Dear Susanne: how do I become more strategic?

“I have been running tactical projects for a number of years, but, after joining a new organisation, my focus will be on highly strategic projects. What should I be watching out for when running strategic projects?”

Congratulations on your new role. What a great opportunity to work on projects that have real impact on the direction of the organisation. Strategic projects distinguish themselves by being initiated by top management and being linked to the organisation’s objectives. They have a strong business case and they have strategic benefits that must be delivered after the project has been completed. Contrast that to a tactical project, initiated by a local team in response to a problem or an opportunity. Whereas the tactical project is focused on short-term deliverables, the strategic project is concerned with long-term benefits.

Measure the long-term impact of the change

When you lead a strategic project, you need to help the organisation measure the long-term impact and the success of the business case, in addition to the short-term successes of the output.

Too many projects measure success only at the point where the product or service is delivered, as opposed to how it is being used afterwards and what the effect is on the business. You need to think and act differently to the execution-oriented project manager. Establish success criteria that measure the relevance of the solution to the users, the sustainability of the solution and the impact on the organisation’s strategic objectives.

Ask business questions of executives

Although you won’t be expected to take sole responsibility for the project’s business case, engaging in strategic conversations and working with executives to ensure that the project is successful in both the short and long term will help you deliver value.

You can do that by asking the sponsor and executives how the project will help the organisation be more effective in the future, how they expect it to operate differently as a result of the change, and what will make them, say, in 10 months’ time, regard the project as a success. Being able to ask these simple yet powerful questions can be challenging if you don’t see yourself as an expert in the domain. But finding the courage to engage at this level is a must if you want to succeed with strategic projects.

If the sponsors and executives aren’t able to answer your questions, it indicates that the project isn’t yet aligned with the organisation’s strategy and that the business case isn’t as clear as it could be. In that event, I encourage you to step up and bridge the gap. By that, I mean that you should assist in shaping the business case and make sure that what your project is planning to deliver will ultimately fulfil the organisation’s objectives.

Tap into people’s need for meaning and purpose

When you take part-ownership of the project’s business case and fully embrace the long-term goals and objectives, you’ll notice that it becomes much easier to provide focus and direction to the team. Make the project’s strategic objectives relevant to team members by linking them to people’s personal goals and by illustrating how each person’s role matters. People are increasingly motivated by projects that have meaning and purpose. Many tactical projects don’t have real impact on the organisation, whereas strategic projects, which are part of a bigger vision, do.

If you embrace the opportunity, not only will you become an agent of change and someone who delivers long-term value to the organisation, you’ll also become an inspiration to the team and someone who helps others to grow and contribute to a bigger purpose.