All projects are complex, and there are many facets of a project that add up to its success or failure.
If a project is considered a success, everyone shares in the celebration. If a project is deemed a failure, fingers are pointed and multiple sources may be blamed. No one wants a failed project, therefore the expectations for outcomes need to be set at the beginning of the project, then everyone needs to focus on making sure that happens.
Leadership is of the utmost importance when it comes to preparation for a successful project. It’s the job of leadership to announce and communicate the changes that the firm is undertaking. When people are informed and understand what is coming, they fall into several categories: eager for the change, need to know more to determine how the change will affect them, or resistant to the change. All employees look up to their leaders and take direction from them, so it isn’t enough to pass the responsibility on to a manager who has limited scope; visibility and communication from the top level always packs more of a punch. Each person in charge of significant project milestones will be focused on their part, and not so much on the overall picture, and someone at a top level should be focused on this.
Communication from all levels must begin as soon as decisions are made, as it always takes time for project development and eventual implementation. Leadership communication happens early and at certain phases throughout the project. Additional communication will come from Office Management, HR, IT, Training and anyone else who has a role in the project outcome. These communications can also be spaced over a period of months prior to the project, during the project and afterwards, to keep everyone abreast of progress, phases, accomplishments, benefits, and to provide direction as well as feedback.
Training is highly important for a few reasons: A) if your project is rolling out new software then everyone needs to know how to use it. B) if your project is an office move, people need directions and building specifics, C) if your project is a merger, people need to understand the reorganization, etc. Everyone appreciates guidance and to know who to contact if they have questions.
Managing resistance is often a stumbling block for project success. Some people simply don’t like change, and they either ignore the communication, or they object to the change. Knowing who might have a more difficult time with the change is something that should be discovered early on. These employees need extra attention to help them understand the impact of the change, and the risk of not changing. Some people may be more impacted by a change and early conversations allow people to better prepare.
The more effort put into managing the change, the better chance you have of success.