Don't Lead Projects The Way You Lead Operations

The best person to run your complex project is someone with deep operational experience.

They know what to pay attention to. They understand the context. They have credibility.

What they often lack, however, is an appreciation of how the nature of projects is fundamentally different from operations.

Don't Lead Projects the Way You Lead Operations

Take Brett, an operational leader who was put in charge of an asset improvement initiative. He knew what would improve frontline performance (a guide that had photos of when parts needed to be replaced). However, he was frustrated by having to convince everyone in the finance, technology, and HR teams.

Why wouldn't they just trust that he knew what he was doing?

It took him a while to realise that his job was not just to have the answer but to work across the business to ensure the answer they all created made sense.

The Difference Between Operations and Projects

What catches people out is that projects are a different way of operating in the same organisation. It is similar enough that you think you know how to get things done, but you will get caught out by the differences.

Running a good operation is about efficiency.

You're dealing with like-minded individuals with similar experiences and a clear definition of success. You need to focus on performance, make quick decisions and respond to issues as they arise. Make a call, move on, and if that doesn't fix it, you can try again tomorrow.

But projects are different. They create something new every day.

You need to make calls without complete information, without knowing the implications, and often those decisions can't be revisited – you 'pour the concrete' and move on.

Rather than problems to be solved, issues are full of information about where to go next or how effective the approach is. Leaders need to create the space and time to understand the significance of issues.

Amy C. Edmondson points out that a learning mindset is more effective than a performance mindset in projects, particularly technology implementations.[reference below]

Bridging Operational Expertise and Project Management

The most successful projects combine the practical experience of business operators with a solid understanding of project management.

In my experience, this approach works best when business operators are educated about project management, rather than trying to teach project managers the intricacies of business operations.

However, operational leaders are often left alone to run the project without any guidance of how the world is different. Operational leadership styles need to be adapted for project success.

They have to deal with a broader audience that is less interested in the details.

They have to build trust not through their expertise but by creating simplicity and clarity.

They need to move from picking the right answer to guiding a group through options to a collective decision because the numbers and implications are too big to do it alone.

It is like landing in Paris but not speaking French – you can muddle your way through, pick things up along the way and eventually work things out, but a translator makes it so much easier.

Tips for Supporting Operational Leaders in Project Roles

Here are three essential questions to ensure your projects are set up for success:

·       Is the project lead someone who knows the business in detail?

·       Are they clear on the differences between the project world and normal operations?

·       Are they building the skills required to operate effectively in projects?

Projects deliver the best outcomes when they are led by people who deeply understand the context. This is why operators make the best project leaders.

As usual, let me know if you have any comments or questions.

Kieran