We’ve all seen this problem: 99 percent of the project is complete, but a last-minute hiccup prevents you from getting it across the finish line as planned. Perhaps there was a missed communication with a delivery service, or your documents file format was incompatible with that the Web site or client needed. Maybe you were missing a cable to plug something in. Whatever the issue, it happens time and time again. Enough so that there’s a name for it: The Last Mile Problem.
It’s not always just a case of bad luck or terrible timing. As Dan Pallotta explains in the Harvard Business Review, it’s more systemic than that. Often, we just communicate badly and make assumptions that virtually guarantee a glitch at the last minute, when we assume things should be smooth sailing. Here are some of his suggestions for creating a more rigorous environment to avoid last mile problems:
Question everything. If someone says something that doesn’t make sense to you, don’t assume the other person has a handle on things and it will be all right. Dig in, and you might find that’s the weak link that almost torpedoed your project.
To read the full, original article click on this link: 5 Ways to Avoid 'Last Mile' Problems In Your Projects | BNET
Author: Dave Johnson
