Crisis Thinking, Project Management and Change Leadership.

I was recently asked about the difference between project management and project rescue and got to thinking that perhaps more projects should be done in crisis mode.

CONVENTIONAL THINKING

Most thinking is either based on structure and systems (roles, controls, tasks, budgets) or hearts and minds (people, passion and performance) or perhaps a combination of the two. The former is more akin to traditional project management and the latter to change leadership.

The first approach may articulate mission and goals with clear critical success factors and key performance indicators. The second approach may espouse vision and values with a cultural emphasis on competencies, behaviours and team-work.

These have their place in all forms of management and most project methodologies like Agile, PRINCE2 and many others.

CRISIS THINKING

In a crisis you immediately de-clutter all your thinking, you abandon the bureaucracy and the protocol. You may also abruptly abandon courtesy and manners as your instinct becomes fight or flight. You examine your immediate useful resources and quickly decide between your immediate choices.


LESSON 1 - Focus on Essentials

CaseStudy in the Boat:
I am a keen rower and my rowing partner and I have been caught out in conditions which are scary and threatening. A boat is unstable when it looses momentum so stopping for a discussion both increases risk and extends the period you are at risk. The only immediate choices are speed and direction, and the sensible thing is not to head home, but head to the nearest safety. Once safe, you can contemplate home!

CaseStudy in the Business:
I was asked to 'project rescue' a client facing a multi-million pound penalty for project over-run. I quickly separated the must-do tasks from the nice-to-have, with emphasis on those that effected the penalty. Get Phase1 done and worry about Phase2 later. This helps both focus, generates confidence (in smaller bite-size tasks) and creates momentum.

Conclusion
Prioritise what is essential. If subsequently you have spare time, energy or money then that is a bonus and cause for celebration. Over-extending yourself and failing may cost you your job or worse. However each small success may reward you with another opportunity.

LESSON 2 - Work side-by-side

CaseStudy in the Boat:
There only two of you, just get it done and discuss the plan as you go and the situation dictates.

CaseStudy in the Business:
We simply didn't have the time to procrastinate and whilst one of the clients' management team wanted to document the tasks and failures of the IT Team I instead sat with them, asked them the best solution and rewarded the with a case of beer for their efforts.

Conclusion
Working collaboratively (side-by-side) de-clutters thinking, removes bureaucracy and speeds up both decision making and delivery, not least because there is clear ownership which isn't defrayed across a complex heirachy of authorisations and approvals.


LESSON 3 - Conversation, consensus and commitment precede documentation

CaseStudy in the Boat:
We got ourselves to safety without any agendas, minutes or meetings. But we never stopped communicating. If a wave rose up and smashed over our heads we'd shout "You OK!?" and maybe offer feedback, "More left!" or "More right!" There were lots of lessons, but these were discussed later and the notes, stories, and bravado happened after the work, not instead of the work.

CaseStudy in the Business:
Nobody has time to write memos that nobody else has time to read. Mindless note taking, risk logs, and audits are pointless. Time spent evidencing actions is not the same as implementing actions! Instead I got everyone in a room (with conference call) 8:30am every morning and took a "war-room" approach of "what are YOU going to do today". emails, memos, reports were replaced by conversation. There was follow-up paperwork, but these were bullet lists and aide memoire to recorded output and decisions.


Conclusion
The process of emails, memos, reports wastes time. Their exchange fuels conflict. Conversation eliminates both. Who goes to the pub and presents a memo to their buddy? Who writes a report to their spouse about which house, car or holiday they should buy? In real life we discuss first and then document (with contracts, agreements, payments) after.

RECOMMENDED STEPS

LESSON 1 - Focus on Essentials
Prioritise what is essential: It's essential if it will cost you your job or your life. If it isn't a personal priority there will not be sufficient drive to overcome the challenge.

LESSON 2 - Work side-by-side
Work side-by-side with the people who will decide and deliver the difference. Make sure the hierarchy either delegates the decision making or rolls up their sleeves to does the work. Spectating or presiding are not an option, throw them over-board!

LESSON 3 - Conversation, consensus and commitment precede documentation
The fastest route from discussion through decision to delivery is through dialogue not documentation. Documentation is secondary, and a ratchet or lesson to stop you going backwards.