Managing Implementation Risks

Managing implementation risks is a tremendous challenge with layers of complexity. As both a project manager and a leader, I have been responsible for overseeing implementations. The experience both exhilarated and frightened me. Discussing implementations brings up some of the scarier professional moments of my career because of the significant risk associated with implementations. Regardless of the size of the budget or type of organization you are managing implementation for, you can find yourself responsible for top priority initiatives that are highly visible and carry significant risk.

Implementations are risky because:

• Implementations involve commitments. We put our credibility on the line by saying, “We can do this.” This commitment happens at the individual, team, service center/site, or organizational level. If an implementation goes well, our credibility is secured. If it goes poorly, we can spend years trying to recover and overcome negative perceptions.
• Implementations involve beginnings and transitions. Whether we win or renew a contract or start or transform a program, there are expectations for change or transformation implied when we use the word implementation. Where we have expectations, we have both opportunity and risk.
• Implementations impact multiple parties. In public sector health and behavioral health care, each action typically impacts a large number of people both inside and outside a particular organization. Multiple points of impact bring multiple points of potential risk. As health care and behavioral health care systems are designed to serve people, implementations can have potential positive and negative care impacts on those we serve – members, families and stakeholders.
• Implementations are resource driven. Delays or budget overages bring fiscal and contractual risk.
• Implementations have inherent interdependencies. At both the task and team level as we directly manage or oversee an implementation, we find ourselves responsible for people and events that often feel out of our control.

Managing implementation risks is of utmost importance, and the most crucial element is to understand what is at stake. This is often underestimated and a common mistake is thinking that a funder “likes you and understands your situation.” This can create complacency among team members, leading to frequently changing deadlines and an ultimate loss of credibility.

As a leader, you will set the tone for your team. If you send the message that accountability involves delivering on time and as expected, you will be taking an important step in managing risk. Below are other items to consider in managing implementation risks:

• Encourage staff to build reasonable time frames from the out start. If we push team members to agree to time frames that are not grounded in objective analysis, we can set them up for failure. If they don’t feel the timeframe needed for project success is reasonable, discuss the specifics with them and jointly develop solutions.
• Change timeframes proactively and early in the process, when needed. If there is an unexpected need to change a timeframe or even a mistake in the initial calculations, deal with it head on and quickly.
• Build in checks and balances related to multiple implementation variables including:
  • Quality of deliverables
  • Timeliness of deliverables
  • Resource expenditures
  • Staff and stakeholder perception of success

• Get involved at a detailed level:
  • Conduct secret shopper calls and program walkthroughs
  • Read project documents at initial, mid and final points
  • Dialogue directly with stakeholders and team members about progress
  • Attend project meetings and actively participate

• Build in cushions and double checks – build in time for second and third level reviews.
• Encourage diverse opinions. Normalize and invite contrasting views of situations.
• Invite staff to tell you about challenges and problems.
• Act quickly when things are at risk and verify that interventions are working.

By effectively managing implementation risks you can protect your own, and your organization’s reputation, maintain strong business relationships with contractors, engage a maximum number of members of your team.

www.inter-growth.com

Leadership and Cross-Departmental Communication: A Leader’s Personal Experience

In another post, I outlined eight strategies for achieving constructive, cross-departmental communication. Reflecting on this topic took me back to one of my most memorable learning moments as an emerging leader.

Early in my career, I was promoted to a leadership role overseeing statewide services for a large public sector organization. I was both excited and daunted by the challenges ahead.

At one of my first meetings in this role, I stood before more than a hundred staff members from multiple units. As I looked from face to face, some people looked scared, wary, or angry, while others appeared eager to help.

The first bomb dropped before I could really get going.

One team member spoke up to complain that some of the organization’s problems were the result of actions by people in another department. I was confronted with the classic “finger-pointing” behavior that derails efforts to foster teamwork.

It was immediately clear to me (and to everyone else at the meeting) that a key challenge in my new position was to find a way to bring these people together as a productive team. I’d risen through the ranks, had seen this type of territorial behavior, and knew that squabbling between departments could cripple an organization.

In that moment, I flashed back to my “best boss ever” and other leaders who had made me feel talented and valued. I was comfortable taking risks under their leadership, confident that I had their trust, and did some of my best work for them. Conversely, when I worked for less effective leaders, I doubted myself and tended to play it safe. I was not as confident in my abilities and not proud of the results I produced.

I had learned first-hand how important a leader’s style was to my own productivity. I also realized that people who feel the need to defend their work or protect their territory often push others away, instead of trying to collaborate.

How could I get my new team on the right track? Instead of responding to the finger-pointing complainer, I decided that I had to set the tone for my team, just like the others who’d done the same for me.

I looked out to the group and offered my vision: “We are all here to achieve the same goals. We will seek to understand each other. We will seek to support each other. We will all achieve our goals together.” From that point, we began the hard work that faced the team.

What happened after I laid out my vision?

Of course, people still came to me to complain about others. I asked them to work out their differences together, and often offered an approach to resolving the issue with mutual respect and fairness. I continued to focus my efforts on designing processes for good communication, issue resolution, and team productivity. Over time, things changed for the better.

My way of leading has evolved to insist on respect for all members of the team, inclusive communication, and focus on the work, not on differences. I am still learning, and some days I am more successful at it than others.

From my first leadership position until the one I hold today, I have always felt that leadership is an honor and a responsibility. The responsibility part is that I must model and support a productive work environment. I strongly believe that practice will serve any leader well.

Read more about Performance Optimization.

www.inter-growth.com

Let’s Have a GREAT 2009!

Today is January 2, 2009.  Yeah!  A fresh start for us all.  I had the opportunity to hear John Maxwell speak several years ago.  I have always loved his leadership books and was excited to hear him speak in person.  As with his written works, his leadership talk was simple and profound at the same time.  He is on my list on heroes.  He is such a prolific writer and for me, he demystifies the art of leadership.  Back to my point about January 2, 2009.   John Maxwell said that he takes a week off to reflect and prepare for the new year.  I think this is a fantastic idea.  I haven’t made it for an entire week yet, but I do take time each year to reflect on the past year and to think about my priorities for the coming year. 

I love that a new year brings a fresh start.  Actually, I love that each day brings a fresh start.  To be most accurate, each moment brings a new opportunity to create what we want.  I think it is all about what we do with that new moment, new day or in this case, new year. 

I know there is a lot of talk of resolutions and if they are helpful or not.  Unfortunately, many of us feel that our resolutions end up in the dust bin of life on January 3rd.  Yet, there is something magical about stepping back and answering the question: “What do I want to be different in this new year?”  Often we focus on letting go of things like smoking, excess weight and other things we associate with a “bad habit” of some type.  However, we can also reach for our dreams in the new year.  Do you want to be a pilot, an artist, make new friends, go to school, switch professions? The world is open to us, if only we are open to ourselves, to the inner voice that whispers of our desires. 

Too often in our professional life, we have followed the beat of someone else’s drum.  Our path of school, job search and career positions are so often related to what others thought would be good for us or what we thought would be secure.  We often find ourselves doing what we think we have to do, rather than what we dream of doing.  Yet, it is not true.  We can do whatever we want to do.  Does this mean we should all stop what we are doing today with no thought of security?  Probably not, unless your parents don’t mind you moving home at any age and you are comfortable being there.  No, it is the plan that can lead to our liberation from an unfulfilled life.  First the dream and then the plan.  So, for 2009, let’s dream together.  Let’s plan together and let’s go for it! I think one of the best sayings of all time is: “If not now, when?”  If not this year, what year?  So for 2009, these are my recommendations for a GREAT year.  Let’s do it together!

1. Take time to reflect on the coming year.  What do you want for yourself, personally and professionally?  DREAM BIG!

2. Develop a plan for 2009 to reach that mountain top (aka BIG DREAM).  Include the small stuff in your plan too — it’s about anything you want to transform in your life.  It can be super small or super big. It’s all important.

3. Take time to SHOW UP in 2009.  Showing up involves being physcially, emotionally, mentally and soulfully there for yourself and others. To borrow from the Army, it is about “being all you can be”.  This involves something different for all of us.  For me it is about making the time to meditate, go to yoga, swim, study inspirational things, study new things, write, spend time with my family and my dogs, cultivate personal and professional friendships and eating lots of living foods.  Each of us has our own formula for “being all we can be.”  This becomes the foundation of everything else. If we can’t show up, we can’t climb the mountain.

4. Find your support team and avoid the dream crushers. Find people in your life (both people that you know today and new people) that inspire you, support you and are going for their own dreams.  Hang out with them, lots.  Avoid the dream crushers — don’t share your dreams with people full of fear.  Although, they mean well, they will only slow you down or stop you all together on your climb up the mountain.  If someone starts to tell you all the reasons that something won’t work or isn’t possible, watch out. Does this mean that you should never consider counsel that doesn’t agree with your ideas? No, having expert counsel and advisors is important.  What we are talking about here is protecting your dreams from fear — both your own and that of others.

5. Keep the dream alive.  This is the most important step. Find a way — somehow — against all the odds, to keep your dream and your plan alive. Do something everyday that reminds you of what you REALLY want for this year and how you plan to get it. Revise you plan daily to reflect real life, but keep it going. Take time each day, each week, each month to look at where you are and where you want to be. Just keep going…you’ll get there!

Well the world is waiting for us. Let’s go for it!  Have a GREAT 2009!