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?
(If you are part of an ongoing PM bootcamp cohort on DEXA, also copy your comment to your group)
Even in situations that requires compromise, the project manager should focus more on the success of a project. Also, when the trust a project manager has built over time with stakeholders and sponsors of the project will make it easy to communicate better on the project at hand,
*Dealing with difficult decisions -Discussion*
Project manager need to be able to compromise. Their set goal at all times should find a way to go ahead with the project at hand irrespective of the challenges faced with while on the project. It is not always easy for a project manager to terminate a the ongoing project as a lot of efforts has been invested. For instance, when you get stocked up in a project rather than terminating it, you have to diversify means of solving it, like the expect that brought water to the event center by paying for the contingencies which now served as a legacy.
As a project manager, there are situations which requires compromise.
The project managers at different times experienced the ups and down aspect of managing a project. But they focused more on the success of the project. They made sure, the team members and stakeholders were able to put resources and efforts together to achieve their objectives.
Our approach most times to difficult/unforseen situations matters, all the managers had different situations at hand but their approach were topnotch, certain challenges needs an immediate response while there are some that a manager has to call on his team, where they discuss and agree on what to do to attend to the challenges.
Seldom do we get to work on a project where we get everything we want, and everyone agrees on the work. Most of the time leading a project involves several conversations and compromises. Sometimes the key stakeholders will want the impossible. Other times they may be shooting too low. If you have built a good relationship, it becomes easier to have open honest conversations with your stakeholders. They’ll listen to your opinion and allow for flexibility in meeting the project goals.
For most of us, the project sponsor is the senior business leader who has invested in your project. Oftentimes project leaders will think of the sponsor as “the person with the checkbook” and treat them as such. With this approach, one can unintentionally assume that the sponsor only wants to hear about what’s going well. I’ve seen more than one project manager hide challenges and try to resolve them on their own just to keep the sponsor happy. A good project manager may operate this way for years and do just fine. However, moving from good to great takes a different approach.
To help your projects go great, leverage the three concepts (trust, communication, and understanding) to build a better relationship with your sponsors. Share what goes well and what doesn’t. Sponsors will oftentimes have the relationships in an organization to “pull some strings” and help remove any obstacles in the way of your project.
I believe what was important for them in the decision they took were as follows:
1. the cons of continuing a project out weighed the pros and this had to be communicated clearly to all the stakeholders involved to get their buy in
2. When faced with the challenge of looming failure with a project it was necessary to reach a compromise in finding a solution and the willingness to take on extra costs just for the project to achieve its objective
3. the need for collaboration was a motivation to overcome the language barrier.
They would act differently in a different context because different situations calls for different actions but I believe they would still have acted in line with their values.
They all did what they thought was best at that point in time. Especially that of communication barrier.. communication covers over 80% percent of project management as a profession and there is no way you could function as a project manager without an effective communication. So I think the best way to handle that is either to get an interpreter or terminate the project
No.they wouldn’t act differently in different context because they were acting according to the values of their profession.
Dealing with difficult decisions – Discussion
1. The difficult decision made by Cathy Shaw was the decision to terminate a project early.
2. The Difficult decision made by Emanuele Colomella was that of Language having to work with an intenational company
3. The difficult decision for Bill Wooten was the sporting event continuing as scheduled after knowing the issue of water supply
In dealing with difficult situations, project managers must allow for flexibility in handling issues. Dogmatic leaders tend to make great mistakes on a project.
Relationship with customers, colleagues and stakeholders generally is very important and some good compromises must be allowed as long as it does not nullify their ethics.