Where does success start?

Earlier this year, Lord Browne of Madingley produced an excellent report entitled: Getting a Grip: How to improve major project execution and control in Government.

In it, he stated that a deep seated change in culture is required in order to make organisations and the outcomes they produce more successful.

Lord Browne makes six recommendations to the Major Projects Authority in the report, which he believes reduce risk and hence improve the execution of major Government projects.

These are: control of project initiation; ongoing project assurance and intervention; post-project audits; appointment of major project leaders and certain critical project management posts; design of pay and incentives to create high performance; and wider development of skills and capability across Government.

Reading the report I found many similarities between Lord Brownes philosophy and that of Network Rails chief executive David Higgins, who told me that he is a huge believer in performance-related pay. He is also renowned for his extensive focus on planning.

Having operated for the majority of his career in the private sector, David Higgins work makes it clear that Lord Brownes messages are easily transferable to practitioners operating in any sector and, in my opinion, on any size project.

Clearly on some projects resources are limited and, at times, practitioners lack the power to influence all of these areas. But success starts with project management and by considering the six areas highlighted by Lord Browne, we give ourselves a better chance of achieving our outcomes.

For those who are yet to read Lord Brownes report, you can find it onlinehere.

It is a delightfully clear and concise nine pages of project management logic.

I would like to hear from readers and get your tips on how you are getting a grip on projects and working to improve your project execution and control. Please do get in touch.