“I like when my folder is empty“, says Michael Huber. Because that means a lot of work is waiting for him. The 32 year old mechanical engineer cuts through project environments of problematic business areas. To find his way there, the P3 consultant asks for it. “Where am I headed?” He then often gets the same answers: “I don’t know.”

“What exactly are you doing here?” Even highly qualified engineers and business people shrug their shoulders after that. Not because they are lacking the technical or economical know-how, but rather because they cannot recognize the connection between their actions and the business strategy anymore. Huber collects those answers. His folder is filling.

„Today companies act under a constant constraint to increase their business performance.” Internal processes are to be improved. Thereby more and more projects are initiated, which are neither centrally coordinated nor controlled. The voyage through such a project environment becomes an adventure. Whether there is the anticipated and measurable benefit at its end is questionable. Arrival uncertain.

In situations like this many consultants reach for the first aid box of the “multi project management”. “In the end even there the departments go round in circles. What is missing is the orientation by an end goal!” Hence Michael Huber does not open his toolbox by default.

He implements a governance process with the customer. The process also begins with a question, for the leadership this time: “What exactly is your goal?” How can we specify it and how can we measure its goal fulfillment? The P3 consultant formulates the business strategy, connects it with performance goals and their key performance indicators (KPIs) in a clear cut improvement environment. Huber compares, evaluates, draws conclusions. “That is the right time to fall back on conventional management tools. The single projects become more effective and efficient.”

In the end, everybody knows why he took specific work steps. “That is a nice feeling, when everyone understands what it’s all about”, says Huber and sets off. With a new folder that is empty.