Manas - Napoleon on Project Management Timeless Lessons in Planning, Execution, and Leadership

Words of praise for
NAPOLEON ON PROJECT MANAGEMENT
by Jerry Manas

As a U.S. Marine Corps officer for 30 years, I always looked on military operations as projectsalbeit of a more dangerous and uncertain variety. This book, which I found to be engaging and never dull, draws powerful, practical relationships between Napoleons war planning, execution, control and leadership, and modern project management principles. It is a bright light on the project management landscape!

BILL BAHNMAIER, Col, USMC (Ret), and retired Professor of
Defense Acquisition Management, Defense Acquisition University

An insightful, well-done and much-too-rare examination of the value of revisiting the lessons of history. While others chase the newest, latest, greatest, Jerry Manas reminds us that we may be overlooking invaluable thought leadership that preceded us. He inevitably challenges us to apply these ageless lessons not only at work, but at home, in our community, in worship and in athletics as well.

JEROME JEWELL, Productivity Improvement Consultant

Dont overlook this book! Comparing Napoleon and project management may be unique; but isnt that what were looking fornew and fresh insights? This book has relevant content to all of us in the industry. Read it and see how helpful this text can be to your career in project management. Youll learn a lot.

JOAN KNUTSON, Author, lecturer, and consultant, PM Guru Unlimited Author of Succeeding in Project-Driven Organizations (John Wiley and Sons)

Who can resist a book that highlights Mr. Manass clever integration of the awe-inspiring figure of Napoleon to the most important concepts that are the foundation of the science of project management? If you are looking for a deep yet easy read that brings alive the timeless events of 19th century Europe to splash color on a potentially dry subject like project management, this book is a must read. Managing a project is in many ways akin to fighting a war, and indeed sometimes seems more like the conquest of Europe or even Waterloo than it does like just another business initiative.

GUS CICALA, CEO, Project Assistants, Inc.

This book takes us on an inspirational tour of Napoleons life and works, bringing us insightful and valuable project management lessons. Jerry Manass academic and well-read understanding of both history and project management has provided us an excellent tool for learning. I urge all those interested in improving their ability to perform projects successfully to read and reread this remarkable study.

TOM VANDERHEIDEN, Chairman, PMI Aerospace & Defense SIG,
Consultant to the Aerospace and Defense industry

An intriguing perspective from which to view the concepts of project management. These concepts are as valid today as they were 200 years ago.

PETER PACITTI, Assistant Vice President/Project Manager, PNC Bank

Jerrys method of associating real-life historical events to modern-day project management methods is brilliant. This is a must read for anyone in the field of project management who has grown weary of the repetitive nature of currently published material. I was engaged and simultaneously entertained. As a past president of a very large component of the Project Management Institute, I have read many articles and books in this field. No author has taken the fresh approach that Jerry has in correlating real project management examples to a previously unconsidered and unrelated field, military tactics. It should also be noted that Jerrys material has been researched extensively and depicts a very accurate account of the actual events. Its great to see someone doing something different that presents project management in the perspective and relative importance that it deserves.

PHILLIP LONG, Chief Solutions Architect, LogicaCMG

To Sharon and Elizabeth
For making me realize what counts in life.

2006 by Jerry Manas

All rights reserved. No portion of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any meanselectronic, mechanical, photocopy, recording, scanning, or otherexcept for brief quotations in critical reviews or articles, without the prior written permission of the publisher.

Published in Nashville, Tennessee, by Thomas Nelson. Thomas Nelson is a registered trademark of Thomas Nelson, Inc.

Thomas Nelson, Inc., titles may be purchased in bulk for educational, business, fund-raising, or sales promotional use. For information, please e-mail SpecialMarkets@ThomasNelson.com.

ISBN 978-1-59555-243-3 (trade paper)

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Manas, Jerry.
Napoleon on project management : timeless lessons in planning,
execution, and leadership / by Jerry Manas.
p. cm.
Includes bibliographical references.
ISBN 978-0-7852-1285-0 (hardcover)
1. Project management. 2. Napoleon I, Emperor of the French,
1769-1821. 3. Executive ability. 4. Leadership. 5. Business planning.
I. Title.
HD69.P75M3645 2006
658.4'04dc22

2005035694

Printed in the United States of America

08 09 10 11 12 LSI 6 5 4 3 2 1

CONTENTS

Foreword
by Douglas James Allan,
President of The Napoleonic Society of America

Those who have studied Napoleons career are usually left in awe of the sheer brilliance, work ethic, and tenacity of the man. No doubt there are many lessons to be learned. But how do we apply them to modern-day project management? Jerry Manas has made a careful study of Napoleons career, learned those lessons, and, in engaging style, combines history and business in this unique work.

When Napoleon took over as first consul, France was in a dreadful state. Over a million people had died during the French Revolution. France was beleaguered, surrounded by enemies, not least of whom were the expatriates who had lost power and clamored for a restoration of the old monarchy. The recently formed government was in a state of collapse, the economy of France was in a shambles, and another revolution was breaking out.

Napoleon had undoubtedly been a brilliant young general, but what did he know about politics and diplomacy, much less governing and business? As it shortly turned out, everything.

The master of organization determined to turn chaos into order. One can measure his success by the fact that by the time he was elected emperor, he was wildly popular among civilians as well as the army.

Jerry Manas has approached Napoleon on Project Management as would Napoleonclearly, methodically, relentlessly, and accurately. Mr. Manas makes the case that Napoleons diplomatic skills were first rate, an unappreciated talent. He uses, among other examples, the Egyptian campaign, where Napoleons innate curiosity and analysis of multiple constituencies (his army and the Egyptians) ix resulted in tactics to address key issues of concern to each. That sounds a lot like a top marketer with outstanding PR skills.

When it came to warfare, Napoleon claimed that he listened to no one, but we know that to be an exaggeration. What he meant was he made his own decisions; no management by committee for him! However, Napoleon was constantly in communication with his commanders, adjusting his battle plan according to events, which accounts in large measure for his phenomenal success. The author identifies what traits he used, why, and with what results. Its more than instructive; its an education.

And results, after all, are what Napoleon was all about. Between his assumption of power and the end of the disastrous Russian campaign, Napoleon restored France to solvency, and then to great wealth. As Manas points out, he met with shopkeepers, mayors, industrialists, and troopers, always listening; and he achieved miracles in jump-starting a formerly moribund economynot to mention a starving, shoeless army.