3 Factors Which Cause a Project to Go Sour: 2 Methods to Fix it
You either have shared education or shared discovery about a project, there is no inbetween if you’d like success.
Have you had a project go left? Here are the 3 main causes and 2 best resolutions.
1. Red Flags
This happens all the time, and it’s largely mapped to sporadic, unpredictable events. That isn’t the case, ‘red flags’ are bursts of resistance to a preset business process and this action is often a result of non-clarity, fear, or lack of authority. You can map when a project is destined to go left based on the number of red-flags you as an owner refuse you confront early on.
2. No rest + reflect.
Very often organizations at scale are running a million miles per hour. My favorite case studies and stories were with growing and optimistic businesses who took executive level time to reason with the vendor (my company) regarding the work. Projects which go left often miss this exploratory process completely or it is met with resistance. The outcome is a project where little goals and end-wins are aligned, and everyone loses sight of a project.
3. Ego.
A man’s downfall could also be his submissiveness, but his ego drives the pain home. When projects go left, very often, Ego - defined as the art of stubbornness and inability to listen, permeates the room with a really bad smell. For example, Ego will look like an unwillingness to separate oneself from minuscule clauses. Ego can look like aggressive or veiled threats. Ego can also look like icing someone out, being cold and eliminating their chances of success. It is hard work to wrestle with the Ego, as it simultaneously is the root of vigor in entrepreneurial characters, so where does the smooth resolution come?
Here is how we resolve the veering train.
1. Shared Education.
With most projects which go left, I am observant that a sheer lack of education regarding behind the scenes builds some of the ‘I can do it alone’ approach. This applies to both sides. I have had clients take entire websites we built to great success, yet gutted it only for sales to plummet.
I have also blindly built projects which did not factor in all teams and neglected the role of others in the ecosystem, but thats why I do discovery now.
Sharing some insight into the moving parts of launching a product can work, but it is highly complicated, because you would then break-down your entire business model infront of a single person who likely will never be truly interested. If you find someone who is interested in knowing the workings and you are that type also, then you’re likely good fits as people want to learn and be informed*.
Learning what is relevant to them.
2. Discovery
When you do discovery, you force-pause the pace of a project before you even commit to it. You build rapport, trust, equity and shared visions when you do discovery the right way. Do not allow red flags here, nip them in the bud and move on.
What happens during my discovery?
It’s often too early to know if a clients RFP makes sense on the surface, because we don’t know who made it or why. My approach to discovery often results in mutual ambitions, shared goals and learning.
The aim of my assessment, which I call LabWork involves multiple steps spread in 3–4 meetings, overall, we commit to:
- Overviewing your current business with a client. Have a clear understanding with them of who the company is and where it wants to go.
2. Mutually unpacking and discover your business roadblocks. Giving a direct look at what’s not working online.
3. Identify who is your core audience, much deeper than the client thinks they know them. Theyll receive clarity.
4. Create a canvas which maps out your business model. The client will feel less overwhelmed.
5. A solution roadmap at the end of LabWork — A guided series of actionable things you need to work on next to start having traction and scale. The client will feel like they have clear and actionable next steps to have traction and scale.
Projects don’t always have to go left, they need education and shared discovery. If you have tried both and veered left, ask to reset clear expectations and come to the table again, to discover and learn once more what the new goals are. Every business should do these assessments atleast once a year.
If you liked this story, I love claps, they let me know this isn’t A dark hole, if it is one, I’ll keep filling it the same. See you on my next piece!
About me: Engineer for 4 years, founder for 6 years, 10k hours in project time, countless lines of code and clients.
