I interviewed 40+ #projectmanagement experts. Now I'm sharing their Top 10 #UsualSuspectsOfTroubledProjects. ➡️ buff.ly/31o8x48 ⬅️

5) Scope Creep: Nobody told you the project had to solve THAT problem. Nobody told you THOSE people had to sign off. Now you’ve got more use cases, more cooks in the kitchen, and less time. buff.ly/31o8x48 ⬅️ for tips on all 10 of the #UsualSuspectsOfTroubledProjects

6) Unwarranted Customization: Most orgs overestimate how special their business needs really are. Rather than revamp their processes, they customize (read “disfigure”) solutions. buff.ly/31o8x48 ⬅️ for tips on all 10 of the #UsualSuspectsOfTroubledProjects

Opened up Spotify on my FireTV and immediately received a promotional offer for Amazon Music Unlimited on my phone. Quite the coincidence.

7) Fictional Schedules: Schedules negotiated or “decreed” instead of calculated with real estimates are “aspirational” at best. Wishful thinking and unrealistic expectations create cynicism. buff.ly/31o8x48 ⬅️ for tips on all 10 of the #UsualSuspectsOfTroubledProjects

8) Poor Org Change Management: Humans hate change. Many sabotage it, actively or passively, consciously or not. Help people navigate the emotions, or you'll win some battles & lose the war. buff.ly/31o8x48 ⬅️ for tips on all 10 of the #UsualSuspectsOfTroubledProjects

Recently finished the instant classic "What You Do Is Who You Are: How to Create Your Business Culture" by benahorowitz.eth. Fascinating examples from outside the usual business lore. Highly recommended for those not easily offended by language. buff.ly/36LwpB4

9) Short-Changing Testing: They took extra time to “build it right”, leaving no time for testing & re-work. Now you've no time to fix the problems found & you wonder what else is broken. buff.ly/31o8x48 ⬅️ for tips on all 10 of the #UsualSuspectsOfTroubledProjects

Wow. Recently finished "Ride of a Lifetime" by Disney CEO Robert Iger. Love the stories and insiders look at recent history. But... probably only interesting to people interested in Disney, Apple, Pixar, Star Wars, Marvel, business, and/or leadership 😉. buff.ly/2PTX481

10) Data Migration: Surprise! Legacy data was inconsistent. You tried to import 4 million records via their API, and hit their unpublished limit. Now it’s 10pm and go live is tomorrow at 8am. buff.ly/31o8x48 ⬅️ for tips on all 10 of the #UsualSuspectsOfTroubledProjects

I got a >grappling hook< for Christmas, y'all. If you hear a "whoosh" from above, there's a non-zero chance I'm spidermanning through the trees and around town. ☢️🕷️⚓🦸‍♂️

Finally got around to reading "The E Myth". Really good stuff in there about building a business of systems, and I can see why it's a classic, but... it read like it was written by a romance novelist getting paid by the word. buff.ly/2SdezTR

"Bad companies are destroyed by crisis. Good companies survive them. Great companies are improved by them." Andy Grove

Recently finished "The Obstacle is the Way" by Ryan Holiday . Great book & very timely! My favorite line: "You're always fighting uphill. Get used to it and train accordingly." amzn.com/B00G3L1B8K

I don't accept "the new normal", and I won't settle for "back to normal". I'm striving for "better than normal", for all of us, and I think we have a fighting chance.

Just think about the poor souls _legitimately_ trying to connect with people regarding their car's extended warranty this year.