Robert Ryan PMP

I think that every project manager has had to take over a project that is out of control. What should you do to get this project back on track?

The first thing that should be done is to access where the project currently is. You should review all tasks and activities to determine exactly where the project stands in relation to the actual schedule and budget. You should ignore any current status reports and talk directly to all of the important stakeholders to establish a new baseline.

Once this new baseline has been established then go ahead and treat this as a new project. This means that the risk register needs to be filled out, new LOE’s need to be obtained from development stakeholders, and a new project plan needs to be created.

Then it is important to reach out to all the development stakeholders and inform them of the true status of the project and what obstacles are in the way to the successful completion of the project. Additionally it is important for the project manager to reengage the project team and remind them of the business need(s) for this project. It is important to remind everyone involved on the project exactly why the project was undertaken to begin with.

The last step to undertake is to determine if the obstacles that threw the project off kilter in the first place still exists. All of the (re)planning and best of intentions will not be enough to bring a project back online if the original issue(s) that threw the project out of whack still exist. Address these issue(s) and be ready to document these in your lessons learned.

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One of the many hats a project manager has to wear is one of a facilitator. There are times during a project when disagreements erupt and it is the job of the project manager to facilitate a negotiation and bring the conflict to an end. Facilitation can help solve problems at the root level,not just on the surface so the project can move forward.

Leading up to the facilitation meeting the project manager will share the agenda (brief history of dispute and questions that need to be resolved). At the beginning of the meeting detail the rules of the meeting (everyone has time to discuss their viewpoint and everyone has to listen without trying to talk over the other person) and any time constraints.

Once the meeting is underway the facilitator’s key role is to keep everything on track. They must have strong communication skills and the ability to keep the discussions on topic while remaining neutral. They must also use their negotiation skills to build a consensus amongst all of the meeting participants. One important point to remember is to be sure the facilitator brings everyone to a final solution that will solve the issue(s). Once the meeting has commenced then the facilitator needs to follow up with all of the stakeholders to ensure that all of the action items that came out of the meeting are completed.

I hope all of these tips help to lead a successful negotiation when your next project conflict arises.

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