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I’ve mentioned a couple of times that I switched planners this year and I’m using a Hobonichi Techo. This year, Hobonichi celebrated a big milestone of selling more than 10 million copies (all-time sales). To celebrate this achievement, they are creating original stationery and have been documenting the process.
The reason I’m bringing this up is because in a recent update, they talked about the group working on the stationery project talking to their “super advisors” for input. The concept of a super advisory is intriguing.
If we think of common accountability matrices – like RACI and MOCHA – where would a super advisor fit in? As a quick reminder, RACI stands for Responsible, Accountable, Consult, and Inform. Responsible are the people doing the work. Accountable is the project manager. Consult refers to the subject matter experts. And inform is the project sponsor.
In the RACI model, super advisors might have a combined consult and inform role. Maybe they are subject matter experts who can help convince / influence the project sponsor? This could be very helpful if the responsible team wants to pitch a solution that is unconventional. Also, super advisors might be able to share some of the project sponsor’s concerns in an informal fashion, without the responsible team losing enthusiasm for the project.
Another matrix I’ve mentioned in the past is MOCHA, which stands for manager, owner, consultant, helper, and approver. Manager is the person responsible for the work. Owner is the person responsible for the results. Consultant advises the group. Helper(s) are people who assist but might not be an official member of the project team. And approver is the person who approves the resources for the project.
In the MOCHA model, a super advisor might be the consultant and/or helper. They could be a subject matter expert and not officially part of the project team … but the team values their input.
Whether you’re using RACI, MOCHA, or some other model, super advisors could play a key role in helping projects run smoothly and accomplish team goals. To optimize super advisor effectiveness, here are a few things to consider.
Define the role. Super advisors can be effective if they understand their role in the project’s success. It’s equally important for project team members to know that super advisors exist and how they can contribute.
Consider training. I see super advisors as being subject matter experts and internal influencers. If someone has the communication skills but needs more technical training, it might make sense to encourage that. Conversely, if someone has the technical expertise but needs communications skills training, this might make a lot of sense.
Talk to potential super advisors about their role. Think of this as part of a career progression. Organizations often ask employees to work on a project or lead a group prior to getting a promotion. Being a super advisor could be a special project that allows someone to gain skills and build relationships.
Organizations form project teams all the time. One of the first steps in bringing a project team together is defining roles within the team. A super advisor could be a great option when you’d like someone to participate but they’re not able to be a part of the core team. Think through what a super advisor could do for your projects and consider adding the role.
Image captured by Sharlyn Lauby while exploring the streets of Las Vegas, NV
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