The Mission is Your Mission

"You have been assigned to a mission-critical project. You are part of the 300 to save 300 million."

That's how our project to deliver 22 missile silos to the United States Army started.

Those words set the tone for our entire project. In two sentences, our primary stakeholder presented us with a vision that united us as a team and enhanced our productivity.

GOOD COMMUNICATION IS GOOD PROJECT MANAGEMENT

It wasn't just the words themselves that sparked us. It was how our stakeholder delivered them.

Our stakeholder was a commander, and his tone was commanding (naturally) without feeling angry or dictatorial. He:

• Projected confidence

• Knew the project details by heart

• Spoke clearly

• Looked us in the eye

• Presented a tone that was serious, but not condescending

These are qualities clearly drilled into him by the U.S. Army, but they all apply to good project managers, too.

As project manager, you are a leader. And all good leaders must master the art of communication.

If you can't clearly and concisely articulate project updates to your stakeholders in a tone that demonstrates you are on top of your project, you will be pummeled with unnecessary questions that drag out your project.

Likewise, if you cannot communicate expectations and troubleshot issues with your team, you will miss deadlines and blow scope.

That's why I emphasize developing communication skills in both our PMP program and the Project Revolution Executive Project Manager Program.

HAVING A MISSION IS MISSION-CRITICAL

Building missile silos is pretty much the definition of a mission-critical project. It was easy for our team to unite around a mission as clear as, "protecting the United States from our enemies."

But here's a secret that all good project managers know: Every project is mission-critical. If you can articulate that mission like The Commander did for us, your chances of successfully delivering that project increase exponentially.

And though the stakes might not be as dire as ours were, you can still communicate them in a way that inspires and unites your team.

Here's are some examples: 

Construction project: We are constructing a beautiful, functional building that will define this neighborhood for decades.

Manufacturing project: We are creating a product that hospitals around the country will rely on to save lives.

Marketing project: We are creating a campaign that will sell 26 million bags of chips, and brighten the day of anyone who sees it.

Having a defined mission not only unites your team - it makes the stakes of the project crystal clear. A good mission statement allows everyone to understand what a successful project looks like, and what will happen if they fail to deliver.

As for our missile silo project, we met deadline after deadline, despite a pretty stringent government contract. The Commander's words carried us the whole way. Whenever we had to pivot or surmount a new obstacle, we remembered:

We are part of the 300 to save 300 million.