The Three Cs of Success: Collaborate,

Coordinate & Communicate

We now live and work in a highly complex and competitive world that is very demanding. Substantial
research has been conducted on how best to proceed given the magnitude of change that is
expected in the next three to five years. Our organizations must advance and adopt new
technologies and business practices in order to remain relevant within our operational space.

As they strive to adapt, we as project managers must make the same efforts and update our skills,
techniques and approaches used throughout the project management process. Each project
management environment is different. One industry is different from the next, and entrepreneurial
start-ups and new technology environments are unique unto themselves.

While there is no 100 percent guaranteed formula for success, the three “Cs” seem to have been the
most widely applied within the project management profession: collaborate, coordinate and
communicate. This triad creates a robust, interactive environment that is far different from the
command-and-control environment that many project managers used in the past. The three Cs
require formal and informal relationships within and external to the organization. They require the
application of soft skills in order to be successful.

Collaborate
Collaboration is a levered means to an end. It is a process that spans the enterprise and has
external elements as well. A professional program or project manager would not go about their
duties without seeking the input from others and discussing that input openly. While collaborating
isn't always easy, it does provide valued input to project managers. Today, many program and
project managers leverage a closed (not open to the public), social media-style application to
connect the various stakeholders and seek input.

Coordinate
Coordination is required if a program or project manager is to be effective. It is a process with a
highly diverse set of stakeholders, both internal and external. Researchers have found that
coordination is a core competence that drives program and project manager performance. Like an
orchestra leader, a highly effective program or project manager must coordinate the various aspects
of a program or project if they are to be effective. Researchers have stated that timing is perhaps the
most challenging aspect of coordination.

Communicate
Proper communication is part art and part science. It is a process that transfers information from one
entity to another, and ensures that it is received and properly understood. Researchers believe that
all too often, communications are taken far too lightly. In order to collaborate and coordinate,
program and project managers must be able communicate in a manner in which all those involved
can clearly interpret the meaning. It appears that the context of the information that is communicated
is the most frequently missing component of communication.

Insight: I was told early on in my career that fear is the enemy of good communications. To combat fear, many
professionals use online resources. There is no shortage of high-quality materials covering the art and science
of good communication.

While important, the 3Cs do not receive a lot of attention in project management standards. Stop
and think about that for a moment. If a program or project manager was ineffective when it comes to
the 3Cs, how likely would their projects be at being successful? In a 150-page project management
guide, “collaboration” was mentioned once, “coordination” was mentions 20 times and
“communications” was mentioned 32 times. While the collaboration aspect of project management
was barely addressed, communications and coordination was fairly heavily addressed. Some
professionals believe that we must take bold new steps if we are to truly improve the state of
workforce collaboration, coordination and communication in many organizations. That is why many
modern workflows and tool sets include the 3C capabilities.

Insight: At a recent conference, one professional stated that teamwork requires collaboration, coordination
and communications--these are not optional.

The 3Cs are one block in the foundation for modern project and program management. Project
management is a non-exact science in that much of what it takes to be successful are often
described as soft skills. While they may be soft skills, they are the hardest to acquire, adapt and fine-
tune. This website facilitates the 3Cs--it brings program and project managers together and provides
a foundation for communications that creates the opportunity to share experiences, ask questions
and learn from one another. The community can critique rather than criticize, contribute rather than
just consume, collect knowledge rather than just converse. There are plenty of Cs that can and
should be applied to the art and science of program and project management.

In today’s highly challenging environment, program and project management are under increased
pressure and challenges to meet expectations. The best way for PMs to respond to challenges is to
bring together all the resources they have to deal with them. Clearly, collaboration, coordination and
communication allow PMs to muster these resources and effectively engage them in the
organization’s efforts to overcome the challenges they face.

As organizations become more distributed around the world, the 3Cs will surely increase in
importance and become a life-long learning mandate. As professionals, we all must strive to improve
and expand our skill set. Collaboration, coordination and communications should be high on the list
of training topics.

Many programs and projects now employ virtual teams. The highly distributed nature of virtual teams
further demands that teams collaborate, coordinate and communicate effectively. Do you think you
could be successful if you did not have proper collaboration, coordination and communications
skills?
Dr. Kang uses irrefutable science, unforgettable true stories, and her own life experience to
support her message. As the fifth child of immigrant parents, she was never pushed, hovered
over, or enrolled in a single extra-curricular activity. Internally driven, she entered medical
school at the age of 19, completed her fellowship at Harvard, and has excelled in diverse sectors
such as medicine, management, publishing, media, and business while being a mom of three
fantastic and exhausting children!

Dr. Kang is the author of the critically acclaimed book, The Dolphin Way: A Guide to Raising
Healthy, Happy, and Motivated Kids (Without Turning Into a Tiger) and The Self-Motivated
Kid: How to Raise a Healthy, Happy Child Who Knows What they Want and Goes After It
(Without Being Told). Whether as a parent, educator, colleague, or manager, Dr. Kang shows
how pushing/hovering “tigers” and directionless/permissive “jellyfish” models hinder people’s
internal drive and adaptability. She proposes a powerful new interpersonal model: the intelligent,
strong, joyful, and highly social “dolphin.” By drawing on the latest neuroscience and behavioral
research, Dr. Kang shows how this authoritative style encourages self-motivation and “CQ”:
creativity, communication, collaboration, and critical thinking.

Dr. Kang is a writer with articles featured in The Huffington Post, Psychology Today, South
China Morning Post, and TIME magazine. She has been invited to appear on major news
networks such as NPR, CBC National News and Radio, CTV National, Global News, Al
Jazeera, and Breakfast Television. Dr. Kang is the Medical Director of Child and Youth Mental
Health for Vancouver and a Clinical Associate Professor at the University of British Columbia.
She was honored with the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal in 2012 for her years of
outstanding community service, and has received five national awards in the field of addictions
and mental health including the American Academy of Addiction Psychiatry Research Award.