2.X.6 Training for All
Lift the Team Together
Project training isn’t optional — it’s how execution becomes predictable.
Investing in your people IS investing in your company — directly, tangibly, and repeatedly.
What You’re Actually Doing Here
Your company now runs on projects, not just hustle — because it’s too early to lock in company-wide processes, but you can’t wing it anymore. That makes project management the core method of control and leadership.
This isn’t about checking boxes. It’s about:
- Teaching the fundamentals of execution
- Equipping leaders to support teams — not just direct them
- Creating a shared language for how work gets done
- Laying the groundwork for repeatability, accountability, and scale
- Living the Servant Leadership model — where managers are responsible for execution, not just implementing tactics.
Great operations don’t start with better tools.
They start with a team of trained people who know how to lead and deliver.
Core Training Competencies
Level 2 Core Training Competencies
| Competency | What They Learn to Do |
|---|---|
| Procurement | Acquire vendors or resources the right way |
| Stakeholder Management | Align internal and external players |
| Resource Management | Assign people, tools, and materials effectively |
| Scheduling | Build timelines and track dependencies |
| Quality Management | Define standards and track performance vs. expectations |
| Scoping | Define what’s in and out — avoid scope creep |
| Budgeting | Estimate, allocate, and track project costs |
| Risk Management | Spot and plan for what might go wrong |
| Communication | Use systems to coordinate, escalate, and document |
These aren’t just project skills — they’re business survival skills.
Train for the Full Project Lifecycle
Each competency shows up differently across the five project phases:
- Initiation – Define goals, outcomes, and owners
- Planning – Set scope, budget, timeline, risks
- Execution – Deliver outputs, track task ownership
- Monitoring & Controlling – Measure progress, course-correct
- Closing – Finish cleanly, extract lessons, reset for next time
As your company matures, these turn into documented, repeatable systems. This is how operational maturity begins.
Special Focus: Quality Management & KPIs
At Level 2, project quality isn’t optional — it’s visible, measurable, and non-negotiable. This is the proving ground for the discipline you’ll need at Level 3.
Train your team to:
- Define clear KPIs before work starts
- Use flowcharts, SOPs, and checklists to reduce chaos
- Benchmark against internal targets or industry standards
- Apply root cause tools like Pareto charts, 5 Whys, fishbone diagrams
- Present results in dashboards — and adjust in real-time
If your teams can’t measure success, they can’t deliver it. Teach them how — then hold them accountable.
Credentials & Certifications (Optional but Powerful)
While not required, formal certifications help create shared language, validate skills, and prepare the org for higher maturity levels.
Recommended Credentials & Certifications: Level 2
| Program | Best For |
|---|---|
| Professional) | Professional) |
| Senior managers, COOs, PMOs | Senior managers, COOs, PMOs |
| CAPM (Certified Associate) | CAPM (Certified Associate) |
| New managers, ops leads | New managers, ops leads |
| Scrum Master (CSM / PSM) | Scrum Master (CSM / PSM) |
| Tech, product, agile teams | Tech, product, agile teams |
| Google PM Cert (Coursera) | Google PM Cert (Coursera) |
| Accessible, broad starter for early teams | Accessible, broad starter for early teams |
Should You Incentivize Training?
Yes, but do it wisely.
-
“Train people well enough so they can leave. Treat them well enough so they don’t want to.”
— Richard Branson
Best-Practice Incentives:
- Certification Bonuses — e.g., $500 for PMP, $250 for CAPM
- Completion Rewards — e.g., $25–$100 gift cards for modules
- Public Recognition — in All-Hands or dashboards
- Time Credit — 1–2 hours per week protected for learning
- Promotion Criteria — tie eligibility to applied learning
- Impact-Based Bonus — reward improvements tied to KPIs (e.g. delivery time, margin, churn)
What to Avoid:
- Rewarding only attendance — focus on application
- Assuming cash is the only motivator — purpose and growth matter more
- Ignoring fit — incentives should reflect your company values
Suggested Policy:
Offer financial incentives for certifications and tie internal recognition to successful application of training in real projects.
Let your culture value skill-building, not just title-chasing.
Want to go further? Assign one team member to “own” Training & Development — tracking who’s leveled up and how it’s improving execution.
For Senior Leaders – Upgrade Your Own Operating System
If your team is learning to lead by structure, so should you.
Learn to Fly by Instruments
At Level 3, you won’t be in the room. You’ll be leading by dashboard, metrics, and execution visibility.
- Start using KPIs and variance analysis now
- Tie leadership reviews to data — not gut
- Create feedback loops with department leads
If it’s not visible, it’s not manageable.
Join a Group, Get a Coach
You don’t need to do this alone. Surround yourself with people building the same muscles.
- Join a peer group like Vistage, YPO, or EO
- Work with a leadership or operational coach
- Set quarterly leadership goals for yourself — and track them
Good founders scale a company. Great founders scale themselves.
Practice Servant Leadership
Want your managers to step up? Stop stepping in.
- Train them. Support them. Let them run.
- Use 1-on-1s to coach, not command.
- Focus on removing blockers — not solving problems for them.
Execution happens at the edge of the company — not at the center.
Bottom Line:
Training isn’t overhead — it’s how you scale without snapping.
It creates clarity, confidence, and consistency.
Train everyone in how work gets done.
Train leaders in how to support that work — not control it.
Train yourself to lead the company you’re trying to build.
Tools and tactics help.
It’s well trained capable people that make the company.