Jeannette Terry

Presentation (1 0f 2): It’s Time to Re-Engineer the Owner/Contractor Relationship on Capital Projects!

Abstract: Rationale: Over recent years, the costs for constructing capital projects have escalated significantly, while schedule predictability has diminished. In both the public and private sectors, there is a compelling need to contain costs, improve schedule and make project outcomes more predictable.

A wide range of technical factors come into play in planning for and managing a capital project from concept to full-time operations. For example:

  1. Project shaping,
  2. Size and duration of the project,
  3. Degree of contact complexity, and
  4. Environmental challenges and compliance issues that will be encountered.

However, considerably less focus is put on the human capital resources – e.g. developing the leaders & teams that will be tasked with bringing in the project as planned and budgeted, safely. As a practitioner in the global capital project industry for many years, I’ve observed that project stakeholders frequently under-estimate the amount of resources (time and money) needed to design and develop their human capital resources to deliver reliable, value-adding performance throughout the project life-cycle. They also under-estimate the importance of ensuring that the owner/contractor teams are fully aligned, have established relationship trust, and are committed to communication transparency.

Workshop Focus: The Formula for Re-Engineering the the Owner/Contractor Relationship – IMPROVED ALIGNMENT, AUTHENTIC TRUST, AND INCREASED COMMUNICATION TRANSPARENCY.

Participants will learn:

  • How owners and contractors can shift the focus from a Value-Shrinking to a Value-Expanding relationship
  • Why senior leaders in the owner & contractor organizations must establish alignment at the relationship level, as well as the task level
  • How trust – or lack of it – influences every aspect of project management and tangibly impacts project performance
  • Six Ground Rules for communication transparency that reduce siloed thinking
    and disconnected decision-making

*** The Project Team Trust Index (TM) will be introduced during the session. It measures four dimensions of team trust: Collaboration, Communication, Commitment, Competency.

PMI Talent Triangle: Leadership

Presentation (2 of 2): Quick Tips for Improving Your Conflict Resolution Skills

Abstract:  Rationale:Substantive conflicts between individuals, within teams, and across organizational boundaries seldom resolve themselves on their own. Instead, the conflict either escalates or goes underground, only to pop up again in some variation of the same old theme. Unfortunately, conflict avoidance is the default position many people take due to a lack of training or lack of positive role models.

Workshop Focus: Participants will learn how to:

  • Avoid the four most common things people do that sabotage effective conflict resolution:
    • 1.) Take a “win-lose” approach,
    • 2.) “Demonize” the other person,
    • 3.) Claim “irreconcilable differences”, and
    • 4.) Talk about the other person rather than to the other person.
  • Increase their understanding of what really triggers conflict, as well as practical options for constructively initiating and responding to conflict with peers, direct reports, and organizational leaders.
  • Avoid the “Defensiveness Spiral” when experiencing a confrontation
  • Disarm an angry person
  • Apply five Ground Rules for engaging in constructive dialogue when the conversation gets difficult

*** There will be opportunities for small group discussion and application of the tools and concepts being presented.

PMI Talent Triangle: Leadership

Biography: Jeannette Terry is Founder & CEO of TerconPartners, an international organizational development consulting firm that provides executive coaching and team development for Fortune 100 and mid-sized companies in the energy industry. Key clients include Chevron, Royal Dutch Shell. Bechtel, KBR and Saudi Aramco. Jeannette collaborates with capital project executives to build sustainable organizational capability, drive down costs, minimize risk, and deliver successful projects. She is an authority on cross-cultural teaming and has developed a methodology for reducing costly cross-cultural conflicts and communications breakdowns in a multi-cultural business environment. Jeannette guest lectures and has taught Leadership, Conflict Resolution, and Organizational Behavior at several U.S. universities and colleges.

Educational Credentials: M.A. in Organizational Behavior, University of Kansas, Pre-doctoral Study in Advanced Leadership Studies, University of Missouri, Kansas City.

Professional Affiliations: The Academy of Management, Women’s Professional & Educational Association, Small & Emerging Contractors Forum, Project Management Institute, National Association of Women Business Owners, International Communication Association., Woman Owned Small Business Certification.