eXtreme Project Management

Foreword by James P. Lewis xv Preface: Out of the Darkness xix Acknowledgments xxix The Author xxxiii Introduction: Into the Light 1 How eXtreme Projects Are Different 4 Ready, Fire, Aim 6 How eXtreme Project Management Is Different 7 Changing the Paradigm 9 Part One: The New Reality 13 1 Developing a Quantum Mind-Set for an eXtreme Reality 15 Is There a Method to Your Madness? 17 Linear Lunacy 18 Newtonian Neurosis and the eXtreme Project Manager 19 Self-Diagnostic Tool 21 Do You Walk Your Talk? 24 It’s Jazz, Not Classical Music 24 Toward Peaceful Coexistence 25 Conclusion 26 2 The eXtreme Model for Success 28 Two Keys to Success 28 What Is a Project? A New Definition 30 What Is Project Management? A New Definition 32 What Is an eXtreme Project? 34 What Is eXtreme Project Management? 34 How Is Success Measured on an eXtreme Project? 36 Who Holds a Stake in Success? 37 What Are the Elements of the eXtreme Model for Success? 39 Putting in Place the Skills, Tools, and Environment to Succeed: The 5 Critical Success Factors 43 Part Two: Leadership Skills for an eXtreme World 47 3 Leadership Begins with Self-Mastery 51 The Project-Crazy Organization 52 The Formula for Self-Misery 53 The Formula for Self-Mastery 57 Taking It to a Higher Court 70 4 The eXtreme Project Manager’s Leadership Role 75 The eXtreme Project Manager’s Role 76 Stakeholders: The eXtreme Project Management Context 83 Your Role as Process Leader 89 Nine Reasons That eXtreme Project Managers Fail 97 You Are More Powerful Than You May Realize 99 When Commitment Is Not Obtainable 102 5 Principles, Values, and Interpersonal Skills for Leading 105 The 4 Accelerators: How to Unleash Motivation and Innovation 106 The 10 Shared Values: How to Establish the Trust and Confidence to Succeed 111 The 4 Business Questions: How to Ensure the Customer Receives Value Each Step of the Way 115 Developing Interpersonal Skills for an eXtreme World 117 Principles of Effective Communication 122 How to Negotiate 127 How to Resolve Conflict 138 When All Else Fails 140 6 Leading the eXtreme Team 143 Process Values 144 Characteristics of Teams 146 Establishing the Core Team 147 Creating the Conditions for Successful Teamwork 155 The Keys to Running Productive Meetings 166 Facilitation Skills 170 Decision Making and Problem Solving 174 How to Earn the Right to Lead the Process 179 7 eXtreme Stakeholder Management 185 The Stakeholder Challenge 186 Business Values 188 The Stakeholder Universe 190 Managing Your Stakeholders 195 The Role of the Steering Committee 206 How to Combat the Phantom Approval Virus 207 Managing Change: You’ve Built It, But Will They Come? 208 Business Question 4: Is It Worth It to You? 215 Part Three: The Flexible Project Model 217 8 Visionate: Capturing the Sponsor’s Vision 223 Getting Answers to Business Question 1: Who Needs What and Why? 224 The First Sponsor Meeting 228 Beginning Work on the Project Prospectus 237 The Second Sponsor Meeting 244 9 Visionate: Establishing the Collective Vision 251 Preparing for the Third Sponsor Meeting 252 Go or No Go: The Third Meeting with the Sponsor 260 Getting Ready for the Scoping Meeting 267 Conducting the Scoping Meeting 271 After the Meeting 283 10 Speculate: The Planning Meeting 295 Preparing for the Planning Meeting 297 The Twelve-Step Planning Meeting Process 297 11 Speculate: Postplanning Work 329 Assessing the Project Management Infrastructure 331 Estimating Financial Requirements 332 12 Innovate: Learning by Doing 343 The Underlying Dynamics 344 Time Boxing 347 Applying the SCORE Model 349 The Goal of the Innovation Cycle 360 13 Reevaluate: Deciding the Project’s Future 369 What Reevaluate Is Not 372 The Reevaluate Process 372 14 Disseminate: Harvesting the Payoff 391 What Happened to Business Question 4: Is It Worth It? 394 The Turnover Point 396 The Stabilization Period 397 The Project Review Meeting 397 Benefits Realization 400 Part Four: Managing the Project Environment 411 15 Real-Time Communication 415 What Are the Basic Communications Needs of Stakeholders? 418 What Are the Hallmarks of a Viable Real-Time Communications System? 420 What Specific Real-Time Features Do You Need? 422 Where Do You Find Affordable, Quick-Start Solutions? 424 What Are the Technical Considerations for Planning and Running Virtual Meetings? 428 What Do You Need to Know in Planning and Running Web Conferences? 431 What’s the Big Trap to Watch Out For? 432 16 Agile Organization: A Senior Management Briefing 435 The New Dynamics of Projects 437 How Top Managers Can Undermine Effective Project Management 439 The Role of the Project Sponsor 441 Becoming an Agile Organization: Best and Worst Practices 444 Landing on Common Ground 456 Making the Transition 458 The World Is Only Going to Become More eXtreme 459 Afterword by Robert K. Wysocki 461 eXtreme Tools and Techniques 465 Self-Mastery Tools and Techniques 466 Interpersonal Tools and Techniques 480 Facilitation Skills 487 Project Management Tools 493 References 497 Index 501