Retreating To Go Forward

By Rockie Blunt, Director of Training and Education

Sometimes you just need to get away. That's what Norwich Public Utilities decided recently when it arranged for a day-and-a-half retreat at a conference center in Rhode Island to discuss its project management system.

Fifteen participants - project managers, sponsors and team members, as well as General Manager John Bilda - engaged in various exercises and discussions intended to examine the role communication plays in the numerous projects the utility is undertaking.

As NEPPA's director of training and education, I was asked to facilitate the retreat. In that role, my job was not to tell the group what to do, but rather to ask them a number of questions and coordinate their conversation.

Questions included:

• Who are a project's stakeholders? (Individuals who are affected by the project and who need regular information about its status.)

• Who communicates with whom, and about what?

• Which communication channels (phone, email, face-to-face meetings) are appropriate for what kinds of messages?

• What are some common barriers that interrupt or get in the way of effective communication?

• What does it mean to work as a team?

We also discussed time management, policies surrounding meetings at the utility and knowledge management - how organizations create knowledge, gather it, store it and share it with others to improve operations.

After a review of elements of a Project Communications Plan - the messages a project manager communicates, to whom, by what channel and how often - the retreat culminated in a group exercise. Working collaboratively, participants created a document, "Principles of Effective Project Communication," that establishes common practices and standards for all future projects.

The retreat was clearly a success. According to Robin Elgin, senior accounting analyst, "Everyone came together and participated. Everyone was positive. It reminded us of where we want to be." It was also the first time some participants had formally discussed communication styles and expectations. For Commercial & Industrial Coordinator Fawn Walker, it was helpful to understand each person's role in the utility's various projects. "I learned a lot about people who I hadn't known much about," she said. "It was a neat retreat, very helpful."

For me, it was an opportunity to demonstrate I am available to work with any NEPPA member who needs a customized session - either training or facilitation - on communication or interpersonal skills, team building, time management, leadership, stress management, conducting meetings, problem-solving or supervisory skills.

Whether the session is held on site or off, sometimes we need to retreat to go forward.