Then you toss a few more purchases into the cart as you make your way back to the dairy case to grab those eggs (you forgot about those for a minute, didn’t you?).īefore you even realize what happened, your five-minute stop at the grocery store turned into an hour-long shopping trip. You take the walk of shame to the front of the store to grab a shopping cart. Things are tumbling everywhere, no matter how hard you try to keep them together. Oh, and then you realize you need some paper towels.Īt this point, jamming items under your chin and precariously balancing them in your arms isn’t working. You might as well snag one of those, too.

Then you get distracted by an end cap full of scented candles. On your way to the dairy case, you remember that you’re out of cereal. Sacco is a project manager at a large East Coast technology company.You need to make a quick stop at the grocery store to buy eggs. When you watch the game films, pay attention. You've heard the saying that the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result. Yet how may times have we gotten deep into the next build phase only to realize there are still loose ends - just like the last time? If we don't apply the lessons learned, did we really learn them? We perform the 'lessons learned' project phase for a reason. This way, you can move things along and reduce your overall risk, especially when you get on the wrong train later on. Build up a lead from the get-go even though you aren't behind (yet).

For example, you can authorize some overtime for key tasks from the start. While not appropriate for every project, one option is to make it a 'project theme' to be early whenever you can. But there's something you can do about it. It's a fact that some tasks are going to be late. Have you ever been on a project where no tasks were completed late? Me, neither. 'I knew I was going to take the wrong train, so I left early.' But remember, there's a difference between chatting it up with the guys in the dugout and second-guessing every fastball. Remember management by walking around, or MBWA? There's no better way to get that all-important gut check on project stats. How can your team keep their eyes on the ball if you're constantly yelling instructions from the dugout? I find that during the execution phase, the best approach for me is low-touch - unless things are going very wrong. Once the plan is in place, get out of your team's face and let them do the voodoo that they do so well. Yogi clearly understands the distinction between planning and execution, and so should you. 'Think? How the hell are you gonna think and hit at the same time? In the end, you'll still get indigestion. You can slice and reslice the numbers, but it's the same pizza.

But I have been on projects where the management team has tossed out the measures when the news was trending bad. 'You'd better cut the pizza in four pieces, because I'm not hungry enough to eat six.' Earned value (once calibrated, simulated and adopted) is a very good barometer for justifying course corrections - if you stick with it. And it means weighing the trade-offs in terms of cost, prestige and momentum when facing the possibility of changing decisions that have already been made. It means putting in the effort with management and team members to make well-thought-out decisions that naturally stand the test of time. This doesn't mean making arbitrary decisions or carving plans in stone. I can't think of one thing better for morale, credibility and project effectiveness. 'If you come to a fork in the road, take it.' Foster a culture of decisiveness and clear execution. How many times have you held a project meeting and been surprised that it wasn't the 'check the box' event you expected? Yogi knew what he was talking about: What I think I say and what you think you hear can be two different things. 'I didn't really say everything I said.' Miscommunication: the gift that keeps on giving. But you need to get your facts straight and communicate with the decision-makers in no uncertain terms. If the client (or your management) sets unreasonable standards, you have to get out of the dugout and argue balls and strikes. Your team can't get traction, and morale inevitably suffers. Executing to a faulty premise is unpleasant at best and debilitating at worst. It's like when the umpire expects your pitcher to hit a tiny strike zone. Source: Giorgio Palmisano 'You've got to be very careful if you don't know where you're going, because you might not get there.' Have you ever managed a project for which the premise was faulty? If this issue is not resolved during project initiation, you have a major-league problem.

Pmp management by walking around