On my travels this week I heard one loud voice say “Programme management is part of line management’s day job”
I have always considered this comment akin to Gordon Ramsey asking a “waiter to have a go at being chef for a few months in the kitchen”
This statement is frankly bonkers on three points
- Managing Operations and BAU is a different skill set to delivering tangible programme and project benefits.
- Invariably in most organisations management resources are already maxed out in these hard times to deliver a couple of “projects” that will deliver benefits in their spare time - If your line managers have time to deliver a programme then perhaps you should review their role!
- Line management are responsible for the delivery of the post programme sustainable benefits and the projects and are often unable to manage the corporate risks, interdependices, programme politics, reporting and stakeholder engagement.
Tactical intervention is part of line management’s day job strategic change is a job for the professionals.
My advice is get the pilot to fly the plane not the steward!
