Managing People
Difficult strategic issues require creative and fresh
thinking. To maximise the contribution of all participants, including
stakeholders, to this process, effective people management skills are
required throughout the project.
Particularly in the early phases of the project,
attention needs to be given to recruiting a team
of the right size, with the right skills and with the right team leader.
Once recruited, it can take time to transition from a
group of individuals into an effective team. An active approach to building
a team may be necessary given the short time scales of many
strategy projects.
Working as a team also
requires a clear articulation and common expectations of roles,
responsibilities, modes of communication and decision-making, and an
appreciation of different working styles within the team. Actively encouraging
creativity is also an important way of maximising people's
contributions.
Giving & receiving feedback
is the iterative process by which the team optimise their performance. It
should occur informally to enhance the day-to-day functioning of the team,
as well as formally to provide appraisal points and aid long-term
professional development.
Managing the Project
The overall co-ordination of the project to ensure the
timely delivery of an acceptable and effective strategy requires excellent
project management skills.
At the outset of a project, it is helpful to document
the proposed management approach in a project plan. Developing
the plan aids explicit communication, and helps to ensure common
expectations. The plan should be continually revised and updated as the
project progresses.
The team leader should determine the best way of structuring
the work to get the most out of the team and address the issues in
hand. Setting milestones for each work-stream
as well as the overall project will help to keep it on track. Identifying
and managing risks to the successful
completion of the project is also key.
The governance structure for the project should be
agreed by defining accountability. It may be
appropriate to establish a steering committee or advisory board to whom
the project team can report.
Evaluating the project
before the team disbands it an important means of capturing what has been
learned.
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