Home > News & Events > Key Learning #4: Clear Direction, Planning And Strategic Alignment

Key Learning #4: Clear Direction, Planning And Strategic Alignment

Having a clear direction is critical for any team and organisation, not just project teams. Without a clear vision and strategy team members will be confused, reluctant to commit and be at cross-purposes in their activities.

Tuesday 10 March 2015


More importantly, a project's direction must align with organisational strategy.  Without such alignment confusion will reign supreme as will diffusion. Project Managers will find it difficult to gain stakeholder support and obtain resources.

Clarity of direction and vision is essential not only for Project Managers but for Project Sponsors, Steering Committees and all key stakeholders. They must be able to communicate this throughout the organisation.  The best Project Managers I have worked with painstakingly work to ensure everyone is aligned and heading in the same direction.  They go further and gain leverage from the alignment with organisational strategy.  When the direction is clear they set to work on developing a plan to meet the objectives. Of course the best managers involve the team and other critical stakeholders in developing the plan.

To ensure alignment, start with the end in mind and reverse plan the project.  What is trying to be achieved?  When this is clear, work backwards to determine what actions need to occur. Forward planning can result in a flurry of activity at the end to meet a deadline.

In planning the project, understand and address the vision and desired outcomes as well as the unwritten expectations of the organisation. In my experience it seems projects (and Project Manager's career) are often judged, sometimes harshly, on unwritten expectations.

And when all this is clear, identify and monitor the measures of success.  Sometimes these will be tangible, measurable and objective.  Other times they will be subjective and measured only by stakeholder perceptions.

If achieving strategic alignment is a challenge, contact us to find out more about out our  Intelligent Project Teams Program™. We will work with key stakeholders and managers to ensure project success.

 


< Back to News & Events

Contact Us Now

Intelligent Performance

P

(07) 3272 4922

F

(07) 3272 4955

E

Contact Us Now!

Send To A Friend

Use the link below to send this page to a friend!

Send Now!

Newsletter Signup

Sign up for our free monthly newsletter!

Sign Up

Free Resources

Register now to gain access to a range of free resources to help you as an individual, your team, or even your organisation!

Register Now!

Testimonials

“I recommend considering Mark to help you grow your own capability or the capability of the people in your business...” read more...

Craig MacDonald, Suncorp


“Mark is an excellent facilitator and business coach...” read more...

Gerard Reiter, Powerlink


“Our results were outstanding and had a direct relationship to the On-line Services Strategic Roadmap that was delivered...” read more...

Todd Hunt, Main Roads


“Mark was very in tune with the best approach to suit the culture of the organisation...” read more...

Craig Miles, Arcology


“The attendees at the presentation found it to be right on point...” read more...

Peter Ellender, CEO, Carter Newell Lawyers


Read More Testimonials