Prying or Priortizing

As a small business manager, this scenario should ring a bell:  You and all of your company resources are busy... VERY BUSY... lots of overtime... lots of stuff happening.  Then, something occurs and you need to add yet another project onto everybody's plate.  And since you're a small business manager, chances are good that your company views project management as "that stuff that happens when your 'day job' is over."  Am I right?

So, what do you do when that next really big thing swoops down and forces an "all hands on deck" level of effort to get it done?  Obviously, something has to give.  You can't fit 50 pounds of salt into a 5 pound bag.  If you add one more thing to people's to do lists, there will be resignations.  Last month, Mark Bower posted a useful article on guerilla ROI and how to build a really impactful project portfolio (a project management geek term for all the stuff you're working on in your company).  He brings up some good points, mainly about guerilla activity in your company being quick, pragmatic, focused, and resource-conserving.

The first question you need to ask yourself is whether you KNOW what people are really working on in your organization?  If you don't, find out.  It doesn't have to be anything fancy.  If you are a low-tech person, write each project or initiative on 3x5 index cards and update it monthly.  If you are a high-tech person, use Excel, Access, or MS Project for these purposes.  We'll assume the low tech approach for the purposes of this discussion.

The next time the "BIG ONE" comes along and you need to figure out how to slot it in among the 15 zillion other things your company is working on, lay out every index card on a desk or table or warehouse floor.  Get out your sharpie markers and get ready to mark on each index card accordingly:

• Place a RED DOT on each card where the project prevents you from being sued or fined (i.e., regulatory or lawsuit requirements)
• Place a GREEN DOT on each card where the project will prevent you from going out of business in the next five years (urgent and critical activity to keep the lights on)
• Place a BLUE DOT on each card where the project obviously, directly, and visibly supports your mission and strategy (including your product/service mix)
• Place a YELLOW DOT on each card where the people in your company and/or your customers are excited about the project's completion
• Place a BLACK DOT on each card where you fully understand the scope and impact of the project and you still want to spend money on it.

Now you can answer the question, "What has to go?"  Start by discarding the projects on the cards with no dots.  If those resources can be realigned to your new project, great.  Then look at the cards that have only black and/or yellow dots.  What can go from this stack?  The projects that can stay should be on cards that contain only green, blue, or red dots.  If you are still feeling overloaded, then it is time to seriously look at the triple constraint and make some hard decisions... decisions that only you as the leader in your company can make.

Carpe Factum!