I recently met with a woman who was being asked to lead a very big project. She was losing sleep over how to best manage it, started working on GANTT charts…and asked me for some advice. Here are the three critical things which have worked well for me:

1. Make meetings matter. Nothing is worse than the meetings that are a waste of time. Send out an agenda ahead of time of what you’re going to cover, include the follow ups from the prior meeting (which should have a name against them).  If someone can’t make it? They have to send a delegate. Setting up the discipline early sends the message.
2. The Flight Plan: this is what I call the one pager that is the key document you will review in every meeting. This is what’s on my plan:
   1. Deliverables/workstreams down the left hand column, calendar by weeks across the top. End date in bright red. Black out the 2 weeks ahead of the drop dead date as buffer. Now get everyone’s start and end dates. Designate phases: e.g. requirements, testing, sign off within your work arrows.
   2. Name of person responsible next to the deliverable, and a RAG status column for the workstreams. You’ll want to know if people are struggling..this is their call.
   3. RAG status of total project up top: that’s your call. If you are amber or red, stay there until you are absolutely sure you’re good. Nothing is worse than flip flopping statuses every week.
   4. As you get closer to your end date, your calendar should get more detailed: I go from weeks to days as we get closer…can even go to hours for the last few days.
3. The Executive Communication package: there will be senior people who want to know how the project is going. Here’s my format: Overall Status, Accomplishments, Challenges/Issues, Next Steps. Same every single time.  Usually there are slides if there is a particular issue that needs explaining. Flight plan can be in the appendix.
   1. Stay at the right level: this isn’t meant to be a laundry list of all the steps you did….focus on outcomes.  People look bored? You’re too detailed.
   2. Challenges/Issues need to be real: they will put the project in jeopardy, and be prepared to state what you need to fix it. If you don’t know yet, give the date when you will know.

Projects are essentially deliverables against time. Where I see projects struggle is usually when they start running out of time: forgotten work, planned activities take longer than anticipated. Focus on time: it’s the fuel for your flight.