Worth thinking about

From Management Issues

Failing to discuss five key issues before embarking on a new business initiative, project or programme almost guarantees that it will end in failure.

What are the five undiscussable issues that do so much damage?

1. The first and most fundamental is fact-free planning – that all-too familiar scenario that sees a project set up to fail with deadlines or resource limits that are set with no consideration for reality.
2. Second, is absent without leave (AWOL) sponsors who fail to provide the leadership, political clout, time or energy to see a project through to completion.
   
3. Then there is skirting, when people work around the priority-setting process and are not held accountable for doing so.
4. Another common issue is the "project chicken" scenario, when team leaders and members don't admit when there are problems with a project but wait for someone else to speak up.
5. Finally, team members perpetuate dysfunction when they are unwilling or unable to support the project, and team leaders are reluctant to discuss their failures with them candidly.