Story-Telling Prepares for Uncertainty
February 19th, 2003 by HalJust give me the facts. Have you said that? I have. What is this about?
We operate with the illusion that we can be objective. Illusion? Yes. I've often heard people say, "If two people have the same facts they will agree." This is absolutely not true. We have hung juries to prove that. So, why do we continue to cling to this illusion of objectivity on our projects?
Our attachment to facts is associated with our predisposition on projects to operate in a predictive deterministic mode. We (falsely) think that with enough facts to do our planning we will put the right plans in place. In so doing we can determine exactly what must be done to succeed. After that it's just execution.
A focus on the facts misses what is most-valued on projects. What is that? It is the informed and seasoned judgement (opinions) that give rise to course-correcting or adjusting actions. Of course, we want to ground those assessments in facts. However, waiting for the facts can keep us from taking action at a time that will make the most difference to the project results. We value the seasoned professionals not for what they know, but for their uncanniness — that ability to make those course-correcting assessments based only on their inklings.
We must face the facticity of projects: we don't have facts about the future. Projects are always about the future. In the face of project uncertainty story-telling gives confidence to teams as they go about their opinion-making.
Project tools have not been designed for story-telling. The usual tools collect schedule data, cost data, resource data, contract data, and customer requirements. Schedules, budgets, plans, contracts, and requirements are at best intentions for the future. Unfortunately, we treat them as what must happen. In the face of an uncertain and unknowable future we need something else. Teams need a basis for opinion-making, for context, and for team alignment.
The p-log provides the team with a mechanism for making sense…for building confidence…and for staying in charge. How? Stay tuned.
BTW, the pundits are speaking about Google|Blogger and the business use of weblogs. Here's the latest: Puzzling Out Google's Blogger Acquisition by Chris Sherman.
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February 20th, 2003 at 12:05 am
Hal,
The future is fuzzy!
It is impossible to decide having 100% surety. If we have it we do not need to decide!
The facts show our real position in a point of the time during a project. They cannot make the correction of the course if something is going wrong, but our judgement based on these facts can do this.
Judgement is not based in Knowledge only. It is based in our principles, commitments and in our courage to decide even knowing that the future is impredictable.
We must deal with uncertainty and sometimes we need to go the next step accepting the risks. This is our job!
I am ready for the war! Just call me OK!
February 20th, 2003 at 4:40 am
Hi Paulo,
I will call on you. And thanks for your regular comments.
February 20th, 2003 at 2:22 pm
Joe
What produces uncertainty?
1. Impossibility to observe all the facts in a process to prevent the future.
2. Lack of knowledge
3. The process is beyond our comprehension and knowledge
4. Team behavior
Paulo Napolitano
February 20th, 2003 at 7:38 pm
Joe and Steve
Very nice to share experiences and readings with you all.
I am readind the Tree of Knowledge written by Maturana and Varela and I think we have a lot to discuss. It is very good because we can create a teamīs language.
I hope we could do this together and at the same time we can let Hal crazy.
It is very nice. Isnīt it?
February 21st, 2003 at 2:16 am
The ‘Tree of Knowledge’ is one of my favorite books right behind ‘Disclosing New Worlds’ by Fernando Flores, et al. If you read these books closely you’ll beging to understand my ‘craziness’
February 21st, 2003 at 4:15 pm
Hal
Ti read the Tree of Knowledge is like to taste a good wine.
The relation betwenn the cell ontogeny and the behavior is one of the more interesting things I have ever heard in my life.