Principles of Project Management — 12 Keys to Successful Projects
So far, we’ve looked at Project Management and For Projects to Realize Value.
We’ve seen that projects are tangible and controllable, and that realizing value isn’t about special skills or abundant resources—it’s about the flow of information between people and a shared sense of direction.
Modern projects are filled with uncertainty.
Knowledge and methods alone don’t guarantee success—experience and even failure are often the keys that unlock it.
Until the 6th edition, the PMBOK emphasized managing processes and deliverables.
However, in the PMBOK 7th Edition, the focus has shifted to “value” over “deliverables” and “principles” over “processes.”
In the previous chapter, we explored value—a very human, people-centered concept.
Next, let’s look at principles.
They’re not just about time, cost, scope, or risk—they’re human-centered values that guide how we work.
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The Four Most Important Values
The PMI Code of Ethics and Professional Conduct, developed by project professionals around the world, identifies four core values as essential to project management:
- Responsibility
- Respect
- Fairness
- Integrity
Success isn’t built on skills, experience, money, or connections.
It’s driven by mindset, thinking standards, and values that move work forward.
Building upon these values, the PMBOK outlines 12 Principles that guide project management practice.
The 12 Principles of Project Management
- Be diligent, respectful, and caring stewards
- Create a collaborative project team environment
- Engage effectively with stakeholders
- Focus on value
- Recognize, evaluate, and respond to system interactions
- Demonstrate leadership
- Tailor approaches based on the situation
- Build quality into processes and deliverables
- Address complexity
- Optimize risk responses
- Be adaptive and resilient
- Enable change to achieve the envisioned future state
These principles are grounded in the four core values above.
Before trying to control a project with knowledge and tools, let’s look at the attitudes and perspectives that truly guide a project to success.
1. Be Diligent, Respectful, and Caring Stewards
A steward is someone who takes care of something responsibly—like a caretaker or trustee.
To “demonstrate stewardship” means managing people, resources, and outcomes with responsibility, respect, and care.
It includes:
- Aligning with organizational goals and values
- Supporting and respecting teammates
- Managing company assets wisely
- Acting with honesty and accountability
Projects impact not just team members, but also everyone affected by the value the project delivers.
Project managers must make responsible decisions with integrity and compassion.
2. Create a Collaborative Project Team Environment
“Collaborative” means working together as equals toward a common goal.
A project team is made up of people with diverse skills and experiences.
The project manager’s role is to create an environment that fosters open collaboration—not one based on hierarchy or authority.
Clarify each member’s role, authority, and accountability.
When everyone understands their part, team culture becomes healthier, communication improves, and outcomes strengthen.
3. Engage Effectively with Stakeholders
Stakeholders are all individuals or groups who have an interest in the project—team members, managers, business partners, clients, and even society at large.
They can have both positive and negative impacts on a project’s success.
By identifying stakeholders early and building effective relationships, project managers can align expectations and reduce risk.
Engagement should be two-way:
Listen actively, communicate transparently, and act in good faith to build trust.
4. Focus on Value
Value is the ultimate measure of project success.
Even if a project delivers outputs, if those outputs don’t create value, it has failed to achieve its true purpose.
At the start, define what value means for the project—profitability, efficiency, social contribution, or user benefit.
Revisit it regularly.
A good project manager focuses not only on deliverables, but on the value those deliverables create.
5. Recognize, Evaluate, and Respond to System Interactions
Here, “system” doesn’t mean technology—it refers to the interconnected structures within an organization.
Departments, people, and processes all influence each other.
Understanding these relationships helps identify risks, dependencies, and opportunities.
A good project manager views the project holistically—considering not only internal dynamics but also external factors and historical patterns.
6. Demonstrate Leadership
Leadership isn’t about authority—it’s about vision, creativity, motivation, and empathy.
It’s the ability to inspire people toward a shared purpose.
There’s no single “right” leadership style.
Autocratic, democratic, participative, or supportive approaches can all be effective depending on the situation.
True leaders adapt their style to fit the moment and the team.
7. Tailor Approaches Based on the Situation
Every project is different.
Tailoring means adjusting processes, methods, and tools to fit the project’s size, duration, and context.
A three-day task doesn’t need weekly meetings and complex documentation, while a year-long initiative demands clear structure and planning.
Tailoring isn’t something done just once at the start—it continues throughout the project as circumstances evolve.
8. Build Quality into Processes and Deliverables
Quality shouldn’t be an afterthought—it must be embedded from the start.
Ensure deliverables meet requirements and stakeholder expectations, not just completion criteria.
Keep feedback loops active and perform continuous reviews to detect misunderstandings early and prevent rework.
Quality is achieved through consistency, communication, and care.
9. Address Complexity
Projects are inherently complex—and no amount of planning can remove all uncertainty.
Acknowledging that complexity exists is the first step to managing it effectively.
Projects involve systems, organizations, and people—all of which interact unpredictably.
Unexpected problems, scope changes, or innovations will occur.
By embracing complexity and learning from experience, project managers strengthen their ability to navigate uncertainty.
10. Optimize Risk Responses
Risk refers to uncertain events that could impact the project positively or negatively.
Effective risk management involves identifying, evaluating, and responding to risks continuously—not just once.
Decide what qualifies as a risk, when to act, and whether the cost of mitigation is justified.
Assign clear ownership for each risk, and ensure all stakeholders understand and agree on how it will be managed.
11. Be Adaptive and Resilient
Adaptability means adjusting to changing circumstances.
Resilience means recovering quickly from setbacks.
Every project encounters obstacles—what matters is how the team responds.
By focusing on results and value rather than rigid deliverables, teams can adapt and find better solutions as they go.
A resilient team doesn’t fear change—it learns from it.
12. Enable Change to Achieve the Envisioned Future
To transform means to change for the better.
Projects create value through change—whether in systems, organizations, or people’s behavior.
“Being able to change” doesn’t mean constant instability—it means maintaining the capacity to evolve when necessary.
Without change, there’s no growth.
Change is the bridge between the current state and the envisioned future.
Summary: The Principles of Project Management
We’ve reviewed 12 principles that guide successful projects.
They aren’t technical skills or strict rules—they’re ways of thinking and core values to hold as a project leader.
Having knowledge, tools, and resources is not enough.
Unexpected challenges will always arise.
In those moments, what sustains a project isn’t money or power—it’s responsibility, respect, fairness, and integrity.
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