Hidden Secrets of Project Failure and the Essence of Project Success, Part 1.

How many of you reading this who work within the engineering and construction industry are aware of, or want to acknowledge how our industry (around the world, and that includes the country you are in) continues to struggle to deliver projects successfully?

I am obsessed with why this is happening. I am also bewildered why the solutions we are being presented with, as recommended by corporate giants spouting generic strategies, that are funded and adopted by institutions and agencies who then introduce wide sweeping announcements of systemic and cultural change.

But alas, what about addressing the fundamentals first!

As engineers we trust and rely so heavily on the tried and tested technical specifications, processes, systems and methodologies.?Over the years they continue to be updated, tweaked, and nudged with aspirations of continuous improvement. Yet, over my 25 years in the industry, I am so underwhelmed by how utterly non-transformational and non-effective they are in reality.?

Our projects continue to be delivered over budget and over time – consistently and predictably.

Whatever new policy or industry strategy is being introduced lately, will do little to sway the statistical narrative of failure.?They are token gestures and superficial at best. They are introduced with the usual fanfare that this is the real deal, this time.

I have some ideas I want to share with you. For this newsletter I have a couple. I plan to roll out a few more in the coming newsletters, so stay tuned.

Read on for my experiences and the experiences of many scores or hundreds of engineers I have got to know over the years.?

Let me know if any sound familiar to you. ?I want to hear your comments.

Secret of Failure 1: Disconnection and Isolation

It is typical for many engineers and other professionals on projects to focus on the task or scope that has been set for them. They do not have a clue why they are doing what they are being tasked to do, or why it is important to the bigger picture.?But that’s ok by them.?This approach keeps things simple, and it’s not their responsibility for any of the repercussions anyway (if there are repercussions, then there’s a nice claim to be had for extra work, right. As long as they do what they are told to do!).?In this case, who cares about the bigger picture anyway?

If you are working in an environment where one’s own workload is considered the priority over everyone else’s, you have a project coming apart at the seams.

Many people don’t have a clear understanding for how the work they are doing affects people and teams downstream of their part and they don’t understand how outputs upstream of their involvement could affect them either.

So, you know, when teams on projects operate like this, independent of one another, it’s like all the pieces of the puzzle do not fit together, and instead they force the pieces together, odd and crooked, shaving bits off here and there.

Essence of Success 1: Connection and Interdependence

Connection is a necessary human element for any functional relationship and community.?A project is a community within itself that is not self-contained within silos. It is fluid and interactive between entities, integrated with the communities within it, around it and associated with it.?

Imagine a full, frank, transparent relationship that is concerned and interested in the performance of the other, such that their collective efforts bring home the best possible outcome for themselves and for the benefit of the bigger picture, the project. Just imagine that (notice ironic tone)!

Every single one of those interfaces is between two entities, represented by two individuals. Two individuals with the unique opportunity to create a partnership.

?Projects should be all about creating meaningful partnerships with the individuals, teams, stakeholders, clients, managers and other people on your projects.

Mastering the skills of partnering through connections, nurturing and engaging in meaningful relationships will naturally produce project outcomes that are not only meeting the demands of the project’s expectations, but will form the basis of a relationship that has a solid foundation upon which both parties simply cannot wait to do it again on the next problem and then the next project.?

When people come together like this, they become a force of unparalleled personal power and satisfaction, confronting more demanding and more complex problems, together. The power of such a relationship is spell bounding.

Let me simply ask - why wouldn’t you want to do whatever you can to invite these characteristics into your typical work week? Why wouldn't any project leader want to introduce this at every level of every project??The power of this cannot be underestimated. It takes on a life of its own.

Do I sound excited to you??

Well, let this newsletter be your invitation to imagine a project with this power and energy.?Now allow that thought to become a feeling of excitement and determination inside you, so that you go out of your way to engage with others to form your own partnerships, to build relationships so that you too can repeat that feeling of excitement. When you do, you will find that these experiences you share with people will be its own reward; not just reward from the remarkable outputs you will produce.

I’m excited for you!!!

Thinking about long term partnerships, at every level on projects, is the first step to building long lasting collaborative relationships that are necessary to tackling the complexity and the toughest challenges we face in the delivery of projects in our industry.

How does this sound? Get into the comments.

I'm looking forward to hearing your thoughts.