New book explores concept of ‘project-driven organisation’ in the transformation age

In the new business landscape where projects are vital for sustained success, businesses must embrace deep changes in leadership style and organisational structures for their projects to flourish, according to the latest book by Antonio Nieto-Rodriguez.

Powered by Projects: Leading Your Organization in the Transformation Age argues that businesses must become truly ‘project-driven’ in order to thrive. This is described as an evolution from Agile to an operating model designed for a world where change is constant, transformation is permanent and projects are the engine of value creation.

The book is the latest by APM Vice President, Antonio Nieto-Rodriguez (pictured, left), who also authored the influential Harvard Business Review Project Management Handbook.

He told APM: “In my previous books I showed that everyone is a project manager, even if they don’t realise it. Powered by Projects takes this idea further: every organisation is project-driven, even if its leaders haven’t yet embraced it. For leaders, this requires a fundamental rethinking of how strategy, resources, governance and leadership come together to drive transformation.”

He continued: “The opportunity in this age of change is to look beyond how projects are managed — and build the organisational muscle to transform at speed.”

Other points shared in the book include:

The concept of ‘the project economy’, where projects drive growth, innovation, and competitive advantage.
The ‘project canvas’; a tool for aligning stakeholders and driving execution.
The emerging leadership role of the Chief Project Officer in orchestrating transformation.
Practical strategies for integrating AI and emerging technologies into project management.
Case studies from leading organisations like Haier, Nike, BP and Honeywell, showing how they have embraced project-driven models to thrive in the transformation age.