You sit your team down, explain a big project that the team is going to embark upon. You open the floor for team discussion…

You will encounter two types of engineers: The Optimist and The Pessimist

The Optimist: she is excited. She starts discussing how we can break the project down. How to solve certain problems. Who can work on what etc. In her mind she has started working on the project. She has visualized next few weeks of working on it.

You get sucked into the discussion and love the brainstorming vibe. You want to hear more.

The Pessimist: she shakes her head. Tells you why this project is a bad idea. She will go on to list 136 reasons why this project will fail.

Buzz Kill!

You try to brush aside concerns.

Downplay the conversation.

You want to talk more to the other engineer painting a destination postcard of the completed project.

Seems familiar?

We have all been there.

Don’t lose the diversity of thoughts:

Pessimists can actually be valuable assets to a team, but many engineering managers tend to overlook their worth.

When managed effectively, pessimists can become your secret weapon.

That skeptical team member often brings a diversity of thought to the table, and their perspective should be embraced and leveraged to the fullest extent possible. Their ability to identify potential pitfalls and challenges can help the team make more informed decisions and anticipate potential issues before they arise. So, instead of brushing off their concerns, embracing their input can lead to better problem-solving and stronger outcomes for the team.

Unraveling the Execution Puzzle: Dealing with Surprises

When it comes to putting plans into action, surprises can be the trickiest hurdle.

Steve Jobs aptly puts a mental model of execution challenges in this video.

The key to successful execution lies in trying to predict potential risks and consistently addressing them within the plan.

But no matter how meticulous the leader or team is, surprises are almost inevitable once execution begins.

These unexpected twists and turns can present significant challenges during the implementation of any plan.

While it’s essential to strive for foresight and risk management, surprises remain an integral part of the execution journey, requiring adaptability and quick problem-solving.

Pre-mortems :

To address these challenges, there are approaches like premortems , popularized by Shreyas Doshi. A pre-mortem involves bringing stakeholders and the team together to imagine a project’s failure.They work backward, creating a list of reasons that could lead to that failure.

This proactive approach helps identify potential pitfalls and risks early on.

Teams can then take preventive measures to boost project success.

Envisioning failure scenarios beforehand offers valuable insights.

Teams become better equipped to tackle challenges head-on.

Ultimately, this enhances the overall project’s chances of success.

Strength of Pessimists:

The pessimist on the team plays a crucial role by providing pointers similar to those derived from a pre-mortem. These insights enable the manager to plan risk-mitigations and contingencies in advance. By addressing potential challenges early on, surprises at later stages are minimized.

Ultimately, embracing the pessimist’s perspective becomes an invaluable asset in effective project execution.

Conclusion:

As a manager, go beyond conventional strengths. Leverage diverse traits for the team’s advantage.

Recognize each team member’s unique qualities. Embrace diverse perspectives, even from the pessimist.

Tap into their full potential for a high-performing team.