Not all missed deadlines are created equal. Missed project milestones should be treated differently based upon the circumstances and the performance culture that you want to create.
What happens in your organization if you miss a deadline on a project?
If people perceive "nothing," there is performance trouble ahead.
If there are no consequences to missed deadlines, project team members can feel that their project was not so important after all or that the timing did not really matter. This slippery performance slope can lead to a lack of motivation and more slippage on other important dates and key deliverables.
It is up to you as the project manager to keep project team members on target and on time without sacrificing quality or project team satisfaction. As uncomfortable as it may be to raise the issue of failed delivery in some circumstances, it will be even more difficult to explain to the project sponsor and key stakeholders why your project is lagging and why your team is under-performing.
If you or your organization let dates slip, there are three key steps to take as a leader to get things back on track.
Read more about the 3 key steps to take
About LSA Global
Founded in 1995, LSA Global is a leading performance consulting and training firm that helps high growth technology, services, and life-science companies create a competitive advantage by powerfully aligning their culture and talent with their strategy. Learn more about getting aligned
We have all led or been affected by critical and complex projects that have gone "sideways." The experience is rarely enjoyable and often difficult to forget.
The bad news. Unfortunately, most research shows that up to three-quarters of internal and external projects fail to meet original expectations. In three recent client meetings, a combined $25,000,000 of problems were directly associated with missing targets and poorly managing client and project stakeholder expectations. The good news. The vast majority of the problems could (and should) have been avoided along the way.
Our experience tells us that spending a little bit of time to take stock throughout the project and at the end of a project can pay big dividends, greatly improve project team engagement, and significantly increase internal and external stakeholder satisfaction.
An effective Project Post Mortem Process should be based upon multi-industry project management best practices and research. The results should provide targeted recommendations for success during and after critical project phases by helping project leaders and teams to:
- Clearly agree upon the current project situation and status.
- Come to closure as individuals and as a project team.
- Apply project best practices to determine key takeaways and areas of improvement.
- Identify and manage project risks.
- Re-calibrate, determine areas of focus, and identify specific next steps.
- Implement proven solutions that will work for your unique project, stakeholders, culture, and situation.
Whether project team-specific or part of a 360-degree project stakeholder view, we recommend including three key project success areas and 27 key performance indicators.
Read more about the 27 key project performance indicators...
About LSA Global
Founded in 1995, LSA Global is a leading performance consulting and training firm that helps high growth technology, services, and life-science companies create a competitive advantage by powerfully aligning their culture and talent with their strategy. Learn more about getting aligned
