Tuesday, November 10, 2009

Do you want me to be honest?

"No....lie to him....he likes it!"

That is a quote that has always stuck with me from Mr. Mom.  Classic movie!  I had no idea that in the real world, it is the truth!  I am noticing a huge issue and disconnect between the executives and their project teams.  This was evident even today as I worked with a client. 

The project team has been told that the project must meet a certain date which is literally one month away.  The code for the project is not complete, they are weeks behind in testing, and the product is barely standing.  However, they are still going to push untested code in production.  The definition of in production is to put it on the desktop, roll it out, but tell people not to use it.  Here is the best part.....according to the project team, this is what the executive wants.  They are under the impression that he is fully aware of all of these facts and he would rather say that it was in production at a certain date than it to be pushed back and properly tested.

This is all to common in many businesses today.  I bet that if a frank discussion was had with the executive, then a different decision would be made.  I have been interviewing executives for my next book and I am being told from the executives that their teams would not do what happened at this client.....yet it was.  How do we become so disconnected?  How do we allow this to occur?

It is time for open and frank conversation and for PM's and executives to understand the reality of their relationship.  Through education and understanding, you can have your cake and eat it too.  I just want to make sure it is cake that I am eating (and not crow!).  That is my rant for tonight!

No day but today,

Rick

P.S. "Jack, you're doing it wrong!" - Mr. Mom

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