Not everything will go according to our perfect plan. As the owner of Olivia Pope & Associates, Olivia Pope is constantly pushed to the edge of her sanity as she somehow handles major scandals in her professional and personal life. Here are lessons Scandal can teach us about project management:
Anticipate and plan ahead. This plan could simply consist of identifying and documenting what could go wrong and the initial mitigating procedures to follow for each possibility.
Perform a current state analysis. Ascertain the level and degree of damage and opportunities by conducting an internal and external environmental scan.
Document everything. It’s human nature, especially in a crisis, to forget or remember things differently. Appropriate documentation is paramount to achieving the best possible outcome and avoiding conflicts.
Remain calm and professional. Frantic, panicked and impulsive behavior always brings more harm than good (including more crises). Stay composed, focused on the goal, follow the plan of action and revise the plan if the situation warrants.
As with Olivia Pope, your success as a Project Manager will also depend on assembling your team of competent and reliable "gladiators". Continue reading...
Kepner-Tregoe Project Management delivers structured and proven solutions that bring clear thinking, direction, structure, and alignment to diverse project teams. We believe that on-time, on-budget, and on-goal performance is not only possible, it is expected.
