Rhead Group
THESIMILARITES
In rugby you’ll be preparing for a game- what results do youwant
to achieve, what’s your game plan to achieve it, who are your
players andwhat are their roles, what attacking threats/risk are there
from your opponents?Move to projectmanagement and you’ll be
doing exactly the same. At the initiation stage in a project youwill
be reviewing the aims of the project, identifying the results to be
produced, creating a project plan to deliver the results, identifying and
defining the roles of the project teammembers, calculating budgets,
identifying risks and assumptions.
Rugbyandproject
management
RheadGroup, the international programme andprojectmanagement
business, has beenworkingwith the RPA to support the transition of
players into industry once their playing career has ended.
If you think theworldof rugby is far removed from that of our project
managers, think again.
Inprojectmanagement terms you aim to complete a project,
or a series of projects, on time and to budget, just as youwould amatch
or series ofmatches. Transfer this to theworld of rugby and you have
games towin (projects todeliver) and series towin like theAviva
Premiership, RBS 6Nations orWorldCup (programmes to deliver).
If you think of a rugbymatch as a project you can break down
its stages and draw parallels between the two.
If you’d like tofindoutmore about project
management speak to your Player Development
Manager; tofindoutmore about RheadGroup and
their ProjectManagement Academy or ProjectManager
Insight Sessions email
or go to
Manyof the skills needed to succeed in rugby –
leadership, stakeholdermanagement, communication, conflict
resolution andbeing cool under pressure – are identical to
those required to constructmajor infrastructureprojects.
RUGBYWORLD
PROJECTWORLD
Our one to eight
1
LOOSEHEAD PROP
scrummages; supports in the line-out,
tackles and hits the rucks andmauls
COMMERCIALMANAGER
secure budgetary platform / viability of project/game
2
HOOKER
secures the ball in scrums and (normally!) ensures
safe delivery in line-outs
CONTRACTMANAGER
secures the contract for the team
3
TIGHTHEAD PROP
scrummages; supports in the line-out,
tackles and hits the rucks andmauls
COMMERCIALMANAGER
secure budgetary platform / viability of project/game
4
LOCK
locks and pushes in the scrum; wins line-out ball and
secures possession from restarts
CONTRACTORS
doing certain specified taskswell andwhen needed
5
LOCK
locks and pushes in the scrum; wins line-out ball and
secures possession from restarts
CONTRACTORS
doing certain specified taskswell andwhen needed
6
BLINDSIDE FLANKER
cleans out the rucks and is primarily
a defensive player on the blind-side; shutting down the
opposition number eight or number nine
RISKMANAGER
identifying threats to core project activities; planning and
dealingwith them if/as theymaterialise
7
OPENSIDE FLANKER
turning rucks andmauls into ‘continuity
of play’
RISKMANAGER
identifying threats to core project activities; planning and
dealingwith them if/as theymaterialise
8
No 8
tackles, carries and provide the backs support in breaks
SITEMANAGER
reports to ProjectManager and controls construction planning
and execution
Our nine tofifteen
9
SCRUMHALF
delivers ball from the base of the scrum, ruck or
maul to spark the backline
DOCUMENTCONTROLLER
controls information between project team
members and keeps the projectmanager abreast of key information on
performance
10
FLYHALF
the general; running the game, bossing the forwards
while keeping the depth of the backs andmaking sure the
desired result is delivered
PROJECTCO-ORDINATOR
good all-rounder, making sure the team are aware
of what needs to be done andwhen.Making sure thewhole team comes
together to deliver the desired result
11
LEFTWING
pace to finish the job and get it signed-off
SITEASSURANCEMANAGER
ensures that the job is finished, signed off and
the results confirmed, but dealswith any ‘snags’ on the route to finishing
12
INSIDECENTRE
bigger and a bit quicker than fly-halves, they
take the ball into contact and create space
CONSTRUCTIONMANAGERS
makes sure that once the foundations have
been laid by the planners, the project is taken forward and the thing gets built!
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OUTSIDECENTRE
quicker, but notmaybe as big as an inside
centre, they also take the ball into contact and create/exploit
space
CONSTRUCTIONMANAGERS
makes sure that once the foundations have
been laid by the planners, the project is taken forward and the thing gets built!
14
RIGHTWING
pace to finish the job and get it signed-off
SITEASSURANCEMANAGER
ensures that the job is finished, signed off and
the results confirmed, but dealswith any ‘snags’ on the route to finishing
15
FULL BACK
last line of defence, exploit space in attack
SITEASSURANCEMANAGER
ensures that the job is finished, signed off and
the results confirmed, but dealswith any ‘snags’ on the route to finishing
INSUMMARY
Comparing the role of a projectmanager with a SquadManager in rugby reveals
many parallels. Instead of securing a contract you’ll be looking to secure awin. The
management of the contract can be compared to game play tactics - clean play, good
hands, maiximising possession. Youmight have to deal with conflict resolution and
arbitrators and regulators – think of the referee and linesmen in rugby.We could go on.
People deliver projects.Many of the skills needed towin at rugby can be transferred to
the successful delivery ofmajor projects. Good leadership skills, with the ability to have
a go at anything and enjoymaking things happen arewhat’s important andwe can help
you to transfer thosewinning ‘on the pitch skills’ tomanaging projects. The traditional
hard-bitten and deliverable focused projectmanager is still required but there are new
skills needed tomatch the faster changing business and technology environment.
Agility, flexibility, creativity and all importantly the ability to collaborate, these softer
skills, are becoming critical parts of the projectmanager’s ability.
INITIATION
EXECUTION
CLOSURE
Game Planning
Project Planning
Project Execution/
Delivery
ProjectMonitoring
&Modification
Finish Project, Review
Results & do it Better
Next Time!
Game Execution
GameMonitoring
&Modification
FinishMatch, Review
Results & do it Better
Next Time!
The skills between rugby and projectmanagement can be transferred
through the execution and closure stages too. Just as youwould execute a
game plan, youwould evaluate a project plan. You’ll be comparing performance
with the project or game plan and anticipatingwhen thingsmay not be going
according to the schedule. You’ll be fixing any problems that arise during the
project ormatch and keeping everyone person, or player, informed of what’s
expected of them during the project or game.
Move onto the closure stage and just as youwould be getting the club
and supporters approval, youwould be getting the customer’s approval of final
results. Youmight officially hand the project over – equivalent on the rugby
@RheadGroup
RheadGroup
RheadGroup
pitch to the official posting of results or photo andmedia activity that could
follow amatch and you’ll be hosting post project reviewmeetings, or a
match debrief, to recognise achievements and talk about lessons learnt and
how to improve in the next project, or game.
The comparisons go on and on. A projectmanagement team is
essentially your rugby squad. Insteadof a ProjectManager you have a Squad
Manager. Project planners are your forwards and half backs; the essential
links and shapers in the project world are half backs in your squad and the
project completers and finishers are the backs.We can break this down even
further, comparing the 15 roles in a rugby team to key roles in a project.
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.co.uk
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