Finding the Positives in Project Failures

How Project Managers Can Navigate Project Failures

Things rarely, if ever, go according to plan. As Project managers, we continually adapt to various situations to ensure the project’s continued success. However, what happens when things go completely awry? How do we manage if we are ever in the extremely unfortunate situation of managing a Project that is deemed a ‘failure’?

Reasons Projects Fail

Projects can fail for various reasons, which may stem from factors related to planning, execution, communication, resources, or external influences. The most common of these include:

Poor Planning

Inadequate or incomplete project planning can set the stage for failure. This includes unclear objectives, unrealistic timelines, insufficient resource allocation, and lack of risk management strategies.

Unclear Objectives and Scope Creep

If project objectives are not clearly defined or if scope creep occurs (i.e., the gradual expansion of project scope beyond its original parameters), it can lead to confusion, delays, and budget overruns.

Ineffective Communication

Poor communication among team members, stakeholders, or project managers can hinder progress, create misunderstandings, and lead to misalignment of goals and expectations.

Lack of Stakeholder Involvement

When key stakeholders are not adequately engaged or consulted throughout the project lifecycle, it can result in resistance, lack of buy-in, and ultimately project failure.

Unrealistic Deadlines

Setting overly ambitious or unrealistic deadlines without considering project complexities or resource constraints can lead to rushed or poor-quality work, increased stress, and project failure.

Poor Risk Management

Failure to identify, assess, and mitigate project risks can leave the project vulnerable to unforeseen obstacles, delays, or failures.

Scope or Requirement Changes

Changes in project scope or requirements mid-project can disrupt workflow, cause delays, and strain resources, particularly if not managed effectively.

Team Issues

Internal conflicts, lack of cohesion, or skill gaps within the project team can hinder collaboration, productivity, and morale, leading to project failure.

Lack of Flexibility and Adaptability

Inability to adapt to changing circumstances, emerging risks, or stakeholder feedback can make it difficult to overcome challenges and achieve project objectives.

In almost all of the scenarios outlined above, as the Project manager you have the most influence and visibility across the entire project team to address or rectify these issues before they significantly impact the project delivery. Therefore, any Project that fails to meet its objectives, is often attributed to a failing by the Project manager - a difficult burden to bear.

How can we leverage these failures? What can we do as Project managers to ensure that all Projects we manage, whether successful or not, still provide value to us as individuals, and to the organization?

Failure is Often a Necessary Step to Success

“Failure is simply the opportunity to begin again, this time more intelligently.”

– Henry Ford

Managing unsuccessful projects can be a challenging but essential part of professional growth. As the Project manager on an unsuccessful project it’s important that you take responsibility for the project shortcomings and, more importantly, identify what you need to do in the future to ensure these issues are not repeated.

Here are some steps you can take to effectively identify where the project could have been managed better:

Conduct a Post-Mortem Analysis

Reflect on what went wrong. Identify the root causes of failure, whether they were related to planning, execution, resource allocation, communication, or external factors.

Communicate Transparently

Be transparent about the failure with stakeholders. Clearly communicate what happened, why it happened, and what steps will be taken to prevent similar failures in the future. Honesty and transparency foster trust and demonstrate accountability.

Assess and Manage Risks

Evaluate risks more thoroughly in future projects. Anticipate potential challenges and develop contingency plans to mitigate them. Regularly reassess risks throughout the project lifecycle and adjust strategies accordingly.

Seek Feedback

Gather feedback from team members, stakeholders, and other relevant parties. Understand their perspectives on what contributed to the project's failure and what could have been done differently. Use this feedback to inform your approach in future projects.

Focus on Continuous Improvement

Cultivate a culture of continuous improvement within your team or organization. Encourage open dialogue about successes and failures, and promote a mindset of learning and adaptation.

Reevaluate Goals and Expectations

Ensure that project goals and expectations are realistic and achievable. Sometimes projects fail because initial goals were unrealistic or poorly defined. Set clear, measurable objectives, and regularly evaluate progress against them.

Provide Support and Encouragement

For me, one of the most important lessons that I’ve learnt on projects that did not meet expectations - Failure is extremely demoralizing. Be sure to provide support and encouragement to team members who may be feeling disheartened (including yourself, as the PM!). Acknowledge everyone’s efforts and contributions, and emphasize the importance of learning from setbacks.

Move Forward

Once you've analyzed the failure, learned from it, and communicated effectively about it, it's time to move forward. Apply the lessons learned to future projects, and approach them with renewed determination and insight.

Final Word on Failing

Remember, failure is a natural part of the project management process, and it provides valuable opportunities for growth and improvement. By effectively managing unsuccessful projects, you can strengthen your skills, enhance your team's capabilities, and increase your chances of success in the future.

However, turning a project failure into an opportunity for improvement involves a deliberate process of reflection, learning, and adaptation. Speaking from experience, it isn’t easy to admit you were wrong - but it is the crucial first step in the process of continued improvement.

I certainly do not wish anything other than absolute success for your projects, but I also recognize that things can, and do, go wrong. By applying the techniques to identify what went wrong and implementing processes to avoid these issues in the future is the best way to ensure continued improvement for you, for the organization, and most importantly, for your projects.

Good luck!

---