Why Big Projects Fail and How to Increase Big Project Success Rates

Leading Teams and Projects – How to Increase Big Project Success Rates

You should be aware big projects have a high probability of “failure.”  The sheer scale, number of stakeholders, and number of teams impacted by big projects lend to disconnects, missed tasks, missed critical deliverables, and integration failure as the series of project work tracks don't seamlessly come together .      

While the definition of project failure may vary, project failure usually means the project didn’t obtain the pre-defined organizational objective or work wasn’t completed on time.  

In the Harvard Business Review article by Nadim Matta and Ron Ashkenas titled, “Why Good Projects Fail Anyway” Nadim and Ron confirm, “Big Projects fail at an astonishing rate – more than half the time, by some estimates.”  Nadim and Ron are not surprised by the failure rate as the article goes on to state, “Complicated long-term projects are customarily developed by a series of teams working along parallel tracks.  If managers fail to anticipate everything that might fall through the cracks, those tracks will not converge successfully at the end to reach the goal.”

And project “failure” demoralizes a team and produces stress and anxiety in staff.  It impacts the teams confidence and behaviors.  Nadim and Ron state this regarding project failure, “And the toll they take is not just financial. These failures demoralize employees who have labored diligently to complete their share of the work.”

To increase big project success rates, Nadim and Ron suggest a strategic approach to reduce the risk of project unknowns and integration risks.

Nadim and Ron suggest layering in Rapid-Result initiatives and teams to combat “white-space risks” and “integration risks” on large scale multi-year projects.  Nadim and Ron go further, “The key is to inject into the overall plan a series of mini-projects—what we call rapid-results initiatives—each staffed with a team responsible for a version of the hoped-for overall result in miniature and each designed to deliver its result quickly.”

So, in essence rapid proto-typing of the project deliverables at a much smaller scale upfront with core project teams to learn and adapt the project plan to scale up more successfully for the longer-term overall project.

Rapid Result initiatives intentionally are commissioned to produce measurable results.  

So, how do rapid result initiatives work?  

Nadim and Ron explain it as follows, “Using a traditional project management approach, you might have one team research and install software packages, another analyze the different ways that the company interacts with customers (e-mail, telephone, and in person, for example), another develop training programs, and so forth. Many months later, however, when you start to roll out the program, you might discover that the salespeople aren’t sold on the benefits. So even though they may know how to enter the requisite data into the system, they refuse. This very problem has, in fact, derailed many CRM programs at major organizations.

But consider the way the process might unfold if the project included some rapid-results initiatives. A single team might take responsibility for helping a small number of users—say, one sales group in one region—increase their revenues by 25% within four months. Team members would probably draw on all the activities described above, but to succeed at their goal, the microcosm of the overall goal, they would be forced to find out what, if anything, is missing from their plans as they go forward. Along the way, they would, for example, discover the salespeople’s resistance, and they would be compelled to educate the sales staff about the system’s benefits. The team may also discover that it needs to tackle other issues, such as how to divvy up commissions on sales resulting from cross-selling or joint-selling efforts.”

So with Rapid-result initiatives the rapid result teams are implementing a rapid proof of concept at a smaller scale to 1) identify disconnects or “unknown problems” upfront, 2) Get greater buy-in with teams resistant to change, 3) Identify lessons from the smaller scale to apply to the larger initiative.

In my many years as a project manager I can confirm the challenges and Nadim and Ron speak about in the article are very typical challenges that all organizations face with large scale projects and initiatives.  

I agree with Ron and Nadim that by implementing Rapid prototyping and instituting mini projects of Rapid-result initiatives up front an organization will have a far greater probability of success for big project initiatives.

What I have seen is rapid-result teams provide leaders and managers with measurable results that are used to educate and convince other stakeholders who are initially skeptical to get on board with the goals and support the project.  

Many times external teams within the organization who are impacted by the project or view the project goals as unwanted change will either overtly or covertly work against the project and will be hostile to the project objectives.  

Rapid-result initiatives that provide real results and show efficiencies convince unsupportive stakeholders to give the project a chance.  This in turn gains greater collaboration and buy-in from resistant parts of the organization or teams.

Final Thoughts  

Big projects have an alarming rate of failure.  Being strategic and implementing rapid-result initiatives will increase the success rate of big projects.  Rapid prototyping of project deliverables at a smaller scale provides the quick wins to convince others in the organization to get on board and support the initiative.  

Rapid-result initiatives allow the project team to identify lessons from the smaller scale work that can be applied to the big project implementation.

Rapid-result initiatives work in conjunction with other best practices like identifying clear project objectives, having an executive sponsor, and setting realistic expectations.  

(C) 2022-23 jspublishing.blogspot.com

Servant Leadership Traits

Servant leadership is leading by example - creating a culture based on a core set of principles and values

Servant leadership is building a community based on core principles and values, which in turn drives meaning and purpose for individuals, empowering the team to be a more caring, just, trusting, and higher performing organization.

Leadership with a true desire to serve is about enriching lives, building organizations driven by purpose, and leading by correct values and principles.  This all leads to creating a more innovative, trusting, and caring team.

Core traits of Servant leaders are:

1. Empathy / Compassionate –Looking to understand the real needs of their staff and seek to address them.   Taking time to listen, understand, and help people.
2. Good listener – Listen to people before speaking their minds.  Important to give your undivided attention.  Pay attention to notice body language and tone.
3. Self-Control - Ability to control one's emotions, desires or the expression of them in behavior, especially in difficult situations.
4. Empower and heal those around you – Servant leaders focus on their staffs emotional health and feeling of completeness.  Making sure folks have access to knowledge and resources to establish a peaceful and healthy work environment and culture
5. Patience – Keep composure and respond appropriately to every individual
6. Optimistic - See the opportunity in everything, and be willing to attempt things no matter whether somebody else thinks it’s impossible or not.
7. Be aware – Be aware of yourself and those around you.
8. Trust – Communications need to be specific.  It is important that they are disseminated to every single level of the organization.  Transparency forments trust and trust has a direct correlation to work performance.
9. Encouragement – this is the hallmark expression of a servant leader.  Experts say this is a tremendously powerful tool for leaders
10. Respectful – Being respectful is very important when working and dealing with people.  Show people they are important by the respect you give them.
11. Bring the Vision Alive – Create a vision and mission statement that provides a sense of purpose for the entire team.
12. Be accountable and practice good stewardship – Take responsibility for the actions, behaviors, and performance of yourself and the team.
13. Build Community – Serve and build an empowered community that you can walk and be among
14. Be proactive and anticipate team needs – Anticipate future events and how they will impact the team.  Use experience, knowledge, and understanding to anticipate and take care to make sure you have already built and empowered the organization to effectively handle these future events.
15. Commit – It is important to analyze staff member needs and develop them accordingly.  A servant leader's main focus is the people so commit to your staffs education and development.
16. Integrity – Follow ethical and a correct set of principles and values

Servant leaders truly desire to serve and develop their staff.  The 16 traits are qualities that Servant leaders exhibit to lead and empower employees.  

The results of servant leadership are impressive - higher employee engagement, low turn over, and a higher performing organization.

Share your thoughts on servant leadership and leadership in general.  

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(C) 2022-23 jspublishing.blogspot.com

Leadership – What is it and what traits make a good leader?

This week I read 2 articles on leadership that are important to discuss.  The first article is by Adam Enfroy and the 2^nd article is an article on the Center for Creative Leadership website.   👍

Both articles provide a list of the best leaders’ leadership traits.  While there are many similarities there are surprisingly some differences in the lists. 

Leadership is very important as it impacts every level of an organization.  So, topics and articles about leadership are important to read and learn from.  Check out the related post "Journaling - An important tool for  Leaders" as it emphasizes the importance of journaling as a leader.

Great leaders are extremely important in an organization and we explore leadership and the traits needed for great leaders in this post.

So, why is leadership an important skill? 

Adam Enfroy asserts in his article, “Leaders inspire others to follow a certain path in life.  . . . . Without leaders, it is very difficult to manage large groups of people, set unified goals, and make progress.” 

What is leadership?

Steve Jobs is credited with saying, “Management is about persuading people to do things they do not want to do, while leadership is about inspiring people to do things they never thought they could.”

My personal and professional experiences confirm this statement.  True leaders inspire their folks and support their team to accomplish things that are seemingly impossible.

I feel true leaders are servants who are willing to do the right thing, hold themselves, and others accountable, take charge, and help others.

List of Leadership Skills

The first article by Adam Enfroy states, “There are certain leadership characteristics, traits, and skills that ultimately build the most effective leaders.” 

My experience confirms Adam Enfroy’s article, “11+ Leadership Qualities:  A List of Skills to Make a Good Leader” in that it accurately identifies necessary qualities for exceptional leadership.

In the beginning of the article Adam states, “The most important qualities of a good leader include integrity, accountability, empathy, humility, resilience, vision, influence, and positivity.” 

Great leaders also make it safe for people to speak up and communicate problems and issues within the organization without retaliation and work to fix them.  Truly great leaders look to serve and assist their folks to solve team and organizational issues.

The article includes the following list of qualities and skills most important to look for in a great leader.

1.   Effective Communication
2.   Integrity
3.   Accountability
4.   Empathy
5.   Humility
6.   Resilience
7.   Vision
8.   Influence
9.   Positivity
10.  Delegation
11.  Confidence
12.  Open-Minded

I would add these:  1) Great listener, 2) Expectation setter, 3) Has lots of energy 4) Works to anticipate the needs of the team, 5) Servant leader, 6) Emotionally Intelligent, 7) Good Storyteller

Excellent leaders excel in Active Listening – which is listening and paying attention to every single individual person they are leading and other folks they deal with or work with.

I agree with Adam that, “without integrity, no real success is possible.” 

Great leaders look to do the next right thing even when no one is watching. 

Adam’s article says, “Good leaders, and even great leaders, are not born; they are made.”    So, if you are looking to get into leadership my advice is that is is very important to study what makes a great leader.

Adam believes, “people can obtain good leadership qualities through teaching and learning these skills over time.”

Read the entire article at:  https://www.adamenfroy.com/leadership-qualities#:~:text=The%20most%20important%20qualities%20of,they%20never%20thought%20they%20could.%E2%80%9D

Center of Creative Leadership

The second article is on the Center for Creative Leadership’s website titled, “What Are the Characteristics of a Good Leader?”

Based on research from the Center for Creative Leadership (CCL), it was found the best leaders consistently possess these 10 essential leadership qualities.  Several align with the list in Adam’s article but some are different.

1.    Integrity
2.    Ability to delegate
3.    Communication
4.    Self-Awareness
5.    Gratitude
6.    Learning agility
7.    Influence
8.    Empathy
9.    Courage
10.    Respect

CCL, says, “leadership is a journey — different teams, projects, situations, and organizations will require you to apply these leadership characteristics in different ways throughout your career.”

I believe the Center for Creative Leadership article states a very important truth when it says, “It’s also essential to realize that leadership is a social process. It’s less about a strong or charismatic individual, and more about a group of people working collectively to achieve results together. If you demonstrate several of the characteristics of a good leader but fail to grasp this, chances are you won’t get very far on your own. You may be well-liked and respected, but it will be challenging to accomplish team or organizational goals.” 

Read the article from the Center for Creative Leadership at:  https://www.ccl.org/articles/leading-effectively-articles/characteristics-good-leader/

Please share your thoughts and experiences about leadership in the comments below

(C) 2022-23 jspublishing.blogspot.com

Journaling - An important tool for Leaders

Importance of Journaling

Two (2) additional recent articles I found from Jeffrey Ton and Aytekin Tank about the importance of journaling as a leader emphasize the benefits of reflection, greater self awareness, and personal / professional growth from the practice of journaling.  

Jeffrey Ton of Ton Enterprises, LLC published an article on his website in August 2020 and the article by Aytekin Tank CEO of Jotform was published on Entrepreneur.com (https://www.entrepreneur.com/) in December 2019.  Both credit journaling to their leadership success.

Aytekin’s article is titled, “How Journaling Can Make You a Better Entrepreneur and Leader”.  Aytekin goes as far as saying, “The most important words you write are ones no one will ever read.”  

In the article, Aytekin Tank highlights that reflection is important in leadership.  And journaling provided an outlet for Aytekin Tank to do just that.

Aytekin’s article states, “Research shows that people who engage in reflection are happier people and higher performers than those who do not. It makes sense. High performers and happy people learn from their mistakes.”  Journaling allows time to reflect on learnings and mistakes and to take actionable steps to grow and move forward.

Aytekin also suggests that journaling provides a creative outlet.  Journaling using freewriting, "cultivates consistency and creativity."

Aytekin Tank is the founder and CEO of JotForm, the easiest online form builder. JotForm was ranked in the 2016 Entrepreneur 360™ List, an annual ranking of the most entrepreneurial private companies in the U.S.

Jeffrey Ton is an author, speaker and led teams in the technology field as small as 5 and as large as 50.  

In the article posted on Jeffrey Ton’s website (https://jeffreyston.com/), the following is included, “Journaling has been a part of many successful leaders for centuries. The library is full of biographies and autobiographies of business leaders, government leaders, and thought leaders. The common thread, most kept some sort of record (uh, journal) of their thoughts, insights, and activities.” 

A journal is a powerful tool.  “Not only does it help you to keep track of details that would be lost to time, but it provides a way to learn from the past…your past. Part of the magic of keeping a journal is to re-read it, weeks, months, even years later. The magic? The lessons change! Why? The journal hasn’t changed…you have!”  

As Aytekin Tank mentions in his article, Jeffrey Ton states with great passion, “Keeping a journal is a great way to understand who you are and what you want and need from your career. I know I have written of this in prior posts…I just can’t emphasize the importance enough.”

Here are direct links to the articles if you are interested in reading them:

• Aytekin Tank’s article:    https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/343680
• Jeffrey Ton’s article:  https://jeffreyston.com/2020/08/04/leadership-thought-lets-do-coffee/

In summary, journaling is an important tool as a leader.  It helps develop clarity, enhanced intention, self awareness, and provides time for reflection for personal and professional growth.  Journaling also provides a creative outlet to enhance your thinking, breakthrough creative blocks, and to crystalize your purpose and vision.

(C) 2022-23 jspublishing.blogspot.com

Leadership and Journaling

Do you want to be an Outstanding Leader?

This week I came across two articles on the importance of journaling as a leader.  

The first is an article on Skip Prichard’s website (skipprichard.com) titled, “Why Journaling Makes Better Leaders”.  

The second is from the Harvard Business Review titled, “Want to Be an Outstanding Leader? Keep a Journal” by Nancy Adler.  

The Harvard Business review article by Nancy Adler starts with the following statement, “Research has documented that outstanding leaders take time to reflect.  Their success depends on the ability to access their unique perspective and bring it to their decisions and sense-making every day.”

As leaders it is important for us to have the courage to share our unique perspective and use it for decision making and action taking.

Nancy Adler concludes her article simply with, “Using a journal regularly will give you the courage to see the world differently, to understand the world differently, and to lead in new and needed ways.”  

The article by Bruce Rhoades on skipprichard.com provides some powerful insight on how journaling helps improves leadership abilities.  

Bruce shares the following areas where he felt journaling improved his leadership abilities:

• Better Organization

• Improved Decision Making

• Improved Demeanor, Attitude, and Judgment

• Enhanced Intention

• Positive Reinforcement

The article goes into further details on each of the 5 areas specifically where journaling resulted in significant improvements.  

The areas of “Improved Demeanor, Attitude, and Judgment”, “Enhanced Intention”, and “Positive Reinforcement” are extremely important to be present and to be a servant leader to your people and in your organization.

   

So, start journaling today to be an outstanding leader, to have the “courage to see the world differently”, and to use your unique perspective to lead and make decisions with purpose and intention. 

Share your thoughts and unique perspective in the comments.