What will I learn about: why you don't need formal training or an official title to successfully lead workplace projects and prevent them from failing?

Understand why you don't need formal training or an official title to successfully lead workplace projects and prevent them from failing.

What will I learn about: how to radiate informal authority by inspiring your team through your strength of character rather than relying on a formal job title?

Discover how to radiate informal authority by inspiring your team through your strength of character rather than relying on a formal job title.

What will I learn about: the four fundamental leadership behaviors of demonstrating respect, listening first, clarifying big-picture expectations, and practicing strict accountability?

Master the four fundamental leadership behaviors of demonstrating respect, listening first, clarifying big-picture expectations, and practicing strict accountability.

What will I learn about: properly initiate a project by identifying all relevant stakeholders and interviewing them to align expectations before execution begins?

Learn how to properly initiate a project by identifying all relevant stakeholders and interviewing them to align expectations before execution begins.

What will I learn about: why identifying project risks and creating mitigation strategies with your team must happen before you even start scheduling deliverables?

Find out why identifying project risks and creating mitigation strategies with your team must happen before you even start scheduling deliverables.

Project Management for the Unofficial Project Manager

A FranklinCovey Title

Kory Kogon, Suzette Blakemore, and James Wood

★ 4.5 / 5(438 ratings)

Start ListeningDownload QR code that opens AudiobookHub on the App Store

Try free on iPhoneScan to start in 5 seconds

Categories:

Management & Leadership Career & Success

If You're Curious About These Questions...

You should listen to this audiobook

💡Did you know that most people leading projects today have no formal training, and that there’s a specific 'secret sauce' that separates the winners from the rest?
💡What if the secret to project success isn’t a complex software tool, but a simple blend of leadership and logic that anyone can learn?
💡Have you ever wondered why even the best-planned projects often fail, and what 'unofficial' project managers do differently to ensure they cross the finish line every time?

Listen to Project Management for the Unofficial Project Manager — Free Audiobook

Loading player...

Key Takeaways from Project Management for the Unofficial Project Manager

✓Understand why you don't need formal training or an official title to successfully lead workplace projects and prevent them from failing.
✓Discover how to radiate informal authority by inspiring your team through your strength of character rather than relying on a formal job title.
✓Master the four fundamental leadership behaviors of demonstrating respect, listening first, clarifying big-picture expectations, and practicing strict accountability.
✓Learn how to properly initiate a project by identifying all relevant stakeholders and interviewing them to align expectations before execution begins.
✓Find out why identifying project risks and creating mitigation strategies with your team must happen before you even start scheduling deliverables.

Learning Tools

Reinforce what you learned from Project Management for the Unofficial Project Manager

Mind Map

Project Management for the Unofficial Project Manager

Core Premise+

Foundational Leadership Behaviors+

Phase 1: Initiate+

Phase 2: Plan+

Phase 3: Execute+

Phase 4: Monitor and Control+

Phase 5: Close+

Quiz — Test Your Understanding

Question 1 of 8

Why do the authors argue that the vast majority of people conducting project-based work are 'unofficial' project managers?

A. They manage projects without receiving formal project management training or the official title.
B. They are hired as freelancers rather than full-time employees of the company.
C. They lack the technical skills required to use project management software.
D. They only manage internal company tasks rather than client-facing deliverables.

Question 2 of 8

What is the foundational concept behind 'informal authority' as described in the book?

A. Gaining power by delegating tasks to junior team members.
B. Inspiring people through your character rather than your official job title.
C. Using a relaxed, casual communication style in the workplace.
D. Having the ability to approve budgets without executive oversight.

Question 3 of 8

According to the four fundamental behaviors of effective leaders, how should an unofficial project manager handle clarifying expectations?

A. Focus only on individual tasks to avoid overwhelming the team.
B. Provide a detailed checklist of daily activities for each team member.
C. Show team members how their specific work fits into the bigger picture.
D. Let team members define their own expectations to promote autonomy.

Question 4 of 8

What is the crucial first step in the project initiation phase?

A. Creating a detailed schedule of deadlines.
B. Pinpointing and interviewing all stakeholders involved or impacted by the project.
C. Securing the budget from the financial department.
D. Assigning specific deliverables to team members.

Question 5 of 8

When building a project plan, what should a project manager do before figuring out deliverables and scheduling?

A. Identify potential risks and develop mitigation strategies.
B. Request additional funding to cover unexpected costs.
C. Assign a project sponsor to oversee the execution phase.
D. Finalize the project's marketing and communication strategy.

Question 6 of 8

How does the book recommend handling mistakes or falling behind on deadlines during the execution phase?

A. Reassign the delayed tasks to the most productive team members.
B. Privately discipline the team members responsible for the delay.
C. Extend the project deadline without notifying the stakeholders.
D. Hold weekly team accountability sessions to transparently discuss progress and problems.

Question 7 of 8

What does the term 'scope creep' refer to in project management?

A. The gradual decrease of team motivation over the course of a long project.
B. The phenomenon where the project's scope continues to grow during the execution phase.
C. A budget deficit caused by underestimating the cost of initial deliverables.
D. The process of slowly onboarding new stakeholders after the project has started.

Question 8 of 8

What is recommended as a highly effective way to celebrate a successful project conclusion with your team?

A. Giving personalized notes of gratitude to team members.
B. Promoting the top-performing team members to official project managers.
C. Giving everyone a mandatory week off from work.
D. Providing a generic financial bonus to all stakeholders.

Project Management for the Unofficial Project Manager — Full Chapter Overview

1Recommendation
2Chapter 1. Inspiring leadership is the most important part of project management.
3Chapter 2. Initiation
4Chapter 3. Planning
5Chapter 4. Execution
6Chapter 5. Monitoring and Controlling
7Chapter 6. Closing
8Final summary

Project Management for the Unofficial Project Manager Summary & Overview

Project Management for the Unofficial Project Manager (2015) examines the phenomenon that so many people face – they’re tasked with managing projects but have no formal training in project management. If you’re in this situation, don’t worry. By learning how to combine inspiring leadership with effective project management, you’re guaranteed to increase the chances of your next project succeeding.

Who Should Listen to Project Management for the Unofficial Project Manager?

Employees who have unexpectedly been given the lead on a project
Anyone who’s struggled with project management in the past
People looking to rock an upcoming or ongoing project

About the Author: Kory Kogon, Suzette Blakemore, and James Wood

Kory Kogon is a businesswoman and author. She’s currently a vice president at FranklinCovey, as well being the company’s Global Practice Leader for Productivity. Other titles she’s coauthored include Presentation Advantage and The 5 Choices.

Suzette Blakemore is a businesswoman and author. She’s been working at FranklinCovey since 2012, where she’s currently a regional productivity practice leader.

James Wood is a senior leadership consultant and coach. He’s been at FranklinCovey for eight years and has over 20 years of leadership experience.