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We project managers are all eager beavers. It’s an intrinsic part of who we all are. We love seeing things happen and getting things moving. It’s important to not rush into a project when you have a client. Instead, prepare properly by having an internal kickoff meeting.
The internal project kickoff is a crucial part of the larger project launch process. Internal kickoffs should be performed before any client kickoffs or pre-kickoffs in order to maintain the order of operations.
A well-informed team and a plan will help you get the most from your client kickoff meeting. This will allow you to learn as much as possible, make important decisions, and save valuable time, money, and client time.
This article will discuss best practices in internal project kickoff meetings and how to ensure that projects and project management activities are successful.
This article explains.
Internal Kickoff is Important
Plan an Internal Kickoff
Agenda for the Internal Project Kickoff Meeting
Internal Kickoffs: How Important Are They?
Project managers should treat internal kickoffs the same way as client kickoffs. The internal project kickoff is not just a precursor to the first meeting between the client and project managers. They are a cornerstone that sets the tone, style and vision for the entire project’s lifecycle. They are a chance for the project team to be educated, build cohesion and relationships and set expectations so that we don’t stumble in front of a client.
If we don’t pay attention, internal kickoff meetings can be reduced to a five-minute conversation in a hallway five minutes before the actual client kickoff meeting. It’s hard to kick off an internal project. Many people opt out of them. If we do this correctly and start a project correctly, the whole project will be much more successful.
If we don’t do this correctly or rush to it without properly preparing, whether it is from eagerness on our clients’ part or internal, we could find ourselves in a meeting that is characterized by a uninformed roundtable of introductions, boring conversation, and a lack of clarity about the project goals and direction. At best, it can lead to a canceled project.
How to Kickoff Your Internal Project Planning
A well-prepared team and a detailed project plan will help you get the most from your meeting with the client and other stakeholders. Before asking stupid questions to the client, it’s crucial for the team and client to get as much information as possible.
It is also important that the team works together to create a solid plan that will instill confidence in clients, and to jointly make any important decisions ahead of the project. This will ensure that precious time, money, face-to-face client time, and valuable hours are not wasted on internal debates with clients, who become increasingly concerned that the agency team doesn’t know what they’re doing.
The team members can have input on the official plan, which helps ensure ownership and accountability for the project tasks. As the project manager, it is important to provide guidance to team members in shaping the project plan. This will ensure that it remains consistent with the statement of work, client expectations, as well as the project approach.
How to prepare for the Internal Project Kickoff Meeting
You’ll need to prepare a few things before you go into a meeting with your team. Take the time to gather all relevant information and learn everything you can.