Reducing Negative variance and faking progress

Farjad Hasan Project Controls & Risk Manager| Bin Quraya Company Ltd. Saudi Arabia

There is situational question, I'd like to know if you put yourself in this situation what would you do??

If you are updating the progress and the variance comes too high say more than (-ve) 5%. Project manager asks you to reduce it by entering progress anywhere. But actually there is no room for entering progress in any of the activities, so you refuse to increase the progress further.

On being asked by the Project manager, your colleague comes in whose position is same in your organisation but has the leading position in the project. He enters progress and increases it. which makes Project Manager think that as if you were not deliberately entering the progress which your colleague has done it efficiently.

When the time of invoicing comes you are the one who are going to justify and certify the claimed progress, and when the acceptance of invoice gets delayed it comes on you that you were not able to justify and get approval of client on time.

Posted: Dec 6, 2018 1:39 AM

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Anton Oosthuizen Senior Business Analyst / Project Manager| Self Employed Pretoria, Gauteng, South Africa

What you are describing is what many refer to as a 'team player'. There is this notion that to be a good team player you need to do what it takes to get the job done. It is something that weak 'leader' actively promote because they think that is shows others how well they lead. Those who comply believe that the reward of being a good team player outweighs doing the wrong thing just to get the job done.

Firstly I would refuse and if somebody else steps in and do it I will escalate it. It is unethical at best. BTW I actually USED to work for a place like that.

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1 reply by Farjad Hasan

Dec 06, 2018 2:48 AM

Farjad Hasan

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Thanks for response. Yes I have also found this environment at many workplaces.

Posted: Dec 6, 2018 2:22 AM

Farjad Hasan Project Controls & Risk Manager| Bin Quraya Company Ltd. Saudi Arabia

Dec 06, 2018 2:22 AM

Replying to Anton Oosthuizen

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Thanks for response. Yes I have also found this environment at many workplaces.

Posted: Dec 6, 2018 2:48 AM

Gretchen Maguire Project Manager at large| PMPlusOne.com Dyer, In, United States

Fudging progress on paper, or in databases does nothing but diminish the project managers credibility when it becomes clear the work is not closer to completion. When fellow project managers put you in the awkward poition of asking you to do this, don't be surprised when you are later taking the fall for project delay. I would refuse but also try to find out why the adjustments are happening in the database unstead of with the project team and workers.

Posted: Dec 6, 2018 4:01 AM

Ganesh Kumar Program Manager Bangalore., Karnataka, India

No Farjad, not been in this situation and hopefully never. I would certainly refuse and not engage reporting anything incorrect. In a project there are many eyes watching the progress and therefore, should there be any issue, people actually converge to address the issue. Being transparent and honest about the progress and reporting pays.

Posted: Dec 6, 2018 4:25 AM

Mirko Blüming Senior Project Manager| Statkraft Germany GmbH Düsseldorf, Nrw, Germany

Stay honest and genuine - will pay off at the end!

Posted: Dec 6, 2018 5:47 PM

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Reducing Negative variance and faking progress

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