Breakdowns occur in every project. We distinguish breakdowns as an interruption in the flow toward the successful completion of the breakthrough project. Breakdowns only occur within the context of taking care of our commitments. No commitment, no breakdown, no breakthrough.
Every project plan is created based on the assessments of the team. The nature of planning is that you plan for what you know. Other than including a time contingency, you do not plan for what you don’t know. True breakthrough projects do not include time contingencies because this does not represent a firm objective and it softens the commitment.
In the ERM Process, team members will develop competency in successfully resolving breakdowns by:
- Recognizing the distinctions of a breakdown
- Declaring potential breakdowns ahead of time
- Embracing breakdowns and mobilizing the team to resolve breakdowns effectively
- Realizing breakdowns are a positive aspect of innovation