[Sigia-l] "Look, It's Raining Brickbats"

[Jonathan Baker-Bates]

> -----Original Message-----
> From: sigia-l-bounces at asis.org 
> [mailto:sigia-l-bounces at asis.org] On Behalf Of Listera
> Sent: 27 June 2005 09:42
> To: SIGIA-L
> Subject: Re: [Sigia-l] "Look, It's Raining Brickbats"
> 
> Jonathan Baker-Bates:
> 
> > Sometimes, a technique that I've found can be valuable is 
> to arrange a 
> > two-hour "risk analysis" session with as broad a 
> cross-section of the 
> > project team, sponsors and other stakeholders and I can get.
> 
> Are you a consultant or an insider?
> 
> One of the hardest for an outsider is to figure out when to 
> talk to various stakeholders in private and when in a group. 
> Just a few days ago I literally had to ask a whole bunch of 
> peoples' boss to send out an email gently reminding people 
> that they won't lose their jobs if they disagreed, challenged 
> basic assumptions, etc.

I'm a consultant. It's a good point you make about the undercurrents. I
suppose in the past I've conducted these sessions when there's been a
reasonably stable prior course of dealing with the client, and the
project is going into a new phase rather than embarking on a green
field, so I've not had to deal with more drastic issues of confidence or
politics. There is of course usually a good deal of what the Japanese
call "root binding" to be done beforehand in terms of talking to
specific people and getting their views, etc. before landing them all in
a semi-structured "workshop." 


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