Bump
I have 4 more working days before vacation. And I'm running the ragged edge. My client's internal organisation isn't willing (or capable) of clearing some of their tasks and one of the projects is getting caught in a wedge between empire-building, revenge for past hurts, power games buried in an avalance of (non)issues and deflection of responsiblity. Ambition levels are being lowered, the risk profile is growing and the project's EVA looks like a flat line on heart monitor.
What fun.
I've talked to them, worked with them, proposed solutions, discussed content and issues, provided for all of their criteria, cleared all blocking issues but for the life of me no matter how sharply I set the boundaries, no matter how clearly I define the tasks and no matter how short I hold the reins I can't keep the power struggle out of the project
I've escalated, pressurized, reorganized, scaled up, scaled out, fired people, called the calvary, pulled tails, breathed fire, shot my silver bullets and screamed "SHAZAM" and *I* *am* *exhausted*. Mentally, physically & emotionally. Nothing I can do now will keep this project from detonating except for people deciding to do their work. No matter how commited I am I just can't do their work for them and that's the only thing that has to happen now.
My client has given his team 20 days to produce a tangible result or the plug gets pulled. I agree. After all I was the one to put pulling the plug on the table, but this time it's really going to happen...... The facilities manager of the MER (main equipment room) where the computers are housed came today with the announcement that the computer room can't house the new infrastructure until December (we need it in June). He's also announced that the required storage on the SAN won't be available until September (we need it in July) and *this* while he knew our requirements since December last year and said nothing, despite multiple probings, until now. What's more, he takes over line management of the team delivering the most resources to the project in May and with this clear signal that he intends to participate in the power game I can't expect him to be open to me claiming his two best people for my project.
We're doomed.
Normally, if asked, I would commit to ramming it down their collective throat but the risk profile of this project is so enormous that ramming it in could land us all in a big stinking ball of sh.it. For the first time in more than 17 years of working on projects I think I need to flip open my communicator and say "SCOTTY BEAM ME UP".
That would be tomorrow's lunch meeting because that's all the time I have.
A BIG part of me really wants to become an underpaid, overworked scuba instructor right now. There are life-shortening aspects to my work that just suck.
R..
