3 experts have described difficult decisions they had to take in one project.
Now think about what was important for them in taking the decision the took. Would they act differently in a different context? Why?
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No, they won’t think they would differently because, as a project manager that they are, they knew the time frame for the work, and they accepted, so it was all calculated, it was difficult but possible. As long as result could delivered at stipulated time, it’s a win for me. So they will do the same in a different scenario (As long as producing result is constant).
No, they won’t do differently***********
What was important for them all is simple. Reaching or achieving the goal of the project.
Every project is peculiar and challenges for every project is different hence, the different scenarios but one thing is key, the PM must find a way to reach his or her goal, pride should be put away, communication and empathy should be improved and also culture, language and understanding must be aligned in some cases.
Would they act differently? That depends on the situation being presented to them but from what I see they all know what their roles were as PM and would not deliberately do anything to jeopardize their ultimate goal. Hence even if presented with a different challenge they would still find a way to overcome their challenges.
They are experienced project managers even though, some projects can be tough, working with different people can be challenging but they will still achieve their aim.
All three of them encountered difficult decisions and at the end of the day, tried really hard to salvage the situations. They might take those decisions again or improve on them, one thing is sure, there is not set in stone solutions in such cases. One has to put the goal in mind and work towards achieving it without compromising on basic ethical values. Like they mentioned.. Collaboration is key..You cannot know it all. The team needs to work together, shake off baggages and look towards a solution. If it ends up being a negative one..catch the lessons learned and properly communicate to forestall future occurrences.
True, you nailed it.
What was most important to the project managers was to provide solution to the problems on ground in accordance with the ethical standards of practice and values of the organization.
The project managers would have acted differently in a different context due to arsing challenges, changes in the interests and goals of stakeholders, priorities of the organisation, bugdet, deadlines, scope of project etc.
However, in taking difficult decisions to bring solutions to the table, ethical standards and values of the organization must be taken into account.
I think that the project managers would have taken different decisions in different contexts. For example, the MTD project manager would have had to find another means if there was no source of water supply close by. Maybe the contingency buffer for the venue would have come into play.
Project managers act differently when it comes to taking difficult decisions. The actions taken depend on the matter on ground and since they all have different mentality their problem solving method will definitely be different.
If all the facilitator are not coming up with positive impact then it’s better you terminate
The Project Manager’s role in the life any given project could be likened to that of a master chef -requiring a fine mix of various ingrients (all stakeholders), to produce a final design which is acceptable to all and which everyone is happy with.
He must draw the line-indeed, maintain a balance between organizational culture and personal ethics and principles…being careful that the over all goal is met.
Meanwhile, some tough decisions land on his plate -especially the ones obviously going against set organization’s standards (by either internal players or “forces from without), and he must act in the interest of the project.
I think organisational values and culture goes a long way to affect decisions no matter how hard or simple the decision may seem.
As Project Managers must take into consideration the values of an organisation when making a decision
They mapped out their initial options in clear terms creating alternative outcomes like this helps you highlight the ethical choice.
They wouldn’t act differently in a different context unless the values and morals around that context doesn’t need to be considered when handling a difficult situation
In my opinion, the PMs took these factors into consideration before making such decisions; Risk Assessment, Budget, Project Success/Delivery and Time Management.
Along the line they also made sure to communicate to their team and more importantly the Stakeholders involved, the problem encountered and then collaborating ideas to make the final decisions.
I think they took best line of action as PMs In dealing with their various situations, whereby you had clients who already had history of bad record with the former Management Company, the best thing to do was to look for ways to bring them around by showing them the goals the project was going to achieve and it’s impact it would bring about and also making sure that they understood the project thoroughly to avoid issues along the duration of the project which could break trust.
The situations the project managers faced,from having to terminate a project early,language barrier and decision making,shows how important communication and honesty is in handling a project. In a cancelled project always pick up lessons because there will always be positives even from a cancelled project.
I think the three contexts were different, and their response was appropriate for those particular contexts. Terminating a project prematurely could be a tough decision to make but with the experience and knowledge of what is required, it takes being more realistic than being optimistic to do so.
All 3 PM was able to manage the difficulties encountered effectively. In my opinion, satisfactory delivery is most important especially if a client have had a poor experience with a different team. Going back to the drawing board may become necessary where random situation arises like the issue of the venue.. I particularly admire how the PM who had a language barrier iissie s able to manage the project effectively. Being open- minded or flexible to workable ideas from team members is commendable as a PM.
The decision to terminate a project prematurely, while potentially disappointing, does not equate to wasted knowledge. As a project manager, it is essential to employ effective knowledge management processes, ensuring that skills, tools, and techniques are not lost in the realm of knowledge. The decision to terminate a project early is carefully evaluated, taking into account various factors such as project objectives, schedule baseline, scope baseline, and more.
Project managers must possess the ability to navigate unforeseen challenges, even those not accounted for in the risk management plan. Every problem that arises should have a corresponding solution. In the described scenario, any additional costs incurred were transferred to the client, who bears responsibility for the project. This arrangement creates a win-win situation, despite the added expense for the client.
Flexibility and willingness to compromise are crucial traits for a project manager, especially when it comes to appeasing disgruntled stakeholders. However, it is important to maintain a focus on meeting project objectives. Communication channels and style play a vital role in project success, and it is the duty of the project manager to find effective solutions and navigate these aspects accordingly.
Real communication and the projects managers must ensure is well prepared for a given assignment before anything work is been done
Decision making is not easy in all situation but has to be made. A project manager must always be prepared to face some difficult situations that will require tough decision.
We are learning from top project managers and it can aid of decision making in the future.
Decision-making is not always an easy one in project management. the 3 P.M made effective decisions which was beneficial to their team and the project goal. Communication is key, carrying your team along about the status and state of the project and inconvenience is greatly important too which the 3 P.M did