On Tuesday, July 9th, 2024, the Project Management Institute – Orange County (PMI-OC) hosted its July Dinner Meeting featuring a presentation by John D. Nguyen titled “From Missteps to Milestones: Understanding Failure as a Necessary Component of Success.”
Nguyen’s talk focused on reframing our perspective on project failures and setbacks, emphasizing that embracing failure is crucial for growth, innovation, and ultimate success in project management. He began by defining project success and failure, then went into common causes of project failures, including lack of senior management support, poor communication, and inadequate resources.
The presentation highlighted several success criteria for projects, such as clearly defined goals, competent team members, and adequate communication channels. Nguyen stressed the importance of defining what success looks like for each specific project, as this helps stakeholders align their expectations and prevents projects from being unfairly branded as failures.
A significant portion of the presentation was dedicated to identifying warning signs of struggling projects and providing strategies to address them. These included:
1. Addressing disinterest by ensuring team members understand project goals and benefits
2. Improving communication through verbal interactions and follow-up emails
3. Maintaining momentum by breaking projects into smaller, trackable tasks
4. Fostering open communication among team members and stakeholders
5. Implementing effective time and resource management
6. Cultivating strong leadership and decision-making skills
7. Establishing robust quality control processes
8. Learning from mistakes through post-project analyses
Nguyen concluded by emphasizing the importance of documenting success criteria, using continuous measurements, and tracking progress throughout the project lifecycle.
For those interested in further exploring project management topics, Nguyen recommended several books, including “Start With Why” by Simon Sinek and “Trust and Inspire” by Stephen M.R. Covey. He also suggested following Adriana Girdler on YouTube and listening to the “Project Management Happy Hour” podcast.
This presentation provided valuable insights for both new and experienced project managers. It serves as a reminder that setbacks are opportunities for growth and that with the right mindset and strategies, we can turn our missteps into milestones.
Freezepoints eMagazine Publications Team
PMI Orange County
