It occurred to me that our businesses aren’t much different than our daily lives in that it’s easy to get caught up with whatever is demanding our attention. There are things that we typically don’t let slip such as sleeping, eating, and taking care of our hygiene. And sometimes we’ll even tackle things like a nagging ingrown toe nail given it’s going to affect our ability to function. The mainstays of living (sleeping, eating, and hygiene) can be seen as providing employees with the tools to do their job, pay and being clear about expectations. The equivalent of a nagging ingrown toe nail would be something that negatively affects productivity.
So what can business owners do about those nagging problems? First, they must understand what it is they wish to accomplish, which sounds simple but often isn’t. There are always lots of permutations and combinations to ponder. Then they need to achieve the resolve and commitment to take action, and decide how to get it done. Even those with the best intentions get sidetracked or frustrated, which erodes resolve and commitment and is why borrowing some Project Management concepts can be helpful.
The value of Project Management is best realized when applied to the complicated and unique, versus something that’s done repetitively such as with manufacturing. In its highest form there are PMP (Project Management Professional) certifications and PMBOK’s (Project Management Book of Knowledge) to study. Being a good problem solver is always a great asset because the probability of the unforeseen occurring is virtually certain. More time is always spent implementing than planning, so it’s really no surprise that surprises happen. The question is how to find them while you still have time to devise a fix that’s affordable, and effective in support of the objective. And while it might be tempting to think in terms of error proofing its usefulness is in application to re-occurring processes.
Understanding scope is crucial. How do you get there if you don’t know where you’re going? The more you understand about motives, objectives and limitations the easier it is. Sales people typically think in terms of identifying “the need” but I think a better paradigm is understanding the job a person is trying to accomplish. It facilitates more creative solutions versus limiting choices to what’s available “off the shelf”. That said leveraging proven and readily available solutions makes sense whenever it reduces risk.
Discovering issues or road blocks is always better done sooner rather than later. There are a myriad of tracking techniques (Microsoft Project is pretty standard) but sometimes simple tools work fine. An example would be regularly reviewing a list of milestones and issues. It’s about uncovering problems while they can still be addressed effectively. Being able to ask the right questions is key. What could affect the budget and schedule? What options and alternatives are available?
A common problem is drift. Wouldn’t it be cool if we did, or had…? Yes, it would be cool to do a lot of things but what if it doesn’t fit within the budget? Staying cognizant of limitations can be difficult. It’s easy to get lured away because we always want it to be perfect even though, we know nothing is. The best way to manage “Wouldn’t it be cool if…?” is to qualify it via the motives, objectives and limitations. How does it fit? For example, wouldn’t it be cool to drive the latest muscle car? But what’s important is getting from “A” to “B” within budget. At the end of day that muscle car might not be worth not the expense and the increased probability of ending up in the ditch during inclement weather. Understanding how important the budget is, and how important the cool factor is relative to what you’re trying to accomplish helps to make the choice easier. What fits the functionality requirements? What fits within the limitations? Keep in mind that in business it’s typically the ones that don’t have to pay the bills that propose the, “Wouldn’t it be cool if…?” It’s like your child saying, “Can I have whatever?” They might not be as enthused if they were paying the bills and could think beyond their own personal, short term gratification.
It’s also normal to have to negotiate with others to get things done where overcoming objections can be draining and time consuming. A common objection is: “I don’t think it will work” An appropriate response might be: “What do you think will work?” Another common objection is “I’m too busy” To which “When would be a better time?” can be effective in facilitating the acceptance that there frequently isn’t a better time. Another option is: “So given that you agree that the benefits are worthwhile what can be done to get it done?”
Persistence and patience are always needed because no matter how much you believe it should be simple and straightforward, it rarely is. If it was easy anyone could do it, and the fact that it isn’t makes it more worthwhile.
In summary:
Be committed (but understand it isn’t always enough).
Understand scope:
- Motivations, need
- Objectives, the job to be accomplished
- Limitations
Find problems:
- Hold regular reviews
- Ask questions about:
• Status, where you’re at
• Suitability in terms of function
• Ability to meet requirements (such as the budget and schedule)
Solve problems
Explore alternatives and options
Proactively deal with drift by testing ideas against criteria/scope.
Proactively address objections.
Be persistent and patient
And if all else fails, ask for help!
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ReplyDeleteThank you for these helpful thoughts.
ReplyDeleteRecent research supports your advice and suggests that five conversations are essential to the success of high-stakes cross-functional initiatives. In How Project Leaders Can Overcome the Crisis of Silence (2007), the authors (Grenny, Maxfield and Shimberg) argue that leaders can substantially improve their organizations’ ability to execute by raising these issues:
1.Are we planning around facts? Project leaders under pressure from their stakeholders tend to set deadlines and budgets with insufficient regard for what will actually be required to achieve them. Are project managers willing and able to call the bluff?
2.Is the project sponsor providing support? Project sponsors have the position, perspective and clout to provide the championship and political cover necessary to ensure the project succeeds. Project sponsors may, for whatever reason, go “absent without leave”. Is the project team forceful enough in keeping them engaged?
3.Are we faithful to the process? Senior leaders and powerful stakeholders often short-circuit the formal planning and decision-making processes. Do project managers make it clear enough that informal conversations with those stakeholders who don’t want to be burdened with practical considerations cannot initiate extra work?
4.Are we honestly assessing our progress and risks? Project participants often fail to report delays in the hope that some other group with problems will speak out first. Are project leaders able to openly discuss this kind of “project chicken” with those who appear to be playing the game?
5.Are team members pulling their weight? Often project leaders must negotiate with functional managers to staff their projects, and feel they have little or no say in selecting or replacing nonperformers. Is the project hobbled with people who don’t show up to meetings, fail to meet schedules or lack the competence to meet ambitious goals?
Grenny et al. recognize that speaking up or challenging others about these issues won’t happen by accident. They emphasize the importance of frequent surveys to assess the quality of dialogue, of making it easy and safe to have such conversations, and of project managers who teach others through their personal example when and how to confront project leaders and sponsors.
Grenny's earlier book "Crucial Conversations" is helpfully summarized here: http://wikisummaries.org/Crucial_Conversations:_Tools_for_Talking_When_Stakes_are_High
(PS Please excuse previous bodged attempt at posting a comment)