The value of hope

Hope is the key for the future

Hope can be lived in two very different forms.

• The expectation, sustained by hard working and past results, forming and feeding the big vision.
• The sum of habits (rites and or acquaintances) used for reassuring us about the perpetuation of a comfortable past.

If the former could resent Pride, when the self-importance is an obstacle to communication. The latter creates huge problems, when it is viewed as the force to rely on for its capacity to determine or at least exerting influence the course of events.

Two sides of the same soul

A sane life requires to reach a good and dynamic balance between the professional and private matters. The same principle could be applied to our attitude in reading the situation:

• “agnostic (if not scientific)” approach on the risk analysis
• “believer ” in the whole team ability to overcome the problems

The force of collaboration

However, as manager we are called for facing potential challenges with no other belief than that offered by the available facts.

We are not alone in this process. The romantic figure of a solitary chief facing the “Triumph” or “Disaster” is very far away from a professional reality. The special bond between the Project Manager and Sponsor could supply some interesting ideas, just like the famous couple of bad and good cops in the gangsters’ movies. Starting from this, it is important to remember that Risk management is an activity that must involve the whole project which is a (commercial) enterprise made by a group of people for creating something unique that answers to specific and agreed needs.

A communication policy covering all stakeholders, that considers roles and personal attitudes will increase the necessary level of energy needed for carry through the process of planning and executing (verifying) the best possible plan.

When communication is difficult

The pressure caused by incoming problems does not ease already difficult relationships. However, this is not a problem. It results from a fault in the stakeholders’ management. The enthusiasm generated by the project’s start should be invested in creating or appeasing the human side of connections.

Diplomacy is an art; this implies that some persons are more gifted than others. Nevertheless a lot of spade work in preparing a detailed “Collaboration Plan”, where all information regarding how to contact and deal with other people (including – for example – the favorite communication tool, their biases toward the project or some specific items) is essential for reducing the risks of conflicts.

Mathematical hope

It is expressed as the possibility of a subset of events within a set of possible outcomes. This requires that a credible history (related to the people involved in the project) should be available for making the necessary calculations (based on Monte Carlo system).

Whenever these data are not available, they cannot be substituted by any form of superstition. In this case, the lack of verifiable information is a risk.

Lèse majesté (Cost of lack of history)

In the Medieval courts was forbidden (under death’s penalty) to express any doubt on the king’s health.

There was a very good reason for that. Lack of reliable medical information could introduce suspicions about the king ability to carry out his duties – in particular the military’s ones).

Nowadays, in certain conditions, this crime is still valid. For example: a reduced budget (perhaps due to an excessive hope in the ROI) brings to the adoption of some forms of outsourcing (either single consultants or off-shoring). In this process, the vetting is reduced both for complacency toward the upper echelons and/or fear of being cognizant of the real conditions.

Accepting to work in these conditions is a personal choice that includes some risks. No special rite (in particular denying facts) can help in these conditions.

Conclusion

Managers as kings have to show the capacity to deal with problems. The energy produced by the sentiment of hope is an essential part of this job. We have to learn how to nurture this source of vitality without becoming prisoners of it.

“We grow great by dreams. All big men are dreamers. They see things in the soft haze of a spring day or in the red fire of a long winter’s evening. Some of us let these great dreams die, but others nourish and protect them; nurse them through bad days till they bring them to the sunshine and light which comes always to those who sincerely hope that their dreams will come true.”