Sin 6: You fail to promote – and keep the right people informed about – your project.
Your project is being done for a reason. It’s important. Otherwise, why would the organization devote its limited resources on it? But, not everyone will agree it’s as important as you and your sponsors see it. Some may try to raid your team, put your project needs at the bottom of the priority list for resources, or complain you’re not making sufficient progress. In other words, they’ll do everything they can to promote their work over yours to get in the front of the line. If they do this enough, the executives will start to wonder about the value of the project and simply kill it by starving you of resources.
Antidote: Create an overview presentation of your project. Offer to give it to anyone and everyone who will listen. Make sure your team members can present it too. Communicate the good works of your team regularly, formally and informally. Make sure everyone knows you’ve got the best team in the company. Your project is a product that needs to be continually “sold” to the execs. By doing so, you are ensuring a great future for your team members as leaders too.