10. Entertain the team with emails written in (im)proper English

Image courtesy rakratchada torsap / Freedigitalphotos.net

As the last post in the series 10 (un)common mistakes to avoid in Project Management, I conclude the series with this post. here are some lines extracted from emails written. The lines have not been modified and I will leave it to the reader to interpret some of the meanings. If this becomes impossible or if you end up doubling in laughter or both, go to the end of the post where I have put in some hints about the lines. I have highlighted the faux pas in bold and italics. Some of them are really priceless nuggets. Have fun

1. … let us give pleasure to the client …
   
2. I don't what you to advice or work on any problem......
   
3. If [Person] what any information from your end or what your input for any …...
   
4. Let's discusses in detail when we come there......
   
5. I thought much , now can a they say the submission is on [day of the week] . All the tender which you see in [Place], they is no fixed date for submission. Anyways we will submit the same on [Date] .
   
6. I don't what you to work on your …....
   
7. How whats the problem …...
   
8. we have haired him has [Designation]. I what him to do that...
   
9. he what's [Place] team to make a ….
   
10. I what this to be done before …..
    
11. they what Engineers full time....
    
12. Please advice , so that we don't what 100 idea in between. I what every one.....
    
13. Please note - Team is busy with Project can waste time in training every day. Let's do it once and close it asap.

Hints

• For the first one read pleasure as pressure
• Read what as want
• Now and how are interchangeable
• they and there are interchangeable

Links to the previous posts
9. Don’t govern by threats
8. Support the team on the Ground
7. Provide Mission Critical information to the Project Team
6. Resource appropriately
5. How to (not) do your budget in five easy steps
4. Read the contract you just signed
3. Don't promise the impossible in a ridiculous timeframe
2. How (not) to win a contract
1. New Business Areas

4. Read the Contract you just signed

Sounds strange? Impossible? Three out of four times? Chances are that the contract that you have been handed over to execute has not been read by the person who signed it.  

Unbelievable as it may sound pressures of time, lack of appropriate resources and a desire to grab the contract often lead to these situations. In the contract that has been signed for you to execute has all the deliverables in the world that the client could think of. Not to mention the ridiculous time frame in which to execute them. It would be an unfortunate situation if you have such a situation to deal with. Disastrous if this is the fourth in the series of mistakes that have happened and you happen to inherit the consequences.

Some lessons you could learn would be (Pardon me for stating the obvious)

• Read the contract (before signing it of course!) and iron out the kinks. Both parties entering into the contract have an unsaid right to review the contract before it gets to the signing stage.
• It does a lot of good to your company’s professional reputation if you suggest a few changes which may have been missed out inadvertently.
• Save on “fan cleaning” costs at  later.

The next in the series is about getting your budgets right.

Links to the posts in this series

3. Don't promise the impossible in a ridiculous time frame

2. How (not) to win a contract

1. New Business Areas

3. Don’t promise the impossible in a ridiculous time frame

Image courtesy chokphoto / Freedigitalphotos.net

The third post in the series 10 (un)common mistakes to in Project Management. Promising the impossible in a ridiculous time frame. Rome wasn’t built in a day. Or a month or even a year. Recently the new Doha airport has also opened after a year’s delay. At the time of signing the contract for the project, Business development teams promise the impossible leaving the delivery team to struggle with the difficult schedule.
Bear with me and imagine a scenario wherein a less developed place, isolated from the developed world where even the most basic building material - cement is imported. Prices of commodities are normally three times the world average cost. Skilled labour is not available.  The topography does not favour you either. Steep gradients and a richly undulating landscape with more than 100 inches of rainfall annually. Residents of the place build a house over several years with very rudimentary techniques and methods. The largest building contractor does not build more than a few dozen residential units in a year. In this kind of a scenario would you sign a contract to deliver 1500 building units designed by architects sitting 6000 km away with the best of modern materials and amenities in less than a year? If you answered yes then I’d like to hear from you.
Valuable lessons to learn from such uncommon incidents :

• Acquaint yourselves with the ground realities of a place for which you are going to sign the contract.
• It does not hurt to disagree with the client regarding aggressive (read impossible) time lines. In fact, he should be given correct professional advice at the right time.
• The time frames are not aggressive by themselves alone, they become a constraint when other circumstances are ignored.

I will be posting about a fourth uncommon mistake "Read your contract".
Links to previous posts in this series
2. How (not) to win a contract
1. New Business Areas

2. How (not) to win a contract

The second part in the series of “10 (un)common mistakes to avoid in Project Management”, is How (not) to win a Contract
The pressure to grow multifold, to get more revenue into the kitty prompts companies and business development executives to resort to "unconventional" means to procure projects.Most of us have encountered various unconventional methods used by the go getters of organisations who spare no effort in winning a project for the company.  During the initial stages of bidding for the project this often comes under the guise of agents who can "help" you to get a project. As a Business development executive this is an easy solution but you have only postponed the problem and successfully invited disaster for your Project Delivery team. Not to mention the strain it will create between you and the client as you start the project on the back foot because the client has the upper hand in this relationship. Not the best way to deliver a project. Other problems include a huge dent in your revenue as the agent is going to take away a huge chunk.
Valuable lessons to learn from such uncommon incidents :

• As a professional entity, disallow such practices at the highest levels as they are a surefire way to invite disaster. One project acquired in this fashion will wipe out the reputation earned from all your past projects. The industry in which you work is a small group and word travels fast.
• Emphasise on traditional values like honesty, integrity and hard work above all else – though they might sound archaic and old fashioned in today’s fast paced world.

"Don’t promise the impossible in a ridiculous time frame" is the third in the series. Read about the previous post here.
1. New Business Areas