You start off with a great idea. You’re full of enthusiasm and raring to go. Suddenly, a few days or a few weeks have passed and your idea has stalled. You’re no closer to reaching your end goal than you were when you started and you’re left wondering what went wrong. Often, the problem isn’t with the initial idea, its in the execution. You were so gung-ho in the beginning that you failed to take the time to properly plan out your project before you began. You wouldn’t wait until after you’ve jumped into the deep end of the pool to figure out whether or not you can swim, so why would you jump into a project without being certain that you have all the skills (and materials) that you need to succeed?
Here are a few tips to help you keep your plans on track.
- Estimate time and resources. We are big proponents of careful planning. If you take the time to formulate a comprehensive plan, you’re much more likely to achieve your goal. You can predict the time and other resources that will be needed to reach your goal. You don’t want to get halfway through your project and then realize that you lack the funds to finish. It would be far better to postpone your project rather than to have to cut costs and half do the job at the end, or worse yet see all your hard work go to waste because you simply can’t afford to finish.
- Research. Don’t reinvent the wheel if someone else has already created one that will work for you. Focus your time and energy on the parts of the project that are unique to your company. Your talents will be much more appreciated in the areas that differentiate you from your competitors, don’t waste time and effort on some work horse element that serves an unseen or underappreciated purpose.
- Technology. Make technology your friend. There are a number of solutions out there that can help keep your project on track. Set reminders for important deadlines, collaborate with colleagues, and keep records of what’s been discussed and what parts of the project have already been completed. Technology can also be used to help you complete certain tasks in less time. Make the most of these advantages and devote your time to the things that will actually benefit from the extra attention.
- Seek input from others, but don’t let too many cooks in the kitchen. It’s great to ask others for their input when starting a new project. Each person on your team possesses some knowledge that you don’t, and you never know who holds the facts that could save your company money or keep you from wasting time on an idea that has already been tried with limited results. You don’t want to involve too many people though, because too many opinions can cloud the issue and keep your project from progressing. If it’s your project you need to take ownership and manage the entire process. Ask for advice but don’t let other people start running things.
- Accountability. If you do assign tasks to others, make sure that they realize they are accountable for the success or failure of their part of the project. In a perfect workplace, everyone would hold themselves to the same high standard whether they are the lead on the project or just one of the worker bees. All too often this isn’t the case. People will give their own projects higher priority and phone in their efforts when the work they do is a small part of someone else’s larger project. Don’t let your project fail because of another’s shoddy work. Be clear with your expectations. Let them know what you need for them to do and when you need it done by.
