BE THE FIRST TO KNOW
Subscribe to the SPOCE newsletter to receive timely updates about new courses, venues and discounts!
Just because somebody creates a project brief, it doesn’t mean that we must run with the idea. In fact, it is my opinion that many ideas should not be put into action at all. Ill thought-out and poorly supported business cases crush organisations in the long run, yet this could be stopped with just a little bit more thought from a PM and sponsor. As part of any business case the “options analysis” is absolutely essential. Two key questions are asked in this section:
- How far should we go with this project?
- Should we do this project at all?
As I have eluded to, it is that second question that unfortunately gets overlooked!
Then along comes all the questions of change throughout the project. The customer changes their mind, the quality gets adjusted, the scope gets expanded, the list goes on. But do we really have to input these changes? Are they necessary or are people just over-excited? Again, a wise sponsor can establish when not to be trigger happy and approve all changes but instead work through the impact analysis for each change request and establish a sound and justified decision.
Saying no to excited people doesn’t make them very happy, but saying no, standing firm, and then showing the results in terms of savings and efficiency in the long run keeps the majority of investors and key stakeholders very happy.
Finally, looking down a leadership route here, a good sponsor also needs to understand when to, and when not to get involved in the day-to-day ongoings. Sure, they have the authority to jump in at any point in the project, but should they? Too frequent interruptions can be a problem for stability, and micromanaging is a fast way to demotivate and push a project manager further away from your project and / or organisation.
Instead, think about a laissez-faire approach of delegating the work and allowing the PM to explore, be creative and problem solve themselves. Be there when they call for your advice, but constantly being right in the PMs way often stops them from performing at their best. For the good of the team, allow yourself to do nothing from time to time.
So there you have it, my advice on how to do nothing. While it may sound strange, I believe a lot of sponsors could do with a better understanding of when to and when not to do things. Making these decisions is no easy task, so if you would like more information on how best to manage your change initiatives, book onto one of our project or perhaps programme management training courses. To book on, call 0800 151 0140 or visit www.spoce.com to view all our dates, times, locations and methods.
Having worked in the industry since 2016, Harley’s experience is vast and knowledge of project management methods is of an elite standard. He has covered a wide variety of roles in a plethora of projects and has worked with some incredible project professionals over the years; there is seldom a scenario that Harley has not encountered. Residing in Poole, Dorset Harley has specialized in maritime projects and programmes in and around the stunning natural harbour.
From project managing major yachting events, to advising on risk management approaches, the natural elements have thrown endless challenges into projects where Harley has strategically extracted the best outcomes from each scenario. These tales make up some of Harley’s most interesting examples used when delivering his training of which attendees enjoy.
SPOCE is proud to have industry leading pass rates for delegates in the PRINCE2® and APM methods which Harley has played a vital part in achieving. Starting his training career in 2019, he would run sessions such as “what makes the perfect business case?” and the much loved “PRINCE2 Practitioner exam workshops”.
Comments