The POO Code, Chapter Four
The escalation process worked! As work on the program drifted past the scheduled completion date, Proman sensed the pressure coming from across the organization. Managers wanted their engineers back to work on product development, not on solving broad reaching technical issues. But the impasse was real. Development could not continue (or if it did it was at risk of being made irrelevant) until the interface options of the technology were made complete.
The process Proman helped create consisted of three steps. (more…)
tagged action, cross functional teams, deadlines, decision making, Difficult people; timelines, distant teams, escalation, focusing plans, group communication, group process, Program Management, project management, project office and sponsor
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englundr at 22 Feb 2008 under Leadership, Conflict & issue management, Implementing project management
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Seated at the table across from him, Toni made a grimacing face. The news was not good. Proman had started the weekly meeting by reminding key engineers from each of the study groups that resolving these issues was the top priority for the group. The group general manager had come by his desk just after lunch to inquire about progress. Proman could proudly report that a well over half the issues had received approval. A few tough issues were proving especially difficult. 
Proman looked over the agenda for the first meeting of the management team. It was phenomenal how the champion for resolving these issues got this cross organization group to convene. Toni personally went to each of the key stakeholders and discussed the problems, pointed out the consequences, identified the benefits to each person’s organization, and asked for their support. Fortunately, she had much credibility in their eyes, for she had been around the organization awhile and completed her projects successfully. But that was not enough. 
Proman A. Jecgert put the phone back in its cradle. It was a distressing call. The caller was very frustrated and negative about what was going on. “The place is in a mess,” she said. “People are doing their own thing, and managers aren’t stepping in to guide the development process or make crucial decisions. If we keep going in this direction, it will become impossible to recover in time to get products to market. Can you help?” 
Three people took a break from the project startup meeting and went for a walk. Stubbing a toe upon something along the trail, one person picked up and discovered a tarnished lamp. As he rubbed the lamp, a puff of smoke emerged and formed into a huge genie. “Well, hello there,” said the genie. “I have three wishes to grant. Since there are three of you, each can have one wish.”