There is nothing more frustrating or deflating than spending oodles of time and energy on a project or initiative only to have it negated in a few seconds by a leader who doesn’t agree.
Some leaders are notorious for blowing up the hard work of a team or task force with a single utterance of “No way” after the heavy lifting has already taken place.
If only they had gotten involved earlier, they could have spared the team from lost effort.
All leaders have the decision rights to negate or reset a project after the work has been done. Good leaders rarely assert those rights, while more imperial leaders typically have a history of razing nearly completed projects.
In truth, it isn’t just the leader who is to blame in these situations.
Teams and team members have an obligation to seek the guidelines and criteria for success for any project and to check in early and often so as not to surprise a leader with a finished product that they decide at the last minute they can’t live with.
If there’s a good chance of being denied, getting to “No” faster saves time and frustration. Good teams and team members do the work upfront to avoid having their efforts dashed.
They collaborate with the leader to establish the kill criteria before initiating the work. Deadlines, budget expectations, time and resources dedicated to the project, and quality thresholds need to be clarified upfront.
Scheduling explicit checkpoints with the leader during the work plan is essential. The first check-in must involve a draft-concept review where the leader subscribes to the general approach and design.
At different points, the leader must be asked to agree to a go/no-go review of the progress so far. This allows them to express any concerns before the work goes too far and is wasted.
If they show any signs of hidden reluctance, be sure to ask them for the probability of a “No,” so as not to be disappointed later.
In many cases, the leader can be asked for the green or red light for different choices and decisions that affect the final deliverable. Having a leader redirect the work at an early stage is much preferable to having them negate the project when it nears its conclusion.
So, check-ins are critical and should be gauged by the leader’s tendency and history to dispatch work after it has largely been completed.
In reality, the majority of leaders seldom crush a project after much of the work has been completed. But for those who work under a heavy-handed leader, learning how to get to “No” faster protects the team’s time and energy.
If YOU are that leader who frequently steps in late and wrecks everyone’s day, take the time to check in on projects earlier. A “No” is hard enough for a team to hear, but it is excruciatingly painful when it comes at the end of considerable work.
Good leaders are more respectful of team effort and do their best to stop the work early before the team’s investment provides a zero return.
