You may be familiar the story of Everybody (Somebody, Anybody, Nobody) To summarize, there was a crucial job to do and although Everybody was asked to complete it, nobody did. Somebody got mad because Anyone could have done it.
It’s a funny linguistic joke, but it’s also a classic example of project management gone wrong. Instead of clear communication and managed expectations, good morale and clear communication, there is confusion and missed deadlines. It’s all about going to hell in a handcart if there isn’t a serious course correction.
Transparency is key to project management success. Visibility is not only for one employee, but also for the larger expectations, company goals, and input from others, from colleagues to third-party providers, will ensure smoother progress and better morale.
Transparency is more than just everyone logging in to the same GANTT charts, although that’s a good start. It covers a wide range of issues, including employee empowerment, leadership structure, and project construction.
What does transparency look like in the best-in-class project management environment? It’s all about clarity of expectations. Although it may seem simple, when things are moving quickly it can be easy to add a task or revise a project specification. Before you know, teams feel overwhelmed, their to-do list spirals out of control, deadlines are impossible to meet, and deliverables seem out of reach.
Communication is key to marriage. Communication is essential. You must be able communicate clearly what is expected and required. Too many projects are based on timeframes that are too rigid for the business rather than being tailored to the capabilities of the teams.
Listening to your team is the first step. Is it difficult to manage a young family or have they been away for a while? Understanding the team’s circumstances will help you create realistic and achievable timelines.
There will always be delays, roadblocks, and challenges. Many people feel that they are not able to speak out when faced with challenges. This could be due to a culture of blame: if you raise a problem, you become the issue. Or simply because hierarchy gives the impression that you are less welcome if you are a junior member.
Your most valuable early warning system is often the staff who are involved in the daily execution of projects. It is important to create a culture that values everyone’s opinion and encourages collaboration.
Not all concerns can be solved. People can feel uncomfortable with change, especially when going through a period of intense transformation. Each member must be heard and addressed in order to ensure that new directions are supported.
This means understanding the motivations of each person, giving them the confidence and the opportunity to voice their concerns, and then working together to find common ground to help them adapt to the new direction. Transparency is key to this process. Understanding the why and how of an organisation’s direction change can help the less evangelistic members of the team get on board.
Projects are not in a bubble. There are many moving parts. External forces can often influence the team’s ability to control them. Transparency is the first and last line defense for project managers. Understanding the motivations of all stakeholders, internal and external, allows teams to see potential problems and allow them to plan and adapt.
The pandemic caused an increase in the use of collaboration tools, giving teams more structure and visibility into projects that were previously more ad-hoc. Requests can now be registered online to give teams more control and visibility. Where the latt?
