We work as a high performance coaches on large infrastructure projects. The job involves designing, developing and facilitating high performance outcomes on projects through people. We work closely with boards, leadership teams and project team members that come from different organisations that unite as one team to deliver winning bids and deliver projects.
When working with project team members in workshops and in one on ones, some of the feedback that you receive when discussing high performance is how can we individually make a difference when these projects are so big? On a project of 300, 600 or upwards of 900 people, one project team member can feel a little insignificant and perhaps question whether their effort is important.
My response to this is very simple. Small daily acts by individuals over time can lead to staggering results. Every individual’s positive and proactive acts all add up to outstanding results that deliver our programme, our budget, quality outcomes, safety, and on other key areas of each project. Similarly, the absence or neglect of small daily acts can have the opposite effect. It is the compound effect of all these acts by each individual that deliver great outcomes.
This can be best represented in the following table which describes some of the positive and negative habits on projects that individuals can choose to adopt:
For each individual working on large projects, your effort matters. Your small daily acts are significant. You can make a difference by focussing on small, proactive intentional acts. All projects like a chain are as only as strong as your weakest link. Strengthen the project chain by playing your part, committing to positive habits and committing to small daily habits. From small daily acts, great outcomes will be achieved.