Four Ways to Keep Projects in Motion

As Newton’s first law states:

An object at rest tends to stay at rest and an object in motion tends to stay in motion with the same speed and in the same direction unless acted upon by an unbalanced force.

Ever feel like you are continually being acted upon by unbalanced forces? While trying to overcome the unbalanced forces is probably another (series) of blog posts. I would recommend that each of us do our best to keep the project rolling. How do we do so?

• Sum it up:
  Projects often get bogged down when people aren’t sure what they are expected to deliver in the next phase. End each meeting or call with a wrap up that details specifically what was decided and who is responsible for handling each deliverable. This is often relegated to the meeting minutes but it’s important to reinforce what’s been decided before the meeting ends. This gives everyone involved the chance to clarify the goals one last time, something we may be unwilling to do if we are simply e-mailed a meeting summary.
• Check up:
  If you’re worried about a project and haven’t heard anything on it, it doesn’t hurt to ask. Just make sure to come across as helpful, not as a dictator. This can also be achieved by building a project time line with regular update intervals. Don’t forget to give credit where it’s due!
• Keep it moving:
  We’ve all been stuck behind the car driving a little too slow and it’s always amazing to see the trail of cars that piles up in the rear view mirror. Don’t be the project roadblock. Respond to inquiries in a timely, organized manner. Alan Weiss, adheres to a two hour rule.
• Keep it moving (forward):
  Keep the project moving forward, don’t get bogged down with endless details  and re-dos. Once something is done, put a stake in the ground and move forward while keeping your goals, quality, and the customer in mind. This gives the project momentum and gives those involved a sense of accomplishment.  Motion is good, but direction is a key component, otherwise you’ll end up where you started, just more tired.