Don’t cut the cake before reaching the last milestone
It was 5.30 pm on a Friday and everybody in this huge software company was getting ready to pack up for the weekend. Suddenly a message flashed on all the desk tops. The message said “The management is extremely happy to inform associates across all locations that our company has bagged a prestigious project from the public sector. The contract is worth over $ 1 billion and will be implemented in a record time of 24 weeks from the start date. A cake cutting ceremony
to mark the occasion will be held on Monday.”
There was cheer all around and congratulatory emails flew across the globe. Soon after, a cake befitting the project size was cut and consumed with relish.
An all-star team was picked and the project got off to a good start. The management told the project manager that resources were not an issue.
The project was so highly prized that the top management just wanted to prove ‘they could do it’.The team went about the work in a meticulous way and everybody seemed to be stretching.
Review after review was done and nothing seemed amiss. There was a slight delay by about a week on the delivery of the developed software, but the client did not mind.But to the utter shock and disbelief of the management and the project associates, there were headlines in the business pages of dailies saying the client company had slapped a penalty of $1 million on the company for delay in the project and also stated that the software was poor in quality and failed to meet the design requirements. The failure of the software had affected several other downstream projects of the client company.
At the project handling company, lengthy meetings were held, desk-banging arguments exchanged, fingers pointed at everybody, but they could not pin point the reason for failure. As it so happens when company reputation is at stake, big heads have to roll. The project manager was shown the door. It may seem unfair that a single individual is held responsible for one failed mission. There will be a dozen reasons for the project to go haywire and ultimately be doomed.
But the project manager is the one person who is empowered to do all that he has to do and can do, to put the project on track. But the problem is that project managers carry with them a huge attitude load. Their previous successes tend to make them work with a straitjacket approach.
There is no one good way to handle all projects. Each new project has to be dealt with taking in the various unique factors that come out with it. Let’s consider the attitude factor of project managers.
Drillmaster: This PM has the habit of working like an oil rig drill. He will not stop for anything or anybody. ‘Stop not’ is his motto. He will not deviate from his set path. No suggestions or corrections are acceptable. He is so fixed on the delivery date that he bypasses all other activity like planning, defining objectives, quality control and will not tolerate any slowdown.
He relies on his past experience and tailors the project plan to suit his working style. Little can one expect from such attitude bearing managers. In the first place, people who know his way of functioning would not want to be on the project. Some who are forced into it work half-heartedly. Success then is a matter of accident.
Slave driver: This man is the opposite of heaven sent. He watches every move of each member on the project. He will not guide them. He only assigns tasks. He sets deadlines but does not consider time to work ratio. If there is a problem, the team leader has to resolve it. He is concerned with the work turnout. The end result is that the work looks to be done, but is it productive and are the stated objectives achieved?
Able project managers must have what the Sun Tzu prescribes in the Art of War for good commanders- wisdom, sincerity, benevolence, courage and strictness.
All aspects of project management should be adhered to for the project to fructify. Even if one element from the process is given a good bye, the result can be disaster.
Defining objectives, setting goals, using metrics, using the right PM software, effective communication that reaches down the line, maintaining healthy team relations and reviewing project milestones with appropriate management levels will ensure that the project is going on its logical course.
As Tom Carlos, a certified Project Management Professional with 20 years of globally managing projects says “Even with the best of intentions or solid plans, projects can go awry if they are not managed properly. All too often, mishaps can occur (and usually do). This is when the project manager must recognise a warning sign and take action. If you understand the difference between symptoms and problems and can spot warning signs of project failure, your training will help you take steps to right the ship before it keels over.”
Project managers must use their additional and latent skills such as conflict resolution, diplomacy and people skills to succeed and win laurels at every stage of the project.
