Slowly I learned more of the story. Other project managers told me I was taking over a doomed project and that the project is behind schedule with less than 6 months until implementation. The project had also failed in two previous attempts at implementation. The other PM's were steering clear of this job.
Then I learned that the CEO of this Fortune 500 corporation had a hand in the firing of the previous project manager, unbelievably high level attention for a project this size.
Finally, I get this email note from the owner of my new company (portions redacted).
Welcome aboard. We, and specifically this project, need you. If thisI actually laughed out loud when I read that.
project fails rest assured we will be blamed regardless of our degree
of culpability...
So don your armor and proceed into battle (and watch your backside).
PS - Please don't run out the gate with your arms flailing.
Oh yeah, on Thursday they expanded the project's scope to more than
double what was previously planned.
I see my options as:
- Meet everyone's expectations and fail;
- Complete the work successfully; or
- Run away with my arms flailing.
I suspect my blogging is going to suffer.
2 comments:
You must know that "Project Management" decision-tree on which the second-last step is to "shoot the innocent..."
I don't intend to be innocent.
Here is my project management role model.
http://www.tiny.cc/yb3wf
Post a Comment