Jim Graham

PM Tip of The Week: Don’t Panic…Wait 5.

A member of your project team just reported a major issue, what are you to do?! Don’t press the panic button! Take a deep breath and wait 5 minutes or 10, or even the day. Why? Often issues that are perceived as major may be easy resolved, once more information is uncovered or other team members have a chance to provide insight.

Panicking will be a time waster. Instead use your energy to be sure whatever fire just came up is real, and then assess the impact to the overall project health. With the help of your team and their feedback, assess and determine the real impact the issue may have on the project. Once you have clearly documented the facts and options, it is then time to determine if escalation is necessary. Lastly, do not be afraid to present issues to the sponsor even if you feel that their reaction may be negative. If you are prepared and can clearly explain the issue at hand, they might provide insight and help, perhaps even offering options that you have not considered.

Jim Graham No. 1: We Assign The Right Consultant

We know that an inexperienced Program/Project Manager can put project success at risk. We focus on assigning the right PM for you, your business, and your initiative. We do not put a PM on a project just because they are available, they must possess the necessary skill sets to match the project scope, technology, and organizational culture.

No. 2: Clear Project Scope, Definition of Roles, and Definition of Project Success from Day 1
We want the project team to support the project from kick-off to close. We will level-set from the beginning by preparing an overview of the project goals and the organizational significance for the team. We will clarify every team member’s role, how they will be evaluated throughout the project lifecycle, and highlight key milestone areas that will be critical for their involvement. Lastly, we will ensure that the project success criteria is clearly defined, this way all are satisfied at project close.
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