Evoking Leadership Genius

Manager's Minute Newsletter

Know When You Need Help Managing a Project

One of the hardest things for managers to recognize, sometimes, is when to seek outside assistance.
When you are working on a project and it does not seem to be going in the right direction, what do you do?

Do you work harder to find the problem, change the way you gather data, change your data or become more engrossed in figuring it out yourself?

Do you suspect others of not knowing what to do, scrutinize the accuracy of what data others have brought to you or blame the incompetence of those working on the project?

These are common first reactions of managers when they see their project showing signs of failure.
Problems are not solved through harder work or blaming others.
The fact of the matter is that something new has to be done to change the old habits and failing routines.
Sometimes dramatic steps need to be taken for the project to be rescued and this often involves bringing in a new leader.

  • Do you know when that point has been reached?
  • Are you able to be honest about the people you have in specific roles on the project and their fit?
  • Do you know how to recognize if you are part of the root cause of the failure?
  • Are you really serving the customer by remaining in charge?
  • Can you assess the stagnation of a project and recognize when you may need to step aside?
  • Will your ego allow you to ask for help?
These are tough questions to ask yourself as a manager. Not asking them will cause a manager more problems later.

If you are a project leader determined to succeed, may I suggest that you read an excellent book: Rescue the Problem Project by Todd C. Williams or contact me to arrange a consultation with Mr. Williams.

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