Managing Projects for Ministry

Session 5 Project Management Leadership, Final Insights, and Dialogue

Although the role and responsibility of a project manager may vary somewhat from project to project and from organization to organization, you may be called upon to perform one of these recurring duties and responsibilities: Draw up the project plan, possibly present and “sell” the project to those in authority . . . procure project resources, allocate them to project staff, coordinate their use, ensure that they are being maintained in good working order, and surrender them upon project completion . . . interact with outside vendors . . . initiate project imple- mentation, continually monitor progress, review interim objectives or milestones . . . supervise project team members . . . identify opportunities, identify problems, devise appropriate adjustments . . . handle inter- team strife, minimize conflicts, resolve differences . . . prepare interim presentations . . . make the tough calls . . . consult with advisors, mentors, and coaches. Don’t be an accidental project manager. Seat-of-the-pants efforts may work when you are undertaking a short-term task, particularly something you are doing alone. However, for longer-term tasks that involve working with others and with a budget, being an accidental manager will get you into trouble. Remember that a project, by definition, is something that has a unique aspect to it. Even if you are building your 15th chicken coop in a row, the grading of the land or composition of the soil might be different from that of 14. As Frame points out, many projects are hard enough to manage even when you know what you are doing. They are nearly impossible to manage by happenstance.

~ The 10 Minute Guide to Project Management. pp. 15-17 .

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I. The Ways of Project Management Leadership

Deut. 31.7-8 – Then Moses summoned Joshua and said to him in the sight of all Israel, "Be strong and courageous, for you shall go with this people into the land that the Lord has sworn to their fathers to give them, and you shall put them in possession of it. [8] It is the Lord who goes before you. He will be with you; he will not leave you or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed."

A. The call to vision (look at the “big picture” first)

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