When leading large projects, to reach the project summit there are typically two paths.
Most projects are like Mount Everest where the climb is easier at first, but very difficult at the end to reach the summit. This occurs when the project team is not clear on the starting tasks, starts slowly thinking there is plenty of time, and have regular day job competing priorities. This matches the old saying: Nothing gets done until the last minute.
The second path is like Mount Kilimanjaro, where it is a steady climb from start to finish. Yes, the grind starts right away, but the level of effort required is the same throughout the life of the project. More people can achieve a steady pace and it has a lesser impact on daily business operations. This matches the old saying: It's a marathon, not a sprint.
So as a project leader, communicate project plan milestones, ensure project team time allocation, define and execute on early deliverables, and report progress to Stakeholders. Establishing project flow and rhythm early builds the right momentum for a steady project pace.
That's my 8020 Framework. What's yours?
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