Avoiding a Successful Project Failure
Paul Flanagan
Presented to the
Hampton Roads Chapter
Project Management Institute
September 1, 2004
© 2004 Christopher Technology Consulting LLC
No Change Is An Island is a Trademark of Christopher Technology Consulting LLC
Successful Project Failure ?
 Contradiction
in terms
?????
Have
we experienced this?
2
Two Types of Failure
 Technical
•“It doesn’t work”
 Effective
•“There’s no payoff”
3
Avoiding Failure

Technical Failure





Use the PMBOK
Good project planning
Good technical execution
Manage scope, cost, time, …
Effective Failure



Address the people issues
Early and often
First thought – not a later bolt on
4
Manage The Triangle
Cost
Scope
Time
5
Manage The Triangle
Technology
No Change
Process
Is An Island™
People
6
Research and Experience





Leavitt – 1965
Chaos Study – 1994, 2000
Kasser and Williams – 1997
2004 CIO Magazine Survey
Beer – 1980
7
Why are people the issue?

They don’t like change!


Specifically: They don’t like unknown or
unanticipated change
Prefer control
• But will settle for involvement and warning

Their Reactions




Apathy
Passive Aggression
Resistance
Sabotage
8
Usual Solution: Coercion

Because I’m the Mommy; that’s why!


Didn’t work for us as adolescents
Still doesn’t work

Wess Roberts, Leadership Secrets of Attila
the Hun
John Kotter: Leading Change

Makes the Project Manager

the Compliance Cop
9
Needed Solution: Involvement

Involve the people in shared success



Promote buy–in
Need to inspire the people
Successful change isn’t imposed.

It is grown by the affected people.
10
Secret to Involvement

Communication!

Key to Communication is –

Listening!

Active listening
• Not passive
• Includes others “in”
11
Communicate What?
Vision


For the project
For the team
No one succeeds unless everyone succeeds

Not the All Star Game –
but the World Championship
12
How Do Leaders Communicate?
F
I
S
H
Frequent
Integrated
Supportive
Honest
13
What Messages?





About
About
About
About
the
the
the
the
business – Why?
change – What?
impact – WIIFM?
schedule – When?
When people are satisfied about the
personal effects,
they will accept the other messages.
14
Not Just Words
Communication = Involvement

Adults learn by doing

Interactive exercises

Team efforts start small
• Logo selection – making decisions
• Presenting the old system – analysis, empathy

Skills are grown, not delivered
15
Key Project Team Skills for Success




Communication
Decision making
Conflict management
Analysis
16
Necessary Role Change
Project Manager
Project Leader
“You can't manage a man into
combat; you must lead him.
You manage things;
you lead people.”
Rear Admiral Grace Hopper, USN
17
Transformation To Leadership


Doesn’t happen overnight
Vision is paramount


Goal Oriented


Must believe in what can be, not what is
No one succeeds unless everyone succeeds
Key actions




Inspire
Involve
Inform
Influence
18
Some Project Leadership Tasks


Ensure people tasks are in the WBS
Don’t cut training and communication



Be sentry for people problems
Keep your eye on the prize


Not learning by “osmosis”
It’s not about the BOK or the plan
Marry every issue with a solution so all
succeed.
19
Four Key Concepts

No Change Is An Island™

No one succeeds
unless everyone succeeds

Communicate,
communicate,
communicate!

Systems don’t change – People do!
20
Don’t Manage; Lead!
To manage a project
Lead the people!
© 2004 Christopher Technology Consulting LLC
21
To contact us
Paul Flanagan
Christopher Technology Consulting LLC
1552 Lakeport Court
Virginia Beach, VA 23464
757-373-1454
pflanagan@christophertechnology.com
www.christophertechnology.com