I was talking with a senior-level R&D executive recently, and this topic came up:
How can two projects – both of which are important and highly likely to create great value for both the firm and the client – have two such different paths?
We talked about how one leader can guide a project that seems to glide through key milestone reviews, and even when faced with a setback, can quickly gather resources and get restarted.
Contrast this with another project on a parallel track that seems to be going uphill every day. There seem to be constant resource conflicts, as well as difficulty accessing key pieces of information and client intel. When it gets stuck, it can stay that way for a while, until escalation takes place and the blockage is “cleared.”
We then continued the conversation, comparing and contrasting the leaders and approaches that might account for the different experiences of these teams. As I suspected, there were several critical, almost invisible differences that when executed correctly, led to a more successful outcome:
- Have a real kickoff – not just a passive listening and note-taking session
- Engage the senior team and pre-negotiate commitments
- Do the work to anchor the team’s work in a narrative that works on behalf of the larger firm
When we unpacked the differences in leadership, what we found was that the leader whose program was moving smoothly actually invited conflict in the earlier part of the cycle that cleared the way to smoother seas downstream. They did it in the three ways that I outlined above. When well-deployed, these techniques can also help you.
#1: Have a Real Kickoff
When coaching leaders on how to get things rolling, one of the first principles we cover is that change always meets resistance. The key coaching point is to capture not only the tailwinds for the project but the headwinds too. To get after that resistance early, it’s important to do some work at that first kickoff that may seem to be counter-productive but actually accelerates the group significantly. The agenda for a good kickoff includes the usual briefing, but then also includes a section to brainstorm on areas of friction that will emerge. It usually takes some encouragement to get things rolling, but once underway, you can capture and group these by function and leader. Once these friction points are pulled together, the savvy team leader moves on to the next step.
Pro Tip: After introducing the project, put up a business model canvas on the conference room wall and invite the team to brainstorm on which of the nine boxes will be impacted (If you are doing it with a quiet group, use Post-It notes and a silent brainstorm). Explore the who, how and why for each affected box.
#2: Pre-Negotiate Commitments
Taking the work from the amped-up kickoff session, the leader has a great start to approach the team sponsoring the work with real asks for resources and assistance in solving the hardest issues. One team pre-negotiated access to key lab equipment over the weekends, while another got a trip to a potential client site of a key sales leader. This kind of prework can be a huge booster shot to the group and helps these leading tough breakout work to keep the team moving.
Pro Tip: Use the work from above to find out which areas on the business model canvas will be impacted and who owns those domains. Work with your sponsor on getting ascent from those leaders and negotiating a win/win of time, money and resources.
#3: Getting the Team “On-Brand”
The last corner of the triad is being careful to do the work of alignment. The team’s work needs to be seen as good for the firm because the team needs the time, money and resources of the firm to be able to complete its mission. Without the right narrative, the group will constantly be arguing with well-meaning resource gatekeepers who will rightly question whether they can give the team members the resources they are asking for. Without this work completed, the only way to gain this access is with an escalation meeting, which is a time consuming and conflict generating event. Even with success, this kind of “resolution” creates unneeded emotion and bad feelings.
Pro Tip: Have the team spend a few minutes with the best articulation of the current strategy – it could be a recent mission statement or perhaps the first few pages of this year’s strategic plan. Have your team restate it in 3-5 bullets and then look at your team charter and write (next to each bullet) out how your project moves the mission forward.
The Core Principle
The takeaway from this piece is that the leaders who want their projects to run the smoothest, actually activate and seek out (measured) conflict early. By drawing out and learning about the resistance that will emerge throughout the life of a project, they can establish a path and relationships that will allow the project to proceed smoothly.
If you have a question or perhaps a team that is bogged down in the hard work of establishing growth and change, we might want to talk. You can reach me on my direct line at 847-651-1014, or set up an appointment directly using this link.
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