Program management done right

Successful program managers anticipate risks, guide tough conversations, and create confidence amid complexity.

Program management is full of moving parts – overseeing the design, construction, and ongoing coordination of infrastructure programs, facilities, and sites. When done right, it provides the structure needed to keep all these components aligned, turning even the most complex projects into successful outcomes. Effective program management minimizes surprises, builds client confidence, and ensures teams deliver projects on time, on budget, and to specification.

So, what does it take to keep everything running smoothly? Here are the core practices every program manager should master:

• Manage client expectations. Client perception is shaped more by how you communicate than what’s happening behind the scenes. Quiet fixes can backfire, turning small issues into bigger headaches. Trust that your clients can handle the news. Keep them in the loop, share potential setbacks, and show that the team is actively troubleshooting solutions.
  • Communicate early and often. Once an issue is vetted, share it promptly with the client. This builds trust and prevents surprises.
  • Deliver bad news confidently. While it’s never fun to be the bearer of bad news, delivering it to the clients early is better than waiting. Transparency from the start prevents misunderstandings from snowballing into crises.
• Stay calm when project issues arise. Every project encounters unexpected conditions. What sets effective program managers apart is how they respond. Whether it’s a frustrated citizen or a passionate politician, you must be able to let comments roll off your back and keep emotions out of the process. When tensions rise in a meeting, our team leans on a favorite analogy: think of yourself as the light fixture on a ceiling fan. Everything may be spinning around you – pressure, opinions, stress – but you remain steady.
  • Stick to facts, not opinions. Don’t present alternatives without merit.
  • Avoid taking sides. Neutrality helps de-escalate conflicts.
  • Let the dust settle, then help guide the resolution. Timing can be just as important as action.

You may not be able to control the situation, but you can control your reaction. Calm leadership inspires confidence, lowers stress, and keeps discussions productive.

• Take initiative even if you’re not “in charge.” Program managers often act as the glue holding projects together. Your job is to represent the client, guide the project team, and maintain momentum.
  • Understand who you represent. Knowing your clients’ priorities and perspectives allows you to advocate on their behalf and steer decisions appropriately. For example, Croy’s long-term focus on building relationships with our clients rather than chasing individual projects develops a deeper understanding of what drives a project beyond just scope.
  • Keep projects moving forward. When conversations stall, help the team choose a direction. For example, while working through the design development phase for the Tolleson Park Aquatics Center in Smyrna, Georgia, small design details continued to bog down the project development meetings. Stepping in with, “Let’s pin this for now,” kept discussions productive while ensuring later follow-up. Proactive leadership stops teams from getting stuck in the weeds, but you also can’t let these details fall through the cracks.
• Build trust through communication. Strong communication is the backbone of successful projects. It’s vital to keep the lines of communication clean, both internally and externally.
  • Set clear expectations. Program management at Croy often functions like a client to internal design departments. Communicate exactly what’s needed, whether it’s survey data, design support, or schedule updates, so teams have the information required to move forward and critical paths are well understood.
  • Keep everyone engaged. If a team member becomes unresponsive, it’s the program manager’s responsibility to bring them back into the conversation. This may require creative problem-solving (or a bit of good-ole-fashioned nagging), but consistent communication and relationship maintenance keeps a project team healthy and functioning.
• Plan for the unexpected – things happen. Projects rarely unfold perfectly as planned. Staying ahead requires anticipating risks and building buffers.
  • Incorporate contingency in budgets and schedules. Even a small buffer, like 5%, can absorb unexpected field conditions, delivery delays, design changes, or other unforeseen challenges.
  • Think ahead. Early foresight saves time and stress later, allowing teams to adapt without derailing the project. Sometimes, it’s the program manager’s responsibility to offset even the project team’s best intentions.
    For example, a task may reasonably take four weeks – until external factors like a federal tariff or a pandemic disrupt the timeline. Under-promise then over-deliver. Often, our program managers accept the budgets and timelines from our project teams and then add 5%-10% budget or time to the project prior to delivering the anticipated results to the client.

Program management isn’t just about schedules and budgets. It’s about relationships, communication, foresight, and calm leadership. By following these core practices, you create the structure and trust needed to help teams deliver successful projects – every time.

Zachary Strickland, PE serves as the director of program management at Croy. He can be reached at zstrickland@croyeng.com.