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How to Get Things Done
By David A. Baldwin
By David A. Baldwin
I recently completed a project for a large corporation. Out of ten
or so projects attempted during the year, mine was the only
project to actually reach completion. What happened to the other
projects?
In many organizational cultures the ability to execute, to actually
get a task done, is elusive. To complete a series of related tasks,
in the form of a project, is often nearly impossible.
In completing the project I referred to above, I managed to finish
what the project set out to do by following a few simple rules.
These rules are common sense, but that, too, is often elusive in
corporate settings where so many competing interests work to
defeat what seems obviously simple.
Be Realistic
In a world where project management rules, great pains are
taken to create a host of project documentation meant to ensure
ultimate success. People often live and die by project schedules.
Nevertheless, both scope creep and schedule creep seem to
drive most projects into the ground.
Two rules apply to planning a project. First, don't bite off more
than you can chew. Second, allow enough time to accomplish
what you set out to do. Both are part of being realistic.
Being realistic about project scope means setting sensible
objectives. You will have a finite number of people contributing to
the work. Make sure you know what those people are capable of
contributing. Then decide how much work makes sense.
Being realistic about the project schedule means looking at the
project scope and giving yourself enough time to be successful.
Project schedules are too often driven by managers or
executives with silent agendas. If there's a time to put up a fight
on a project, it's in making sure that the project scope and the
project schedule make sense without secretly counting on
individual heroics to reach the finish line.
Don't Always Expect Consensus
These days projects are executed by teams. Sometimes there is
the project team, people who try to make decisions, and then a
smaller core team that is expected to actually do the work.
People in corporate settings love to have meetings and talk. In
many cases, the larger project team expects democracy to reign
allowing everyone equal opportunity for input. Without
continuously being mindful of the impact on the schedule, project
managers allow too many meetings to take place that last too
long while they try to let everyone have their say.
While it is necessary to be reasonable about hearing the opinions
of project team members, meeting discussions need to be guided
and disciplined. The core team members, the people who will do
the work, should have a good idea about what needs to be done
and be proactive in making sure the project isn't derailed by
more casual project participants who are just burning up their
day in meetings.
Be a Leader
Whether its taking part in project meetings, or actually doing the
tasks that lead to project completion, step up and lead the way.
Have a good idea of where the project needs to go to succeed
and be an outspoken advocate for that course of action. Use your
powers of persuasion to keep errant team members on track.
Being a leader isn't about control, it's about shepherding the
team to a successful project conclusion.
Know What to Do
Projects provide solutions to a problems. Understand the nature
of the problem being addressed by the project. Use your
experience and best judgment to determine a solution that will
actually impact the problem. Stay realistic as you consider
alternative solutions. Usually projects produce one or more work
products that represent the solution. Make sure the breadth and
depth of proposed work products fit the project scope and
schedule.
Do It
Once you are certain the right solution has been selected, get to
work on providing it. Don't expect other project team members
to do their fair share. That's not likely to happen. People working
on teams often shirk the responsibility of actually doing work.
Again, use your leadership skills to enlist the help of the team,
and realistically understand what talents individuals can offer and
make the most of them. But never assume everyone is as
interested in a successful project outcome as you are. Failure is
too often tolerated in today's corporate environment.
Stay With It
Following my advice, of course, requires that you care about your
project and the work products that it yields. But commitment to
the work at hand, without thinking that it's too hard or will take
too long, is exactly what takes a project to the sparsely
populated land of success. Don't become resentful if Joe or Mary
Jane is not pulling their weight. You can't always dictate who will
serve on a project team. Do what you have to do to get it done.
Getting it done right is nice, too.
As for those other projects I mentioned in the beginning that
didn't get done, they obviously had no one working on them who
followed these rules. In summary, stay focused on these five
rules: be realistic, be willing to lead, understand the problem, find
the right solution, and do the work. Everything else is just noise.
Comments?
or so projects attempted during the year, mine was the only
project to actually reach completion. What happened to the other
projects?
In many organizational cultures the ability to execute, to actually
get a task done, is elusive. To complete a series of related tasks,
in the form of a project, is often nearly impossible.
In completing the project I referred to above, I managed to finish
what the project set out to do by following a few simple rules.
These rules are common sense, but that, too, is often elusive in
corporate settings where so many competing interests work to
defeat what seems obviously simple.
Be Realistic
In a world where project management rules, great pains are
taken to create a host of project documentation meant to ensure
ultimate success. People often live and die by project schedules.
Nevertheless, both scope creep and schedule creep seem to
drive most projects into the ground.
Two rules apply to planning a project. First, don't bite off more
than you can chew. Second, allow enough time to accomplish
what you set out to do. Both are part of being realistic.
Being realistic about project scope means setting sensible
objectives. You will have a finite number of people contributing to
the work. Make sure you know what those people are capable of
contributing. Then decide how much work makes sense.
Being realistic about the project schedule means looking at the
project scope and giving yourself enough time to be successful.
Project schedules are too often driven by managers or
executives with silent agendas. If there's a time to put up a fight
on a project, it's in making sure that the project scope and the
project schedule make sense without secretly counting on
individual heroics to reach the finish line.
Don't Always Expect Consensus
These days projects are executed by teams. Sometimes there is
the project team, people who try to make decisions, and then a
smaller core team that is expected to actually do the work.
People in corporate settings love to have meetings and talk. In
many cases, the larger project team expects democracy to reign
allowing everyone equal opportunity for input. Without
continuously being mindful of the impact on the schedule, project
managers allow too many meetings to take place that last too
long while they try to let everyone have their say.
While it is necessary to be reasonable about hearing the opinions
of project team members, meeting discussions need to be guided
and disciplined. The core team members, the people who will do
the work, should have a good idea about what needs to be done
and be proactive in making sure the project isn't derailed by
more casual project participants who are just burning up their
day in meetings.
Be a Leader
Whether its taking part in project meetings, or actually doing the
tasks that lead to project completion, step up and lead the way.
Have a good idea of where the project needs to go to succeed
and be an outspoken advocate for that course of action. Use your
powers of persuasion to keep errant team members on track.
Being a leader isn't about control, it's about shepherding the
team to a successful project conclusion.
Know What to Do
Projects provide solutions to a problems. Understand the nature
of the problem being addressed by the project. Use your
experience and best judgment to determine a solution that will
actually impact the problem. Stay realistic as you consider
alternative solutions. Usually projects produce one or more work
products that represent the solution. Make sure the breadth and
depth of proposed work products fit the project scope and
schedule.
Do It
Once you are certain the right solution has been selected, get to
work on providing it. Don't expect other project team members
to do their fair share. That's not likely to happen. People working
on teams often shirk the responsibility of actually doing work.
Again, use your leadership skills to enlist the help of the team,
and realistically understand what talents individuals can offer and
make the most of them. But never assume everyone is as
interested in a successful project outcome as you are. Failure is
too often tolerated in today's corporate environment.
Stay With It
Following my advice, of course, requires that you care about your
project and the work products that it yields. But commitment to
the work at hand, without thinking that it's too hard or will take
too long, is exactly what takes a project to the sparsely
populated land of success. Don't become resentful if Joe or Mary
Jane is not pulling their weight. You can't always dictate who will
serve on a project team. Do what you have to do to get it done.
Getting it done right is nice, too.
As for those other projects I mentioned in the beginning that
didn't get done, they obviously had no one working on them who
followed these rules. In summary, stay focused on these five
rules: be realistic, be willing to lead, understand the problem, find
the right solution, and do the work. Everything else is just noise.
Comments?
© 2008 David A. Baldwin, Dave Baldwin Consulting. All rights reserved.
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