8 Profound Reasons To Protect The Project Timeline In Every Possible Way!

Enterprise projects (ERP/CRM) are big, complex and messy. They often require Project Sponsors to make hard decisions. One thing that every Sponsor must protect is the Project completion date. So, the Sponsor must ensure that project completes as per the planned timeline.

Why is it so important?

Here are 8 reasons to protect the project timeline in every possible way!

Momentum – When the project completion date is non-negotiable, it helps to build massive momentum. With momentum, you gain efficiency and get the work done.
Quality – Believe it or not, you are super focused when working on tightly managed projects. The Project team finds innovative ways to collaborate and provide a high-quality outcome. The team focuses on what is essential and genuinely understands the Pareto Principle (80/20 Rule).
Work expands to the available timeline – Remember the Parkinson’s law “work expands to fill the time available for its completion”. Therefore, extending the project timeline does not necessarily mean a better quality product. However, you will definitely get better results by protecting the project timeline.
Cost of Delay – Consider how much it costs you to delay the project (extend project completion date). It may be better to deploy extra resources and spend more to complete the project on time.
Scope creep – When the team is focused, there are little chances of scope creep and unnecessary extra work. There is simply no room for it.
Habit & Culture – By protecting the project timeline, you set the right example and form a good habit within the business. As a result, you develop a culture of focus, dedication and commitment within the company.
Reduce Work in Progress (WIP) – When you complete projects on time, you reduce WIP. So, there are better opportunities for focusing on the next things on your list.
Better Returns on Investment (ROI) – Consider the points above; with these points in action, you will skyrocket your ROI.

Remember, when we deal with complexity, expecting perfection is insanity. So, set expectations with the stakeholders that the Project team is working toward a workable product. Then, the team will iteratively refine the product based on the feedback from the users.

Far too many projects drift endlessly. I hope your project is not one of them. Protect the project timeline in every possible way!

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The customer lifecycle consists of five stages: awareness, engagement, conversion, retention, and loyalty. It is likely that at some point a few of our consumers may discontinue the partnership. Sometimes, it is unavoidable, so, rather than resisting, it is much...

Human interactions are intricate. Two people can have the same conversation twice (word for word) and have different results. So many elements influence the outcome of our talk. For example, our mood, other aspects of our lives, sleep, workload, time of day, day of...

As leaders, we must learn to build rapport, develop relationships, and form partnerships. Let us not, however, assume that we can form genuine relationships with everyone. There will always be a few people with whom we cannot actually connect. It may be because of...

The majority of suggestions we get are free. Many of them are provided to us by people who care about us, our cause, or the topic at hand. We have several options when someone offers us this gift. We can use the gift to do something beneficial. We can accept it but do...

Relationships are like delicate dances, and to waltz with others successfully, we must first grasp their wants, expectations, and pain points. We develop trust and rapport when we show up for people and provide a listening ear.This is true not only in human...

Have you ever come across a product or service that is so average it's forgettable? We've all encountered these types of offerings - they're not terrible, but they're not great either. Well, here's the thing: if we want to be superstars in our industry, we can't...

As a business, we may assume that our customers expect us to deliver great products/services as quickly and cost-effectively as possible. However, this assumption may not be entirely accurate. There are different customer segments have varying priorities and...

Had I been born into a wealthy family, the concept of the value of money might have eluded me entirely. Similarly, if I had been excessively attractive, I could have become preoccupied with trivial matters. And if I had been inundated with an abundance of customers,...

As leaders, we are often fixated on achieving success. We read, listen, and write about it. We preach about the lessons failure can teach us and how it leads to success. We honour young entrepreneurs in the town. Many magazines print lists of the most influential...

As individuals in leadership positions, we have a certain degree of power. We have a choice as to how we want to utilise the power. We can choose to encourage our Project team to be more vocal and flag issues that may be hindering the project's success. Alternatively,...

When we embark on a journey with children, they are typically eager to arrive at their destination. They often ask how much longer until we get there. As responsible adults, we encourage them to appreciate the journey and enjoy the ride. However, in both our personal...

The abundance or easy availability of things often leads to a decrease in their value. You may have noticed this when you finally purchase the dress you've been eyeing for months, only to have it sit unused in your closet. Or perhaps you've become bored of the fruit...

When we fall in love with a product or service, our infatuation knows no bounds. We obsess over it, willing to pay exorbitant prices and wait for months on end. We may brave any weather to queue up for it, just to be among the first to experience it. Once we finally...

Getting an organisation to act on innovative ideas is often a challenge. As a leader, it can be difficult to get key stakeholders on board to move forward with these ideas. So, what can you do to sell your next innovative idea within the organisation? Initially,...

As we navigate through life and business, we encounter a multitude of unpredictable factors. What may have once been a surefire method for success can suddenly prove ineffective. We may find ourselves experiencing unexpected setbacks and pleasant surprises (world of...

Amateurs inquire about what customers want, while professionals pose the right questions to uncover and guide what customers truly need. SP Singh

As a business, we may offer many channels for our customers to reach us. From phone calls to emails, SMS to website forms, mobile apps to in-store visits, and even interactions with our warehouse and partner websites/platforms, the possibilities are endless. However,...

Changing business processes and automating them is often a difficult task. The work itself may be straightforward. But, often the real challenge in automating Business processes is the people. In enterprise-wide projects, stakeholders often have their own priorities...

It's possible that we eat out of boredom, or shop to alleviate stress. Perhaps we run to escape from ourselves, or give; in the hopes of receiving more. Some of us buy things to pretend to be someone else, and others pretend to listen only to prepare to speak next. We...

We mistake a brand for a logo, artwork, colour palettes, and other marketing gimmicks. But a brand is much more than that - it's a symbol that represents an organisation. And more importantly, it represents the people who stand behind that organisation. What do they...

Consider the scenario where you provide a service to a customer only once in their lifetime. Should you still maintain an ongoing relationship with them? This is a common question for businesses like funeral planners, wedding planners, and first-home builders. They...

Retaining existing customers is a more cost-effective strategy than acquiring new ones. This applies to both B2B and B2C environments. However, it is not always easy to retain customers, as their needs and preferences change over time. As customers age, their...

As wheelchair manufacturers, we must consider the needs of the disabled and their caretakers. For instance, the ease of transporting the wheelchair in and out of a car should be taken into account. Similarly, when designing toys, it's important to consider the child's...

Idioms like "if it ain't broke, don't fix it" and "don't rock the boat" are so commonly used in business. They convey the idea that if things are functioning adequately, then do not interfere with them. On the surface, this advice appears sound. However, is it truly...

There are two mentalities in business: transactional and relational. The transactional approach focuses on the maximising gain from the customer. Whereas the relational approach prioritises maximising value to the customer. Hence, the aim is to develop long-term...

Investing in Customer Relationship Management (CRM) can bring many benefits to businesses. There are two main intentions behind the such investment. The first intention is to increase marketing and sales activity. Using CRM organisations can implement smart funnels...

It's easy to become complacent and think that our customers love us when we're at the top of our game. But the truth is, customers don't really care about us as a company. What they care about is consistently receiving excellent products and services that wow them. To...

Our minds have a natural affinity for novelty, be it new facts, stories, news, or captivating images. Seeking out new information is a convenient way to keep our minds engaged, and it gives us the illusion of progress. However, the harder path is to turn that...

Our desire for attention often blinds us to the needs of others, leaving them without the attention they long for!

Our prospects and customers seem to be occupied and may not be inclined to invest in our offerings at this time. We may assume that they lack the necessary time or funds to engage with us, but this is not the full picture. Time and money are valuable resources that...

If we are a boutique home builder, we may not need to rely on social media marketing to reach our target audience. Instead, we can consider utilising golf courses to network and be our more effective platform. Similarly, if we are in the digital waste management...

The belief that “The customer is always right” has become so deeply rooted in our culture that we often accept it without question. As customers, we may use this belief as a shield to justify our behaviour, whether it means breaking promises to vendors, changing our...

Sir Richard Branson's famous quote states, "Clients do not come first. Employees come first. If you take care of your employees, they will take care of the clients." While this quote highlights the importance of employees in organisations, it's important not to take...

Here are some key fundamentals of effective CRM strategies - (Customer Relationship Management - CRM): • Building strong relationships with customers requires a deep understanding of their perspectives, problems, needs, desires, and expectations. • Relationships...

As a business owner or executive, if you are experiencing minimal complaints, returns, or incidents, there are two possible explanations. Firstly, you may have exceptional delivery capabilities (Type 1), or secondly, you may have inadequate methods to report such...

As business owners and senior executives, we often have a very inward-facing focus. We set sales targets, marketing goals, and other arbitrary targets, thinking that working hard and pushing to sell more will inevitably lead us to success. Unfortunately, this method...

As a leader, it is essential to understand that listening is more than just comprehending and interpreting the words spoken by others. It involves utilising all of our senses, along with our heart and mind, to observe, feel, and comprehend the overall experience of...

Frequently, our focus tends to be on ourselves, and we unconsciously consider what we can personally gain from a situation. However, outstanding leaders consciously strive to understand how everyone can benefit, effectively communicating the advantages to them. They...

It's common to believe that we, as humans, are logical and rational. We are making decisions based on facts and reasoning. However, this notion is far from reality. The truth is that stories play a significant role in our decision-making process. In fact, when we fail...

It's human nature to have a fondness for the past, often looking back on memories and proclaiming how great those days were. We reflect on the good old days, cherishing memories, and telling everyone how amazing those times were. However, in reality, we may not have...

As a business owner or executive, it's important to recognise that the state of our company's information processing can have a huge impact on its overall success. If our manual processes are causing chaos and inefficiency, it's easy to make excuses and blame external...

Charismatic influencers possess an innate ability to establish rapport with others and draw them in. They captivate us, appeal to our emotions, and entertain us. However, if we are not careful, they can exploit our weaknesses and take advantage of us. They might sell...

As business owners and executives, it's easy to become overwhelmed by the demands of our work. We can start to believe that the entire world relies on us and that our absence would cause everything to fall apart. This overconfidence can lead to a delusional state in...

Self-motivation is a rare commodity! Despite the vast amount of useful information available, it can be challenging to get people to read and absorb it. Likewise, teaching and training individuals in new skills can be a daunting task, often met with resistance due to...

Many of us have been guilty of tuning out during general project status updates, as well as other sections of speeches related to our businesses. Unfortunately, when we are the ones delivering updates, the results are often no different. While our team members,...

As an executive or business owner, implementing enterprise software can be a significant milestone for your organisation. It requires careful planning, budgeting, and collaboration between different departments. Once the implementation is complete, you may be tempted...

As leaders, we are constantly faced with an overwhelming number of choices in our daily lives. From selecting a movie on Netflix to choosing a logo for our companies, the options are endless. We understand that it can be easy to get lost in the sea of options and...

As Business owners or executives, we understand that growth is crucial for the success of our organisations. However, it's not just about adding new products or expanding into new markets. It also requires a willingness to let go of old constructs and form new ones....

As humans, we have a natural tendency to hold onto what we have, whether it is our possessions, relationships or even our beliefs. However, in order to progress and achieve our goals, we must be willing to let go of what we have and destroy what we have built. This...

As leaders, we often encounter team members who may not be as motivated or driven as we are. They may lack the same level of dedication, courage, or skills to get things done, and as a result, they may not be giving their best effort. It's easy to fall into the trap...

The journey of leadership involves a gradual transformation. However, what is the ultimate goal of this journey? The ultimate goal is to remove ourselves from the equation. The focus should not be on ourselves, but on the final intended outcome, we are striving to...

As leaders, we have the opportunity to improve our approach to welcoming fresh talent into our organisations. It can be disheartening to hear individuals new to the given profession -introducing themselves with phrases such as, "Oh, I am just a junior Developer" or...

It cannot be guaranteed that our efforts will lead to success, no matter how much we strive. The plan we crafted yesterday may no longer be relevant today, and the strategies and tactics that helped us in the past may no longer be sufficient. We are confronted with a...

I am grateful for the doors that were closed on me. Looking back, I realise that I used to measure success by the thrill of entering through new doors, without considering where they would lead me. I was directionless, desperate and eager to chase every new, shiny...

Effective communication is essential, yet many struggles with it. There are countless books and resources available on the topic. However, we still encounter challenges in conveying our message clearly and getting our point across. So why is communicating effectively...

Not-for-profits are on a mission to make the world a better place. But how can we measure their success? It's not as straightforward as measuring profit margins, but there are still key indicators of achievement that executives should pay attention to. The following...

As entrepreneurs and executives, it’s easy to fall into the trap of thinking we can just wing it. We might be in the habit of bouncing from one meeting to the next with little to no preparation, convincing ourselves that we can handle whatever comes our way on the...

In today's fast-paced world, where information is readily available at our fingertips, people are increasingly seeking ways to be entertained and educated simultaneously. While pure entertainment can be enjoyable for a short time, it is quickly forgotten and does not...

If a child has a nut allergy, simply preventing them from eating nuts may not suffice. A holistic solution is needed to ensure they are not exposed to nuts, whether knowingly or unknowingly. Similarly, if an adult is overweight, reducing their food intake alone may...

Why do the places where people intend to catch up always seem to be filled with deafening noise and blaring music? Why is it that when tough times arise, friendships and close relationships tend to dissolve? Why do powerful nations often escape unscathed even after...

Labels play an important role in organising/categorising things and information. However, labelling humans can be problematic. Despite this, we have various labelling systems that we use consciously or unconsciously to categorise people based on various dimensions....

As humans, we tend to label and categorise individuals into distinct groups. This makes it easier for us to make comments and judgments about them. One such label is "leadership style", which includes categories such as Servant leadership, Participative leadership,...

Not-for-profit organisations (NFPs) and for-profit organisations have fundamentally different objectives. While for-profit organisations aim to generate revenue for their shareholders, NFPs are mission-driven and focused on creating social change. However, despite...

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