A CEO, determined to succeed with a strategic initiative, asked me to identify the #1 success factor. I thought for a moment and told him,

The #1 most-important action is recruiting a capable person to own and direct the strategic initiative.

This capable person is a source of leverage. S/he can:

• Shape and influence the vision and strategy, including capturing emergent opportunities that were not originally identified
• Identify and manage interfaces with other strategic initiatives and with ongoing operations (including non-strategic initiatives)
• Attract and negotiate for other resources, including information, people, capital, facilities, etc.
• Build and lead the implementation team
• Inspire people to step outside of their comfort zone and accomplish stretch goals
• Establish governance to assure that benefits are delivered early and incrementally to stakeholders
• Establish metrics and reinforce a culture of accountability

The Capable Program Manager: Competencies & Characteristics

I have drawn upon research from academics (Owen Gaddekin, Richard Leifer and his associates) as well as my personal observations to develop this description of a capable program manager for a strategic initiative.  Stated simply,

Program Managers have strengths in strategic thinking (in addition to critical thinking) matched by use of leadership skills, determination and commitment to a vision.

Programs are not simply big projects, and program managers have competencies different from project managers. They,

1. Have a long-term and big-picture perspective
2. Are systematic and innovative thinkers. They tolerate ambiguity in the problem discovery and concept development phases.
3. They have a mindset of abundance (rather than a mindset of scarcity). They scrounge for, find, and empower the best people. They build teams that are characterized by open and fluid cultures.
4. Focus heavily on external stakeholders.  They continually promote the potential benefits of the program.
5. Thrive on relationships and influence
6. Are strongly committed to the mission and delivering results. They develop robust strategies with alternative solutions.
7. Are selectively involved in project issues.  They exercise judgment to recognize profound problems versus the mundane.
8. Proactively gather information and insist on results. They ask many questions and listen.
9. Are opportunistic, looking for quick wins rather than dogmatic compliance with protocols.

  Do you agree with my list of characteristics and competencies?

Related articles

• A Concise Guide to the Differences between Projects and Programs(leadingstrategicinitiatives.wordpress.com)
• Strategic Initiatives | Executive Sponsor Roles, Power, & Politics (leadingstrategicinitiatives.wordpress.com)
• Five Rules for Managing Complex Strategic Initiatives (leadingstrategicinitiatives.wordpress.com)