“Who knows what the thunder and lightning will bring? Maybe the storm will cover my dreams;
Maybe the sun will shine no more.”
Whether or not I was singing along last night – I was certainly asking the same questions! Several Tornado Warnings were issued here last night; the Emergency Alert System called frequently to warn of impending danger. The weather radio was very active with alerts from the National Weather Service.
My wife and I stayed up until the early morning, watching and being prepared. We were blessed in that we had no damage, though the morning news highlighted damage and even loss of life nearby.
Being prepared in our projects has a lot to do with Risk Management. It is important to prepare for the uncertainties that could impact project schedules, costs, or even the success of delivering the scope of the project.
As project managers, we must also remember to watch. Though we may be prepared, what are the triggers that invoke our contingency plans?
- What are the early warning signals in our projects that grab our attentions and cause us to act?
- Are we in tune with the environments surrounding our projects?
- What factors are present that we can watch to foresee future changes related to our projects?
- Are we feeling the morale of the project team and thinking where it leads toward project success or failure?
- Do we audit key performance indicators to understand trend directions? At what point do we take preventive action?
Part of being a project management professional is the proactive nature of watching and being prepared. Don’t stand by and wait for things to happen to your project. Be proactive and make things happen for your project.
Who knows what the storms may bring during your project life? Right, who knows?
Be the project manager who knows his proactive response plans – no matter what the storm brings.