The Project 50 (Reinventing Work)

1. Embrace the WOW Project Mindset: Transform Mundane Tasks into Extraordinary Achievements

LIFE IS TOO SHORT FOR NON-WOW PROJECTS!

Redefine your approach. Every project, no matter how small or seemingly insignificant, has the potential to be extraordinary. By adopting a WOW mindset, you can transform routine tasks into opportunities for innovation, personal growth, and organizational change. This shift in perspective is not about adding unnecessary complexity, but rather about infusing passion, creativity, and purpose into your work.

Measure against the WOW standard. Evaluate your projects using five key criteria:

• WOW! Does it inspire awe and excitement?
• Beautiful! Is it aesthetically pleasing and well-crafted?
• Revolutionary! Does it challenge the status quo?
• Impact! Will it make a significant difference?
• Raving Fans! Will it create enthusiastic supporters?

By consistently applying these standards, you elevate your work from mere execution to meaningful contribution, ensuring that every project becomes a vehicle for personal and professional growth.

2. Reframe and Reinvent: Never Accept Assignments as Given

Never—ever!—accept a project/assignment as given.

Challenge assumptions. When presented with a project, resist the urge to take it at face value. Instead, question the underlying assumptions, goals, and potential impact. This critical examination allows you to identify opportunities for improvement and innovation that may not be immediately apparent.

Expand the scope. Look for ways to broaden the project's reach and significance:

• Connect it to larger organizational goals
• Identify potential ripple effects across departments
• Explore how it could address multiple challenges simultaneously

By reframing the project, you not only increase its value but also create opportunities for personal growth and organizational impact. Remember, the ability to see beyond the obvious and reimagine possibilities is a hallmark of innovative leaders and successful change agents.

3. Cultivate a Culture of Prototyping and Quick Feedback

LIVE … EAT … SLEEP … BREATHE: PROTOTYPE!

Embrace rapid iteration. Prototyping is not just a phase in project development; it's a mindset that should permeate every aspect of your work. By creating quick, tangible representations of your ideas, you can:

• Test assumptions early and often
• Gather valuable feedback from users and stakeholders
• Identify and address potential issues before they become costly problems

Foster a learning environment. Encourage your team to view prototypes as learning tools rather than finished products. This shift in perspective helps create a culture where:

• Failures are seen as valuable learning experiences
• Team members feel safe taking risks and experimenting
• Continuous improvement becomes the norm

By making prototyping a central part of your project approach, you accelerate learning, reduce risks, and increase the likelihood of delivering truly innovative solutions.

4. Sell Your Project Relentlessly: It's All About Building Support

Implementation success = Success at bringing others on board … especially enthusiastic others.

Develop a compelling pitch. Craft a concise, powerful description of your project that captures its essence and potential impact. Practice delivering this pitch in various formats:

• A 30-second elevator speech
• A one-page written summary
• A 5-minute presentation with visuals

Build a network of supporters. Continuously expand your circle of allies and advocates:

• Seek out early adopters and enthusiasts
• Engage potential users and stakeholders in the development process
• Cultivate relationships with decision-makers and influencers

Remember, selling is not a one-time event but an ongoing process. Your ability to generate and maintain enthusiasm for your project is often the difference between success and failure, regardless of the technical merits of your work.

5. Assemble a Diverse, Passionate Team of Co-conspirators

IF YOUR PROJECT TEAM IS HOMOGENEOUS YOU ARE CONSIGNED TO WOW-LESS-NESS!

Prioritize diversity. Actively seek out team members with varied backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives. This diversity fuels creativity and innovation by:

• Challenging assumptions and groupthink
• Bringing unique skills and knowledge to the table
• Reflecting the diverse needs and preferences of your target users

Focus on passion over position. Look for team members who are genuinely excited about the project's potential, regardless of their formal roles or titles. Enthusiastic "misfits" often contribute more value than reluctant experts.

Create an environment where diverse viewpoints are not just tolerated but actively sought out and celebrated. This approach not only enhances the quality of your project but also makes the work more engaging and rewarding for all involved.

6. Implement with Agility: Chunk, Test, and Adjust Continuously

Chunk! Chunk! Chunk!

Break it down. Divide your project into small, manageable pieces that can be quickly developed and tested. This approach allows you to:

• Make steady progress and maintain momentum
• Identify and address issues early
• Adapt to changing circumstances or new information

Establish rapid feedback loops. Create systems for gathering and incorporating feedback quickly:

• Set up regular check-ins with users and stakeholders
• Use tools like surveys, user testing sessions, and analytics
• Encourage open communication within the team

By adopting an agile, iterative approach to implementation, you increase your project's resilience and adaptability. This method allows you to navigate uncertainties and capitalize on emerging opportunities more effectively than rigid, linear planning.

7. Celebrate Failures and Successes to Maintain Momentum

Reward success and failure equally. Punish inactivity.

Reframe failure. View setbacks and mistakes as valuable learning opportunities rather than disasters. This mindset shift helps:

• Encourage risk-taking and experimentation
• Build resilience and persistence in the face of challenges
• Accelerate learning and improvement

Create a culture of recognition. Regularly acknowledge and celebrate both big wins and small victories:

• Hold brief team celebrations for reaching milestones
• Share success stories and lessons learned across the organization
• Recognize individual and team contributions publicly

By fostering an environment where both success and "intelligent failure" are valued, you create a more engaged, innovative, and resilient team. This approach helps maintain momentum and enthusiasm throughout the project lifecycle, even in the face of inevitable setbacks.

8. Keep WOW at the Forefront: Beauty, Revolution, and Impact Matter

Will "it"—the project, our baby—be BEAUTIFUL?

Maintain focus on excellence. As you progress through implementation, don't lose sight of your original WOW aspirations. Regularly assess your project against key criteria:

• Beauty: Is it aesthetically pleasing and well-crafted?
• Revolution: Does it challenge the status quo and push boundaries?
• Impact: Will it make a meaningful difference?

Balance action and reflection. While speed and action are crucial, periodically step back to ensure you're still on track for WOW:

• Schedule regular "big picture" review sessions
• Seek input from mentors or advisors outside the immediate team
• Encourage team members to voice concerns about compromises or shortcuts

By keeping these higher-level goals in focus, you prevent your project from devolving into a series of mundane tasks and ensure that the end result lives up to your original vision of excellence.

9. Create Project Identity and Cast a Wider Net as You Progress

Identity-Is-All.

Develop a strong project brand. Create a distinctive identity for your project that captures its essence and purpose:

• Craft a compelling name and tagline
• Develop visual elements like logos or color schemes
• Articulate core values and principles that guide the work

Expand your reach strategically. As your project gains traction, gradually broaden your network of supporters and stakeholders:

• Engage with "the suits" and more mainstream audiences
• Adapt your messaging to resonate with different groups
• Seek opportunities to integrate your project into larger organizational initiatives

By cultivating a strong project identity and strategically expanding your influence, you increase the likelihood of your project gaining wider acceptance and making a lasting impact beyond its immediate scope.

10. Focus on Users and Buzz Management for Ultimate Success

IT'S THE U-S-E-R, STUPID!

Prioritize user needs. Keep your end users at the center of every decision and action:

• Regularly gather and incorporate user feedback
• Involve users in the design and testing processes
• Measure success by user satisfaction and adoption

Actively manage buzz. Treat marketing and communication as integral parts of project implementation:

• Develop a formal Buzz Management Program
• Collect and share success stories and testimonials
• Leverage social media and other channels to build excitement

By maintaining a laser focus on user needs and actively managing the buzz around your project, you create a self-reinforcing cycle of enthusiasm and support. This approach not only increases the chances of immediate success but also helps ensure the long-term impact and sustainability of your WOW project.

Last updated: February 8, 2025