• Don’t do it!!! (An activity that is…)

Sometimes, as we will address shortly, we must say “no” directly. In other cases, we need to “say no” by upholding our own claims, whether they are perceived as positive or negative. If we say that something cannot be done, we shouldn’t produce it. If we say something is not practical, we shouldn’t magically find a way to “make it happen”. That being said, it is always a good thing to “under promise and over deliver.” I’m not suggesting that we abandon this practice. However, when we push back, we should not “contradict ourselves” with our actions; we need to uphold our integrity in both good and bad instances. Should we push back, then discover a new method or approach where we CAN produce a change in deliverables, then present the “new method and information”, get a change approved, and only then should we deliver the new desired functionality or alteration to the triple constraints. Simply don’t contradict yourself – although it might make you a hero in the short term, your ability to push back or say no will be greatly diminished in future situations. Producing miracles will suddenly and consistently be expected – putting undue pressure on you and your project teams.

• Sometimes, “No” must come directly out of our mouths

We must not compromise our ethics. Our integrity must always be rock solid. Any instance that could put a dent in that perception of us needs to be addressed directly and quickly. Saying no immediately and in such a way as our meaning cannot be misinterpreted, is paramount. We place undue risk on ourselves, our project teams and the businesses we support when we don’t say no in these instances.

In other instances, despite the use of good questions and relevant facts, others will not back down from a desire to change the project, no matter how inappropriate. In this case, we need to say no, and offer to take the next appropriate step to address the confrontation that will result. Offer to arrange a meeting with the sponsor, customer management or whoever will be in the best position to assess the situation holistically.

When “no” is the best thing for the project and the business, we must be the advocates for rational thought. As project managers we must be clear about this, however, there are a number of approaches to “get to no.” Most experienced project managers will find the “hot buttons” of their stakeholders and use that knowledge wisely, getting the customer to say no, based on their priorities and needs. The techniques discussed here can add to that “toolkit” of approaches and improve the perception of the project manager’s skills and increase the success of our projects.

Bob McGannon is a Founder and Principal of MINDAVATION, a company providing project management training, consulting, keynotes & coaching services throughout North America, Europe, the Middle East and Australia. Bob can be reached at MINDAVATION via the web at WWW.MINDAVATION.COM or by calling 866-888-MIND (6463).

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