Work Matters: Leadership - Make it happen

I have been asked recently to co-ordinate and manage a project across nurseries up and down the country. As I encounter all the organisational issues this entails, it occurs to me that these are issues we all face as we embark on projects every day - exchanging and co-ordinating ideas, time management, and whatever the nifty phrase is for juggling a hundred balls (or other people's agendas) at the same time! But the differences to the outcomes of a project, when we get it right, have got to make it worth the investment.

We all know about the importance of good communication and keeping everyone in the loop, but are we really doing it? It can be all too easy to become passionate about the new development we are bringing into our nurseries, but it can also be too easy to let this passion cloud the needs of those involved in the change.

Communication must be used not only to inform but to encourage the contribution and participation of all involved - staff, children and parents. Change should be represented not as a fait accompli, but as an opportunity for everyone to become involved, ensuring they do not feel powerless within the change, and opening you up to every good idea the collective minds can bring.

A project, whatever its size, must be managed to avoid becoming too large, too time-intensive or dwindling altogether as a fantastic idea that remains unrealised. Have clear, realistic goals and time-frames in mind, continuously reviewing your progress. These can then be broken into small manageable tasks that give a sense of achievement as each one can be ticked off.

Negotiation skills are also key, as is the ability to say no or to push for something that is really important. Whether managing a project on a large scale or co-ordinating a small new initiative, you are the one who knows your nursery the best, so stand by what you believe in. If you don't make it happen, who is going to?