Have you ever had an approved project cancelled mid-stream?

Has a client changed their mind about signing a contract with you?

Your initial reaction probably was to ask yourself what had you done?

• How did you mess up that deal?
• Did you fail to clearly communicate the benefits of the supporting business case?
• Did you miss confirming a key stakeholder’s approval?

All valid questions… directed internally.

It’s an honourable approach based on taking responsibility.

However, that analysis may be misguided.

Projects get cancelled, product launches get killed and funding gets pulled regularly.

The reasons why can be a mystery to the impacted teams.

How can we predict the viability of a corporate expansion or the lifespan of a project?

To understand the future of a project, you must first understand the state of the problem the project was initiated to solve.

• What was the business case for the new product launch?
• What are the success criteria for the program?
• Has the business problem changed?
• Has it been partially resolved? Has enough progress been made to no longer warrant additional investment?
• Perhaps a more cost-effective resolution plan has been developed.
• Did your client get hit with a higher priority crisis that diverted his attention from your offering?

It’s a common habit to get caught up in the daily grind to move the needle. We focus on achieving milestones, staying on budget and hitting our targets.

How often do we reflect on why our project is important to the stakeholders funding it?

It’s probably a top priority for your team to achieve the next milestone, but what if your executive team has decided to outsource product development to a third party?

If the problem has changed or the assessment of its impact has been adjusted, the solution plan (i.e., your project) must change as well.

Keeping an eye on the state of the problem will help you avoid getting blind-sided by changes you didn’t initiate.

If you would like to talk about your project with me or would like to accelerate your growth through coaching, please schedule time with me to discuss.