In the UK, there has been much debate about the fate of the HS2 (High Speed 2) rail network, intended to link the South and North of England. Although work is already underway, the plan has seen significant delays, one section already scrapped and estimated costs ballooning from an initial £33bn to anywhere between £71bn and £180bn depending on the approximations you read. As a result, a decision is currently looming as to whether the link between Birmingham and Manchester will be scrapped.
When you’re driving forward a large-scale, long-term change project like this one, scope creep, which can lead to the plug being pulled is something that can lurk in the background. Here are three things that you’ll need to consider if things have to stop.
Fast decisions mean fast action
When projects are either paused or cancelled, moving quickly is essential. If your organisation has shareholders and your project has a material impact on the bottom line, it’s possible that you will have to release your decision to the markets, rapidly.
So you’ll need to inform everyone who’s going to be impacted by the decision as soon as possible around those market announcements. Mapping out everyone who needs to be told about the decision and have a plan in place to deliver those messages quickly, is key.
Make sure your leaders are briefed, supported and are fully prepared. This is especially relevant for those who may have been close to the project. They may well have their own feelings about the project drawing to a close that should be discussed.
Reputation matters
Often, large-scale projects like HS2, kick off with big announcements and ribbon-cutting fanfares. But when they fizzle out before all the intended outcomes are achieved, reputation comes to the fore perhaps even more than at the start of the project. Communication becomes even more of a priority both inside and outside the organisation.
Make sure that you have a comprehensive plan to end things well while continuously communicating appropriately throughout. People outside the project team will be watching how you deal with this, how people are treated and how well communication works through the process.
Make people the focus
When projects finish early, a huge amount of attention can go on contractual issues; how quickly you can wrap things up without spending any more time, money or effort.
But with significant projects, the focus needs to stay on people too. The repercussions of the decision will ripple through your employee teams, subcontractors and potentially other communities too. You will likely have another project in future where you’ll need those experts again, so keep that in mind while you’re working on the here and now.
What else do we need to consider?
To discuss the leadership and people work involved in change, book a call here or send me a message. I’m here to help. And, if you know someone who could benefit from reading this post, please share!
Image: Sigmund, Unsplash
