• I'm a stealth-type of project manager who prefers to get participant help before their project work ever shows up on their supervisor's radar scope.
• In the past, I get more supervisor resistance than compliance when I ask for their support of my projects' priorities.
• I don't have time to meet with supervisors.
• I just send out memos telling people what's expected. If they have a problem with it, they can call or e-mail me.
• I think it's more efficient to wait until a supervisor pulls a time-sensitive direct report back than to anticipate these problems and invest in heading them off before they happen.
• We're far to 'siloed' around here to willingly accommodate the priorities of people outside our domain.

Why You Should

Because most project work is 'voluntary' (the time to do it is bootlegged from the job-description-driven work day), you protect your project from the negative effects that a supervisor's competing, priority work might have on results and relationships.

You avoid violating the naturally occurring 'territoriality' rights that reporting relationships define by asking for the blessing of supervisors whose job performance ratings depend on the best use of their direct reports.

You help participants and supervisors alike manage their time more effectively.

You keep participants from ending up in the middle of a dispute between you and their supervisor.

 

Some Tips On How To

Don't talk to participants' supervisors unless the participant knows that you're doing it, what you're going to talk about, why you're doing it and what the likely impact will be on them. Except in mighty peculiar circumstances, you would be well advised to invite the participant to the meeting.

If it works in the context of the meeting, start by thanking the supervisor for approving his/her direct report's involvement in your project. ("Jane, I want you to know how much it means to my project for Sam here to be involved. By helping adjust his responsibilities so he could participate, you've really done a lot towards making our deadline possible.")

Consider using the project flowchart to draw attention to the interlocking nature of the milestones and the impact that a delay on his/her direct report's contribution would have on the project and its participants.

Close the brief meeting with a confirmation request; eg. "Jane, I'll let you get back to your work here. I just wanted to confirm that Sam will be set to spend 9 hours during the week of the 27th to complete milestone 'J'. (Pause as he waits for Jane to confirm) Thank you so much!"