I am often dismayed when I see the lack of commitment from managers who should know better. We hear such words as, “you’ve got my support” or “this project is really important,” when, in reality, these managers have no intention of taking actions that will truly demonstrate their commitment.
Years ago, there was a principal consultant for a large firm called to West Virginia where a major steel mill was in trouble. A capital project was underway in which the mill operations were being automated. The project was two and a half years behind schedule and $17 million over budget. The consultant and his team were asked to find out what was going wrong and to help fix it.
Their analysis focused on issues that typically cause projects to exceed time and budget, or simply fail. Was there a clear vision for the project? Was everyone in the mill involved to the level needed? Were there sufficient funds and resources available to support the project? Did they have the right skills to do the job? Etc.
The answers to these questions were disturbing. There was no vision. No one in the mill was involved. Funds and resources were scarce. The team lacked the skills needed. And so on… But, something was missing. The consultants had to get at the root of the problem.
First, they concluded that there was insufficient leadership behind the project, but they weren’t sure at what level. So, they interviewed people at all levels to find the source. When they got to the CFO, they asked him, “What happens if this project fails?” His answer startled them. He said, “We’ll be out of business in five years.” Then they asked him, “How many people know this?” He said, “Just you and me … ”
The lead consultant called the CEO’s secretary to arrange a meeting between him, the CFO, and the CEO in the company’s boardroom. The consultant asked the CEO, “Where is this project on your list of Top Ten priorities?” He said, “It’s not on my Top Ten List.” The consultant turned to the CFO and asked him to tell the CEO what he had just told the consultants. The CEO’s eyes popped. He and the CFO got into a heated discussion, then the CEO said, “This has just become my number one priority. What do I need to do now to get this thing fixed?”
The consultant explained to him that everything that could go wrong in the project was going wrong because of him — or, more accurately, the lack of him. A project this important to the future of the company needed to be “owned” by the chief executive officer. He pointed out that ownership means responsibility and accountability — that the CEO would be the first to be fired if the project failed. The project, in short, lacked his involvement and, more importantly, his commitment to its success.
When he asked how he should get involved and demonstrate his commitment, here’s what the consultant told him to do:
Bring key stakeholders together to produce a clear vision for the project;
Reprioritize the project plan to focus exclusively on the new vision — and nothing else;
Host every biweekly status meeting of the project and be on time to every meeting;
Ask the toughest questions that you’ve ever asked in the meeting;
Set project milestones and measure progress every week;
Provide all funding and resource requests without hesitation;
Provide training to everyone on the team as needed;
Involve mill workers in partnership with the project team;
Tell everyone what you’re willing to do to ensure success.
This last action turned into a very dramatic event. The CEO scheduled a kickoff meeting of the revitalized project. First, he rented out the dining room of the local country club. He then invited all of the project team, the members of the executive staff, managers, supervisors, foremen, key millworkers, the union, the Wall Street Journal, Business Week, USA Today, the Pittsburgh Press, key customers and local dignitaries.
The CEO welcomed everyone and hosted the meeting for the entire morning. There were several speakers who explained their role and how they were going to demonstrate their commitment to the project’s success. Just before the luncheon that was to end the meeting, the CEO took the podium as the final speaker. He began by complimenting everyone for their efforts over the years despite the lack of progress. He then apologized for his lack of commitment to the effort. He went on to pledge that he would do anything and everything necessary for the project to succeed. He told them that he was the “owner” of the project and that the news media in attendance was to have full access to anyone in the room to report on the progress being made over time.
Then, the CEO’s administrative staff walked through the room handing out the CEO’s business card. Before the CEO concluded his remarks, he spoke into the microphone, “You all have my business card. Please turn it over to find my personal, home phone number imprinted on the back. I commit to you all now, that if anyone sees a problem brewing in this project, and you think I can fix it for you, don’t you dare hesitate to call my home to talk with me, even if it’s 3 a.m. on a Sunday morning.”
The project succeeded within six months. And, no one ever had to call the CEO
The lessons learned from this true story are many, but the key factor was commitment:
Ownership drives commitment;
Commitment must be more than just words — it requires action;
Commitment at the right level solves every problem;
The quality of a leader’s commitment must be honestly assessed regularly.
In summary, real commitment is required if you want your business to succeed. Commitment is not for the faint of heart. The resulting health, or sustainability, of your business is dependent on it.
George Hathaway of Enfield is the author of the best-selling book, “Leadership Secrets from the Executive Office.” Contact him online at george@GeorgeHathaway.com.
