EXtreme Project Management : Using Leadership, Principles, and Tools to Deliver Value in the Face of Volatility

Today’s new breed, eXtreme projects are different. They feature high speed, high change, high complexity, high risk, and high stress. While traditional projects follow the classic model of ready, aim, fire, eXtreme project managers succeed by shooting the gun and then redirecting the bullet while not loosing sight of their moving target. eXtreme Project Management provides a practical guide for leaders working under high risk and high pressure while producing the desired bottom-line results. Based on Doug DeCarlo’s extensive experience in working with more than 250 project teams, his eXtreme project management model is built around an integrated set of principles, values, skills, tools, and practices proven to consistently work under conditions of rapid change and uncertainty. eXtreme project management is based on the premise that you don’t manage the unknown the same way you manage the known. It’s a people-centric approach to high performance that makes quality of life a fundamental part of the project venture. eXtreme Project Management......Page 1 Contents......Page 11 Foreword by James P. Lewis......Page 17 Preface: Out of the Darkness......Page 21 Acknowledgments......Page 31 The Author......Page 35 Introduction: Into the Light......Page 39 How eXtreme Projects Are Different......Page 42 Ready, Fire, Aim......Page 44 How eXtreme Project Management Is Different......Page 45 Changing the Paradigm......Page 47 Part One: The New Reality......Page 51 1 Developing a Quantum Mind-Set for an eXtreme Reality......Page 53 Is There a Method to Your Madness?......Page 55 Linear Lunacy......Page 56 Newtonian Neurosis and the eXtreme Project Manager......Page 57 Self-Diagnostic Tool......Page 59 It’s Jazz, Not Classical Music......Page 62 Toward Peaceful Coexistence......Page 63 Conclusion......Page 64 Two Keys to Success......Page 66 What Is a Project? A New Definition......Page 68 What Is Project Management? A New Definition......Page 70 What Is eXtreme Project Management?......Page 72 How Is Success Measured on an eXtreme Project?......Page 74 Who Holds a Stake in Success?......Page 75 What Are the Elements of the eXtreme Model for Success?......Page 77 Putting in Place the Skills, Tools, and Environment to Succeed: The 5 Critical Success Factors......Page 81 Part Two: Leadership Skills for an eXtreme World......Page 85 3 Leadership Begins with Self-Mastery......Page 89 The Project-Crazy Organization......Page 90 The Formula for Self-Misery......Page 91 The Formula for Self-Mastery......Page 95 Taking It to a Higher Court......Page 108 4 The eXtreme Project Manager’s Leadership Role......Page 113 The eXtreme Project Manager’s Role......Page 114 Stakeholders: The eXtreme Project Management Context......Page 121 Your Role as Process Leader......Page 127 Nine Reasons That eXtreme Project Managers Fail......Page 135 You Are More Powerful Than You May Realize......Page 137 When Commitment Is Not Obtainable......Page 140 5 Principles, Values, and Interpersonal Skills for Leading......Page 143 The 4 Accelerators: How to Unleash Motivation and Innovation......Page 144 The 10 Shared Values: How to Establish the Trust and Confidence to Succeed......Page 149 The 4 Business Questions: How to Ensure the Customer Receives Value Each Step of the Way......Page 153 Developing Interpersonal Skills for an eXtreme World......Page 155 Principles of Effective Communication......Page 160 How to Negotiate......Page 165 How to Resolve Conflict......Page 176 When All Else Fails......Page 178 6 Leading the eXtreme Team......Page 181 Process Values......Page 182 Characteristics of Teams......Page 184 Establishing the Core Team......Page 185 Creating the Conditions for Successful Teamwork......Page 193 The Keys to Running Productive Meetings......Page 204 Facilitation Skills......Page 208 Decision Making and Problem Solving......Page 212 How to Earn the Right to Lead the Process......Page 217 7 eXtreme Stakeholder Management......Page 223 The Stakeholder Challenge......Page 224 Business Values......Page 226 The Stakeholder Universe......Page 228 Managing Your Stakeholders......Page 233 The Role of the Steering Committee......Page 244 How to Combat the Phantom Approval Virus......Page 245 Managing Change: You’ve Built It, But Will They Come?......Page 246 Business Question 4: Is It Worth It to You?......Page 253 Part Three: The Flexible Project Model......Page 255 8 Visionate: Capturing the Sponsor’s Vision......Page 261 Getting Answers to Business Question 1: Who Needs What and Why?......Page 262 The First Sponsor Meeting......Page 266 Beginning Work on the Project Prospectus......Page 275 The Second Sponsor Meeting......Page 282 9 Visionate: Establishing the Collective Vision......Page 289 Preparing for the Third Sponsor Meeting......Page 290 Go or No Go: The Third Meeting with the Sponsor......Page 298 Getting Ready for the Scoping Meeting......Page 305 Conducting the Scoping Meeting......Page 309 After the Meeting......Page 321 10 Speculate: The Planning Meeting......Page 333 The Twelve-Step Planning Meeting Process......Page 335 11 Speculate: Postplanning Work......Page 367 Assessing the Project Management Infrastructure......Page 369 Estimating Financial Requirements......Page 370 12 Innovate: Learning by Doing......Page 381 The Underlying Dynamics......Page 382 Time Boxing......Page 385 Applying the SCORE Model......Page 387 The Goal of the Innovation Cycle......Page 398 13 Reevaluate: Deciding the Project’s Future......Page 407 The Reevaluate Process......Page 410 14 Disseminate: Harvesting the Payoff......Page 429 What Happened to Business Question 4: Is It Worth It?......Page 432 The Turnover Point......Page 434 The Project Review Meeting......Page 435 Benefits Realization......Page 438 Part Four: Managing the Project Environment......Page 449 15 Real-Time Communication......Page 453 What Are the Basic Communications Needs of Stakeholders?......Page 456 What Are the Hallmarks of a Viable Real-Time Communications System?......Page 458 What Specific Real-Time Features Do You Need?......Page 460 Where Do You Find Affordable, Quick-Start Solutions?......Page 462 What Are the Technical Considerations for Planning and Running Virtual Meetings?......Page 466 What Do You Need to Know in Planning and Running Web Conferences?......Page 469 What’s the Big Trap to Watch Out For?......Page 470 16 Agile Organization: A Senior Management Briefing......Page 473 The New Dynamics of Projects......Page 475 How Top Managers Can Undermine Effective Project Management......Page 477 The Role of the Project Sponsor......Page 479 Becoming an Agile Organization: Best and Worst Practices......Page 482 Landing on Common Ground......Page 494 Making the Transition......Page 496 The World Is Only Going to Become More eXtreme......Page 497 Afterword by Robert K. Wysocki......Page 499 eXtreme Tools and Techniques......Page 503 Self-Mastery Tools and Techniques......Page 504 Interpersonal Tools and Techniques......Page 518 Facilitation Skills......Page 525 Project Management Tools......Page 531 References......Page 535 Index......Page 539 Developing A Quantum Mind-set For An Extreme Reality -- The Extreme Model For Success -- Leadership Begins With Self-mastery -- The Extreme Project Manager's Leadership Role -- Principles, Values, And Interpersonal Skills For Leading -- Leading The Extreme Team -- Extreme Stakeholder Management -- Visionate : Capturing The Sponsor's Vision -- Visionate : Establishing The Collective Vision -- Speculate : The Planning Meeting -- Speculate : Postplanning Work -- Innovate : Learning By Doing -- Reevaluate : Deciding The Project's Future -- Disseminate : Harvesting The Payoff -- Real-time Communication -- Agile Organization : A Senior Management Briefing. By Doug Decarlo ; Foreword By James P. Lewis ; Afterword By Robert K. Wysocki. Description Based On Print Version Record. Includes Bibliographical References (p. 497-499) And Index. "Today's new breed, eXtreme projects are different. They feature high speed, high change, high complexity, high risk, and high stress. eXtreme Project Management provides a guide for leaders working under high risk and high pressure while producing the desired bottom-line results. Based on Doug DeCarlo's extensive experience in working with more than 250 project teams, his eXtreme project management model is built around an integrated set of principles, values, skills, tools, and practices proven to consistently work under conditions of rapid change and uncertainty."--BOOK JACKET.