Being ungrateful to the team will lead to less commitment and loyalty to the organization and management.  Giving credit is one of the best motivators to team members.  It beats even bonuses and raises. 

Another reason for this behavior is the lack of ability to deal with success.  While most managers are used to so much fire fighting and heroic disaster recovery action, most forget how to celebrate success.  This leads to a very boring working place.  Sometimes a low level of self confidence and negative self image would lead to such behavior.  A manager who feels that he is not good enough to celebrate a success will feel that the team also cannot be good enough. 

There are psychological factors related to human nature that also come into play.  When the project success was out of reach, it was attractive and important.  Once it is achieved, it is not as attractive or good any more.  Always, anything we have not achieved will be luring and once we have it, it is not enough and we want more.  This is implied in many human motivational theories.

To overcome the situation, maybe it would be better if one is not be so dependent on management for acknowledgement and acceptance.  You have done a great job and you know it.  Now, help your team see it by celebrating success with them, and recognizing the great job they have done.  On top of motivating the team and helping them feel good about their achievement, you will also stand a better chance of pulling out the recognition from management for the great work. 

Remember that the best reward for a good job is the self fulfillment and the learning.  The raise or the bonus is a company decision; it is not a judgment on you or your efforts.  Sometimes management makes mistakes.  This does not reflect on your success or the benefits you got from your experience.  Just by being on a successful project, you have increased your knowledge, skills, and abilities, which in turn increases your value to your company and to the world as a matter of fact.  If the company does not appreciate the value they are getting, rest assured that other companies will be ready and willing to do so.

Another important point is to remember to market your project to your stakeholders.  This is part of your responsibility as a project manager.  At the beginning of the project devise a marketing plan that will help all stakeholders buy into the project and recognize its achievements.  Your plan should include providing information about progress and success stories throughout the project, in addition to highlighting the benefits of the project to the company and other stakeholders.  This will increase appreciation of the project and the team, in addition to ensuring that you and your project have the necessary support and backing of management.

At project completion, always do a project closure meeting, inviting to it management and team members, highlighting lessons learned and celebrating project success.

One final suggestion to solve this problem on future projects, bring the issue of recognition up at the beginning of the project.  If you feel your team should be given incentives for successful completion, discuss that with management.  Also, work with them to define clearly what successful project completion means.  This way you stand a better chance of getting recognition at project completion for a job well done. 

Good Luck,

Ammar