Building the Team That Delivers

Defining roles, responsibilities, and expectations that drive project performance

This article is part of the “Project Management in Emergency Management Playbook” for Academy Subscribers.

Projects don’t succeed on structure alone. A clear budget, well-defined phases, and stakeholder engagement plans are all essential, but they don’t deliver results unless there are people to execute them. What transforms those elements into real outcomes is the project team—whether that’s a single individual carrying the effort forward or a group of subject matter experts, planners, and advisors working together.

Forming the team is about more than assigning names to roles. It’s about accelerating time-to-performance: giving people clarity about why they are involved, what level of commitment is expected, and the responsibilities they own. The sooner team members understand how they fit into the project, the sooner they can begin contributing in ways that build momentum, foster trust, and move the project toward successful completion.

In other words, the kickoff isn’t just about designing a project—it’s about ensuring the team is ready to execute it.