Reluctant Warrior
A few weeks back I talked myself out of a paying engagement.
I was asked if I recommended that an outsider always be used on software evaluation and implementation projects.
The answer is no…it goes against what I believe, and frankly what I sell to my clients.
One of my service offerings – both through my book and my seminars is to show people (both consultants and non-consultants) what I do and how I do it. There are certainly some personality traits that lend themselves towards being a good project manager, but at the core most people can learn the required methodologies.
What I told this person though was to be wary of somebody who wanted the job just a little too badly…somebody who is just a little too eager.
What I am talking about here is bias and/or ambition. You don’t want people who are bucking to select a certain vendor because they worked with the package in the past or because they want to advance in the organization by the kudos that might be granted by being a part of a terrific software choice. (By the way, that goes two ways.) A vendor that was great for one company might not be the best match for another.
Be cautious of somebody who wants to lead the team too much. You want a reluctant warrior.
They are probably already over-worked because of their team-first temperament and sense of fair play. You know the type of person I’m talking about.
So, know you don’t need an outsider…but if you don’t have the ‘right’ insider, who is playing for the right reasons, then you might consider looking outside your own walls.