Mastering the Leadership Role in Project Management: Practices that Deliver Remarkable Results

In this book, project management expert Dr. Alexander Laufer leads an all-star team of practitioners and thought leaders in presenting a powerful project leadership framework. Laufer’s framework addresses the toughest challenges of new product development: large, complex projects composed of many diverse, geographically distributed, and highly interdependent components; organizational change; and repeated and risky tasks. Laufer reveals core leadership principles that are crucial to successful project leadership in dynamic and complex environments, regardless of industry, project goals, or stakeholders. Then, together with his contributors, he presents eight chapter-length case studies covering exceptionally challenging projects in a wide spectrum of industries and products – from developing missiles to reorganizing companies, building spacecraft and dairy plants to flying solar-powered airplanes. Readers will discover new ways to unleash the power of autonomy and learning; adapt to change on a timely basis; “give up” control without “losing” control; use face-to-face interaction to maximize alignment; manage “no fun” missions in hostile environments; deliver on bold ideas through sheer preparation; learn from practice – and unlearn lessons that need to be unlearned. Mastering the Leadership Role in Project Management will be invaluable to executives, project leaders, and aspiring project leaders in all organizations – regardless of their project goals, backgrounds, or experience.

Table of Contents

Chapter 1 Developing a Missile: The Power of Autonomy and Learning
Chapter 2 Building of Memory: Managing Creativity Through Action
Chapter 3 Flying Solar-Powered Airplanes: Soaring High on Spirit and Systems
Chapter 4 Transferring Harbor Cranes: Delivering a Bold Idea Through Meticulous Preparations and Quick Responsiveness
Chapter 5 A Successful Downsizing: Developing a Culture of Trust and Responsibility
Chapter 6 A Peaceful Evacuation: Building a Multi-Project Battalion by Leading Upward
Chapter 7 Exploring Space: Shaping Culture by Exploiting Location
Chapter 8 Building a Dairy Plant: Accelerating Speed Through Splitting and Harmonizing