I have conducted tons of interviews, many sessions and participated in quite a few seminars. No matter what the subject, one of my favorite question to the audience is "Are you here to succeed?" and invariably I hear "YES". In 18 years I have not found anyone who is genuine enough to say "I am here to fail". Yet statistics suggest that most of the projects fail or get derailed or delayed. There are many authors, great pundits, websites who thrive on this sole topic.
However I firmly believe that the answer lies within us + the team and not outside. Majority of the failures are due to the 'make' (attributes or characteristics) of the people, and hardly has anything to do with technical competence of the team.
No matter how simple or complex the project might be, one can very easily know the outcome of the project, even before the start of the same, by simply understanding the make/attributes/characteristics of the people that forms the team.
HOW - I find lot of similarities between project, project members and makeup of the train. Visualize project as a time bound journey, in-between stations as milestones and members of the project as onboard people. There are distinct key actors that make the wholesome composition interesting or worst. However the biggest difference being there is no physical track and all the compartments/members are not neatly coupled - and that is what makes the projects even more interesting.
Let us now meet these various interesting train characters. By the end of this session, I promise, you would be able to figure out the outcome of any project or how you can contribute to make the project successful.
The Guard...
These type of people are extremely calm and soothing in nature. From the time they embark for the journey they await for the next station, so that they can free their legs, get something to eat/drink. To pass the time they can engage actively in any social topics and would have various interesting stories to share. They are excellent planners and in between stations you will see them completing some of their personal activities, as planned. These people are extremely good in relaying the information, from anywhere to anywhere - true unadulterated status. You will hardly see them agitated, and they rarely exhibit sense of urgency/eagerness/excitement during the entire journey.
They like the journey to be as easy as possible, so delays are OK with them. In many ways they are not time sensitive but are very good time keepers, so would be prompt in understanding 'In how much time the next station would come, is the train likely to get delayed etc' - the overall status. These folks are likely to be fond of processes and would have ardent belief that if processes are in place then everything would fall in place automatically.
These people exactly know the final destination, they are aware of all the intermediate (stations) milestones, they know the ETA for each of the stations and the final destination. The only problem is that they do not exactly know how to reach there, and thus the ETA keeps on changing.
Naturally these members likes to stay in the last compartment, behind everyone else. As a boss these people are likely to pamper the juniors, and most of the members would feel relaxed and comfortable - A true experience of silent postman.
Ticket Checker...
These type of people rarely carry any expressions on their face but posses a sharp eye. A true ticket checker can sniff who is travelling without ticket, these people can sniff the exact status of every individual - who is on schedule, who is delayed etc. These people are extremely active on stations as well as during the journey. Unlike the guard, these people can make the defaulters pay either by bribe or fine, so they possess a natural talent of getting tasks done, by hook or by crook. They are likely to get delayed in reaching the destination but surely do reach. Like people embark/disembark on stations, these people unloads completed tasks on a station and piles on new tasks for the next station.
These people are governed by the rules and once a rule is made it is there for life, so they make excellent law enforcer. These people have a nack of looking at bare tasks, they hardly try to seek the context, hence may not be creative. These people are likely to get rattled if unknown things surfaces out - they get and stay confused until the point a new rule is made, so naturally these people are not good with changes / repriortization of activities.
Like the guard, these people have a belief that everyone onboard is aware of his milestones and knows how to get there. These people are fond of specifications/documentation, may it be requirements or design or whatever. These people are also excellent record keepers.
Naturally these members like to stay in action throughout the journey, but will never step in the guards compartment or the engine - it is not in the rule. As a boss these people are likely to be strict but at the same time would be friendly as well.
Fellow Passenger...
These type of people carry lost expressions on their face as they live in their dream land. Often they can make you feel as if they are forced into the journey, and want the journey to be over asap. Also most of them would have something to crib about, always, may it be cleanliness, rules, heat, facilities, speed of the train, number of halts made, greenery seen during the journey or lack of it, peers, boss, subordinates or the work itself. Rarely you see a passenger who claims that the journey was good, without adding few other adjectives, but that is the nature.
These people are governed by feelings and rarely by objectives. They are the one who sees greenery outside. So they look at tasks as technical tasks rather than a piece to achieve the bigger picture. They have this unique strength to take tasks as they come, but rarely they would bother to understand the context - the WHY piece might go missing. At every station they give a sigh of relief and recount the remaining stations until the final destination.
As true attributes of passengers these people can surprise you - some times they are extremely well behaved and at times they are chaotic. Sometimes they can achieve difficult tasks with ease and at times they can make a mess of even simple tasks. Ultimately these are the folks which brings spice to the journey and make it a wholesome experience - they form the mass. At times we have seen them indulge in some heated discussion with the ticket checker. However they have this intimate belief that the guards compartment or the engine is a forbidden place for them.
Naturally these members can be seen all over the place, giving moments of surprises throughout the journey. As a boss these people are likely to surprise you every now and then and could be extremely tough or extremely easy to deal with - a true roller-coaster ride.
The Engine Driver...
These type of people can carry any expressions on their face and the expression depends upon the context and the situation of the project. As engine is the source of energy, these people are full of it, and it is very likely that energy can generate heat leading to friction. Generally these are not lovable people because they are constantly at you and can intimidate you, but are adorable if you are not part of their journey!
These are the people with clear vision of the road ahead and when in doubt they seek clarity. They have the nack to see the obstacles far ahead of time and to have a clear track they will blow the horn aloud that can even blow the minds out. Many people around, because they are kept awake and on their toes, doubt and often have claimed to have seen shades of phsyco in the engine driver.
For them the journey is a mission and that is how they approach every station (milestone). They truly believe that a fine is going to be imposed on them if they are late, so are extremely time conscious, and prefer to wait in the outer yard if the platform is not free, rather than whiling time on the way. For reasons if they are late in reaching a station, they can double the speed to recover the lost time - thus can act as extremely good recovery agents.
You find such people extremely comfortable when there is mist/fog or there is low visibility, or the journey needs to pierce through range of mountains full of twist and turns - simply when challenges/risks are thrown at them, it turns them ON.
Naturally these members are in action throughout the journey, and like to be ahead of the band. As a boss these people are likely to show flair, wisdom, abundant energy but when they sense delays speed would automatically double-up causing friction and sparks - a true thrill of crossing the chasm.
Well with this we conclude all the key characters that can form the 'make' of your team along with what each can bring to the table.
So next time you embark on any journey make sure you inspect the 'make' of thyself and other members accompanying you, including your boss - and you can still make the difference, you just need to choose who you would like to be - The Guard, The Ticket Checker, The Engine Driver or just another fellow passenger.
Bon Voyage!!!
However I firmly believe that the answer lies within us + the team and not outside. Majority of the failures are due to the 'make' (attributes or characteristics) of the people, and hardly has anything to do with technical competence of the team.
No matter how simple or complex the project might be, one can very easily know the outcome of the project, even before the start of the same, by simply understanding the make/attributes/characteristics of the people that forms the team.
HOW - I find lot of similarities between project, project members and makeup of the train. Visualize project as a time bound journey, in-between stations as milestones and members of the project as onboard people. There are distinct key actors that make the wholesome composition interesting or worst. However the biggest difference being there is no physical track and all the compartments/members are not neatly coupled - and that is what makes the projects even more interesting.
Let us now meet these various interesting train characters. By the end of this session, I promise, you would be able to figure out the outcome of any project or how you can contribute to make the project successful.
The Guard...
These type of people are extremely calm and soothing in nature. From the time they embark for the journey they await for the next station, so that they can free their legs, get something to eat/drink. To pass the time they can engage actively in any social topics and would have various interesting stories to share. They are excellent planners and in between stations you will see them completing some of their personal activities, as planned. These people are extremely good in relaying the information, from anywhere to anywhere - true unadulterated status. You will hardly see them agitated, and they rarely exhibit sense of urgency/eagerness/excitement during the entire journey.
They like the journey to be as easy as possible, so delays are OK with them. In many ways they are not time sensitive but are very good time keepers, so would be prompt in understanding 'In how much time the next station would come, is the train likely to get delayed etc' - the overall status. These folks are likely to be fond of processes and would have ardent belief that if processes are in place then everything would fall in place automatically.
These people exactly know the final destination, they are aware of all the intermediate (stations) milestones, they know the ETA for each of the stations and the final destination. The only problem is that they do not exactly know how to reach there, and thus the ETA keeps on changing.
Naturally these members likes to stay in the last compartment, behind everyone else. As a boss these people are likely to pamper the juniors, and most of the members would feel relaxed and comfortable - A true experience of silent postman.
Ticket Checker...
These type of people rarely carry any expressions on their face but posses a sharp eye. A true ticket checker can sniff who is travelling without ticket, these people can sniff the exact status of every individual - who is on schedule, who is delayed etc. These people are extremely active on stations as well as during the journey. Unlike the guard, these people can make the defaulters pay either by bribe or fine, so they possess a natural talent of getting tasks done, by hook or by crook. They are likely to get delayed in reaching the destination but surely do reach. Like people embark/disembark on stations, these people unloads completed tasks on a station and piles on new tasks for the next station.
These people are governed by the rules and once a rule is made it is there for life, so they make excellent law enforcer. These people have a nack of looking at bare tasks, they hardly try to seek the context, hence may not be creative. These people are likely to get rattled if unknown things surfaces out - they get and stay confused until the point a new rule is made, so naturally these people are not good with changes / repriortization of activities.
Like the guard, these people have a belief that everyone onboard is aware of his milestones and knows how to get there. These people are fond of specifications/documentation, may it be requirements or design or whatever. These people are also excellent record keepers.
Naturally these members like to stay in action throughout the journey, but will never step in the guards compartment or the engine - it is not in the rule. As a boss these people are likely to be strict but at the same time would be friendly as well.
Fellow Passenger...
These type of people carry lost expressions on their face as they live in their dream land. Often they can make you feel as if they are forced into the journey, and want the journey to be over asap. Also most of them would have something to crib about, always, may it be cleanliness, rules, heat, facilities, speed of the train, number of halts made, greenery seen during the journey or lack of it, peers, boss, subordinates or the work itself. Rarely you see a passenger who claims that the journey was good, without adding few other adjectives, but that is the nature.
These people are governed by feelings and rarely by objectives. They are the one who sees greenery outside. So they look at tasks as technical tasks rather than a piece to achieve the bigger picture. They have this unique strength to take tasks as they come, but rarely they would bother to understand the context - the WHY piece might go missing. At every station they give a sigh of relief and recount the remaining stations until the final destination.
As true attributes of passengers these people can surprise you - some times they are extremely well behaved and at times they are chaotic. Sometimes they can achieve difficult tasks with ease and at times they can make a mess of even simple tasks. Ultimately these are the folks which brings spice to the journey and make it a wholesome experience - they form the mass. At times we have seen them indulge in some heated discussion with the ticket checker. However they have this intimate belief that the guards compartment or the engine is a forbidden place for them.
Naturally these members can be seen all over the place, giving moments of surprises throughout the journey. As a boss these people are likely to surprise you every now and then and could be extremely tough or extremely easy to deal with - a true roller-coaster ride.
The Engine Driver...
These type of people can carry any expressions on their face and the expression depends upon the context and the situation of the project. As engine is the source of energy, these people are full of it, and it is very likely that energy can generate heat leading to friction. Generally these are not lovable people because they are constantly at you and can intimidate you, but are adorable if you are not part of their journey!
These are the people with clear vision of the road ahead and when in doubt they seek clarity. They have the nack to see the obstacles far ahead of time and to have a clear track they will blow the horn aloud that can even blow the minds out. Many people around, because they are kept awake and on their toes, doubt and often have claimed to have seen shades of phsyco in the engine driver.
For them the journey is a mission and that is how they approach every station (milestone). They truly believe that a fine is going to be imposed on them if they are late, so are extremely time conscious, and prefer to wait in the outer yard if the platform is not free, rather than whiling time on the way. For reasons if they are late in reaching a station, they can double the speed to recover the lost time - thus can act as extremely good recovery agents.
You find such people extremely comfortable when there is mist/fog or there is low visibility, or the journey needs to pierce through range of mountains full of twist and turns - simply when challenges/risks are thrown at them, it turns them ON.
Naturally these members are in action throughout the journey, and like to be ahead of the band. As a boss these people are likely to show flair, wisdom, abundant energy but when they sense delays speed would automatically double-up causing friction and sparks - a true thrill of crossing the chasm.
Well with this we conclude all the key characters that can form the 'make' of your team along with what each can bring to the table.
So next time you embark on any journey make sure you inspect the 'make' of thyself and other members accompanying you, including your boss - and you can still make the difference, you just need to choose who you would like to be - The Guard, The Ticket Checker, The Engine Driver or just another fellow passenger.
Bon Voyage!!!
Hey! you didn't say anything about how they should handle each other...
ReplyDeleteSecondly,There is no formula that you should have project manager as engine driver or team lead as so ans so for your project to succeed...but there are surely certain things that we should not have /do so that project does not fail.
Aspiring Guns is never about them, it is about us...
ReplyDeleteI believe it is mostly about
1. Who am I within the context
2. Who else is working with me
Based on the above two one would need to prepare and move forward.