rename the project!Rick Morris presented to our MileHi PMI chapter and states that 59-94% of projects fail. He advised us how to turn around failing projects.
Why do teammembers feel their priorities change daily, but the executive's priorities are unlikely to change monthly, quarterly, or even annually?
Rick recommends to plan the project, communicate the project goal over and over, and then stop the plan for a "halftime" to re-focus the team on the project goals. Celebrate progress every 4-6 weeks.
How many project managers are formally trained? He mentioned "The Halo Effect" that promotes talented technicians into project managers, which also reminds me of the Peter Principle.
How does he turn around failing projects? 90% of the time there is a shy, passive teammember who has the answer, but is not being heard.
A PM cannot "guarantee" a date. Rick's response goes sort of like this:
If a manager drives the same 20 minute commute to work everyday for 10 years (2000 times), she could see a 400-800% variance between best time (15 min.) and a traffic accident (2 hours). How is a PM supposed to lead unknown resources through an unknown project within a guaranteed date?
A PM simply identifies the resources needed for a given project and communicates those needs by stating what is needed to finish on time and the impact otherwise.
PM: "I need 3 resources or the date slips to 15Jun"
Stakeholder: "The date cannot slip"
PM: "great, then I will get the 3 resources or do the best we can; I just facilitate."
Rick A. Morris, PMP is the author of The Everything Project Management Book, Project Management that Works, and Stop Playing Games.
I am following his blog http://www.pmthatworks.com/ to learn the differences between a PMO and an OEPD (office that executes poor decisions)
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