A team should always have one person who is saying “wait a minute!” looking for roadblocks that the go-getters don’t realize are there or even exist. Being overly optimistic and thinking it can’t happen can lead to risk taking, poor decisions and failure.
Teams need someone to see the glass half empty. Being mindful and consciously choosing to explore different angles, views and proof test the suggested solutions is the first step towards a more pragmatic outlook.
Bottom line, If your team members are all optimist then you should seriously worry! Saving Changes...
Senior Projects Manager | Field & Marten AssociatesNew Westminster, British Columbia, Canada
What you've described above fits exactly the role of a PM. He is the one who would say : Wait a Minute ! However. i agree with you that being overly optimistic could increase risk. Saving Changes...
Peter MorrisPM Consultant, Author| INDUS TechnologySan Antonio Texas, United States
What you've described above fits exactly the role of a risk manager, often p/o the PM duties. In any case, whether its a RM or PM, the idea of the entire team lacking optimism is a prescription for failure.
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1 reply by Rami Kaibni
Feb 03, 2016 12:44 PM
Rami Kaibni
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I agree with you Peter that lack of Optimism is a prescription to failure and Noura at the same time says that Over Optimism could also lead to failure which makes sense. I believe having balanced Optimism is ideal. What do you think ?
Senior Projects Manager | Field & Marten AssociatesNew Westminster, British Columbia, Canada
Feb 03, 2016 12:40 PM
Replying to Peter Morris
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What you've described above fits exactly the role of a risk manager, often p/o the PM duties. In any case, whether its a RM or PM, the idea of the entire team lacking optimism is a prescription for failure.
I agree with you Peter that lack of Optimism is a prescription to failure and Noura at the same time says that Over Optimism could also lead to failure which makes sense. I believe having balanced Optimism is ideal. What do you think ? Saving Changes...
The optimist says the glass is half full. The pessimist says the glass is half empty. The engineer says that the wrong size glass is being used for the quantity of liquid involved.
Just as with estimating, we need optimistic, pessimistic, and realistic points of view for the project as a whole. If the team is overly optimistic, a good PM can "play devil's advocate" with the team to explore the pessimistic aspects, and thus reach a realistic perspective. Saving Changes...
PANKAJ KUMAR JOSHIGeneral Manager| Transrail Lighting LimitedNainital, Uttrakhand, India
Optimism gives you strength to take decision in toughest scenarios. It should not be linked with risk tolerance. Considering the above example Optimist see half filled, pessimist see half empty but the truth remains same it is a half glass water. Optimistic takes every opportunity as strength. Sometime you have nothing but optimism and it gives you strength to survive.
Pessimist/ negative is also not wrong every time, He is an alarm who tells us our position and help us to predict future.
More is bad of anything.Over optimism means one can avoid a critical condition.Over pessimism means he may become panic for minor problems where he should be calm.
Important point is to know when positivism works in our life and when a little pessimism is required. Even someone is optimistic or pessimistic, he must analyze all conditions before taking decision. Saving Changes...
Hans-Georg BessHead of project management| eos.Uptrade GmbHHamburg, Germany
In best case the team is very heterogenic, so you have optimists, pessimists, realists, engineers and so one. Simply all flavours you need. This is why risk identification is not dedicated to a single person but to a wide range of different people involved in the project. It is the responsibility of the PM to get the best resources to develop a heterogenic team with a wide mindset. If he or she has not the opportunity and the team is too optimistic or pessimistic the PM has to fullfil the counterpart which can be very exhaustive... Saving Changes...
Anonymous
IMHO the truth is in the middle, as De Bono explained in his "Six hats for thinking" you should evaluate the pessimistic point-of-view, the optimistic, the objective (based on data), the emotional and the creative point-of-view always remaining focused on the process. As a PM you should build a team with these characteristics or in alternative fullfil all the counterparts.
Considering only one of the point-of-view lead you to bad decisions because:
if you are over optimistic, you underevaluate the risks and the project could fail
if you are over pessimistic, you overevaluate the risks and you could add expensive and useless mitigation actions
if you are too objective, you don't innovate
if you are too emotional and istinctive, you could don't evaluate risks correctly
and if you are too creative, you could lose the focus on the project.
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1 reply by Paolo Cornali
Feb 04, 2016 7:03 AM
Paolo Cornali
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The previous post was mine.
Sorry, but I don't know why it was taken as Anonymous.
Saving Changes...
Paolo CornaliProject Manager| HTA srlBrescia, Lombardia, Italy
The previous post was mine.
Sorry, but I don't know why it was taken as Anonymous. Saving Changes...
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