Adventures in Neglect - Team Building

If we fail to do something that is necessary we fail in our obligations. Whilst at first

sight this may seem to be a trivial oversight the repercussions can be far reaching.
Negligence is defined (legally) as conduct that falls below the standard of behaviour
for the protection of others against unreasonable risk of harm. This results from the
actions of a person whose conduct has departed from expected conduct norms. From
a risk management perspective when one neglects to do something and subsequently
allows something to happen, then risks have been ignored. Ignoring something
doesn't make it go away; what it really means is that 'it' is being neglected, hence 'it' is
not visible, not manageable and, therefore, cannot be avoided...this is negligence.
The same is true of processes but possibly less tangible. When working on a Project a
lack of procedures or processes is unforgiveable. This inevitably results in a free-forall and, unless rectified, doom is on the horizon. But if processes are in place and not
being followed and ignored this is a negligent act. It means that team members are
'doing their own thing'. The Project Manager should both attend to the procedures
and regularise things or, and here comes the "D" word, discipline the non-conformists.
Either way there will be a storm. There will be confusion while preparing,
implementing and adopting new procedures or, conversely, a battle of wills may
ensue.
Forming, storming, norming, and performing; we have all heard this adage and some
use it to make a project team successful. However, how often is a team formed (or
thrown together) and, in the dream-world that is often mistaken for corporate
management, is expected to perform instantly, magnificently, effectively and
efficiently. And, as part of this expectation, contract requirements and associated
processes and procedures are ignored, relaxed or allowed to be short-cut in a
desperate attempt to achieve progress. Let's "kick-start-the-project", or "get ahead of
the game", or "just do it" we hear. In real terms this is actually neglect and only
delays the inevitable storm that will come with its ensuing chaos and confusion. One
cannot avoid the storm, if one believes that norming has occurred but performing has
yet to happen, the storm has yet to break.
Some people like an 'easy' life and seem to enjoy not following process. "I found a
quick way of getting approval" they say but at some stage issues above the individual
arise. The organisational cultures of the Client and Project team will differ and
clashes may ensue; contracts over required deliverables may be investigated with
protracted correspondence and heated arguments; and payments may well be withheld
in the ensuing storms. The impacts of neglect will have been realised and negligence,
either singularly or collectively, has raised its ugly head.
It is only through the veritable storm, and there can be many, that normalisation
occurs. This requires nurturing and care, not neglect. Issues need to be confronted,
departures from process and short-cuts need to be corrected. If issues are not resolved
they have a habit of coming back and biting you, or worse following in your
footsteps, ambushing you from the rear and devouring you. Shortcuts inevitably
result in some work being off-loaded and, in the fullness of time that load, which has

inperceptibly increased as a result of numerous shortcuts, comes back and can become
the straw that broke the camels back.
Such confrontations and corrections need to be done at the time, and not put off till
tomorrow or ignored, procrastination never solved anything. The Project Manager
needs the moral fortitude to resolve issues and departures or run the real risk of
neglecting to nurture their team(s). If problems are pushed aside or buried they will
emerge later in a much larger guise requiring more effort to fix and rectify at the
expense of other work.
Unfortunately, neglect can lead to further neglect because, and here is the "D" word
again, discipline, the habit of cheerful obedience, has not been cultivated and is not
being promoted. Even though the resultant wrongdoings may have been done with
the best intent to 'expedite' the project it is a wrongdoing and neglect, rather than
discipline, is the order-of-the-day.
Neglect leads to negligence and in law all parties will suffer some form of damage be
they physical or monetary. Similarly, if a project is neglected the resulting negligence
can damage many of the organisations that are involved and the individuals alike.
Thank goodness we are not held accountable under law for our neglect when
managing projectsor are we!