Been handed a doomed project
Discussion
Hi,
I hope you can help with a work problem where I'm trying to get something done for processes/standards/ISO/compliance reasons which are very poor motivators! The only thing I want is to come out of this situation with a positive feeling rather than the depressing feeling of nothing gettind done and basically failing because nobody cares about your work. It's a simple project: get this one small team in the company, who work on their own product on their own computer network, moved onto the main company network. Relatively straightforward. The worry begins when I learn that for years, on and off, people have attempted to get this done but never has a single step closer to the goal been taken. Everyone depressingly says, "oh you've got that now" when I mention it. Hmmm
The only real motivators backing the project are the not-very-well-respected "Compliance" team which I'm lumped into for lack of anywhere else to go. The compliance higher-ups have decided I'm a fresh pair of eyes so might get this done this time round. But I'm just a deployment engineer though with no clout (however with good personal relationships) and I've no project management knowledge. I'm only 25 and in work for 2.5 years. I'm worried I've been handed a bit of a turd that I am certainly doomed to fail at and wind up unhappy and perhaps losing face/respect because of not getting anywhere. But I've been told to "get it done" by the types above me who think that everything is that easy - tellingly the same types never seem to produce any output themselves.
I want to turn this into a positive somehow so what should I do? I've done the rounds talking to the team to be moved, to internal IT etc and noone has any problems or issues with it. It should be very easy. But the step from this state to actually getting something done feels like it's a big one. The company normally works in such a way that everyone just keeps their heads down until someone big and scary enough comes along and demands you do something. These are the directors or their minions who interfere and bypass all management hierarchy and chains. From what I feel they aren't at all interested in compliance/ISO/audits/certification apart from freaking out about it every 5-10 years when they realise they'll lose customers because we're going to fail our audits.
This all makes it seem unlikely that anyone will start doing things because of a little minnow like me - understandably due to the lack of support from high up and the various pressures and often unreasonable demands placed on them by the important senior people. Plus there's no problem with the status quo, this is purely wanted for compliance with the industry standards required by our customers - who are public organisations of the state. So do I
A) Play like a respected army general and remain totally stoic and confident, waltz in with a smile and air of certainly that this will go ahead and will be done, and don't let anything make me doubt that. Despite inside being a nervous wreck and not having a clue how I'm going to make anything happen, just hope that other people get the motivation from me and things start moving along. Perhaps try and emphasize what happens if we don't meet the standards.
B) Go back to my bosses and say thanks, here's what I've done, but I don't feel I have the clout for this
C) Go back to my bosses and ask for a budget and a 'work package' (very unlikely to emerge and I wouldn't know what to do with it if it did!)
D) Ask for project management training?
E) Do nothing much, occasionally a bit of work but in my heart know that nothing's going to happen at all, then the project falls away eventually and noone will ask any questions. This is the path of least resistance but I take it too often and want to get away from it, you only feel worse in the long run.
Thankyou for comments!
I hope you can help with a work problem where I'm trying to get something done for processes/standards/ISO/compliance reasons which are very poor motivators! The only thing I want is to come out of this situation with a positive feeling rather than the depressing feeling of nothing gettind done and basically failing because nobody cares about your work. It's a simple project: get this one small team in the company, who work on their own product on their own computer network, moved onto the main company network. Relatively straightforward. The worry begins when I learn that for years, on and off, people have attempted to get this done but never has a single step closer to the goal been taken. Everyone depressingly says, "oh you've got that now" when I mention it. Hmmm
The only real motivators backing the project are the not-very-well-respected "Compliance" team which I'm lumped into for lack of anywhere else to go. The compliance higher-ups have decided I'm a fresh pair of eyes so might get this done this time round. But I'm just a deployment engineer though with no clout (however with good personal relationships) and I've no project management knowledge. I'm only 25 and in work for 2.5 years. I'm worried I've been handed a bit of a turd that I am certainly doomed to fail at and wind up unhappy and perhaps losing face/respect because of not getting anywhere. But I've been told to "get it done" by the types above me who think that everything is that easy - tellingly the same types never seem to produce any output themselves.
I want to turn this into a positive somehow so what should I do? I've done the rounds talking to the team to be moved, to internal IT etc and noone has any problems or issues with it. It should be very easy. But the step from this state to actually getting something done feels like it's a big one. The company normally works in such a way that everyone just keeps their heads down until someone big and scary enough comes along and demands you do something. These are the directors or their minions who interfere and bypass all management hierarchy and chains. From what I feel they aren't at all interested in compliance/ISO/audits/certification apart from freaking out about it every 5-10 years when they realise they'll lose customers because we're going to fail our audits.
This all makes it seem unlikely that anyone will start doing things because of a little minnow like me - understandably due to the lack of support from high up and the various pressures and often unreasonable demands placed on them by the important senior people. Plus there's no problem with the status quo, this is purely wanted for compliance with the industry standards required by our customers - who are public organisations of the state. So do I
A) Play like a respected army general and remain totally stoic and confident, waltz in with a smile and air of certainly that this will go ahead and will be done, and don't let anything make me doubt that. Despite inside being a nervous wreck and not having a clue how I'm going to make anything happen, just hope that other people get the motivation from me and things start moving along. Perhaps try and emphasize what happens if we don't meet the standards.
B) Go back to my bosses and say thanks, here's what I've done, but I don't feel I have the clout for this
C) Go back to my bosses and ask for a budget and a 'work package' (very unlikely to emerge and I wouldn't know what to do with it if it did!)
D) Ask for project management training?
E) Do nothing much, occasionally a bit of work but in my heart know that nothing's going to happen at all, then the project falls away eventually and noone will ask any questions. This is the path of least resistance but I take it too often and want to get away from it, you only feel worse in the long run.
Thankyou for comments!
OK you've been handed a stinker.
1) Identify what makes it stink. i.e. go back over history and analyse why it has failed.
2) Create a presentation called "The Stinky Project - why it failed" (Actually call it "Lessons Learned or not?"
3) Circulate this presentation to everyone including your bosses and make sure the guys who ACTUALLY make the decisions see the presentation and therefore know that you understand what the problems are in completing the project.
4) Flat out refuse to run the project if ANY of the reasons why it failed before are unassailable. i.e. - no-one WANTS to fix those problems. Say things like "If Mr XXXXX the MD doesn't change his mind about Y I can't see how this project can succeed for THIS VERY PLAIN EASY TO UNDERSTAND AND GOOD REASON".
If you get to run the project get the team to buy in to what is being done. If THEY simply refuse to do the work or "fail" to do it for example? Make sure that there is VISIBILITY of how and why each "failure" happened. For this you will need a project plan (a GOOD one) which includes all the tasks necessary, all the resources necessary and a list of "Roles and Responsibilities" (i.e. who is supposed to achieve WHAT by WHEN).
Record EVERYTHING that happens as you run the project. Meet weekly to discuss progress. If people aren't doing anything you will know within a fortnight.
Communicate progress to your boss. Regularly. If progress isn't being made identify why - and kick the problem upstairs.
Frankly you are aiming to get to be known as Mr Unpopular But Tough Who Gets It Done OR Mr Gave It His Best Shot But It's Just Not Doable. All this "transparancy and visibility" is basically covering your arse. And when you get handed the "doomed to fail" project that is your first consideration. Your (only just) second consideration is trying to win a promotion by being the guy who got it done. They way you will get it done is by making everyone who MUST do things to make it succeed HAVE to do so.
1) Identify what makes it stink. i.e. go back over history and analyse why it has failed.
2) Create a presentation called "The Stinky Project - why it failed" (Actually call it "Lessons Learned or not?"
3) Circulate this presentation to everyone including your bosses and make sure the guys who ACTUALLY make the decisions see the presentation and therefore know that you understand what the problems are in completing the project.
4) Flat out refuse to run the project if ANY of the reasons why it failed before are unassailable. i.e. - no-one WANTS to fix those problems. Say things like "If Mr XXXXX the MD doesn't change his mind about Y I can't see how this project can succeed for THIS VERY PLAIN EASY TO UNDERSTAND AND GOOD REASON".
If you get to run the project get the team to buy in to what is being done. If THEY simply refuse to do the work or "fail" to do it for example? Make sure that there is VISIBILITY of how and why each "failure" happened. For this you will need a project plan (a GOOD one) which includes all the tasks necessary, all the resources necessary and a list of "Roles and Responsibilities" (i.e. who is supposed to achieve WHAT by WHEN).
Record EVERYTHING that happens as you run the project. Meet weekly to discuss progress. If people aren't doing anything you will know within a fortnight.
Communicate progress to your boss. Regularly. If progress isn't being made identify why - and kick the problem upstairs.
Frankly you are aiming to get to be known as Mr Unpopular But Tough Who Gets It Done OR Mr Gave It His Best Shot But It's Just Not Doable. All this "transparancy and visibility" is basically covering your arse. And when you get handed the "doomed to fail" project that is your first consideration. Your (only just) second consideration is trying to win a promotion by being the guy who got it done. They way you will get it done is by making everyone who MUST do things to make it succeed HAVE to do so.
d.I've been in a similar situation and the best way to handle it, is to jump in feet first and get on with it!
Other than that, try and get some support from a director, even if you just ask him/her to send an email out to all concerned saying 'Pentoman is doing this and I want you all to give him your full support and assistance', it will help.
As for a positive to come out of it, you can be a smug git when it's done, especially knowing others before you have failed.
Other than that, try and get some support from a director, even if you just ask him/her to send an email out to all concerned saying 'Pentoman is doing this and I want you all to give him your full support and assistance', it will help.
As for a positive to come out of it, you can be a smug git when it's done, especially knowing others before you have failed.
)I agree.
In addition, your post suggests you are either:
a) scared of the job
b) dont think your up to it
c) dont want to be poisoned by the challis
Are you approching the job with a defetist attitude? Do this, your team will pick it up and as a result it is much more likely that (like many before) the task will fail.
Grip self -> grip team -> grip task.
Unless you are in control your self you can never grip a team and then the task.
In addition, your post suggests you are either:
a) scared of the job
b) dont think your up to it
c) dont want to be poisoned by the challis
Are you approching the job with a defetist attitude? Do this, your team will pick it up and as a result it is much more likely that (like many before) the task will fail.
Grip self -> grip team -> grip task.
Unless you are in control your self you can never grip a team and then the task.
Thanks so far
Yes like I said I'm pretty new to this and initial thoughts are that I can't do this it will fail etc. But hence the post here to try and turn it around because there's no point working like that. Want to get something positive out of it even if the project fails dismally. It should be a good opportunity to make an impression if I get somewhere with it.
Weekly meetings are the first and quickest thing I'll jump on - since if you're going to a meeting weekly you'd better have something to bring to the party each and every week!
Yes like I said I'm pretty new to this and initial thoughts are that I can't do this it will fail etc. But hence the post here to try and turn it around because there's no point working like that. Want to get something positive out of it even if the project fails dismally. It should be a good opportunity to make an impression if I get somewhere with it.
Weekly meetings are the first and quickest thing I'll jump on - since if you're going to a meeting weekly you'd better have something to bring to the party each and every week!
If there have been many half arsed attempts over the years to deliver the project but all have failed for one reason or the other then I'd be questioning the benefits of doing it at all. You need to make sure you have a sponsor (close to the top) who is going to support you and your project delivery team and who can kick other dept managers if you aren't getting the support from the business.
I don't agree with the comment that to be a good PM you are lazy. Know when to delegate for sure but also have the ability to roll the sleeves up and get stuck in to make things happen. Be prepared to run the risk of being accused of micro managing if needs be but if it gets the job done. Leading from the front and a positive attitude to the task will get you respect and also motivate people indirectly.
Lastly basic rules of project management apply (time / cost / quality / safety and also risk management i.e. understand what could cause failure to deliver the project and manage accordingly). Also, communication. Make sure the objectives and reasons for doing it are clear and concise and make sure this is communicated to the team and stakeholders.
Remember: projects are human endeavours!!
All the above in my humble opinion of course
I don't agree with the comment that to be a good PM you are lazy. Know when to delegate for sure but also have the ability to roll the sleeves up and get stuck in to make things happen. Be prepared to run the risk of being accused of micro managing if needs be but if it gets the job done. Leading from the front and a positive attitude to the task will get you respect and also motivate people indirectly.
Lastly basic rules of project management apply (time / cost / quality / safety and also risk management i.e. understand what could cause failure to deliver the project and manage accordingly). Also, communication. Make sure the objectives and reasons for doing it are clear and concise and make sure this is communicated to the team and stakeholders.
Remember: projects are human endeavours!!
All the above in my humble opinion of course
As someone else said CYA (Cover Your Ar$e) above all else.
How did the other people/projects fail at this?
Identify your timescale and then try to fit in what needs to be done within that.
Work out some stages and then try to meet those.
If people start agreeing, document it and send it out, i.e. if it's verbal email it back
to them and cc in your boss/manager. Either they deny it or they then have to accept it.
Once each step/stage has been achieved tick it off, keep the thing moving forward and
eventually you should reach the goal.
Manage it - i.e. try not to let the timescales slip and keep everyone informed. Don't be
hands off and attempt to resolve things as quickly and amicably as possible.
It sounds like you've got "buy in" from all sides, confirm this to IT and the moving dept.
and then move from there.. If not try and show them all the benefits (as long as there
are some!) and then get them to "sign up to it".
Keep a well ordered list of communication with people and be mindful of targets and stages,
people like to accept things, but then other work pressures come on, if they agree to things
try to assess if other work commitments will come along and mean that they end up attempting
to stall things. Of course work with them - if it gets delayed by a few days or a week then
no problem, but longer than that and the whole thing will start to snarl up and hit other
problems. If it does get delayed attempt to get it back on track. Of course be aware that
they will see your project as a non-chargeable PITA. Potentially throw back delays on them -
maybe issue some kind of chart showing RAG status.. i.e. Red Amber Green.. If you're going
to meet it (with contingency!) then it's red, if you think you may miss a stage Amber, if you
know you're going to miss a deadline Red... and then put the reason for it as their delay.
It makes them look "bad" and no one wants that on them! They'll give a little more resource
to it or work more closely with you to resolve it.
Deadlines and stages are good, but keep a bit of contingency, but do not, not, not let anyone
know that you have contingency built-in, otherwise they'll want to know what it is and what
the "real" deadline is.
How did the other people/projects fail at this?
Identify your timescale and then try to fit in what needs to be done within that.
Work out some stages and then try to meet those.
If people start agreeing, document it and send it out, i.e. if it's verbal email it back
to them and cc in your boss/manager. Either they deny it or they then have to accept it.
Once each step/stage has been achieved tick it off, keep the thing moving forward and
eventually you should reach the goal.
Manage it - i.e. try not to let the timescales slip and keep everyone informed. Don't be
hands off and attempt to resolve things as quickly and amicably as possible.
It sounds like you've got "buy in" from all sides, confirm this to IT and the moving dept.
and then move from there.. If not try and show them all the benefits (as long as there
are some!) and then get them to "sign up to it".
Keep a well ordered list of communication with people and be mindful of targets and stages,
people like to accept things, but then other work pressures come on, if they agree to things
try to assess if other work commitments will come along and mean that they end up attempting
to stall things. Of course work with them - if it gets delayed by a few days or a week then
no problem, but longer than that and the whole thing will start to snarl up and hit other
problems. If it does get delayed attempt to get it back on track. Of course be aware that
they will see your project as a non-chargeable PITA. Potentially throw back delays on them -
maybe issue some kind of chart showing RAG status.. i.e. Red Amber Green.. If you're going
to meet it (with contingency!) then it's red, if you think you may miss a stage Amber, if you
know you're going to miss a deadline Red... and then put the reason for it as their delay.
It makes them look "bad" and no one wants that on them! They'll give a little more resource
to it or work more closely with you to resolve it.
Deadlines and stages are good, but keep a bit of contingency, but do not, not, not let anyone
know that you have contingency built-in, otherwise they'll want to know what it is and what
the "real" deadline is.
To identify why it failed previously I've just arranged & had a little meeting with the last guy tasked with this. Seemingly there's one person who blocked the move previously and he's now moved on. I'm yet to find out why he blocked it. However the guy also took me to a director, explained what I was doing and asked him to be 'on board'. The director agreed to be and seemed to care to a reasonably degree (smiling and nodding and saying yes ok was as far as it went).
So that is good. Still tentative as one verbal comment of being on board may not hold indefinitely, however I just might not be selling an Arthur Daley car any more. Suppose I should also consider what to do if the project does really take off - try to continue being PM despite not knowing how to do it, and get some of the glory (risky)? Or reluinqish control to a someone more experienced and get no glory?
ETA: The guys who are being moved don't really care too much about being moved. They're not taking it that seriously yet because it's been attempted so many times before. However when they are moved there'll be a little extra work/learning for them and they'll lose their unmonitored internet access... so I don't expect them to 'pick it up and run with it' (is this an annoying management term I'm using already?)
So that is good. Still tentative as one verbal comment of being on board may not hold indefinitely, however I just might not be selling an Arthur Daley car any more. Suppose I should also consider what to do if the project does really take off - try to continue being PM despite not knowing how to do it, and get some of the glory (risky)? Or reluinqish control to a someone more experienced and get no glory?
ETA: The guys who are being moved don't really care too much about being moved. They're not taking it that seriously yet because it's been attempted so many times before. However when they are moved there'll be a little extra work/learning for them and they'll lose their unmonitored internet access... so I don't expect them to 'pick it up and run with it' (is this an annoying management term I'm using already?)
Edited by Pentoman on Friday 27th June 13:56
A couple of things.
I've done this kind of thing before. You can opt for the "I'm the PM and this is how it's going to be" or you can try another way.
When I was young, inexperienced and didn't have the necessary authority to make things happen by diktat, my way of doing it was to join the team that was causing the problems... full time. That way I got in amongst them, worked with them, laughed with them, understood their drivers and was able to use my main assets to steer the team in the right direction.
A small autonomous team like to feel a bit renegade, right down to silly things like they might not be bound by the internet access rules as others up to 'we like building our own development machines' or whatever, there's always reasons but you're only going to get to the bottom of the reasons if you mixing it with them.
Secondly, I'd be tempted to use a political ruse i.e. You tell them "sorry chaps but I've been told this IS going to happen. There's not an option on that, however, if it does happen and it happens smoothly then you may be able to negotiate about certain issues that you think are important. The best way I can see it working is if we (remember you're on their team now) take control of the transfer and we own the process."
Then do all the normal things, set objectives, timeline, persons responsible etc.
I've done this kind of thing before. You can opt for the "I'm the PM and this is how it's going to be" or you can try another way.
When I was young, inexperienced and didn't have the necessary authority to make things happen by diktat, my way of doing it was to join the team that was causing the problems... full time. That way I got in amongst them, worked with them, laughed with them, understood their drivers and was able to use my main assets to steer the team in the right direction.
A small autonomous team like to feel a bit renegade, right down to silly things like they might not be bound by the internet access rules as others up to 'we like building our own development machines' or whatever, there's always reasons but you're only going to get to the bottom of the reasons if you mixing it with them.
Secondly, I'd be tempted to use a political ruse i.e. You tell them "sorry chaps but I've been told this IS going to happen. There's not an option on that, however, if it does happen and it happens smoothly then you may be able to negotiate about certain issues that you think are important. The best way I can see it working is if we (remember you're on their team now) take control of the transfer and we own the process."
Then do all the normal things, set objectives, timeline, persons responsible etc.
Manage expectations - audit current, understand expectation, analyse and conclude if realistic. In the event it is not deliverable, define what it would require to deliver OR change the current scope to fit in with required resource availablity and RECORD!
LIAR document must be in place aka Risks, Assumptions, Issues Log.
Project Plan i.e list of tasks by date (you do not have to use MPP {Microsoft Project Plan} but any tool that you are comfortable with, but excel is manually intensive).
Get your regular meetings in the calendar for the next x months.
Prepare a Project Charter - a clear 1 page summary of what you are expected to deliver by when and with whom in the team, plus who is your customer - the last point has got to be someone with clout.
Have a visible Action Register and ensure that dates are incorporated plus any repeated non-delivery escalated to the non-deliverees manager.
Remember - if it all goes wrong it is "the PMs fault", if it is a resounding success - "the team did a great job".
You will also find as your projects are successful, people will flock to you/project, in order to be associated with success.
LIAR document must be in place aka Risks, Assumptions, Issues Log.
Project Plan i.e list of tasks by date (you do not have to use MPP {Microsoft Project Plan} but any tool that you are comfortable with, but excel is manually intensive).
Get your regular meetings in the calendar for the next x months.
Prepare a Project Charter - a clear 1 page summary of what you are expected to deliver by when and with whom in the team, plus who is your customer - the last point has got to be someone with clout.
Have a visible Action Register and ensure that dates are incorporated plus any repeated non-delivery escalated to the non-deliverees manager.
Remember - if it all goes wrong it is "the PMs fault", if it is a resounding success - "the team did a great job".
You will also find as your projects are successful, people will flock to you/project, in order to be associated with success.
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