Leadership Lessons: Leading Successful Projects

Lights, Camera, Action... Flop!

You've worked hard, you've closed the deal, you're ready to start your new project, and now the planning begins. What would happen if a project wasn't well defined, tasks were not properly assigned, and results and timelines were not clear to each team member? (I hope you don't have to find out!)

Some Perspective

Welcome to the new world of management. Today's managers have been thrust into the new role of leading project teams that have a direct, significant connection to the bottom line. If each team member isn't doing his or her part, the project starts to unravel over a period of a few weeks or months. Why? It's because day-to-day tasks are now a part of a larger scheme, involving a whole project with a deadline, budget, and deliverables.

Unhinged projects can be avoided if the people aspects of the project are addressed. Let's look at Tony, a new manager of a print shop.

Just six weeks ago, Tony was a lead salesperson. Sure, he had come up through the ranks, operating the small printers and then the big presses. Tony was confident that he knew all the ins and outs of running a print shop. He was a well-liked team player and knew the business. But as Tony would discover, knowing the business isn't enough. Not anymore.

Just recently, Tony sold the largest piece of business the shop ever had. The deal involved a long-term contract for printing a series of catalogs for a major U.S. retailer. Tony felt lucky that he understood both the client perspective and the capabilities of the shop.

Tony plunged the team into setting up for the first catalog according to the typical schedule and workload. After a few weeks, the client came with the work for the second catalog. The shop and its employees were in turmoil between the regular projects and the new project. The team members failed to see how the projects could be integrated and completed. They were melting down, and other clients were beginning to suffer.

These were the first signs that the project was coming unhinged before it really went downhill. What went wrong? Tony had failed to implement any kind of project plan. Ideally, this begins with using interpersonal skills to win and maintain commitment, enthusiasm, and the support of the team.

A Solution

"Leading Successful Projects" is a training program that provides the structure, process, and tools necessary for team leaders to master the art of project management. Managers, like Tony, need to understand the critical four phases every successful project goes through. They also need to examine each phase through the lens of the questions that must be answered to assure project control and progress.

One of the keys to your business is having managers, who can assess the probable impact of a project on overall business goals. Are all your managers able to do this? Are they able to ask the right questions in each phase of the project?

If not, chances are that most of your managers will benefit from project management training. Successful projects are critical to the bottom line of the organization, and your teams must be able to orchestrate success. Keeping the project on track is a direct result of good management each step of the way.

In the "Leading Successful Projects" 2-day workshop, your team leaders and managers will learn skills from 4 modules:

• Getting Started - the big picture, success factors and goals
• Getting Ready - defining resources, roles and responsibilities
• Building an Action Plan - aligning resources, roles and responsibilities
• Executing and Closing - monitoring, controlling and completing

Our experience has shown that a manager's ability to direct projects and participate knowledgeably on a project team has a direct impact on business results.

To learn more about " Leading Successful Projects " or the complete Vital Learning leadership development curriculum download this 4-page PDF or watch this brief video.

The Vital Learning curriculum is available in Classroom, Online, or Blended delivery options and includes the following essential topics...

Disciplining - understanding how to discipline others to eliminate problem behavior
Complaints - being able to effectively manage complaints
Coaching - knowing how to productively coach job skills
Project Management - being able to run projects, both on-time and on-budget
Conflict - understanding how to successfully resolve conflict
Developing Performance Goals and Standards - understanding how to establish performance goals and standards
Providing Feedback - knowing when and how to give feedback
And more...
For detail go to www.TheLearningEngine.org