Self-Directed Project Leadership Development

Do you understand the role of a Service -based project leader?

According to famous author Jack Ferraro, nothing can cripple a project more quickly than a project team or customer who does not understand the real need.

As a Project Manager I can live this kind of situation while working with a Company which specializes on Parking Solutions for big hotels, Airports and busy Offices Parking garages. Since the solutions were pretty much different in scope, equipment and effort from one Project to another , Implementation usually was started without a comprehensive plan, sometimes we did not understand through fully client needs but more frequently customers were confused about what the system and equipment can or can not do and the real need of their operation. Too often the entire process is skipped, and the customer is assumed the needs and implications of them within the context of the Organization and the specific project.

At the end this usually led to spending more time and money on delivering the project and the completion delay until reaching basic client agreement with the solution and we just roll the ball to our support team to help the client walk through the process and adaptation to the new situation.

Focus on the customer and the real needs is significant value proposition for a Project Manager.

What are the main differences on a Service based Project Leaders behaviors against Short sighted behaviors. According to Ferraro they are as follow:

Service-Based Project Leader vs Short Sighted Behaviors

Your entire team is interested and can articulate the customer needs

Only business analyst or selected members understand the customer need

Your team learn the details of client’s business, even not directly related with the project

You focus only on customer needs related to project deliverables

You allow customer needs to be available to all team members on a need-to – know-basis

You promote customer information needs with little concern for the future or historical information

You incorporate customer education activities into project plans that enhance definition and articulation on the customer needs

You leave customer education up to the customer with a buyer beware mentality

Your team looks for opportunities to provide new services to enhance the customer experience

You rely on replicating processes and value propositions of previous efforts

You see all interested parties as an integrated value system

You focus on particular stakeholder’s wo exert power and influence

As you see a Service based Project Manager focus more specially in more team building, customer service and integrate to their project delivery process many of the operational excellence best practices which at the end generate more value.

If you want to know more about becoming a leader in your industry or just are not sure about what would be next steps to reach next level and increase your business opportunities please reach us at Consulting@excellentiastrategies.com or let us contact you filling out the form below.

As a present for reaching us we will send you a 15 minutes quick projects assessment to help us understand your maturity level