Otto Bock - Dirty Laundry - 3

Also in December I was accused of sexual harrassment. This coincided with the mobbing issue. Only this time the gossip started on board level as one board director of my company wanted to prove that consultants got sexually harrassed on projects. There is more to it, but I shall keep that non-public.

Well, "my victim" was as shocked as I was when we heard about that. It was a big thing. I cannot even tell anyone how devastated I was in those days. We had an idea - it was Christmas and we had a picture taken of the whole team; we created a special Otto Bock Team Christmas Card which we then sent around to "Proudfoot Worldwide", which means, thousands of recipients within the company got our Christmas wishes showing all of us happily next to each other.

That was such a relief when we sent that card out. And of course, that whole sexual harrassment thing was off the table.

I am wondering if I should delete this story, but then these things happen too and talking openly about it won't hurt.

Otto Bock - Dirty Laundry - 2

My biggest problem was that I, as the most inexperienced PM, had to take on all those experienced ones, since their projects ran out and my company needed a place for them to work. Of course, the whole problem with "status" suddenly appeared. Some did have a huge problem to report into me.

One of them wanted my job and he started to gossip around that I would mob my team and suppress them and that I would not manage my client appropriately. He did not succeed, but his performance was outrageously bad. He was the most unmotivated person I have ever had on any of my projects. I tried to get rid of him, but one would not let me. Thank God, Tilia helped him in his area and she made up for his deficiancies. Tilia was great!!!

He also wanted to move to the US where he had a child. He was depressed about that, too. A short time after the project he was killed in an accident at a petrol station.

I hope his soul will rest in peace. He clearly did not lead a happy and fulfilled life.

Otto Bock - Dirty Laundry - 1

Personally, the worst which happened to me were some of my colleagues. This project at times seemed to be like the cheap version of Dynasty or Dallas with so much backstabbing, intrigues, etc.

I am not mentioning any names, but this happened (Remember Sue Ellen from Dallas?):

One of my consultants turned out to be too interested in staying at the hotel bar in the evenings, and was not able to run his workshops in the morning with participants travelling from all over Germany. He had a good standing with the client and I was sort of relying on him. I covered up for him within my company, but also with the client. I would never ever do this again. Lesson learned!

There were a few more of those in my life to come actually. At least they never cancelled workshops but did their work.

Otto Bock - My Role as PM, Technical Experience

I just described, throughout the month, my technical experience. I learned so much. I especially benefited from supply chain management (production and planning), the balanced scorecard, and OTP with all those processes.

I was extremely lucky that this project was a "wall-to-wall" project, which means we did it all, the whole company. Gaining insight into that was extremely valuable, too.

And I learned a lot from all those other consultants on the project. Some, like Klaus, Edgar or Bernd, were specialists in their areas. I got my personal coaching sessions there.

The balanced scorecard was good since we did it really after the "scorecard bible" and not some Proudfoot-ised version.

It was absolutely great.

Otto Bock - My Role as PM cont'd

Things which don't kill you, only make you stronger!
This saying is so applicable when it comes to that project. I cannot even tell how much I learned - technically, personally, managerially and from a project management point of view.

Let's start with project management. Every week we had 2 TWNW Meetings, one with local directors and one with the 3 Cs (CFO, COO, CRO), who were our "top clients". In the local TWNW I let every area present something from the last few weeks. So, one week it was production, then sales, etc... It was the first time in company history that communication across interfaces was encouraged. I think those meetings were a big successs.

Then, internally with my consultants, I had "daily" reviews, which happened twice a week, and continuous one-to-ones with everyone. This sometimes also included the task forces.

The most important thing one has to do as PM is to communicate, even though it is pretty tough to do so and one needs to be disciplined.

My communication matrix had the following links: my company's headquarter in London, the office in Frankfurt, my director (who came about once or twice a week), my top clients, the directors, the worker's council, my consultants, the task forces, and of course every other one who wanted to talk to me.

Otto Bock - My Birthday

I have a few nice pics of me at my birthday. It was quite a surprise, even with some live music. ;-)

It was my 32nd birthday.

Otto Bock - My Role as PM

If you followed my blog so far, you know that I have only managed a project so far, and that was the Delicatessen producer Beeck, that sales enhancement project which lasted for 12 weeks and comprised of 24 manweeks. Basically, that was nothing compared to Otto Bock. The latter had about 250 manweeks and lasted for about a year.

The savings potential there was huge. I think I have already written about that.

So, there I was, this brandnew PM who had to manage the biggest project at that time. And the reason why it was me, I was the only native German speaker available.

In the aftermath, and even though I am glad I did it, but from a client point of view, this is a but unfair. Such a huge and important has deserved a more experienced PM.

One thing is for sure, in this project I learned to swim!!!