The Simpler way doesn’t mean Easier.
The challenges will remain the same, it is more about how you face them
A few months ago, when I was first entrusted with consulting and project managing multiple projects and challenges with a big company in the medical sector, I knew the challenge would have to start with MY approach to things.
Running multiple projects at once, where each has its brief, priority, process, team, mission, and most importantly, runs on different protocols and standards, meant:
- One-size-fits-all solutions don’t exist.
- Just because it worked before doesn’t mean it will work now.
- Experience in handling people and personalities is of utmost importance.
- The core team’s chemistry, sync, and alignment are THE make it or break it rule. Empathy is a rule to work with, not a wishlist.
When I formed the core team, I challenged myself to approach things differently than I would typically do.
A couple of areas and examples:
- Eliminate new learning curves when needed and possible.
Example: If a particular client-team is more comfortable working with pen and paper than with task management apps, adapt to them.
- Kill any meeting, briefing, sprint, and discussion that contribute little to no value to the entire operation.
Example: If we are meeting for something that could be sent as a message/email, the meeting is a waste of time. Rule of thumb: Are we meeting for the sake of the projects? Or for you to have confidence that things are on track?
- If you are good at scheduling tasks and priorities and timelines, you should be equally good at scheduling breaks, work leaves, lunches, coffee time..etc.
Example: If your plan and map mention no human aspect, and your team is merely a tool to reach the finish line, revise and keep drafting the plan until the people are of the same importance as the task. GO HOME is a task you should task and delegate.
The project has been going on for a few weeks now. We’ve come a long way, reaching one milestone after the next on many fronts. The simpler I approached things, the cleaner our methodology became. It didn’t make things less complicated; the challenges remained the same. It is how we face those challenges and overcome them as a team that became..easier.
Those challenging times in the past few years have been such a training ground and an opportunity to evaluate what we know, and what we thought we know…for that hidden bit I am grateful.
