The key to leadership in projects

Most projects fail. They either do not meet the initial project objectives or they fail to deliver the expected business benefit. This statistic has plagued the project management community for over fifty years.  Five years ago, the Danish Industry Association asked Implement Consulting to investigate why and put forward a solution. That solution is the Half Double Method – half the time, double the impact.

Working with industry they were able to run pilots and refine ideas over five years. They settled on three core elements: -

• Impact – moving from the triple constrain of time, cost, and quality to focusing on project impact
• Flow – moving from resource optimisation to optimising the flow of work through the project
• Leadership – moving from the management of systems to the leadership of people

The first two elements have been used elsewhere, but their focus on leadership is probably the most far reaching.

The Half Double principle is that the leaders need to embrace uncertainty to make the project happen by creating a common vision that unlocks people’s potential. The approach encourages and enables bold and, on the spot decision making, right where the action is.  As the project solution depends on contributions from many different qualified participants, the leadership approach must inspire, unify different points of view, and promote a commitment to a shared vision.  Half Double reinforces the fact that the project is led by both the Project Owner and the Project Manager.

How many times have Project Managers complained that the Project Owner or Sponsor is too busy to devote sufficient time to their project?  It is hardly surprising that many projects fail to achieve their objectives when there is little corporate support.  Half Double recognises that a project needs a leadership team consisting of a Project Owner and a Project Manager (both are Project Leaders).  Their research proves that an active Project Owner is a proven key driver for a project’s success, regardless of industry or project type.

Being a Project Leader on a Half Double project is not easy.  They are expected to operate on three levels: -

1. The project level.  They are responsible for the project delivering what it set out to achieve. As such they own the impact (business benefits) pave the way for impact (preparing the business to receive the output from the project) and remove unnecessary bureaucracy to enable the project team to focus on the work in hand.
2. The team level. At this level, the Project Leader focuses on organising and co-ordinating activities to create flow.
3. The individual level. Project Leaders are responsible for getting the most out of each member of the team – ensuring there is not the wastage often created by individuals not operating at their full potential. Each member should be given attention and asked by the Project Leader ‘What can I do for you?’.

Every project undergoes change between the initial definition and delivery. Some people consider change as negative or an intrusion whereas other see it as a source of new insight, new knowledge, and new possibilities.  The Half Double Project Leader, because they are responsible for ensuring the project is a success within their business, needs to continuously review and understand the situation and ensure the project is adjusted to meet changes in the environment and the demands of the business.  This mindset applies not just to business, strategic and technological issues but also to the reactions, emotions and interests of all team members and stakeholders. This is done at three levels.

1. The Project Level.  By focusing on and realising the desired impact. 
2. The Team Level. By supporting and facilitating the interactions between the team members.
3. The Individual Level. By ensuring team members are empowered and have the autonomy to do the work, have a clear understanding of the purpose of what is being delivered and, most importantly, have the ability or mastery to contribute to the wider team.

It has been said before, project results are produced by people and the Project Leader’s role is to get many different experts to perform to their best in a joint effort.  The Project Leader’s job is primarily to motivate each team member to deliver their best.  Personal potential and an individual’s level of energy vary greatly. The Project Leader needs to know each team member so they can support and encourage them on both a professional and personal level.

The Project Leader operates on three levels.

1. The Project Level. Being responsible for the impact and being unyielding in ensuring the impact is as powerful as it can be while being flexible on the deliverable to accommodate the wider team members.
2. The Team Level. Facilitating and ensuring all interactions are as powerful and rewarding as possible.
3. The Individual Level. Taking a people first approach, helping people understand the purpose of the project, their autonomy and helping them deliver to their best ability for the team and the key stakeholders.