week 03 - Chapter 3 Ideas

Chapter 3 is filled with important tips in regards to the success of a project. The topic of this chapter centers on the "stakeholders." Stakeholders, as discussed within this chapter, are anyone that is involved in making the project to the person that will be affected by the project. As project managers, we have an obligation to understand and identify the needs and opinions of the stakeholders. Without a solid understanding and cooperation from them, the project will never succeed. Within this chapter, I paid special attention to three ideas:

1. Keep Team Members with Minor Roles Involved

This is especially important in any kind of a project. People with small but essential roles should not be ignored and always be kept informed of the overall progress. As I was reading this section, in my mind I thought about a car. In order for a car to move, every part of the car needs to be in perfect condition.and be positioned at its rightful place. If a screw is loose, eventually the car may cease to function. In a project team, if we as project managers fail to keep everyone in the loop, the project will eventually come to a halt because some crucial team members was unproductive due to their lack of information.

2. Control Who Becomes a Stakeholder

As a project manager, one should also be aware that people that are not involved within this project should not be influencing the pace and direction of the project. While we do respect the opinions of others, these people should not disrupt the flow of the team. A project cannot achieve success if the project manager is affected by the opinions of others.

3. Manage Upward

This idea runs together with the second idea I've discussed above. As a project manager, I should understand that the role that was given to me grants me the privilege to manage those that have higher authority than myself. Well, I do not think that this necessary means that I can manage them. Rather, I should always keep them informed and make them understand what I am doing and why I am doing it. In my opinion, keeping the high-ups satisfied is equally important as keeping my team members united.