This McLaughlin & McLaughlin<\/strong>\u2019<\/strong>s<\/strong><\/a> Project Professionals post is the fourth in a series of discussions regarding current challenges with the staffing aspects of your project management team.\u00a0 The focus is on the managerial aspects of human resource planning and acquisition.\u00a0 This post (like Part 3, our last post)<\/a> addresses acquiring<\/span> the human resources (people) or staffing.\u00a0 While the planning may be the most important activity or action in the process, the challenge ultimately is obtaining the people<\/span> to implement your intended execution strategy.<\/p>\n There are many acquisition strategies<\/span><\/strong>.\u00a0 These acquisition strategies<\/span><\/strong> differ for various market conditions, organizational situations, project needs and other project variables.\u00a0 Markets that are very active\/hot [oil and gas, mining, natural resources, etc.] present unique challenges.\u00a0 Skill-sets that are in high demand [project controls, planning, scheduling, technical, etc.] present further unique challenges. \u00a0The project Human Resource Plan<\/strong> must address these unique challenges.\u00a0 Further, the project plan and schedule must allow the time to complete the acquisition process as well as the requisite training\/indoctrination.\u00a0 Finally, the project budget must realistically provide for the cost of these resources (often expensive non-employee persons) as well as the acquisition costs (e.g. recruiters).\u00a0 If this planning is not in place, do not launch into project execution.<\/p>\n Please Remember<\/span><\/strong> <\/strong>\u2013<\/strong>Teams of people [not machines and not software] build projects.<\/strong> Consequently, if you cannot acquire the requisite staffing, you are not prepared to execute the project [at least as planned].<\/p>\n Please Remember<\/span><\/strong> <\/strong>\u2013<\/strong>This is a team, not a group of individuals<\/strong>.\u00a0 Have you noticed that so many sports teams with superstars rarely win championships?\u00a0 Further, have you noticed that championship teams have few, if any, superstars?\u00a0 It is the project team, not the individual that must be staffed and developed.\u00a0 As they say, there is no \u201cI\u201d in team.<\/p>\n Sources that are used in this post are:<\/p>\n The acquisition process differs for differing organizations and types of projects.\u00a0 PMBOK<\/em><\/strong>\u00ae<\/sup><\/strong><\/a> <\/sup>provides guidance regarding the generic planning and management process (PMBOK, CHAPTER 9).\u00a0 This can be adapted to the organizational structure and project specifics.<\/p>\n This PMBOK<\/em><\/strong>\u00ae<\/sup><\/strong><\/a> <\/sup>process is structured around the following:<\/p>\n Inputs<\/span> and Output<\/span><\/strong> \u2013 please see prior post<\/a>.<\/p>\n Tools and Techniques<\/span><\/strong> \u2013 This presumption of this discussion is that the acquisition of project people cannot or will not use internal (to the company\/Enterprise) sources.\u00a0 Hence, the source will be the marketplace.<\/p>\n When acquiring from the marketplace, two general options for the business\/commercial relationship exist.\u00a0 The person could become a permanent employee or a contract employee.\u00a0 Company\/Enterprise policies tend to drive this choice.\u00a0 Some use contract positions with an option for permanent hiring.\u00a0 Contract personnel are easier to terminate if the project is cancelled or completed.\u00a0 Further, since contract personnel tend to command higher compensation than permanent employees, the contract approach can respect the company\/enterprise pay scales and fringe benefit programs.<\/p>\n If contracting, there tend to be two choices, contracting for a team or for individuals.\u00a0 The project marketplace may have specialty consulting firms that offer teams with requisite skill-sets and Ways of Working<\/strong> (WoW).<\/strong> This can create efficiencies in startup and operation if the team is well qualified and the WoW\u2019s are sound.\u00a0 Further, the team may include supervision and management.\u00a0 Finally, if one team member is not well suited, this person can be replaced efficiently.<\/p>\n Hiring individual consultants on a contract basis can be slightly more time consuming and expensive (acquisition and operation) than hiring a team from a single source.\u00a0 Further, these individuals will need to address the WoW\u2019s for the team.\u00a0 However, this choice can produce superior individuals with excellent skill-sets and WoW that have benefits to the entire project management team.<\/p>\n Key points in these strategies include:<\/p>\n Mentors and Understudies\/Apprentices – The use of key Subject Matter<\/strong> Experts (SME<\/strong>\u2019<\/strong>s)<\/strong> as mentors and staffing with inexperienced personnel can be a very compelling option.\u00a0 The mentor, while expensive, can teach and train the inexperienced understudies\/apprentices in the proper\/best practices and company-specific WoW.\u00a0 As this process matures and the training is completed, the inexperienced personnel can become a company\/enterprise resource for future work.\u00a0 Again, in hot\/active industries, this approach has great merit.<\/p>\n A common problem is adopting the notion that you will merely hire personnel from competitors.\u00a0 In hot\/active industries, this is a very problematic concept.\u00a0 First, the competitors have similar objectives and may aggravate the situation by hiring your key resources.\u00a0 Secondly, these competitor resources may not be available or interested in changing employers.\u00a0 Thirdly, this can lead to a costly and counterproductive bidding war.\u00a0 Experiences in the Silicon Valley of California during the .com era confirm this dynamic.<\/p>\n Kerzner<\/a><\/strong> addresses the subject in (among other places) Chapter 4 ORGANIZING AND STAFFING THE PROJECT OFFICE AND TEAM.<\/em> Several of his key topics are:<\/p>\n In the next post, we will continue to address issues, problems and solutions often encountered in acquiring the human resources for your Project Management Team<\/strong>.\u00a0 The subsequent posts will also address issues in selecting and acquiring the project manager<\/span>.\u00a0 A strong and well qualified project manager will heavily influence the success of the project.<\/p>\n Good luck and let us be realistic and professional in the acquisition of people [staffing] for your project management team.\u00a0 You must acquire the requisite quantity of personnel and skill-sets needed to implement your intended project execution strategy.\u00a0 Otherwise, the execution strategy must be changed.\u00a0 This is part of the interactive planning process.\u00a0 M&M<\/a><\/strong> wishes you happy reading and good luck in your project management challenges and endeavors.<\/p>\n It is important to note that McLaughlin and McLaughlin [M&M]<\/a><\/strong> is not a law firm and is not intending to provide legal advice.\u00a0 M&M<\/strong> <\/a>is a consulting firm providing (among other services) non-legal expertise in dispute resolution and litigation support.\u00a0 The Resource Center<\/a> is for the convenience of blog visitors and M&M<\/strong><\/a> does not offer this for commercial purposes.\u00a0 For further information on M&M<\/strong> <\/a>services, please see<\/em> <\/em>www.McLaughlinandMcLaughlin.com<\/a><\/em><\/strong>.<\/em><\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n This McLaughlin & McLaughlin\u2019s Project Professionals post is the fourth in a series of discussions regarding current challenges with the staffing aspects of your project management team.\u00a0 The focus is on the managerial aspects of human resource planning and acquisition.\u00a0 This post (like Part 3, our last post) addresses acquiring the human resources (people) or 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