Projects caught in the endless loop of the "circle back"

When the circle back has circled so long, it's spiraling down the drain …

We have all been there. As a PM, you are in a meeting where department heads are providing updates and answers to questions, the flow of information is going well, and you are on track to have the information needed to move your project forward.

Consider the frustration when a seemingly simple question receives the response, "Let me just check with the team, and I'll circle back with you." This could be a thoughtful response that requires some additional data points, or it could be a routine habit that becomes a hinderance to progress. Future requests for updates on the topic are met with with "Oh, I forgot," "I was working XYZ priority," or the never-ending promise of next week.

For project managers, this can feel like a roadblock. It not only delays progress but also leads to a sense of frustration and requires additional follow-up efforts.

The Problem with "I'll Circle Back"

1. Team Impact

When team members, especially leaders, repeatedly use vague phrases like "I'll circle back," it signals a lack of accountability. Over time, this creates a culture where follow-through is seen as optional, and commitments are worthless. For instance, in one project, a key decision needed for a design decision was perpetually "in progress." Once the decision was finally wrangled, it caused the entire company to scramble to meet a commitment that could have been avoided if planned differently.

2. Frustrating Delays

Every time a task is deferred with no clear follow-up, it has the ability to disrupt the project delivery timeline. Imagine trying to nail down delivery dates for a priority customer: The difference between a swag and a plan depends on one team providing input into their resource plan. Several fruitless follow-ups and an angry phone call with the customer later, the PM is compelled to provide the swagged date. Ultimately, when resources are found to be lacking,? delivery is delayed for weeks.? At this point, the team has to choose between disappointing the customer, or incurring costly overtime to make-up for the time - neither being a winning outcome.

3. Dwindling Motivation?

Eventually, the mention of the need to circle back becomes an inside joke, code for "let's never discuss this again."?Although humorous, team members relying on updates to do their work are frustrated and can become disengaged. The underlying message is that the project isn't a priority, even if that's not the intent. Over time, team members resign themselves to low standards and may even stop asking key questions altogether.

Exploring the Underlying Reasons

1. Genuine Need to Validate Data

As I mentioned above, in some cases, there is a need to validate some information before sharing it. For example, the finance leader might need to double-check project revenue numbers before presenting them. However, when this becomes a default response, it suggests deeper problems that may need to be explored.

2. The organizational culture is driving the behavior

When you are in the middle of an information drought, you may be thinking that the issue is limited to you and your projects. Not so fast. Observe how the leadership team responds and reacts to circle backs. Do questions asked during all-hands meetings never get followed up on as promised? Are requests for assistance to gather information met with further disappointing delays or dismissal? For whatever reason, the overall company culture resists holding people accountable.

3. Information Hoarding or Fear

Sometimes, teams hesitate to share information because they fear being held accountable for bad news or mistakes. For instance, a team member might avoid reporting that a key component was not ordered on time, hoping they can rush an alternative before the mistake causes an overall delay. This avoidance only exacerbates the issue and could be due to overall cultural implications of retribution or lack of psychological safety.

4. Lack of Role Clarity or Competence?

When people are unclear about their responsibilities or are underprepared, they may default to circle-back avoidance. This can manifest as a junior team member tasked with leading a complex initiative, or a senior leader who does not fully understand the tactical elements of the their department. Rather than admitting their shortcomings they keep deflecting in the hope that the answers materialize in another way.

Practical Tips

1. Fostering a Culture of Accountability

• Create a "no surprises" project management approach: Encourage team members to report issues early, even if the news is bad. Publicly praise those who share issues and highlight the near misses in project updates.
• Lead by example: Model transparent communication by admitting when you don't know something and committing to a specific follow-up plan, ensuring that your follow through occurs as committed.
• Note - this has positive effects even if you are in permissive CircleBack culture. A grass roots effort of positive commitment and follow through will still plant seeds in others and drive change over time.

2. Improve Follow-up Practices

• Set Clear Expectations: When someone says, "I'll circle back with you," ask, "By when?" Adding a deadline turns a vague promise into a concrete action.
• Use Meeting Notes: Summarize key meeting points and assign owners to each action item. For example: "Joe will verify the status of the widget and provide an update by Friday at Noon."
• Follow Through: Start each meeting with a review of open action items. In addition, tools like reminders or task trackers can help ensure commitments aren't forgotten.

4. Leverage Technology

• Use management tools like Teams, Slack? or even Asana or Jira to track tasks and updates. For example, if a team member needs to confirm technical specs, assign the task in the system with a due date.

Takeaways

1. Ask Specific Questions: Instead of asking, "Can you let me know next week?" try, "When can I expect an update on the status of the missing part?"
2. Document Commitments: After every meeting, share a recap email with action items and deadlines.?
3. Identify Patterns Root Causes: If a team member consistently needs to circle back and fails to follow-up, try to determine what might be at the root of their issue. Sometimes calling out the behavior with "I've noticed updates on this project have been delayed. Is there an issue I can help with?" may drive accountability. In other cases, you may seek the support of your project sponsors to help assert some influence to drive change.?

Parting Thought

The phrase "I'll circle back" doesn't have to remain the project joke. By addressing the root causes of delay and continuing to show up with transparency and psychological safety, project managers can turn vague promises into meaningful action. When teams communicate openly, trust grows, projects thrive, and those dreaded words may become a thing of the past.

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