Creating a Compelling Project Vision
By Kevin Eikenberry
Chief Potential Officer
The Kevin Eikenberry Group
A Companion Learning Tool to this video
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© 2013 All Rights Reserved
In today’s video I discussed the importance of leading projects, and not just managing them.
One of the many components of project leadership is creating a compelling project vision.
It is one thing to have a project plan. We’ve all seen them. It’s quite another to have a clear,
compelling vision for the project. I’m confident you have seen far fewer of these, especially
when you consider the “clear and compelling” criteria.
To create such a vision takes care and effort; however, this effort will be handsomely rewarded
with a more engaged, active and successful team. Here are some tips to help you create that
project vision successfully.
Describe the end state. Help people create a picture of what success looks like. Describe in
detail how the world will look when this project is successfully completed. Make this picture
positive and desirable.
Aim high. Make this vision a stretch. We are more often motivated by something that is just
outside of our reach than something that will be easy to achieve.
Identify personal benefits. Once people have a basic picture of the desired future, they will
identify their personal reasons for making the project successful – and these things are
important. Encourage people to build that list of benefits.
Identify the team benefits. Have the team discuss together what it will mean to them to
achieve this vision. This shared conversation can be very powerful.
Find the driving, underlying reason. Ask yourself “how will the world be impacted by this
vision?” Think beyond the basic outcomes. Think about the benefits that your customer will
derive. When people know how what they are doing will ultimately make someone else’s life
easier, safer or more enjoyable (just three examples), they will be more intent on reaching that
vision.
Create and share. Talking about all of these things is powerful, but not as powerful as having it
written down and described in a clear way. Coming to some agreements on the vision both
clarifies it further and allows it to be shared with others.
KevinEikenberry.com
[email protected]
© 2013 All Rights Reserved
One More Thing
All of these steps will help you create the vision, which is critical.
However, it is equally important to keep that vision in front of the team – both when things are
going well, and when things are behind schedule, people are stressed, etc.
Keeping this vision in front of people (especially when it is compelling and motivating) is one of
the best things you can do to keep a team moving successfully forward each day.
Your Now Steps
1. If you have an ongoing project, check to see how clear and compelling the vision is. If
you aren’t happy with it, make it a priority to follow the steps above.
2. If your vision does exist, make it your focus to remind the team and find (more) ways to
keep that vision real and tangible.
Additional Resources
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For some additional thoughts and writing on all things related to projects in your role as
a manager and leader, check out this list of articles from my blog.
For more strategies for improving the success of your projects, check out this recording
of a powerful teleseminar, What to Emotions Have to Do With Projects? Learn how you
can leverage emotional intelligence to improve decision making, reduce rework and
ultimately achieve project success!, led by best-selling author Lou Russell. Save 20% with
promo code 20DAYS.
KevinEikenberry.com
[email protected]
© 2013 All Rights Reserved
About Kevin
Kevin Eikenberry is a world renowned leadership expert, a twotime bestselling author, speaker, consultant, trainer, coach,
leader, learner, husband and father (not necessarily in that
order).
Kevin is the Chief Potential Officer of The Kevin Eikenberry
Group, a leadership and learning consulting company that has
been helping organizations, teams and individuals reach their
potential since 1993. Kevin’s specialties include leadership,
teams and teamwork, organizational culture, facilitating change,
organizational learning and more.
Kevin also is the creator and content developer of The
Remarkable Leadership Learning System, a continual leadership
development process based on his bestselling book, Remarkable
Leadership: Unleashing Your Leadership Potential One Skill at a
Time, and focused on developing the 13 competencies of remarkable leaders with virtually
delivered content to leaders worldwide. He is also the developer of the Remarkable Leadership
Workshop, the Coaching Training Camp and the co-developer of the Bud to Boss and Ultimate
Communicator Workshops – all offered in both public and in-house versions across North
America.
KevinEikenberry.com
[email protected]
© 2013 All Rights Reserved