Leading in times of crisis: How healthy optimism works
Crises are as much a part of business as stormy weather at sea. But what if the storm lasts longer? 3 impulses for strong leadership in a crisis.
5. March 2025
Clarity and motivation from the start: Defining goals with the Project North Star
Climbing Mount Everest without first checking the route? Unimaginable. But this is exactly what happens in business projects: goals and tasks are anything but clear. With the Project North Star canvas, you can provide orientation.
The Project North Star is a canvas for your project kickoff: project management and the team, as well as relevant stakeholders, work together on it. Everyone involved keeps this document in mind like a guiding star – from the start to the successful completion of the project.
What are the positive effects of this goalsetting method?
At a factual level, use the Project North Star to ensure that everyone has the same understanding of the goals and tasks. But there is also an emotional effect:
People feel involved. They have contributed to the plan and given their approval. This ensures that everyone is motivated to work towards the common goal. Because people want to be consistent: Those who say yes to a plan are more likely to stick with it as the project progresses, even when things get difficult.
When do you work with the Project North Star?
It is best to work on the document at a project kick-off meeting. Allow 60 minutes for this. In the course of a longer project, the circumstances may change. It may be useful to adapt the North Star, for example in a milestone workshop.
It is advisable to review the North Star with all project participants at least once a year. January is a good time to do this. At this time, a review can take place and, in a second step, the North Star can be reviewed.
Who is involved in editing the Project North Star canvas?
Team members and stakeholders from all areas who are involved in the project or are strongly affected by it.
What do you enter in each of the fields?
Different details may be relevant to different projects. It is best for the core team to think about this in advance. Keep the notes short – just a few words per post-it.
In which order do you edit the template?
In the workshop, you start in the middle of the template: with target group(s), objectives and key figures, followed by people and roles, then key milestones. The last step is your strengths, opportunities and risks.
Would you like to try the method?
Then all you have to do is download your template for the Project North Star here. (PDF)
(This template is based on the digital Project North Star canvas in the online collaboration tool Mural).
We wish you great results with your project!
2025-01-17, grosse-hornke
Leading in crisis: Lessons from legendary Ernest Shackleton
He conveyed confidence in a desperate situation: British polar explorer Ernest Shackleton and his team survived a two-year battle for survival in the Southern Ocean. What can leaders learn from him in times of crisis?
5. March 2025
Employee Spotlight: “Keep calm and carry on” – Mathis’ motto for big projects
Getting an IT project across hundreds of organizational units to the finish line? Our colleague Mathis takes a sporty approach. In our interview, he tells us what excites him about project management as a consultant and why he goes to the boxing ring to compensate.
14. February 2025
2021 Grosse-Hornke