Project Management, Managing Up: Using PM Principles, Methods, and Tools to Get Buy-In

A library professional at any level of the organization may have a great idea to improve something at the library, but most often it takes a village to make a real difference. Leaders and managers who push their ideas down the chain can face resistance or resentment, or they can fail to understand the resources required to make things happen. Frontline employees who want to fix day-to-day problems may struggle with finding buy-in or feeling heard by the administration. Complicating matters, many libraries are flattening their hierarchies by removing management positions. With fewer department heads and managers to advocate for their direct reports’ work, project management gives library leadership the tools to prioritize without needing a pre-existing deep knowledge of the topic that is held by frontline employees. Project management makes explicit the scope, timeline, budget, human resources, and measurable outcomes. By enlisting the support of library administration (financial and logistical) project management can enable cross departmental collaboration and greater employee engagement.
Library leadership can use project management to address uneven power dynamics in an organization as well as reaping the benefits of the prioritization of work. Libraries with a flatter organizational structure can disguise the imbalances between paraprofessional and professional employees, marginalized or under-represented groups within an organization, and content creators and users. Management can keep track of work assigned and diversify teams, give leadership experience to those who have not had other opportunities, bring in “outsiders” as subject matter experts, and empower staff decision-making. Transparent communication and expectations, as well as a willingness to delegate choices, will make project management a success. It is an opportunity for professional development for libraries that do not have a large travel or training budget. In these ways, project management can be used as a tool for diversity, equity, and inclusion as well as employee development.
The Georgia Tech Library used portfolio management to accomplish Library Next, a re-imagining and redefining of 21st the century research library, and we continue to apply this approach to initiate projects large and small, using tools such as an idea funnel, project charters and business cases, project phase reviews and closeout presentations, and post-project assessment measures. The process allows library leadership to accomplish their strategic goals, but it also allows employees at all levels to manage up, generate buy-in for their ideas, and develop leadership skills for their professional growth. It also provides communication channels for everyone in the library to stay up-to-date. In this session, we will introduce key tools of project management, including charter templates, sample business cases, and best practices for setting priorities and keeping projects on track. Whether you are at the bottom, top, or middle of your organizational chart, you can use project management approaches and tools to make things happen at your library.