Project Management: Every Project Needs A Lifeguard
Be it an agile scrum build or waterfall – or a mile-marker laden, enterprise-wide rollout – any project will benefit from a lifeguard. Why swim out without one?
Indeed, the traits of a lifeguard are well compared to those of a good leader.
With no disrespect to product owners or project managers – having someone sitting high above with an overarching view, is, I believe, an essential fail safe. Their task? To push projects to execute on time, on budget, and to specification. The elusive three that are rarely ticked at once: fast, not expensive and quality.
Although few CEOs will have this luxury, for a relatively flat organisation, T-shaped lifeguards can ensure and secure multiple projects – even those reporting direct to the C-suite.
So what are the traits and similarities to the lifeguards we see on sandy beaches?
The lifeguard has a pulse on the action in front of him but can also see the climate changing and blow the whistle to get everyone out of the water – or project – when things are at hurricane level. He can see things rolling in from different areas of the business, and is in contact with other lifeguards up the coast.
He understands the business direction, how dependent projects and congruent projects are going, and he understands the frictional costs. If he pulls resources from another area, she knows the extra pressure they’re exposed to .
“Sorry I missed the pre-read for this conference call” is not in the lifeguards vocabulary – be he beach or office bound. He may have a rotation of a-day-a-week at Jeffrey’s bay, Mentawai, Supertubes, Mavericks or Pipeline – yet his five-day roster is chartered with weather conditions, sand levels, crowd predictions and the overview details specific to that one job.
Just as an organisational lifeguard would be aware of milestone progress, burn rate, and project dependencies. On the day, that is their sole focus.
What distinguishes the lifeguard from a manager is that safeguarding projects is their skill and focus; they’re not burdened with financial details, recruitment or procurement. They spot risk, and minimise it.
The lifeguard comes prepared. Like the beach version with his red baton, red inflatable and helicopter, the corporate version has similar lifesaving tools:
• He has his RACI matrix to hand – to see who has a say, who’s executing and who (to be honest) can be ignored
• He has spread sheets, tools, rallydev.com, a spare set of voting cards and a tracking sheet in his back pocket
• He has a signed focus of the project from the C-Suite, from which he will not deviate (save hurricanes in the marketplace)
Not being involved in the day-to-day activities on the beach, the lifeguard just sees infighting – and blows the whistle. He does not see politics – just the client and supplier arguing, or specifications being reviewed for the 5th time too many. He blows the whistle and flags the issue.
He sees the definition of done or ‘good enough’ being changed and flags it up, just as a lifeguard would call you up for swimming in jeans when it’s trunks only for safety.
The true art of the lifeguard is to know who is in need of real help. Many look like they’re drowning but are just playing around, or ‘that’s how they swim’.
Making the call is the art of the lifeguard. Is someone out of their depth and drowning, or going to choke on a couple of mouthfuls and surface riding the wave to glory? Yes, they will lean to safety, but their art as a lifeguard will be picking winners by assessing who needs help.
As a kid I had a lifeguard paddle out with his red baton to check I was okay. Knowing he had my back, I swam all the way to shore and collapsed on the beach. But support and faith – not the intervention – got me there. Traits I hope to emulate from my favourite leaders.
The true leaders sees where struggle leads to character, yet pairs you with Phelps and his own jet boat if that is what is needed to succeed.
Nick is currently Head of Digital Marketing and Social Media – as well as a trainer/leader of Social Business and Content Marketing – with a global professional services firm. He is currently seeking a permanent role in Auckland, New Zealand.
Topics:
IT,
