PROJECTS ARE DRIVEN BY GOOD PROCESSES
NOT JUST GOOD IDEAS!
Duncan S. Hart LL.B MBA
How often have you been frustrated by attempts to get an
initiative going within your company/firm/team only to find
yourself bogged down, and losing momentum, confidence and
credibility as you sink into the mire of inaction?
Whether you are working in a corporate environment, a small
or a large firm, particularly if you are in a leadership or
management role, your ability to not only come up with good
ideas, but to actually implement them is critical. Remember
you will be judged by what you actually get done rather
than what you say will be done.
In the professional services environment the difficulty in
seeing ideas through to implementation are often alleged to
fall foul of the legendary difficulty of managing professionals
or 'herding cats' as it is commonly referred to. Often I suspect,
it is more due to a lack of real understanding of how difficult
it is to implement good initiatives in any context - the professional
services environment simply increases the degree of difficulty.
Many professionals, and this includes their managers or leaders
often make the fundamental mistake of assuming that once an
initiative has been articulated and apparently understood
then following such 'intellectual buy in' the major hurdle
has been overcome. Nothing could be further from the truth!
The formula I like is,
INITIATIVE + PROCESS = OUTCOME
To put it another way, the outcome of any proposed initiative
is diminished to the extent that process is not considered
as important, if not more important than the initiative or
the original idea itself.
So what are some of the key factors to be considered in launching
any initiative or project no matter how big or small? Whether
that project is arranging your firm's next retreat, implementing
a new practice management system or organising the implementation
of a compliance program within your company you should be
clear about the following issues. Not surprisingly these issues
have more to do with how the initiative is to be taken forward
rather than the quality of the initiative itself. After all
one mediocre initiative well implemented is worth countless
brilliant ones poorly, or worst still, never implemented.
The initiative itself
In many cases particularly in the corporate environment, existing
management, classically the CEO, dictates which projects or
initiatives are to be pursued. In such cases there is probably
little doubt that the initiative in someway fits with the
overall corporate strategy.
In other cases however different considerations may apply.
Does the idea fit within the framework of the firm's strategy?
Is it a priority? Consider the environment or context in which
the idea is to be progressed. If you cannot link that idea
or initiative to any clear firm or corporate strategic goal
then consider whether it warrants being pursued any further.
If it doesn't sit well with the firm's strategy then consider
reviewing that strategy rather than pushing ahead regardless.
Creating the outline of a plan
The reasons for creating a plan are many. It will allow you
to organise your thoughts and provide you with a means of
communicating the key issues associated with your idea or
initiative to others with whom you must work to realise that
initiative. The plan should therefore be easily digested -
in short be in readily understood form, or in outline form
which can be used to 'sell' the initiative and the process
by which you see that initiative being taken forward. I suggest
at this stage that the plan not be too comprehensive or detailed
but be more in the form of an outline designed to allow and
encourage others to make suggestions and add their inputs.
Items that should be dealt with in the plan:
- Outputs - it must be very clear from the document
what the expected initiative will result in. What will change,
what benefit will accrue to the firm and most critically
how will success be measured?
- Inputs - what information/data/opinion needs to
be accumulated and from what sources?
- Resources - how much of your time and the firm's
money is required to pursue this initiative? Which budget
will it come from? Is a steering committee or a task force
required and if so who will be on that committee?
- Outside resources - is a consultant or any other
outside resources required?
- Timing - how long will this project take and is
it appropriate to undertake the project as soon as possible
or is there a better time at which it could be pursued?
- Milestones - critical path - if possible, define
milestones and any critical dependencies. Are there things
that must be achieved before further steps can be taken
e.g. the appointment of a project manager, budget allocation,
board sign-off etc?
- Who is responsible for the project's outcomes?
- Is it your responsibility or is there a group of people
who are to share responsibility for the outcomes?
- Leadership - make sure the question of leadership
or management is considered. Are you the leader or merely
a sponsor?
- Communications - how will progress be monitored
and who will receive regular reports or updates? Is it appropriate
to publicise the project by way of newsletter, articles
in the firm newsletter, specific e-mails, intranet, posters
etc. Consider client involvement.
- Is this a pilot or the real thing? - Is the project
firm wide or is this a pilot project to be a test followed
by a firm wide 'rollout' if the initial results look promising?
- Kill or defer options - If, as the project unfolds,
the initial milestones are not met how will the project
be ended/deferred and at what cost? Are there points along
the way where the project will either have produced some
measurable and demonstrable gain, which, if not present,
will result in the project being 'self-executing'
- Roadblocks - Who are likely to prove difficult
or constitute a roadblock in pursuing this initiative? How
will this behaviour be overcome?
- Rewards - a 'carrot or stick' approach may smooth
the way - is budget relief needed for those who will have
to provide substantial time
- Whose project is it anyway? - Finally is this
'your' initiative or your teams, your MDs or what? Who will
get the credit or worse the brickbats if it fails?
Getting a mandate and sufficient resources to proceed
The failure of a project to succeed can often be directly
attributed to the failure of the sponsor of the project to
get any or sufficient mandate from the partners, immediate
superiors or those in key positions to frustrate the desired
outcomes and/or process. One of the reasons for creating a
plan of the type described above is to enable the sponsor
of the project to get clear and unambiguous endorsement for
the project including a recognition of the risks, the resources
and timelines attached to the project and to flush out early
objectors.
Failure to successfully pursue many initiatives is often
due to the failure of sponsors to seek access to the necessary
resources to get the job done. Too many professionals take
the whole of the task on themselves when it is quite inappropriate
and the viability of the project is immediately put in danger
by such an attitude. Be realistic about what is needed - both
in time and money.
Communication along the way
Obviously having obtained a mandate it is crucial to maintain
that mandate as the project progresses. Ensure there is constant
flow of quality information to the relevant stakeholders about
how the project is progressing. This can include the use of
firm newsletters, e-mail, frequent mention at team/management
meetings, all of which should keep those involved or interested,
enthusiastic about the project and confident that it is being
pursued with vigour.
Outcomes
Do not be shy in announcing and importantly rewarding success
if it is appropriate. Similarly if there are roadblocks that
are likely to delay or frustrate the project, have the courage
to either kill off the project or advise stakeholders that
the project outcomes will be delayed while such a roadblock
is removed.
Over communicate rather than under communicate.
Interim reviews
Once the project's most immediate objectives are achieved
ensure that there is a process in place that ensures that
those benefits are maintained. Many projects require that
each year fresh enthusiasm be generated for the project e.g.
planning or strategic reviews, the appraisal process etc.
Such a champion should not be you on every occasion. There
should be a process for appointing a successor early enough
to ensure continuing vitality and commitment.
Finally…
Steering your idea from conception through to a successful
implementation and delivering measurable benefits to your
organization can be very rewarding.
Giving sufficient attention to the disciplines associated
with the processes necessary to achieve such benefits will
ensure you are remembered more for your achievements than
your promises.
© Duncan Hart Consulting Pty Ltd, 2004
Download
Word document | Email
this Article to a friend
|
Previous Article
top