<img height="1" width="1" style="display:none" src="https://www.facebook.com/tr?id=349935452247528&amp;ev=PageView&amp;noscript=1">
Find out where you can get a Taste of TAB... our global events blast is on!
Search
word-map-thumb

The Alternative Board Blog

Project Plan Issues - Project Management for Small Business

Jan. 29, 2013 | Posted by The Alternative Board
toolbox_bg-1

Project Management for Small Business XII

One of my colleagues says:

"You have issues and I have tissues."

As any project proceeds, there will invariably be issues that have to be addressed, and dealing with issues is where a good project manager can really shine. Some project managers choose to not tackle the thornier issues, and hope that big problems will disappear.  Sometimes, the project succeeds despite a bad project manager. Sometimes, the project will fail.  Ignoring a problem is never a solution; a good project manager will face the tough issues, and resolve them.

In order for issues to be properly surfaced and addressed, the right tone needs to be set with the team at the start of the project. The first project meeting is a great place for the project manager to display a willingness to resolve issues in front of their team.  It’s very important that all members of your team understand the tone of the project culture. The team needs to be open and honest. The project manager should ask the entire team two questions at this meeting:

Does everyone agree to be open and honest with me and with fellow team members about issues that are presenting obstacles to successfully completing this project?

If another team member identifies an issue with you or your work, do you agree to accept open and honest feedback and commit to addressing the issue for the best interest of the project?

 

300px-OpenPM_velocity
 
                                                              Open Project Manager screenshot - velocity (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

 These questions might seem too obvious, but it’s my experience that asking these questions is a great way to set the cultural tone for a project where issues can be meaningfully addressed. If a strict standard is not set, team members will feel reluctant to bring up issues and accept criticism if they are part of a problem. Team members may be reluctant to raise an issue that they know is hurting the project since they fear hurting someone's feelings or causing resentment. By gaining agreement from team members from the outset to raise issues and solve problems, the team and the project manager has the license to tackle issues that are getting in the way.

All projects should have a running issue list:

  • Short description of the issue
  • Impact of issue to the project if not addressed
  • Date the issue opened
  • Date the issue needs to be resolved by
  • Owner of the issue

Recording when the issue was first identified is very important. This will expose chronic issues which are not getting addressed. The longer an issue is open without getting addressed, the more detrimental it is to a project.

Want additional insight? Download Easy Ways to Improve Your Company Culture

DOWNLOAD

Once you have your issues identified, focus on solving them. Here are the recommended best practices for resolving issues:

  • Make sure the root cause issue is identified. Sometimes, the issue may reflect a symptom. For example, the issue may be that the scope is not complete. The underlying issue may be that the team member working on the scope does not fully understand the domain of the project.
  • Be sure that you have first hand information on all issues.
  • Review the issue list at each weekly status meeting.
  • Focus on the issues in priority order. Those with greatest impact on the project should be addressed first.
  • Encourage dissension. Sometimes the unconventional thinking leads to a better solution; sometimes it doesn't. It's my experience that unconventional thinking is always worth hearing.
  • Issues cannot always be solved by consensus. The project manager may have to take unpopular positions at times which are in the best interest of the project.
  • If an issue is discussed multiple times by the project team without resolution, the issue should be escalated. The project stakeholder(s) should get involved.
  • Once the solution is identified, document the resolution clearly. Often team members can take away slightly different understandings of what was agreed. Make sure the resolution is written down and sent to all team members so that nothing is murky.

As a final recommendation, avoid the drama. Some issues are greater than others. If an issue exists but is not impacting the project, it might not need to be addressed. When issues do impact your project, following these guidelines should remove obstacles and clear a path to project success.

Read our 19 Reasons You Need a Business Owner Advisory Board

DOWNLOAD

Written by The Alternative Board

Related posts

The Most Common Ethics Mistakes Made by Business Leaders
Mar. 20, 2024 | Posted by Lee Polevoi
Most business leaders regard themselves as ethical individuals, particularly when it comes to running a business that values integrity above all else. At the same time, even the most conscientious...
How to Build an Ethical Workplace Culture
Mar. 6, 2024 | Posted by Lee Polevoi
Most of us understand what it means to act in an ethical manner. CEOs and business owners frequently advocate a set of ethics by which to run their organizations, helping the workforce maintain a...
Unlearning Conformity: How to Overhaul Old Business Paradigms
Feb. 14, 2024 | Posted by The Alternative Board
Industry is evolving at a record pace, particularly in the post-pandemic era. While COVID lockdowns and shutdowns temporarily changed the way businesses operated and employees engaged, today’s...
Top 3 Strategic Musts for the Coming Year
Jan. 11, 2024 | Posted by The Alternative Board
The first quarter of the year always seems to have business owners dreaming a little bigger, reaching a little higher, and planning innovative ways to improve their organizations in the ensuing...
5 “Must-Have” Elements of a Strategic Plan
Jan. 3, 2024 | Posted by Lee Polevoi
Deciding to “stay in place” is not a viable option for most businesses. Marketplace conditions are always in flux, and customer needs and preferences frequently change over time, so business leaders...
What Does the Future of Remote Work Look Like?
Dec. 20, 2023 | Posted by Lee Polevoi
In case there’s any doubt, some statistics on the state of remote work in the U.S. should clear things up. According to the Upwork Future Workforce Pulse Report, “The number of remote workers in...
Tips on Future-Proofing Your Business
Dec. 6, 2023 | Posted by The Alternative Board
No one can say with certainty what the future of business holds—except that change remains a constant. And because marketplace conditions are always in flux, it’s vital that business leaders keep a...
What Can Predictive Analytics Do for Your Business?
Jul. 19, 2023 | Posted by Lee Polevoi
Every business (yours included) generates a lot of data. Every customer interaction, sale, and follow-up report produce information of great potential use to the organization. The key is harnessing...
Ay Yi Yi: The Fascinating World of AI
Jul. 12, 2023 | Posted by The Alternative Board
Artificial intelligence. What once felt wildly futuristic has suddenly become mainstream and is growing more ubiquitous by the minute. You are likely already interacting with AI, even if you are not...
3 Surprising Trends That Will Change the Way You Run Your Business
Feb. 9, 2023 | Posted by The Alternative Board
There has been a lot of talk lately about Artificial Intelligence and how it is poised to change how nearly every business owner runs and grows their company. And it’s already happening. The recent...