Managing a Project Using Influence

Project managers must be able to provide order and stability in a chaotic environment, while identifying opportunities to influence their team members so a project can reach a successful completion. This week, you are acting as a project manager leading a project that is a key part of the organization’s portfolio of strategic projects. Three months ago, you replaced the previous project manager who resigned from the company after leading this project for over a year. The project team consists of 60 people who have been working on this project for more than 2 years. The project has slipped from its original schedule of 15 months due to a number of reasons, including scope creep and low employee morale. Your new completion date is 6 months out from now. In other words, the project is expected to take 30 months in total instead of the 15 months anticipated originally. Based on this adjusted schedule, the project was on course until today. You noticed that four of the team members did not report for work this morning, each using a vacation day. That afternoon, you succeeded in getting in touch with one of them and discovered they were discussing their situation and would meet with you the next day. Later, you discovered the four were considering forming another company with funding from a competitor. You were shocked; not only because these four individuals were key resources on the project, but also because of the competitive situation. • How would you apply the principles of leading with influence when you meet with the four members the next day? • Prior to meeting with the four members, would you advise your superiors in the organization of your situation? Provide a justification for your decision. • How and what would you as the project manager communicate to the rest of the project team and stakeholders about the action taken by the four team members? * Must include at least 3 references citations (APA)