Lead the Change: Project Delivery

October 17, 2025 at ESP25

Incredible technologies and geopolitical shifts, complex markets and stagnating growth, demanding customers and disruptive entrepreneurs, environmental crisis and social distrust, unexpected shocks and uncertain futures.

For every business leader, the challenge is about making sense of today’s rapidly changing world, and understanding how to prepare for, and succeed, in tomorrow’s world.

We explore how businesses can survive and thrive, and move forwards to create a better future. How to reimagine business, to reinvent markets, to reengage people. We consider what it means to combine profit with more purpose, intelligent technologies with creative people, radical innovation with sustainable impact.

We learn from the innovative strategies of incredible companies – Alibaba and ASML, Biontech and BlackRock, Canva and Collossal, NotCo and Netflix, Patagonia and PingAn, Spotify and Supercell, and many more. We also take a look at what this means for insurance, and some of the most innovative companies in the field.

Are you ready to seize the opportunities of a changing world? 

How will you – and your strategy, organisation, people and projects – embrace the challenges and opportunities of change ahead of us? Where are your biggest opportunities for innovation and growth? What are your priorities to balance short and longer term? How will you behave as a manager and leader?

We’ve developed a new program for business leaders, managers of companies large and small, to get up to speed with the very latest ideas, tools and approaches to business, learning from companies and experts around the world. It’s called the Executive Management Program, delivered as a hybrid program online and in face to face in Madrid.

It’s like a Mini MBA, but fit for today’s world, where challenges like economic uncertainty and climate change are matched by opportunities like the applications of AI and new business models. It includes an exciting dynamic business simulation, about managing and leading change, plus insights and ideas from the world’s most interesting companies, right now.

In fact it brings together much of the Global Online MBA from IE  Business School, which is ranked #1 in the world, and in particularly for topics such as ESG and sustainability. The faculty is made up of expert professors from IE and beyond, and we spend a number of days in Madrid at IE’s Executive Education campus.

For more info, contact me directly: peterfisk@peterfisk.com

Module 14: Project Delivery

In today’s dynamic business environment, the ability to deliver projects rapidly and effectively has become a core capability for every organization. As the pace of change accelerates, the traditional divide between “strategy” and “execution” is collapsing—transformation is no longer a separate initiative but the day-to-day work of modern businesses. Whether it’s launching a new product, implementing a digital platform, rethinking a customer journey, or rolling out an AI strategy, change now happens through projects.

More than ever, everyone has become a project manager. Leaders, product owners, marketing specialists, IT engineers, HR teams—all are responsible for delivering change through projects. In this context, project delivery is no longer just a technical skill; it is a leadership discipline, a strategic enabler, and a cultural capability.

Why Project Delivery Matters More Than Ever

Business transformation no longer occurs in periodic bursts. It is continuous, overlapping, and multi-dimensional. The average organization today is managing dozens—if not hundreds—of change initiatives simultaneously. Some may be strategic programs lasting years (e.g. digitizing supply chains or implementing ESG goals), while others may be short-term sprints (e.g. launching a new feature or campaign). Together, they form a complex portfolio of interdependent work that must be coordinated and delivered at speed.

Effective project delivery determines whether strategic goals are achieved or remain stuck in PowerPoint slides. It defines how well companies respond to emerging customer needs, new technologies, and market disruptions. It is also how organizations align people, budgets, and capabilities toward outcomes that drive innovation and value.

The Essentials of Project Management Today

At its core, project management involves planning, executing, and closing work to achieve specific goals within defined constraints—typically scope, time, and budget. However, in today’s world, effective project delivery also requires agility, learning, and alignment. Here are the essential pillars:

  1. Clarity of Purpose: Every successful project begins with a clear understanding of the “why.” What problem are we solving? What outcome are we aiming for? How will success be measured? This clarity anchors all subsequent decisions.

  2. Defined Scope and Milestones: Even in agile environments, projects need structure. Clear milestones, deliverables, and workstreams help teams stay aligned and accountable.

  3. Dedicated Leadership: A strong project leader provides focus, motivation, and decision-making. They manage stakeholders, resolve conflicts, and keep the team moving forward despite inevitable challenges.

  4. Cross-Functional Collaboration: Most impactful projects cut across departments—IT, marketing, operations, finance, etc. Effective project delivery depends on the ability to align different functions and break down silos.

  5. Risk Management: Projects rarely go exactly as planned. Anticipating risks, building contingency plans, and adjusting course in real-time are critical skills.

  6. Adaptability: In a volatile environment, project goals may shift. Agile methodologies emphasize short sprints, feedback loops, and iterative delivery—enabling rapid adaptation without losing momentum.

The Rise of the “Citizen Project Manager”

In the past, project management was a specialist function—certified professionals with Gantt charts and governance frameworks. Today, project responsibility is distributed. Everyone from a marketing analyst to a product designer may be expected to lead or participate in projects.

This democratization of project work requires new mindsets and tools:

  • Empowerment over control: Instead of micromanaging tasks, organizations need to empower teams to solve problems and deliver outcomes autonomously.

  • Collaboration platforms like Asana, Trello, and Jira enable real-time tracking, accountability, and communication—making project delivery visible and manageable for all.

  • Skills development: Training in basic project principles—goal setting, stakeholder management, prioritization, communication—should be part of every employee’s toolkit.

In this new world, leadership isn’t about commanding from the top—it’s about enabling execution at every level.

What Makes Projects Work Best

High-performing project teams tend to share several traits:

  1. Clear Roles and Responsibilities: Everyone knows what they’re accountable for—and who to turn to for decisions or input.

  2. Psychological Safety: Teams that feel safe to raise issues, test ideas, and admit mistakes move faster and learn quicker.

  3. Rapid Feedback and Learning: Frequent check-ins, retrospectives, and testing loops help identify and resolve issues early.

  4. Shared Purpose and Motivation: Successful teams believe in the importance of their work and see how it connects to broader organizational goals.

  5. Time and Focus: Too often, projects fail not because of lack of skill or resources, but because team members are overextended. Dedicated time and focused effort matter.

  6. Leadership Support: Executive sponsorship, resourcing, and visible commitment send a clear signal that a project matters.

Delivering Programs: Coordinating Across Projects

Individual projects rarely exist in isolation. Many companies run programs of multiple projects that aim to deliver broader transformation—such as customer experience redesign, technology modernization, or sustainability integration.

Program management introduces a new layer of complexity: interdependencies, shared resources, and sequencing. It requires:

  • Program governance to track overall progress, manage dependencies, and make trade-offs.

  • Portfolio management to prioritize which projects to invest in and when—based on strategic value, capacity, and risk.

  • Change management to ensure that new ways of working are adopted across the organization.

For example, a retailer undergoing digital transformation might simultaneously launch projects to revamp its e-commerce site, implement a new CRM, integrate supply chain analytics, and train staff in digital tools. These projects must be aligned in timing, goals, and communication—or risk duplication, friction, and confusion.

Maximizing Pace and Impact

In a fast-changing world, speed matters—but speed without direction creates chaos. The key is to balance velocity with value. Here’s how:

  • Prioritize ruthlessly: Not every idea deserves a project. Focus only on initiatives that advance key goals or solve real problems.

  • Start small, scale fast: Launch pilots, learn quickly, and scale what works. This approach reduces risk while maintaining momentum.

  • Design for adaptability: Build in flex—both in scope and teams—so that projects can pivot as needed.

  • Celebrate progress: Recognize milestones, highlight wins, and keep morale high. Momentum breeds momentum.

  • Learn across projects: Create shared knowledge systems, post-mortems, and communities of practice to capture lessons learned.

Ultimately, project delivery is a muscle that organizations build over time. The more change becomes routine, the more capable a business becomes of executing transformation continuously.

Project Delivery as a Strategic Capability

In today’s volatile, fast-paced business world, project delivery is how strategy gets done. It turns bold intentions into concrete results. It bridges the gap between ideas and impact. And it gives organizations the agility to respond to change not with panic, but with purpose.

Building a culture of effective project delivery requires more than just better tools or templates. It requires a shift in mindset—from projects as temporary disruptions to projects as the new normal. It means equipping people across the organization to lead and deliver change. And it means aligning leadership, teams, and systems around a shared commitment to execution excellence.

Because in the end, the companies that deliver best are the ones that succeed.

Find out more and book >