Leadership Isn't a Popularity Contest
Following 20 years at a large Canadian telecommunications firm, Bruce established the project management consulting firm Solutions Management Inc (SMI). Since 1999, he has provided contract project/program management services, been a source for project management support personnel and created/delivered courses to over 7,000 participants in Canada, the United States and England.
Throughout my career, I've had opportunities to lead projects, manage project managers, and work with senior executives responsible for making difficult decisions.
More recently, I've experienced leadership from a different perspective as an elected municipal official and project sponsor. Although the environment has changed considerably, one aspect of leadership has remained remarkably consistent. Making a decision is often easier than dealing with the reactions that follow.
In the private sector, most people outside the organization pay little attention to capital investments or internal improvement projects. They generally view those decisions as the company's business, funded with the company's money, and assume the organization will deal with the consequences, good or bad.
There are exceptions, of course, particularly when projects affect customers, employees or communities. But most private-sector projects are not subjected to the same degree of public scrutiny as investments made by governments.
Public-sector projects are different because the money ultimately comes from taxpayers. Residents have a legitimate interest in how it is spent, and they don't necessarily share the priorities of the people making the decisions.
Some may question whether a project is necessary, whether the timing is appropriate, or whether the money could be …
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"Nothing worth learning can be taught." - Oscar Wilde |
