How Do You Manage Quickly Changing Circumstances?
In the fast-paced world of law and consulting, adapting to change is crucial. We've gathered insights from Managing Partners and a Managing Director on this very topic. From sticking to project management basics to maintaining agility and open communication, here are seven strategies these professionals use to manage projects amidst changing circumstances.
- Stick to Project Management Basics
- Involve Stakeholders in Planning
- Embrace Reversible Decisions and Agility
- Combine Proactive Planning with Responsiveness
- Foster a Proactive, Agile Mindset
- Leverage Agility in Live Entertainment
- Maintain Agility and Open Communication
Stick to Project Management Basics
Well, ask any seasoned Project Leader or Manager, and they will agree that this is quite a common scenario due to multiple factors such as unclear or incomplete requirements definition, lack of clarity or understanding of the requirements, and changing requirements due to both internal and external factors impacting the project scope, timelines, and cost.
My experience over the years in handling and overcoming these ever-changing circumstances in a way that manages various stakeholders, the morale of the project teams, the organization’s reputation, and most importantly, customer goodwill and satisfaction has been to stick to basics:
1. Understand from the customer/stakeholder the specifics of the changes to the project/deliverables.
2. Conduct a deeper analysis to understand the impact of the changes on your original roadmap.
3. Consult the members of the project team closest to the execution responsibility to get their feedback on the impact on their published outcomes and timelines. One best practice here, which has worked for me, is to always motivate the team on the big picture during these internal discussions. This enables them to see if the changes can be accommodated while maintaining the original scope, timelines, and cost of the project.
4. Maintain a good operating rhythm to communicate internally and with customers/stakeholders, giving them the actual status of progress as you execute and making them part of the journey. It always helps, as sometimes they understand the challenges.
5. Celebrate smaller milestones and not just wait for the final validation on meeting the deliverables.
6. Conduct TGR/TGW (Things Gone Right/Things Gone Wrong) after every project completion. This is something I learned during my work on Toyota Production Systems and have personally followed on projects I have led over the years. It helps you evolve as a world-class organization if embedded in your culture.
Feel free to get help by writing to jayen@bridgepathinnov.com or jayendesai@outlook.com.
Involve Stakeholders in Planning
Things ALWAYS change. I like to say there's the 'plan on paper,' then 'the plan you planned for,' and finally 'the plan that reveals itself' right up to the day, date, and time of the event. That's just SOP for a speaker and business consultant. The one thing I try to do to lessen the impact and frustration of ever-changing circumstances is to involve as many decision-makers and constituents in the planning process from start to finish, and acknowledge that things will evolve and shift, so we need to accept and prepare for those course corrections together.
Embrace Reversible Decisions and Agility
In the fast-paced world of startups, adapting quickly to changing circumstances is not just beneficial; it's essential. One vital practice is ensuring decisions are reversible where possible. Implementing policies that allow for quick reversals can save a project in flux from prolonged misdirection and wasted resources. Additionally, maintaining a tight, fact-based feedback loop is crucial. It ensures that decisions are continuously informed by real-world data, allowing you to pivot swiftly and effectively when needed.
Agility is another cornerstone. Speed and tempo in decision-making are intrinsic to a startup's DNA, and often the most successful ones can make critical changes ten times faster than larger firms. This agility extends to embracing failure as a learning tool rather than a setback. Celebrating and analyzing failures quickly provides invaluable insights that can steer the project back on course.
Combine Proactive Planning with Responsiveness
In my experience as a managing director, managing projects that require quick adaptations involves a combination of proactive planning and real-time responsiveness.
I typically start by engaging in thorough risk assessment during the initial project phases, which prepares the team for potential shifts. This foundational work sets the stage for agility, allowing us to transition smoothly when faced with unexpected changes. Regular checkpoints and feedback loops are integrated into our project management practices to assess progress and reassess strategies, ensuring all stakeholders remain aligned.
Ultimately, fostering a collaborative environment where team members feel empowered to voice concerns or suggest adjustments leads to more robust solutions and ultimately greater project success.
Foster a Proactive, Agile Mindset
Adapting to rapidly changing circumstances requires a mindset shift from reactive to proactive. At Tech Comradery and Studio A Collective, we prioritize agility and flexibility, embracing uncertainty as an opportunity for growth. We stay ahead of the curve by continuously scanning the horizon for emerging trends and technologies, and fostering a culture of experimentation and learning. By doing so, we're able to pivot quickly in response to changing circumstances, leveraging our collective expertise to navigate uncharted territories. Effective communication, trust, and collaboration are also crucial in our ability to adapt and thrive in a dynamic environment. Ultimately, it's about being open to new possibilities and embracing the unknown with curiosity and creativity.
Leverage Agility in Live Entertainment
At Interstate 15, managing quickly-changing circumstances successfully hinges on our ability to react effectively. While thorough planning and proactive strategies are foundational, our real strength lies in our agility and adaptability. In the dynamic world of live sports and entertainment, unexpected events are the norm. Being a priority is quick thinking and being fast on your feet, ensuring we can pivot swiftly and effectively when situations change. Our team excels at quick decision-making and resource mobilization, leveraging our broad network and extensive expertise to address challenges as they arise and maintain high performance amidst the unpredictability of our industry.
Maintain Agility and Open Communication
Navigating the changing circumstances associated with most projects is akin to steering a ship safely through turbulent waters. As an experienced consultant, the key lies in maintaining a high level of agility, fostering open and frequent communication with your clients, and leveraging technology to pivot accordingly. By anticipating potential challenges, staying proactive, and empowering my team with the right tools and strategies, I ensure that we can quickly adapt and thrive amidst pending uncertainty. Flexibility is not just an asset; it's a necessity for delivering consistent, high-quality outcomes to our valued clients in an ever-changing business environment.
