How To Get Out Of 'Project Overwhelm'

It's two weeks before the deadline. But your project is at least six weeks behind! Everyone is sweating bullets. As project leader, you're wringing your hands. A volcano of surprises has erupted since the project launched three months ago. And in contrast to everyone's prognostications, no one foresaw the lava flow of trouble ahead.

Your dilemma: Information that was supposed to be available in Week 2 won't be known for another month. Parts of the system that were designed to work one way are really working another. An expert you needed to provide critical details went on extended leave right after the project launch. And that's just scratching the surface!

So today, that simple-looking undertaking that your crystal ball said should only take four weeks of work beckons from a distant horizon. The funding may soon be cut off. And management will surely panic if it's not finished for the scheduled unveiling. You sense disaster looming, yet everyone feels helpless. So, what can you do?

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© 2005 Adele Sommers, The Enterprise Prosperity Guild

Labels: leadership  managing and supervising  success factors