Communication And Project Leadership: The 2009 Model

Last year, I summarized my ideas from 2008 in a post called “Second Turn: Structure For Resilience“. This year I expanded on those ideas, putting more emphasis on communication, culture and the role of the Project Leader. This post is my attempt to summarize the main concepts. It’s a work in process, so feedback is appreciated.

There is a central theme running through my Project Leadership Thoughts: it is impossible to look at a project as an isolated entity. It’s about people and interactions. And interactions happen throughout the entire social network. Every interaction effects another one. In this view you are looking at projects as human complex adaptive systems that use “culture” as their operating system.

In this post we will look first at individual interactions (one-to-one communication), communication in projects and organizations, and the role of the Project Leader.

One-to-one Communication

The purpose of communication (to engage in the act of information exchange) is the fulfillment of one’s physical or emotional needs. If you are tired, you start asking around for a cheap hotel.

The effectiveness of the communication is determined by the quality of the communication channel, the quality of the interaction, if you will. If there is noise on a channel, the effectiveness of communication reduces. If people share identical mental models, the effectiveness increases.

Noise on the channel

The risk of noise on a channel is determined by a need to cheat, and the opportunity to cheat.

The need to cheat arises when there is scarcity; when you get in direct conflict with others when trying to fulfill your needs. If the entire village is competing for the same bed, asking around will probably sent you in the wrong direction.

The opportunity to cheat appears when information can be manipulated, when it is possible to provide wrong information on purpose. If information is not clear, complex or ambiguous the opportunity to cheat increases. When there is no way to verify information, when it is difficult to get feedback the opportunity increases also.

Of course, people are aware of the risk of noise on the channel. We have some build in “trust-filters” that should guard is against cheaters on the line. This works fine as long as people have the perception they can fulfill the needs on their own. However, some people need other people to find e.g. food, water or a bed to sleep. This perceived dependency on others lowers their “trust filters” for information, they are quicker to accept information, they want to believe.

In summary, the “trust filters” are influenced by feedback, transparency, reputation and group association (you might be faster in trusting a priest or a PMP, just by seeing the clothing or the title behind the name).

Congruent Mental Models

If two people have the same view of the their world, hold similar belief systems, in other words, have congruent mental models, they understand each other with ease.

If you want to synchronize your model with that of your conversation partner, you are looking for clues about his believe system, like words, rituals and behavior. You are trying the identify the culture(s) he or she is associated with.

Multi-scale Communication

Interaction between people is not just between two isolated people. Normally you would have a group of people interacting. In a project or larger organization the purpose of communication is the fulfillment of certain goals. Project or organizational goals. The “shared” mental model is the culture. Project culture and organizational culture.

There are similarities between one-to-one and multi-scale communication. By looking at projects as a complex adaptive system, we can make use of the concept of self-similarity.

“In mathematics, a self-similar object is exactly or approximately similar to a part of itself, e.g., the whole has the same shape as one or more of the parts.” (Source :Wikipedia)

For self-similarity to make sense in a project context, we have to include the following view:

• A project is a small organization
• An organization is a small society

Applying the concept of self-similarity this means that behavior and patterns of projects can be found in organizations and society.

So, this means that we are operated by our “shared” mental models. This means our “trust filters” are influenced by feedback, transparency, reputation and group association.

The role of the Project Leader is to align culture (means) and goals.

Elements Of Project Leadership.

The elements of (my version of) Project Leadership are:

• Goals and Means on individual, project and organizational level
• Alignment of goals and means on all levels by communication

Goals

A project has a goal, an objective. This is part of the larger context of the goals of the organization.

Individuals have goals, ambitions, interests. If peoples goals are met, they work happy; if not, they don’t.

Job for the Project leader is to align the goals on all levels. Keep on tweaking and adjusting. Make sure everyone understands. Make sure they are all in balance.

Means/Culture

Means are the strategies to reach the goal. This is the set of rituals, artifacts and values shared among the group, the organization and individual. The culture.

The culture can be used to create a strong group; it can be in conflict with the dominant structure.

Job for the Project Leader is to align the means on all levels for maximal effectiveness. Balancing deviance with compliance. Making sure there are rules of engagement the entire team uses.