Project: You

Scott Dever, 36, sees the wisdom of Morin's point. As director of marketing promotions for SmithKline Beecham, the global pharmaceutical giant based in Philadelphia, he's always on the lookout for new ways to expand the market for the company's vaccines and antibiotics. His approach: gather a few of his colleagues to brainstorm ideas; then seek out resources to turn those ideas into full-fledged projects.

"The most valuable projects are those initiated at the grassroots level," he argues. "Lots of people can take someone else's idea and make it happen. But if you're tuned in enough to what's going to make your company successful into the next century, you can contribute on a totally different level."

How Many Projects Are Too Many?

One of the most serious hazards of the project economy is overload: you're constantly tempted to take on more projects than you can handle. Some companies solve that problem for you. At both Microsoft and Universal Creative, people are limited to one major project at a time. But in most companies, people make their own rules.

HP's Martin estimates that she's worked on more than 25 projects in the last decade. But she has spaced out her projects, abiding by one hard-and-fast rule: she'll manage only one big project or two medium-sized projects at a time. She expects the same of those on her team: "If people tell you they have 10% of their time for your project, they have no time for your project."

SmithKline's Dever is more flexible. He's now involved in five projects -- although he never forgets about the different role he plays in each. He's "leading" one project, "sponsoring" another, and "advising" three more. "It's not an all-or-nothing decision," he says. "You can be involved without being immersed. If I'm leading a project, I'm at every meeting, really pushing. It gets pretty intense. But when I advise a project, I'm like a consultant: 'Did you think about . . .?'"

When Do I Start Looking for My Next Project?

This one's easy: you should always be on the lookout for your next project. That's not a sign of distraction or disloyalty; it's a mark of realism and ambition. Indeed, perhaps the most relevant question is not whether to seek new opportunities but how to deal with the opportunities you find -- especially when you're in the middle of working on another project. Does it ever make sense to change horses in midstream?

Harvard's Kotter says yes -- if you can make a compelling case for a switch. "You always want to be alert," he says, "because there's always a chance that you can slide out of one project and into another. It may make more sense for the company and for you. The cycle times on most projects are short enough that the practical answer is, Be looking for new projects all the time."

HP's Martin disagrees. Sure, she's always on the lookout for her next project. But she would almost never leave a project before it's completed: "You can kill a project, you can launch a project, but don't leave a project in the middle unless you know that the person you're handing it over to is more capable than you are." Martin says this policy is more than good manners -- it's smart career management.

"A project is about packaging something from start to finish," she says. "If you don't complete what you set out to do, then what exactly do you write on your resume -- `I started a project, hung out for a while, and left'? I would really encourage people not to leave projects half-finished."

Microsoft's Adam Rauch splits the difference between Kotter and Martin. He's willing to leave a product line midway through its long-term evolution, but only after a new version of the product has hit the market. "It's important to see a product through until it's delivered," he argues. "But after a couple of versions, I think you should let someone else take over. Program managers will never encourage you to leave. They want to keep you on board, keep you focused. But if you argue that you're stagnating, that it's time for something new, there aren't many roadblocks to change."

Indeed, Rauch says he's developed a simple internal clock that tells him when to switch product categories: every three years. Any longer, he worries, and he'd lose his creative zeal; any shorter, and he'd have little to show for his efforts.

How Do I Document My Success?

These days, switching projects often means switching project leaders -- which raises lots of tough questions about getting the recognition (and developing the reputation) you deserve. Sure, your previous project leaders know you do great work. But how do you know whether your track record has traveled along with you to your new project? And what if your new teammates don't know what you have done in the past -- and can do with them in the future? How do you show them your stuff without showing off? How do you assert yourself without seeming too, well, assertive?