ITLever™

Here are some things to ponder:

• Delivering projects successfully creates credibility for an IT organization.
• There are dozens of project management methodologies.
• PM tools are everywhere you look.
• Several PM certifications exist.
• Project management training is easy to find.

Yet, project failure in the IT world is rampant, , ,  lots of press about it. So here is the question,

“With all this information and resources to help you manage projects effectively, how can we continue to have such high project failure rates?”

You would think the need for credibility alone would be enough to help us make improvements.

Here is a list of why I think IT projects have such high failure rates:

1. IT managers may not understand how important delivering projects successfully is in establishing credibility so they don’t invest enough in PM training and methodology.
2. Insufficient time is spent on the front end to define the specific objectives and deliverable of a project.
3. The project lacks sufficient resource to execute the project.
4. Not enough buffer  included in the project plan, especially when estimating how long tasks will take and how much things will cost.
5. Scope creep, , , occurs when additional requirements are added to the project after the scope has been defined by the Project Manager and agreed to by the Project Sponsor.
6. Insufficient commitment from the Customer, , , usually internal department managers of the company fail to invest the resources needed to complete the project successfully, , , they just want IT to get it done for them.
7. Lack of getting buy-in from project team members in the beginning of a project that they can complete assigned tasks when they are targeted to.
8. Lack of ongoing monitoring and managing of the project week to week.
9. Project team members waiting to the last minute to work on tasks.
10. Poor communication.

This last reason, , , poor communication, , , is the root cause of many of the items on the list. IT people are generally poor communicators because 70% of us are shy and introverted. This is a big reason a high percentage of IT projects fail year after year.

Invest in your team’s project management skills and keep records of your performance, , , both in success rates and the value delivered. A simple and quick way to do this is with an IT Initiatives Portfolio. Go to https://itlever.com/2010/05/11/it-initiatives-portfolio/

Awareness is one of the first things we need. Become aware of how important project management is to your team’s credibility and track record and prepare sufficiently to deliver projects successfully.

With today’s tools and training that’s readily available, there is no excuse for a poor project management track record. If you allow it to happen, it is undermining your credibility and preventing you from future opportunity.

Just a quick post, , , we are about to go celebrate July 4th, , , our Independence Day and a major holiday here in the US.

Let’s see, , , I hear we are having ribs, chicken, potato salad, baked beans and key lime pie.

Can’t wait. Our July 4th meal with a few friends is always one of the special days of the year.

3-day weekends are important to have from time to time. Even though I’ve been working all weekend (got a huge project I’m working on), , , we plan to party some this afternoon and know we will have a great time.

Short holiday bursts give you relax time and help you recharge the batteries. Take advantage of them and hope you enjoyed your time off if you are in the US.

Do you feel like you are imprisoned in your company? No opportunity, no appreciation, lack of understanding of your situation, , , and no fun?

I receive input from managers from time to time that sound like they feel imprisoned and helpless in their situation.

I’ve been there a couple of times myself, , , hated what I was doing and who I had to work with so much that it was everything I could do just to get up in the morning and go to work.

Over a career you will probably have a few situations that are tremendous and you simply love what you have. You may not realize it until it is too late.

In the same career, you will probably have one or two situations that are simply miserable. I can tell you from experience that this will shorten your life if you do not do something about it.

At the end of the day, you control your own destiny.

Before I proceed, let me clarify something. I’ve traveled around the world and have worked with IT managers in virtually every part of the world. I know that in some countries the ability to leave a company and seek a new opportunity is much more difficult than in other countries. Likewise, to make a change in profession can be more challenging in some countries than others.

However, even in the toughest situation, you are still in control of your own destiny. Ultimately, you have to make a decision, , , are you willing to stick it out and hope things get better (they certainly could) or do you want to force the issue and look for another opportunity?

Regardless of what you decide there are some things to consider:

Staying with your company

1. Things might get better.
2. You have accumulated some personal capital over the time you have been with your company that will be lost if you leave.
3. You are networked and know how to get things done in your current company.
4. You will be leaving many of your trusted colleagues.
5. You at least know what the issues and challenges are in your current company.

Leaving your company

1. You will have to start over in gaining credibility and learning how to get things done in a new company.
2. There will be much to learn in a new company.
3. There very well may be much better opportunity.
4. New managers can become valuable mentors.
5. New companies will also have problems and challenges.

What I’m getting at is don’t simply discount your present situation just because it’s not going exactly how you would like it to. Be certain you consider the positives in your negative situation, , , if you step back and think about it objectively I can assure you there are many positives in your current situation.

Often, people become so emotional about their situation that it becomes very hard to see the value in where they are and the capital they have developed over the years within their company.

The point is this, , ,try to take emotion out of the picture and assess what you have (or don’t have) objectively and do it when you can actually be objective about it, , , not when you are angry, mad, or upset.

I know people who I worked with in the mid-80’s who are still with the same company. I moved on and it was the right thing for me, but these managers are doing well and are happy where they are and have had great careers. Some who left have even gone back to work for the company which says a lot.

If you do decide to make a move, I recommend you position yourself as best as you can to make a smooth transition, , , both for yourself and also for the company you will be leaving. That’s right, , , position yourself to create as little of a ripple as possible for the company you are leaving. This could be a benefit to you ten years from now, , , you never know, , , plus, it is the right thing to do.

So, here is your Get Out of Jail FREE card, , , you’ve always had it, you just may not have realized it. Maybe after reading this article you might even see that you really aren’t in jail and never was, , , wouldn’t that be a great thing!