? With the gradual recovery of economic crisis and the needs of enterprise development, enterprises have more and more demand for consulting, and consulting projects are generally carried out in the form of project system. Therefore, after the consulting project is started, the project manager becomes the bridge between the consulting company and the customer, and the quality of the consulting project is determined by the quality of the project management. Here, how to do a good job in consulting project managers is briefly discussed.
First, continuous communication, clearly refining the real needs of customers.
There are different opinions on whether the consulting project is to complete the consulting contract or solve the real core problems of customers. Since it is a contract, both parties should strictly abide by it, and there is no need to talk about it. And the reality is that consulting companies often do things according to the contract, which saves a lot of things. But it should be said that the consulting contract corresponds to the real core problem of the customer. For various reasons, the two may not be exactly the same. Based on the principle of customer-centered, solving the real core problems of customers should be a basic principle that project managers should follow.
Sometimes the contract does not clearly state the needs of the enterprise, or in reality, there may be differences due to the different understanding of technical terms between the two partners, or the customer does not really reflect the final needs for various reasons, or the customer cannot clearly define his real needs, or the two partners only specify the consulting objectives when signing the contract. Therefore, a successful project manager should not only strictly complete the contract. It is also necessary to solve the real core problems of customer enterprises, so that excellent project managers need to communicate formally or informally with customers in the process of project progress to clarify and refine the real needs of customers.
Second, the preliminary plan and implementation plan
The recognition and acceptance of the consulting scheme only means that the customer understands the labor results of the consulting company, or the consulting company convinces the enterprise that the scheme is a better scheme, which does not mean that the enterprise will implement it in reality. The main reasons for this consequence are:
(1) The consulting scheme is too general and does not reflect the individual characteristics of the enterprise;
② Insufficient participation of consulting clients and incomplete understanding of the essence of consulting scheme;
(3) The consulting scheme is not operable;
④ The consulting scheme is inconsistent with the enterprise's expectation;
⑤ The consulting scheme has not solved the real core problem of the enterprise.
As mentioned above, a successful project manager not only completes the contract, but more importantly, solves the real core problems of customers. If the final submitted consulting scheme is not promoted by customers, it is impossible to solve the real core problems of customers. It should be noted that it is very rare for a consulting scheme to be fully implemented by customers. Therefore, a successful project manager should pragmatically push customers to implement some consulting schemes. The rational approach is to push customers to gradually implement some of the contents on the premise of accepting the consulting plan as a whole. It is unrealistic to hope that customers will realize the advantages of the consulting scheme in one go.
The effective methods to push customers to implement the consulting plan are not only communication and persuasion, but also feasible methods: First, the * * * same working system. After the consulting project is started, it is most feasible for the client enterprise to set up a team to work with the consultants of the consulting company, which can not only ensure the operability of the consulting scheme, but also ensure the client enterprise to better understand the essence of the consulting scheme. The second is the stage achievement reporting system. * * * The same work is only the understanding of specific operators (often the middle managers of enterprise customers). The presentation of phased results can invite the senior managers of customer enterprises to participate, so that all stakeholders of customers can fully express their opinions. Third, tracking and training services after the completion of the project. After the project is completed, it is necessary not only to hold a project briefing meeting, but also to provide follow-up services to customers for a period of time (such as half a year) after the project is completed. The most effective way is to provide training services and upgrade the important content of the consulting program to knowledge training or method training.
Third, respond to different opinions.
In the process of consulting the project progress, customers will put forward many opinions for various reasons, and successful project managers should take them seriously instead of giving in to customer pressure.
From experience, customers' opinions are often an external manifestation of internal differences among customers, and the result of internal disputes among customers' enterprises is to give an answer with the help of consulting companies. It is worth noting that consulting companies or consulting project teams independently provide services for client enterprises and cannot be used by any individual or interest subject within the enterprise. The consulting company or project manager should be responsible for the ultimate interests of customers. Therefore, the project manager should properly respond to all kinds of opinions put forward by customers.
First, we should accept any opinions put forward by customers with an open mind, no matter who put forward these opinions and what the ultimate intention is. Accepting them with an open mind is a matter of attitude.
Second, we must adhere to the principle of independence, adhere to the views recognized by consulting companies, and be responsible for the interests of customers.
The third is to be bold and cautious, so that the customer's inner struggle is clear. Often the more intense the struggle, the clearer the situation, and the chaotic situation is difficult for the project manager to grasp. Offense is the best defense. In principle, put forward the opinions of consulting project team, and urge customers to discuss and give opinions on the phased results.
Some opinions put forward to customers may affect your judgment, but the project manager must seek common ground while reserving differences, understand the essence of the problem from the opinions, simplify the complex, clarify the thinking, and not respond passively.
Fourth, make use of various resources and follow the trend.
It should be said that after the consulting project starts, the project manager can? Won't you be awarded your life outside? However, consulting projects can not only be completed by the project team, but also need the support of consulting companies, especially when the project team goes to the field. Through some successful cases of the company, learn from each other's strengths and reduce the time of detours.
Use the boss to make the project progress faster!
Verb (abbreviation of verb) management of consulting project team
The consulting project team is a team, and maintaining the openness and integrity of the team is an important task for a successful project manager. Considering that consultants are professionals with strong personalities, it is not easy to integrate consulting project teams.
The first is to integrate project value and personal value.
It should be said that all members of the consulting project team should serve the overall value of the project. However, in reality, because consulting project is an innovative mental activity, consultants are often inconsistent with the overall value in one aspect of their responsibilities, and forcing the overall interests of individual services is likely to cause enthusiasm damage and innovation enthusiasm damage. Persuading individuals or solving inconsistent problems through discussion is limited by project time and schedule. It can be said that it is not a simple matter to integrate the overall value of the project with the individual innovation value. Successful project managers not only need to encourage individual innovation, but also need to converge individual differences to support the integrity of the project. The practical experience is that there is no rule, but one thing must be done, that is, to communicate effectively with individual members of the project, preferably privately, to recognize the value of individual innovation, and hope that individuals can serve the overall interests of the project.
The second is the balance between praise and criticism.
In the process of consulting the progress of the project, the progress and completion of each subproject are definitely different, and the achievements and performances of project members are also very different. Good needs the affirmation or praise of the project manager, and bad needs the criticism and assistance of the project manager. But the balance between the two is really difficult to grasp, especially when the members of the project team are very capable. First of all, the project manager needs to be clear about the reason of quality, whether it is the cooperation of customers or the efforts of project members. What is the real experience like? Public praise and private criticism? Praise is more about expecting to do better in the future and making it a benchmark within the project team. Criticism is more about how to help project members improve their work and complete their tasks. Affirming and praising every advantage of each member is an essential quality for a successful project manager.
Third, you don't have to do everything yourself.
The main job of the project manager is to cooperate with customers on behalf of the consulting company, refine and clarify the real core needs of customers, do a good job in project planning and guidance, motivate project team members to complete tasks as required, communicate project results to customers and promote their implementation. It can be seen that the project manager is more of a planning and communication work, and does not need to cut into specific affairs too much. Even if the project manager is more professional and in-depth than the project members in some aspects, please note that team work pursues the whole, not the local optimization.
Counseling is also a state of life.
After a period of hard work, the project team organized some activities to reduce the work pressure.
Fifth, a successful project manager should be good at maintaining his physical and mental stability.
First of all, the project manager is the authorized representative of the consulting company and bears the pressure to complete the consulting contract. Secondly, the project manager directly responds to customers, and the pressure of customers' various feedback opinions is also a heavy burden for the project manager. Finally, the project manager is the leader of the consulting project team, maintaining the enthusiasm of project members and ensuring that the project direction does not deviate, which is of great responsibility. Once the project is not progressing smoothly, the three pressures will work together, which will inevitably impact the project manager's mentality. Therefore, a successful project manager should be able to constantly adjust himself and maintain a self-centered balance. In addition to unloading the burden, the project manager needs to rest for a few days after working for a period of time (for example, January), accompany his family and be kind to the mountains and rivers. After all, people are ordinary people.
In any case, the prerequisite for a successful consulting project manager is to complete the consulting project contract, although this is a basic requirement. On the premise of ensuring the completion of consulting projects, project managers still have a lot of room to play. In concrete practice, every project manager will have different practices, and the specific constraints and practices of project managers of different types of consulting companies are also different.
;