Don’t Be Afraid to Hit Reset
It’s happened to every shop owner. No, not the summer retreat that gets broken up by a tornado (I blame really poor weather forecasting for that one). I’m talking about a project that ends up in a tailspin, keeping you up at night, with your customers and your employees both mad. That’s when you need to take a step back, breathe deeply, and remind yourself that despite how it feels, it’s not life and death.
Sometimes a project just goes wrong and it’s hard to convince yourself that it will be okay. This week, we’re talking about the times you might need to hit the reset button on a difficult project and how to reduce the possibility of it ever happening again.
Stop, Collaborate, and Listen
Probably the hardest thing to do when things get overwhelming is to not join the chaotic energy and go down with the ship. Remember that you can always pause and reassess where you are on any project when things feel like they're spiraling out of control. There are a few different reasons you might need to do this.
Missing deadlines and deliverables
If your people are unable to meet the deadlines of the project, it might be time to put things on pause. Maybe the initial demands were unreasonable, or maybe your project managers didn’t get all the information up front to help them plan things out. Or hell, maybe someone had a genuine emergency at home. It happens.
Moving goalposts
This is painfully familiar to any shop. You start off working on one thing, but it soon morphs into less and less realistic expectations. It’s definitely time to hit the brakes and recenter things.
Unhappy customers
Sometimes your people are staying on schedule, but your customer isn’t pleased with the work. There are all kinds of reasons they might be unhappy, and it’s normally a mix of bad communication and expectations. This is definitely time to call time-out, huddle up and get everyone back on the same page.
Your people tell you it's time
When your people tell you something is wrong, you listen. Always hear them out and make sure you work through the challenges together and with the client when possible.
It's inevitable that project hiccups will happen – it's just part of being human in the services industry. But if you find yourself in this position often, that could be a sign of underlying issues in the way you acquire clients or manage your people. Ask yourself these questions to diagnose the trouble if you keep having to halt work.
Are we taking on too many projects?
It’s all too easy to focus exclusively on the bottom line, and more work equals more money, right? The thing is, overtaxing your staff is just as dangerous to your business as not bringing in enough customers. And doing poor work harms your reputation and can do long-term damage. Take honest stock of your resources to help you determine whether you can take on projects that might stretch you thin.Are we collaborating effectively and clearly enough?
This could refer to your communication with customers, or between people on your team. Everyone needs to know their role, what’s expected of them and when. They need enough clarity to do their best work.Are we dedicating the right people and the right tools to our projects?
You might have five project managers, but you know they don’t all have the same experience and abilities. Dedicating the right people to the work you need to do is critical. You might need to put more time into understanding your people. That doesn’t mean they can’t get outside their comfort zone and stretch to learn new skills, but it needs to be done strategically.Is this really something we can do?
This can be the hardest one to answer honestly. Maybe you’re not really equipped to build the next TikTok. There’s power in admitting that a project is beyond your abilities. Customers appreciate that honesty, and if you can point them in the direction of someone reliable who can help them, it goes a long way toward earning future business when they have work in your wheelhouse.
Look, shit happens. One rough project doesn’t mean a client relationship is over. But always take the time to look inward and make the necessary changes to strengthen your team.