Why it’s Important to Know Where the Finish Line Is
Knowing where the finish line is, was one of the constraints I wrote about in the last Just in Time article (Article #75). The constraints of the Just in Time articles have several downsides. One of the trade-offs is that sometimes an element of an article needs further explanation, which is not possible given the word count limit.
There is probably a whole field of psychology dedicated to this subject about which I know nothing. I won’t pretend to be an expert. However, I have plenty of anecdotal experience about the importance of knowing where the finish line is before you start a project. Here is an obvious example. A project may involve training for a race. Training for a marathon versus training for the Comrades Marathon are two vastly different endeavours. Not only is the physical exertion different, but the phycological preparation is different.
The mind will subconsciously prepare for the event that you have defined. Hence, the importance of defining it, which is a type of constraint. It is common to run a 60 km “long-run” about six weeks before Comrades. I remember feeling so exhausted after such a run; I said to myself, “how am I ever going to run 90 km?” The key difference was that my brain had only prepared me for 60 km and not 90 km. Comparing the two was flawed thinking. Also missing was the hype of the actual event, which adds a whole new dimension to the psychology of running 90 km. I assert that subconscious preparation is as important as physical preparation.
I would argue that preparing for a running event that involves just one person is significantly easier than a project that involves a team of people. Adding people to a project has an exponential impact on complexity. Constraints become even more important. Knowing what a finished project with a successful outcome looks like is probably the most important constraint. Many will know this as defining the scope. If you have worked on projects that suffer from scope creep, you will know about the anxiety that comes from moving the finish line. Imagine getting to Drumond, the halfway point of Comrades, and learning that the finish has moved 10 km further.
I spent several years in the commercial construction sector as a project manager. Managing a professional team to complete a complex construction project is a highly sort after skill. The tangible nature of a construction project makes it fairly easy to define the scope. You can at least see a picture of what is planned. My recent experience in managing projects like the development of online corporate education learning systems has exposed me to the complexities of managing projects that are intangible. This is a world where it is difficult to see the finished product in the form of an architectural drawing.
There comes a time when an extraordinary effort is required to get the project to completion. Running a race is no different. A Comrades runner knows that when they get to Polly Short on the up run, it is time to dig deep, knowing that the finish line is just over the hill and down the other side. If you need to inspire your team to pull together and drive a project to completion, the inspiration of being able to celebrate at the finish line can only serve you if everyone knows how much effort is required to get there. Knowing that you are close to the finish line can also unlock reserves of energy that you didn’t know you or your team had.
Justin Spencer-Young
