The Project Office: An Interview with Chad Feeney (Part 2)

Continuing from the conversation we started the last time, I'm interviewing Chad Feeney, who is leading the Project Office at Farm Bureau in West Des Moines.  The first part of our conversation occurred earlier in the month.

What do you look for in a skilled and talented project manager?

 

When looking for a PM there are a couple of key items we look for:

• Experience. Its very important for us to find a candidate that has had favorable and challenging experiences. We look for someone who's weathered some storms.
• Communication. Like our discipline indicates and experiences validate, we communicate 90% of the time. So, someone whom can demonstrate notable skills within written and oral communication.
• Leadership. A candidate must demonstrate to us that they don't just have one leadership style. They must be adaptable to the situations and Interpersonal styles of our customers and executives. We like to understand from a candidate they know when to swim with or against the current.

 

What has been your biggest challenge in managing a project office? What is the most rewarding aspect?

Our biggest challenge in managing a PMO varies from day to day, but a common theme is expectation management. A majority of the time, we provide a service that meets expectations and has a rewarding benefit to the company and the PMO. Occasionally, we're asked to provide services that is dependent upon our partners capabilities. I like to remind myself your service is only as good as individuals whom are performing it. Consequently, that is the most rewarding aspect...coaching and partnering with fellow PMs in providing the best service possible.

 

How would you sum up your philosophy of project management?

Triple Constraint. The concept is easy to understand but the application and communication of this philosophy within a corporate environment is probably the most challenging for any project manager or PMO leadership. During our early stages of a project, the concept and feasibility stage, it's important to establish the ground rules of the triple constraint. But it's in the planning stage where our services as project managers must prove back to the executives that their expectations can be met using the triple constraint as the dialogue tool. It's our obligation to listen to the voice of the customer and partner with them on the options since never is anything cut and dry with a project. I've always kept this simple premise as much in front of our customers as possible.

Look for more interviews with other local excellent project practitioners in the future.  Thanks again, Chad.

Comments

[Sgt13Echo]

Very good read, thank you Chad!