I have been managing initiatives for a long time. One aspect I struggled with early in my career, and I see many leaders struggle with today is how to execute the plan. Plans always start with what we know, but as the project progresses, there are almost always modifications. Where many leaders struggle is they continue to execute the plan as it was initially defined because that is what was agreed upon for delivery. They are not empowered to or do not have the experience to understand a plan must change as the expectations of what their shareholders’ expectations shift. If you are currently managing a product, program, or project, in any methodology or form, I encourage you to take a moment and ask three questions about it.
- Does what I am working on match the expectations of my stakeholders?
- Does this effort add value to my customer or is it part of a more significant strategic initiative?
- Does what we are delivering align with the organization’s quarterly and long term goals?
At the end of the day, if the answer is yes, keep moving forward. If the answer is no to any of these questions, it is your responsibility to communicate to your stakeholders the potential issues. Managing a project is as much about communication as it is executing. Time and time again, I have seen this forgotten. Issues get swept under the rug, and stakeholders are upset because they did not receive what they expected. It is always better to realign expectations and raise concerns during a project then deliver something that does not meet the expected results or align with the organization’s strategy. After all, the plan is only as good as the usefulness product or project it delivers. Let’s all take a minute and make sure we are all delivering solutions that matter.
