Andy Kaufman

I've yet to meet a stakeholder who likes to get blindsided. Before they're issues: * Keep your eyes on the horizon for risks. Risk management is not only done in planning. You do it throughout the life of the project. * Discuss risks at every update meeting. Have regular conversations about top risks & what you're doing about them. When (not IF) something goes wrong: * Don't bring problems; bring solutions. Most of the time, it's better to come with options. * Don't sugarcoat it. There can be a temptation to spin the truth more positively. Be careful. The biggest honesty problem often isn't SPEAKING honestly. It's SEEING things honestly. If we don't SEE things as they are, we won't manage stakeholder expectations as clearly.

That theme of one day at a time definitely applies here. Well said!

That's insightful. Thanks Grant!

My recommendation? Don't start by blaming the boss. If the boss is out of the loop, I try to look at this as being on me. It's less about blame and more about responsibility. Executive support is usually near the top of lists of leading factors of project success. If you have clear requirements, a world-class methodology, and estimates that would make you weep—but don't have executive support—where's your project going? Most likely, nowhere. Idea: Early in the project, sit with your boss to understand her priorities, how she'll define success, how often she wants updates, and via what medium. Clear expectations between you and your boss will serve you well. Well-intended but uninformed assumptions can lead to lots of headaches.

Dr. John Medina taught me a helpful lesson when I interviewed him in episode 188 of the People and Projects Podcast: "What's obvious to you is.... obvious to you!" My logic may seem brilliantly clear to me. But that doesn't matter. Look for clues that may indicate how to adjust your communication. For example, if they say, "I don't see what you're saying," that might be a clue that they want something more visual. For what it's worth, the problem might not be just a communication issue. It could be that there are flaws in my logical reasoning! Stay open-minded to that. By not writing them off, you might just find a better solution together.

If your job is taking a toll on your personal life, it's likely one or all of these: * The wrong career choice * The wrong company * How you're going about it I've experienced all three. As I progressed to a VP level, the organizational politics & responsibilities took a personal toll. The org and role just weren't me. Thankfully, it led to starting my company 22+ years ago. Despite similar hours, it's a different stress because of match quality. When I reach an unsustainable pace, I've learned to approach it differently. Examples: adding to the facilitator team and being more strategic about what I say yes to. Life is too short. You might just have more agency than you think. As someone who has lived this question, there is hope!