LEADERSHIP

138 • LEADERSHIP
plan, and all scope change requests. Include any pictures of the
project or the project meeting notes. You can also sort your
email archives by name or content to find project related
emails. And finally, if you keep a phone log, you’ll want a copy
of that in the archives as well.
Okay, call me a pack rat, but I would rather have it and not
need it than need it and not have it! Case in point: four years
after completion of a project, my firm successfully defended
itself with a note that had been scrawled on a used paper napkin
(ick!) and saved in the project archives. A short note really
is better than a long memory!
Capture Lessons Learned
The difference between good project leaders and excellent
project leaders is often surprisingly small. Take some time at
the end of each project to survey your team. Ask them what
went well, what they learned, and what they would do differently
next time. Ask them how you could help them be more
successful on the next project. Small lessons can turn into big
wins on the next adventure.
Reassign Personnel
Some projects grind to a halt as they approach completion.
Most of the time this is the direct result of poor definitions or
lack of stakeholder buy-in during the crucial, early stage of the
project. Other times the resistance to completion comes from
within the team. For many reasons, some teams just don’t
want to finish up and move on. If you find yourself (or your
team) trapped in a self-imposed never-ending project, be