projectnet august.indd 2 8/2/08 9:40:35 am · hareesh is no stranger to the association, having...

“Oftentimes, it is difficult for people to put the project and

overall goals ahead of their individual objectives.”

Steven Lang, PMP

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FOR MEMBERS AND FRIENDS OF THE PMSA

web: www.pmisa.org.za email: [email protected]

Local researchers participate in PMI’s Global Research Conference

A glimpse behind the scenes of the Gautrain Rapid Rail project

ProjectNet August.indd 1 8/2/08 9:40:29 AM

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ProjectNet is an alternate monthly

publication produced by Cyan Sky

Communication Consultancy and distributed

free of charge to the members of PMSA, on

behalf of PMSA.

Editorial Director:

Prof Les Labuschagne, Ex-officio President

Managing Editor:

Taryn van Olden

Design and Layout:

Tracey King

Reproduction and Printing:

Remata Inathi Communications and Printers

Please direct editorial submissions

and enquiries to:

The Editor, ProjectNet, [email protected]

or 082 779-1314.

Advertising enquiries can be directed

to The Editor at the above email address.

For extra copies of ProjectNet and any

PMSA-related enquires such as training

and membership, please contact the PMSA:

office at Tel 011 315 0028, or email

[email protected] Fax: 011 315 2276

General contact details related to this

magazine:

Email: [email protected]

Website: www.projectnet.co.za

Address: PO Box 518 Featherbrooke Estate

Ruimsig 1746

Cover image:

Carl Marnewick recently presented his

research at the PMI Global Research

Conference. Read more on page 20.

Copyright©

The copyright of all material in this

magazine is reserved by the proprietors,

except where expressly stated. The editors

will, however, consider reasonable requests

for the use of information provided the

source and author are clearly attributed.

Please note: Editorial submissions are welcomed but are subject to review by the PMSA Exco, ProjectNet’s editorial team and editor before a decision is made regarding inclusion. Product- or service-specific information submitted in the form of a news item may be considered for publication in the Industry News section, but may not be accepted in any other section. Please contact the Editor for content classifications to guide your submissions. The editor reserves the right to shorten articles but will consult the author should any adjustments be deemed necessary.

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Editorial Talking Communication Pg 2

President’s Pen Getting to Know Hareesh Patel Pg 3

Thought Leadership Gauteng’s massive public transport project Pg 4

Global Network A new benchmark for project communication Pg 8

A recap of the PMSA conference Pg �2

Opinion Trends in global risk management Pg �6

Guest Column The power of communication Pg �8

Industry News South African research features

at PMI Research Conference Pg 20

PMSA News Sign up for the KZN Conference Pg 20

Bookshelf Looking inside ‘The leadership challenge’ Pg 24


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The PMSA conference is always a great opportunity

to connect with the people who comprise the

association’s membership. As a communication

tool, ProjectNet is a regular medium, but nothing

beats actual face-to-face interaction for assessing

how people are feeling about their association

and how well it is living up to expectations.

Communication is a big theme for this edition of

ProjectNet, and is referred to in two articles – one

which illustrates the seriousness with which the

Gautrain executive team views communication

as a discipline and essential element of project

success – and the other speaking of a more

individual awareness of the value of being a good

communicator, compliments of our new ProjectNet

columnist and conference guest speaker Jürgen

Oschadleus.

My own professional background is in

organisational communication, so I become

quite excited to see it becoming more and more

important and valued in the project management

environment. I am also seeing the converse take

place – where project management is becoming

increasingly appreciated in the communication

industry. Clients of communication consultants,

media and advertising agencies are happier than

ever to pay a ‘project management’ fee. Whether

the deliverable behind the fee is a real example

of project management or not, is debatable, but I

am confident that as both professions mature there

will be a common appreciation for the bodies of

knowledge and practice from both sides. Seeing

Dr Barbara Jensen – who was once my lecturer in

communication science - occupy an executive

position on the Gautrain team bodes very well for

the future of both the communication and project

management industries in South Africa. Read more

about how communication has been put to good

use on this project on page 8.

Whichever side you’re coming from, the ultimate

goal is surely world-class best practice leading to

projects that are a success by any standard of

measurement. When companies and people are

tightening their belts as costs escalate, that’s the

least we can do for those who hold our projects’

purse strings.

Until spring, then!

Taryn van Olden

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Communicating for Success

In May, Hareesh Lakha Patel took up the position

of President of PMSA. Hareesh is no stranger to

the association, having served on the KZN exco for

several years.

Hareesh is a quantity surveyor and project

manager with three decades of experience. He is

a registered member of a number of professional

associations, including the South African Council

for the Quantity Surveying Profession, the South

African Council for the Project and Construction

Management Professions, the Association of

Arbitrators and others.


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From the next edition of ProjectNet this will be

Hareesh’s page. Until then, let’s get to know him

a bit better through a quick Q and A:

PNet: Broadly, what do you plan to achieve

during your term in office?

Some of my goals are:

- Strive to grow the membership of PMSA

nationally;

- Endeavour to enhance benefits for paid up

members;

- Promote PMSA and have more active

interrelationships with others bodies and

stakeholders such as the Built Environment,

IT, Tertiary Institutions, National & Provincial

Government Departments:

- Promote the Project Management profession,

as I believe that more skilled Project Managers

in all sectors can make a huge difference to

the growth and development of South Africa,

(in addressing needs of: Service Delivery etc)

- Communication with members and Regional

Branches;

- Endeavour to have more regional conferences

and workshops.

PNet: Based on your years of involvement with

PMSA, what do you think PMSA contributes to

the industry?

PMSA has enhanced the professionalism and

has raised the profile of Project Managers in

South Africa.

PNet; What philosophy do you live by as a

project manager and business owner?

Plan well before starting any Project - the time

and effort up front pays dividends.


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Gauteng residents have been watching the development of the Gautrain Rapid Rail system with a combination of excitement and scepticism. Most of us want to believe that it will be all it is promised to be as a public transport system and we want to be convinced to surrender our one-person-per-car approach to transport and hop on the train some time during 2010. While the escalating petrol price is indirectly contributing to very good public relations for the system, some of us need a further nudge in order to become a believer in the Gautrain vision. For many conference delegates – particularly those who had braved the traffic to reach the venue – that nudge came in the form of Jack van der Merwe, CEO of the Gautrain Management Agency and his compelling presentation about this multi-faceted and enormous project.

A Glimpse of Gauteng’s Awesome Future Public Transport System

Photographs and illustrations courtesy of the Gautrain Management Agency.


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Both the public and private sector see this as much more

than just another transport project. It comes with an

intimidating array of key performance indicators (KPIs) that

relate to spurring economic growth, encouraging local

and foreign investment in South Africa, being a catalyst

for new developments particularly in the vicinity of the

Gautrain stations, and creating jobs.

Our road network is considered to be very sophisticated

for a developing nation, and the Gautrain is expected to

add a new dimension to the infrastructure by restructuring

urban areas, reducing travel distances and improving the

sustainability of cities in Gauteng.

In addition, the project is meant to promote the

concept of public transport, particularly amongst those

who have never before considered it a viable option in

their daily professional or personal lives. It is also intended

to create opportunity for small business and broad based

black economic empowerment, promoting tourism and

business development in general.

The project is intrinsically linked to the government’s

own ‘KPIs’ amongst which are halving unemployment and

poverty by 2014 and increasing the capacity for economic

growth through accelerated Capital Expenditure (CAPEX)

investment. The vehicle driving this is the Accelerated

and Shared Growth Initiative of South Africa (AsgiSA).

Project managers and other professionals on significant

construction projects in South Africa will know it is a massive

task to grow our country through CAPEX, and recognise

the various factors limiting AsgiSA’s potential to succeed,

not the least of which is the supply of electricity, and the

end of cheap electricityas we have known it until now. A

further challenge is the shortage of knowledgeable clients

– people in the sponsor role who understand the project -

and institutional knowledge that affects prioritisation and the

time lag before mega projects are ready for construction.

The move towards Public Private Partnerships (PPP) as a

preferred procurement option, and strict environmental

legislation further complicate the environment.

With all of these challenges in mind, Jack van der

Merwe shared how, when they started out on the Gautrain

project in 2000, they paid a visit to every similar project they

could around the world. From this benchmarking exercise

they learnt that a mega project takes about 14 years from

inception to when someone cuts the ribbon at the end.

This applies equally to the South African environment,

where our infrastructure building endeavours are

comparatively small. To give the audience a sense of just

how small, Jack spoke about some of what China is busy

with. “I went to China to sign off a tunnel boring machine

for use on the Gautrain project - a massive thing - though

small by international standards. One hundred of these

operate in China. Fifty-five percent of all concrete poured

in the world is poured in China. Our Kendal power station

produces 3600 megawatts of energy. In China, they fire up

an equivalent station in every two weeks.”

This exposure to global mega projects leads Jack to

identify the four pillars he believes must be in place on any

mega project.

“Firstly, there must be continuous political will and

commitment, a tall order when a dispensation is likely to

change a few times in 14 years. It also needs financial,

technical and legal viability. Third is funding. Government

must show its ability to fund and industry has to display an

appetite to bring funding to the project.”

It is not easy to find a consortium to take on such a

huge project and Jack shared the anecdote of opening

the tender box and hoping to find at least one document

inside. The fourth and final pillar is community acceptance

and buy-in – which is achieved when a society understands

that the benefits outweigh the detrimental components

(like buying up of land).

Many project managers who have not yet gained

experience on mega projects are still getting their heads

around how a PPP works. Jack explained the differences

between the traditional, Bill of Quantity (BoQ) approach

and the PPP approach. In the former, there is an input

specification, and the client designs the project in detail

and usually breaks it up into different sections and gives

these out as contracts. Contractors then bid only for the

price of the BoQ price, not the total amount, to construct

the contract according to the BoQ, specifications and

other general conditions of the contract.

Project managers and other professionals on significant infrastructure projects on South Africa will know it is a massive task to grow our country through Capital Expenditure (CAPEX)


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PPP contracts begin with an output specifications

and the client only defines the problem and essential

minimum requirements. This would typically be a

turnkey (fixed timeframe) project. The contractor or

concessionaire bids to design, build and operate the

project for the concession period.

In PPP contracts, the concessionaire takes all

completion and integration risks, and offers a fixed

price, fixed specification and fixed timeframe. The

concessionaire is fully involved in the operation and

maintenance of the system for the full concession

period. The concessionaire must hand over the system

to the client at the end of the concession period in a

prescribed condition.

The benefits of the PPP approach include allowing

for concessionaire innovation and world best practice

during the design, construction, operations and

maintenance. Yo are getting the best in the world. PPPs

also open up access to local and international private

sector funding.

The Gautrain PPP is structured as follows:

• Gauteng Provincial Government is the public

sector partner.

• Bombela is the special purpose vehicle company,

with the following parent companies:

o Murray and Roberts – a major construction

company in Africa

o Strategic Partners Group (SPG) – a conglomerate

of 20 black firms and the BEE component of the

partnership

o RATP – the operator of the Paris Underground

o Bombardier – a rolling stock manufacturer

o Bouygues Travaux Publics – a construction

company

This contract structure took 14 months to negotiate

and fills 100 000 pages. Jack explained what each party

brings to this particular PPP:

• The public sector brings land, legislation and

subsidies. It guarantees rights of way and offers a

long-term vision.

• The private sector brings design and building

innovation, operation and maintenance skills and

knowledge, finance, capital and access to the

product’s market.

The project is based on creating a facility where

once it is built, the user has the choice to use it or not.

The user thus brings revenue to the deal.

If all works well, each party also benefits from the

deal in different ways. The public sector derives taxes,

offers improved people mobility, promotes economic

development and is seen to answer to a social need.

The private gets long term operating contracts, a way

of servicing their debt, income and profit.

The user gets time and cost saving, service quality

and environmental protection.

More than 19-months into the project, Jack has

written a long paper on lessons learnt. In his presentation,

he referred to two categories, the process sequence,

and the parallel processes.

He recommends the following process sequence:

• Project identification and consultation

• PPP legislation, process and approval

• Tender planning

• Selection of preferred and reserve bidder

• Commercial negotiations and financial close

• Construction

• Operations and handover.

The parallel processes that need active management

include:

• Governance: decision-making and authorisation

• Legal processes

• Communication and public relations

• EIA process

• Third party involvement and cooperation

• Socio-economic Development requirements

• External pressures

• Land requirements (1 152 properties, GTIA process)

Jack’s presentation included fascinating visuals of

just what is happening beneath the suburbs where

massive tunnels are being drilled and tracks are being

laid. The state-of-the-art equipment and processes at

work inspired much confidence from the audience, who

are just some of the future end-users of this impressive

public transport system.


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21 000 the number of jobs created by the project

43 the number of construction sites being run simultaneously

100 000 the number of pages of the partner contract document

18.5 the volume of documents, in cubic metres, received in response to the Request for Proposals before the project commenced

3 million the number of hits on the Gautrain website as at mid-May 2008

21 billion the amount, in Rands, Finances Minister Trevor Manual estimated as the cost of the Gautrain as contingent liability in South Africa over the next 5 years.

7 the number of awards the project has already won, from local and international professional associations

24 the number of state-of-the-art trains that will form the Gautrain system

The benefits of the PPP approach include allowing for concessionaire innovation and world best practice during the design, construction, operations and maintenance.

The Gautrain in Numbers


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From inception of the Gautrain project, the project sponsors

made communication a priority and a key project

consideration, and ensured that a communication expert

– namely Dr Barbara Jensen - was part of the executive

team. A communication strategy and media plan had to be

developed to manage the perceptions, issues and actions

of the multiple and highly complex stakeholder groups and

overcome the unique communication challenges that the

project posed. The result, in many instances, is initiatives that

are benchmarks for both Government communication and

communication in general. The scope and magnitude of

the challenges facing the communication team, and the

extent to which these have been overcome, make this an

exceptional case study for communication. Here are just some

of the challenges, as identified by Gautrain CEO, Jack van der

Merwe in a motivation letter he submitted that resulted in one

of several communication awards the project has won:

AFRO-PESSIMISM To attract international interest of technology partners and

investors the team had to overcome more than just scepticism

associated with any new mega project. Feasibility studies had to

be completed, and the results communicated in a user-friendly

format to stimulate an investor appetite for the project.

LOCAL SCEPTICThe project came face-to-face with more than its fair share of

local sceptics who simply didn’t believe that South Africa in

general and the Gauteng Provincial Government in particular,

could pull this one off.

GREEN FIELDS PROJECTThis is the first time that a new rail project is being undertaken

in South Africa in more than 60 years, and the country is not

known for rail engineering excellence. The core team had to

be empowered so that, when they spoke about the Gautrain,

it was with authority and to gain the respect of international

peers. This had to de done without showing any sign of

arrogance -- another communication challenge.

THE “EXPERTS” KNOW BETTEREven though Gautrain is a green fields project on which the

core team educated themselves to world-class standards, from

2000 to 2005 back-office work was done before the project

was publicly launched. All of a sudden there were numerous

‘experts’ that claimed to know better, and were not shy to use

the media to shoot down the Gautrain Project.

LACK OF PUBLIC TRANSPORT TRADITIONSouth Africa does not have a tradition of public transport

so it’s necessary to combat a sheer lack of understanding

of the importance of public transport. It remains a huge

communication challenge to turn public transport into a

mode of choice and not merely a mode of force in the minds

of future commuters.

SPENDING PUBLIC MONEYWith so many demands on the provincial and national

fiscus, all the interest groups lobbying for funding had to

campaign against Gautrain to improve their chance of being

allocated funding. The communication challenge was thus

to communicate the principles behind Gautrain’s funding,

without speaking against stakeholders and partners.

Gautrain sets new benchmarksfor Project Communication

On any project, communication is a strategic tool to keep stakeholders

informed and team members focussed. On a project as large, public and

complex as the Gautrain Rapid Rail System, effective communication can be a

major contributor to project success – or failure.


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Gautrain sets new benchmarksfor Project Communication

INTER-MODAL COMPETITION AND VESTED INTERESTS

The project endured criticism from many quarters with vested interests.

This ranged from the road-based freight and logistics fraternity to

people that simply wanted to maintain the status quo and stubbornly

resist development and progress. The communication team has to

consider opposition from other modes of transport, such as bus and

taxi operators. The strategic challenge remains: to promote a concept

of modal integration instead of competition.

THE NIMBY SYNDROME

Along the way, Gautrain succeeded in having a better-informed

public debate and converted many opponents and sceptics into

supporters. There remains a hard-core group of NIMBY people (Not

In My Back Yard) that took Gautrain to court on several occasions to

prevent it from affecting their properties. Dealing with residents – who

have the Constitutional right to oppose the project in court and in

the media – is a challenge on its own. Dealing with the lawyers and

managing the media interest created by high-profile court cases put

the communication team to the test.

ENVIRONMENTAL MINEFIELD

Green issues have become very important and environmental

legislation demands strict adherence to national and provincial

legislation and is prescriptive of how interested and affected parties

have to be consulted. As a Government project – and as a matter of

principle – Gautrain went the extra mile to ensure that planning and

design of the system are environmentally sensitive. Communication of

the environmental issues was key to the success of this element.


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EXPROPRIATIONTo lay down track in the most densely populated area of South Africa required that a number of properties had to be expropriated for the public good. Telling this to the family that stood to lose a property where they had set down roots is a challenge in a different league. The team had to apply empathy, often under extreme circumstances – and often faced verbal abuse by the public.

CRISIS COMMUNICATIONA project that employs, at any given time, more than 7 000 people working with heavy equipment, blasting tunnels underground, pouring millions of cubic meters of concrete, faces numerous high-risk scenarios such as job-related fatalities and strikes which require a timeous and very sensitive approach to communication.

Through a well thought-out communication strategy and an intense method of media engagement, the team has helped to move public transport in general and Gautrain in particular to a position higher than ever on the public agenda. The extent to which it has stimulated public debate is illustrated by the sheer number of newspaper headlines about Gautrain seen on lamp posts since the project began. The quality of the communication strategy itself is supported by the various awards the team had won. These include the following:

• Gautrain’s Kiddies Website has won the 2007 International Public Transport Association’s (UITP) inaugural international youth award for promoting public transport to the youth. It was established to promote public transport amongst the next generation of commuters;

• 2007 African Quill Award of the International Association of Business Communicators (IABC) for multi-audience communication;

• 2007 African Quill Award of the IABC for media management;

• International Gold Quill Awards in the above two categories; and

• Believing that a photo is worth a thousand words, Gautrain is recording the visual history of the project and in September 2007 this won the first prize in the South Africa Institution of Civil Engineers’ competition for Best Construction Photo.

Keeping Stakeholders Informed The identification and understanding of, or ‘listening’ to Gautrain’s internal and external stakeholders is essential to the planning of its communication strategy. Unless the stakeholders are defined and their relevant issues understood, it is difficult and ineffective to determine possible communication aims and goals or implement appropriate plans.

The team keeps track of stakeholder profiles and related issues through:

• Annual stakeholder mapping and analysis. The outcome of stakeholder analysis is placed on an interactive,

password protected on-line stakeholder platform for easy access, updating and archiving.

• The outcome of the reputation/perception and internal

communication satisfaction audits is used to identify issues

that could have significant impact on the reputation

of the Project. Together with an understanding of

stakeholders, these issues are used to update Gautrain’s

integrated communication and marketing strategy.

• Daily media monitoring and monthly media analysis

• Daily cyber research to monitor blogs on Gautrain

• Analysis of [email protected]

• Ad hoc research initiativesl

The following tactics and communication vehicles are

deployed to manage strategic issues and disseminate

message themes:

• Extranet – an online platform with access to text, visual

and audio visual data

• Research - media analysis, 2006 and 2007 reputation

audits, 2007 internal communication satisfaction audit

and ad hoc surveys

• Stakeholder platform - The Gautrain Stakeholder

Platform, which is accessible from a password protected

website. This platform allows for the listing and describing

of identified stakeholders. Apart from being able

to document relevant details (profiles and contact

details of key personnel) of stakeholders, it also allows

for categorising stakeholders according to the type of

business into which they fall.

The communication vehicles deployed to keep the internal

stakeholders informed include GauChat, an online desktop

communicator, staff functions, staff trips to construction sites,

electronic templates, contact lists and brand management. The

latter tool is used to update staff before media announcements

are made and other external communication takes place, so

they are informed about Gautrain matters firsthand and not

through the mass media.

To reach the external stakeholders, the communication

team has implemented effective mechanisms that are

constantly updated. These include: custom-made presentations

serving the information needs of particular stakeholder groups;

construction site visits; the Gautrain corporate website;

the winning Gautrain Kids’ station - an ‘edutainment’ site

dedicated to pre-school to Grade 3 learners; and media

management that involves personal contact, press releases,

briefings, conferences, educational trips and site visits.

Using the electronic and print mediums to great effect, the

following are also at play at any given time:

• Interactive exhibition system

• Gautrain Rapid Round Up – a weekly general newsletter,

and Gautie News, a bi-monthly kids’ newsletter.


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• Milestone or special events - Commencement of construction

and Financial Close

• Brand management and promotional collateral

• On-line map and trip planning tool

• Communication forums with various stakeholder groups

• Monthly construction update and quarterly Environmental

Newsletter

• Crisis management

• Advertorials and positioning advertisements in relevant

publications and advertisements as required by relevant

legislation, e.g. the expropriation process prescribed by the

Gauteng Transport Infrastructure Act

MANAGING THE MEDIAPositive news about Gautrain competes with emotionally charged issues such as the difficulties of people facing expropriation and those that are directly affected by the construction of Gautrain, for example. This creates a hostile media environment that takes hard work and strategic effort to turn into positive coverage reflecting the benefits of Gautrain.

Media relations focused on a strong drive to educate target stakeholders about Gautrain and to continuously communicate socio-economic success stories. Based on monthly media monitoring of issues receiving media attention, media tactics and messages are adjusted to address these issues in a positive manner.

Since Gautrain is the first world-class rapid rail project in Africa and the second biggest rail PPP of its kind in the world, the need for education about the Project remains ongoing.

Media messages are aimed at changing perceptions about public transport and to educate potential consumers about the benefits of Gautrain, build relationships with communities affected by construction and to secure future ridership.

Relationship building with various print, broadcast and on-line journalists (including dailies, specialisation media such as the Financial Mail, Engineering News and Gauteng News as well as community newspapers) started with an educational 10-day trip to London and Paris and continues with frequent construction site visits.

The main objectives of the international visit were to give journalists insight to comfortable and world class public transport experiences, maintenance yards and attributes of rapid rail, safety

and security presentations, and control room workings of public

transport systems.

With construction site visits journalists are also frequently

provided with updated information and experience of service

delivery in relation to Gautrain. Two construction site visits have

been held since construction started, attended by nearly almost

100 journalists including international news media. Exceptional

positive media coverage followed these site tours.

Media conferences are kept to the minimum. Media relations

relies strongly on personal contact and intimate, small group

media briefing sessions on specific issues. These briefing sessions

include the MEC when relevant, the project leader, the marketing

and communication director and a lawyer. This builds strategic

personal relationships on a one-on-one basis.

Construction updates are sent electronically to all the media

on a monthly basis. This supports an on-line image gallery of

high-resolution construction progress photographs and artists’

impressions which can be downloaded from the website by

media. This gallery includes land and aerial photography with

detailed captions.

Access to the image gallery on the Gautrain extranet is secured

with a username and password for each particular journalist.

Bi-monthly video updates on construction progress are done

and edited. This is then supplied in HD or DV CAM format to

national and international television news stations.

Since construction started in September 2006, stakeholder and

media perceptions have gradually become much more positive.

Why Gautrain is an exceptional projectThis is a state-of-the-art rapid rail network planned in Gauteng. The rail connection comprises two links, namely a link between

Tshwane (Pretoria) and Johannesburg and a link between OR Tambo International Airport and Sandton. Apart from the

three anchor stations on these two links, seven other stations will be linked by approximately 80 kilometres of rail along the

proposed route. This modern train will offer international standards of public transport with high levels of safety, reliability,

predictability and comfort. Travelling at maximum speeds of 160 kilometres per hour it will reach Tshwane from Johannesburg

in less than 45 minutes. The minimum frequency between Johannesburg and Tshwane will initially be six trains per hour per

direction and it will operate approximately 18 hours per day. This public transport service will include dedicated, exclusive bus

services to transport passengers to and from stations.

The Gautrain Project is, therefore, primarily aimed at enhancing and supporting economic growth in the Gauteng Province

and generating employment. This Project is part of a longer-term vision, which will include a commitment towards creating

and sustaining a new culture of public transport usage. Through Gautrain the Gauteng Province aims to change the image of

public transport and make public transport a mode of choice in contrast to a mode of force.


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Then Christelle Bure from the X-Pert group took the

audience through Coaching with Care. Quoting Robert

C. Gallagher who said: “Change is inevitable – except

from a vending machine” she applied this anecdote to

projects. She pointed out how coaching is not a lot of

things it is perceived to be, and explained the benefits

and ease associated with coaching, and how coaching

will effect the bottom line. Christelle ended with the

following insight: You get the best out of others by not

lighting the fire under them, but by building the fire in

them!

The plenary session was concluded by Johan Voster

who provided an update on the infamous eNaTIS project

which directly frustrated many South Africans about a

year ago when it was first rolled out at traffic licensing

departments. The project covered transforming the old

National Transport Information System which controls

vehicle licensing, driver licensing, vehicle records and

associated systems. This major project, which involved

4.6 billion records in the database, covering 20 million

vehicles, now processing 600 000 transactions per day,

all on open source free software, has had many major

PMSA Conference a Resounding SuccessDAY One: Project Management South Africa’s (PMSA) conference, themed From Strategy to Reality,

which took place from Monday 26 to Wednesday 28 May 2008 at Gallagher Estate in Midrand,

kicked off on a high note with a presentation by Jürgen Oschadleus from Australia, demonstrating

how turning Strategy into Reality applied to Football World Cup performances in the past and

to day-to-day project management. Jürgen, not only a soccer enthusiast and player, but also

a soccer coach and historian, took the audience through how France, the 1998 victors fell from

grace in 2002 and how Brazil won the 2002 competition.


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challenges which have all been overcome in one way or

another. Numerous lessons were learned, and Johan shared

most of these with the audience in the form of tips and

suggestions. Of particular value was his statement towards

the end of his presentation that the value of following the

basics as described in PMI’s PMBoK Guide, cannot be

over-emphasised – and he has the scars to prove it. His

very informative session concluded with a question to the

audience, the stakeholders of the project, to judge whether

the project was successful or not, despite temporary and

minor set-backs.

The afternoon was spent in break-out sessions featuring

academic papers, industry best practices and workshops.

Day 2Proceedings began bright and early on Day 2 with

sponsor presentations in the exhibition hall and the PMSA

Annual General Meeting in the main Auditorium. During

the AGM, outgoing president Elmar Roberg presented his

annual president’s report and recapped the challenges

and achievements of the past year, and the two years of

his presidency. Amongst these were the restructuring of the

PMSA administrative function and reviving branch activity

up in Gauteng. The new president, Hareesh Patel, was

introduced and he thus began his two-year term in office.

Various positions on the national executive committee

were confirmed, and some previous office-bearers were

welcomed back to resume active roles on the Exco.

With the official business taken care of, it was over to the

plenary speakers for the morning. Dr Terry Cooke-Davies got the ball rolling, taking the

audience on a fast ride that explored why he believes we are generally wrong in our thinking about how projects are run. He says that we are expecting human beings to do things they are not designed to do and we should start managing projects that consider these limitations to be real, rather than assuming there are no human limitations. He substantiated his hypothesis that the way we think about projects is outdated, wrong and incomplete with research findings and anecdotes from what one can observe from human behaviour in a variety of business-related situations.

Project Management Consultant Adrian Lovel-Hall and Mindset / PMIdeas Director Dan Mattsson then spoke on Management versus Leadership in programme and project management in a local context and how this compares to global trends. Their presentation included insights into situational leadership and communication channels, and toolsets applicable to the concepts they discussed.

Michael Reynders, Manager, IT Project Office for Medi-Clinic, gave an insightful presentation based on his experiences in setting up and growing an EPMO for the Medi-Clinic Group, called “A Roadmap Towards an Enterprise Project Office”.

Once again, the afternoon sessions ran in separate streams, affording delegates the opportunity to attend industry-specific sessions or one of two workshops hosted by international speakers.

In the afternoons, delegates had the opportunity to attend

industry-specific sessions of one of two workshops hosted by

international speakers.


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Day 3Bruce Rodriques, a person South African project

managers are particularly proud of since his election to

PMI’s board of directors four years ago, kicked off the

day’s proceedings with a very informative talk on PMI

and PMI’s strategies and projects at present, emphasizing

that project management is a strategic competency

for any company. He demonstrated how projects are

becoming increasingly complex as time goes by, and

stressed the importance and business sense of certified

project managers running projects. In the short time

available to him Bruce elaborated about the various

activities of PMI and their initiatives around standards,

credentials, degree programs and career-pathing.

The title of the second plenary speaker was Using

Knowledge Management to move forward in Project

Management. As so many times before, Ginger Levin,

one of four international speakers who were invited

to PMSA’s conference, enthralled the audience with

her easy and entertaining presentation style, and

presentation packed with useful information and tips.

She talked about how many successful organizations fail

to realize the value of the investments in projects by not

learning from experiences during such projects.

One of the very visible projects in South Africa right

now, and certainly the one with the biggest budget at

present, is the Gautrain Project, installing a dedicated

rail link between Johannesburg, Pretoria and the OR

Tambo International Airport. The CEO of Gautrain

Management Agency, a special vehicle created by

the provincial government to manage this gigantic

infrastructure project, Jack van der Merwe, gave the

audience an update on the status of this project. He also

went further and pointed out some of the substantial

hurdles the project needs to still overcome, and gave

some valuable suggestions for project managers on

similar projects. An indication of the thoroughness of

their planning is the international award they won for

their child-friendly website – an early education and

communication medium with their future clients.

After morning tea one of the most exiting and well-

known international speakers around, Frank Saladis,

took the stage and delivered a most entertaining and

informative talk titled “Your Future as a Project Manager”.

Quoting many acclaimed (and less-known) authors and

suggesting further reading on the myriad of topics and

key competencies of able project managers which

Frank covered, he managed to glue the audience to

their seats up to the last second of the session. In his usual

fashion Mr Saladis provided the audience with a wealth

of resources and references to take home besides

inspiring each and every member of the audience to

follow the advice of Tom Peters, saying: “If you want to

be excellent, start now”.

Jeff Shaw concluded the morning plenary sessions

with his sharing of the results of surveys KPMG regularly

conducts amongst major projects on global risk and

governance trends. He shared the major trends which

contribute to project failures and project successes, and

explained how shortages of resources, rising cost, poor

risk management, restrained growth and not meeting

stakeholder expectations contribute to the success of

major projects world-wide.

As per the example set during the first two days of the

conference, the audience broke into three streams of

particular interest and a workshop conducted by Ginger

Levin on the role of the PMO in Knowledge Management

after lunch.

A generally perceived successful and informative

conference was concluded by a word of farewell and

appreciation by the outgoing President of PMSA, Elmar

Roberg. Amongst others he extended a special word of

appreciation to Taryn van Olden who went far beyond

her call of duty to make this conference the success

it was, and officially gave her permission to go and

relax until the next conference in 2010. Somehow few

believed that it was at all possible for this energetic lady

to relax as suggested.


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Conference delegates and PMSA members gathered

on the evening of 27 May for the annual prize-giving,

postponed from November 2007 in order to combine it with

the conference dinner. PMSA Chairman, Robert Best, began

by acknowledging those members in attendance who had

been loyal to PMSA as members for the past ten years. Each

one received a commemorative trophy. Then, Business

Connexion (BCX) was acknowledged for their submission

to the 2007 PMSA Project Management Excellence Awards

Programme. BCX Project Manager, Fanie Coetzee, was on

hand to receive the certificate.

Each year, PMSA also acknowledges the work done by

its branches by naming a Branch of the Year. This year, the

KZN branch took the honours. Finally, it was time to recognize

the Registered Education and Training Provider of the Year,

and the X-Pert Group was named the winner.

Invited speaker, Alex Harris, mesmerized the audience

by recounting one of his personal projects – an incredible

journey to conquer Mount Everest. He spoke of the delicate

and critical decision-making processes at play when you

have made extreme effort to reach a particular stage in

the climb and then – to protect the lives of your teammates

- have to turn back due to adverse conditions. More than

one project manager in the audience could relate to the

frustration and disappointment of having to turn back when

you are so close to your goal, and make a later attempt

when conditions are ideal. Through captivating slides and

awesome photography, Alex illustrated the physical and

mental toll that finally achieving his goal took on him and

his teammate. Remarkably, Alex ended his talk with the

news that he and his teammate had recently returned from

another epic trip – this time to the South Pole - showing that

the spirit of a true adventurer is never at rest.

Annual PMSA Dinner


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Trends in Global Risk and GovernanceKPMG Director, Jeff Shaw spoke at the PMSA conference in May this year and identified four key trends that are likely to cause significant changes in the way capital projects are managed and overseen

His discussion related in particular to major projects

that result in some kind of physical deliverable,

but can be applied to projects in general.

The first trend is the industry outlook, where we

see an unprecedented boom in the global projects

market and massive capitalspend. This is driven by

such factors as the industrialisation of India and

China, the boom in the resources sector, the need to

triple world power generation in 20 years and the rate

of technological change and the resulting need for

business re-engineering. Jeff asserts that the pressure

in industry will not ease in the short to medium term.

The second trend emerges from what was

identified in the annual KPMG construction survey.

The survey asked questions of project owners and

contractors, across the globe, through a variety of

different types and sizes of projects, and various

contracting strategies. Feedback pointed to the issues

challenging project outcomes and increasing project

costs, and the results highlighted similar concerns from

both parties, namely a shortage of qualified resources

and the ineffective management of risk. Root causes

of project failure were similar in the view of both

parties, namely forecasting and estimating, contract

mismanagement, risk identification and mitigation.

This is despite the fact that 86 percent of respondents

answered in the affirmative to the questions asking if

they prepare a risk matrix, evaluate risk, and quantify

the cost of risks facing the project.

The next trend is the changing corporate

environment where project managers are busy

with projects that have the potential to greatly

affect the share price. Jeff asserts that wherever it

is project managers are working, oversight of the

organisation will increase as shareholders demand

transparency, reliable and quick reporting, enhanced

financial disclosure and internal control assessment.

Independent oversight by owners over contractors will

increase--saying that the contractor didn’t perform

will no longer be an excuse--and contractors will

need to lift their own reporting quality to the level of

the client.

The fourth trend Jeff identifies is Project Outcomes,

and is more theoretical than the previous three. He

refers to academic work by Bent Flyvbjerg of Aalborg

University in Denmark, and his paper called, “From

Nobel Prize to Project Management: Getting Risks

Right (August 2006).

Flyvberg comes to some depressing conclusions

about projects. He says “Forecasts of cost, demand,

and other impacts of planned projects have

remained constantly and remarkably inaccurate for

decades” (He focussed mainly on road, rail, bridges

and tunnels). He also said, “For the 70 year period

for which cost data are available, accuracy in cost

forecasts has not improved”

In a nutshell, what he is saying is that in spite

of improved data and methods after decades of

study, modern systems, specialised training and

accumulated experience, inaccuracies in forecasting

and the resulting over expenditure on projects are not

due to unreliable or outdated data, inappropriate

forecasting models or inexperience.


Flyvbjerg says these inaccuracies in forecasts can

be explained in psychological terms: inaccuracy due to

optimism bias (which implies a degree of delusion) and

strategic misrepresentation (which implies a degree of

deceit). These explanations complement each other

and lead to a consistent inaccuracy in forecasting.

Optimism bias stems from the fact that individuals,

particularly project managers, are inherently optimistic.

They tend towards overconfidence and maintain this

optimism despite evidence to the contrary. Time and

cost are underestimated and benefits overestimated,

so the business case looks good. In reality the project

ends up over budget, late and with less benefits than

expected.

Strategic misrepresentation or bias is deliberate and

political. Again, cost and time are underestimated

and benefits overestimated – because it increases the

likelihood of project approval when competing for funds.

This can be ascribed to deliberate misrepresentation.

Sadly, it often means that projects that get the go-

ahead are a function of how well we can deceive.

Jeff says that all the pressures on the industry he

mentioned mean that senior heads will role if the projects

negatively affect the company, but that using a better

scheduling system, for example, isn’t going to eliminate

the optimism bias.

Somewhere in this psychological makeup is the

reason we haven’t seen improvement. Jeff asserts that

to address inaccuracy we need to turn to external

testing – having experts outside the project as part of

the decision making. This would help to overcome errors

in judgement by the project manager, and the fact that

people do not readily correct the error even when fully

aware of the detail. Instead, benchmarking, or what

Flyvbjerg calls reference class forecasting forces people

to review their illusion. External testing would take place

throughout the project life cycle and constantly bring an

outside view to the project.

The effect – in Jeff’s view – is that independent

monitoring will become the norm on capital projects.

The work of the project team will be adjusted by outside

professionals and a set of adjustment standards will

be developed to advise go / no-go decisions. This

will greatly increase focus on risk management and

increasing project transparency right through contract

hierarchy from owner to sub-contractor.


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The POWER of COMMUNICATION

Over 2300 years ago Philip of Macedon rescued

his country from collapse, liberated it from foreign

occupation, and laid the military foundation for his

son, Alexander the Great, to extend the boundaries

of the powerful new Macedonian empire. When this

shrewd diplomat and warrior was asked to name his

most formidable foe, he did not pick out any of the

military rulers that had opposed him. Nor did he pick

one of the many fearless soldiers that had raised their

swords against him in battle. Instead, he named a

communicator.

“The tongue is mightier than the blade” (Euripides, ca. 406BC)

Demosthenes (384-322BC), an orator in the Athenian

court, had a background far removed from what

might be expected of a warrior or even an inspirational

leader. Yet his words succeeded in raising up an army of

resistance to the ‘barbarian’ armies from the north.

What Demosthenes worked very hard at was learning

how to communicate – to find common ground, to

connect – with his audience. That ability made him

one of the most influential of the ancient Greek orators,

and the most powerful foe Philip of Macedon had to

overcome. While others moved their audiences to tears

or laughter, he moved them to action.

Yet Demosthenes was not a born orator. When he

first started speaking publicly, he was widely mocked.

The Greek historian Plutarch records his first foray into

public life thus:

“But when he first addressed himself to the people,

he met with great discouragements, and was derided

for his strange and uncouth style, which was cumbered

with long sentences and tortured with formal arguments

to a most harsh and disagreeable excess. Besides, he

had, it seems, a weakness in his voice, a perplexed and

indistinct utterance and a shortness of breath, which, by

breaking and disjointing his sentences, much obscured

the sense and meaning of what he spoke.”

As a boy he had been rather sickly and weak, with

a terrible stutter that was aggravated by the turmoil

of having his father, a wealthy sword-maker, murdered

when he was only seven. The guardians appointed to

look after him then abused his estate, depriving him of

the classical education enjoyed by many of his peers.

It was his desire for revenge that brought him into

the public eye. He studied the law and successfully sued

his guardians in the public forum. Although he won the

case, he was unable to recover any money. And the

reaction of the public to his oratorical style completely

disillusioned him.

The story of Demosthenes might have ended right

there, had it not been for the timely intervention of an

old man who encouraged Demosthenes to return to his

chosen career. Eunomus the Thriasian looked past what

others saw, focussing rather on the potential. He gave

the young man two pieces of advice:

• Speak with positive intent – instead of approaching

communication from an attitude of “cowardice and

meanness of spirit”, Demosthenes was advised to

look beyond himself to the needs of others, and to

stand up with courage for his convictions.

• Prepare your body for effective communication

– rather than neglecting his body and physical health

through laziness, Demosthenes was encouraged to

begin working out.

Jürgen Oschadleus is a Sydney-based writer and consultant on project and business leadership. In this edition of ProjectNet he starts a series of articles on how to become a more influential communicator and effective leader in your organisation.


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Demosthenes took the old man’s comments to heart

and, over the ensuing years, worked hard to develop his

abilities as a man of influence. While the historical fact

and legend blur at times, several strategies emerge that

still hold relevance to modern leaders seeking to enhance

their communication capabilities, including:

• Develop a healthy lifestyle and improve your lung

capacity. Demosthenes began running long distances

to improve his lung capacity and general health

(becoming one of the best distance runners at the

Garland Games in the process).

• Dedicate time to improving all facets of

communication. Demosthenes built an underground

study with a large mirror where he could develop

his voice and delivery technique, at times spending

months in isolation to master his skills. He disciplined

his voice by reciting speeches or verses when he was

out of breath, while running or going up steep places,

or over the roar of crashing waves. He is even said to

have filled his mouth with pebbles while speaking, as

a means of improving his articulation and reduce his

stammering.

• Seek the advice of experts. Demosthenes once

complained to the actor Satyrus that “drunken sots,

mariners, and illiterate fellows were heard, and had

the husting’s for their own,” while he, industrious

pleader that he was, could not get acceptance from

the people. Satyrus then showed him the impact of

delivery and body language on building rapport and

establishing connection with the audience.

• Make every conversation and speech a learning

experience. Demosthenes constantly sought input

to develop his ideas, and reviewed everything

that happened to see how he might improve his

arguments. After listening to other orators, he would

reduce their presentations into parts, correcting and

transforming them, and experimenting with different

ways in which he might have delivered them.

• Know your subject. Demosthenes refused to be drawn

into debate on topics which he had not studied. While

other orators often criticised him for this, the public

recognised that when Demosthenes spoke, he did so

from a position of knowledge and thought, rather than

on the spur of the moment.

As a result of his perseverance and hard work,

Demosthenes became one of the ten official Athenian

orators, an opinion shaper, and a leader of note. He

could move people to action because they believed him

and could identify with him. He had worked extremely

hard to build his credibility, to demonstrate his passion,

and to craft his messages in terms his audience could

embrace. He understood the power of connection and

communication.

Centuries later, Rosbeth Kanter (When Giants Learn

to Dance, 1989) suggested that in the modern economy

the “…new kind of business hero must learn to operate

without the might of the hierarchy behind them. The

crutch of authority must be thrown away and replaced

by their own ability to make relationships, use influence

and work with others to achieve results”.

Kanter’s description of the new business hero could

have been written specifically for the project managers of

today. They are the often-unsung heroes of organisations,

who usually operate with little or no formal authority and

are dependant on their ability to communicate.

“[Demosthenes] was looked upon as a person of no

great natural genius, but one who owed all the power

and ability he had in speaking to labour and industry”

(Plutarch).

And, as the story of Demosthenes illustrates so clearly,

they are skills that can be acquired and mastered. If you

are willing to invest the time and effort.

Rosbeth Kanter’s description of the

new business hero could have been written specifically

for the project managers of today.


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SOUTH AFRICAN RESEARCH FINDINGS Presented at PMI Research Conference

The PMI Research Conference, which takes place every two years, is a prestigious opportunity for

leading researchers selected from across the globe, to present their research findings in front of an audience of academic and industry peers.

At the most recent PMI Research Conference which took place in Warsaw, Poland in July 2008, Carl Marnewick and Les Labuschagne, both form the University of Johannesburg, presented one of only two research papers delivered at the event by South African researchers.

The paper, titled: The Substantiation of the Vision-to-Projects (V2P) Framework through Action Research, is based on research done by Marnewick towards his Doctoral thesis.

Speaking of the experience, Marnewick says, “I see it as an honour to present at the PMI Research Conference as only the world’s top project management researchers are represented. It makes it even more special to know that I am one of just a few South Africans contributing to the global body of knowledge.“

Marnewick’s research refers to the need to align projects to organizational vision and introduces Action Research as a mechanism to validate the proposed V2P

framework. It is based on a holistic framework that can be used to derive projects from the organizational vision and strategies. The framework consists of proven methods and tools such as Strategy Maps, Balanced Scorecards and Benefits Realization. Through the application of Action Research, the framework is adapted to be more practical for use by organisations.

Marnewick asserts that Action Research can be used in the project management field to test and validate frameworks and concepts. “There is a connection between Action Research and project management in that both bring about change and follow a life cycle,” he says. According to Marnewick, project managers can, therefore, easily relate to Action Research as a research methodology to enhance methods or frameworks.

“It was made clear again at the conference that organizations still battle to derive projects from the organizational vision and our research provides a practical solution to this problem,” he explains.

Future research is aimed at applying the V2P framework to other organizations that differ in context and size as well as to organisations that provide project management as an external service.


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RESEARCHING THE VALUE OF PROJECT MANAGEMENT

The PMI Research Conference in Warsaw showcased numerous studies into different aspects of project

management. For example, Janice L. Thomas, PhD and Mark Mullaly, PMP presented the preliminary findings of a landmark study, Researching the Value of Project Management.

Dr Thomas and Mr Mullaly, the principal researchers, discussed the unprecedented investigation before an audience of more than 300 attendees. Many more people watched the event live on PMI.org/value and followed the action through PMI’s new blog.

Although the results are still preliminary, Dr Thomas was able to state an essential conclusion, “I can stand here

today and unequivocally state that project management

does deliver value.”

The elements that create value were described

as: satisfaction; project and organizational alignment;

consistent use of good practices; better results of processes

and projects; better business outcomes; and realization of

tangible and intangible benefits.

Until now, information about the value of project

management was primarily anecdotal. As a result of this

study, extensive and high quality statistical information was

collected and is still being analyzed.

The other paper presented by a South African was by Kosheek Sewchurran from the University of Cape Town. His paper was titled: An investigation into Successfully Managing and Sustaining the Project Sponsor-Project Manager relationship using Soft Systems Methodology.

According to PMI Editor-in-Chief, Dan Goldfischer, the conference saw a record attendance level; nearly 400 participants came from 52 countries. Many were researchers themselves or taught project management or related subjects at universities. There was good representation from the practitioner community as well, including a number of program managers and directors of PMOs (project management offices). About the Researchers

Carl Marnewick is a Deputy Head of Department: Business IT and Senior Lecturer at The University of Johannesburg and lectures in Information Technology Project Management and

Information Technology Management at an undergraduate

and post-graduate level. He is also supervisor to various

Masters students. Marnewick worked extensively as a senior

project manager in the field of ERP implementations before

he joined the University of Johannesburg in 2007. His area

of main research area is IT Project Management with the

focus on aligning projects to the vision of an organization.

Professor Les Labuschagne is the Head of Department:

Business IT at the University of Johannesburg. He is also part

of an international research team comprising Dr Lynne

Crawford (Australia), Dr Brian Hobbs (Canada), Dr Terry

Cooke-Davies (UK), Dr Kaye Remington (Australia) and Dr

Ping Chen (China). Their PMI-sponsored research into the

role of project sponsor, called: Situational Sponsorship of

Projects and Programs: An Empirical Review has just been

published as a book by PMI.

PMI Launches New Credential: The PMI Risk Management Professional (PMI-RMP)SM

PMI is happy to announce the launch of another global credential -- the PMI Risk Management Professional (PMI-

RMP)SM. This credential, the development of which was announced in October 2007, certifies individual’s knowledge and experience in the specialty area of project risk management.

PMI’s near-term objective is to secure at least 100 approved risk management credential candidates to take the examination during the incentive period between 29 August

and 31 October 2008. This will enable PMI to establish an official cut-score in a timely manner. The eligibility for this credential includes the need for 30 contact hours of education in project risk management. Eligible candidates are asked to begin the application process, register for classes, and start studying now so that they can meet the eligibility requirements.

Please visit the R.E.P. Community Site for more information or www.pmi.org. If you have any questions or inquiries, please contact [email protected].


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THE VALUE of Research-based Events

Standing before one’s peers to present research findings is not a walk in the park. Delegates at events

such as the PMI Research Conference pose difficult questions and openly challenge the presenters on their findings, theories and methodologies at the end of each session and during networking events. Such healthy debate and a strict review process results in a very high standard of presentation.

PMI Editor-in-Chief, Dan Goldfischer, spoke to delegates and presenters about their reasons for attending and the value the derived from the event:

Blaize Reich, PhD, a theoretical researcher and recipient of the Project Management Journal® Paper of the Year Award, said that if we can understand theory, we will have better link with performance at the project level. “Research, like practice, is going from implementation to achievement of business value,” she

said. “That last step is one we as researchers have to

understand and help with.”

Juan Garzon, PMO director of Ecopetrol in Colombia,

was an attending practitioner. He felt he could do better

work at his PMO by learning the theoretical backing of

the best practices.

Kathy Cowan-Sahadath is both a practitioner and

a PhD student and was part of a team doing research

for Researching the Value of Project Management. “This

conference has provided the opportunity to experience

the research thoughts and contributions of some

amazing project management experts from around the

world, and to be a part of their discussions and questions

associated with theories, models and applying creative

and innovative approaches to project management

discovery,” said Ms. Cowan-Sahadath.

P M S A N

ew

s Branch Meetings Bring Project People Together

The Johannesburg Branch meeting in July was kindly hosted by the Gautrain consortium and featured a presentation

by Johan Venter on the Gautrain project, its progress and the challenges facing the project team. A scaled down

version of his presentation (minus video clips due to size constraints), is available to members for downloading from

the PMSA website. By visiting the Gautrain offices for the event, attendees could get a feel for the project thanks

to the decor and exhibits that bring elements of the project to life. Framed newspaper headlines line the walls of

the boardrooms and are a reminder of the myths, misperceptions, set-backs and accomplishments surrounding the


Saudi Aramco Executive Salim Al-Aydh to Speak at IPMA Congress

The project management team for the 22nd IPMA World Congress on Project

Management - ROMA 2008 Project Management to Run - has announced that

Mr. Salim Al-Aydh will be a keynote speaker for the November congress. Mr. Al-Aydh is

Senior Vice President and a member of the Board of Directors of Aramco, the largest

engineering and construction company in the Middle East and one of the largest in

the world.

The IPMA 22nd World Congress on Project Management will be held in Rome, Italy

during 9-11 November 2008. With keynote speeches and 12 streams of presentations

over three days, as many as 200 presentations on important project management

topics can be anticipated at ROMA 2008 – Project Management to Run.

Leading project management authorities and over 1,000 participants from the 45+

countries represented by IPMA membership are expected to attend. The Roma 2008

World Congress will be one of the largest project management events in the world

this year. The 22nd IPMA World Congress and Exhibition will be held at the Palazzo dei

Congressi near the heart of downtown Rome. For registration, schedule and other

information, visit the conference website at www.ipmaroma2008.it

PMSA’s KZN-based members and other interested people who could not

make it up to Johannesburg for the national conference will be happy

to know that the KZN branch is hosting a regional conference in Durban in

October this year. ABSA Bank has come on board as a main sponsor and the

venue has been confirmed as the International Convention Centre (ICC) in

the Durban city centre. The event will take place from 30 to 31 October and

registration will be open soon. For more information, keep an eye on your email

or go to www.pmisa.org.za.

Regional Conference to Take Place in KZN

mammoth project to date. Those who attended the presentation were curious

to know if it is going to meet its deadlines. Despite some unavoidable missed

deadlines in the early stages of the project, the team is confident they can make

up time in later stages of the project. Some hard lessons have been learnt about

what not to do and Johan joked that he will share what he has learnt in the

process in a book he plans to write when it’s all over. That will certainly make for

fascinating reading! The presentation led to a real appreciation for the scope

and size of the project, and one hopes that attendees who are sympathetic to

the plight of project managers in the public eye, will spread positive messages

and send supportive thoughts to the consortium.


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“If you are a manager in your organisation, to your

direct reports you are the most important leader in the

organisation”. “If you are a parent, teacher, coach,

or community leader you are the person setting the

leadership example to young people”. “The leaders

that have the greatest influence on people are those

who are closest to them. You have to challenge the

myth that leadership is about position and power”.

In business today and particularly in the arena

of Project Management, leadership has become a

valuable ability and a key to success. The quotes above

are all from a book about leadership. The point being

made by the authors is that everyone is a leader, not just

the ‘guy at the top’.

The text presents a comprehensive explanation of

the five principles to successful leadership. These are

behaviours and actions that the authors have identified

through research into leadership which they have been

conducting over the past twenty five years. They have

grouped the behaviours into what they term the ‘Five

Practices of Leadership’. Each practice is unpacked

in its own section of the book and each section has

two chapters devoted to key aspects of the relevant

behaviour.

An example of a key practice is ‘Enable Others to Act’.

This practice was found to be reflected in the use of the

word ‘We’ instead of ‘I’ in the interviews conducted with

successful leaders. The behaviours associated with these

individuals were found to be ‘fostering collaboration’

and ‘strengthening others’. Collaboration requires that

a common purpose be identified and mutual respect

engendered in the team. Strengthening others entailed

building individuals self esteem and developing their

competence and confidence.

This particular chapter uses an example drawn from

the Indian Navy to illustrate the point being made. It

describes the experience of one Naval Officer who

felt that things were not ‘up to standard’ and he set

about improving the situation. The case describes the

details of the actions taken by the Officer and serves

to illustrate the points being made in the chapter. There

are numerous examples of this nature throughout the

book taken from all sorts of situations and from all over

the world.

The details mentioned above are part of an overall

framework of behaviour that starts with the development

of a clear understanding of the values of the group and

the leader. This leads to a shared set of ideals that a

vision of the future can be crafted around. These two

steps form the foundation for the remaining behaviours

that lead to the success of the individual as a leader.

Describing the framework of behaviours makes up

the bulk of the book, each point is described in great

detail with numerous examples and cases where a

manager has faced a problem with their team and

solved it through the development of the required

behaviours.

The book ends with a chapter explaining that

leadership is the business of everyone. The key finding

of the research was that leadership is not something

people are born with, nor is it bestowed on them by

authority. Rather leadership is an ‘observable set of skills

and abilities’. Leadership behaviour can be learned

and this book describes some of the dimensions of that

behaviour.

The final chapter ends by explaining that leadership

development is about self-development. The authors

are both at Santa Clara University, and developed the

Leadership Practices Inventory. In addition they offer

online 360-degree assessment tools based on the five

practices.

The Leadership Challenge by James M Kouzes and

Barry Z Posner; Jossey-Bass / John Wiley & Sons, 2007,

ISBN 978-0-7879-8491-5

‘The Leadership Challenge’ - Book Review by Ian Jay


projectnet august.indd 2 8/2/08 9:40:35 am · hareesh is no stranger to the association, having...

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