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The Marshall Effect (Part 3)
Bob Weinstein is a journalist who covers technology, project management, the workplace and career development.
Beyond being one of the most powerful and influential military leaders during and after World War ll, George Marshall was also a gifted leader and brilliant project manager, says Donald Mazzella, an amateur historian and author in Palisades Park, N.J. Mazzella says Marshall “recognized and implemented the best practices for project managing World War ll.”
Here’s how he did it, according to Mazzella.
1. Defined the task, which was to defeatNazi Germany, and then Japan. Taking in all the battle variables, Marshall prioritized his goals. Ultimately, it made more sense to defeat Germany first because it represented a greater potential danger, thus setting the stage for conquering Japan.
2 Communicated objectives to both staff and superiors. After reviewing, analyzing and prioritizing the tasks to be accomplished, Marshall knew that the industrial might of the United States would eventually be the major factor in Germany’s defeat. So he used the first months of the war to delay taking direct action. He husbanded resources and allowed territory to be lost in the Pacific while building up forces in Europe. His decision to confine Marine units to the Pacific, despite the need for large-scale sea invasions in Europe, is an example of smart allocation of resources.
3. Identified the best personnel available to him.Marshall …
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