加里·R.海爾肯斯:項目經(jīng)理需要精通商務

撰文／本刊記者 尉艷娟 編輯／王興釗

戰(zhàn)略和商務管理能力是PMI“人才三角”列出的項目經(jīng)理必備三大關鍵技能之一。業(yè)界對項目經(jīng)理需要精通商務的呼聲越來越高，2019年年末“項目商務協(xié)會”（Project Business Foundation）正式成立。其實，早在2007年，加里·R.海爾肯斯（Gary R.Heerkens）就出版了《精通商務的項目經(jīng)理》()一書。他回憶道：“該書出版時，只有少數(shù)人認識到項目經(jīng)理精通商務的價值。當時我遇到的大多數(shù)項目經(jīng)理對他們所管項目的財務和商務方面知之甚少或一無所知。我認為對于項目經(jīng)理個人及項目管理行業(yè)來說，這都是一個問題。如今，令人欣慰的是，這一概念越來越受重視。”

加里·R.海爾肯斯現(xiàn)任某項目管理咨詢公司總裁，曾任PMI 紐約羅切斯特（Rochester）分會會長，多次在項目管理全球大會上演講，曾入選PMI 基于《PMBOK指南》的自學教育項目開發(fā)組。2009年至2015年間，他擔任《項目管理網(wǎng)絡》（）雜志的特約撰稿人，負責關于“項目商務”的季度專欄文章。

他認為，項目應該有兩個核心業(yè)務功能：滿足組織戰(zhàn)略和運營目標；產(chǎn)生積極的現(xiàn)金流（因為大多數(shù)項目都是金融投資）。

精通商務的項目經(jīng)理是什么樣的呢？加里·R.海爾肯斯告訴記者，精通商務的項目經(jīng)理應該了解項目如何與組織戰(zhàn)略保持一致，以及如何產(chǎn)生項目現(xiàn)金流。此外，他們應該設法了解公司內其他職能部門是如何履行職責的，以便充分利用跨職能核心團隊中每個人的能力。他們還要能夠敏銳地覺察到高級管理層對其發(fā)起項目的需求和期待。

在強調商務頭腦的世界里，我們如何衡量項目成功呢？加里·R.海爾肯斯說：“很多人僅僅關注按時、在預算內交付項目。這么做本身沒什么問題，但遺憾的是，有時候為了滿足成本和進度目標，我們會做出很多糟糕的決策。在強調商務頭腦的世界里，要定義項目成功，我們需要關注真正重要的東西——最大限度地發(fā)揮戰(zhàn)略影響和提高項目投資回報。”

在向精通商務的方向邁進的過程中，項目組合管理將發(fā)揮什么關鍵作用呢？加里·R.海爾肯斯指出，項目組合管理至少有以下作用：確保公司戰(zhàn)略與項目識別之間的直接聯(lián)系；明確闡述每個項目的商務價值；確定每個項目的相對吸引力（優(yōu)先級）；促成項目投資的平衡方法。他強調，當公司意識到眾多項目在爭奪有限的資源時，項目組合管理的最大價值就出現(xiàn)了。

加里·R.海爾肯斯曾說，確定正確的商務計劃的前提是知道何時停止。對此，他解釋道：最初項目清單的呈現(xiàn)形式應該是需要解決的問題而不是具體的事情，這樣才能對每個問題陳述進行透徹的分析，并探索實現(xiàn)解決方案的各種方式。有些人看到一個問題陳述，立即說，“嘿，我知道怎么解決這個問題！”他們無法抑制馬上就跳到解決方案的沖動，結果是在幾乎沒有或根本沒有正式調查的情況下，他們所說的方案就成了一個項目。要避免這種情況的出現(xiàn)，這就是他所說的“知道何時停止”的意思。

據(jù)加里·R.海爾肯斯觀察，項目經(jīng)理很少參與項目的真正“前端”。他認為，項目經(jīng)理參與項目“前端”是公司與其項目管理人員之間實現(xiàn)雙贏的最佳機會之一，因為項目經(jīng)理越了解項目的起源和內部運作，他們就越有能力做出高質量的決策。將準備項目商務案例的工作分配給項目經(jīng)理，可以極大地提高其知識儲備和洞察力，有利于項目的開展。

完美的商務案例應該是怎樣的呢？加里·R.海爾肯斯建議，商務案例應具備以下特點：全面（包含所有相關信息）、客觀、無情緒化爭論或猜測、合乎邏輯、清晰易懂、確鑿、能夠激勵決策者采取行動。

Gary R.Heerkens: During my career as a project manager at Eastman Kodak Company,I was exposed to and participated in the financial aspects of the projects,such as project profitability.When I left to start my own training and consulting firm around 20 years ago,I was surprised to discover how isolated I had been at Kodak.Most project managers I encountered knew little or nothing about the financial and business aspects of the projects they managed.I saw that as a problem for individual project managers as well as for the image of the project management profession.

Gary R.Heerkens: There are actually two core business functions that projects fulfill.First,to satisfy the strategic and operational goals that organizational managers have laid out.Within this context,it is equally important to recognize that most projects are financial investments,and should therefore generate a positive cash flow.These two business functions are very simple,yet together they are quite profound.

And sadly,these functions are missing within the project landscape of many firms.I used to wonder why,and I have developed a theory.Although it seems to make perfect sense to treat projects as discrete investment opportunities,that's not what many of today's senior managers grew up with.Instead,they were accustomed to the grind of brainstorming project ideas,listing them out,then fighting amongst themselves to get their favorites on the list.This annual ritual was practiced year after year and after a while,it just seemed natural to think of the whole project thing as an operational function,not a business function.So,proper,business-based project analysis took quite a while to begin spreading.

Gary R.Heerkens: Actually,I don't believe that my book is as far out of touch as you might think,given the 2007 publishing date.That's because there was only a handful of us who were very strongly promoting the need (and value of)for business-savvy project managers.Sometimes,we may be dismissed or ignored; sometimes we may be admonished for holding that view.But the times have finally caught up,and now the concept of a business-savvy project manager is rapidly gaining momentum.And I couldn't be happier.I knew this day would come.

As far as improvements or changes are concerned,I'd make a lot of small changes and at least a couple of larger changes.For example,I'd move the calculation engine from an HP financial calculator to the use of an Excel-type spreadsheet application,and would demonstrate various techniques.And I'd describe the connection between the Agile world and the project business-savvy world.

Gary R.Heerkens: Oh,there are actually quite a few top qualities.Here are some:

A business-savvy project manager makes a point of understanding how their projects satisfy organizational strategy and how they generate project cash flows,as described above.These kinds of insights can and should have a significant impact on the decision-making framework of that project manager.

In addition,they should seek to understand exactly how other functional areas within their company perform their roles;this enables the project manager to fully leverage the abilities of everyone who is on their cross-functional core team.

A business-savvy project manager has a keen understanding of what their senior management wants and needs from the projects they sponsor.The best PMs learn to anticipate what their management wants and needs.

Gary R.Heerkens: There are several "dimensions" to project success.The shifting of the project management landscape toward a more business-savvy perspective is all about ensuring that we focus on the right things.Here are examples:

Until now,almost the sole focus of everyone has been on delivering the project "on time" and "under budget".In and of itself,that's OK.The problem is that everyone has anticipated that if they meet cost and schedule targets,everything else would fall into place.Sadly,countless poor decisions have been made to satisfy cost and schedule targets.To define project success in a business-savvy world,we need to focus on what's really important: maximizing the strategic impact and the financial return on the money invested in the project.

Until now,PMs have been directed to meet a prescribed set of technical and/or functional specifications and requirements,but in many cases,without even being told what the client's true need is.They are told to EXECUTE a prescribed set of marching orders,not to RESOLVE a problem.Similar to my previous point,a project manager who is not equipped with an understanding of their customer's true need has little or no chance of making the best possible project decisions.

Gary R.Heerkens: A well-designed and properly executed project portfolio management system provides several positive business benefits.Here are a few:

1）Ensuring a direct linkage between corporate strategy and the identification of projects;

2）Clearly articulating the business value of each project;

3）Defining the relative attractiveness (priority) of each project;

4）Facilitating a balanced approach to project investments.

Phase 1: Identify the "right" business initiatives.This phase begins with the establishment of a strategic framework,which is typically within the domain of the firm's executives.The next step is to use that strategic framework to establish a set of long-range goals.Finally,begin chipping away at those long-range goals by identifying a list of "targeted business initiatives",which are project proposals that should be stated in terms of a problem,a need,or an opportunity.

Phase 2: Categorize,evaluate,prioritize,and select "project solutions".The best solutions to address each of the targeted business initiatives collectively becomes the initial project list.This overall list should then be subdivided into the portfolio categories.Projects are placed in the appropriate portfolio category,and then the projects are prioritized within each portfolio category.The worthiest projects are approved.

Phase 3: Launch and coordinate projects.The greatest value of the portfolio management approach comes when a firm recognizes that many projects are vying for finite resources.Accordingly,this phase begins with a project launch plan that strives to do as much resource smoothing as possible.The remainder is managed in real time.

Gary R.Heerkens: As I mentioned a bit earlier,I believe it's vital that the initial project list should be presented in terms of problems to be solved,not specific things to do.This allows for a thorough analysis of each problem statement and for the uncovering of the various ways a solution may be achieved.It also helps avoid a situation of "Solution-jumping".Solution-jumping occurs when the project listers and/or portfolio developers see a problem statement and cannot escape the urge to say: "Hey,I know how to solve that!" So with little or no formal investigation,this becomes the project.This is what I mean by "knowing when to stop".

Gary R.Heerkens: This is one of my pet peeves! Throughout my initial career at Kodak,and my subsequent career as a project management consultant,I observed that project managers are rarely involved in the true "front end" of a project.In my view,this is among the biggest opportunities for a win-win between companies and their project management personnel.

建立健全高職院校二級財務管理制度 高職院校領導要從財務管理的角度提高思想認識，從“重校級財務管理、輕二級學院財務管理”的思維轉變到統(tǒng)籌管理。高職院校的領導要充分認識到二級學院財務管理的重要性，對實施過程中存在的困難給予一定的支持。各個二級學院要結合國家的財政法律法規(guī)、高校的財務管理制度、本部門的具體情況，建立健全各自的二級財務管理制度。在制定二級財務管理制度過程中，要從財務的角度明確各自的責任、權利和義務。為鼓勵各個二級學院的財政積極性，對于其創(chuàng)收的部分可給予一定的傾斜，對相應的科研經(jīng)費也要給予一定的傾斜。

The logic is simple: the more a project manager knows about the origins and innerworkings of their project,the betterequipped they will be to make high-quality decisions.

And the business case preparation can be a useful place in the overall project life cycle to jump in.The business case,if properly prepared,can serve as a single repository for all project information.And assigning the role of preparing a project business case to the project manager enables a vast growth of knowledge and insight which will serve the project manager well throughout their projects.

Gary R.Heerkens: Irrespective of what template design you use,the following qualities should be clearly visible in a well-written business case:

●Thorough.It incorporates all relevant information.

●Unbiased.Its tone should be that of an impartial factfinding mission.

●Quantitatively-focused.It should include the best available concrete information,not emotional arguments or speculation.

●Logical.Cause-and-effect relationships should be fully explained; arguments should build on one another.

●Clear and understandable.The business case avoids excessively complex charts and graphs,undefined acronyms,and a lack of rationales.

●Conclusive.The business case finishes with clearly stated,explicit and logical conclusions.

●Compelling.The business case should incite decisionmakers to take the right action.