🎁 You Earned: 200+ hours, pod success, multi-team coordination
The Project Lead coordinates multiple teams or pods toward larger goals. You're responsible for projects that span weeks to months, involve multiple pods, and require significant coordination. This level demands both leadership depth and coordination breadth.
🎯 Activities
Activity
Description
🏗️ Lead projects
Coordinate 3-4 pods toward shared goals
📝 Plan
Create and maintain project plans
🤝 Coordinate
Manage dependencies and interfaces
✅ Deliver
Ensure project outcomes
📈 Develop
Grow Crew Leads and team
⚖️ Key Difference from Crew Lead
👥 Crew Lead
📋 Project Lead
Leads 1 pod (3-4 people)
Leads 3-4 pods (10-16 people)
Direct relationships
Leads through Crew Leads
Workstream scope
Project scope
Pod outcomes
Cross-pod outcomes
🏗️ Project Structure
Role
Typical Composition
📋 You (Project Lead)
1 lead
👥 Crew Leads
3-4 leads
🎯 Specialists
As needed
Total
10-16 people across pods
✅ Must Do
🎯 Define and communicate project vision
📝 Create and maintain project plans
🤝 Coordinate across pods and teams
🔓 Remove blockers and resolve conflicts
📊 Report project status to leadership
📈 Develop Crew Leads
🟡 May Do
💡 Propose project scope and approach
📈 Participate in strategic planning
🎤 Represent projects to stakeholders
📝 Sponsor high-scope proposals
🎓 Mentor across the organization
❌ Cannot Do
🏛️ Make organizational structure changes
📊 Commit resources beyond project scope
🎯 Override division priorities
📜 Make policy decisions
📝 Planning
Activity
Frequency
📋 Project planning
Project start + major milestones
🔄 Sprint/iteration planning
Weekly or bi-weekly
📊 Resource planning
Monthly
⚠️ Risk assessment
Ongoing
⚙️ Execution
Activity
Frequency
🤝 Cross-pod coordination
2-3x weekly
📊 Status tracking
Daily
🔓 Blocker resolution
As needed
📢 Stakeholder updates
Weekly
✅ Delivery
Activity
Frequency
⭐ Quality gates
Per milestone
🔄 Retrospectives
Per iteration
📚 Lessons learned
Project end
🤝 Handoff
Project completion
💰 EQTBLT Rates
Work Type
EQTBLT Range
👔 Leadership time
40-60/hour
🤝 Project coordination
45-65/hour
📢 Stakeholder management
45-60/hour
📈 Crew Lead development
50-70/hour
📋 Project Leads typically spend 70-85% of time on leadership/coordination.
🗳️ Governance Access
Capability
Access
🗳️ Voting
✅ Yes, 1.10× weight
📝 Proposals
High-scope, cross-team
👥 Working group
Leadership role
🏛️ Committee
Standing committees
🚀 Path to Guide (Level 6)
Your Progress: 🟢🟢🟢🟢🟢🟢⚪⚪⚪⚪ Level 6 of 10
✅ Requirements
📋 Evidence Needed
Evidence
Purpose
📊 Project delivery record
Shows capability
📈 Crew Lead development
Shows leadership growth
🎓 Mentoring examples
Shows organization impact
📝 360° feedback
Shows trust
✅ Leadership endorsement
Shows recognition
🔀 Alternative Path
Some Project Leads with strong technical backgrounds may be considered for 🖥️ Platform Lead (Level 8B) track after demonstrating systems thinking.
🧠 Strategic Thinking
Skill
Application
🎯 Vision
Define and communicate project goals
📝 Planning
Break down complex initiatives
🎯 Prioritization
Focus on what matters
⚖️ Trade-offs
Make difficult decisions
🤝 Stakeholder Management
Skill
Application
📢 Communication
Keep everyone informed
🎯 Expectation setting
Manage scope and timeline
⚔️ Conflict resolution
Navigate competing interests
💪 Influence
Build support without authority
📈 Team Development
Skill
Application
👔 Crew Lead coaching
Develop your leads
🏗️ Culture building
Shape team dynamics
📊 Performance management
Address issues early
📋 Succession planning
Build bench strength
❓ Common Challenges
Challenge
How to Handle
🔗 Too many dependencies
Map early, communicate often
📈 Scope creep
Define boundaries, change control
⚔️ Resource conflicts
Escalate, negotiate, prioritize
📉 Underperforming pods
Coach Crew Lead, intervene if needed
💡 Tips for Success
👔 Invest in Crew Leads - Their success is your success
📢 Over-communicate - Everyone should know the plan
⬆️ Manage up and out - Stakeholders need attention too
⚠️ Plan for risk - Things will go wrong
🎉 Celebrate milestones - Keep morale high
🚀 Next Steps
📋 Master multi-team coordination
👔 Develop your Crew Leads
🤝 Build stakeholder relationships
🎓 Extend your mentoring beyond your project
Ready to advance? Talk to your Guide or Community Lead about your development.