We sat down with Mike Calvert, who was recently promoted from Senior Project Manager to Global Head of Delivery for PhiX Technologies.
As a Salesforce advisory and implementation partner, we help companies transform and modernise their organisation’s revenue operations from Lead-to-Ledger.
In this interview, Mike dives into what it means to be a Global Delivery Lead and how our one-team methodology helps us achieve successful client outcomes.
Congratulations on your recent promotion! How do you feel about your new role as Global Head of Delivery?
Thank you! I’m feeling really excited. Being accountable for overseeing our entire delivery process means that I’m responsible for delivering projects on time and ensuring that our teams work together efficiently and effectively internally and alongside our clients. It’s a big challenge, but I’m up to it!
What inspired you to get started in this industry?
I’ve worked within software delivery for some years now and love the efficiencies it can drive within businesses to support growth and strategic objectives. However, software development always has its ‘ups & downs’, and picking the right team to work with is critical! I did my research and met with multiple team members and the executive team before accepting my initial role with PhiX.
The products you work with are just as important. From the independent reviews and feedback I researched on Salesforce and our other technology partners, it was apparent how stable the products were and the benefits that could be achieved, which really drew me to where I am now.
Can you tell us more about what skills are needed for a Global Delivery role?
Sure! As the Global Head of Delivery, effective communication with technical and non-technical stakeholders is critical. A solid understanding of software delivery methods, Agile principles and methods, and the classic Project Management approach to guide teams to be efficient and feel supported.
In addition, some key soft skills to remember are teamwork, attention to detail, team management and of course, strong organisational & problem-solving skills, as this is a crucial aspect when working closely with our clients.
How do you ensure effective communication between your team members?
The values and approach that I use with our global team to ensure effective communication are:
- Respect – Developing an understanding for country-specific business customs and cultures. There are bound to be differences in a world as vast as ours!
- Awareness – Be aware of global time zones; if it’s impossible to get everyone on the same call, look at other methods to support the communication to avoid impacting any required actions and timelines.
- Trust – Remember you are communicating with human beings! Build trust and demonstrate empathy always.
- Courage – Motivate your team to try new things and ensure they have the right level of support. Speak on the phone or via video conference to develop strong bonds and clear up any miscommunication.
- Accountability – Keep others copied in and up-to-date on both progress and blockers. Ensure everyone knows what their role is in the project and what the expectations are.
- Curiosity – Be curious and listen to understand rather than make any assumptions.
What are the most important elements for successful delivery?
I believe having a “one-team” mentality is critical to successful delivery. It’s essential for everyone involved in the project—from salespeople to developers—to work together as one cohesive unit to achieve success.
At PhiX Technologies, we pride ourselves on our one-team delivery methodology, which encourages collaboration between all departments to ensure the best possible outcome.
We also have a very tenacious approach to problem-solving; rather than giving up when faced with an obstacle or difficult task, we use it to learn more about ourselves and each other to continue growing as professionals.
How do you manage risk when it comes to large projects?
So, this starts at the beginning as part of the overall planning phase, where a review of proposed Governance & alignment with the client is completed. Having the Governance set out from the start ensures everyone is clear on what is expected and what tools should be used.
Also, one of the first things you must consider is: what can go wrong? It sounds negative, but this type of thinking can be preventative. Issues will inevitably come up, and you need a mitigation strategy in place to know how to manage risks.
What makes our approach different from other Salesforce Partners?
Our approach is based on trust, transparency, and tenacity. We are very open and believe in collaboration to find the optimum process when supporting our clients. What that means is we use logic before recommending the technology.
Additionally, the team is super smart and innovative. They will always look for ways to improve processes and reduce technical debt to deliver better results faster every time.
What tips do you have for aspiring project leaders in the technical development world?
My top 10 tips for aspiring project leaders in this industry would be:
- Familiarise yourself with foundational concepts
- Become a certified project manager
- Build comprehensive knowledge of your particular project and its unique characteristics
- Encourage teamwork and look for each team member’s strengths and development areas
- Assign the right people and motivate them accordingly
- Measure your success with pre-defined goals and metrics
- Resolve emerging conflicts early
- Focus on architecture for collaboration across teams
- Negotiate flexibility but guardrail allocated time
- Plan for a solid and realistic kickoff
Thank you Mike. Lots of great advice there!
This promotion to Global Head of Delivery speaks volumes about your expertise in technology delivery methods, Agile principles, and classic Project Management approaches and your brew of knowledge and open communication style is appreciated by all of us.
We look forward to seeing you excel in this role Mike and thank you for your continued support of team PhiX!
If you’d like to speak to us about open roles at PhiX, get in touch via our Careers page.
