Project Killer Phrases

August 27th, 2006 by Hal

Listen up! If you hear any of these phrases, then it's time to have a conversation with your project manager or your team. Johanna Rothman writing in the Fast Company blog FC Now recounts overhearing, "We'll try to find the resources to finish the project on schedule." "Trying" is an announcement of impending failure. Alarm bells should also go off when you hear these other phrases she identifies:

We'll try (the one above)
We'll work smarter (we're working stupidly now?)
It's just one more change (many phrases with "just" are project killers)
Let's hope for the best (I wouldn't bank my company's future on hope)
We'll multi-task (that way we can not make progress on anything)
We'll find the resources somewhere (where?)
We'll make do (being resigned to the worst certainly won't help finish a project)

Listen closely on projects. You'll hear warnings in everyday language…everyday.

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