Managing Projects Large and Small:
The Fundamental Skills to Deliver on
budget and on Time by Harvard
Business School Press
Essential To Any Executive's "Tool Box"
When it comes to project management, success lies in the details. This
book walks managers through every step of project oversight from start to
finish. Thanks to the books comprehensive information on everything from
planning and budgeting to team building and after-project reviews,
managers will master the discipline and skills they need to achieve stellar
results without wasting time and money. The Harvard Business Essentials
Series is for managers at all levels but is especially relevant for new
managers. It offers on-the-spot guidance, coaching, and tools on the most
relevant topics in business. Each book includes the critical information that
managers need on a given topic - from budgeting to hiring to
communication to strategy - and offers interactive tools and worksheets

that translate advice into action. Providing ready answers to day-to-day
issues, these guides make sound, trusted mentoring advice available
whenever managers need it. Other Books in the HBE Series are:
Managing Change and Transition; Hiring and Keeping the Best People;
Finance for Managers Business; Communications; Innovation; and
Negotiation.
Personal Review: Managing Projects Large and Small: The
Fundamental Skills to Deliver on budget and on Time by Harvard
Business School Press
This is one of the volumes in the Harvard Business Essentials Series.
Each offers authoritative answers to the most important questions
concerning its specific subject. The material in this book is drawn from a
variety of sources which include the Harvard Business School Press and
the Harvard Business Review as well as Harvard ManageMentor_, an
online service. I strongly recommend the official Harvard Business
Essentials Web site (www.elearning.hbsp.org/businesstools) which offers
free interactive versions of tools, checklists, and worksheets cited in this
book and other books in the Essentials series. Each volume is indeed "a
highly practical resource for readers with all levels of experience." And
each is by intent and in execution solution-oriented. Although I think those
who have only recently embarked on a business career will derive the
greatest benefit, the material is well-worth a periodic review by senior-level
executives.
Credit Richard Luecke with pulling together a wealth of information and
counsel from various sources. He is also the author of several other books
in the Essentials series. In this instance, he was assisted by a subject
advisor, Richard D. Austin, a member of the Technology and Operations
Management faculty at the Harvard Business School. Together, they have
carefully organized the material within 12 chapters.
1. Project Management as a Process (four phases)
2. The Cast of Characters (i.e. who's who in project management)
3. A Written Charter ("your marching orders")
4. A Framework for Action (i.e. important first steps)
5. Work Breakdown (i.e. from huge job to manageable tasks)
6. Scheduling the Work ("put the horse before the cart")
7. Adjustments and Trade-Offs (i.e. more fine-tuning)
8. Managing Risk ("scanning the hazy horizon")
9. Project Adaptation (i.e. dealing with what you could not or did not
anticipate)
10. Getting Off on the Right Foot (i.e., project needs to keep in mind)
11. Keeping on Track (i.e. maintaing control)
12. The Closedown Phase (i.e. wrapping up)
I especially appreciate the provision of a "Summing Up" section at the
conclusion of each chapter, and, the provision also of two appendices:
"Useful Implementation Tools" and "A Guide to Effective Meetings." Re the

appendices, all executives should possess and continuously upgrade a
"tool kit" even if what is needed this week or this month requires entirely
different "tools" later. One of the most important value-added benefits of
the "Essentials" series is that each of its volumes includes a number of
"tools" relevant to the given subject and an explanation of how to use them
effectively.
With regard to the advice provided on meetings (probably the single
greatest time-waster), it is sensible but sparse. Years ago, I became
convinced that most meetings are convened to discuss what needs to be
discussed rather than to discuss what needs to be done. And even when
the latter, more often than not, the "PTD Principle" is ignored (i.e. P =
person, T = task, and D = deadline). I now presume to share my own
advice.
1. Schedule a meeting only when it is absolutely necessary.
2. Include only those who must be present.
3. In advance, inform everyone involved what the meeting's specific
objectives are.
NOTE: No more than three objectives per meeting.
4. Limit the discussion entirely to achieving the specified objective(s).
5. Encourage dissent.
NOTE: If two people in the group agree on everything, one of them is
useless.
6. Have zero tolerance of gabbers.
7. Strictly follow the "PTD Principle."
8. Follow-up with everyone re who must do what and by when.
9. Have zero tolerance of slackers.
10. If someone suggests another meeting, see Point #1.
Other than Appendix B, the material which Luecke and Austin provide is
first-rate. I highly recommend it to decision-makers in all organizations
(regardless of size or nature) and especially to those who are now
preparing for a business career or have recently embarked on one.
Effective and efficient management of work at all levels and within all areas
of any organization is absolutely essential. However, what Peter Drucker
suggested more than 40 years ago is even more relevant now than ever
before: "There is surely nothing quite so useless as doing with great
efficiency what should not be done at all."
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