How often have you experienced a CEO proactively moving a deadline for a major business change?

By asking this question I am not suggesting that deadlines don’t change. However, when they do it is usually with reluctance from the senior leadership team. Usually a deadline changes whilst the project is in flight, and because something has got in the way leaving no choice but to push the deadline back. The usual ‘deadline’ pattern that we experience in most large business changes is as follows:

  • A burning platform instigates the need for a business change.
  • This naturally determines a deadline for the change to be implemented.
  • A project is initiated and the deadline is set, even before the objectives and scope are fully agreed.
  • The deadline then gets referred to as ‘a stake in the ground’ to assist with planning.
  • However in reality it becomes the expectation and the project starts getting measured against this!
  • The project team start their analysis and feasibility and discover all sorts of obstacles and issues – some affect the deadline and some don’t.
  • The project team recommend that the deadline is changed so that the end solution can fully resolve issues and ensure that the change is implemented successfully.
  • The steering team say no.
  • The project starts to design solutions and more issues are uncovered – some affect the deadline and some don’t.
  • The project team recommend that the deadline is changed so that the end solution can fully resolve issues and ensure that the change is implemented successfully.
  • The steering team say no.
  • The solutions start to be implemented and the unresolved issues become very real, and obstacles are encountered.
  • The deadline is missed.
  • The steering team set a new deadline.

However, over the past month, I have had the rare opportunity to experience a different scenario. The CEO proactively changed the deadline without the project team even asking. Why?

  • Not because there wouldn’t be a commercial disadvantage to the company.
  • Not because the company have surplus budget to absorb the extra cost incurred for the extended project life.
  • Not because the CEO wanted more analysis to be done.
  • Not because she felt the issues were insurmountable.
  • Not because there wasn’t a risk to the project team’s motivation level.
  • Not because there were too many other conflicting strategic priorities.
  • Not because she herself wasn’t confident.
  • Not because the change in deadline would be insignificant.

In reality, ALL of the above were very real implications of her changing the deadline. But, she did it because she wanted to do the change properly! She understood the culture of her organisation. She understood that such a big change was a first time experience across the company and for the project team itself. She understood that she alone could not drive this change and that she needed the whole team (executives and the project team) to be set up for success, and fully committed to and believing in this change. To foster this she recognised that she needed to allow them the time to consider all issues and find sustainable resolutions so that the change would stick and together they could truly transform the business.

Whilst it is natural for initial deadlines to be set arbitrarily or as a direct consequence of a business need. Almost all of these initial ‘stakes in the ground’ never change despite compelling reasons as to why they should.

So as an executive team they decided to extend the deadline by 1 year. They decided to take a commercial hit; lose some competitive advantage; suffer increased project costs and manage the Board’s critique as a result of changing such a significant deadline.

Deadlines are just one of those facts of life, and in a business setting, an absolute imperative to getting things done. Whilst it is natural for initial deadlines to be set arbitrarily or as a direct consequence of a business need. Almost all of these initial ‘stakes in the ground’ never change despite compelling reasons as to why they should. The original deadline almost always becomes an expectation that then leads to disappointment when inevitably the project doesn’t deliver to this deadline.

It is indeed a rare experience to witness a proactive decision to change a deadline. Especially one where the leader has used her intuition to balance her judgement despite the data presented. Much like climbing a mountain, large scale business projects do encounter unforeseen issues, and as a result, alternative paths do need to be considered. However, continuing to be fixated on reaching the summit by a certain date may narrow down those alternatives.

Wouldn’t you rather reach your summit knowing the team found the best route and keeping them with you along the way?