The Top Performer's Guide to Project Management

By Susan Benjamin

Plan and Execute Projects that Deliver Amazing Results

No matter what business you're in, effective project management is a cornerstone of your success. Top performers understand not only how to get results, but how to draw a project to the right conclusion exactly when it's needed.

The Top Performer's Guide to Project Management gives you a quick yet definitive overview of how project management works and ways of creating the best possible results. Discover:

• Why project management is so important
• How to set and meet deadlines
• Budgeting and sticking to it
• Tips for dealing with obstacles
• Bringing the project to a satisfying and happy ending

Top performers know how to plan and run a successful project. You are just a short read away from mastering this essential skill.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Sourcebooks
• Release date: Jun 1, 2007
• ISBN: 9781402235146

Book preview

THETOP

PERFORMER’S

GUIDE TO

PROJECT

MANAGEMENT

SUSAN J. BENJAMIN

Copyright 2007 by Susan J. Benjamin

Cover and internal design 2007 by Sourcebooks, Inc.

Sourcebooks and the colophon are registered trademarks of Sourcebooks, Inc.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means including information storage and retrieval systems—except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles or reviews—without permission in writing from its publisher, Sourcebooks, Inc.

This publication is designed to provide accurate and authoritative information in regard to the subject matter covered. It is sold with the understanding that the publisher is not engaged in rendering legal, accounting, or other professional service. If legal advice or other expert assistance is required, the services of a competent professional person should be sought.—From a Declaration of Principles Jointly Adopted by a Committee of the American Bar Association and a Committee of Publishers and Associations

All brand names and product names used in this book are trademarks, registered trademarks, or trade names of their respective holders. Sourcebooks, Inc., is not associated with any product or vendor in this book.

Published by Sourcebooks, Inc.

P.O. Box 4410, Naperville, Illinois 60567-4410

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Fax: [phone]

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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Benjamin, Susan

The top performer's guide to project management / Susan Benjamin.

p. cm. ISBN-13: 978-1-4022-1698-5

HD69.P75B448 2007

658.4'04--dc22

2007026130

Printed and bound in China.

LEO 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

ACKNOWLEDGMENT

Project management is about working with people—trusting them, relying on them, and, above all, enjoying the process together. And so, for this book, a big thank you goes to my personal, and often impromptu, team: Josh Stella, for his careful comments and encouragement; Ellen Tunstall, for her seemingly endless support; and Dan Silverman, for his insights, ideas, and really great jokes. And special thanks go to Adam, who tolerated all those hours I sat at the computer typing—and was a great sport through it all.

Of course, nothing prepares you better to write a book about project management than having projects to work on. And for that I must thank my clients, who entrusted me with their projects, big and small. I learned so much from those who knew how to put a project together, those who made the experience smooth as ice cream. But special appreciation goes to those who didn’t have these skills; the lessons I learned from them are indispensable.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Introduction

Chapter 1: In the Beginning

Business Results

Other Financial Considerations

Think It Ain’t So?

The Importance of But Maybe . . .

Quick Q&As. .

Other Questions You Must Ask

Chapter 2: Who’s Who in Project Management

The Team—and What You Should Know About

Them.

Don’t Make the Project Manager’s Biggest Mistake

When Managing People

Meet My Friends: Forming, Storming, Norming,

and Performing

Quick Q&As

Chapter 3: Shaping a Vision and Drafting a Plan

Top Components of a Business Plan

Quick Q&As

Security Measures

Chapter 4: Fingers to the Pulse

All About Push Me/Pull Me

Internal Communications

Communication Models

External Communications

Chapter 5: What to Do When Disaster Hits the Fan

Risk Management

PERT

When the Worst—or Almost Worst—Happens

Don’t Forget to Cross-Risk!

Chapter 6: Happy Endings

Closing a Project

When the End Comes Too Soon

Index

About the Author

INTRODUCTION

You’ve doubtless heard plenty about project management. Trust me, every large business down to every two-person outfit has myths aplenty. Things like, Project management requires considerable training—possibly a high-level degree. Or, Project management requires a huge investment in expensive technology. In fact, for some, the whole idea of project management seems more complicated than the project they’re actually managing.

So sit back, relax, and chill, because project management is probably something you do every day. Married? Have kids? Then project management is already a routine part of your life. You must balance a budget (a.k.a. household expenses), keep to a schedule (from the moment you walk in the door to when you get the kids fed, bathed, and in bed), and address personality conflicts. And trust me on this one, too: Managing employees and clients can be a whole lot easier than managing kids.

So what’s the difference? you may ask. The answer: volume and complexity. Project managing for a business comes with a bigger budget, a greater number of people, and more diverse interests and roles. Still, you’ll be amazed at how familiar the project management terrain can be and how much you really already know. Before we get going, though, read these pointers; they’ll help:

The Time Equation: Plenty of tools abound for helping you manage your project. Many are technology-based, but not all. They require effort from both you and your team. You’ll need to document your actions, calculate risks, assess your progress, consult with outsiders . . . but beware. Project management can function like a black hole, sucking you into a cold, clammy time warp where, while you’re working like crazy, you’re spending too much of your time on project management requirements and not enough time on the project itself.

The Problem: So, you have a project to manage. People rely on you. Money’s involved. Oh, and so is your reputation. Naturally, you want everything to flow beautifully without a hitch. Forget it. The most astute project managers know that every project has problems. Your jobs are: (A) Not to panic; (B) Strategize—quickly; (C) lead your team to a solution; and (D) Expect another problem somewhere down the pike. The problem with problems? You start believing the project is failing—not that you’re going through a natural part of the project management process. This may shift your thinking from that of a confident leader to that of an insecure micromanager. So remember: That’s not the case. Just find a solution and move on.

Pursuing the Fine Art of Perfection: Don’t do it. Pursue flexibility so you can adapt your project management plan and manage the expectations of your clients, team, and everyone else as you go. In fact, plan to build in a cushion for every