Managing Projects for Ministry

Ses s i on 3: The Phases of Pro j ec t Management

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III. Rules of the Project Phases

A. Golden rules to make the phases work

1. Work like the dickens to get as much buy in as possible on the outcomes you seek on the project.

2. Never ignore the players . Ignoring stakeholders and those who authorize your work will inevitably lead to being marginalized. Get (and keep) their ownership and buy in.

3. Leading is not the same as doing everything yourself . (If you turn around and nobody’s following, you’re not leading; you’re just going on a stroll!)

4. “ Don’t try to teach a crocodile to kiss .” Let team members soar with their strengths.

5. Plans that are not flexible are barely better than no plans at all.

6. Politics is not a dirty word , but without godliness it will inevitably become a dirty business .

7. A good dose of realism goes a long way in developing a project schedule .

8. Do not discard the really good for seeking for the absolutely perfect .

9. Never demand that your team make bigger bricks without increasing the straw supply.