The classic book The Wind in the Willows was a bit of a difficult read for me in my younger years.  In fact, I’m pretty sure I didn’t actually finish it.  I recall it got kind of bogged down and philosophical and that really didn’t appeal to me as a pre-teen.  So I put it back on the shelf and went on to something more action-packed.  I didn’t think about it until recently when my manager brought it up … most specifically the part that Disney leveraged to create the title ride for this article.

I’M NOT CRAZY – IT’S EVERYBODY ELSE!

While the Disney park ride might be thought of as one of the tamer ones, the application of the core problem from the book – the one where Toad insists on driving and crashing a series of rather expensive motor cars – really hits home in spades for many of our projects.  The part of Toad is often played by a key stakeholder who insists on running at full speed, ignoring the facts when presented and demonstrating a grasp that familiar definition of insanity, “Doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results.”  For a project manager and project team, it’s almost a recurring nightmare.  To go back to the book, it’s where Toad’s friends attempt an intervention.

AN HONEST LOOK …  FOR ONCE
Here lies the problem.  We can band together to make that intervention happen, but unless our particular Mr. Toad is willing to listen and accept the frank nature of our presentation, he or she will just look for the next car to drive and crash.  No, the heart of the matter is the unwillingness to – just for once – take an honest look at all the facts and make a determination based on what is rather than what is wanted.  It’s far from an easy or painless exercise, but it is the only one that will lead to a way forward with some semblance of order and predictability.

I found myself at this point a while back.  The project just wasn’t going to happen as originally speculated (and it was that rather than a plan or estimate).  My sponsor acknowledged the facts as presented, but didn’t want to believe them.  He wanted to save face with his own management and I really don’t fault him for that.  But, rather than take these same facts back up the chain, my Mr. Toad just insisted that we all pile into his latest car and let him drive.  I saw the wreck coming and, rather than join in that particular fun, I found my exit strategy and quietly took my leave.

YOU CAN HAVE BOTH
Now before you think I’m planning to bail any time I get presented with a ‘wild ride’, let me assure you that you can have both the thrill of a challenging project and keep your sanity at the same time.  It will take a strong team who is willing to take on risk and plunge into the unknown.  It will take a project manager and sponsor who are firmly planted in reality but open to the possibility of new ways.

I’m facing such a situation now and, rather than make me groan, it excites me because of the opportunity to do it right.  You see, I know Mr. Toad is unlikely to change all that much.  But I’m older and wiser this time around and willing to leverage his enthusiasm for adventure to my advantage.  I’m also willing to continue presenting the facts and make sure the rest of the team is grounded in them.  We can achieve great things, but we have to point out the risk of just letting the wild ride go where it will rather than channeling the energy for the greater good of the project.

Bio:

Mark Moore has held multiple professional positions in IT and business for nearly three
decades serving organizations both small and large, public and private.  With over half that time as a project manager, he has successfully managed major initiatives spanning multiple years with a cost of over $3 Million and teams of over 250 people.  He has been a Project Management Professional since 2002, served as President of the PMI Western Michigan Chapter, and presented at multiple NCPMI Annual Events.  Mark holds a Masters of Education degree from Colorado State University with a concentration in Adult Education and Training.  He is an experienced writer, speaker and presenter on project management and team building topics.  Mark is the Principal Consultant for Broken Arrow Associates, LTD.  He and his family live in a rural area outside of Raleigh, North Carolina.

To contact Mark for opportunities or questions, send an e-mail to info@baa-ltd.com.