If you believe that ‘Success’ is only the end result, then the focus should be to avoid the ‘Failures’ and one needs to constantly work towards the same –day in & day out.
Easier said than done, isn't it?
So the million dollar questions is how do we prevent failures - HOW?
For that we first need to understand what does 'Failure' actually mean. In simplest terms 'Failure' can be 'Unable to meet the set expectations' - expectations can be set personally or by others, it is mostly mutual. The parties involved in the process owns the responsibility. BUT to start with most of us are unwilling to accept this simple fact that 'Failure == Unable to meet the set expectations', this includes seniors like us as well.
Let me quickly elaborate my point about how unwilling we are, for instance I expect a 30% hike (I do not know what could help me achieve the same, hence I don't know what I have delivered is it sufficient, hence I really don't know), but still I expect - and when I don't get the said increment then I do not call it as a 'Failure', but end up suggesting that 'The boss does not favor me, or my work is not appreciated by my seniors, or the world is unfair to me or it is my bad luck or something like that'.
Hmmm, I hear you BUT still am not willing to accept the fact, though at grass root level it sounds like it is my 'Failure'.
OK, let us move on, How many times we have felt that the 'Project timelines are very stringent', and how many of us have said that during the project closure meetings?
I hear most of us acknowledge and agree, good! This is something which is commonly heard statement right from project managers, leads and even freshers.
So, how many of us have raised the alarm much earlier in the game - anybody, anyone? Oh! I guess it is a organization policy that we can speak only during project closure meetings - is it?
Now I see lot of unhappy faces so let me make this quick - Do you catch cough/cold and fever all of a sudden, NO, our body gives us constant signals about the same and then finally we catch cough/cold and fever. The simple fact is that most of us are ignorant about these signals until we fall flat.
Good, so far we seem to agree on the end result, BUT not necessarily with the suggested cause. No problem!
Let us give another try...How many times we end up slogging or putting up late hours or even weekends during the end stages of the project or release?
Oh, I see most of us have faced the slog overs. Interestingly the cricket rules have changed and there is concept of power play at the beginning of the match, then there is batting power play which can be taken at will.
NOW how many of us, consciously make an effort to opt for power play at the beginning of the project and then somewhere down the line take the batting power play, depending upon the situation of the game rather than waiting for the slog overs? I hope we all will agree that like cricket in a project we always chase, they chase the score we chase the timeline.
Hmmm, Looks like the game is evolving continuously BUT we seem to be determined to remain unchanged!
Finally here is a simple math, let us say we have a target of 160 runs, in 20 overs, so we would be chasing at a run rate of 8 per over. Now if we chase at 9 runs per over then we would finish the match in 17.7 overs and if we chase at 10 runs per over then we would finish the match in mere 16 overs.
Hmmm, BUT we deal with a DEVIL called project, and then there are change requests, and our managers or client expect us to deliver within the same time frame and then there could be personal leaves as well.
OK got it, but the fact regarding change request, personal leaves with combination of bad managers and clients is there since ages, as good as tradition. I guess we can all agree on this one.
Now let us ASK ourselves how smart it is to say 'I got wet because it rained' v/s 'I got wet because I forgot my umbrella'. Would it be smart to, start chasing at a run rate of 10, so even if couple of wicket falls down, we would still get sufficient time to recover!
BUT, Would this approach guarantee success?
So very thoughtful, Well the approach would atleast give a chance (probability) of not losing - off course we would really need to BAT sensibly to actually reach the target!
Hmmm, I see the point...BUT.
OK, 'Ignorance is BLISS' - just think if you are OK with the cost?
So let us simply get our BUT out of the way!
Next time, make sure to check the sky (forecast) before we set out from our house, or atleast stop blaming the rain!
Easier said than done, isn't it?
So the million dollar questions is how do we prevent failures - HOW?
For that we first need to understand what does 'Failure' actually mean. In simplest terms 'Failure' can be 'Unable to meet the set expectations' - expectations can be set personally or by others, it is mostly mutual. The parties involved in the process owns the responsibility. BUT to start with most of us are unwilling to accept this simple fact that 'Failure == Unable to meet the set expectations', this includes seniors like us as well.
Let me quickly elaborate my point about how unwilling we are, for instance I expect a 30% hike (I do not know what could help me achieve the same, hence I don't know what I have delivered is it sufficient, hence I really don't know), but still I expect - and when I don't get the said increment then I do not call it as a 'Failure', but end up suggesting that 'The boss does not favor me, or my work is not appreciated by my seniors, or the world is unfair to me or it is my bad luck or something like that'.
Hmmm, I hear you BUT still am not willing to accept the fact, though at grass root level it sounds like it is my 'Failure'.
OK, let us move on, How many times we have felt that the 'Project timelines are very stringent', and how many of us have said that during the project closure meetings?
I hear most of us acknowledge and agree, good! This is something which is commonly heard statement right from project managers, leads and even freshers.
So, how many of us have raised the alarm much earlier in the game - anybody, anyone? Oh! I guess it is a organization policy that we can speak only during project closure meetings - is it?
Now I see lot of unhappy faces so let me make this quick - Do you catch cough/cold and fever all of a sudden, NO, our body gives us constant signals about the same and then finally we catch cough/cold and fever. The simple fact is that most of us are ignorant about these signals until we fall flat.
Good, so far we seem to agree on the end result, BUT not necessarily with the suggested cause. No problem!
Let us give another try...How many times we end up slogging or putting up late hours or even weekends during the end stages of the project or release?
Oh, I see most of us have faced the slog overs. Interestingly the cricket rules have changed and there is concept of power play at the beginning of the match, then there is batting power play which can be taken at will.
NOW how many of us, consciously make an effort to opt for power play at the beginning of the project and then somewhere down the line take the batting power play, depending upon the situation of the game rather than waiting for the slog overs? I hope we all will agree that like cricket in a project we always chase, they chase the score we chase the timeline.
Hmmm, Looks like the game is evolving continuously BUT we seem to be determined to remain unchanged!
Finally here is a simple math, let us say we have a target of 160 runs, in 20 overs, so we would be chasing at a run rate of 8 per over. Now if we chase at 9 runs per over then we would finish the match in 17.7 overs and if we chase at 10 runs per over then we would finish the match in mere 16 overs.
Hmmm, BUT we deal with a DEVIL called project, and then there are change requests, and our managers or client expect us to deliver within the same time frame and then there could be personal leaves as well.
OK got it, but the fact regarding change request, personal leaves with combination of bad managers and clients is there since ages, as good as tradition. I guess we can all agree on this one.
Now let us ASK ourselves how smart it is to say 'I got wet because it rained' v/s 'I got wet because I forgot my umbrella'. Would it be smart to, start chasing at a run rate of 10, so even if couple of wicket falls down, we would still get sufficient time to recover!
BUT, Would this approach guarantee success?
So very thoughtful, Well the approach would atleast give a chance (probability) of not losing - off course we would really need to BAT sensibly to actually reach the target!
Hmmm, I see the point...BUT.
OK, 'Ignorance is BLISS' - just think if you are OK with the cost?
So let us simply get our BUT out of the way!
Next time, make sure to check the sky (forecast) before we set out from our house, or atleast stop blaming the rain!
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