Merriam-Webster defines disruption as a break or
interruption in the normal course or continuation of some activity, process, etc.
It is the etcetera that suggests that disruption can impact all aspects of the
circumstances of your life which means that projects are not immune to
disruption. That is why risk management exists. Risk management is the practice
of working to plan for disruptions in projects. I would suggest that, while we may
not have a formal process that we follow, we practice risk management in our
every-day lives. I am not only talking about the disruption of the pandemic,
although that is quite a disruption, I am also talking about other disruptions,
external forces which drastically and suddenly alter the circumstances of your
project life.
Here is a scenario to consider. A recent disruption has drastically
altered the working lives of every team member on our project. The shift
occurred when a powerful external stakeholder determined that the project was
not delivering in an acceptable manner and determined that, if an improvement
was not realized in a short period of time, the project would be at risk. The
change is an expectation of increased attention, commitment, and working hours
for all team members. The “all hands-on deck” scenario of projects that are in question
of being efficient, effective, and healthy. The “RED” project syndrome of
complexity and “bleeding-edge” technology. Whether you have lived through this
scenario or not, there are some tools to use to limit the stress that occurs
when this scenario hits.
Acknowledgement. First, acknowledge that there is a
disruption happening. Get clear on the fact that, whatever yesterday looked
like, today is different. Taking stock of what exactly is occurring, the
reasons for it, looking at it from the perspective of “what is true about this”,
getting to the core of the disruption and what it means for the project is the
first step. Acknowledge that everyone played a part in creating the disruption.
Acknowledge that moving through the disruption is the path of least resistance.
Acknowledge that everyone will participate in moving through to stability and
if they choose not to it is a choice. Acknowledge that this disruption also
opens doors to possibilities that were invisible before, that it sheds light on
opportunities that may not have been available previously, and that the
attention it provides may be the energy required to create a successful outcome
for the project.
Just the facts (Data). One of the things that can
occur is conversations based on supposition, assumption, and conjecture. What I
mean by “just the facts” is ensuring that there is specific, actionable, and
accurate data from which to plan. When plans are based on information other
than factual data, the plans can be flawed and inaccurate. If you don’t have
the data when the scenario hits, it is critical that you enact a data
collection capability to ensure that the data is accurate, actionable and
specific enough to prioritize the work that must be done to “get things back on
track”. Additionally, mechanisms for collection and sustained reporting are
required to be able to show progress. Without progress to show the commitment
from the team and leadership will lose energy.
Same direction (Vision). Having a clear vision of
what must be accomplished and by when is also essential. There must be agreement
of what success looks like from those leading the charge to create a clear path
to a successful outcome. Ensuring that all stakeholders agree with that vision
is also critical. Gaining an aligned commitment to success will ensure everyone
is speaking the same language, aligned to the same goals, and can celebrate all
successes along the way to ensure sustained engagement.
Communication. Making sure the same message gets to all
of the audiences in a way that they can understand, carry around with them, and
repeat in a way that shows that everyone is moving in the same direction, aligned
to the same goals, and using the same data points is critical. When everyone is
sharing the same messaging it creates inspiration, empowerment and ensures
everyone shares and is aligned to the same goal. When that occurs, teams can
hold each other accountable, leaders can speak with anyone and gain the same message,
clarity and alignment occur and confidence and trust is created. Transparency
in the communication through authentically sharing the current state, the vision
and goals for the future state, and the path for getting there will create an
environment that causes alignment and trust to grow.
Self-Care. Each member of the team must be clear on
what self-care is for themselves. Without the ability to establish healthy and
harmonious self-care rituals the energy required to work through the disruption
will wane quickly and the team will lose the elasticity and flexibility
necessary to weather a storm. Self-care does not have to be a large amount of
time, self-care can be a short walk, meditation, a 2-minute breathing exercise
or an hour-long nap. Self-care can look like almost any form of taking a moment
to care for yourself. For me, self-care is each moment of each day, choosing
what is most important in that moment. Self-care can be working at my desk for
an extra 20 minutes so I can sleep well, it can be paying my bills so that I
don’t get calls from collectors, it can be eating well, exercising, and resting
when I need to rest. I believe taking time for self-care can create sustainable
energy because I choose to do what will sustain my well-being holistically.
This list can be used for disruption in our personal lives
as well. When disruption occurs such as the death of a loved one, the loss of a
relationship, a change to your work life, the birth of a child, or even your
retirement it is important to acknowledge that it is a disruption. Once you’ve
embraced this as the disruptive opportunity it is move forward by gathering the
facts about what is real, be clear on the direction to move toward by taking
stock of your vision and goals, be able to communicate with yourself and those
in your life about what is happening for you, and build a healthy practice of
self-care through the disruption. These are all practices for the big moments
and the small moments and the truth of it is that it is in practicing the small
disruptions in life that we learn how to navigate the big ones that occur. What
are you practicing today?
