Unfortunately,statistically proven, more than half of all projects still end up in crisis situations. Perhaps you are also faced with the dilemma: should we build a fence or catch the chickens first? I can't make that decision for you. But, whether you are a decision-maker or project manager, client or project manager, I would like to give you a few pieces of advice from my practical experience of project recovery:
1. Tip: Be honest with yourself.
The biggest hurdle in rescuing a crisis project is admitting to yourself that it is one. It's human to sugarcoat or ignore things - but this has always been a boomerang.
That's why you should be honest with yourself.
Shifting the blame onto others may be a career-neutral exit strategy at all stages of a crisis project. But this doesn't really help and you lose the chance to position yourself really well with the rescue. So: take the reins, show leadership and get to work!
2nd tip: start with the most urgent issues.
This is usually your project that is on the verge of failure. Since it's gone awry, it's already burned through money and time to your pain threshold. So something has to be done. The sooner the better.
If you are the project manager, ask your decision-makers for professional support in analyzing, designing and implementing a restructuring plan. And my tip to the board and management: standing by and waiting for things to heal themselves hasn't worked - and neither has increasing the pressure on the project manager, team or other stakeholders. Because they don't know how, otherwise they would have done it long ago.
An equally ineffective method is to look for a scapegoat and carry on as before. What led into the project crisis usually doesn't lead out of it.
3. Tip: Act quickly.
This is where the project manager, who is responsible for the project, is in particular demand. There is an old merchant's rule: The first losses are the best. In our case, this means: Burned money is gone. Let's make sure it doesn't get any worse. And that means: scrapping the crisis project would be too easy and would also burn any potential benefit, because a canceled project is no longer of use to anyone.
The earlier you start the rescue phase, the lower your losses and - almost more importantly - the more and more favorable your options for action. So act quickly if you want to bring the crisis project back under your control.
4. Tip: Be open to criticism.
All my project turnarounds start with a ruthless review, an expert opinion:
- How did they proceed?
- Was it correct and complete?
- Where were the weaknesses, especially in project management and perhaps beyond?
- Where did the project lack important framework conditions?
- Were we aware of this?
- Do you know which questions are the right ones to ask to get to the root cause?
Questions like these can be uncomfortable, even for those responsible for the project in management. An independent third party, or even better an external party, can ask these questions unencumbered - and is therefore better suited than someone who is worried about their career. Breaking down (perhaps entrenched) positions is also a step towards objectification and therefore helps to gain access to the problems the project is facing.
If you don't like criticism, it's better to write off your project straight away.
5th tip: Act consistently.
This applies equally to the project manager and the bosses: Everyone in the project and in the company must sense that you are serious about rescuing the project from its predicament. Give the turnaround top priority, support your consultant unequivocally and authentically. The necessary measures for the turnaround are derived from the analysis. Support these and their implementation in accordance with the restructuring plan: by providing suitable skills for those responsible for implementation and through your own commitment wherever possible and necessary.
Show leadership and decision-making strength, for example in finding compromises and joint approaches to solutions. And think about the overall benefit that can be achieved, even if this initially involves sacrifices. Half-heartedness costs much more!
6th tip: Be professional.
It's about winning back the trust of the project team, the company and the client. It's embarrassing to just turn the wheel if it doesn't lead to the goal. Take a professional approach, with a professional if necessary.
Why? Because the restructuring didn't work out on its own, because an external party is objective and neutral, because an external party can address things openly and escalate them ...
... and because I know how to do it from many projects that have already been rescued!
Professional also means helping the project team to succeed with good leadership, getting them back on their feet, motivating them and gaining their support. After all, the rescue requires additional effort from all stakeholders. The best way to do this is to have a professional guide and coach them to do the right thing. This is usually much more effective and efficient than simply replacing heads. So before you lose even more money and trust with half-baked measures and solutions, invest in professionalism and target-oriented results. This is usually far more cost-effective.
7th tip: Just don't stop now.
A great success that you have achieved with the turnaround of your crisis project. But that's only half the battle. What about the next project? Will it fall into the same flaws and traps again? In many of my project turnarounds, I was asked afterwards how I had done it and whether I could show how it could be done better in future. A good approach, because non-performing projects cost much more money than good project management can ever cost a company.
This is why my final piece of advice to executives and project managers is to take the next step and take the opportunity to get to the root causes of the problems. They usually lie outside the project in the organization, the culture and the rules in your company. Your crisis project has certainly already provided some clues. Keep at it and grow with your company!
