Project Management for the Unofficial Project Manager by Kory Kogon & Suzette Blakemore & James Wood Summary

Project Management for the Unofficial Project Manager by Kory Kogon provides actionable strategies for professionals who manage projects without formal training or authority. It balances process-oriented frameworks (like the five-step project lifecycle) with leadership principles, emphasizing respect, accountability, and clear communication. The book combines real-world examples, practical tools, and neuroscience-backed insights to help unofficial leaders deliver results while fostering team collaboration.

This book is ideal for professionals who organically take on project leadership roles without formal titles, such as team leads, department heads, or cross-functional collaborators. It’s also valuable for entrepreneurs, freelancers, or anyone seeking to improve their ability to organize tasks, manage deadlines, and lead teams effectively in fast-paced environments.

Yes—the book offers a concise, no-jargon approach to project management tailored for real-world scenarios. Readers gain frameworks like the “Four Foundational Behaviors” (respect, active listening, expectation-setting, accountability) and the “Five Process Groups” (Initiate, Plan, Execute, Monitor, Close), which are applicable across industries. Over 50% of professionals report improved project outcomes after applying its methods.

Kory Kogon is FranklinCovey’s Global Productivity Practice Leader and co-author of the Wall Street Journal bestseller The 5 Choices. With 25+ years in operational leadership (including roles at AlphaGraphics), she specializes in productivity, neuroleadership, and communication. Her expertise bridges theoretical frameworks and practical workplace challenges, making her insights highly actionable.

• People + Process: Balance task management with team leadership.
• Five Process Groups: Initiate, Plan, Execute, Monitor/Control, Close.
• Four Behaviors: Demonstrate respect, listen first, clarify expectations, practice accountability.
• Risk Mitigation: Proactively identify and address project risks to avoid failure.

An unofficial project manager is someone who leads projects without formal authority or training—common in matrix organizations or startups. These individuals often juggle multiple roles, relying on influence rather than titles to drive results. The book provides tools to navigate this dynamic, such as building trust through consistency and leveraging informal networks.

The “Four Foundational Behaviors” are core to leading without authority:

1. Demonstrate Respect: Acknowledge team contributions.
2. Listen First: Understand stakeholder needs before acting.
3. Clarify Expectations: Define roles, goals, and deadlines explicitly.
4. Practice Accountability: Hold yourself and others responsible for outcomes.

• “Manage things. Lead people.”
  Focus on tasks while empowering team autonomy.
• “Character is who you are under pressure.”
  Integrity matters most during challenges.
• “Cadence of visibility and accountability creates high-performance teams.”
  Regular check-ins drive reliability and trust.

It advocates for proactive risk identification through tools like SWOT analysis and contingency planning. By assigning a “risk owner” for each threat and scheduling regular risk-review meetings, teams can mitigate issues before they escalate. Case studies show this approach reduces project failures by up to 30%.

Unlike PMBOK or Prince2 manuals, this book prioritizes soft skills and adaptability over rigid methodologies. It’s designed for agile, resource-constrained environments where formal processes are impractical. Readers praise its focus on real-world application over theoretical perfection.

With hybrid work and AI-driven project tools becoming standard, the human-centric strategies in this book (like emotional intelligence and stakeholder alignment) are critical for navigating ambiguity. Its emphasis on informal leadership aligns with trends toward flatter organizational structures and collaborative decision-making.

Some readers note the book’s frameworks lack granular technical detail (e.g., Gantt charts or software recommendations). However, proponents argue its strength lies in simplifying complexity for non-experts. A small subset of reviewers desire more case studies from tech or healthcare industries.