Sponsors' Guide to a Successful Project Launch
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One CIO we worked for was fond of saying, "There's no such thing as a perfect project." His intention was to reassure us, his hand-picked consultants, that we would not be burned at the stake when the inevitable problems arose, but we found this statement deeply disturbing. "Why not?" we asked. "Why do you assume there will be problems before we've even started?" When challenged, he would always respond with the same answer. "Because project teams are made up of people." People make mistakes and instinctively try to avoid blame. People get into power struggles and turf wars. When you are working with people, you are working with all of their unspoken expectations, personal foibles and blind spots. Since this is also true of corporations and consulting organizations, the potential for problems is multiplied by the number of people involved on the outskirts of the project. Over time, working with that client and many (many, many) others, we have identified ten strategies that project sponsors can put in place from the outset to help prevent the inevitable problems that arise during projects. Now, we've compiled these concepts into a white paper called the Sponsors' Guide to a Successful Project Launch. Some of the strategies outlined here are obvious and easy, like "Give the project team a clearly defined objective and timeframe for completion." Others are easy to say and difficult to do, like "Empower the team." We've included a detailed explanation and specific suggestions or examples for all of them. Request your copy of this paper. Read it. Implement the ideas that appeal to you or sound like project wisdom and ignore the rest. Most importantly, let us know what you learn from the process. If there is a way to make our information more valuable to you, we are anxious to know what it is. Warning: In addition to five pages of objective, valuable advice, this white paper contains two paragraphs of shameless promotion. Only two. And the product we're promoting, the Project Launch Training Kit, really will add value to your Project Launch meeting. Good luck with your project! |
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