You may have participated (or “volun-told”) to be part of a team working on a specific corporate initiative. Sometimes those initiatives come from recurring problems or client feedback. Other times, someone has an idea that catches the ear of an executive. That executive lays out an edict, “we are going to focus on new growth in sector X.”
Soon, a team is assigned. Action items generated and weekly meetings ensue. Nine months & 8 scorecards later, little progress has been made. The team slowly stops attending. The initiative, once a key focus for 2018, dwindles without pomp and circumstance. Sound familiar? What happened?
Initiatives that carry on for months, without real success, are as appealing as stale bread. Waiting on other departments and/or budget/client dependencies beat down the excitement of the initial project. Other times, competing priorities reduce this “bold” initiative to a “nice-to-have” initiative that no one actually has time for.
To find out where a project is stalling, examine these 7 elements & ask these key questions:
1. Re-Visit the Purpose
It’s critical that team members know the crux of the project and why it is important. A solid understanding of the purpose of the initiative ensures that the team moves in a singular direction. Assumptions can kill a project. Clarity can supercharge it.
Start at the beginning of the initiative and then be sure to re-visit “the why” every several months – get the buy-in from the team. If team members have been switched out or the project is put on hold for a few weeks, this is an effective way to re-engage everyone.
Key Questions: Why did this initiative first start? What was the original catalyst for it? Why are we doing it? Has the purpose changed over time? Why is this important to our business?
2. Re-Assess the Desired Result
One of the other reasons to re-assess the purpose is that typically, as months go by, and as you gain information, it may be time to re-assess the desired result. And if new information isn’t considered, you could be reaching for a goalpost that is no longer relevant.
And wherever possible, results should be tracked by measurable metrics as a proper gauge of progress instead of subjective analysis which can be refuted.
Key questions: What was the original objective and/or mission? What is the clear metric that measures irrefutable success of the project? What did we intend to resolve? To change? To adopt? How has new information modified the desired result of the project?
3. Examine the Progress
Scorecard status vs. real status discussions. Too often, companies rely on submitted scorecards to communicate information. Instead, set a process for a verbal scorecard presentation and discussion around a topic on a monthly basis. A verbal discussion is worth 10 emails. Don’t get lost in electronic back-and-forth and miss the bigger picture.
And be sure your timetable is clear! Don’t leave projects open-ended from a timing perspective. Supporting data along the way also provides the team with the leverage to bring on additional resources and/or kill the project due to unfavorable results early on.
Key Questions: How can we better track the progress being made? What is our measure of success (weekly, monthly, quarterly)? How can we better communicate delays and hiccups? What one thing can make this project move more effectively for next week? How can this project be completed in 6 months, 12 months, 2 years? Are we seeing the progress we should by now?
4. Define the Feedback Loop
Long term projects need several feedback loops. Project teams may assume their “idea” is working fine because the feedback loop is months away and they are simply focused on their stage of the process. Don’t make that mistake. Build in feedback mechanisms at different stages so you can adjust and correct items before they make it to the next stage. Even more important, positive feedback on each stage is a measurable win and can keep your team motivated!
Key Questions: How can we create a forum that will provide some initial feedback? How will the customer see this working? Who is our beta test? What is our feedback loop for stages 1-10?
5. Research the Source of the Delay
Projects can reach a phase where the movement gets delayed. Be cognizant of the timing for your project. If a project has been moving but then suddenly slows down, be aware enough to start asking questions. Ask questions from various angles to deduce not only where the problem is but where the potential solution might come from.
Project fatigue or a sense of “this is not my department’s problem” can lead folks to ignore the delay. But by asking questions pointedly, the group can benefit from the collective feedback and assistance from the team members. Make the problem that of the team instead of just belonging to an individual department. Use the power of the group to leverage creativity to resolve problems.
Key Questions: What stage did things stop moving? Where are the stop-gaps? Where is the process and/or initiative falling down? How can we collaborate through this problem? How can management or support from the right departments help this problem? How can additional $, resources, or other elements help drive the process?
6. Evaluate the Team
Corporate initiatives’ projects work best with a balanced group of individuals. You need the visionaries, the leaders, and the relationship-builders, but you also need the workhorses – the folks with the expertise in the execution of “theories,” – the ones that make the magic happen. Depending on your initiative, be sure a correct blend of inspired resources is engaged for your initiatives.
And beyond that, make sure they have the bandwidth to do the heavy lifting. I can’t tell you how many times we discover that a bottleneck is the same singular resource that 6 other project teams are also waiting for!
Key questions: How is our resource pool? Available or overworked? Are they the right blend of individuals? Do they have management support? How are the attitudes of the team members involved? Are they too busy, burned out, unsupportive of the initiative? Can we tie compensation/bonus to it? Who’s in charge? Is there a clear lead who is accountable and responsible? Can we bring in some new blood to modify the balance of the group? How might it help?
7. Clarify the (Current) Status
In the real world, priorities shift every day. Don’t let your initiatives compete with each other. Be clear on your priorities and then adjust your resources, tools, and processes accordingly.
Key Questions: Is this project still a priority? How does it line up with all of the other priorities?
In some companies, initiatives die the painful death of wasted effort & ennui. Keep the momentum going by providing the clarity, focus, and management support a project needs.