Client management and climate change

January 17, 2014

Today I was thinking about the owner or client of the project that just seems unreasonable. I remember a project on a fixed bid contract where the client was convinced that the project was bid below cost and the profit will be made one change orders. This was not my project, but I remember the frustration of the project manager every time the client received a cost report. The client began every discussion with the statement of his assumption that the bid was too low and the project manager was trying to make up the cost through various ways.

Observing this project, I saw how difficult communication and the actual project execution was based on assumptions that were not true. No matter how much data, how many people concluded that the bid was a legitimate and cost appropriate bid, the client maintained confidence in his assumption.

Yesterday, an article in the New York Times reflected on the report that 2014 was the hottest year since record-keeping began in 1880. The article also included a refute from a scientist in the last paragraph of the article. The US Department of Defense, NASA, 255 members of the National Academy of Sciences, 11 Nobel laureates, the American meteorological Society, the American physical Society, the American geophysical Union, American Association for the events of science, United States Academy of Sciences, United Nations intergovernmental panel on climate change, are among the scientific organizations declaring, at a 99% confidence level,  that climate change will have a significant impact on human life on earth and the major factor influencing this climate change is the carbon-based economy.

With all the evidence pointed in one direction why it’s so easy to reject the evidence and draw different conclusions? Do we develop assumptions that become truths for us that make it difficult if not impossible for data and evidence to change? I can only conclude that sometimes we develop truths that are not based on solid appearance. I include myself in that category and only hope that my training and approach to life allows me to be open to ideas and cultures.

Sometimes, if we develop enough trust over time with our clients, we can develop a conversation that may allow us to challenge pre-existing assumptions were conclusions. This is extremely difficult, as you read in my prior posts, but it can be done. When you’re unable to develop this trust or present evidence in a way that the client can hear, sometimes you just manage the project best you can. This means you maintain the integrity of the project management processes and communicate with your client, providing the information the client needs to make good decisions. If the client chooses to interpret the information differently, just make sure you have the documentation.

I noticed that this post does not meet my typical standard for optimism and project management. I truly have an optimistic view of the people and our potential. I must admit, that when I see the conversation focus on challenging the evidence rather than developing a solution, I become increasingly worried. When scientists brought evidence that tobacco can be a major contribution to cancer, decision-makers refused initially to believe data; they took time to absorb the information and change their opinions. I’m beginning to believe we may not have the luxury of time on this issue. I’m beginning to believe we may not have the time on this issue.

I will be back to my positive self by my next blog.

Best

Russ