Eleven project management mistakes on the example of the transatlantic yacht crossing
After 10 years of work as an IT manager, when there are already enough completed projects and companies, as well as experience in creating a project office, you see everything around a bit differently. Any unique task you want to decompose into subtasks, place them on a scrum board or on a timeline, assess priorities, risks, and labor costs. Unfortunately, in reality, even elementary practices from project management are not always followed.
It is about what should always be done during the execution of the project that we will discuss the unexpected example of the transatlantic yacht crossing.
To conduct joint activities, it is necessary to understand each other. Before you start a project, check that you understand all the specific terms in the same way. In one of my projects, as a result of comparing the thesaurus of two companies participating in the project, it turned out that 40% of the terms have a different meaning. Obviously, any documents and agreements in such a situation will only increase problems, because, looking at them, people operate on completely different objects.
')
Therefore, I will explain what yachting is in my example. This is not yachting glossy promotional photos. These are night transitions, sleep on the floor of the eye, seasickness in the first few days and everyday comfort at the level of hiking existance. On the other hand, it is international communication, new people, new countries, the joy of achieving the goal, and incomparable happiness to see the earth after many days in the open ocean.
Understanding that people may have a completely different picture, I inform the people with whom I participate in such projects in advance. Nevertheless, I know of cases when fashionable girls with full manicure (I have nothing against, but in other circumstances) went ashore in the first port and forgot about this experience as a terrible dream. In our example, which will be discussed, there was no way out of the project - a yacht crossing was planned from the Azores to Gibraltar. This is about 1000 nautical miles, 10 days of open ocean, without the possibility of going ashore.
The trip took place in early May of this year, and took place with an international crew: Poles, Germans, Spaniard, American and I, Russian. Managing such a team in order to achieve a common goal, and even in the conditions of domestic and external difficulties, is a serious task that not every project manager encountered. The piquancy of the situation was added by the fact that the owner, who traveled with half of this crew of the previous 2000 miles, had to immediately leave for the mainland and left a new captain, a Pole, about 30 years old, who did not know the crew, did not know the boat, and we will analyze further, made almost all the mistakes of the project manager.
At the same time, on the approach to the Azores, the boat went through a storm and was damaged, which did not allow it to be loaded 100%. The good news was that the majority of the crew came from the Canary Islands, and they were already checked by the owner for professionalism, personal compatibility and, as they say, "have already been swayed." However, I learned all these details already in place, since my desire for a goal was stronger than natural caution.
And here we must note the rule that we all know and break everything:
It is necessary to find out all the significant details and agree on all the conditions of the project "ashore". At the same time, all your costs to the decision point need to be recorded in the possible risks of the project and be prepared for their irrevocability. Of course, I really do not want to spend time agreeing on all sorts of small things and finding out details when you have an interesting and fascinating task. But I am sure, having rummaged in your memories, you will find many examples when these “trifles” made the work not only uninteresting, but also led to material damage.
I, too, did not pass this cup. The cost of fuel, in the opinion of the new captain, should have been additionally paid by the crew, although the owner spoke about other conditions. The amount due to the large number of crew came out small, about 20 euros. But the sediment, as they say, remained.
The following rule, which I remembered looking at the acceptance of the boat by the newly-made captain:
The success of the negotiations with the client, which you skip between the weekly meetings with subordinates and the report to your supervisor, depends on the mood and condition of the client. Negotiations, to which you have all the information about the client, the history of all relations with him, the points to be discussed and reliable materials on each of them are practically predetermined. Unfortunately, in my practice, prepared meetings are few, most of the preparation comes down to the idea “we must meet and talk,” and not to “we must discuss specific points and prepare a decision or information on them to make a decision.” What can I say, even an elementary meeting agenda sent out on time sufficient for familiarization and preparation is not used at all in all companies.
All these risks are minimized in the project activity by the availability and use (specifically I separate these two points) of the project methodology, but even in case of its absence, I recommend spending one evening in silence, making a list of what should not be forgotten.
Regarding the preparation of the yacht for the transition - there are lists of the points necessary to check and carry out. To rush about the yacht, thinking about what else you need to “do not forget” while facing the prospect of spending the next ten days without any connection and land on the horizon is a bad practice. To understand the seriousness of the question, interesting figures can be cited - the rescue operation to evacuate the Kontika 2 ocean expedition took about a day. It took so much time for the nearest ship to arrive at the scene of the incident.
In management, of course, you will have a mobile connection and the ability to request help, if something is not checked on the list before the start of the project. However, if you recall the timing of decision-making in large corporations, your position is much worse. That is why, before departure, you need to focus on the “what to do” list, and the first on this list should be:
We all know that it is necessary to get acquainted with the team. However, this does not prevent immediately after the submission to the crew or staff to retire to their own study / cabin and decide all further questions through attorneys or not at all. Unfortunately, such an approach does not contribute to increasing loyalty and disorienting participants. Everything is much worse if your project combines several teams from different companies. Instead of engaging everyone in a single information field, you immediately, from the very beginning, activate peripheral channels of communication, generating rumors and contradictions.
Our captain, however, partially fulfilled this point. True, he limited himself to only the most necessary questions - how much yachting experience, in what waters and with which crew, and only in relation to other crew members. Mention of his own experience and create an atmosphere of trust did not occur to him.
I think that at least 50% of the success of the project is determined by how well participants understand the goals, results, and what tasks must be performed to achieve them. All the practices of project management are also interpreting the same thing - in them planning rightfully occupies a significant part. Nevertheless, to create a plan is clear, quite detailed and at the same time visible - the whole art. As well as the art of making such a plan, which, even if the key indicators are not fulfilled and the results are not achieved, can be presented as completed. We will not delve into one of these areas, as you have probably heard the remarkable formulations “process developed”, “implementation in progress”, “operating normally” and others similar to them. If we talk about proper planning, with the decomposition of measurable results, then this is too deep a topic for our narrative.
In relation to our situation, we note that “to reach point B” and “try not to damage the yacht” are significantly different goals. And if the goal - “try not to hurt” - is not voiced, then the crew will be perplexed why the captain gives the fresh wind the command to remove the sails and go under the engine, spending even so little fuel (which, in our example, also meant the crew’s expense ).
To reduce not only bewilderment, but also the resistance following it, it is necessary that it be carried out:
On the yacht, this item is critical, since the “rules of execution” in this case include the rules of conduct and affects almost all areas of life on board. Imagine that 10 men are on an area of ​​30-40 m2 for several days or weeks. And this area includes toilets, beds and a kitchen. At the same time, they speak different languages ​​(some of the Poles did not speak English), they have different traditions in everyday life, food, the administration of natural needs (this is also important). It is good if they are not the first time faced with such a situation and have an idea of ​​international standards. Otherwise - grief, comparable to 10, and not with two hostesses in the same kitchen.
I was a frequent witness of friction, and, unfortunately, they did not escape us. Although not intractable with proper consideration of the issue. So, for example, our captain excluded the area of ​​watches for the galley from the regulated area and, as a result, ate instant noodles instead of normal homemade food.
In business, fortunately, people are not so immersed in interaction, and typical situations and issues are usually described in laws, job descriptions, personnel policies and other regulatory documents of the company. Nevertheless, it is always a source of constant questions both to the HR service and to managers. “Where is my prize?”, “Why does Vasya leave earlier?”, “Why should I finish everything for everyone?” - I am sure that you yourself will easily continue this list both with questions from your subordinates and with your personal ones. They arise because not everyone knows where to look at the “rules of execution”, “rules of the game”, or they don’t go there.
It is with the latter that the “control of their understanding” from the point under consideration is connected. “Writing rules” and “living by the rules” in our mentality do not go hand in hand with each other. The rules are usually for someone, but for themselves - concepts. In addition, you should not detract from the role of such an important thing as interpretation. Even lawyers, whose professional activities are rules, can interpret laws differently. Where are we, lovers.
Therefore, clarifying the rules, do not forget the point:
Strictly speaking, the risks of your project or enterprise are connected not only with non-compliance with the rules. They can be associated with the lack of rules, or their lack of understanding, or even with the external environment. Unfortunately, frequent practice in business and project management is “it will come - then we will eliminate”. The existing positive practices often end only when they begin, when the budget of preventive measures is announced. Even in relation to business-critical subsystems, to which IT in our high-tech age, not all businesses have “Plan B”.
In yachting practice, the risks can not be underestimated, and they are given great attention. The price of these risks in the case of performance can be measured by human lives. Key things that require redundancy - navigation, fresh water, communications and rescue, medicines.
One of these risks, well known to most yacht captains, has been fulfilled with us. When there are several latans on the yacht, and unhealthy anarchy reigns in the kitchen, the dishes are washed with running fresh water, and if no rules (see section 6) are announced in this area, then you should not be surprised that the water ends by the middle of the journey. It is good if you have a reserve tank and (or) separate supplies of drinking water, and bad if not. We, fortunately, had a backup tank. However, the second half of the route, all the latrines were disconnected from the water, and the dishes were washed only with the help of a hand pump (which automatically reduces the consumption several times).
Creating a communication plan is a very good practice, but, unfortunately, I have never seen a deployed communication card of a company or a project, except perhaps a communication card with customers and escalation maps for internal services.
On the yacht, the role of the described and voiced rules of communication is extremely transparent and clear. Since the captain, however much he wants, cannot control the process 24x7, but strictly speaking, he should not, since it is more expedient to control the process of the same type by deviations, communication should be provided for every abnormal event. For example, it is necessary to define communications for nighttime divergence with another vessel, or for the case of approaching to overcast (approaching the atmospheric front). If such situations are not foreseen, and the crew is not informed about the warning rules, then grief can be lost, which is what happened to us.
We went to the atmospheric front under all the sails, since the captain did not instruct the crew and the watch to notify him in this situation to make a decision on the removal of the sail, and did not determine the right of the watch to independently sail. The result is a blasting, well, no consequences. In a bad scenario, a broken mast, torn sails, crew evacuation from the middle of the ocean, and a six-figure loss (in euros).
This item will not cause questions not from one manager, but taken in isolation from all the others, it is not so effective. It is very productive when the tasks with which this process works are measurable (and better SMART), and have a well-defined responsibility. If this could not be achieved at the planning stage, you can expect unpleasant surprises.
The fact that our captain did not fully understand this approach became clear at the very end of the journey, when approaching Portugal, when commands like “Get clean in the galley”, “Give fodder” sounded. It is easy to see that such teams abandoned in the air will remain without proper execution, since the situation when 9 people (crew minus captain) will be cleaned in the galley or rush to the aft (right or left?) End is quite comical. With the latter, however, there is another interesting feature and it is called:
This item is also described in good yachting practice, and also our captain did not apply it. Often, the situation is changing, and changing dynamically. Then, along with the task of general rules of behavior (which should be explained in advance and understood, again we are looking at paragraph 6), commands should be given in a timely manner to change the situation and the necessary algorithm of actions.
The mooring of a yacht is a traditionally nervous and unpleasant procedure for the captain, because at this very moment it is easy to damage both your own yacht and others, whose value can be measured in millions of dollars. It is for this procedure that the crew is instructed in advance, responsibilities are assigned and the communication system is determined (it is determined who and what should be said and done). Commands when changing conditions of mooring should be loud, clear, understanding of commands is fixed by the crew member by repeating the command with the addition of the word “Accepted!”.
So easy to imagine this team at sea, so difficult in management. Often we don’t want to cancel our order or order, as we see it as a threat to our reputation. Believe me, it is much better to respond promptly and clearly, albeit in contradiction with the previous instructions, than to continue to torment the employee with apparently useless work. As a rule, the implicit all the same becomes obvious and your reputation at this moment suffers much more than with timely disposal. And of course, do not forget to control understanding.
This is the most pleasant moment in the management, and a little sad in my yacht trip, as for me it meant a break for a considerable time. I don’t know if the mentality plays a role or something else, but I rarely came across managers who, at the completion of a project or a large block of work, thank the staff and moreover make an analysis of the work done and the results achieved. But what to hide, I myself am not very inclined to praise. Nevertheless, this is a very effective tool, both to motivate your team and to identify new goals for your own development. For example, the objectives for the implementation of the next trip or the next project of all the items disassembled above.
1. The coordination of terminology - exchanging information, to understand the meaning of words equally
2. Agreement on the conditions - the conditions of your participation should be discussed in advance in the smallest details, or the remaining unexplained points should be put at your risk
3. Preparation for the project - prepare in advance a checklist of what needs to be done at the preparation stage.
4. Acquaintance with the team - find out everything you can about the team. Personally meet with participants and build regular personal communications
5. Determination of goals and objectives - define and communicate to the participants the goal and objectives of the project, explain the degree of participation of each. Try to comply with SMART
6. Informing about the rules of execution and monitoring their understanding - clarify and monitor the understanding of the applied management model and requirements for the implementation of tasks
7. Risk assessment - identify risks, develop and take preventive measures (in accordance with the risk management policy). For the most important of the remaining ones, have a plan of corrective actions in case of their implementation
8. Creating a communication plan - to provide an understanding of each participant, to whom and what he needs to tell
9. Regular monitoring of the execution of tasks and the state of risks - to supplement the regular process of managing criteria that exclude the possibility of erroneous interpretation of results. Trying to avoid vague and immeasurable language, they will make this process ineffective.
10. Making adjustments - do not be afraid to contradict himself. "Only a fool and a dead man does not change." The change, however, also needs to be assessed by SMART
11. Acceptance of the result - analyze and analyze the results of the project. To hold a final meeting with the project participants, to provide feedback for all participants.
It is about what should always be done during the execution of the project that we will discuss the unexpected example of the transatlantic yacht crossing.
1. Harmonization of terminology
To conduct joint activities, it is necessary to understand each other. Before you start a project, check that you understand all the specific terms in the same way. In one of my projects, as a result of comparing the thesaurus of two companies participating in the project, it turned out that 40% of the terms have a different meaning. Obviously, any documents and agreements in such a situation will only increase problems, because, looking at them, people operate on completely different objects.
')
Therefore, I will explain what yachting is in my example. This is not yachting glossy promotional photos. These are night transitions, sleep on the floor of the eye, seasickness in the first few days and everyday comfort at the level of hiking existance. On the other hand, it is international communication, new people, new countries, the joy of achieving the goal, and incomparable happiness to see the earth after many days in the open ocean.
Understanding that people may have a completely different picture, I inform the people with whom I participate in such projects in advance. Nevertheless, I know of cases when fashionable girls with full manicure (I have nothing against, but in other circumstances) went ashore in the first port and forgot about this experience as a terrible dream. In our example, which will be discussed, there was no way out of the project - a yacht crossing was planned from the Azores to Gibraltar. This is about 1000 nautical miles, 10 days of open ocean, without the possibility of going ashore.
The trip took place in early May of this year, and took place with an international crew: Poles, Germans, Spaniard, American and I, Russian. Managing such a team in order to achieve a common goal, and even in the conditions of domestic and external difficulties, is a serious task that not every project manager encountered. The piquancy of the situation was added by the fact that the owner, who traveled with half of this crew of the previous 2000 miles, had to immediately leave for the mainland and left a new captain, a Pole, about 30 years old, who did not know the crew, did not know the boat, and we will analyze further, made almost all the mistakes of the project manager.
At the same time, on the approach to the Azores, the boat went through a storm and was damaged, which did not allow it to be loaded 100%. The good news was that the majority of the crew came from the Canary Islands, and they were already checked by the owner for professionalism, personal compatibility and, as they say, "have already been swayed." However, I learned all these details already in place, since my desire for a goal was stronger than natural caution.
And here we must note the rule that we all know and break everything:
2. Coordination of conditions
It is necessary to find out all the significant details and agree on all the conditions of the project "ashore". At the same time, all your costs to the decision point need to be recorded in the possible risks of the project and be prepared for their irrevocability. Of course, I really do not want to spend time agreeing on all sorts of small things and finding out details when you have an interesting and fascinating task. But I am sure, having rummaged in your memories, you will find many examples when these “trifles” made the work not only uninteresting, but also led to material damage.
I, too, did not pass this cup. The cost of fuel, in the opinion of the new captain, should have been additionally paid by the crew, although the owner spoke about other conditions. The amount due to the large number of crew came out small, about 20 euros. But the sediment, as they say, remained.
The following rule, which I remembered looking at the acceptance of the boat by the newly-made captain:
3. Preparation for the project
The success of the negotiations with the client, which you skip between the weekly meetings with subordinates and the report to your supervisor, depends on the mood and condition of the client. Negotiations, to which you have all the information about the client, the history of all relations with him, the points to be discussed and reliable materials on each of them are practically predetermined. Unfortunately, in my practice, prepared meetings are few, most of the preparation comes down to the idea “we must meet and talk,” and not to “we must discuss specific points and prepare a decision or information on them to make a decision.” What can I say, even an elementary meeting agenda sent out on time sufficient for familiarization and preparation is not used at all in all companies.
All these risks are minimized in the project activity by the availability and use (specifically I separate these two points) of the project methodology, but even in case of its absence, I recommend spending one evening in silence, making a list of what should not be forgotten.
Regarding the preparation of the yacht for the transition - there are lists of the points necessary to check and carry out. To rush about the yacht, thinking about what else you need to “do not forget” while facing the prospect of spending the next ten days without any connection and land on the horizon is a bad practice. To understand the seriousness of the question, interesting figures can be cited - the rescue operation to evacuate the Kontika 2 ocean expedition took about a day. It took so much time for the nearest ship to arrive at the scene of the incident.
In management, of course, you will have a mobile connection and the ability to request help, if something is not checked on the list before the start of the project. However, if you recall the timing of decision-making in large corporations, your position is much worse. That is why, before departure, you need to focus on the “what to do” list, and the first on this list should be:
4. Meet the team
We all know that it is necessary to get acquainted with the team. However, this does not prevent immediately after the submission to the crew or staff to retire to their own study / cabin and decide all further questions through attorneys or not at all. Unfortunately, such an approach does not contribute to increasing loyalty and disorienting participants. Everything is much worse if your project combines several teams from different companies. Instead of engaging everyone in a single information field, you immediately, from the very beginning, activate peripheral channels of communication, generating rumors and contradictions.
Our captain, however, partially fulfilled this point. True, he limited himself to only the most necessary questions - how much yachting experience, in what waters and with which crew, and only in relation to other crew members. Mention of his own experience and create an atmosphere of trust did not occur to him.
5. Defining goals and objectives
I think that at least 50% of the success of the project is determined by how well participants understand the goals, results, and what tasks must be performed to achieve them. All the practices of project management are also interpreting the same thing - in them planning rightfully occupies a significant part. Nevertheless, to create a plan is clear, quite detailed and at the same time visible - the whole art. As well as the art of making such a plan, which, even if the key indicators are not fulfilled and the results are not achieved, can be presented as completed. We will not delve into one of these areas, as you have probably heard the remarkable formulations “process developed”, “implementation in progress”, “operating normally” and others similar to them. If we talk about proper planning, with the decomposition of measurable results, then this is too deep a topic for our narrative.
In relation to our situation, we note that “to reach point B” and “try not to damage the yacht” are significantly different goals. And if the goal - “try not to hurt” - is not voiced, then the crew will be perplexed why the captain gives the fresh wind the command to remove the sails and go under the engine, spending even so little fuel (which, in our example, also meant the crew’s expense ).
To reduce not only bewilderment, but also the resistance following it, it is necessary that it be carried out:
6. Informing about the rules of execution and monitoring their understanding
On the yacht, this item is critical, since the “rules of execution” in this case include the rules of conduct and affects almost all areas of life on board. Imagine that 10 men are on an area of ​​30-40 m2 for several days or weeks. And this area includes toilets, beds and a kitchen. At the same time, they speak different languages ​​(some of the Poles did not speak English), they have different traditions in everyday life, food, the administration of natural needs (this is also important). It is good if they are not the first time faced with such a situation and have an idea of ​​international standards. Otherwise - grief, comparable to 10, and not with two hostesses in the same kitchen.
I was a frequent witness of friction, and, unfortunately, they did not escape us. Although not intractable with proper consideration of the issue. So, for example, our captain excluded the area of ​​watches for the galley from the regulated area and, as a result, ate instant noodles instead of normal homemade food.
In business, fortunately, people are not so immersed in interaction, and typical situations and issues are usually described in laws, job descriptions, personnel policies and other regulatory documents of the company. Nevertheless, it is always a source of constant questions both to the HR service and to managers. “Where is my prize?”, “Why does Vasya leave earlier?”, “Why should I finish everything for everyone?” - I am sure that you yourself will easily continue this list both with questions from your subordinates and with your personal ones. They arise because not everyone knows where to look at the “rules of execution”, “rules of the game”, or they don’t go there.
It is with the latter that the “control of their understanding” from the point under consideration is connected. “Writing rules” and “living by the rules” in our mentality do not go hand in hand with each other. The rules are usually for someone, but for themselves - concepts. In addition, you should not detract from the role of such an important thing as interpretation. Even lawyers, whose professional activities are rules, can interpret laws differently. Where are we, lovers.
Therefore, clarifying the rules, do not forget the point:
7. Risk assessment
Strictly speaking, the risks of your project or enterprise are connected not only with non-compliance with the rules. They can be associated with the lack of rules, or their lack of understanding, or even with the external environment. Unfortunately, frequent practice in business and project management is “it will come - then we will eliminate”. The existing positive practices often end only when they begin, when the budget of preventive measures is announced. Even in relation to business-critical subsystems, to which IT in our high-tech age, not all businesses have “Plan B”.
In yachting practice, the risks can not be underestimated, and they are given great attention. The price of these risks in the case of performance can be measured by human lives. Key things that require redundancy - navigation, fresh water, communications and rescue, medicines.
One of these risks, well known to most yacht captains, has been fulfilled with us. When there are several latans on the yacht, and unhealthy anarchy reigns in the kitchen, the dishes are washed with running fresh water, and if no rules (see section 6) are announced in this area, then you should not be surprised that the water ends by the middle of the journey. It is good if you have a reserve tank and (or) separate supplies of drinking water, and bad if not. We, fortunately, had a backup tank. However, the second half of the route, all the latrines were disconnected from the water, and the dishes were washed only with the help of a hand pump (which automatically reduces the consumption several times).
8. Creating a communication plan
Creating a communication plan is a very good practice, but, unfortunately, I have never seen a deployed communication card of a company or a project, except perhaps a communication card with customers and escalation maps for internal services.
On the yacht, the role of the described and voiced rules of communication is extremely transparent and clear. Since the captain, however much he wants, cannot control the process 24x7, but strictly speaking, he should not, since it is more expedient to control the process of the same type by deviations, communication should be provided for every abnormal event. For example, it is necessary to define communications for nighttime divergence with another vessel, or for the case of approaching to overcast (approaching the atmospheric front). If such situations are not foreseen, and the crew is not informed about the warning rules, then grief can be lost, which is what happened to us.
We went to the atmospheric front under all the sails, since the captain did not instruct the crew and the watch to notify him in this situation to make a decision on the removal of the sail, and did not determine the right of the watch to independently sail. The result is a blasting, well, no consequences. In a bad scenario, a broken mast, torn sails, crew evacuation from the middle of the ocean, and a six-figure loss (in euros).
9. Regular monitoring of task performance and risk status.
This item will not cause questions not from one manager, but taken in isolation from all the others, it is not so effective. It is very productive when the tasks with which this process works are measurable (and better SMART), and have a well-defined responsibility. If this could not be achieved at the planning stage, you can expect unpleasant surprises.
The fact that our captain did not fully understand this approach became clear at the very end of the journey, when approaching Portugal, when commands like “Get clean in the galley”, “Give fodder” sounded. It is easy to see that such teams abandoned in the air will remain without proper execution, since the situation when 9 people (crew minus captain) will be cleaned in the galley or rush to the aft (right or left?) End is quite comical. With the latter, however, there is another interesting feature and it is called:
10. Making adjustments
This item is also described in good yachting practice, and also our captain did not apply it. Often, the situation is changing, and changing dynamically. Then, along with the task of general rules of behavior (which should be explained in advance and understood, again we are looking at paragraph 6), commands should be given in a timely manner to change the situation and the necessary algorithm of actions.
The mooring of a yacht is a traditionally nervous and unpleasant procedure for the captain, because at this very moment it is easy to damage both your own yacht and others, whose value can be measured in millions of dollars. It is for this procedure that the crew is instructed in advance, responsibilities are assigned and the communication system is determined (it is determined who and what should be said and done). Commands when changing conditions of mooring should be loud, clear, understanding of commands is fixed by the crew member by repeating the command with the addition of the word “Accepted!”.
So easy to imagine this team at sea, so difficult in management. Often we don’t want to cancel our order or order, as we see it as a threat to our reputation. Believe me, it is much better to respond promptly and clearly, albeit in contradiction with the previous instructions, than to continue to torment the employee with apparently useless work. As a rule, the implicit all the same becomes obvious and your reputation at this moment suffers much more than with timely disposal. And of course, do not forget to control understanding.
11. Acceptance of the result
This is the most pleasant moment in the management, and a little sad in my yacht trip, as for me it meant a break for a considerable time. I don’t know if the mentality plays a role or something else, but I rarely came across managers who, at the completion of a project or a large block of work, thank the staff and moreover make an analysis of the work done and the results achieved. But what to hide, I myself am not very inclined to praise. Nevertheless, this is a very effective tool, both to motivate your team and to identify new goals for your own development. For example, the objectives for the implementation of the next trip or the next project of all the items disassembled above.
Let's repeat:
1. The coordination of terminology - exchanging information, to understand the meaning of words equally
2. Agreement on the conditions - the conditions of your participation should be discussed in advance in the smallest details, or the remaining unexplained points should be put at your risk
3. Preparation for the project - prepare in advance a checklist of what needs to be done at the preparation stage.
4. Acquaintance with the team - find out everything you can about the team. Personally meet with participants and build regular personal communications
5. Determination of goals and objectives - define and communicate to the participants the goal and objectives of the project, explain the degree of participation of each. Try to comply with SMART
6. Informing about the rules of execution and monitoring their understanding - clarify and monitor the understanding of the applied management model and requirements for the implementation of tasks
7. Risk assessment - identify risks, develop and take preventive measures (in accordance with the risk management policy). For the most important of the remaining ones, have a plan of corrective actions in case of their implementation
8. Creating a communication plan - to provide an understanding of each participant, to whom and what he needs to tell
9. Regular monitoring of the execution of tasks and the state of risks - to supplement the regular process of managing criteria that exclude the possibility of erroneous interpretation of results. Trying to avoid vague and immeasurable language, they will make this process ineffective.
10. Making adjustments - do not be afraid to contradict himself. "Only a fool and a dead man does not change." The change, however, also needs to be assessed by SMART
11. Acceptance of the result - analyze and analyze the results of the project. To hold a final meeting with the project participants, to provide feedback for all participants.
Source: https://habr.com/ru/post/340734/
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