WARNING! TROUBLE AHEAD…
What to do when a project is in trouble…
Notice that this blog is about what to do when a project is in trouble, not if it is in trouble. Every project will encounter troubles when implementing its activities, big and small troubles. Solving troubles is part of the nature of our work to develop more effective and sustainable health systems that deliver quality healthcare to a country’s population.
What matters is what the project team do to identify the troubles and solve them. Someone has to be in charge of detecting troubles and someone has to help the project team and their partners and stakeholders to address and solve problems. This helping role is better played by someone that is objective and not related to the organization or company implementing the project or the donor or the beneficiary or host country. Why? Because the project needs an objective and different perspective to address the troubles. The project team and those involved in the project are too close to see the options to solve the problems they may have inadvertently created themselves or of which they are the victim. The good news is that there are always many options to solve every problem, the main challenge is choosing the most appropriate to parties involved.
Why do project face problems? Projects get into trouble when they do not deliver what they were designed to deliver, there are delays and the project is behind based on the project’s deliverables, or when everyone on the project seems very busy, but it is not clear that what they do will help them achieve the project’s objectives or they have trouble working as team. Many times, troubles are caused by insufficient or ineffective communication among team members and their counterparts and other stakeholders. Sometimes the design assumptions on which the project was designed do not support the current health needs. Sometimes, there is lack of clarity of the role of each member on the team, or there is lack of effective accountability for getting project’s tasks done in the most efficient and timely manner. Most of these causes of troubles are easily solved. Some are more complex and may require a combination of various problem-solving tools.
Here is what to do.
First, remember some of the faces of the people you are to serve, and resist the temptation to quit or to change the project director(PD) or Chief of Party (COP) as well as other members of the team. Staff changes may delay addressing the “troubles” by 6 to 12 months or more. It is best that the PD/COP and his or her team learn from the “troubles” and how to solve them than to try to change the team leadership or composition. In short, the troubles present a teaching opportunity to improve the team’s effectiveness and performance. Do not miss this opportunity.
Second, as soon as possible, find a “solution facilitator”, that is, someone outside the project team and even the implementing organization or company (whose headquarters may have also contributed to the troubles) to review the project’s design, implementation strategy and help uncover the source(s) of the trouble(s). A fresh perspective will help the project team see where the bottlenecks are, what the challenges are and identify, assess and select options to address each of them. Then the facilitator will be able to help the team figure out how best to implement the solutions and get back on track.
Third, work with all parties involved to quickly map out the solution and delegate new responsibilities, performance targets and monthly and weekly activity plans. Ensure everyone takes action and accounts for the changes. Execution of the solution is essential to get back on track.
In my experience the solutions to the troubles are usually within the reach of the project team. They just need to be open to see the troubles from a different point of view, and be willing to implement immediate changes. Clarity in the course of action to solve the identified problems creates optimism and improves team’s morale, leading to better performance too.
Clarity of strategy usually means changes to how the team members have worked till now. Changes may range to “tweaking” the project’s communication strategy, to revising the implementation strategy or restructuring the project results framework and/or redefining job descriptions and individual performance objectives.
In the next blog, I will talk more about why and how projects get in trouble, about my “no blame-no shame” policy and how to solve most common “troubles.”
If your project is in trouble, do not wait. Troubles do not go away. They grow! I suggest you schedule a project strategy assessment from RGH and take action right away to solve them. Contact us at info@realizingglobalhealth.com. The longer you delay, the more opportunities to save lives and to make a big impact you risk losing.
