On being mindful, not heroic
How can a stance of ‘professional endeavour’ work in a changing landscape? How to manage uncertainty as the project unfolds?
Planning can’t unearth every risk, so you need tactics to detect ‘unknowns’ early. Derived from scenario planning, these ‘mindful’ measures aim to spot issues with time to act before their impact is felt.
(Some prefer ‘watchful’ or ‘passive’ anticipation, fearful we’re suggesting meditation. But neither captures the positive state of ‘mindfulness’).
Without a mindful approach, risks are recognized too late. The project takes a knock, opportunities are lost, and situations need recovering rather than resolving.
Planning can’t unearth every risk, so you need tactics to detect ‘unknowns’ early. Derived from scenario planning, these ‘mindful’ measures aim to spot issues with time to act before their impact is felt.
Recovery typically means firefighting, ‘heroic’ behaviour that compounds an already stressful situation. Worst case, the project will need rescuing.
Safeguarding your project requires time and resources. You should encourage ‘pragmatic pessimism’, taking seriously what others might shrug off as grumbling or naysaying.
Few organizations like paying for something not obviously productive. Some cultures implicitly forgive detectable errors rather than budgeting to spot and resolve issues before they become expensively problematic.
When shit inevitably happens, though, you’ll be glad you were mindful.