I have often spoken about our ability to learn from failure. When we fail (hopefully, very infrequently), we analyze what we did wrong to insure we don’t repeat the same mistakes. But, when we succeed, we always assume we planned and executed perfectly. We don’t consider the fact that we may have been lucky, that some unforeseen event changed the environment that afforded our efforts the success we achieved. (It’s why we propose post-mortems on every project and plan. We want to learn what worked and what didn’t.) But, it’s sometimes easier to look at someone else’s failure to learn. Given that, let’s see the fodder one failed project can provide.
The first thing this company did was throw a few people at the solution. To a program that had a fairly well defined one-page mission and scope. When results were not being realized, the project leader requested and got to throw more people at the project. No further examination of the project scope, no new procedures, no weekly reviews by management. Just get things done. Yeah, that’s the ticket! And, they never considered bringing in outside experts (until the project was already a colossal money pit). Besides, the project leader was smarter than anyone else on the team.
As the leader, he was sure his job was to make the decisions no one else would. And, he did clearly post the expectations for his team. The fact that everyone was struggling to get the project done NOW meant that he had no time to review those expectations with the team members to insure they understood what those platitudes meant. After all, if they didn’t get it, it just meant they weren’t smart enough to be on this team in the first place. He also wanted the results so quickly that he never left a moment for the team to document what they did, what worked, what didn’t, what “small” design changes they made, etc. He expected the team members to remember all those little changes to put down later, when the project was done. (Trust me on this one- we spent tons of our client’s bucks trying to figure this out.)
Obviously, the project budget was fiction. They now had twice the staff, doing three more things each.. and still no one bothered to compare their efforts to the plan- or to the desired final specifications. When all was said and done, the division leader wanted us to recommend the project leader be let go- after all, he was the problem. We did recommend the firm terminate the project leader. And, the division leader. A set of general project guidelines that all company employees (they were engineer types) were henceforth to follow were promulgated- regardless of the instructions of their direct supervisor. These also included documentation reports that were due weekly to the company library (SharePoint), so that folks could really learn what happened, what choices were made, and why certain choices were not taken.
Does this sound like a project team of which you were part? What did you do to change those results?
Dare I say it, pretty often Roy.
When I think back at the project and jobs I have had, and consider how things ended, frequently with a feeling of emptiness and sense of “lack of achievement” both individually and collectively, I’m not surprised that I’ve struggled in the workplace in the past.
“People” don’t like admitting to mistakes and their part in them. The perception of a mistake, I’d argue, creates the biggest fear in the workplace. Blame and the search for a scapegoat serves to recue the majority from their part in being seen to be contaminated with what has gone wrong. How often, in the Freudian sense, are individuals “ejaculated” from the drama of a problem (the ejaculation being the sacking or removal from a team) that releases the tension until the next seudo “sexual” episode occurs?
This all sounds pretty doom and gloom, doesn’t it. In fact, I think people are a little more aware of these situations and what they mean these days. Gradually, I think workplaces are learning that simple blame does not remove the endemic issue of identifying what went wrong and how it can be corrected.
Crikey! I’ve nearly written a blog post here!
The article really caught me eye Roy. Thank you.
Marty-
So sorry you had the opportunity MULTIPLE times. Once- ok, twice- maybe…
It is so hard for us to ever admit that we fallible. One would be amazed how many parents teach their kids to say they’re sorry- oftentimes, forced. But, as the kids grow up they see their parents NOT provide regrets. The kids learn that saying you are sorry only applies if you are young!
And, we need to insure that we all pitch in- sometimes, the emperor really is NAKED!
Thanks for your comments.
Roy
Hi Roy,
This doesn’t sound like a project team I am part of but its sounds familiar because many people I know have complained about this. The lack of processes and documenting them!
It makes a lot of sense to document to project and see what worked and what were the issues they faced and look at how to resolve them.
In the past, I remembered we reviewed our results compared to our forecast monthly. If we met or didn’t meet targets, we look at what we have done to bring about those results.
Diana-
It’s amazing how commonplace this really is. (I can’t complain too loudly or lengthily…it pays the mortgage on the office…)
But, following the concept that we learn from failure, I figured I could help a few people who may be traveling down this rocky road.
Thanks for the comments. They are useful additions to the discussion!
Roy
Hi Roy, I have learned that many people don’t know how to be on teams. A lot of the times the person who is the leader assumes they are the most important part of the team, a true leader knows that everyone on the team is essential. Now there are a lot of people who worry about speaking their minds because they are afraid to lose their job if they step on someone’s toes (as the saying goes) and they don’t share their expertise, so how is the leader going to know what decisions to make if they are going with the best knowledge they have?
When I find myself stepping out of team mentality I say this several times to myself: “think we, not me”.
Karla:
I was lucky to learn a long time ago that the leader sets the tone, provides direction, but ABSOLUTELY needs the followers to get things done!
And, we (the founders) work hard to insure our folks CAN speak their minds. If they don’t, they have a great chance of summary termination! (We set up ONLY a few rules that are canonical- ours is not to reason why; just do or die– all other rules are subject to reinterpretations and discussion!)
Great comments and thanks for expanding the discussion to insure we don’t forget the value of teams AND attitudes.
Roy
I’ve been on both highly-effective and completely dysfunctional project teams. I think Roy is spot on by identifying the project lead as a team’s linchpin for either success or failure. I think one of the hardest things to stop is “scope creep,” but to Roy’s point that can only occur with frequent assessment milestones and course corrections if needed.
Thanks for your comments, Tor.
In your sector, this is a big issue! I believe that is a function of the ever-expanding stakeholder universe!
Roy
Roy,
I think that so many times…especially in a workplace setting…we’re programmed to look competent at all costs, so a major portion of our time and energy is pretending and projecting to our colleagues and co-workers an image that we want them to believe is us. Most work environments are not safe enough to allow authenticity and true genius to be unleashed because they are set up as places to judge and be judged.
I’m not saying that people should not be productive and perform well, but the system is set up to create actors, not miracle-makers. The real leaders are those who can balance both, IMHO.
Actually, Steven, I think the true leader has to “permission” mistakes and failures. The question is how to balance the potential risk against the foreseeable gains. If there is no risk, then the gains are at best incremental. To stretch further is to risk more!
The other thing the leader must do is provide (either personally or via delegation or direction) resources to the team.
But, what would I know- we only have developed about 100 fantastic products and advised about the same number of project teams…
Thanks for your comments!
Hi Roy,
It’s a common place in my field since aquaculture companies are usually mid-size biz where the leader and the owner are the same person, the kind that doesn’t like to recognize his/her mistakes.
Long time ago, the first time I faced this situation I received the big one. But I learned from there and since, I document and evaluate everything, even if nobody tells me to.
Some of the things that have worked better for me are: to find the way to numerically measure the project’s performance, to keep record of these numbers and to provide the results to everyone involved –again, even if they don’t ask for them.
Gustavo- that is so fantastic! That history is truly valuable.
Yes, I know aquaculture companies and their foibles. I think, though, I could extend that entire attitude to farm companies…
Thanks for dropping in!
Roy
Love the suggestion about measurements but experience says a good start brief and picking the right team helps. But its not easy to do, especially when owner is leader or manager is leader. Then the team defers to their power position. Projects are a time when true leadership is needed to do the right job right.
Touche, Roberta. And, oftentimes, HR or some executive VP also picks the team’s composition. Chemistry- and complementary backgrounds (that means my hole is your strength)- are not among the considerations. That also is a problem.
Thanks for your insight!
Roy
Thanks Roy, for the case study you presented to drive the message home. Lesson from this study is: whenever there’s a hitch, stop and evaluate the project health in order to identify the issue before it becomes a risk that may seriously marr the expected outputs and outcomes.
In that your example, the team leader, instead of identifying the root cause of the problem, pumped in more people – but then people is only but one single component of a system. The weekly reviews and team meetings could have done it instead of trying to salvage the project after it enter into ‘overrun.
Relating this to blogging and online business, we can say that it’s important to document your processes and procedures, with what’s working and what’s not – that could well be a guideline you can give freelancers when you need them. Even for beginners, once you document your journey, they can become sources of blog posts and also references for quick implementation of tasks.
Stella- your comments are STELLA-R!
Absolutely correct for projects AND for businesses in general.
You have book-ended my thoughts with your wonderful additions!
Roy
When it’s broke, fix it! Sounds like the project leader was not so much the leader! A good leader is able to analyze and switch gears when needed. I feel sorry for the peeps on his team! Yikes, wouldn’t want to be on that team! Thanks for sharing Roy!
Actually, the process by which this occurred is way too common! The upper management (which could be the owner of a smaller firm) has bought into the product/process, and is bound and determined that it should succeed. As it flounders, more resources are thrown at the problem, instead of determining why there are impediments.
Thanks for your comment- love the reverse of the normal statement!
Roy
This is such a powerful lesson, Roy! It’s worthwhile to analyze the successes as well! An outside observer may help with situations like these, don’t you think? So we don’t get caught up in our own arrogance. =P
Samantha:
Having run companies with outside board of directors and served on outside board of directors, my answer is that it depends upon the corporate philosophy (and its degree of openness). Not many boards delve down into projects- our firm’s does, and I tend to inquire. But, even assuming no such intervention, how many companies do you think will hire an outside monitor or advisor for a project? It is an extra cost that they consider a luxury (in today’s lean and mean environment). So, unless and until there is a problem, it will lie to the team members to declare when the emperor has no clothes.
Thanks for the input.
Roy