What Executives Need to Know About Project Management: (The IIL/Wiley Series in Project Management)

As project management has evolved and matured, so has the executive's role in project management. To ensure the success of individual projects and the organization as a whole, today's executives are increasingly involved in activities such as capacity planning, portfolio management, prioritization, and strategic planning specifically for project management. In fact, more and more executives are becoming certified Project Management Professionals (PMPs). What Executives Need to Know About Project Management offers executives a guide to project management, focusing on what they need to know and what they need to do. It provides step-by-step guidance to help executives get effective, well-resourced project management teams in place and ensure the success of any individual project. The book begins with basic principles, including a detailed discussion of the three best practices that enable executives to ensure effective project management: Developing an environment where project management is viewed as a profession Securing key personnel for project management positions Creating opportunities for rewards and advancement through successful project management Next, the book explores how executives serve as executive sponsors in project management teams, setting forth solutions to the many problems and challenges they face in this role, including managing disagreements, delegating authority, and accelerating projects. The authors explain how the role of the executive sponsor changes depending upon the life-cycle phase of the project. For example, during the project initiation and planning phases, the sponsor may take on a very active role, ensuring that proper objectives are established and that the project plan satisfies the needs of the business as well as the needs of the client. During the execution phase, the sponsor may take on a less active role; however, the book shows how executive sponsors need to become involved when roadblocks appear, crises occur, and conflicts arise over priorities among projects. Throughout the book, helpful illustrations clarify complex concepts and processes.

Table of Contents:
Preface ix Acknowledgments xiii International Institute for Learning, Inc. (IIL) xv Chapter 1: PROJECT MANAGEMENT PRINCIPLES 1 The Triple Constraint 2 Types of Project Resources 4 Chapter 2: THE EVOLUTION OF PROJECT MANAGEMENT 7 Evolution 8 Project Objectives 10 Definition of Success 12 Velocity of Change 14 Authority and Job Descriptions 16 Evaluation of Team Members 18 Accountability 20 Project Management Skills 22 Management Style 24 Project Sponsorship 26 Project Failures 28 Improvement Opportunities 30 Resistance to Change 32 Chapter 3: THE BENEFITS OF PROJECT MANAGEMENT 35 Benefits 36 Quantifying the Benefits 60 Chapter 4: THREE CORE BEST PRACTICES 63 The First Best Practice 64 The Second Best Practice 66 The Third Best Practice 68 Chapter 5: ROLE OF THE EXECUTIVE AS A PROJECT SPONSOR 71 How Executives Interface Projects 72 The Executive Sponsor’s Role 74 Chapter 6: SPECIAL PROBLEMS FACING EXECUTIVES 185 Pushing Sponsorship Down 186 Committee Sponsorship 190 Handling Disagreements with the Sponsor 192 Knowing When to Seek Out the Project Sponsor for Help 194 Types of Sponsor Involvement 196 Placating the (External) Customers 198 Gate Review Meetings 200 Sponsorship Problems 202 The Exit Champion 204 Should a Sponsor Have a Vested Interest? 206 Project Champions versus Exit Champions 208 The Collective Belief 210 Advertising Sponsorship 212 Working with the On-Site Representatives 214 Kickoff Meetings for Projects 216 Taking the Lead 218 Rewarding Project Teams 220 Enterprise Project Management 222 Executive Involvement (with Trade-offs) 224 Chapter 7: NEW CHALLENGES FACING SENIOR MANAGEMENT 227 Measuring Project Management Success after Implementation 228 Success 230 Types of Values 232 Four Cornerstones of Success 234 Success versus Failure 236 High-Level Progress Reporting 238 Validating the Assumptions 240 Accelerating Projects 242 Project Manager Selection 244 Delegation of Authority 246 Visible Support 248 Channels of Communication 250 Avoid Buy-ins 252 Budgeting 254 Working Relationships 256 Chapter 8: ADDITIONAL RESPONSIBILITIES FOR EXECUTIVES 259 The New Role for Executives 260 Activities for a Project Management Office 268 The Executive Interface 270 Expectations 272 A Structured Path to Maturity 276 An Unstructured Path to Maturity 278 Conclusions 280 Index 283

About the Author :
HAROLD D. KERZNER, PH.D., is Senior Executive Director at the International Institute for Learning, Inc., a global learning solutions company that conducts training for leading corporations throughout the world. He is a globally recognized expert on project, program, and portfolio management, total quality management, and strategic planning. Dr. Kerzner is the author of bestselling books and texts, including the acclaimed Project Management: A Systems Approach to Planning, Scheduling, and Controlling, Tenth Edition. FRANK P. SALADIS, PMP, is a Senior Consultant and Trainer for the International Institute for Learning, Inc. and editor of the allPM.com newsletter, a global project management publication. Mr. Saladis was awarded the 2006 Linn Stuckenbruck Person of the Year Award by the Project Management Institute. The award recognizes people who have made significant contributions to the Institute as leaders in project management. Mr. Saladis is the originator of International Project Management Day, held each year to celebrate and recognize project managers from around the world. INTERNATIONAL INSTITUTE FOR LEARNING, INC. (IIL) is a global leader in professional training and comprehensive consulting services in the areas of project, program, and portfolio management, PRINCE2®, business analysis, Microsoft® Office Project and Project Server, and Lean Six Sigma. IIL is an IIBA-endorsed education provider, a PMI® charter global registered education provider, and a member of PMI's Silver Alliance Circle and Corporate Council.