New Book: Harvard Business Review Project Management Handbook

I am a big fan of the series of Harvard Business Review (HBR)’s Handbooks, including the one for leaders and the one for family businesses.

Newest in the series is the HBR Project Management Handbook.

Author Antonio Nieto-Rodriguez explains that to fully harness project management and to live into the idea that projects can inspire positive change – it is time for companies and leaders to break out of outdated structures and lean into a fresh, modern approach to project management. Hence, his new book.

Nieto-Rodriguez defines projects as:

Limited in time; they have a start and an end.
They require an investment in the form of capital resources (money, funds).
They required an investment in human resources (effort, time).
Frequently, they bring together people who have diverse expertise and background and who have never worked together before.

Further, he explains that projects differ from operations, which are day-to-day activities, and which generally follow similar patterns and objectives every year. In addition, after a project is completed, the end deliverables or outputs are often transferred to the operations side of the business, where the anticipated benefits of the project must be successfully achieved and sustained.

In the book, you will find multiple case studies, accessible tools and proven methods you can implement to help you lead more successful projects.

If you are a project manager, “This book will help you better understand project fundamentals. You will learn how to ensure that projects have a strong foundation and the importance of your role as a project sponsor. You will learn how to increase alignment and buy-in from project stakeholders,” explains Nieto-Rodriguez.

And, if you are a CEO or in a leadership role, “This book will help you weigh the importance of projects and strategically align and prioritize your project portfolio. You’ll see ways to better support your project teams, to create a more agile and project-driven organization,” shares Nieto-Rodriquez.

Finally, Nieto-Rodriquez explains that:

Projects need a clear rationale, business case, and connection to a higher purpose before they are launched.
An active, ongoing, and fully engaged executive sponsor is critical to project success.
Effective project managers must be true leaders.
Projects will always need motivated people to execute them.
Project failure is not always bad. Often, failure is an opportunity to learn, mature, and refocus on other more relevant projects.
Project-driven organizations work across silos.
Projects cannot go on forever; they must be closed.

Thank you to the book’s publisher for sending me an advance copy of the book.

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