Could it be that predictable project success boils down
to an essential tool?
In 1998 – 1999 I had the wonderful opportunity to
facilitate and write
the program
for the Caltrans
Statewide Partnering Steering Committee (the
California Department of Transportation). The
committee included Caltrans’ heads of construction
from all over the state, key industry contractors,
and the FHWA. Over an eighteen month period we met
and discussed how to make construction projects
succeed. We had a chance to
identify and interview
project managers from all over the country who were
consistently successful. These were people who just
seemed to know how to make a project succeed. We
asked them the secret to their success. Over and
over we heard that it was the fact that they had a
monthly project survey. The survey was sent out to
those working on the project. When the project
managers got the
results they met with their counterparts and
discussed them.
How can you succeed if you don't know where your
project stands?
The
Caltrans experience, along with working with over
1,000 project teams, was the beginning
of some real insight on what it takes to
consistently make a project succeed.
Monthly measurement allows the
team leaders to
assure accountability - that project commitments are
made and kept. It allows the leaders to assure that
project risks and issues are fleshed out before they
become project problems and disputes. It provides a
way to make course corrections and to steer the
project toward success. Most project leaders are
working in the dark. Sure they have a project
schedule, budget, weekly meetings, and many forms and
documents…but they don’t really know what their team
members are committed to or concerned about. Most of
the time project risks only come to light when they
have grown into problems or disputes. Whether it's
an IT, strategic, branding, R&D, or other type
project, even the best, most
experienced project leaders can’t manage what they
don’t know about!
Projects are often the site of many
prayers... prayers that things come together so the
project succeeds
Of course project leaders want their projects to
succeed. They work very hard and use many
management tools to help.
But, most
project leaders tell me that a project’s success is
really up to hoping that the right people come
together, in the right way. This seems, at best,
pretty hard to manage. It makes you, as the project
leader, a victim to the circumstances of your
project team.
Many times the belief that all you can do is hope for the best leads to a sense of helplessness.
Helplessness and loss of hope, with it’s undercurrent
of fear, can spread over an entire project like wild
fire! That’s when projects really begin to get
stuck. Yes, even good seasoned professionals can get
stuck. Once a project is stuck it is next to
impossible for the project leaders to get it
unstuck…because they are now a part of the problem.
Dear Colleague,
For over twenty years I’ve worked to develop
processes and tools that create predictable success
for projects. It has been impossible
for me to work on all of the projects that have
asked for my assistance. I have worked on as many as
100 projects per year. But this has been a point of
frustration. I have a mission to truly transform
project teams… not just to help, but to
really show project leaders how they can almost
assuredly have successful projects. Now for the
first time I am offering my assistance to any
type of project. I can do this through
the Scorecard Program and
the Internet.
I am very excited about this program and the
possibility of working with you on your projects. I
can’t share with you everything about this program
on this introductory page, so
if you are interested
in knowing more, I have created a guided tour for
you. Just clink on the link below to take the tour.
It is my sincere wish that all of your projects are
a great success!
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