211
11
Creativity and the Executing Process
INTRODUCTION
e executing process involves actually applying a plan to achieve the
vision, goals, and objectives of a project. It also helps to ensure that the
eorts of a project remain focused eciently and eectively.
BENEFITS
ere are many benets attributed to the executing process. It focuses
the eorts on achieving vision, goals, and objectives; requires applying
resources cost eectively; and helps keep the project in control by taking a
disciplined approach during execution.
CONSEQUENCES OF FAILURE
Failure to perform this process has tremendous impact downstream on
a project, especially during the monitoring and controlling, and closing
processes. e energy of a team can dissipate. A team can lose sight of its
vision, goals, and objectives. Morale and esprit de corps may plummet.
Cost and schedule performance can deteriorate. e customer may end
up with something that fails to meet expectations, that is, if anything is
delivered. Finally, resources may be wasted.
212 • Creative, Ecient, and Eective Project Management
DELIVERABLES
e executing process has several project management deliverables (see
Figure11.1), including:
• Assessments and audits
• Change management
• Conict resolution
• Issues management
• Meetings
• Product or service
IDEAL STATE
Ideally, project managers want the executing process to occur as
smoothly as possible. People clearly focus on the vision, goals, and
Preparation
Ve
rification
and
Production
Concentration
Illumination
Incubation
- Assessments and Audits
- Change Management
- Conflict Resolution
- Issues Management
- Meetings
- Product or Service
FIGURE 11.1
Executing process and deliverables.
Creativity and the Executing Process • 213
objectives. ey know exactly what they have to do without much dif-
culty and oversight. Communication and collaboration occur without
a aw. Cost and schedule performance also goes according to baseline.
If an issue or change arises, it is handled according to the appropriate
management plan. All stakeholders are satised with what has happened
and is happening.
e reality is, of course, far from the above description. Oen, a ten-
dency exists to stray from the plan. Esprit de corps must be maintained.
Issues and defects arise that are not always handled according to the appli-
cable management plan (if one even exists). Communication is dicult
and collaboration is hindered by a host of constraints; and to add fuel
to the re, actual cost and schedule performance deviates from baselines
and corrective action, even replanning, becomes necessary. e customer
frequently changes its mind even to the point of dissatisfaction on the part
of just about everyone.
CONTEXT
ere are several contextual factors that project managers oen face
during the executing process. Here are just a few: e environment that
a project oen nds itself in is one of very high intensity. Stakeholders,
especially the project manager and the team, are focusing on achiev-
ing the vision, goals, and objectives according to plan. Emotions oen
run high, whether negatively or positively, depending on how well the
project is progressing. Problems, issues, and challenges, from people
to technical ones, arise; some are anticipated, but more oen than not,
they are unexpected. Success occurs in some areas while in others,
nightmares arise. Some stakeholders are extremely supportive during
the executing process while others, quite frankly, sit on the sidelines
taking sniper shots. Additionally, decisions external to the project can
arise, resulting in a change in requirements, schedule milestones, and
budget.
e entire executing process usually consumes the brunt of the
resources and eort for a project. It truly is at that point where the
project crosses the Rubicon and needs to balance its plan with real-
ity to reach its vision, goals, and objectives. Naturally, this process
214 • Creative, Ecient, and Eective Project Management
oersmany opportunities to exercise creativity, both on individual and
team levels.
CHALLENGES AND CONSTRAINTS
Of all the processes, the executing process poses the greatest opportunity
to witness the aects and eects of the challenges and constraints imposed
on a project. Usually, the challenges and constraints center on these ve
areas: people, process, cost, schedule, and quality.
Project managers oen do not get the people with the requisite skills,
knowledge, and expertise to execute eciently and eectively. ey
alsodo not get people who will work in a way that furthers the perfor-
mance of the project; personality or cultural dierences can constrain the
ow of theproject.
ey may also have to perform according to an ambitious schedule. Key
milestones may have been dictated; and while they have a duty to report
on the impracticality of such a schedule, project managers may have no
choice but to accept it or make a career- limiting decision. Imposed con-
straints limit the options project managers have at their disposal.
Project managers may also face a cost challenge or constraint. ey may
have to follow a cost baseline that, quite frankly, is unrealistic. ey may
have to adapt the best way they can to this circumstance to achieve the
vision, goals, and objectives of a project. Again, project managers have
a theoretical duty to report the impracticality of such constraints on
projects, but oen have no other choice but to accept it.
While people, time, and money are the usual constraints, having to
follow a process to meet a specic qualitative or quantitative criterion
can present challenges and constraints to a project. A process can actu-
ally be unrealistic by not being scalable to a project, thereby adding an
administrative burden that deects people from actually producing a
deliverable.
Whether facing a challenge or constraint related to people, process, cost,
schedule, or quality, a project will need individuals and a team that have
some very highly creative abilities in its pursuit toward achieving vision,
goals, and objectives.
Some common creative challenges and constraints confronting this
process are shown in Table11.1.
Creativity and the Executing Process • 215
TABLE11.1
Executing Process and Challenges and Constraints
Challenge and Constraint Example
Compliant workforce Having an unwillingness on the part of some team
members to raise an issue at a team meeting
Dominance of brain
thinking
Not considering how all the components of a project are
impacted by a change
Faster, better, cheaper
philosophy
Allowing the tendency to circumvent the change
management process
Fear Lacking the willingness or courage to address a conict
over an issue due to groupthink
Focus on the past or
future, not the present
Applying a past successful approach for resolving an issue
that may not work under contemporary conditions
Groupthink Allowing peer pressure that results in pretending a problem
or issue concerning a project is nonexistent
Impatience Having an unwillingness to collect the facts and data about
an issue before implementing a solution
Inability to adapt Refusing to modify the schedule because of a scope change
Inghting Allowing constant bickering to persist over a minor issue
due to personality conicts
Insecurity Allowing an impasse over a critical issue to fester “below
the radar” due to fear of conict
Lack of data and
information
Not having the necessary access to data and information to
make a key decision about an important issue
Lack of sharing Failing to impart knowledge or experience for the benet of
the team
Lack of tools Not having tools to build a component of the product or
service being delivered
Leaping to judgment Jumping to conclusions about a change before collecting
the necessary facts and data
Management’s lack of
responsiveness
Giving up on the need to continue to push management for
a key decision or approval regarding a change
Methodism Going through the motions to generate time estimates for
implementing a change without really analyzing
assumptions
Mismatch Having someone work on an activity for which they are not
suited and allowing the activity to slide
Mores, beliefs, values Not challenging certain people’s beliefs about how a project
should be managed
Not listening to inner
voice
Discounting one’s gut feeling that an undetected risk has
become an issue and impacts a project’s performance
(Continued)
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