Chapter 1 Review

From The Fast Forward MBA in Project Management, Third Edition by Eric Verzuh

Chapter 1: Project Management Is the New Critical Leadership Skill

• Project management is a strategic strength. It has absolutely been true in my career that leading projects and turning a vision into tangible products, services and outcomes has made me stand out. It is a discipline that can be learned and a skill set so portable that it can be applied universally.
• Art and Science of Project Leadership: Five Project Success Skills
• Agreement among the project team, customers and management on the goals of the project
• A plan that shows an overall path and clear responsibilities and that can be used to measure progress during the project
• Constant, effective communication among everyone involved in the project
• A controlled scope
• Management support

Having worked in an organization where organizational change was a constant and project managers were at the core of organizational effectiveness. The five project success skills resonate deeply with my experience. I can think of examples of projects which, lacking just one of the five factors above, have spun horribly out of control.
Each of these applies to my project, however the plan and communication seem to me to be the most relevant to the accreditation process as management support, a well-defined (controlled) scope and a high degree of agreement already exist in this case.