I thought I would take a shot here in this forum to see if anyone was a PMP. I have a thought and require some ideas to see if I am on the right track.

 

I worked under the PMP criteria for 12 years but never took the courses or the test before I retired in 2007. Many government support contracts require that the “key” staff members have this certification and many of the folks that used to work for me probably have the credentials now ……. It’s a good certification to have and will probably get you places ……… but the training / courses are costly. I know for one of my staff members I got the company to pay for her classes under my training and education budget.

Check this out if you haven't already ..... PMI

 

I have been taking some course however have a long way to go. I am not sure i want to go that far as my current temporary role is project control officer. I am the one who pesters folks for their status reports.

I took a project risk management course this week and it was very good.

I am having problems with one of my project teams in that they do not want to participate in the process of project management. This one project is just a spoke in the big program wheel. I am also responsible for reporting to the program head. I take all the spokes and this shows us how badly we are doing or good.

So, the thought I had. Do a risk analysis on this one problem team and show them the risks in not participating in the process. IE, reporting progress of this one project who have other projects dependent on them to the program level.

I was told the other day by the project manager that I can not get blood out of a stone. So I thought if I could prove that he is an idiot and that when our head boss does not get status reports from me, that ultimately it will be him that is accountable

 

YEP .... as the definition states it's a DISCIPLINE of planning, organizing, securing and managing resources to bring about the successful completion of specific engineering project goals and objectives. It doesn't look like the team (and the PM) is disciplined ........ the PM sounds like he/she is more into fire fighting and just manages what's in the IN box ..... than doing it right in the long haul.....

Keep up your chin ....and continue to be the 'pesty' cog .... and take the courses and the test ......

 

It appears the "blood from stone" comment has established him as an idiot par excellence requiring no further validation of his/her credentials.

Has he/she given you any valid reasons as to why his team will not report out to you? I agree with Citadel Blue. The team appears to lack a structure with the PM having absolutely no agenda or sense of direction nor any method of tracking work completed.

OR this PM is playing politics, just to ensure that he/she retains authority or clout.

I would do the following:
- Try to find out why they don't want to participate in the process? What are their reasons to think they are different?

- How do they intend to report out to management? Question the validity of having two separate reporting structures?

- Do they have a problem with resources or do they need help with forming a reporting structure? How does information flow within the team right now?

- Simultaneously keep the Program Manager informed of the goings on. They have to be in on the loop because a uniform policy they want to establish is being challenged. It could very well turn out that the policy may need to be amended to suit this rebelling team, IF NOT, the Program Manager can step in with a big stick to enforce the rules.

Pesky cog is right. Just keep chipping away at their resistance until they yield. Let him/her do all the drama and , while you coolly stay on message in the interests of the greater good.

This is just a suggestion based on the what I could deduce. Im sure wiser heads will chip in

 

I've been on both sides.
As a developer I had no use for another talking head to harass me.
typically they were just managing to schedule with absolutely no understanding of the activity we were engaged in.
Having built the original schedule I knew where the slack was and whether we were in trouble or not.

From the managing side you need to buy in from the team.
Where is the value to them in participating?
What's the upside? who holds the stick?
You haven't said if the team you working with is seasoned veterans or newly minted newbs.

If the lead won't give you proper status, start talking to his guys.
Create your own status. Start identifying critical risks.
If he has to start spending all his time defending against your status, he may be happier to just provide it to you.