What can a simplified project management outline like the one pictured here teach us about effective crisis leadership? Even if a crisis does not meet all the characteristics of a project, the tools and methods of project management can be helpful learning tools.
Identify the Opportunity
- Project charter draft
Define the Scope of the Project
- Project Charter
- Statement of Work
- Work Breakdown Structure (WBS)
- Project Schedule
Design the Project Plan
- Project Plan checklist
- Process Map
- Risk Assessment
- Action Items
- WBS update
- Project Schedule
Deliverables / Actions to Complete
- Action items
- Project Schedule
- Risks
Execute & Manage
- Project Status Documents
Complete Project and Evaluate
- Final Project Results vs. Planned
- Final Project Documents (Project History File)
- Lessons Learned
The Indigenous Leadership Development Institute, Inc (ILDII) defines a project as an activity that is usually initiated to solve a problem or take advantage of an opportunity. When we think about the six hallmarks of a crisis outlined in the James+Wooten Crisis Leadership Framework, we can see there is some overlap with the characteristics of a project.
Characteristics of a Project from ILDII
- Is unique (versus a business-as-usual activity)
- Brings about change
- Has unknown elements of risk
- Is temporary with a start and end (versus on-going)
6 Hallmarks of a Crisis form James+Wooten Framework
- Rare occurrence and unusual circumstances
- Devastating consequences
- Time pressure
- Public and stakeholder scrutiny
- Inadequate information
- Limited resources
Successful project management requires juggling resources, time, money, and scope. We know that these elements, particularly scope, can be extremely difficult to define in a crisis. However, we can still find valuable perspectives in better understanding how project managers think and the approaches they use.
Project managers:
- Simultaneously keep things on task, timeline and budget
- Are excellent at planning and facilitating meetings that advance the work of the project
- Think and plan ahead including preparing for unknown challenges and hiccups
- Quickly eliminate roadblocks and manage risk; they view issues calmly as problems to be solved no matter how dire the situation
- See the big picture and the details at the same time and navigate easily between these two perspectives
- Challenge all assumptions as an important part of due diligence and an opportunity to expose hidden risks
- Recommend alternative approaches as new information or challenges arise
- Are extremely aware of the timeline and the need to adjust when more details become available
- Make sure stakeholders stay informed and have an opportunity to provide input to the project as it is executed
- Focus on facts – both getting factual information from stakeholders and reliable sources and using facts to make decisions
- Are constantly setting and managing stakeholder expectations customizing the information that each audience requires and explaining the trade-offs required
- Track and report project progress including effectively understanding the reality of the timeline
Intel’s Rob Kasabian sums up the benefit of a project management perspective this way, “It’s hard to imagine how you would go about delivering a project without program and project management discipline. Without a consistent approach and clear milestones, decision points and metrics to measure your success, you’re just flying by the seat of your pants.” Project management methods and strategies have been credited with reducing risk, cutting costs, and the ability to bounce back after crisis.
Effective crisis leaders may benefit from including a project management approach when confronting a crisis. At its core, project management is a set of best practices for managing change and uncertainty. We know from the James+Wooten Crisis Leadership Framework that these are important skills for effective crisis leaders to develop.
If you want to think like a project manager, then:
- See the opportunity
- Gain consensus then build a viable plan
- Build a diverse team
- Be realistic about what you can actually do and the time it will take to do it
- Build your meeting planning and facilitation skills
- Remember that people count
- Keep stakeholders informed and keep getting their support
- Be willing to adapt and to try new things
- Understand task, timeline and budget
SIDEBAR: Effective Meetings
The ability to plan and run effective, timely meetings is a key skill in a project manager’s toolbox. Projects require different meetings to advance the work. There are five types of meetings often referenced by project managers. Some are regular and recurring; some are one-time or as needed meetings. These meetings parallel what is required during times of crisis:
- Governance meeting – when the project is discussed with senior leadership and project sponsor to resolve a major issue or make a big decision.
- Project team meeting – led by the project team leader, these meetings are for information sharing and coordination. The team solves problems together at this meeting. Team members may walk away from this meeting with individual assignments.
- Project status update meetings – this meeting is to keep everyone involved in the project up-to-date on actions taken to advance the project. It is also an opportunity to identify problems or roadblocks that need to be addressed in the project team, project workshop or governance meetings.
- Stakeholder engagement meetings – these are meetings to share information and get support. They can be one-on-one or group meetings.
- Project workshops – these meetings are used to solve problems that crop up during the project. It is important that participants offer different points of view, experiences and expertise. The purpose is to have cross-functional attendees tackle a specific issue.
What we can learn from the project manager’s use of meetings:
- Using meetings appropriately drives progress. It is important to understand why a meeting is needed and to apply the right type of meeting to that purpose.
- Well-run meetings effectively engage people.
- Meetings can create opportunities to collaborate to solve problems or take advantage of opportunities.
- Well-run meetings do not waste time, defer decisions or degrade relationships.