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Managing & Leading in Complex Environments

(MLCE)

Tomorrow’s project and commercial managers will be more than just good at what they do. They will be masters of innovative, multidisciplinary thinking in ways that harness resources to deliver real results.

Intensive Courses for Industry

Leading – Developing – Solving Innovation, ambiguity, uncertainty, scale, context dynamics and interdependence of diverse stakeholders characterise complexity in projects. Traditional approaches to managing projects and programs have proven to be increasingly inadequate when dealing with rising complexity.

Industry and government leaders are recognising the impact of complexity on project outcomes and the need to do things differently. An IBM survey of 1500+ CEOS found that the majority of them view the economic environment as more complex, multifaceted, and interconnected than ever before and think that this complexity will continue to grow. Less than half of them felt adequately prepared to deal with this increasing complexity. The track record on complex project success has not been good. 35 per cent of major projects in Australia have underestimated the degree of complexity impacting on their projects and, according to a 2012 analysis of over 650 completed projects since the mid-1990s, technically

complex projects greater than $100 million have a poor performance record with a failure rate over 75 per cent in Australia1.

Research2 also shows that companies which successfully manage complexity enhance their performances by a factor of 10. QUT’s response to this need was the development and delivery of a world first Executive Master in Complex Project Management (EMCPM) which is now in its sixth year of delivering proven benefits to a broad range of clients in the complexity space, including corporate, defence sector and government. Industry is now requesting more flexible access to the knowledge and skill emerging from this post graduate degree and QUT has developed a series of short intensive courses related to key aspects of Leading in Complex Environments. Many government and defence industry clients in Australia, England, France and America have already undertaken our intensive course in systems thinking approaches to complexity management and report high levels of skills transfer to the workplace and measurable changes in work practices as a result.

1 The Performance of Australian Industrial Projects,

Prepared for the Business Council of Australia by Rob Young, Independent Project Analysis, Inc. May 2012 2 The Performance of Australian Industrial Projects,

Prepared for the Business Council of Australia by Rob Young, Independent Project Analysis, Inc. May 2012

Innovative course design The courses have been designed with industry engagement and consultation and can be further customised to specific industry or government contexts. There is a strong emphasis on industry application of models and methodologies drawn from the latest research in the field. Participants on the courses engage in highly interactive approaches to learning where they examine real cases and have the opportunity to address their own organisational challenges using practical tools with the support of experienced facilitators.

Who should attend?

This suite of courses has been designed for organisational leaders and core enabling staff to accelerate their learning in the complexity space. The aim is to build a critical mass of people within industry and government with the knowledge and skills that will enable them to drive sustainable change and improvement in managing complexity. Participants on the courses have opportunities to build networks across industries and have access to a community of alumni representing over seven hundred senior project managers around the world. The courses would benefit senior and aspiring projects managers, key project management staff, commercial managers, supply chain managers, portfolio managers and key advisors, independent of sector or program type.

‘Enabled us to deal with previously intractable problems’

‘It is accessible and ‘usable’ and complements existing/traditional practises. It is a powerful way of thinking’

‘Opened a new way of thinking’

Suite of Intensive Short Courses in Leadership of Complexity

The following short intensive courses can be taken individually or packaged as a solution to an industry or organisational challenge. They are available in different durations (1, 3 and 5 day) to suit industry need. Each of the courses draws on systems thinking approaches to explore and understand the challenge and possible leadership solutions inherent in the course topic. More detail about each of the courses is available on subsequent pages.

1. Holistic Systems Thinking 2. Creative Problem Solving in

Complex Environments 3. Contracting Approaches for

Complex Projects 4. Acquisition Strategies 5. Strategic Management of Risk 6. Strategic Procurement 7. Effective Communication for

Complex Projects 8. Developing High Performance

Virtual Teams 9. Dispute Resolution

The first intensive short course – Holistic systems thinking – provides a foundation framework for each of the other courses and introduces methods, tools and learning experiences for individuals and corporations who desire to get an edge in the industry.

Positive feedback from previous participants “I found the course was both a challenging and rewarding ‘deep dive’ into complexity management. The course invited us to get comfortable with complexity by thinking about it differently. While not only an

interesting intellectual exercise that provides greater depth of understanding around policy, these workshops are also great for team bonding and facilitating the open sharing of more ‘thinking outside the square’ ideas in everyday interactions.”

Rowena Thomson, Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet, Open Course Canberra Feb 2012.

“The Foundations module complements and extends our traditional analytical tools and PMBOK-aligned, Corporate Project Management training. To that end, we have now completed two very successful courses taking over 50 senior PMs through this advanced training. We firmly believe the benefits offered by this course are for our leadership community as a whole, not only for one discipline.”

David Gordon, Head of Project Management, BAE Systems Australia 2011.

Course descriptions

Holistic system thinking:

Key Benefits: Improved delivery of complex projects, enhanced benefits realisation, productivity gains.

Managers of complex projects deal with complex problems whose resolution requires holistic approaches, sophisticated thinking and pluralist methodologies. This course provides foundational knowledge related to systems methodologies that enable project managers to solve complex project problems in context. Course participants acquire systems skills through the application of systems methodologies to their own industry challenges. This course takes a holistic approach, looking at the ‘big picture’ and embracing the complexity of how problems interact with each other to form a ‘mess’. Looking at problems in this way leads managers to accept that problems are not obvious and pre-determined, but must be constantly reviewed and managed. In this view, the appropriate response to complex problems does not lie with simple fixes but must be constructed with the wide range of stakeholders who are implicated in and impacted by the ‘mess’. This systems perspective does not require us to abandon the manager’s traditional analytical tools, but it does demand that we complement and integrate them with holistic systems approaches. Because of the evolving and interactive complexity of problems, systems-thinking managers must be creative in how they tackle them. Often, several systems approaches will be

required to be combined to create a solution that addresses the root causes of a complex problem situation. Participants will be introduced to a range of systems thinking methodologies that will enable them to address complex projects and programmes in creative and holistic ways, and will challenge their assumptions about traditional hard systems linear approaches when managing projects and programs in the complexity space.

Creative problem solving in complex environment:

Key Benefits: Growth in innovation capability, reduction in failed experiments, fostering creativity.

The aim of this course is to assist managers to develop knowledge and skills in problem framing and problem solving in complex environments where ambiguity and incomplete information abounds. This course will help participants to increase their understanding of the way in which insights from creativity may be applied to complex project environments to generate solutions and identify hidden opportunities. Creative problem solving approaches are essential for any modern, dynamic, large organisation and have particular relevance in situations of increased complexity, ambiguity and uncertainty. The course brings together the wealth of experience, research and application of problem definition, framing and solving in a

workplace setting from established organisations and companies, and participants will learn from their success and mistakes. The focus of the course is on the needs of managers involved in planning, leading, organising and maximising performance. It explores how creative problem solving at the individual, team and organisational level can work to meet these needs. This course focuses on a selection of the most important methodologies and frameworks at the problem formulation level using techniques for developing a clear statement of the problem, redefining the problem and further techniques to achieve a clear formulation. Participants then experience individual and group processes for generating, evaluating and applying ideas. Specific exploration is done around creative problem solving and innovation processes in changing and varied organisational contexts for motivating staff, developing strategies relevant to different organisational cultures and implementing change.

Contracting Approaches for Complex Projects:

Key Benefits: Navigate the legal system, understanding of legal risks and liabilities, and develop efficient contract approaches.

Complex projects operate within and across a multitude of legal environments and policy frameworks. Managers of complex projects need to be able to examine and interpret these to comply with their legal obligations and to minimise the potentially large operational and legal risk and financial exposure for their organisation that is inherent in contracts for large and complex projects. The aim of this course is for participants to

develop skills and expertise in identifying,

selecting and applying contract

mechanisms appropriate for delivery along

the project lifecycle; and in interpreting

contracts from the perspective of

contractual management, risk and

governance.

Participants will explore the impact of

international and domestic legal systems

and policy on complex projects and

discover how to interpret contracts from

the perspective of both the principal and

the contractor. The course will examine

the business consequences of relevant

contract clauses and the financial and legal

risks of contracts in relation to a complex

project and the chosen contract model.

As a result of the course, participants will

be able to analyse contract issues from

their own workplaces and identify

appropriate courses of action more suited

to complex contracting environments.

Acquisition strategies:

Key Benefits: Ensure strategic alignment across procurement activities.

There are a multitude of ways to deliver outcomes in terms of contracting strategy, remuneration, financing, industry engagement and ownership. Managers of complex projects need to be able to critically appraise the options available for delivering strategic/complex projects. This includes a thorough understanding of all risks and benefits so as to optimise the alignment of the chosen acquisition strategy with the business objectives. This course explores how processes are selected, documented and implemented to satisfy strategic needs within a procurement environment relevant to complex/strategic projects. The course provides participants with techniques to identify risks and constraints, stakeholder importance and

strategic imperatives within complex project procurement context. Consideration is given to the expected project lifecycle, risk profile, commercial drivers, and capability delivery options. The course also includes an exploration of issues at the strategic level such as intellectual property, insurance, indemnities and international perspectives. Participants will look at how contracts vary across the project lifecycle and how multi-party contracts create interdependencies and risks in complex projects. They will also be introduced to the concept that contracting options may be switched or brought to an end to meet strategic imperatives. On return to their organisations, participants will be more aware of the critical issues associated with contractor selection, engagement and retention and will be armed with techniques to improve strategic acquisitions associated with complex projects in their environments.

Strategic Management of Risk:

Key Benefit: Develop a holistic approach to risk management.

While risk is an invariant feature of any project, traditional risk management approaches may not protect against risk or seek to identify opportunity from risk in the complex project context. On the one hand, risks can threaten the achievement of a project's objectives. On the other hand, risks can also create major opportunities which projects can exploit to achieve substantial organisational benefits. The complex project manager must be able to distinguish and balance both perspectives. Risk and uncertainty are collective themes which permeate every decision made in a company or in an organisation. Projects often fail either catastrophically or in part and this often means that in some way there has been a failure of risk management. There is a critical relationship between risk management, project performance and project success. This course applies a systems thinking paradigm to the risk problems faced by leaders of complex projects.

Traditional ways of understanding and managing risk are not effective for complex projects. To maximise the probability of success, it is not appropriate to only consider individual risks one at a time or in the short term. It is essential to work on risks as a whole, since this makes it possible to optimise long term benefits and to develop your organisation’s capability to manage uncertainties of all kinds including unknowable unknowns.

The greatest benefits arise from thinking and acting strategically and this is where

effective leaders create the greatest impact and value. This course will introduce participants to methodologies, approaches and techniques to more holistically manage risk in the complex project environment.

Delivering Value in Contract Relationships

Key Benefit: Recognising the importance and usefulness of relational contracting, trust and governance in managing contractual relationships

The business of complex global projects is dominated by concerns of jurisdiction, security, and trust. Within this operating

context, the attention to the social as well as technical aspects of project management becomes a core competency.

This course focuses on developing, maintaining and securing the contractual relationships within and between project partners. There is a particular attention to identifying and building strategic relationships and embedding trust as a core social relation in contracts.

Participants will explore how to differentiate between relational contracting and traditional contracting and the important role that trust plays in contracting approaches. They will also be able to identify how corporate culture can impact on relational contracting and how non-traditional KPEs can be used in a range of contract situations.

Participants will be encouraged to consider approaches to contracting in their own organisations and how alternative approaches could deliver more sustainable value to their company.

“Any partnering/alliance relationship must prepare for and be able to answer the ‘value’ question....that is: What value is this relationship delivering for our organisation over the alternatives? Tony Lendrum 2012

Effective communication for complex projects:

Key Benefit: Enhance communication skills; improve effectiveness as a project leader

The successful management of a complex project needs skilled, communicatively competent managers who are capable of creating and maintaining a flexible, listening and action-oriented project environment. To achieve success, the manager, in their leadership role in a complex project, must therefore develop personal skills, including the ability to frame ideas in sophisticated ways and the ability to influence others to achieve diverse goals of the project. The project manager also needs to plan and promote effective organisational communication that supports the goals and processes embedded in the project. This course supports the development of these two critical competencies. The phrase ‘communication problem’ is commonly heard in any discussion of intractable management dilemmas. Indeed, ‘communication problems’ are usually characterised as the main problem for most difficult situations and relationships between people. However,

when it comes to understanding and resolving such problems, attention often goes to personality, politics or bad practice. In other words, the concept of communication itself is often treated as a black box and left faltering while attention is given to those aspects that are more tangible and seemingly controllable. This course examines the challenges of communication and offers a variety of conceptual maps, tools and techniques to allow you to enhance your ability to manage the communication complexities of project life and the demands of being communicatively effective as a project leader. Communication is not simply message transfer and reception. Nor does using technology automatically achieve the act of communicating. Communication is about meaning creation to link the diverse groups that work together in these temporary organisational forms we call projects. Thus, communication is both about creating order out of disorder and also about creating new meanings that dissipate old ones. This course will assist participants in their lifelong quest to become an excellent communicator and manager of meaning in their project management life.

Developing High Performance Virtual Teams:

Key Benefit: Improved team performance on a complex project.

One reason why organisations and projects are becoming increasingly complex is because of geographical dispersion. Most teams in a complex project environment have some degree of “virtualness”. Most project team leaders are now working with team members who are working in a different place. This could be as simple as home based work arrangements, or could be as complex as teams working across four or five continents. An increasingly common characteristic of large and complex projects is that the teams working on those projects are likely to span multiple locations and multiple timezones; and that they are likely to be connected in fluid and changing structures. Traditional approaches to building teams to work effectively together to deliver

project goals may not necessarily work as companies cope with this aspect of increased complexity.

E-collaboration is now an integral part of

the world of work, particularly where

complex projects are concerned leaders in

the complex project space need to

consider the impact of ‘virtualness’ on

team bonding and team performance in

order to optimise their potential and/or

use them competitively.

This course explores the challenges and opportunities of working in virtual teams, particularly in relation to: leadership, distance and time, communication and technology, team design, culture and building trust. Participants will explore strategies and approaches that serve to build high performance teams in the virtual space.

Dispute resolution:

Key Benefit: Enhanced skills in dealing with conflict in the complex project environment.

Negotiation and alternative dispute resolution skills are essential for managers to deal effectively with conflict in all aspects of complex project management. This course explores how to identify potential sources of conflict and design alternative dispute resolution interventions to avoid escalation of that conflict. Participants will be able to identify and deal with the impact of power on the dynamics of the dispute resolution process and effectively implement strategies in the management of complex project negotiations. This course provides the fundamental skills to enable managers to improve their capacity to negotiate for results in complex settings through role-play exercises and reflection on individual performance and outcomes.

“Our lives are not dependent on whether or not we have conflict. It is what we do with conflict that makes the difference.”

Thomas Crum “Peace is not the absence of conflict, but the ability to cope with it.”

Anonymous “If necessity is the mother of invention, conflict is its father.”

Kenneth Kaye “Whenever you’re in conflict with someone, there is one factor that can make the difference between damaging your relationship and deepening it. That factor is attitude.”

Timothy Bentley

Contact:

Diane Hope

(ICCPM) Phone: +61 2 6120 5110

Email: admin@iccpm.com

QUT Graduate School of Business www.bus.qut.edu.au