I mean, it’s literally a 10 letter word right?
During projects there are often good reasons to escalate risks, threats or other potentially high impact items, particularly any of the “triple constraints” of scope, schedule or cost. According to Merriam-Webster.com ‘escalate’ means to “to increase in extent, volume, number, amount, intensity, or scope“. According to my $.02 for Project Management, to escalate or escalation means to ask for help. This is not inherently a bad thing, but many feel it is.
Perhaps the project team member feels they will be viewed as a failure if they ask or help or the Project Manager will be seen as incompetent. No, no, no. Leaders, good leaders, want us to escalate potential negative impacts to them as early as possible. This is how we as good teammates and process facilitators can keep the project on track, take care of our people and not surprise our leadership.
Through ‘PPP59: Escalation Is Not A 4 Letter Word’, I share more on the helpful use of escalation of risks before they become issues and use the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK) 6th Edition to share what I think are relevant guides from the text and actions I believe could do the Project Manager and team a disservice if the guidance was followed word-for-word.
Thank you all for reading this post, listening to the show and please leave a review and share with others you think this information can help.
Godspeed,
Kevin
Kevin Pannell, PMP | Creator & Host, ‘People, Process, Progress’ | Connect and subscribe at https://linktr.ee/peopleprocessprogress
#askforhelp #escalation #projectmanagement #scope #cost #schedule #quality #projectmanagers #pmi #pmp #pmbok
