Next Sunday, I’m swimming the novice route in the Sydney Skinny. For those of you who don’t know, it’s a 300 metre open water swim……………… in the nude!
This is a pretty big deal for me. When I decided to do this, I’d never swum more than 25 metres in the pool. The last time I had been in open water was when I tried scuba diving. I got caught in a current and needed rescuing, only to spend the next few hours in the boat, vomiting and miserable, while the others successfully completed their dives.
It is safe to say that water and I are not best buddies.
I have had 13 months to project manage the preparation for this swim. I used the standard project management tools: developing the scope, identifying the stakeholders, communication plan, budget, etc, etc however there are other aspects of managing a project that aren’t covered as often.
For example:
Get your culture right.
My initial project Team Members included my swim coach, personal trainer and executive coach. All had the skills that met my needs. All were aligned with the end goal and timeframe required.
The first swim coach didn’t understand that preparing for the Sydney Skinny was not only physical challenge for me. It was the first year since my Mum had died of brain cancer and some days around milestone dates, just showing up to class was an achievement. These were the times that I needed more focus on getting my mind right as this impacted on my breathing, which in turn, affected my swimming. When the coach left, I wasn’t disappointed.
My next swim coach understood the mental aspect for me and I made quicker progress. She convinced me that in getting the basics right and overcoming my fears, the distance that I could swim would improve. Developing that belief and level of performance was so satisfying.
Scope creep is not always a dirty word.
I like to plan more than the average person. Unexpected change isn’t something I enjoy but plans are not always perfect and sometimes, variables change. It is then time to understand cost / benefit of accepting this change to scope versus sticking to the original plan.
In January this year, I started a 12 week course of vision therapy with a behavioural optometrist to remove my motion sickness. To put my motion sickness in perspective, I get sick in a hammock. I have vomited while snorkelling, creating worry about the upcoming swim. However, I accepted the cost and time impacts in exchange for an improved quality outcome.
You are going to have bad days.
Swimming in an outdoor pool in winter on a Monday morning is not fun.
You are going to have really bad days.
Losing a $1K earring that was a wedding present from your husband in said pool is definitely not fun.
There will be doubts.
Two weeks ago, I had serious misgivings that I could do this swim. I had prepared by getting over my fear of the water, swimming practice laps in the pool and then in the open water. I had followed my project plan. However, I still didn’t feel ready.
My mind started playing tricks on me: maybe I could delay a year or maybe I would need rescuing (again!), this time with no clothes on!
It wasn’t until I accepted that I was never going to feel fully prepared that, suddenly, I was.
Delivering a project can be intoxicating, not just for you.
This is an exciting time! Coming to the end of a project, particularly a long or expensive one, is an opportunity to shine. Be prepared for others outside the project to come out of the woodwork, wanting to get involved towards the end.
I had originally chosen to swim the Sydney Skinny at a time at which the media were not going to be on site. I didn’t think I needed that extra level of scrutiny. Last Friday, I was chosen to be part of Team Beachley. In my excitement, I didn’t realise straight away that my swim time has now moved to coincide with the press. I have had to decide how that is going to impact on my project.
Motivations will vary. Be mindful of how this will impact on the delivery of your project and the time it will take out of your day to manage these people.
The tools used to manage projects are useful but project management is more than just applying templates and following some standards about stakeholder engagement. Getting the culture right in the project team, managing change with the accompanying wonderful highs and lows can influence the successful outcome of your project just as much.
And remember, while tickets to this year’s Sydney Skinny have closed, it’s not too early to start planning for next year!