Super Projects are super ambitious – they have a ‘super why’ – a clear and compelling reason why they matter. But has your big project got a ‘super why’?  Here are some things to keep in mind:

Naturally, big projects focus heavily on ‘the how’ (the project plan, timeline, technology, etc.). However, super ambition stems from a compelling ‘why’ for the organization and all its key stakeholders.

If the ‘why’ is not clear, we can spend all the time and money we want on the ‘how’ and still come up short. Without a clear ‘why’ we likely struggle to get our projects approved, access sufficient resources, secure effective cross-functional collaboration, and so on.

Take care: You may be very clear on the ‘why’, but don’t assume that others are clear on the why. If you don’t know or are not sure what key stakeholders see as the why, then finding out is a great opportunity.

The ‘why’ may be spelled out in a PowerPoint somewhere, in a mission statement or a business case. But that is not enough, it has to live it people hearts and minds. To check if any big project has a ‘super why’ don’t pull out the strategy document or project plan. Rather, ask people (team members, stakeholders, etc.) the question: ‘Why?’

A compelling or super why is more than:

• A spreadsheet
• A business case
• A PowerPoint presentation
• A mission statement
• A list of project goals / deliverables

A super why is often better told via stories, rather than numbers and facts. Also, through a clear before – after comparison.  A super why connects to people’s motivations, it gives purpose and meaning.

Super projects have a clear and compelling why, that is a ‘super why’. To find out if your big project has a ‘super why’ there are 4 questions for project leaders, sponsors and other stakeholders to answer:

• Why?
• Why this project/approach and not another?
• Why now, rather than later?
• Why does this really matter?

Super ambition stems from a Super Why. Just how super the ‘why’ is depends on how clear and compelling it is to those involved through those who matter – to those who must make it happen and those who it serves – that is all its stakeholders.

Ask key stakeholders ‘why?’ and listen to what they say – their words, their language, etc. You are likely to be surprised, excited and perhaps even nervous. As the leader or sponsor of a big project, asking ‘why’ is probably the most powerful things you can do to connect your project to success.

Getting clarity on the ‘why’ is one of the most powerful ways to re-ignite a project, energize the project team and engage stakeholders. This is true regardless of the stage that a project or initiative is at.

A compelling ‘why’ is key to accessing power and resources. With so many projects and priorities competing for scarce resources, being able to communicate a clear and compelling business why is essential.

Connecting with the ‘why’ is key to ensure the full support of the organization. Big projects cannot be delivered by in silos, but require effective cross-functional support. With each department or function having its own priorities and goals, a clear and compelling business why is essential to uniting them.

Keep connecting back to why, refreshing and reminding people of the why. Finding new ways to bring it to life and to give it meaning. But, take care, don’t just tell your key internal stakeholders ‘the why’, ask them instead. This is the business as well as the technical or scientific why.

You need to crowdsource the why. Ensuring that it reflects the perspective of all key stakeholders, including those leading the organization and its various functions. For technical or scientific projects, that means ensuring a clear commercial why too.

Don’t worry if the ‘why’ isn’t clear today. Ensuring clarity regarding your project or initiative is one of the most powerful ways to connect your project to what matters – to the strategy of the organization, the needs and priorities of the business, etc.

Some leaders fear that asking ‘the why’ may be dangerous. What, for example, they may fear that it could undermine a project, or that it shows a lack of confidence. But, if people are not clear on the why this should be addressed up front. A lack of clarity regarding the ‘why’ only becomes a problem if it is not addressed.

The ‘why’ of a project evolves over time, this is essential if it is to reflect changing business, as well as stakeholder, needs and priorities. The implication is that you need to continually engage stakeholders around the ‘why’ as it evolves.

The why is key to motivation and resilience. After all, if the ‘why’ is compelling enough, people will find the how. This is important given the challenges likely to be faced by any ambitious project or strategy. A compelling ‘why’ is essential to enable people to keep going despite obstacles and setbacks.

Management by objectives has been around for a long time, yet it is something that many big projects struggle with. For example, what is the difference between a goal, an objective and a result? It can get confusing, leaving ambition vague and unmeasurable.

Many big projects have a proliferation of metrics and KPi’s – some of which may even be contradictory, even competing. There are quantitative and qualitative metrics, as well as leading and lagging indicators.  There are even different types of results, ranging from outcomes to outputs.  There are proxy results too, confusing activity with results.

For Super Projects, success is clearly defined. The goals set are specific, rather than general or vague. They are SMART (smart, measurable, actionable, realistic/relevant and time bound). Moreover, goals or results are broken down into stages, or chunks, enabling process to be tracked along the way.

Super Projects strive to ensure that objectives are clearly linked to tangible results (OKRs), with a range of metrics for performance and success. These include projects inputs, activities and outputs, as well as business outcomes and impact – called the chain of results with the 5 categories of ‘results’ being:

In exploring results, we must work in both directions:

• From top to bottom – encourages those who are tied up in delivery to look beyond activities and outputs to business impact
• From bottom to top – encouraging those who are focused on business results to link them back to inputs (resources) and activities – injecting new transparency and realism.

Where is your big project on the scale from cautious to daring below:

1. Risk-Averse: Preferring safe, familiar paths to minimize uncertainty and potential loss.
2. Conservative: Favoring traditional methods and moderate approaches to avoid risk.
3. Cautious: Proceeding with care, often taking time to analyze and consider options before acting.
4. Prudent: Acting with or showing care and thought for the future, balancing risks wisely.
5. Moderate: Adopting a balanced approach that isn’t too risky but not too safe, aiming for steady progress.
6. Assertive: Confidently pursuing goals, ready to take on challenges with calculated risks.
7. Adventurous: Willing to try new and risky things, seeking out challenges with enthusiasm.
8. Ambitious: Having a strong desire for success or achievement, often willing to take risks to achieve goals.
9. Bold: Showing an ability to take risks; confident and courageous in actions and decisions.
10. Daring: Venturing into the unknown with courage, willing to take significant risks for potentially high rewards.

The word strategic intent is often used in strategy.  But super projects need conviction, not just intent.

Super Projects are driven by strength of conviction, determination and belief. They are neither optional, nor a ‘nice to have’.  There is no choice, and no going back.  The outcome is non-negotiable – it is not up for discussion.

Sayings such as ‘burn your boats or bridges’ apply, with organizations and their people committing themselves to an irreversible course. Failure is not an option or at least not an option that people are prepared to entertain.

Conviction must be measured on 3 levels:

• Words – Where strategies are set out in PowerPoint presentations and people talk the talk.
• Deeds – Where words are matched with deeds, with commitments being put into behaviors and actions.
• Resources – Where the organization’s commitment is reflected in the allocation of resources. The commitment of its people is reflected in where they spend their time.

For leaders of big projects, it is important not to mistake compliance, for commitment or conviction (as mentioned above). The key difference is how much people really want it and the levels that people are prepared to go to in order to make it happen.

A word of caution for leaders:

Leaders often assume that others share their beliefs and convictions¹. They also expect that, if people did not agree, they would say so. In reality, however, many executives will stay silent or simply nod in agreement, rather than speak up. The result is an illusion of alignment, or even commitment².

If a big project is simply a continuation of what has gone before, then it is probably not ambitious or innovative enough. This is especially true at a time of accelerating change.

With super projects, the ambition is to transform, not just to tweak, optimize or improve. That is to say, Super Projects are high on the business unusual scale, involving new processes, systems, products, markets, channels, technologies, etc.

Business Unusual is exactly what it says on the tin: Unusual. It is not the usual ways of working, organizing, managing or executing on strategy. 

Business Unusual means that your big projects are likely to challenge the way that your organization presently works and perhaps even thinks. The challenge of transformation is adaptive, as well as technical.  That is to say, changes in terms of mindsets and behaviors (culture) are also likely to be required.

Big projects that are managed as ‘business as usual’ will inevitably struggle when it comes to speed and agility, collaboration and innovation.  So, a new way of working is required. Also, a new approach to project management.

Here is a quick test of whether your big project is ‘business as usual’ or ‘business unusual’.  Using the table or matrix below, find the number that key people feel best reflects your project or initiative.  Here is how it works:

Super ambition connects a big project to purpose and passion.  That is the most powerful form of motivation, that is intrinsic motivation.

There is a lot of talk about burning platforms (an existential crisis that compels action). However, a burning passion could be up to 3 times more powerful in terms of its intrinsic motivational power. That is because it connects to purpose and passion, not just to spreadsheets and shareholder values.  

Our research suggests that a rational decision to do something is not enough. If people are emotionally invested in the project or strategy, the likelihood of acting on it could be up to 3 times greater4.  The level of energy, creativity and talent they apply is likely to be 3 times greater too. That is because it connects to purpose and passion, not just to spreadsheets and shareholder values. 

There is a temptation for leaders to confuse or mistake commitment with compliance. This is especially true in respect of strategies or goals set at the top and cascaded downwards. While people can be told what to do, they chose what they care about.

Data shows that most people leave much of their passion, talent and creativity at the door.  Typically, as much as 39%¹.  What a waste – especially at a time when there is such a premium on talent and innovation. 

Despite all that has been written about leadership, people themselves get to decide how much of their passion, creativity and talent they bring to their work and how much gets left outside the office door. 

Super projects matter – they matter to the business, to all those working on the project, to its stakeholders too. This is inseparable from the ‘super why’ mentioned earlier. However, it is unlikely that a description of what your project does/will do is enough to give it meaning or define its purpose. It requires asking more fundamental questions (2), such as:

• Why does this project exist?
• Why does it matter?
• What gives its work meaning? 
• Who does it serves and why does that matter?

Here are some other questions to give your big project meaning:

• Why does the project/team exist?
• Why does it matter? What gives it meaning?
• What makes us special? Sets us apart?
• Who do we serve? Why? How?
• What value do we create?  What good do we do?
• What key project or initiative must we deliver?
• What’s in it for us (as team members)?
• Why do we want to belong to this team? 
• What are we most proud of? 
• What does the team want to be known for/as?
• What are the shared passions of its members?

Ambition is at its most powerful when it is closely connected to a compelling vision of success. 

Asking people to share (in their own words) their vision of success, is one of the most powerful ways to energize and engage key internal stakeholders.

Now, you may think that success has already been defined in the project plan and is even captured in beautiful prose on a slide used for the project kick-off.

Yet, reading the project mission statement probably won’t get people excited. It may not generate much ownership, engagement, or buy-in either.

Visualizing success means beginning with the end in mind. While writing down goals is a great starting point for clarity and planning, visualizing success adds depth to the goal-setting process, making it a more powerful, imaginative and inspirational.

The future can be difficult to predict, much less visualize. This is particularly true at a time of accelerating change and uncertainty. However, a vision of the future is still an essential element of strategy (what some call ‘seeing around corners’).

A vision of success entails imagining or re-imagining the future. They may be a future that others probably cannot see, so it requires leadership belief and conviction, leadership too.

Every big project or initiative should be based on a shared vision of success and the benefits that it will bring for all those involved. That does not mean that everybody’s vision is the same, but they are shared among people and that they are compatible.  

The vision of success is likely to vary across different stakeholders and team members. The prize for compliance or for credit control may be different from that for marketing or HR, for example. That is not a problem, as long as they are all broadly aligned.

Big projects entail change and disruption. There will be setbacks and disappointments to test the resilience and discipline of the project team. How to make it all worthwhile?  As one CIO said recently, ‘if you focus on the prize, you can put up with the pain’.

To sustain momentum, despite the setbacks and sacrifices involved, requires ‘keeping an eye on the prize’. Sometimes that can seem distant and unattainable, so it is essential to keep your big project’s stakeholders focused on the prize. Keeping an eye on the prize means keeping the hope alive.

Here are all the things that value creation could mean – use this list to create your own definition.