How can you align project work with your vision?

1 Define your vision

Your vision is the overarching goal or purpose of your project, the reason why you are doing it and what impact you want to have. It should be clear, concise, and inspiring, and it should answer the question: what do we want to achieve and why? To define your vision, you need to understand the needs and expectations of your customers, stakeholders, and team members, and how your project will address them. You also need to consider the context and constraints of your project, such as the budget, timeline, and resources. A good way to articulate your vision is to use a vision statement, which is a short sentence or phrase that summarizes your vision and guides your decisions and actions.

2 Communicate your vision

Once you have defined your vision, you need to communicate it effectively to your team members, stakeholders, and customers, and make sure they understand and buy into it. You can use different methods and channels to communicate your vision, such as meetings, presentations, emails, newsletters, or social media. However, communication is not a one-way process; you also need to listen to feedback, questions, and concerns, and address them promptly and respectfully. You also need to communicate your vision consistently and frequently, and reinforce it with examples, stories, and testimonials that illustrate its benefits and value.

3 Align your objectives

Your objectives are the specific and measurable outcomes that you want to achieve with your project, and they should be aligned with your vision. You can use a framework such as SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound) to define your objectives and make sure they are clear, realistic, and meaningful. You also need to prioritize your objectives and break them down into smaller and manageable tasks or milestones. You can use tools such as a work breakdown structure (WBS) or a Gantt chart to plan and visualize your objectives and tasks, and track your progress and performance.

4 Delegate your tasks

Delegating your tasks is a key skill for project leaders, as it allows you to leverage the skills, talents, and strengths of your team members, and focus on the strategic aspects of your project. Delegating your tasks also empowers your team members, as it gives them autonomy, responsibility, and ownership of their work. However, delegating your tasks does not mean abdicating your role as a leader; you still need to provide guidance, support, and feedback, and monitor the quality and results of the work. To delegate your tasks effectively, you need to match the tasks with the right people, based on their skills, interests, and availability. You also need to communicate the expectations, deadlines, and deliverables clearly, and provide the necessary resources and tools.

5 Collaborate with your team

Collaborating with your team is essential for aligning project work with your vision, as it fosters a sense of shared purpose, trust, and commitment. Collaboration also enables you to leverage the diversity, creativity, and innovation of your team members, and solve problems and challenges more effectively. To collaborate with your team, you need to create a culture of openness, respect, and feedback, where everyone can share their ideas, opinions, and concerns freely and constructively. You also need to use tools and platforms that facilitate communication, coordination, and cooperation, such as online meetings, chat groups, or project management software.

6 Celebrate your achievements

Celebrating your achievements is a great way to align project work with your vision, as it recognizes the efforts and contributions of your team members, and motivates them to keep working towards your vision. Celebrating your achievements also helps you to measure the impact and value of your project, and communicate it to your stakeholders and customers. To celebrate your achievements, you need to set milestones and indicators that reflect your objectives and vision, and monitor and evaluate them regularly. You also need to acknowledge and reward the successes and improvements of your team members, and share the stories and testimonials that showcase your project's results and benefits.

7 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?