Project Lessons Learned Project Leadership

Project Lessons Learned Project Leadership

What you would attempt to do if you knew you could not fail?

Project Management LESSONS LEARNED
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Project Leadership LL

Lessons Learned

Project Points
Our Monthly Publication for Clients,
Prospects , Associates & Subscribers

Lessons Learned are snips of knowledge
regarding mistakes in project development,
management, control and/or finance. They
are put forward for the benefit of Project
Executive Group subscribers.

The effective project leader networks by identifying the key people to contact
outside the project boundaries, and by staying in touch with them.
Maintaining constant communication with your superiors about essential
issues helps you secure their support and responsiveness when needed.
When necessary, the effective project leader challenges senior management and
negotiates project objectives or the resources needed to accomplish them.
The effective project leader does not hesitate to communicate with top
management when required, and knows when and how to ignore archaic and
constraining rules.
The effective project leader doesn't wait for a problem to arise. Anticipating
troubles, he or she pro-actively gathers information by networking with firsthand
sources.
The effective project leader sees himself or herself as the one who is ultimately
responsible for the project.
The effective project leader knows when to change direction and role. At times his
or her main objectives ought to be "selling" the project.
Difficult tasks must often be divided into small, concrete, subtasks; their
implementation will bring about small success.
Once a small win has been accomplished, natural forces are set in motion that
encourage moving forward to the next small win.
By celebrating each win you publicize results. This, in turn, reinforces commitment
to further project objectives.
The effective project leader pro-actively gathers information by networking directly
with suppliers of resources.
Good timing, a crucial leadership factor, is even more important in times of
uncertainty and speed. You can always find and exploit opportunities by looking for
them.
Maintaining open and honest relationships with your suppliers creates a win- win
situation for you all.
The effective project leader constantly scans the project's external environment,
identifies the key people to contact, and stays in touch with them.
The effective project leader sees himself or herself as responsible for motivating
and aligning individuals and organizations external to the company, on which his or
her project's success depends.
The effective project leader takes immediate action to address a problem. He or
she knows how and when to use "symbolic action" to accomplish objectives.
The effective project leader, when necessary, takes a clear, firm position in the
face of opposition, even when his or her superiors are part of the opposition.
The effective project leader refrains from taking immediate action without first
studying the situation. Whenever possible, he or she seeks and gathers
information using firsthand resources.
The effective project leader view his or her task as one of maintaining forward
momentum and keeping things moving quickly. Thus, when resolving conflicts he or
she attempts to avoid polarizing issues that could prolong the conflict.
Always strive for a win-win result first.
You must know your time constraints and limit the number of the decisions with
which you are involved.
Limiting the number of the decisions with which you are involved will allow you to
deal with urgent and really important problems thoroughly and immediately.
The fact that questions are addressed to you is not a sufficient reason for you to
feel responsible for answering them.
In today's projects, even poker games should be played quickly.
An experienced project manager knows that it is essential to develop the capability
to obtain fast, reliable information. Knowing whom to contact, when, and how is
crucial. He or she also knows whom to trust and whom to doubt.
Competent project leaders know that once in a while they will have to take a
personal risk and courageously challenge upper management orders that would
otherwise hurt their companies, projects, and teams. They know that if they do not
act, they will be acted upon by others.
Effective project leaders spend a great deal of time scanning the horizon —
outwardly, inwardly, upward and downward, communicating by wandering around,
and continuously trying to anticipate the problematic areas and staying in close
contact with them.
Effective project leaders quickly identify the crises with which he or she must
become personally involved.
Effective project leaders quickly learn the situation and can make decisions
appropriately.
Effective project leaders quickly align project parties to accept the decision, adapt
to the new situation, and react rapidly.
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