Introduction

1. Projects & Emotional Intelligence Vienna 2004 A strategy for corporate project ‘buy-in’Graham CollinsUniversity College London (UCL)

2. Introduction • Experience in seminars and training courses • exploring a case study • and posing the question, in what order should the stakeholders be contacted? • Based on the strategic communications project • one of the largest programmes in UK • Framework is outlined, addresses fears and concerns at various levels.

3. Motivation • Stakeholder mapping and communication plans are both well documented , however there is a lack of guidance on the order in which communication should effectively take place • Communication with the most senior stakeholder – highest preference among senior managers – why does this occur? • Exploring this dilemma (case study) using the framework has shown to be effective in building the leadership skills of senior project managers.

4. Explore • Emotions – application in the project context • Implications to project management training • Interpretations of underlying emotional decisions and learning experiences • Impetus to develop future initiatives to enhance project management training.

5. Case study – Initial contact • Mark, director of Bezant • John, set up consultancy of Bezant • Edward sponsor of major programme • contact to see if Bezant would give presentation • Presentation at client research and development centre. Names and consultancy under contract fictitious

6. Case study – Key actors • Robert, a director of major Global Consultancy • GSC already under contract • a few problems, with a few staff changes these would be resolved • no opportunity for a ‘boutique’ consultancy • Chris, current project manager • ‘job on line’ • problems with definition • admitted over half million had been spent • Edward, sponsor • less enthusiasm, but interested in approach • didn’t want to destroy trust with consultancy under contract.

7. Case study – Question • If you were keen to be involved in which order would you communicate with the stakeholders Edward, Robert and Chris? • First person to contact, • and the order you would contact them.

8. Communication process Identify stakeholders and their motivations Identify audiences based on their needs Select the communicators and roles Chose communication media Establish feedback mechanisms

9. Stakeholder mapping High Level of power & influence .X .Y .Z Low Level of support High Low Blocker Undecided Champion

10. Stakeholder mapping Sponsor Edward Director GSC Robert High Power within this programme .X .Y .Z Project Manager Chris Low Support initially towards Bezant team High Low Blocker Undecided Champion

11. Audience feedback • Most popular response communicate first with the person • which has the most power (Edward) • and then, to communicate with the next level (Robert) • and finally the current project manager (Chris) • The majority suggestion is to approach the stakeholder with the highest perceived power first • Evidence suggests the answer is counterintuitive.

12. Feedback data Professional project management courses 2002-2004 both at corporate training centres and University College London. Sample size for introductory project management courses 219. Sample for advanced project management and leadership courses 49.

13. How the project developed (outline to audience) • Edward did not want to mar the relationship with Robert • genuine desire to get project on track • power difference between Edward and Robert • keen to show that resources were not wasted • Key to effective development were the workshops • suggested by Bezant • Robert adamant that he was part of this process • communication through Edward to ensure that Robert was an audience member.

14. Counterintuitive approach • Counterintuitive approach was shown to be effective • reverse order of the majority of class responses • Key benefits with communicating with current project manager first • empathy provided trust and good working relationship • needed his expertise • reassure that Bezant did not want to take credit • Promote Bezant’s cutting edge technical capabilities • real-time workshops • shortage of project managers

15. Second conversation • Conversation with Robert • Robert blamed current project manager • did not want to admit lack of direction • control this programme • John’s proposal • Robert’s consultancy retains control • Bezant act as advisors • Edward to decide future direction • John requested • Chris was involved in workshops.

16. Third conversation • Discussion with Edward • in private • concern to retain long-term relationship with GSC • proposal immediately accepted • Edward still wanted to verify and discuss this with Robert.

17. Lack of breakthrough • Chris was extremely experienced • High level of documention, although no breakthrough • Negative mood • people focus on deductive reasoning (Palfai and Salovey 1993) • Positive mood • creative new ideas (Schwarz 2002).

18. Implications for project management training • Students found this a useful framework to discuss ideas on emotional intelligence • Powerful effect on perceptions and learning • Differences in need for project managers • emotional skills are important for good team leadership • empathy and influencing essential for working with other consultancy teams • matching behaviour and influencing the emotions of others (Matthews et. al. 2002).

19. Empathy and intelligent use of emotions • Creating harmony and collaboration builds trust and co-operation among teams • Essential to listen to concerns of others • Give advice in their best interest • Make intelligent decisions based on emotions • Important that these are explored in project management training courses • Deep understanding of others in organisational setting can facilitate change (Huy 1999).

20. Intelligent responses to emotions • Role of the manager • to interpret emotions • act on them effectively • Case study illustrated need to • empathise • also seek creative solutions • Emotions follow certain patterns • we can predict the likely outcomes • and responses to future events • ‘..good at using emotions to facilitate thinking are better at motivating others.’(Caruso and Salovey 2004).

21. Implications for advanced courses • Greatest percentage of students selecting the person with the most perceived power was favoured by experienced managers and those with MBA backgrounds • ensure leadership support • agreed that seeking support before discussing proposals with senior management may be more effective in this context • ‘enough power to lead the change’ (Kotter 1996) • Decrease in emotional awareness • documented after MBA programmes (Goleman et. al. 2002) • may be explained by decisiveness • Consensus, power can help you achieve your aims • recent textbooks emphasize listening to everyones views (Hooper and Potter 2000).

22. Learning models • Tumult • recreating a learning situation through discontinuity • challenging perceptions, discussing views and providing a context within a case study may be one approach • Practice • habits and interactions become embedded (Lieberman 2000) • new and more productive habits requires practice • Visioning • placing oneself in the place of the participants • powerful effect on memory (Kreiman et. al. 2000) • well-designed case studies, that challenge us to make decisions on emotions may help students prepare for work situations • Framework to discuss with colleagues the areas of emotional intelligence and to challenge assumptions.

23. References • Caruso, D.R. and Salovey, P. (2004) The Emotionally Intelligent Manager, Jossey-Bass • Goleman, D., Boyatzis, R. and McKee, A. (2002) Primal Leadership, Harvard Business School Press • Hooper, A. and Potter, J. (2000) Intelligent Leadership: Creating a Passion for Change, Random House. • Huy, Q.N. (1999) Emotional Capability, Emotional Intelligence, and Radical Change, Academy of Management Review, 24: 325-345. • Kotter, J. (1996). Leading Change, Harvard Business School Press. • Kreiman, G., Koch,C. and Fried, I (2000) Imagery Neurons in the Human Brain, Nature 408: 357-361. • Liebermann, M.D. (2000) Psychological Bulletin 126: 109-137 • Matthews, G., Zeidener, and Roberts, R. (2002) Emotional Intelligence, MIT Press. • Palfai, T.P., and Salovey, P. (1993) The Influence of Depressed and Elated Mood on Deductive and Inductive Reasoning, Imagination Cognition and Personality, 13, 57-71. • Schwarz, N. (2002) ‘Situated Cognition and the Wisdom in Feelings: Cognitive Tuning’ in Barrett, L.F. and Salovey, P. (eds.) The Wisdom in feeling: Psychological Processes in Emotional Intelligence. NewYork: Guilford Press.